Countdown - 52 Days to Go!
- Jillian Wallin
- Oct 18
- 3 min read
🎉 52 Days to Go! Out-of-Park Character Dining at Walt Disney World
As our countdown continues, we’re heading back to the East Coast to spotlight one of my favorite Disney trip planning topics: character dining experiences that don’t require a park ticket or hotel reservation. That’s right—no need to scan into a park or book a resort stay to enjoy a magical meal with your favorite characters!
Before we dive in, a quick tip: when searching for character dining on the Disney website, make sure to filter by “Character Dining” under the dining tab—not “Character Experiences,” which includes meet-and-greets we’ve already covered.
Now that mousekeeping is out of the way… let’s eat!
🏖️ Cape May Café – Disney’s Beach Club Resort
Experience: Minnie’s Beach Bash Breakfast
Characters: Minnie and friends
Dining Style: Buffet (Breakfast only)
Things to Note:
Breakfast is the only meal with characters.
The resort is undergoing exterior maintenance (as of Oct 2025), so allow extra time to arrive.
Highly recommended for Sunday brunch—this one’s on my December list!
🏰 Chef Mickey’s – Disney’s Contemporary Resort
Experience: Breakfast & Dinner with Mickey and pals
Characters: Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, Donald
Dining Style: Buffet
Things to Note:
You might catch the Monorail zipping by during your meal—pure Disney magic!
Breakfast includes Mickey Waffles, eggs, bacon, honey ham, and more.
Dinner features NY Strip Loin, BBQ Pork Ribs, Teriyaki Salmon, and peel-and-eat shrimp.
I haven’t tried it yet, but it’s officially on my future to-do list!
👑 1900 Park Fare – Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Experience: All-you-care-to-enjoy breakfast and dinner
Characters: Cinderella, Aladdin, Mirabel, Princess Tiana (subject to change)
Dining Style: Buffet
Things to Note:
The Grand Floridian is also under refurbishment—plan ahead.
Cuisine is labeled “American,” so expect familiar favorites.
Character lineup may vary, but it’s a royal crowd!
🌺 ‘Ohana – Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
Experience: Breakfast with Lilo & Stitch
Characters: Lilo, Stitch, Mickey, Pluto
Dining Style: Family-style table service
Things to Note:
Breakfast is the only character meal.
The ‘Ohana mimosa? A top contender for best drink in the Disney bubble!
Photo Credit: Jillian Wallin This is currently the only spot to get Lilo & Stitch autographs. (At least to my awareness!)
Photo Credit: Jillian Wallin
🇫🇷 Topolino’s Terrace – Disney’s Riviera Resort
Experience: Breakfast à la Riviera with Mickey and Friends
Characters: Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy
Dining Style: Prix Fixe
Things to Note:
Breakfast is the only character meal.
Check dress code requirements before you go.
I haven’t dined here yet, but the reviews are glowing!
🍎 Story Book Dining at Artist’s Point – Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
Experience: Dinner with Snow White and friends
Characters: Snow White, Evil Queen, Dopey, Grumpy
Dining Style: Prix Fixe
Things to Note:
Dinner is the only character meal here.
The Evil Queen is a standout—one of my favorite villains to interact with!
This one’s high on my must-do list!
🌞 Bonus Pick: Ravello – Four Seasons Resort Orlando
Experience: “Good Morning Breakfast with Goofy and His Pals”
Characters: Goofy and rotating pals
Dining Style: À la carte
Things to Note:
Available only on Thursdays and Saturdays.
Characters may vary—expect surprises!
Kids under 5 dine free at the Four Seasons, but this does not apply to character meals.
📝 Final Thoughts
There are so many magical character dining options outside the parks—but don’t expect to walk in without a reservation. These spots fill up fast, so book early!
For our family, ‘Ohana is the reigning champ of out-of-park character meals. But every family has their own favorite—what’s yours?
Drop your recommendations in the comments or tag me on socials @amndisneyadult. Let’s build the ultimate character dining bucket list together!
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