Hey there, Laura! Welcome to planDisney. I'm so excited to see that you have planned a trip to Disneyland Resort for this summer. What fun!
You are correct that a reservation for 9:45 p.m. may be late for a full buffet meal. Unfortunately,
character dining meals are not a la carte and therefore you would be charged for the fixed price for adults and children regardless of if you enjoy the full buffet or just the ice cream and drinks. So in this case, I would recommend taking a moment to decide if that's worth the price. You have until the day before your reservation to cancel, so you have some time. If I were you I would continue to look at the
character dining options for your date and see if a reservation for a new time might pop up. Guests are constantly changing reservations, so you could get lucky. I am not sure which dining location you have chosen, however, I do know that you can always walk up to the establishment and see if they have any openings available for that day. It is not a guarantee, but sometimes they can accommodate same-day requests.
I suppose it all depends on if you have specific characters you are hoping to interact with, but I really have enjoyed breakfast at
Goofy's Kitchen, as well as at
Storytellers Cafe. I have been impressed with both locations and the options available for adults and children. I like the more relaxed experience where the characters continuously come by the table and we've never been rushed to finish. It really is a great way to start off your day in the park or end your trip before you head to the airport.
Laura, I hope this helps you make the best decision for yourself and your party. As you continue to plan, please stop by again with any questions. We are here to help!
Carrie