Disney World Dining Archives - Laughing Lindsay

Disney World Character Dining Guide

April 1, 2026 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

Today, I’m finally doing a post that I have been putting off for months – a guide to Walt Disney World Character Dining!

Disney World Character Dining

As of the writing of this post, there are 12 on-site Disney World Character Dining options. Technically, there’s a 13th option at the Four Seasons, however I’m only covering options that are on-site. I’ve been putting this post off in hopes that I would eat at more of these restaurants and be able to provide a better analysis of each one. However, that doesn’t seem likely anytime soon. So, I’m going to cover all 12 and provide reviews as possible. Once I am able to try them out, I will update this post with a review.

1900 Park Fare

I was lucky enough to enjoy 1900 Park Fare about a decade ago. However, after the pandemic it’s a different meal now. There are different characters now. Initially, I was going to try it out with my mom on the December 2025 trip. Unfortunately, she was having mobility issues. So, we cancelled that reservation and enjoyed dinner at The Crystal Palace since we were attending the Christmas party.

It appears that you can currently meet prince/princesses here. This may include: Aladdin, Cinderella, Mirabel, and Princess Tiana. I think it’s fitting that you can meet Disney royalty here since it’s held at the Grand Floridian Resort. That resort is uber nice. I will encourage everyone to try the Strawberry Soup if you eat here.

Akershus Royal Banquet Hall

Again, Akershus is another princess meal. This one is located in Epcot though. I also enjoyed this one about a decade ago. However, I was also able to visit it again for breakfast with my mom back in 2023. You can read my full Akershus Princess Breakfast Review at Epcot here. My mom and I enjoyed the interactions with the princesses and found the food to be good. Although, it was a bit rushed.

I want to point out that this meal is 1 table service for breakfast only. Both lunch and dinner will cost you 2 table service credits to dine here. I think that is because of the popularity of the restaurant. Personally, I find $69 for 2 table service credits to be a terrible value.

Cape May Cafe

Cape May Cafe is a character buffet for breakfast only! Dinner here is a seafood buffet without characters. It is located at the Beach Club Resort. I’ve been lucky enough to eat breakfast here a few times. In fact, it has the distinction of being my first character meal! I most recently ate here a few years ago in December 2022 with my mom. You can read my entire Cape May Café Breakfast Character Meal Review here, but suffice it to say that we really like this restaurant. There’s always a variety of foods available. Plus, who doesn’t love to see characters in beachy outfits? Also, my favorite character, Donald Duck, can be found here!

Chef Mickey’s

Chef Mickey’s is the character buffet located at the Contemporary Resort. Featuring the Fab Five in chef outfits, it’s a fun experience. Plus, it’s another opportunity to see Donald Duck! Once again, I have been lucky enough to enjoy a meal here several times over the years. Most recently, my mom and I ate dinner here in February 2024 prior to a Magic Kingdom After Hours event. You can read my Chef Mickey’s Character Dinner Review here. I know that some folks complain about the food here, but they have improved the quality of food. We were pleased with the variety of foods available and nothing we had was outright bad.

Cinderella’s Royal Table

Cinderella’s Royal Table is the princess dining experience located in the castle in Magic Kingdom! Due to its location and popularity, it costs 2 Table Service Credits to dine here on the dining plan. It’s one of the more expensive places to eat on property. In fact, I’ve eaten here only once. I enjoyed breakfast here in 2021 with my husband. Due to Covid, the princesses didn’t come to the table. In fact, Cinderella just came out and waved. However, thanks to those changes, it was cheaper back then. It’s great to be able to say I’ve eaten here. However, I don’t know that I would pay the prices they are charging these days and certainly wouldn’t use 2 credits.

The Crystal Palace

The Crystal Palace is a greenhouse inspired restaurant featuring Winnie the Pooh and friends! I’ve had the pleasure of eating here a few times over the years. I had breakfast with my husband back in October 2023 and you can read my Crystal Palace Character Breakfast Review here for that experience. Then, in December 2025, I enjoyed dinner here with my mom prior to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. You can read my Crystal Palace Character Dinner Review too. Once again, I think Disney has improved the food here over the years as well. There’s something for everyone on the buffet and the characters are great!

Garden Grill Restaurant

Garden Grill is a classic character dining experience in Epcot. Featuring Chip, Dale, and farmer Mickey Mouse, it’s a meal that gives you a rotating view of the ride Living with the Land. The food leans more towards basic, but it’s done well and pleases most people. I’ve eaten here a couple of times as well. You can read my Garden Grill Dinner Epcot Character Meal Review from my most recent experience in February 2023.

