Opting out of meeting characters at 1900 Park Fare?

BabybetterDisney

DIS Veteran
Joined
Apr 14, 2018
I am planning to eat at 1900 Park Fare for the first time during our coming visit to WDW. I have 3 boys: 18, 13, and 3. I am not a person who enjoys small talk. I enjoy watching the characters from a distance as they interact with other guests and feel the Disney atmosphere, but I feel awkward having to talk to them myself. My boys are the same way. Is there anyway to opt out of meeting characters? Do they have a sign or something that I can put on the table to show the characters that they should just skip our table? Should I tell the waiter that?

Thanks for any help!
 
just don't go.....the food is just OK there....the attraction is in interacting with the characters ....which is one of the best! Just pick a different place with better food and themes and avoid the stress of talking to characters. But If ya go, I've seen tables wave characters away if they have a shy or scared kid at the table and they'll leave you alone. Or just tell the hostess....but things can always get crossed.
 
just don't go.....the food is just OK there....the attraction is in interacting with the characters ....which is one of the best! Just pick a different place with better food and themes and avoid the stress of talking to characters. But If ya go, I've seen tables wave characters away if they have a shy or scared kid at the table and they'll leave you alone. Or just tell the hostess....but things can always get crossed.

Thanks for the help, I'm just wondering, there isn't any better buffet place, is there? My kids like to eat buffets, and we've been to Cape May and Boma, both of which are OK but not amazing to us, so I thought we would try 1900 Pare Fare. I will tell the hostess like you say. It's not a big deal, I can deal with characters if I have to, I just wonder if there's a simple way Disney has to skip characters. But maybe everybody wants to meet the characters so they have no need for such simple ways. I wish you can some kind of discrete symbol, like say a shy Minnie statue, for example, that you can put on your table to indicate that you do not desire character interaction.
 


If you don't want to see the characters, I would go somewhere else. We didn't care for the food at 1900 PF at all--it wasn't an off night, it wasn't that there was necessarily anything wrong with the food, we just didn't like it. The one WDW restaurant we won't go back to.
 
The characters will not stop if you indicate you prefer they walk by. They are fun there, however this is an expensive meal if you are not going to interact with the characters.

Frankly, if you thought Boma and Cape May were just okay, I am not sure you would like 1900 PF. I woudl suggest Trails End in Fort Wilderness. The price is reasonable because there are no characters, and the food has very good reviews. The boys might like exploring the Fort too.

You can also try Whispering Canyon Cafe in Wilderness Lodge. It is not a buffet however there is a never-ending skillet on the menu. It has no characters, but there are "antics" there. You can just let your server know you will no expect them at your table.
 


Why don't you hop a boat on over to the buffet breakfast at Fort Wilderness, Trail's End, also in the Magic Kingdom area? Their dinner is also a buffet. It's probably one of the better reviewed but somehow kind of "hidden" eateries on property, actually. Probably because it is sort of tucked away, I think it's mostly those who stay at the resort who eat there. So, it's generally a much more quiet resort and place to go as well. The food is in the style of southern, very hearty and filling.

And of course no characters.

Also, The Wave at the Contemporary has a buffet but only at breakfast which is also considered one of the better ones. (and again no characters)
 
Just give them a "no" shake of the head and a subtle wave and they'll go on by. Like the others have said though, unless you're on the dining plan, I'd try to find a less expensive buffet.

Or the boys could just do what my teenage son did when we visited. You can see the path they're taking. Every time one got close he would head for the buffet!
 
I'd never pay the steep prices for character meals if DS didn't want to meet and interact with the characters. The Wave breakfast buffet is fantastic - and SO MUCH calmer than a character meal. You can go upstairs after, to watch others interacting with characters at Chef Mickey's (and then get on the monorail to MK). Huge pro of The Wave: at a single table, some of you can order the buffet, others ala carte. (I'm burned out of buffets, after so many character meals. I love having someone bring me my meal.)

That all said, if you don't mind the character buffet prices, you can easily tell the 'character handlers' (they wear light blue shirts) to skip your table. Or just get up and go to the buffet when they get near your table (they follow a set pattern at all the meals I've been to, so you know when they are coming to you.)
 
