Hi Erin!
We aim to please! :-) It makes us feel good to know that we're able to help our friends out there plan and prepare for their Disney vacations...
Not all table service meals at Disney World include characters. Character dining are table service restaurants that include Disney characters. You will be seated and served by a host or hostess just as you would at any sit-down restaurant. The difference is you will see characters walking from table to table, meeting with guests, taking pictures with them, high-fiving and hugging the children, making your dining experience
extra special as only Disney can..
One of the HUGE advantages to character dining are the pictures. The characters come to
you, versus you having to wait in line at one of the meet and greets, which can take a while in some cases. You get a chance to take as many pictures as you like for those forever memories. You can find the restaurants that have some of your family's favorite characters, then set a reservation to eat and meet with them. Pretty cool huh?
Non-character table service meals are similar to sit-down restaurants you experience away from Disney, but the comparisons probably stop there. The "Disney Experience" is unlike any you will find anywhere else, in terms of good food, good service, and GREAT experience. Almost all of the table service restaurants have some type of theme, whether it being an under the sea experience at Coral Reef restaurant (Epcot), or a Brown Derby experience at Hollywood Brown Derby (Hollywood Studios). Each restaurant presents some form of uniqueness to make your experience fun and memorable!
Have fun with all your planning. To find more information on table service and character restaurants, click
here.
Good Luck!