Hollywood and Vine

Hollywood & Vine is a seasonal character dining experience in Hollywood Studios. I’ve dined here several times as well, since the characters’ outfits change seasonally! I haven’t posted my review yet, but my mom and I enjoyed dinner here during the Holiday Dining prior to Jollywood Nights in December 2025. It was a great way to get into the holiday spirit before the party. We enjoyed the character interactions and the buffet was plentiful. Again, kudos to Disney for improving food quality over the years. My only complaint is that they seem to have lost Donald at this location over the years. I hope they bring him back sometime.

‘Ohana

‘Ohana is a popular restaurant at the Polynesian Resort. This restaurant offers character dining for breakfast only. Dinner doesn’t have characters, but the meal is a favorite among Disney fans. Breakfast features Lilo & Stitch! It’s the only place where you can meet them currently. I haven’t eaten here in many years. However, I recall the pineapple-coconut bread at breakfast with fond memories. Plus, I wore a Lilo dress to this meal and it was a great core memory made to interact with the characters while being dressed like one of them.

Story Book Dining at Artist Point

Another restaurant I’ve been lucky to eat at previously, but not in recent years is Story Book Dining at Artist Point at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. My husband and I cosplayed as Snow White and The Prince when we ate here and had a great time. The Queen glared at us in the photos! It was awesome. My mom enjoyed interacting with Grumpy. The food here was elevated as well. Due to the experience and popularity, this restaurant is also 2 Table Service dining credits. Although, it is open for dinner only.

Topolino’s Terrace

Topolino’s Terrace is a character breakfast at the Riviera Resort. Dinner does not feature characters and is a signature dining experience. The character breakfast only requires 1 dining credit though. However, since it’s a signature restaurant, the food is better here than at some other buffets. You can read my full Topolino’s Terrace Character Breakfast Review for a closer look at this experience. However, I gotta love an artsy Donald Duck!

Tusker House Restaurant

Lastly, we have Tusker House! It’s a safari themed character meal in Animal Kingdom. Open for all three meals and only 1 table service credit, it’s pretty popular. Plus, it features Donald Duck! You can read my full Tusker House Breakfast Review from my February 2023 trip. I have not eaten dinner here in many years though. However, it is the only character dining available at this park.

Disney World Character Dining

As you can see, there are loads of options for Disney World Character Dining. From parks to deluxe resorts, they are located all over the resort. However, I would encourage everyone to pay attention to the dining credits required at some of the restaurants (Cinderella’s Royal Table, Artist Point, and Akershus). While the seated meals tend to have better food, the buffets have greatly improved in recent years. So, what’s your favorite character meal at Disney?

50’s Prime Time Cafe at Walt Disney World Review

February 25, 2026 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

Back in December, my mom and I ate at 50’s Prime Time Cafe in Hollywood Studios for the first time! So, I thought I would share how that experience went.

50’s Prime Time Cafe

50’s Prime Time Cafe is a highly themed table service restaurant located in Hollywood Studios theme park at Walt Disney World. It harkens back to the 1950’s with kitschy decor and most tables having a black and white television! It’s supposed to resemble eating in a mom’s kitchen with tasty comfort food on the menu!

The Ambiance

My mom absolutely loved the theme here! She was born in the 60’s, but remembered some of the decor being in her mom’s kitchen. She couldn’t wait to take photos to share with a co-worker and her older mom since they had some of the decor as well.

It’s also fun that the televisions feature short clips from tv shows that were airing in the 1950’s. In fact, Walt Disney himself even makes an appearance from Disneyland (as seen in my blog post image above)! Again, my mom loved watching the clips of old shows and spotting famous actors.

Adding to the experience of eating here are the cast members. They treat you like family here. In fact, they will joke along with you and poke fun of things. For example, I got up to use the restroom and our waitress told me, “I didn’t excuse you,” followed by “wash your hands and use soap” when I responded that I had to use the restroom. It was fun to watch the cast members interact with other tables as well. There’s definitely lots of entertainment to be had at this restaurant.

The Food

Seeing as this is mom’s kitchen in the 1950’s, they serve up basic comfort food. Since we were on the dining plan, I selected a yummy peanut butter and jelly milkshake for my drink. It was heavy on the peanut butter and had very little jelly flavor to it. However, as a peanut butter fiend, I was in hog heaven. It was so good! My mom got a strawberry milkshake and she thought it was really good too! I highly recommend the milkshakes here.

