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View Full Version : Character Meals - Cheapest food? Where & how much? Other low cost tips?



Carina
05-04-2006, 11:05 PM
Whats the CHEAPEST way you can do a charater meal?

can these be booked while you are there or are we talking weeks/months in advance?

we are going on an ultra low budget - spur of the moment road trip to DL in 8 days. We are driving from Vancover Island Canada to DL

My kids are 7, 8 & 10 they have never been - my husband has not been since he was 6 and I went at age 13 so needless to say we are excited!

momuvseven
05-05-2006, 06:08 AM
I think you can get 10% off with Triple AAA.

nursemelis374
05-05-2006, 07:09 AM
As far as the character meals, you need to book them in advance. They are far from cost effective though if that is what you are looking for. I would try and eat outside of the park for breakfast and dinner, bring snacks, and eat a small lunch.

Gymgirl975
05-05-2006, 07:25 AM
If you go the the Lilo and Stitch breakfast at PPH, you may order off the menu instead of paying for the buffet. Menu prices run frm about six bucks for cereal!!!! to 15.00 for a huge breakfast. I think my burrito was 10.99?

bbangel
05-05-2006, 07:52 AM
Best tip for cheaper eating is to share. We found the portions very large and more than one person could eat. Also since you are driving, bring snacks with you. This is especially useful when waiting for parades and other entertainment to start. Have a great trip!

3894
05-05-2006, 07:56 AM
I'd bag the character meal. You'll be seeing a lot of characters in the park. As you know, your kids can have a moment with most of them.

Carina
05-05-2006, 08:24 AM
I'd bag the character meal. You'll be seeing a lot of characters in the park. As you know, your kids can have a moment with most of them.

Thanks that makes me feel better!

Disnerd
05-05-2006, 09:51 AM
Here are the cost on character meals.

Goofy's Kitchen

Brunch
Adult (12+) $21.99
Child (3-11) $11.99

Dinner
Adult (12+) $28.99
Child (3-11) $11.99

Storytellers Cafe

Brunch - same price

Lunch $18 - $30

Dinner
Adult (12+) $26.99
Child (3-11) $11.99

PCH Grill

Same prices for brunch and dinner

Plaza Inn

Breakfast in the park
Adults (12+) $21.99
Child (3-11) $11.99

Ariel's Grotto
Princess Celebration
Lunch/Dinner
Adults (12+) $20.99
Child (3-11) $13.99

If you want to save eat outside of the park. There are several buffets nearby.

Waste,Please!
05-05-2006, 11:36 AM
We did the Lilo & Stitch PCH breakfast at Paradise Pier on Tues, April 25th with no reservations at about 7:30 AM. I had called earlier that morning and they only offered me a 10:30 AM reservation. At the hostess desk they gave us a pager/buzzer. It took about 15 or 20 min to be seated (group of 4). I think the earlier you get there, the better chance you have. It seemed to get much busier after we sat down. We have noticed the Chip/Dale Storytellers breakfast doesn't look very busy early in the morning, and I believe they have the menu option also, but the characters we've seen working there(Chip/Dale, Brother Bear, and a monkey) don't appeal to us as much.

Ordering from the menu (2 adult + 1 child meal) with a 10% coupon (came with our Disney Travel reservations) came to about $25 before tip. Food portions are generous. The kid meals include a drink.

We liked the character interaction, with 4 characters (Stitch, Pluto, Goofy, Minnie) making the rounds plus a game/activity every 30 minutes. To me it beats waiting in lines for characters in the park with small kids, and the cost is about equal to a sit-down breakfast at River Belle Terrace in the park.

mommy-san
05-05-2006, 03:25 PM
We did the pch grill in february. Food was so good, plus when we paid our waitress told us to grab a couple of apples or muffins to take with us for later. We did- beats paying $2.00 for an apple in the park. She also gave us to-go cups for coffee etc. We ate so much that we didn't have lunch until 2:00. Seeing Lilo and Stitch was also a treat as we didn't see them anywhere else in the parks. Ariels Grotto was okay, but food was so mediocre. Character time was good, but the food was not up to par at all. Both were pricey- but we liked PCH grill so much we seriously considered doing it again the next day but couldn't.

