Hi Tara!
So glad to have you back here at planDisney! This time, let’s chat about character dining!
I’m loving this character dining lineup that you have going! But ohhh what a decision between Tusker House and Hollywood & Vine.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the two:
At
Tusker House in
Animal Kingdom, Donald, Mickey, and other friends are dressed in their safari gear. In my experience, those other friends have been Daisy and Goofy, but the characters are subject to change. The breakfast buffet has lots of African flavors but also includes classics, such as Mickey waffles.
Minnie hosts lunch at
Hollywood & Vine along with her friends at
Hollywood Studios. The last time I ate there, we got to meet with Minnie, Mickey, Pluto, and Goofy. The characters at Hollywood & Vine dress in seasonal outfits. In early August, they’ll likely be in their summer outfits or Halloween outfits. The lunch buffet includes American fare such as carved beef tenderloin, herbed chicken, and seared salmon. My boys especially loved the dessert bar!
While I can confidently say you can’t go wrong either way, my vote would be for Hollywood & Vine in this particular instance since you have a lot of breakfast reservations in mind. I think it would be nice to mix it up a bit and enjoy a character lunch one day. Plus that would give you a good break in the day after enjoying some attractions.
The atmosphere at Hollywood & Vine is a lot of fun and very laid back. It’s also easy to see when the characters are making their way around, which helped us know exactly when we could take a second to head back up to the buffet. We had such great character interactions there last time that we can’t wait to go back in the future (and maybe even get to see the characters in different outfits since they change regularly!).
It's good to note that Hollywood & Vine can also be booked as a
Fantasmic Dining Package pending availability. By booking that package, you'd not only get to enjoy your meal, but you'd also get guaranteed seating in a reserved area for
Fantasmic (the nighttime spectacular at Hollywood Studios) that night.
No matter what you decide, it sounds like you’re in for a great trip! As always, feel free to come back with any other questions you have. We’re always happy to talk Disney and help out!
Jenn J.