Mom And Daughter; Animal Kingdom
  • On Aug 29, 2011
    Cindy from AL Asked Note: This answer was provided prior to the change to planDisney and may still contain references to Disney Parks Moms Panel.

    Experiences, policies, pricing and other offerings are subject to change and may have changed since the date of this answer.

    A friend told me that I have planned way too many char. meals, Dinner the night we get there, bkfast and dinner the next 2 days and bkfast the day we leave. How long is an average reservation? Trying to get the most out of a short trip.

    Hi Cindy,

    Your vacation should be customized to what you most want to see and do. If meals are the most important factor, then you'll enjoy the character meals. On a short visit, I would suggest limiting character meals to one (maybe 2) occasions in order to save time. You'll want to allow about an hour (sometimes more) for a character meal experience.

    If you do not have plans to tour a park on your arrival day, then your character meal that night fits in well with your schedule. We sometimes like to visit Chef Mickey's on our first evening in Walt Disney World. We get to immerse ourselves in the magic of Disney, eat some good food, then take a roundtrip ride on the monorail.

    If you have character meals for breakfast, you are significantly taking away from your already short time of touring. Which parks are you visiting? Mornings are the best time to tour the parks and get in as many attractions as possible before the mid-day crowds arrive. On longer visits, a morning character meal can be utilized as a mid-week break, followed by a day at the resort pool or a water park. Certainly, breakfast on your departure day will work fine if yo do not plan on touring that day.

    I would keep the dinners if you intend on dining at table service restaurants for that meal. Whether you dine at a character or non-character meal, you can relax at your evening meal before resuming your touring plan.

    To get the most out of your short trip, consider what is most important to your family. There are plenty of locations to see characters without having a meal with them. If you want to see a lot of attractions, then you will have to cut back on some table service meals. Make it your vacation - and have a magical time!



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Meet the Panelist: Kimberly, Tennessee

I am a stay-at-home mom with a 12 year old son. I thrive on planning vacations, especially to WDW. Inspiring families to vacation at Disney with a memorable itinerary and budget-saving tips is extremely rewarding for me. Learn More About Kimberly

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