Is it possible to dine with the characters at a full service restaurant

[mom2boys]

DS wants to dine with the "real characters" ie: fab 5 types. DH is leary of buffets with all of the germs floating around. Where can I find Mickey/Donald or similar characters at a meal that isn't a buffet?

Edited to add:
Family style is fine. It's one thing to share germs with the immediate family. It's a totally different story to share germs with thousands of strangers. (I know germs are germs but a loved one's germs don't seem cause loss of appetiate as quickly as a stranger's.)

 

[unclescroogefan]

Liberty Tree Tavern

 

[crisi]

Garden Grill. Ohana for Breakfast (Goofy Mickey Chip & Dale Pluto (I think).

 

[jel0511]

There is no "full service" restaurant on WDW property that has characters, meaning you do not order from a menu. The restaurants listed above do have "family style" service. That means you are served a fixed menu, which is brought to your table on large plates and you serve yourself. You are charged the same prices as you would be at a buffet type place, but you are in charge of serving yourself. You do get refills of anything you like, so it is all-you-can eat, just like a buffet.

 

[flynnmnstr]

I think their character breakfast is sit down but the characters are Pooh and Friends.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Unfortunately, Artist Point discontinued their character breakfast. CRT is also served family-style instead of a buffet.

 

[ttfn3]

Actually, CRT is a preplated meal. Each person gets an individual meal on their plate. You can ask for seconds of any or all items. However, the princesses are at this meal.

I would second Liberty Tree Tavern. The meal is served family style here - but you don't have to get the food from a buffet. It has the characters you are looking for.

 

[klh999]

I had the same problem. Who wants to eat that food?? Not me. But my nephews love the interaction of the characters. Garden Grill in Epcot offers a ice cream social for $6.99 per person and it has characters. I think it is a good mix, and I can still eat a nice dinner that night and they get to have the interaction with the characters. We are only there four nights, so I dont want to waste a dinner eating at one of those buffets.

 

[TammyC]

Gullivers at the Swan has a dinner menu. They do not guarantee which characters appear, but typically Timon and Rafiki on Monday and Friday and (I think) Goofy and Pluto other nights.

 

[Safari Steve]

I had the same problem. Who wants to eat that food?? Not me. But my nephews love the interaction of the characters. Garden Grill in Epcot offers a ice cream social for $6.99 per person and it has characters. I think it is a good mix, and I can still eat a nice dinner that night and they get to have the interaction with the characters. We are only there four nights, so I dont want to waste a dinner eating at one of those buffets.

Garden Grill, Ohana, and Liberty Tree are all served Family Style, which is not a buffet. The only people not sitting at your table who have any contact with your food at this restaurant are the chef and the server -same as any restaurant anywhere. The food is fresh and there is a wide variety of items. Dining at any of these three locations is as "real" as anywhere you would normally eat.
All-you-can-eat does not = buffet.

Also, the average meal time at Garden Grill is about 1 hour/1 hour and 15 minutes, no longer than any other table service restaurant.
I would reccomend the Garden Grill to the OP, it'll be one of the easier character locations to get a PS for, it's not a buffet, Mickey, Pluto, Chip and Dale appear, there's a wide variety of food, and drinks & dessert are included in the price.

 

[klh999]

Originally posted by Safari Steve
Garden Grill, Ohana, and Liberty Tree are all served Family Style, which is not a buffet. The only people not sitting at your table who have any contact with your food at this restaurant are the chef and the server -same as any restaurant anywhere. The food is fresh and there is a wide variety of items. Dining at any of these three locations is as "real" as anywhere you would normally eat.
All-you-can-eat does not = buffet.

Also, the average meal time at Garden Grill is about 1 hour/1 hour and 15 minutes, no longer than any other table service restaurant.
I would reccomend the Garden Grill to the OP, it'll be one of the easier character locations to get a PS for, it's not a buffet, Mickey, Pluto, Chip and Dale appear, there's a wide variety of food, and drinks & dessert are included in the price.

But from what I read, Ohana is only a character meal at breakfast. Is that true??

 

[Safari Steve]

yes, Ohana only has characters at breakfast. They don't serve lunch at all. They are Family Style for both Breakfast and Dinner, though, which is why I included them on the list.

Whispering Canyon also has a family/skillet style a-y-c-e meal available, but they don't have characters.