There are 12 character dining experiences on Disney property, and what makes or breaks yours is rarely the food. It's whether the characters talk or mime, whether they actually show up at the meal you booked, and whether you can eat sitting down while keeping an eye on a three-year-old. We cover all three for every one of them.
The three best character meals
1. Topolino's Terrace – Flavors of the Riviera · 7.8 / 10
2. Story Book Dining at Artist Point with Snow White · 7.6 / 10
3. Garden Grill Restaurant · 7.5 / 10
Resort sold out for your dates? Set a room alert and we will email you when one opens.
Tell us who is eating and the order changes. Free, about a minute.All 12, compared
| Experience | Where | Characters | Meals | Our score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topolino's Terrace – Flavors of the Riviera | Disney's Riviera Resort | Costumed characters | Breakfast only | 7.8 / 10 |
| Story Book Dining at Artist Point with Snow White | Disney's Wilderness Lodge | Face and costumed | dinner | 7.6 / 10 |
| Garden Grill Restaurant | EPCOT | Costumed characters | breakfast, lunch, dinner | 7.5 / 10 |
| Hollywood & Vine | Disney's Hollywood Studios | Costumed characters | breakfast, lunch, dinner | 7.3 / 10 |
| Tusker House Restaurant | Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park | Costumed characters | breakfast, lunch, dinner | 7.1 / 10 |
| The Crystal Palace | Magic Kingdom Park | Costumed characters | breakfast, lunch, dinner | 6.8 / 10 |
| 1900 Park Fare | Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa | Face characters | breakfast, dinner | 6.6 / 10 |
| Akershus Royal Banquet Hall | EPCOT | Face characters | breakfast, lunch, dinner | 5.7 / 10 |
| Cape May Cafe | Disney's Beach Club Resort | Costumed characters | Breakfast only | 5.6 / 10 |
| Cinderella's Royal Table | Magic Kingdom Park | Face characters | breakfast, lunch, dinner | 5.5 / 10 |
| Chef Mickey's | Disney's Contemporary Resort | Costumed characters | breakfast, dinner | 5.1 / 10 |
| ʻOhana | Disney's Polynesian Village Resort | Face and costumed | Breakfast only | – |
Common questions
A face character is played by a performer in the character's own face, so they talk with your child: the princesses, Aladdin, Mirabel, Snow White. A costumed character wears a full head and mimes: Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Pooh, Stitch. It makes a real difference to what the meal is like, and only 3 of the 12 here have face characters.
Cape May Cafe, ʻOhana, Topolino's Terrace – Flavors of the Riviera. Disney says so on each restaurant's own page, and booking dinner expecting characters is the most common disappointment in Disney dining.
Yes, and make it breakfast. For kids under six, a long dinner comes after their day is already done, and the characters get to your table right when everyone wants to leave. Skip the 6 buffets, too: someone has to leave the table to get food, so the grown-ups end up eating in shifts.
Sixty days, and the popular ones can go in the first few minutes. Cinderella's Royal Table also takes full payment when you book.
Related guides
Character dining is one decision inside a trip
The planner puts your character meal on the right day, at the right meal for your kids' ages, mixes face and costumed characters across the trip, and steers you away from buffets when there's a child under six.
Resort sold out for your dates? Set a room alert and we will email you when one opens.