Jambo, Gordon!
Your Walt Disney World Resort vacation is "Just Around the Riverbend" and I'm happy that you stopped by planDisney with your question. I hope you and your family are excitedly counting down to your trip and have those mouse ears ready to go!
Tusker House Restaurant at
Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park has been a popular character dining choice for my family over the years. We enjoy getting to meet some of the classic characters while also savoring food that is a little different than what you may find on other buffets around the resort. I recommend trying all of the bread and dip selections and don't miss the Tandoori Chicken - it's one of my favorites! Another suggestion I can make for dining at Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park is
Yak & Yeti Restaurant. I love the Pork Pot Stickers and my husband always orders the BBQ Ribs. You'll also want to save room for dessert here as the Mango Key Lime Pie is delicious!
Gordon, I reached out to a Cast Member today to make sure I could find the best answer to your specific question about dining with a child with special needs. They shared that due to the entertainment value and premium experience at character dining locations, guests three and older are charged the full amount regardless of whether or not they eat. I know this may not be the answer you were hoping for, but I would encourage you to reach out to discuss your
special dietary requests in more detail and see if there may be assistance available for you during your visit. According to the Cast Member and the Walt Disney World Resort website, you can email
Special.Diets@DisneyWorld.com after you have booked your dining arrangements, but no sooner than 14 days before your arrival, if anyone in your party requires pureed meals or has a medically-restrictive diet.
Outside of character dining, you'll find so many characters happily meeting guests throughout the property. You can find nearby character meeting locations while you are in the parks using the
My Disney Experience Mobile App. To access this feature, click on the location/map icon at the bottom of the app (it will be second from the left). At the top of the page, you'll see a drop-down that says "Wait Times." You can change that drop-down to "Characters" and Mickey icons will appear noting where characters are meeting around the park. If you click "Show List" in the upper right-hand corner, you'll be able to access a list view of all character meetings, times, and locations throughout the theme parks for the day! This list is also available to view on the
Character Experiences page of the Walt Disney World Resort website.
Gordon, I'm sending lots of pixie dust your way as I wish you and your family a magical visit to Walt Disney World Resort. Please feel free to stop by planDisney again if there is anything my fellow panelists or I can answer for you!
Cheers,
Kristi