Agree with others that if you aren't interested in the characters that you skip it entirely and go elsewhere. Certainly not worth the additional cost if you aren't even going to interact with the characters. Heck in my opinion it isn't worth it even if you were.

As @RealBlast3 recommends Trails End is a great buffet with no characters and they have breakfast and dinner available. We are also huge fans of The Wave breakfast buffet. Other options could be Hoop Dee Doo which is a fun show that you don't have to interact with and comes with an AYCTE family style meal or Biergarten which is a German style buffet. Or of course return to Boma, which is definitely the best buffet Disney has going.
 
The characters will not stop if you indicate you prefer they walk by. They are fun there, however this is an expensive meal if you are not going to interact with the characters.

Frankly, if you thought Boma and Cape May were just okay, I am not sure you would like 1900 PF. I woudl suggest Trails End in Fort Wilderness. The price is reasonable because there are no characters, and the food has very good reviews. The boys might like exploring the Fort too.

You can also try Whispering Canyon Cafe in Wilderness Lodge. It is not a buffet however there is a never-ending skillet on the menu. It has no characters, but there are "antics" there. You can just let your server know you will no expect them at your table.

This! (Bolded.) I find Boma hands-down the best buffet out there (breakfast AND dinner). If you didn't like that, I wouldn't bother with 1900 Park Fare - even for cold strawberry soup. Especially if you don't do characters.
 
The characters will not stop if you indicate you prefer they walk by. They are fun there, however this is an expensive meal if you are not going to interact with the characters.

Frankly, if you thought Boma and Cape May were just okay, I am not sure you would like 1900 PF.

I woudl suggest Trails End in Fort Wilderness. The price is reasonable because there are no characters, and the food has very good reviews. The boys might like exploring the Fort too.

You can also try Whispering Canyon Cafe in Wilderness Lodge. It is not a buffet however there is a never-ending skillet on the menu. It has no characters, but there are "antics" there. You can just let your server know you will no expect them at your table.

YES^

The meal is very expensive .... not for the food, not for a really cool atmosphere ... but for characters. It would make no sense to eat here for that kind of money and skip what you are actually paying for. The room itself is old fashioned girl style so I totally don't see your older boys liking being there.

Cape May Cafe is not a wow for me dinner food wise but it's certainly on about same level as Park Fare. BOMA on the other hand is a top notch buffet with quality food so if you found it just okay you might be disappointed with Park Fare, which again is about characters.

TOTALLY agree that you look at Trails End or WCC, especially since you have boys. Both would offer all you can eat of good food in themed atmosphere without characters.

WAVE is a great breakfast buffet and if you are in Epcot, Biergarten buffet is one our gang likes.
 
I'll chime in with the others. The buffet itself at 1900 simply isn't worth the price tag. My DS11 is now over characters and we simply skip character meals at this point because they are so darn expensive. If you want a good buffet in the MK area, consider the Wave or Trail's End. In the EP area, Ale & Compass has a small buffet in addition to their entree menu and Garden Grove at Swan has an extensive breakfast buffet (they don't accept DDP, however) that does not have characters on weekdays. Fresh, at the Swan, also has a great buffet, but they do not accept DDP. If you are an AAA member, you also get 20% off at Garden Grove and Fresh.
 
We sat by a table of people at Crystal Palace that didn't want to meet the characters and they just did a little smile and half wave when the characters came by and then went back to their conversation quickly. The characters got the hint and just waved as they went to the next table.
 
Thanks for everyone's recommendations! Most helpful. Unfortunately, we cannot go to Trails End. I tell my kids that we will never go to Trail's End or visit Wilderness Lodge. You see, we live in an area that looks just like Wilderness Lodge. I go to Disney World to get away from the logs and the trails and the wilderness! I want civilization, please!
As to the money, it sounds like they are the same. According to the internet, it says that dinners are:

Boma: Adult $52, Child 29
Cape May: Adult $55, Child $31
1900 PF: Adult $50, Child $31

So 1900 PF is actually cheaper, if the internet is correct.
 
