Disney World is bringing back more character dining experiences: Here's why they're even more magical than before

In the past, visitors to Disney World would fill the streets of Main Street U.S.A. Your main worries revolved around how long you'd wait for rides, maximizing your FastPasses, and the abundance of opportunities to dine with Disney characters, both inside and outside the theme parks.

In those unforgettable times, you could enjoy dinner with Snow White and the Evil Queen, have a meal with princesses at Cinderella Castle, share breakfast with Lilo, Stitch, and Mickey at the Polynesian, or even dine with Winnie the Pooh and his friends inside the Magic Kingdom.

As you enjoyed your Mickey waffles, bacon, and eggs (sometimes served buffet-style), characters would visit your table. You'd pause, get up to take photos — or, more awkwardly, just say hello and stay seated as they moved on.

Don't get me wrong, these character meals were a blast and incredibly special for kids who weren't afraid of meeting the characters. It was a much easier way to get that iconic Mickey photo compared to waiting in long lines in the hot afternoon sun. But, like anything, these experiences had their downsides, too.

As with many other experiences at Disney World these days, character dining has been greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Crowded dining rooms, where guests hug and snap photos with characters like Sleeping Beauty, aren't exactly conducive to maintaining social distance.

Fortunately, just as Disney World has adjusted its hotel operations and spaced guests out across the parks, it's also found a way to bring back character dining experiences — but now with a fresh, revamped approach that, in my opinion, is even better than the pre-pandemic version.

Character dining experiences at Disney World are now available

Before we dive into what you can expect from your next meal with Mickey, here’s a rundown of the character dining options currently up and running. Please note that this list was accurate as of mid-October, but is subject to change at any time.

Breakfast at Topolino Terrace, located at Disney's Riviera Resort

Riviera Resort is Disney's newest hotel, which opened in late 2019. It offers a sophisticated, adult-friendly atmosphere that doesn’t give off the typical theme park vibe. (But don’t worry, it’s not overly formal either.)

Topolino Terrace is a charming French- and Italian-inspired restaurant perched atop the Riviera Resort. Each morning, it hosts a character breakfast, providing a refined way to enjoy Mickey and his friends.

For $42, adults can enjoy a pastry basket, juice, coffee, and a choice of entrée from options like smoked salmon, quiche gruyère, sour cream waffles, or the wild mushroom scramble I opted for above.

Meals for children up to 9 years old are priced at $27 and include items like Mickey waffle dippers, eggs, and fruit with yogurt.

At this location, you’ll have the chance to meet Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy, all dressed in their finest Mediterranean-inspired attire.

Garden Grill at Epcot

Unlike some other character dining experiences, like Chef Mickey's, "Chip 'n' Dale's Harvest Feast" has always been served family-style, even before the pandemic, so that aspect remains unchanged. The characters still wear their charming farming outfits, too.

Here, you’ll enjoy a family-style platter featuring dishes like soft rolls, turkey breast, seasonal vegetables, grilled beef, salad, cheesy macaroni, and more. Some of the ingredients may even come from Epcot's Living with the Land garden.

I can't think of a meal more perfect for kids than macaroni and cheese topped with goldfish crackers.

This meal is simple yet incredibly fun, and is available for either lunch or dinner at $55 for adults and $36 for kids.

The characters typically include not just the stars Chip and Dale, but also Mickey and Pluto. Mickey’s overalls are absolutely adorable.

And don’t forget to leave some space for dessert. It’s all-you-can-eat, so feel free to indulge!

Ravello at the Four Seasons Orlando

The "Good Morning Breakfast with Goofy and Pals" at the nearby Four Seasons Orlando is currently held once a week on Saturday mornings. It used to be a high-end breakfast buffet but is now a plated meal that includes a bakery basket, fresh fruit, coffee or juice, and your choice of entrée, all for $48 for adults and $28 for kids 12 and under (which is a bit more generous than Disney's child age limit).

During this meal, Goofy's friends typically include Mickey and Minnie, all dressed in resort-style attire. If you'd like to add a drink, bottomless mimosas are available for an extra $18, while bottomless Bloody Marys cost $19 per person.

To make a reservation, you'll need to call the Four Seasons at 407-313-7777.

Hollywood & Vine at Hollywood Studios

A newly reopened, fun character dining experience can be found at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, home to both Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge and the latest attraction at Disney World, Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway.

At Hollywood & Vine, Minnie, Mickey, and a few of their friends dress according to the season, with Halloween-themed outfits through October, followed by holiday attire for the rest of the year.

The buffet-style service has been replaced with a set menu, starting with family-style salad and rolls, followed by an entrée like shrimp macaroni and cheese or cracked black pepper prime rib, and finishing with a dessert selection, including assorted pies or crème brûlée.

Be Our Guest in the Magic Kingdom

Be Our Guest, located in the Beast’s Castle at Magic Kingdom, has switched from an à la carte lunch menu to a three-course meal for both lunch and dinner.

This change means lunch now costs more, but it avoids the unpleasant and crowded experience we faced a few years ago, which lacked proper distancing.

