Disneyland Character Dining Reviews: Are They Worth It?

Are you planning to include Disneyland Character Dining in your itinerary? Here’s my take on what I think of the Disney World character meals and this entire story book dining experience!

This review of Disneyland Character Dining was written by family travel expert Marcie Cheung and may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.

Disneyland Character Dining

On our first trip to Disneyland Resort, we had the fortune to get reservations for three character dining experiences. We went with a cast member and his family, who had discounts on dining. The food, service, and experience varied greatly between them.

Overall, I’m glad we did them, but on the next trip, we will schedule our character meals a bit differently.

Find the BEST Disneyland Resort deals here.

Character Dinner at Goofy’s Kitchen

On our first night at Disneyland Resort, we had a 5:30 pm reservation for the Goofy’s Kitchen character dining experience at the Disneyland Hotel.

We were ushered to the dining room to meet Goofy and take photos as soon as we checked in. I had meant to bring along our photo matte to get autographs on and completely forgot.

But not getting autographs let us really live in the moment. My toddler was very excited to meet Chef Goofy, but as we got closer, he just wanted us to hold him while we talked with Goofy.

But, by the end, Goofy had given him a high five, and my toddler couldn’t stop talking about how he had high-fived Goofy!

We were really impressed with the quality of the food at this buffet dinner. They had quite a selection for both adults and kids. And the dessert assortment was pretty amazing!

Every half hour or so, the characters would parade through the restaurant, and all the guests would wave their napkins. This also stood out to my toddler; he wanted to dance along, too!

Throughout the meal, we were greeted by Minnie Mouse (a favorite with the boys), Chip and Dale, and Pluto.

Since this was the first time my toddler and his friend were meeting the Disney characters at Goofy’s Kitchen, they were pretty nervous.

The cast members were true professionals and knew how close (or far away) they needed to be, and it still gave them a great character appearance!

I’m glad we did this on our first night because it warmed up the boys to the idea that we’d see lots of their favorite characters over the next few days. We will definitely do this character dining experience again!

Disneyland Character Dining Wrap-Up

Our experience with Disney World character dining at the Walt Disney World Resort was a delightful mix of magical moments and minor mishaps.

Each dining experience offered a unique charm.

While the food quality varied across the different venues, the opportunity for our little ones to interact with beloved characters was priceless.

Despite occasional waits and food disappointments, the overall excitement and joy of seeing our toddlers’ faces light up in the presence of their favorite Disney friends made every moment worthwhile.

We’re already planning our next trip to Walt Disney World, eager to create more treasured memories and perhaps try new Disney character meals. After all, Disney World character dining isn’t just about the food—it’s about immersing ourselves in the magic of Disney and sharing unforgettable moments with our loved ones.

Want to know where else you can experience character dining? Check out Disney Aulani Character Breakfast on Oahu, Ohana Character Breakfast, and Tusker House Character Breakfast!

3 thoughts on “Disneyland Character Dining Reviews: Are They Worth It?”

Harmony, Momma To Go

May 27, 2017 at 12:07 pm

pinning for reference for our summer trip!
- marciecheung
  
  May 27, 2017 at 2:41 pm
  
  Glad to help! Have a fabulous trip!