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Top Eight Character Meals at Walt Disney World
1. Chef Mickey's - This one has it all. The ambiance. The characters. The grub. Not only do you get the marquee characters like Mickey, Minnie and Goofy, but the layout on the double-buffet lines is spectacular. In the open-air beauty that is the Contemporary Hotel atrium monorails shoot on by as you can take in some delicious breakfast or dinner edibles. The dinner is the highlight here as Goofy usually hangs out by the dessert bar to help kids make their own cupcake toppings. Every once in awhile the festive "Celebrate with Mickey Mouse" blares on the speakers and as everyone waves their cloth napkins in the air the characters race around the restaurant.
2. Crystal Palace at Magic Kingdom
- Winnie the Pooh, along with Tigger and Eeyore, has taken over this once push-tray style cafeteria for breakfast, lunch and dinner. This ain't 100 Acre Wood as the elegant beauty of Crystal Palace, with decorative lighting and never-ending windows, leave no doubt that you are still smack dab at the end of Main Street U.S.A., overlooking the regal Cinderella Castle. The food here, like Chef Mickey's, can be surprisingly good too. There is usually some sort of exhibition style cooking taking place in the middle of the double buffet lines, even if it something as simple as cheesesteak sandwiches or more exotic like fajitas.
3. Cinderella's Royal Table
- This breakfast would rank a lot higher if not for the substandard edibles. After all, it is hard to beat the location, location, location. Many parkgoers probably don't even know that there is a restaurant above the Castle's walkway. Formerly known as King Stefan's, an odd choice for a regal moniker since he was Sleeping Beauty's father, not Cinderella's, this is now Cinderella's Royal Table and you can take an elevator or a long spiraling staircase to the second floor dining area where Fantasyland characters circle the tables. The classy decor, with coat of arms banners and stained glass windows which peek out to Fantasyland, make this the most posh of settings. The unique selection of face-bearing characters, from Snow White to Peter Pan to Alice in Wonderland, also distinguishes this from the usually mask costumed animal characters elsewhere. This one sells out almost immediately after they start taking reservations (90 days in advance) so keep a calendar handy and call at 7am EST if you want in on this one.
4. Garden Grill at EPCOT
- If you long for country fixings and Mickey in denim overalls, come on down ya hear! On the top level of The Land you will find the Disney stars greeting diners as the table-service revolving restaurant serves up all-you-can-eat fried catfish, chicken, corn on the cob and other Southern specialties. That's right, revolving. The circular dining area gingerly rotates. You may even walk away with a free straw hat and a full belly, how's that for Southern hospitality!
5. Princess Breakfast at EPCOT's Norway - While Norway's daring buffet may not suit every picky eater for lunch and dinner it's a completely tame breakfast spread as traditional eats are there for the taking as Disney's most popular animated princesses go from table to table.
6. Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge - No costumed characters here. However, between the most original -- and exotic -- breakfast and dinner spreads that you will ever find on Disney property and the friendly international staff and the real animals that you can see from viewing areas just outside of the eatery no trip is complete without giving Boma a chance at winning you over with unique flavors.
7. Chip and Dale Campfire at Fort Wilderness
- This simple setting gets ranked this high on origininality and because it is absolutely free (just bring your own grub). At Fort Wilderness, this nightly gathering has Chip and Dale usually appearing as your fireside hosts at 7pm and between roasting marshmallows and a full-length Disney feature being projected, if the climate is right it is an experience you and your wallet will definitely come to treasure. Don't have grub? They sell some there. $2 will give you two marshmallow roasting sticks with plenty of marshmallows to go with it or you can buy a s'mores kit for $5.
8. Donald's Breakfastosaurus at Animal Kingdom
- While this setting eventually doles out McDonald's Happy Meals come lunchtime, in the morning Donald Duck and friends host this solid alternative. This one ranks this low for two reasons. The first is that the very dynamic of this park, where the limited attractions become majorly congested from late morning to early afternoon, make your early morning time too valuable to squander. Go for the late breakfast if you must, and hit the key attractions (Safari -- then Dinosaur) at the park open. The second reason is that the Rainforest Cafe has a superior breakfast at the park's entrance, and it opens before the park does.
To find out more about these meals, along with the theme parks and the hotels they are located in check out MyDisney.com.
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