For my entree, I went with Aunt Liz’s Golden Fried Chicken! It was juicy and tasty! It truly hit the spot. My mom got Cousin Megan’s Traditional Meatloaf and was really happy with it. It had flavor without being too spicy (my mom can’t handle any spice). Both portions were huge though. This isn’t the place to come for a small bite to eat. Both of us received roasted garlic mashed potatoes and corn for our sides. Both of which were pretty good.

We were pretty full by this point, but the dining plan comes with a dessert. So, continuing with the peanut butter theme, I got Dad’s Favorite Chocolate-Peanut Butter Layered Cake a la Mode! It was a rich, dense cake. It was a little dry though. So, the ice cream did a great job of adding some needed moisture to the dish. I would say the cake leans more towards chocolate than peanut butter, but it was still yummy to me! My mom got the Traditional Warm Apple Crisp. This dessert was a little disappointing, to be honest. It was like they dumped a can of sliced apples in a bowl and put some oats on top. It wasn’t bad, it just paled in comparison to my cake. Although, I bet it would have been improved with some ice cream on top.

Fantasmic Dining Package

While dining here, we booked a Fantasmic Dining Package. At $60/each, it’s a good use of a table service dining credit. My mom had never seen Fantasmic. So, we appreciated knowing that we would get good seats to the show. We got to sit pretty much dead center of the stadium and got a great view of everything. It was similar to the Fantasmic Dining Package Review at Sci-Fi Dine-In in that we got the same reserved area to sit in. However, I much preferred the food here at 50’s Prime Time Cafe. I highly recommend a Fantasmic Dining Package if you are seeing the show for the first time just to get a good view of the show. Although, if you are early enough, a dining package certainly isn’t necessary to get a good view.

Is 50’s Prime Time Cafe worth it?

I think the 50’s Prime Time Cafe Fantasmic Dining Package is a great use of a table service dining credit. However, it’s probably a little less “worth it” for a regular dining credit without the package. My meal would have been $47.25 otherwise, which is a little low if you are trying to get the biggest bang for your buck on the dining plan. My mom’s would have been $43.75. Out of pocket, that’s pricey. Although, if we had been paying out of pocket, we wouldn’t have ordered so much food. Overall, it’s a fun environment with comfort food that everyone can enjoy.

So, have you ever eaten here?

Crystal Palace Character Dinner Review

January 21, 2026 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

Back in December, my mom and I enjoyed Crystal Palace character dinner prior to the start of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. So, I thought I would review that experience.

Crystal Palace Character Dinner

Two years ago, my husband and I enjoyed eating here for breakfast. In fact, if you click that link, you can read my review of that experience. On this trip, my mom and I had another character meal booked. However, my mom has started having mobility issues. So, at the least minute I switched from a resort meal to the only character dinner inside the Magic Kingdom – The Crystal Palace!

For those who don’t know, this is a Winnie the Pooh and friends character buffet meal! It takes place in a greenhouse-inspired restaurant featuring Victorian touches!

Dinner Food

Given that I last visited for breakfast, it was nice to enjoy a different menu this time. While the food here isn’t anything fancy, I think there’s a good variety. There’s definitely something for everyone. I really enjoyed the salmon! The shrimp and grits were pretty good too. The chicken was basic but tasty. I also like trying the pretzel roll (with a too big dollop of butter – haha!). Everything seemed fresh and tasted pretty good. I think Disney has definitely improved their buffet food.

The desserts were extra fun! I loved that most of the desserts were themed after characters! I don’t recall a particularly stand out dessert flavor wise though. They weren’t bad, but some were more fun to look at than to eat. It was a tad artificial in the flavor department.

Typically, I order plain water. However, since we were on the dining plan, I ordered the Pink Spritzer mocktail. It was a fun and fruity drink that had way more flavor than plain water. Plus, it helped increase the value of our meal.

Pooh and Friends

The first character we encountered in the restaurant was Tigger! Our server had us go meet him first thing since there wasn’t a line. Plus, she informed us that we were lucky enough to have Rabbit coming for a meet and greet! Since it’s winter, he’s come in from the garden to meet folks! I was excited to hear that as he was in the garden the last time I ate here.

After grabbing some food, Eeyore showed up at the table! He was fun! Then, Winnie the Pooh showed up! My mom told him that I liked honey too. I informed him that I do my stoutness exercises too. So, it was a great bonding moment.

The last character to come to our table was Piglet. He was as cute as ever! Finally, we got in a very short line to meet Rabbit prior to leaving the restaurant.

