Ranking the Current Character Dining Options in Disney World

Character dining can be one of the best ways to enjoy a great meal in Disney World and have the chance to meet some of your favorite Disney characters without having to wait in line for meet and greets.

Since the parks reopened, many of the character dining experiences have remained closed, but we’re starting to see more and more welcome guests back! So far, five restaurants have reopened with characters there to greet guests and though there are still some modifications to the experience, they can be a fun addition to your trip.

It’s not easy to do, but we’re ranking ALL of the reopened character dining options in Disney World!

5: Tusker House Restaurant

Coming in fifth place is Tusker House Restaurant in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Now, just because this spot is ranking in the last place for the reopened character dining options doesn’t mean that it’s not good — this is actually a favorite for a lot of people!

Here there have been a few modifications to the experience including a family-style meal instead of a buffet for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You can still meet Mickey, Donald, Daisy, and Goofy in their safari outfits, but they’ll just be greeting tables from afar and will not sign autographs (instead, you take home a postcard with their signatures).

Though keep in mind that the way the restaurant is situated makes it a bit harder to see the characters as much as you can in other dining locations.

But the restaurant features a menu that is more on the adventurous side, so it may not be the best spot for a picky eater. You’ll find dishes like Safari Bread, Mickey and Simba Waffles, and Durban Chicken and Egg Curry with Jasmine Rice for breakfast and Moroccan Spiced Beef, Berber Marinated Pork, Spit Roasted Herb Chicken, and Cape Malay Green Curry Shrimp for lunch and dinner.

When AllEars readers comment on the restaurant, fans say that “Tusker House is my favorite because I love Donald and Daisy,” whereas others comment on the menu saying “We’re not thrilled with the family-style menu. Hoping the buffet returns soon.”

4: Garden Grill Restaurant

Next up is Garden Grill, which is a character dining spot located in The Land at EPCOT! Here you can enjoy a family-style meal while sitting on a dining platform that rotates through the scenes of the Living With the Land attraction.

You’ll also get to meet four Disney characters in their farming best including Mickey, Pluto, and Chip ‘n’ Dale. It’s the character interactions that make this restaurant a favorite for many readers, with one saying that it is a “much more of an individual experience, seems less chaotic and quiet and the trip around is nice.”

But that doesn’t mean that the food isn’t worth noting. Garden Grill is open for lunch and dinner and serves dishes like a Harvest-inspired Garden Salad for starters and All-Natural Sliced Turkey Breast with Gravy, Creamy Mashed Potatoes, and Grilled Beef with Chimichurri as entrees.

3: Topolino’s Terrace – Flavors of the Riviera

Our third-place pick is taking us outside of the parks and over to Disney’s Riviera Resort! Topolino’s Terrace – Flavors of the Riviera is a newer character dining experience at Disney World and is only available for breakfast on the top floor of the resort.

The food is a stand-out here, with breakfast being served a la carte and including choices like Quiche Gruyère with house-made pancetta, Sour Cream Waffles, Smoked Salmon, Two Eggs Any Style, and more.

Throughout your meal, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, and Daisy Duck all parade by the tables for short photo ops from afar in their artsy outfits. And similar to other character restaurants that have reopened, you’ll get an autograph card before you leave.

This restaurant is a favorite for many AllEars readers, with one commenter saying that “Topolino’s wins hands down [because of] The experience, the food, the ambiance” and others impressed by the service, food, and theming of the characters.

2: Hollywood & Vine

Our number two pick is Hollywood & Vine at Disney’s Hollywood Studios! Now, this spot hasn’t always been one of our favorites, but the new menu and character interactions have really impressed us.

This restaurant offers a few different character dining experiences including the Disney Junior Play n’ Dine for breakfast and Minnie’s Seasonal Dining for lunch and dinner. So depending on when you dine, you might be able to meet Vampirina, Doc McStuffins, Fancy Nancy or Minnie and her friends dressed up for the season.

For breakfast, your meal will start with pastries including caramel monkey bread and mini muffins, and then plated entrees like four-egg omelets, a plant-based frittata, and all-you-care-to-enjoy house-made pancakes. For lunch and dinner, you can enjoy family-style salads as an appetizer and then individually plated meals and desserts from the menu.

We’ve always enjoyed the character interactions here and found that you get to see them the most out of all the other reopened character dining spots. So, you’ll have a great meal and a great time with characters when you stop here.

1: Chef Mickey’s

Ranking as the best reopened character dining option in Disney World right now is Chef Mickey’s at Disney’s Contemporary Resort! The restaurant now features an improved family-style menu for both breakfast and dinner.

For breakfast, you can enjoy dishes like Banana Bread French Toast, “Loaded” Potato-Cheese Casserole and the “Celebration” Mickey Pancake, and for dinner, you’ll find Potato Gnocchi, Roasted Garlic Potato Gratin, and Plant-Based Faro Wheat Fried Rice, as well as meat selections like Prime Rib, Traditional Roast Breast of Turkey and Salmon.

Plus, you’ll get to meet all of the members of the Fab 5 including Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Pluto, Goofy, and Donald Duck who all make their rounds to the tables, waving and posing for photos from a distance.

Many of our readers agree with this one saying that “Their new menu is so much better than the buffet. And everyone wants to see the Fab 5!”

Keep in mind that you really can’t go wrong when you’re choosing a character meal in Disney World right now. The spots that have reopened are all serving up great menus and fun character interactions, so it really depends on what type of meal you’re hoping to eat and which characters you want to meet!

And, if you’re looking for more great restaurants in Disney World, you can watch our video below to check out the best Table Service restaurants we’ve eaten at since the parks reopened!!

And, stay tuned for more Disney planning tips, tricks, and updates!

Check Out Which Disney World Character Meals Are Actually Worth the Money

What is your favorite character dining option in Disney World? Let us know in the comments!

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