Here’s what the same hallway looks like at lunchtime today:

Now, you'll be seated at safely distanced tables where you can enjoy a three-course meal that may be expensive, but provides a truly relaxing experience. Both lunch and dinner are priced at $62 for adults and $37 for children. The meal starts with options like lobster bisque, a mixed greens salad, or a charcuterie platter.

For your main course, you can choose from dishes like filet mignon, sea scallops, or roasted chicken.

Be sure not to indulge too much, as the dessert included in your meal is a delightful trio of treats – featuring the infamous 'grey stuff,' which tastes far better than its name suggests.

While I thoroughly enjoyed this meal, I only consider it half a character dining experience, as it features just one character – the Beast.

FOR FREE ASSISTANCE WITH PLANNING AND BOOKING YOUR NEXT DISNEY TRIP, BE SURE TO VISIT TPG'S DISNEY BOOKING PARTNER, MOUSE COUNSELORS.

Cinderella's Royal Table

Dining at the iconic Cinderella Castle, located at the end of Main Street U.S.A., is a must-do Disney World experience. Before the pandemic, this was the ultimate character meal for Disney Princess fans. Recently, it has reopened for both lunch and dinner at a more affordable price ($37 for kids, $62 for adults), but there's been a significant change.

At the moment, Cinderella's Royal Table is only partially a character meal. Cinderella herself has been making surprise appearances from time to time, waving during the meal (similar to the Beast at Be Our Guest), but the other princesses have not yet returned.

If you've been dreaming of dining in Cinderella Castle, now is the time to book if you can secure a reservation. However, if you're hoping for a full royal experience with all the princesses, it might be worth waiting until things fully return to normal.

Chef Mickey's

Typically, Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary Resort is buzzing with guests filling their plates from the buffet while the 'Fab 5' – Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Pluto, and Goofy – greet everyone at their tables.

When Chef Mickey reopened during the summer, it switched to family-style dining with no characters. But starting on December 16, the 'Fab 5' will be back! Along with the return of the characters, expect the price to go up as well.

Currently, breakfast costs $25 for adults and $14 for kids, which is a great deal by Disney standards. Starting December 16, the price will rise to $42 for adults and $27 for kids when characters return.

No matter what, you'll enjoy unlimited servings of French toast sticks, Mickey waffles, bacon, sausage, and the irresistible potato-and-cheese casserole with tater bites.

What to expect at a Disney character meal now

Now that you're familiar with the available character meals, here's how they work.

Make sure to secure a reservation

In the past, Disney allowed dining reservations up to 180 days in advance, which was a bit extreme. I can barely plan my dinner for tomorrow, let alone six months ahead at Disney. Popular meals like Be Our Guest would be booked months early, leaving last-minute planners out of luck unless they were lucky enough to grab a cancellation.

While it's still recommended to book character dining in advance due to limited availability (with dining capacity halved in reopened venues), you can only reserve up to 60 days ahead. If you miss the reservation window, check the app for same-day walk-up availability by selecting 'dine now' in the dining section.

Mobile check-in and menus

When your reservation time arrives, head to the restaurant and check in via the Disney mobile app. You can access the menu through the app by scanning the QR code, and paper menus are also available if requested.

Meet the characters

As you enjoy your meal, characters will make their rounds through the restaurant, stopping by each table for a quick visit.

At Topolino's Terrace, for instance, each character was introduced individually before making their entrance. They would then circle the room, dancing and posing for photos and selfies to the sound of lively themed music, spending a brief moment at various spots around the restaurant.

After each character had their solo moment, all four appeared together. During our breakfast, we experienced this rotation twice, so it was happening fairly often, though not continuously.

During our recent lunch at Be Our Guest, the Beast made two appearances. His walk-through, however, was much quicker, and he didn’t linger at various spots in the restaurant as the characters did at Topolino's. (This is another reason it’s not your typical character meal.)

At dinner at Garden Grill in Epcot, there were no grand announcements or fanfare; the characters simply made their rounds around the restaurant every 20-30 minutes. Ultimately, each character came around our booth to wave and pose for photos two or three times each.

Currently, you won't be able to pose with the characters, except for any selfies you manage to take from your table. While Garden Grill is a bit of an exception due to its unique setup, in general, characters don't visit individual tables and will not be signing autographs. The restaurant requests that guests remain seated while the characters make their rounds.

For more details, check out TPG's dedicated Disney hub.

Bottom line

It may seem like a lot of changes, but they're all for the better.

While enjoying your meal, you’re surrounded by beloved characters. You can wave, interact from a safe distance, take photos as they pass by, or simply savor your warm eggs and fresh coffee while it’s still piping hot. This approach to character interaction feels far more relaxed and natural than it used to be.

That said, I understand that many families, especially those with young children, will miss the chance for autographs and one-on-one photos. If these moments are what make a character meal truly magical for you, then this may not be the best time to spend around $30 per child and $50 or more per adult on this kind of dining experience.

However, during my recent visits with my kids, we all agreed that these new versions of character meals were some of our best Disney dining experiences, maybe only second to the time we had an unforgettable moment with the Evil Queen.