Overall, these were quick character interactions, but they were fun. We got several pictures with the characters and enjoyed ourselves.

Is The Crystal Palace Dinner worth it?

This meal is currently $64/adult and $44/child. We ate here because we were on the dining plan and a character meal is a great use of a dining credit. Plus, my mom really enjoys meeting the characters. However, if we weren’t on the dining plan, we probably would have grabbed something from a quick service restaurant. It’s a pricey meal but it is great for the dining plan and/or Winnie the Pooh fans. The food isn’t necessarily the star of the show, but it’s certainly not bad either. Plus, it was a pretty convenient meal for us since we were visiting the park for the Christmas party.

Have you eaten here for dinner?

Magic Kingdom Table Service Restaurants Guide

January 14, 2026 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

I’ve been meaning to write a Magic Kingdom Table Service Restaurants guide for sometime now. So, here it finally is!

Magic Kingdom Table Service Restaurants

Magic Kingdom is one of my favorite theme parks. As such, I’ve spent the most time in this park and have eaten here lots of times. However, I will admit that this park is somewhat lacking in the food department. I’ve often left this park and gone to a nearby resort to enjoy a meal rather than eat in the park. The low number of sit down or table service restaurants makes it easy to visit each location and review. So, here’s a look at what your choices are at MK!

Tony’s Town Square Restaurant

I’m going to start with the first sit down restaurant you encounter when you enter the Magic Kingdom – Tony’s Town Square! It’s a Lady and the Tramp themed Italian restaurant! It’s a cute theme for any fan of the movies or dogs in general. I did a Tony’s Town Square Review back in 2023 and I think it’s fair to say that not much has changed since then. It’s very basic Italian food that sometimes lacks seasoning. It’s not as bad as much of the Internet would have you believe, but I can get better quality Italian food at home. You can use 1 dining plan credit here for 1 drink, 1 entree, and a dessert. However, I’d probably use it somewhere else.

The Plaza Restaurant

The next table service restaurant you come to in this park is The Plaza Restaurant. It’s on the right towards the end of Main Street. I’ve eaten here twice, but never done a full review of it. It has a great view of the castle. Although, it’s a small space and can feel cramped. Also, the menu rotates some items pretty regularly. However, it tends to be pretty basic stuff. The food is good, but I’ve just never felt like I had something here that warranted its own review. I mean there’s only so much you can say about a Triple Decker Turkey Club Sandwich. It’s fresh. It tastes good. It’s filling. Ha! Anyways, the food is good but I typically wouldn’t use my table service credit here just because I can’t imagine using 1 for a sandwich or salad.

The Crystal Palace

The next table service restaurant is on the left (and up from Main Street). I’m talking about The Crystal Palace! This is a Winnie the Pooh and Friends character buffet dining! I posted a review of the breakfast my husband and I ate here a few years ago. Back in December, my mom and I ate here for dinner. This is a fun one for any fans of Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, or Eeyore! Plus, the buffet features a variety of foods to please many palates. It’s a good use of a dining credit, especially if you pick out a special beverage.

Cinderella’s Royal Table

Technically, Cinderella’s Royal Table is considered a signature dining experience. As such, it costs 2 dining credits to eat here. So, I’ve never used the dining plan to eat here. In fact, I’ve eaten here only once! It was back in 2021 when there was a modified experience following Covid. My husband and I enjoyed breakfast here just so that we could say that we’d done it. Plus, it was a slightly lower price back then since it was a modified experience (the princesses didn’t do any meet and greets.). I know lots of people enjoy eating in the castle and meeting the princesses. It’s perfect for little princesses or anyone wanting a nicer meal in this park. My blog image above was taken from inside CRT and is looking out at the park.

Be Our Guest Restaurant

The other signature dining restaurant in Magic Kingdom is Be Our Guest. I haven’t eaten here since before the pandemic, when it offered a terrific quick service value for breakfast! There’s three separate highly themed Beauty and the Beast rooms here. However, it now offers a prix fixe menu with a hefty $72/adult or 2 dining credits price tag! While the food is certainly elevated over the other table service options in this park, I don’t think it’s worth 2 dining credits. It would be good for Beauty and the Beast fans to do once or maybe for a date night.

Liberty Tree Tavern

Over in Liberty Square, there’s the consistently good Liberty Tree Tavern. I wrote a Liberty Tree Tavern review the other year and assume it’s mostly the same as it was then. It’s a colonial themed restaurant with different rooms being themed after founding fathers. What people really like though is the food. If you are craving some Thanksgiving food, then this is the place for you. Just save room for the Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake that’s served for dessert! This makes for an ok use of a dining credit if you pick an expensive drink.

