Hi Marissa!
Congratulations on your upcoming trip to Walt Disney World in September! September is my favorite time of year to visit because the weather is great, the parks are not crowded and usually this is when free dining is offered.
We absolutely love experiencing character dining with our kiddos. We have done every character dining experience at about every time frame offered, so I can certainly give you some tips!
We love to do the character dining breakfast experiences because you can book them early, usually before the parks even open, and then you have the rest of the day to enjoy the parks.
Hollywood & Vine has a wonderful breakfast where you can eat with Doc McStuffins, Sofia the First, Jake and the Neverland Pirates and Handy Manny. You can begin booking your Advanced Dining Reservation at 8:00 a.m. so you can be in the park before it opens, which means by the time your breakfast is over, you'll be in the park and ready to experience your first attraction when the park opens.
If you are looking for a meal with the Fab Five, Minnie, Mickey, Donald, Pluto and Goofy, consider
Chef Mickey's. Chef Mickey's is at The Contemporary Resort. You can eat breakfast here and then take the monorail over to Magic Kingdom.
Lunch can also be a fun experience for the family because it can offer a much needed break in the middle of the hot day.
Crystal Palace is one of my favorites because you can meet Winnie the Pooh and his best friends and enjoy the all-you-care-to-eat buffet. They even have a soft serve ice cream machine (which is my favorite part of the meal!)
Magically,
Stacy