Family5LovesDisney
05-05-2006, 03:33 PM
You really can't do character meals for cheap but I think it's always worth going to at least one when we visit Disney World or Disneyland. My kids hate waiting in lines to see the characters and would rather spend their time in the parks on rides. The character meals bring all the characters to them while we (my husband and I) can sit back and relax for a little while (without having to worry about what kid has run away this time!) I found the character meals at Disneyland to be very interactive. The characters dance and play with the kids and my boys had a blast!

DianeM
05-05-2006, 04:27 PM
For ultra low budget, I'd skip the character meals. Your kids are a little old to be getting really excited about meeting the characters for the first time, anyway. I've never been to one, and there is so much to do in the park you won't miss it. You picked a good time to visit the U.S. The exchange rate is at about 90 C to 1.00 U.S. right now. We're expecting a lot of my husbands relatives to start arriving as they realize we have a guest room and they can afford to travel here.

As for saving money - buy some fresh fruit at a grocery store and bring it into the park for snacks. Do not buy it at home and plan on bringing it in - when you drive across the California border they'll take it away. Cheese and crackers make nice road and park snacks. I mentioned sandwiches in the other thread. Buy liter squeeze bottle for water and assign one to each kid and adult. Re-fill them at drinking fountains. The water in Anaheim is horrible, though, so if you're kids are fussy, bring bottled water from home to refill the bottles. It's perfectly healthy, but it does taste funny for the first few days. There is a Disney outlet store where you can buy t-shirts, not too far from the park. If you search this site, I'm sure you'll find the information.

It's fun doing DL on a budget. Most of my life I've travelled there cheaply, because it's the vacation I take when I don't have money for a fancier trip (or when I want to squeeze in a mini-vacation in between trips to Hawaii). I've never felt deprived, because there is so much to do in the parks for free or cheaply. If you want to give the kids a special treat, buy a box of fudge at the candy store and share it. Enjoy.


Whats the CHEAPEST way you can do a charater meal?

can these be booked while you are there or are we talking weeks/months in advance?

we are going on an ultra low budget - spur of the moment road trip to DL in 8 days. We are driving from Vancover Island Canada to DL

My kids are 7, 8 & 10 they have never been - my husband has not been since he was 6 and I went at age 13 so needless to say we are excited!

mulansgirl
05-05-2006, 05:11 PM
I went to Ariels Grotto on May 2 we just walked up for lunch. I know My sister-in-law tried to get in the night before for dinner but they were full. I had a hamburger, my husband had a BLT without the fish they had on it on the menu. I thought the portions were pretty big. I finnished about half my hamburger, but finnished all of the rocky road dessert, yummy. The princesses were really nice and I was supprised they offered to take pictures with us even though we have no children. This was my first character meal, I thought it was great. I am planning an extended family trip and a character meal will be on the list of things to do as a big group. We may even try out one of the other places you have all so nicely mentioned. But it does seem to be the cheepest for lunch type food. dont know yet. oh and I know that if you do go to AG they automaticaly charge a 15% tip to your bill. I didn't mind the service was so good I actually left a little more on the table.

