Are Disney character dining worth it?

I go for the overall experience. I love seeing my kids light up when interacting with characters, who take their time at each table. A lot of guests rush through long lists of to-dos at Disney World. For me, character dining is about slowing down and savoring that iconic Disney magic.



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How long do character meals take? You'll want to budget about 90 minutes (plus travel time) for your meal. That gives you time to check in, be seated, and then time to eat and see all the characters without racing through anything.

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For good service, you should leave 15% of the total bill. If you are using a coupon or other discount, the tip should be based on the full bill, not the discounted amount. If the service was outstanding, 20% is a great way to show it. Alternately, if the service was below par 10% or lower sends the same message.

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Disney Character Dining is simply a table-service (sit-down) meal where Disney characters come directly to your table while you're eating. You can take pictures. You can get their autograph. You can even ask them those heart-burning questions you've long wondered about — like asking Snow White what's in Gooseberry Pie.

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The cost of gratuities is not included in the Disney Dining Plan. Although you are not paying cash for your meal, you should tip your server as if you were.

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In most cases, Disney characters will visit your table during your meal. While you eat, characters stop by your table to chat (or mime chat), pose for photos, and sign autographs.

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Transportation to early morning character meals at Disney World. The only time we ever recommend breakfast is if it's before the parks open (if you eat any later, you end up eating during prime park touring time), but it's confusing to understand how to get to the dining reservations.

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If you're a family of five, this means a five dollar tip for your housekeeper each day. You're supposed to leave the tip separately each day, rather than at the end of your stay, because there likely will be different people cleaning your room over the course of your visit.

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You will need to tip your server with actual money (cash, credit/debit cards, Disney gift cards, and other payment methods all work for this). If you're on the Disney Dining Plan, your bill will include a notation about how much you would have paid had you been paying cash.

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You may tip Cast Members in the following roles: Dining Teams, including servers and sommeliers at table service restaurants and attendants at Club Level lounges. Room Service attendants. Valet parking. Club Level concierge services.

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We'll go through an overview of each experience below, grouped by location, as well as our top tips for making the most out of your character dining experience. Remember that valid park admission and a park reservation are required to dine inside the theme parks.

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Reservations can currently be made up to 60 days in advance, which you can do on the Walt Disney World website. As with all table service meals, to book a character meal, you must provide Disney with a credit card number.

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In our humble frogpinion, these character experiences at the Disney World Resort hotels are every bit as special as those in the theme parks. You don't have to be staying at the host resort to hop over for a meal.

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It is entirely up to you how long you spend at a Disney Character Breakfast. The one at Crystal Palace is a buffet, so you can get your food immediately and begin eating. However, if you want to spend time with the fabulous Characters, then it will probably take longer than the allotted 45 minutes.

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You'll want to budget about 90 minutes (plus travel time) for your meal. That gives you time to check in, be seated, and then time to eat and see all the characters without racing through anything. It may take less time than that, but for planning purposes, 90 minutes is a good rule of thumb.

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Inappropriate Attire Disney reserves the right to deny admission to or remove any person wearing attire that is considered inappropriate or attire that could detract from the experience of other Guests.

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Children of all ages are very welcome to hug Disney princesses and other meet-and-greet characters at Disney theme parks. What would be the best way to spend 6 days in Disneyland with two 3 year olds if money is not an issue?

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