Character dining has started to return to spots like Hollywood and Vine in Hollywood Studios and we’ve seen characters make very brief appearances in Cinderella’s Royal Table and Be Our Guest Restaurant in Magic Kingdom.
Mickey and Minnie
But, the character dining experience is very much modified from what it used to be in Disney World.
In spots like Hollywood & Vine in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Topolino’s Terrace in Disney’s Riviera Resort, and Garden Grill Restaurant in EPCOT, you can still see some of your favorite characters, like Mickey and friends, in modified ways.
It’s Minnie!
The characters will typically walk around the restaurant several times during your meal, but they cannot come up to you directly and give you a hug or take a close picture with you. Instead, they wave at you from a socially distanced point and will stop for distanced pictures and selfies.
Mickey and Pluto!
When they pause for photos, though, you still get the opportunity to chat with them a bit, from a distance, which can be a lot of fun.
Howdy Goofy!
The characters also cannot sign any autographs, so in these spots, you’ll also typically receive an “autograph card” of some kind from your friends. Again, not the same as having Chip ‘n’ Dale sign your backpack or autograph book, but it’s something!
Souvenir Card
In places like Be Our Guest Restaurant and Cinderella’s Royal Table, we’ve also seen some characters — namely, the Beast and Cinderella, respectively — make a very limited appearance. Neither the Beast nor Cinderella really paused for selfies or distanced photos, and we didn’t really get the chance to ask them about their castle quarantine activities or anything like that.
They simply strolled throughout the restaurant, waved, and made their way out. Cinderella also only walks through a small section of the restaurant, so you could end up being far away from her when she walks through. This can be a bit disappointing, especially if you or your little ones were looking forward to having more of a standard character experience.
Cinderella
Disney has reduced the price of some of these character dining experiences, but others have actually increased in price. Overall, none of them are cheap by any means. Lunch at the Garden Grill Restaurant will cost you $55 for adults and $36 for kids, which is actually an increase in price compared to what it was pre-closing ($42 for adults and $27 for kids).
At Cinderella’s Royal Table, lunch will cost you $62 for adults and $37 for kids, which is only $13 less than what it used to be. Breakfast at Topolino’s Terrace with the characters is slightly less than the other two, but will still cost you $42 for adults and $27 for kids (up from $41 for adults and $24 for kids).
Cinderella’s Royal Table
So, are these spots worth the splurge? We asked all of YOU, our readers, via our Instagram, the following question:
With all the changes currently in place, do you think character dining is still worth the splurge?
And here’s what you had to say:
Is Character Dining Worth the Splurge?
About 4,727 votes (32%) were placed in favor of character meals, while more than DOUBLE that amount (10,258 votes or 68%) said “No Way” to the current prices. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons our readers gave us.
“Of Course!” Character Dining Is Worth the Splurge!
Some of you felt like the splurge was worth it. One reader said, “It’s a job for those [Cast Members] and memories for the people who choose to go!!” It’s certainly possible that, for some, just seeing the characters and chatting with them one-on-one, even from a distance is worth the cost alone.
Chip ‘n’ Dale
Even though it’s a different experience, there’s no denying that, at least with some of these character interactions, you can still create some fun and magical memories. For some spots, like Cinderella’s Royal Table or even Be Our Guest, the atmosphere — the ability to dine INSIDE of one of the castles — may also carry a lot of weight for those who see the value of these experiences, despite their modifications.
Cinderella’s Royal Table
Other spots, like Hollywood & Vine, may get an added bonus because they have a special theme — currently, you can see Disney characters in their Halloween costumes there. If you aren’t headed to Magic Kingdom for those Halloween cavalcades, or you simply want to see them in some different costumes up close, that may be enough of an added benefit.
“No Way.” Character Dining Isn’t Worth it Right Now.
One reader told us it isn’t worth it to do a character dining experience right now, “not for the price they’re charging.” Another said that it might be worth it, but “only if the price is lowered.”
Cinderella Card
Going to Disney World is expensive enough on its own, and it seems the majority of you felt that adding a character dining experience on top of it, given the current changes in place, simply isn’t worth the extra money.
Pluto!
On the one hand, character dining is an extremely different experience than what it used to be. But, for some, seeing Mickey and the gang in some way that’s a bit more intimate than the character cavalcades is that touch of magic they NEED for their trip.
Check out our review of our experience at Cinderella’s Royal Table and whether we think this particular spot is worth the splurge.
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Every visit since my daughter’s were born 1990 1994 we have been bringing them to Disneyland for our family summer vacations, and Halloween party…the most thrilling part was there reactions to the characters in the park..My Lydia’s face at one, seeing Daisy up close for the first time, to my Leana at 20years old in a skit with Alice and the madhatter in the ice cream parlor on main street, the thrill of her life brought tears to my eyes ..shes her favorite. Then my granddaughter at 3 Minnie took her hand and walked down main street..looked like a commerical. taking pictures in the castle with all the princesses seeing ARIEL was really! Sally at the Halloween party telling her she loved her hair.. And Finally my Little Man at one shaking hands with Woody..those are just some of the special “first” moments and interactions with the characters over the course of 30 years..we will never forget them..we have our memories, pictures and stories. It’s a different world. now, all we can hope for is that they open to everyone soon😞 so many more memories to make! ❤ love always
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Just a note that CRT also eliminated the included gratuity.
So CRT is actually more than it used to be if you tip at 20%.
I’m kind of dreading the lessons that Disney is learning from this COVID period– if folks will pay so much for such a reduced experience, they will either refrain from restoring “normal” services or they will do so and implement a HUGE price hike when they do.
A 30% increase for the Lunch at the Garden Grill Restaurant = DFB : just a casual Disney price increase LOL
HI, we just returned from Disney. We ate at Minnie’s Hollywood and Vine. It was not decorated for Halloween. Over $300 for 4 adults and one 6 year old. Delicious meal, excellent social distancing and cleaning procedures….but…only saw Minnie and Goofy for a total of, maybe, 120 seconds. Maybe it was their break or dinner time but they did NOT come out every 15 minutes as promised. For the price, our 6 year old was very disappointed. Staff were fabulous.
Disney take away gratuity from the server’s not good ! Lower prices you can afford it do not pay the big shots all that money ! I remember when character dining was in the $20.00 range and up to $35.00 ! That was a great price you pay more and get less !!
We have been Annual Passholders since 2003. Since the opening of Be Our Guest we were able to have lunch there once. Now with the parks open on a limited basis, we thought we were lucky to get a lunch reservation on September 14, 2020. Then we discovered that lunch and dinner are now a fix price of $62 per person. We have steadily watched Crystal Palace and other buffets climb out of our price range. We regret not being able to eat at restaurants we once enjoyed.
We were just at WDW last week .The Be our Guest resturant is great. However at $62.00 per person is a little steep. I liked the old menu with more reasonable prices. I know people is you are paying for the atmosphere but….
I know it is not character dinning, however I miss Casey’s, I understand it because of the lock downs (covet 19). But it is a great place to get a Hog dog. I realize Disney is doing their very best due to all the restrictions.
Hopefully this situation will pass.
Do I think it’s worth it NO,but it’s my my honeymoon and my wife’s first visit so we are doing be our guest and Hollywood and Vine.
Not worth it at all. Tired of masks and social distancing. WDW is too expensive to have things only half open. Prices are no lower. We refunded our annual passes. We will travel elsewhere.
We had the character breakfast with Chef Mickey, with 4 adults and an 8 year old costing over $300 with tip! Characters have to stay away, and the food is honestly better at IHOP. Never again!