SeansMom
05-05-2006, 05:17 PM
Check your PM box :).

cfitz/pirates
05-05-2006, 09:15 PM
We went to goofys kitchen for my daughters fourth birthday and we paid 90$ for the dinner buffet that included tax and one birthday bag,and that was for two adults and one child, food was okay but nothing fancy if you do decide to have a character dinner bring your autograph books, I completley forgot to bring my daughters and deeply regret it.

hope you have a great time.

bassett1976
05-05-2006, 09:35 PM
My wife and I have been able to eat for about $20 at DLR regularly. We can make two meals at Pizza Port, Hungry Bear and Racho ZoCal for that price. If we really wanted to go cheap we share a meal and an appitizer or dessert. This would bring the price down a little bit, maybe around $15. One way to save money at meals is to get a cup of water (do not ask for water, they will sell you bottled water). My wife and I have also shared a meal at Blue Boyou for about $30. We asked for extra potatoes which they gave us. As we left we felt we had eaten nicely and not overstuffed. Another place to eat is White Water Snacks at the GCH. We eat there frequently for around $20 for two meals. And as stated above, you can share meals to save money but the portions are big enough that you will be fine.

If you really wanted to go across Harbor you could find the McDonalds for food. And if your driving they have many other fast food places within a few miles of DLR.

rentayenta
05-06-2006, 06:14 AM
Character meals are pricey but if you do the latest lunch sitting than you might be able to eat light for dinner later that evening. I think they are worth the price because I'd rather meet, greet, and eat than stand in lines waiting for the Princesses and other characters. If your kids are at all interested in meeting the Princesses than I suggest the Princess meal in DCA. The food is good and the interaction is great.

For food tips I'd suggest sharing too. I have 3 children too and sharing works well. The Pizza Port's portions are HUGE. For the 5 of us we usually order one slice of pizza, a salad (they are big), and a pasta (they are big too). Because I hate throwing food away and you can't get doggie bags, this seems to work well for us. Everyone is happy and not sick stuffed and still has room for a treat or two. ;)

I suggest eating breakfast before you get to the park. Even when we stay on property we do this. A bowl of cereal and piece of fruit tides us over and gives us a little energy before going into the park.

Bring snacks. We buy the churros and Dole Floats and stuff but for waiting in line I like to bring in Goldfish crackers, Dum-Dum suckers, apples, beef jerky, etc....This keeps the kids happy and stops the "I wants".

I don't know where you are staying but Mimi's Cafe on Harbor has good food and they don't raise the prices like some of the other restaurants on Harbor. However, I don't like leaving the park just to eat. If we are on our way out or in and aren't staying on property than yes, dining outside of the park is fine but leaving just to eat wastes a lot of time that could be had riding rides and such in the park.

Have fun! :)

Wendi
05-06-2006, 08:41 AM
I think the character meal is worth it for your kid's first trip. I completely disagree with DianeM who thinks your kids are too old - they are not too old, especially for their first experience. If you want to cut costs, go to Storyteller's Cafe or PCH Grill and order off the menu - you can order fewer meals and share them if you are all willing to compromise on the items you want to really cut down on costs. I've gotta say though, that I feel like the Storyteller's Buffet is worth it because I like having choices of ALL of the foods offered no the buffet and the menu, plus I like having coffee and juce. If I ordered off the menu, and added two beverages the cost would be nearly as much as the buffet and I'd be much more limited on food choices.

Uncle Orville
05-07-2006, 06:26 AM
Buy liter squeeze bottle for water and assign one to each kid and adult. Re-fill them at drinking fountains. The water in Anaheim is horrible, though, so if you're kids are fussy, bring bottled water from home to refill the bottles. It's perfectly healthy, but it does taste funny for the first few days. .

One of the "Secrets" threads mentions that cold, filtered water comes out of the drinking fountain by First Aid.

momuvseven
05-07-2006, 09:39 AM
Really good drinking water water is available to refill water bottles at the Mexican Resturant by Big Thunder Rail Road (Ranncho ZoCal?) and at the Nurses First Aid station by the baby care center. This is also our favorite Disneyland Resturant for HUGE portions and really yummy food. Don't buy beverages there because they have cups provided by the water dispense outside on the patio. You can also refill your water bottles at the same time. We have done so in the early morning as well before the resturant officially opens. For a nice snack they have a fruit plate for about $6 that can be shared by a family. It is a good place to take a break and get rehydrated.