Amy,
Happy Birthday!
I like that you are doing a character dinner, as opposed to lunch. These take some time, and you don't want that eating into your park day (sorry about the pun, I just could not help myself!). Here are a few recommendations;
- Because you will only be there for 3 full days, your first consideration should be to pick a character dinner that is near where you will be. That way you don't waste time getting from point A to point B.
- Next, consider what characters you want to see. Is it Mickey and Friends, or Princesses? With a son in tow, the Mickey option might make for a better experience, but even the Princess meals can be OK turf for a boy.
- Finally, when wanting to "plus" up the experience, don't go overboard. You are taking her to a character meal at Walt Disney World. It doesn't get more special than that! However, if you really want to make it even more fun, consider having a celebration cake ordered to your table for that meal. If you are at a buffet it will be heaping food on more food, and probably not the wisest use of your money, but it will make for a memorable experience.
So where would I go? Assuming they met with the first two rules above, here would be my choices, in
order;
Mickey and Friends
Tusker House (Animal Kingdom)
Chef Mickey's (Contemporary Resort)
Princesses
Cinderella's Royal Table (Magic Kingdom)
1900 Park Fare (Grand Floridian Resort)
Restaurant Akershus (Epcot)
Other
Crystal Palace (Winnie the Pooh and friends)
Write me back if you want to chat about this further!
Have a magical (and delicious) vacation!