Thanks for everyone's recommendations! Most helpful. Unfortunately, we cannot go to Trails End. I tell my kids that we will never go to Trail's End or visit Wilderness Lodge. You see, we live in an area that looks just like Wilderness Lodge. I go to Disney World to get away from the logs and the trails and the wilderness! I want civilization, please!
As to the money, it sounds like they are the same. According to the internet, it says that dinners are:

Boma: Adult $52, Child 29
Cape May: Adult $55, Child $31
1900 PF: Adult $50, Child $31

So 1900 PF is actually cheaper, if the internet is correct.

I live in New England and love the shoreline resorts, but I still hit Disney Boardwalk and enjoy their interpretation. I am not going to be critical of your decision to avoid anywhere in Disney that reminds you of home, however I am a bit puzzled. You are willing to pay money for a character meal that you will not enjoy but will not go to a meal that fits all of your criteria but location. The boatride from the MK alone is a treat and we take it at least once a trip.
 
I live in New England and love the shoreline resorts, but I still hit Disney Boardwalk and enjoy their interpretation. I am not going to be critical of your decision to avoid anywhere in Disney that reminds you of home, however I am a bit puzzled. You are willing to pay money for a character meal that you will not enjoy but will not go to a meal that fits all of your criteria but location. The boatride from the MK alone is a treat and we take it at least once a trip.

I live in the west, in a tourist trap area, and I don't love the log cabins or the guns or the shooting of animals or the dirt roads; I come from the city. I spend a lot of money and hard work to go to Disney and I don't want to waste a second to see the home scene again, I can see the home scene for free any time.

The benefit is, being that my home area is so drastically different from the WDW area, our enjoyment of our WDW trips is huge. It's like traveling from earth to heaven! We love every moment of being in WDW. We spend 3 weeks there every summer, and I spend each second very carefully because every second is precious. And it's not that we don't appreciate seeing the characters; we do enjoy that; I was just wondering if there's a discreet and systematic way to having them not talk to us without me doing anything. If not, I can handle it. I don't want to wave them away because that's crude and will make me feel guilty. I can't often walk away as I see characters approach because I have a toddler, though I do try to do that if I can.

In a few years I am moving to the city. By then I might not appreciate WDW as much because my new home will be like a half Disney to us, with its swimming pools and fancy shopping centers and paved roads and expensive restaurants. Even though there's no Disney magic, it will rob the specialness of our WDW visits, I believe.

Another thing: I don't like the Disney boats. Boats are too slow and too hot. I like to charge through everything in Disney as quickly as I can. I'm a middle aged, weak woman while my sons are strong and healthy teens. When we are in WDW, the two things I yell most often to my sons are "Move!" and "Move faster!" OK, I admit it, I'm a bit obsessed.
 
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I live in the west, in a tourist trap area, and I don't love the log cabins or the guns or the shooting of animals or the dirt roads; I come from the city. I spend a lot of money and hard work to go to Disney and I don't want to waste a second to see the home scene again, I can see the home scene for free any time.

The benefit is, being that my home area is so drastically different from the WDW area, our enjoyment of our WDW trips is huge. It's like traveling from earth to heaven! We love every moment of being in WDW. We spend 3 weeks there every summer, and I spend each second very carefully because every second is precious. And it's not that we don't appreciate seeing the characters; we do enjoy that; I was just wondering if there's a discreet and systematic way to having them not talk to us without me doing anything. If not, I can handle it. I don't want to wave them away because that's crude and will make me feel guilty. I can't often walk away as I see characters approach because I have a toddler, though I do try to do that if I can.

In a few years I am moving to the city. By then I might not appreciate WDW as much because my new home will be like a half Disney to us, with its swimming pools and fancy shopping centers and paved roads and expensive restaurants. Even though there's no Disney magic, it will rob the specialness of our WDW visits, I believe.

Another thing: I don't like the Disney boats. Boats are too slow and too hot. I like to charge through everything in Disney as quickly as I can. I'm a middle aged, weak woman while my sons are strong and healthy teens. When we are in WDW, the two things I yell most often to my sons are "Move!" and "Move faster!" OK, I admit it, I'm a bit obsessed.
Okay, I guess.
 

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