Best Character Dining at Disney
Magical Meals: Best Character Dining at Disney
If you're planning a trip to Walt Disney World® Resort in Orlando, Florida, you're in for more than just thrilling rides and enchanting shows. One of the most magical experiences Disney has to offer is character dining. Imagine enjoying a delicious meal while your favorite Disney characters stop by your table for photos, autographs, and unforgettable moments. Whether you're traveling with kids or are a kid at heart, character dining adds a sprinkle of extra magic to your Disney adventure. To help you plan your visit, here are the best character dining experiences at each of the four theme parks.
The 5 top character dining experiences at Disney
Across Walt Disney World® Resort, there are over a dozen character dining locations, but knowing which ones are best suited for your needs will help make the most of your visit. We’ve prepared a list of the five top character dining experiences at Disney, with information on the optimal times to visit, what food is served, and insider tips to help you pick the right experience for you and your family.
Note: It’s important to know that the characters listed at each character dining experience are subject to change. There may be fewer or more characters than advertised at each location.
Cinderella’s Royal Table at Magic Kingdom® Park
Perhaps the most iconic character dining experience at Disney World, Cinderella’s Royal Table is a fairytale come to life. Set inside the enchanting Cinderella Castle, the character dining experience begins with Cinderella greeting you as you ascend the grand staircase (or take the gilded elevator) to the opulent dining hall. Not only is the atmosphere fit for royalty, with sparkling chandeliers, regal décor, and breathtaking views of Fantasyland, but beloved Disney princesses like Snow White, Ariel, Aurora, and Jasmine stop by your table for magical moments and photo opportunities. Guests enjoy a gourmet prix fixe meal available for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and visiting princesses are given a souvenir magic wand while visiting princes are given a small souvenir sword.
Pro Tip: For a truly magical experience, book Cinderella’s Royal Table for dinner, where you will have a spectacular view of the nightly fireworks show. Reservations can be tough to get, so make sure you book this experience well in advance (ideally a full 60 days ahead).
Tusker House Restaurant at Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park
For a unique twist on character dining, embark on a culinary safari at Tusker House Restaurant in Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park, where every meal is a vibrant adventure! Nestled in the heart of the African savanna, this bustling marketplace offers a breakfast, lunch, and dinner buffet brimming with exotic flavors and beloved Disney characters dressed in their safari best. While the marketplace serves kid-friendly options to satisfy even the most particular eaters, some of the standout dishes are Moroccan-spiced beef, spit-roasted herb chicken, and African-inspired vegetables and salads. Tusker House is a family favorite because the food is delicious and you can sing and dance with classic Disney characters, including Mickey Mouse, Minne Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy.
Pro Tip: If you are traveling with a group that loves both breakfast and lunch, you can book a late breakfast reservation at Tusker House and enjoy the full breakfast buffet, as well as select lunch items as they transition the menu. Lunch service begins at 11:00 am, so breakfast reservations from 10:15 am to 10:45 am are the best times to enjoy both menus.
Chip 'n' Dale's Harvest Feast at Garden Grill at EPCOT®
Next on our list of the best character dining at Disney is Chip 'n' Dale's Harvest Feast, where every meal feels like a cozy, country-style celebration! Located within The Land Pavilion at EPCOT®, the Garden Grill is a rotating restaurant that boasts ever-changing scenery showcasing different views of farmland, forests, and greenhouses to create an immersive dining experience that’s both entertaining and educational. The food is classic American with bountiful portions served family style, and Chip, Dale, and their Disney pals like Mickey Mouse and Pluto make their rounds, bringing joy, laughter, and photo-worthy moments to your table.
Pro Tip: Chip ‘n’ Dale’s Harvest Feast is the perfect character dining experience if you have little ones who get antsy during longer meals. The slow rotation of the restaurant provides constantly changing scenery to keep everyone engaged and entertained. By the time you have finished your meal, you’ve made one full revolution with the scenes of the Living with The Land attraction.
Akershus Royal Banquet Hall at EPCOT®
EPCOT® is known as the “foodies’ park” because it features extraordinary restaurants and internationally inspired dining experiences, including the popular “Eating Around the World Showcase” culinary journey. Therefore, it’s no surprise that the park has two of the best character dining experiences.
Akershus Royal Banquet Hall is located in the Norway Pavilion at EPCOT®, which is now home to Royal Sommerhus and Frozen Ever After. The enchanting dining experience is set inside a medieval castle, where as soon as you enter, you are greeted by Belle for a regal photo opportunity. Guests are seated at large banquet tables under twinkling chandeliers and the food is served in a grandiose buffet style. Unique to Akershus is the Norwegian-inspired cuisine, with kjøttkaker (Norwegian meatballs), stekt laks (seared salmon), and potetstappe med brun saus (mashed potatoes and gravy); however, the restaurant also offers a variety of kid-friendly and traditional dishes. Your favorite Disney princesses, including Snow White, Ariel, Aurora and Cinderella, visit each table and kids can participate in a princess processional, where they dance and wave alongside the princesses.
Pro Tip: The Akershus Royal Banquet Hall is a great alternative if you can’t get a reservation for Cinderella’s Royal Table. However, it is still highly recommended to make dining reservations well in advance.
Hollywood & Vine at Disney’s Hollywood Studios®
Last, but certainly not least, in the top five character dining experiences at Disney is Hollywood & Vine, where dining meets dazzling entertainment in a star-studded, vintage Hollywood setting. This lively, all-you-can-eat buffet restaurant brings the glitz and glamour of Tinseltown to life, offering a variety of themed dining experiences that will make you feel like a VIP on the red carpet.
By day, delight in the Disney Junior Play ‘n Dine breakfast or lunch, where little ones can join their favorite Disney Junior stars such as Vampirina, Doc McStuffins, and Fancy Nancy for a fun-filled meal complete with singing, dancing, and interactive moments that will have everyone beaming with joy. As the sun sets, Hollywood & Vine transforms into Minnie’s Seasonal Dine, a dining extravaganza that changes with the seasons. From Minnie’s Springtime Dine to Minnie’s Halloween Dine and Minnie’s Holiday Dine, each event features festive decor, themed cuisine, and appearances by Minnie Mouse, Mickey Mouse, and their friends dressed in their seasonal best.
Pro Tip: Hollywood & Vine is a great character dining experience to do if you are traveling to Disney close to or during a major holiday. The restaurant rotates themes with the seasons, making it the perfect festive celebration to complement your visit.
Plan your magical getaway to Caribe Royale Orlando, a Walt Disney World Good Neighbor® Hotel
If you’re planning a vacation to Walt Disney World® Resort, there’s no better place to stay than Caribe Royale Orlando. A newly re-imagined, all-suite resort with an array of amenities, Caribe Royale Orlando is a premier Walt Disney World Good Neighbor® Hotel located just minutes from the parks. With sparkling pools and a water slide, eight unique dining experiences, luxury spa, and on-site biking, fishing, basketball, and Padel Tennis or Pickleball, Caribe Royale Orlando has everything you need for an amazing summer getaway. On the weekends the pool area comes alive with a DJ atop the waterfall during the day and Movies Under the Stars in the evening on the sun deck.
Plus, as a Walt Disney World Good Neighbor® Hotel, Caribe Royale Orlando offers guests exclusive perks, including shuttle transportation to all four Disney® Theme Parks and Disney Springs® and the ability to purchase Disney tickets in advance or on-site.
Plan your magical getaway to Caribe Royale Orlando now. Book your stay here.