We did 6 character breakfasts on our trip in December. Here are our favorites:
1. Tusker House (great buffet - large and very good food) - The kids do a little parade around the restaurant, the characters are Donald (at the door for pics), Mickey, Goofy, & Daisy. Get on the safari ride as soon as you finish because it's entrance is right outside the restaurant. (FYI - lunch/dinner here is awesome too)
2. Princess Breakfast @Epcot (table service with cold/pastry buffet - great food - love the potatoes - never been to CRT - we're too cheap!) The building is cool (not as cool as the Castle, but you pay for that) and you get Belle at the door and 4 other princesses (our first trip - Jasmine, Mulan, Snow White, Aurora; our second trip - Cinderella, Ariel, Snow White, and Aurora) ** Don't miss the character meet and greet at Magic Kingdom - the princess line is much shorter (atleast the 2 days we did MK in December) than the Fairies. They spend a good deal of time with the kids talking, taking pics and signing autographs. The same is true for the Fairies, but you need to be in ToonTown before rope drop at 10am to get in line first so you don't have a 60 minute wait right off the bat.
** You also get pretty good princess greetings across Epcot. Jasmine was great with my DD2.5. She hugged her for a good minute and a half before she would let go of her so we could take our pictures. Check the schedule to see who is available, when and where.
3/4. Ohana or Crystal Palace (we loved them both equally - Ohana is family style with really good breakfast foods and fresh fruit -Crystal Palace is a medium size buffet with good food and a delicious made-to-order omelet station. - Ohana has earlier seatings so you should be able to hit rope drop and the preRD show with an early enough ADR - Crystal Palace was nice because we were in the park before it opened - it was beautiful and peaceful walking down mainstreet towards the castle. Ohana was really fun. The girls enjoyed the parade around the restaurant and loved Stitch! CP was fun also and who doesn't love Pooh and his friends?
5. Hollywood and Vine (big buffet with pretty good food). They have sing/dance time with Playhouse Disney toons. Characters are JoJo and Goliath (don't know why they haven't changed them with Handy Manny or someone else) and Leo and June (the Little Einsteins.)
6. Chef Mickey's (large buffet, but was the worst food -great characters but seemed rushed compared to everywhere else - the Big 5 - Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto & Donald) We probably won't do Chef Mickey's in the future.
We've been to the Princess Breakfast at Epcot twice and will go every trip - definite must do with two young girls.
Tusker House has become a must do for us for future trips. We loved being in Animal Kingdom preRope Drop.
We'll flip a coin for Ohana and Crystal Palace if we can't do both on our next trip.
Definitely pick your breakfast for the park you will be attending that day. Get there early and eat, then get on your favorite rides before the crowds get too big! My best advise for trying to be done eating before rope drop: take care of your ticket well in advance, especially if you are doing a
Disney Dining Plan. It can take a long time to get done at the end of the meal when you are trying to rush and get out before the park opens. Taking care of paying early will allow you to enjoy your meal, enjoy the characters and leave when you want, not when the waiter decides to bring your check, your tip check, etc.
Have a great trip!!
