Best Character Dining at Disney World Ranked: Every Meal Reviewed & Ranked by Experience

Character dining is the easiest way to see a lot of characters without standing in meet-and-greet lines. The characters come to your table, you get photos and autographs, and you get a full meal while you sit in the air conditioning. Here's my ranking of the character meals at Walt Disney World as of October 2026.

My Ranking

1. 1900 Park Fare (Grand Floridian)
2. Story Book Dining at Artist Point (Wilderness Lodge)
3. 'Ohana Best Friends Breakfast (Polynesian)
4. Topolino's Terrace breakfast (Riviera Resort)
5. Garden Grill (EPCOT)
6. Tusker House (Animal Kingdom)
7. Akershus Royal Banquet Hall (EPCOT)
8. Cinderella's Royal Table (Magic Kingdom)
9. Chef Mickey's (Contemporary)
10. Hollywood & Vine (Hollywood Studios)

1. 1900 Park Fare

1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian reopened in 2024 with the Wish Upon a Star breakfast and dinner. You'll see Cinderella and characters from her story, Mary Poppins, and other storybook friends. The room is gorgeous, the character interactions are long, and the food is better than most buffets on property. The Grand Floridian is my DVC home resort, so I'm biased, but this is my favorite character meal right now.

2. Story Book Dining at Artist Point

Snow White, Dopey, Grumpy, and the Evil Queen at Wilderness Lodge, dinner only. The Evil Queen is a highlight for older kids and adults, and the setting feels like an enchanted forest. It's a great pick for families who've already done the princess meals.

3. Ohana Best Friends Breakfast

Lilo, Stitch, Mickey, and Pluto in a laid-back, family-style breakfast at the Polynesian. The skillet is filling, and the character visits are fun and silly. Easy to pair with a Magic Kingdom morning by monorail.

4. Topolino's Terrace Breakfast

Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy in artist outfits at the top of the Riviera Resort. The food is plated and served to you, the views are lovely, and it's an easy Skyliner ride from EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and several resorts.

5. Garden Grill

Mickey, Pluto, and Chip 'n' Dale in a slowly rotating dining room inside The Land pavilion at EPCOT. Family-style comfort food, a relaxed pace, and plenty of time with each character.

6. Tusker House

Donald, Daisy, Mickey, and Goofy in safari outfits at Animal Kingdom. It's a solid meal with lots of variety, and it fits well into an Animal Kingdom day.

7. Akershus Royal Banquet Hall

Princess Storybook Dining in the Norway pavilion at EPCOT, with a rotating group of princesses. It's often easier to book than Cinderella's Royal Table and gives you more princesses for the money.

8. Cinderella's Royal Table

You eat inside Cinderella Castle, and that's the magic. You meet Cinderella, and other princesses visit your table. It's the most expensive character meal at Disney World and it's charged in full when you book, so it's best for a special occasion or a princess-obsessed kid. If the castle itself isn't the point, Akershus or 1900 Park Fare give you more for less.

9. Chef Mickey's

Mickey and friends at the Contemporary, breakfast and dinner. It's loud and busy, and kids love it. The food is standard buffet fare. Good for first-timers who want classic Mickey and friends near Magic Kingdom.

10. Hollywood & Vine

Disney Junior characters at breakfast, and Minnie's seasonal dinner later in the day. Great for preschoolers. For older kids, I'd pick another meal.

A Few More

Cape May Cafe at the Beach Club has also hosted a character breakfast, but lineups there have changed over the years, so I confirm before booking it. One clarification I get a lot: the Grand Floridian Cafe is a regular restaurant, not a character meal (and it's closed for a refresh right now, with reservations from November 2, 2026).

How to Book

Dining reservations open 60 days before your date at 6 AM Eastern. If you're staying at a Disney hotel, you can book 60 days before check-in for your whole stay (up to 10 days). Cinderella's Royal Table, 1900 Park Fare, and Story Book Dining fill fast, so be ready at 6 AM.

Most character meals require a credit card to hold the reservation, with a no-show fee if you don't cancel in time. Cinderella's Royal Table is prepaid.

Prices

Character meals generally run higher than regular table-service meals, and prices change by meal and season. Breakfast is usually the cheapest. Cinderella's Royal Table is the most expensive. Kids 3 to 9 pay a lower price, and kids under 3 eat free from the adult's plate or buffet.

Prices and schedules change often; confirm current details with your travel advisor before booking.

Which Meal for Which Kid

• Toddlers and preschoolers: 'Ohana breakfast, Chef Mickey's, or Hollywood & Vine's Disney Junior breakfast. Classic characters and lots of energy.
• Princess fans ages 3 to 8: Akershus for the variety, Cinderella's Royal Table for the castle, or 1900 Park Fare for Cinderella's story.
• Kids 8 and up: Story Book Dining at Artist Point. The Evil Queen is hilarious with older kids.
• Adults on their own: Topolino's Terrace breakfast or 1900 Park Fare. Great food and a nice room.

How to Pair Character Meals with Park Days

A character meal works best when it's on your way. Some pairings I use all the time:

• Magic Kingdom day: 'Ohana breakfast at the Polynesian (monorail to the park), Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary (walk to the park), or Cinderella's Royal Table inside the park.
• EPCOT day: Akershus in Norway or Garden Grill in The Land.
• Hollywood Studios or EPCOT day from a Skyliner resort: Topolino's Terrace breakfast at the Riviera, then an easy Skyliner ride to the park.
• Animal Kingdom day: Tusker House for lunch.
• Rest day: 1900 Park Fare or Story Book Dining, so the meal is the event.

Breakfast is usually the best value, and an early character breakfast can double as your "rope drop" if the restaurant is inside the park.

How to Get the Most Character Time

• Bring an autograph book and a fat pen. Characters struggle with thin pens.
• Don't leave the table to get food when a character is one table away.
• Ask a server roughly when each character will come by.
• Book a late-morning or early-dinner slot. They're usually a little calmer.

Character Meals and the 2027 Dining Plans

Disney's 2027 dining plans start January 1, 2027, with three versions: Quick-Service, Table-Service, and Deluxe Table-Service, which is back for the first time in years. If you're thinking about a dining plan because you'll be doing several character meals, let me run the math against paying out of pocket for your dates.

Character Dining Faq

Which character meal has the most characters? It varies by day, but Chef Mickey's, Tusker House, and Akershus usually rotate through several characters during a meal.

Are character meals worth the money? For families with young kids, usually yes. You'd otherwise spend a big part of your day in meet-and-greet lines.

Do you need a park ticket for character dining? Only for meals inside the parks (Cinderella's Royal Table, Akershus, Garden Grill, Tusker House, Hollywood & Vine). The resort character meals don't need a ticket.

What happens if I cancel late? Most character meals charge a no-show fee per person if you cancel less than a day out or don't show up. Cinderella's Royal Table is prepaid, so read the cancellation rules before you book.

My Take

If you're doing just one character meal, I'd pick 1900 Park Fare or Story Book Dining. Little ones who love Mickey: 'Ohana breakfast or Topolino's. Princess fans: Akershus for the variety, or Cinderella's Royal Table for the castle.

I'm CJ, a Disney travel advisor and DVC owner. My planning help is free because Disney pays me. Reach out to Countdown to Vacation and I'll handle the 6 AM booking for you.