Hello Liz, and welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel!
Dining at Walt Disney World can be as much of an adventure as the attractions themselves! And character dining experiences offer a great way to meet some of your family's favorite Disney pals without waiting in line. If meeting characters is on your list of must-do's, I'd certainly suggest including a character meal or two in your plans.
Ok, so now the big question - which ones? Well, there are almost as many character dining experiences as there are characters!
If your littles are princess fans, there's Akershus Royal Banquet Hall or Cinderella's Royal Table. Winnie the Pooh and his friends from the Hundred Acre Wood greet Guests at the Crystal Palace in the Magic Kingdom. And of course, you can find Mickey Mouse and his pals cooking up some fun at Chef Mickey's at Disney's Contemporary Resort. One of our favorite places to visit with our little guy is the Disney Junior Play and Dine at Hollywood & Vine inside Disney's Hollywood Studios. As I write this, characters featured here are Doc McStuffins, Jake from Jake and the Neverland Pirates, Sofia the First and Handy Manny. Plus, my husband and I really enjoy the buffet selections (they had me at the chocolate fountain).
Things are always subject to change at Walt Disney World, but the character dining experiences tend to be pretty consistent. You can view all of the character dining opportunities here on the Walt Disney World website. That may help you narrow down your choices.
I hope this helps you plan a fun and fabulous meal with your Disney pals, Liz. Please come see us again if you have any more questions.
Keep Disney Dreaming,
Kathy K.