The Diamond Horseshoe

Are you craving the tasty menu from Liberty Tree Tavern but can’t grab a reservation? Well, I’ve got good news for you! The Diamond Horseshoe located nearby is serving the exact same menu as Liberty Tree! I’ve actually never eaten here. However, I assume the food is just as good as it is at Liberty Tree. Although, I imagine it feels different to eat it in an Old West themed music hall.

Skipper Canteen

Last but not least is Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen. I’ve eaten here exactly once. It was with my husband and we actually enjoyed what we had. We enjoyed how different the menu was with its unique flavor pairings. Unfortunately, my husband ended up not feeling well later on. It probably wasn’t related to eating here, but we just haven’t felt like going back here. So, if you have some adventurous eaters, this is probably a good option for you. It would also be a pretty good use of a 1 table service credit, depending on the exact options you chose.

Magic Kingdom Table Service

There you have it! That’s all of the restaurants in the Magic Kingdom that accepts table service credits! Which one is your go-to?

Disney World Quick Service Breakfast

May 20, 2025 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

When visiting a theme park, most people prefer to have a small and quick bite to eat in the morning. So, I thought I would highlight the best Disney World quick service breakfast options to help people make the most of their time and money!

Disney World Quick Service Breakfast

While some folks may look forward to a leisurely start to their vacation days, lots of folks prefer to grab something quick while visiting theme parks. So, I thought I would highlight my favorite places to grab a quick bite to eat in the morning when visiting Walt Disney World from the parks to the resorts!

Resorts

For the most part, the quick service breakfast options at the resorts are the same. However, to me, it’s not a Disney trip without some Mickey waffles! So, I like to grab a Waffle Bounty Platter to get a waffle along with some protein (usually eggs and meat). The post image above is actually my breakfast at Disney’s All Star Sports from December 2024. It even came with some tots! It was very filling and tasted fresh. It didn’t contain any new flavor combinations, but that’s not what these breakfast options are all about anyways. They are perfect for getting to the parks quickly or getting to the airport in a timely fashion!

Magic Kingdom

Typically, on a park day, I will eat a little something in the room while I’m getting ready (such as a granola bar). Then, I will eat a bigger late breakfast or early lunch in the parks. Unfortunately, Magic Kingdom is not known for a plethora of food options. In the before times, I loved to eat breakfast at Be Our Guest. However, that’s no longer an option. RIP quick service Be Our Guest.

Nowadays, lots of folks like to grab a warm cinnamon roll at Gaston’s Tavern, a big Mickey waffle with various toppings at Sleepy Hollow, or a breakfast sandwich at Main Street Bakery. I think you should go with whatever suits your fancy.

Epcot Quick Service Breakfast

It used to be much harder to find breakfast in this park since World Showcase didn’t used to open prior to 11 AM. However, now I pretty much always get breakfast in France! If you are looking for a good use of a quick service dining credit on the dining plan, I would suggest getting a crepe and adult beverage from the crepe stand. Otherwise, I love to head to Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie for a breakfast sandwich croissant that’s tasty and relatively cheap by Disney standards.

Hollywood Studios

I think there are two great options for a quick breakfast at Hollywood Studios. Depending on who I’m with and my mood dictates which one I’ll choose. My husband and I enjoy Ronto Roasters in Galaxy’s Edge for a Ronto Wrap. I’ve also been known to grab a kids meal at Woody’s Lunch Box for breakfast or lunch. I also like picking up the seasonal lunch box tarts here.

Animal Kingdom

Usually, at Animal Kingdom I will grab a breakfast sandwich at Creature Comforts (the park’s Starbucks) as I walk in. However, I’ve also eaten a Pongu Lumpia (the first slide in my old Instagram post seen below) from Pongu Pongu in Pandora for breakfast. Sometime, I want to try Satu’li Canteen for breakfast though. I’ve had lunch there a few times and really enjoyed it. So, I’m sure the breakfast is good too.

Disney Springs

Disney Springs tends to be more of a place for lunch or dinner. However, you can find breakfast here too. I’ve had Earl of Sandwich several times at Disney World and Disneyland. It never disappoints. I haven’t tried it yet, but I bet Everglazed Donuts & Cold Brew would be a great option for breakfast here too.

Best Disney World Quick Service Breakfast Options

So, there you have my go-to Disney World quick service breakfast picks! What are your favorites?