Is character dining at Disney 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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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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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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What's a character meal? These are restaurants where you can meet Disney characters as part of your dining experience. 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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For those new to Disney travel, “character meals” are dining experiences in which Disney characters meet and greet guests in the restaurant. Disney pals generally travel from table to table, stopping to interact with each party for a hug, photo, autograph, or possibly a conversation.

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Character dining is a great way to visit with some of our favorite friends and have a great meal while on vacation at Walt Disney World! All character buffet meals are a fixed price and include the all-you-care-to-enjoy buffet and a non-alcoholic beverage of your choice.

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Since you may have many mousekeepers throughout your stay, you may want to leave your gratuity every night, although leaving one tip at the end of the week is also acceptable. Tipping is never required, but it is greatly appreciated for all of their hard work.

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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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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. Bellman should normally be tipped $3 per bag when delivering bags to your room. It is customary to tip both upon arrival and departure.

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Quick service meals are around $12-15 for an entree, but with drink and side could end up closer to $25. But if you do character meals or table services, it'll cost closer to $40-60 per person, if not more. But that's just meals. If you need a snack or mid-day refreshment, that'll add another chunk.

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Due to the popularity of character dining, reservations a near imperative. 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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Couples should expect to spend a minimum of $700 if staying on Disney property for one night and visiting the parks for one day. For three-night stays (and two theme park days), costs inflate to a minimum of $1,800.

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Be respectful of the characters. Remember that characters are people, too! Yes, you can hug them, but please be respectful with your body language and comments. Just like you would with any other person, keep your interaction appropriate and respectful.

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If you want a character meal at lunch, you'll have fewer options than breakfast or dinner. Park admission. A theme park admission ticket is required for the restaurants located inside the parks. If you don't want to use a park admission, opt for one of the meals located in a WDW hotel.

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Meeting characters can be an exciting part of many people's vacations, and luckily, you don't need to have a park ticket in order to do it. One of the best ways to meet characters outside of the Disney World theme parks is by booking a character dining experience.

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