What’s more fun than sitting down ot a meal at Walt Disney World? Sharing the experience with characters, of course! Plenty of character dining can be found on property, but as new movies and a few new dining destinations have come on the scene, here are some ideas for some character meals that we’d definitely make advance dining reservations for!
1. Mowgli and his pals at Skipper Canteen
The Magic Kingdom’s newest eatery features “World Famous Jungle Cuisine” served by Jungle Cruise skippers, so why not invite Mowgli, Baloo, Bagheera, Shere Khan and the rest of the crew from The Jungle Book movie to the table as well? Some of the notable items on the menu include “Tastes Like Chicken” Because It Is!, which pairs marinated grilled chicken with stir-fry vegetables and rice; Falls Family Falafel, named after Schweitzer Falls’ namesake, Dr. Albert Falls; and Trader Sam’s Head-On Shrimp, which features shrimp, broccoli and rice in honor of everyone’s favorite shrunken-head dealer. The movie has been a huge hit since it debuted in April 2016, and a character meal (even with some more-realistic characters than usual at Disney parks) would probably prove to be massively popular as well.
2. Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde at Chef Mickey’s
Another huge hit for Walt Disney Animation Studios this year is Zootopia which has already become the 26th highest-grossing movie of all time. But while the stars of the film, Officer Judy Hopps of the Zootopia Police Department and small-time con artist Nick Wilde, are available to meet and greet their fans at Disney California Adventure, their only appearance right now at Walt Disney World is in the Magic Kingdom’s “Move It! Shake It! Dance & Play It!” Street Party. You might snag a dance with the duo at the twice-daily party, but it would probably be more fun to dine with them at Disney’s closest version of a metropolis — the bustling Chef Mickey’s at the Contemporary Resort.
Sure, it’s not a new restaurant, but this forward-thinking pair would fit right in at the eatery near the monorail (and they could give the usual dinner entertainers, Mickey and his friends, a well-deserved night off once in a while). And while Bug-Burga’s signature items like cicada burgers and grasshopper shakes aren’t on the menu, you could indulge in items like peel-and-eat shrimp, roasted vegetables with pasta and citrus seafood salad.
3. Spot and Arlo at Tiffins
The stars of The Good Dinosaur would find a very nice home at the newest restaurant at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. While the restaurant is definitely upscale, a character meal held once in a while could bring in more kids of any age! And some of the menu items already fit the theme too. Diners can order an Archaeologist Salad, with spring vegetables and champagne vinaigrette, and finish with lime cheesecake, which matches the color of Arlo the Apatosaurus. And these character meals could also even inspire more people to see “The Good Dinosaur.” The 2015 movie wasn’t Pixar’s biggest hit, but the story of Arlo and his unlikely human friend Spot battling nature and traveling through a mysterious world still has a lot of charm.
4. Dory and her friends at the Coral Reef Restaurant
It might be a little strange to see Dory, Nemo, Marlin and some of the new stars from the soon-to-be-released Finding Dory movie at a restaurant where you’d likely be eating seafood, but Coral Reef at Epcot has been showcasing more than 4,000 sea creatures at the nearby exhibit The Seas with Nemo & Friends for years. And Dory would probably forget what you were eating before she even left your table anyway! The under-the-sea theme of the restaurant would be perfect for Dory and her pals, and you could even skip the fish on the menu and instead order entrees like grilled New York strip steak, pork tenderloin and oven-roasted chicken.
5. Kylo Ren at Rebel Hangar
The villain from 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens has been such a hit at Disney’s Hollywood Studios that fans wait in line for nearly an hour just to meet him. Combine that experience with a year-round version of Rebel Hangar — A Star Wars Lounge Experience, which took over half of the park’s Backlot Express restaurant during last year’s Star Wars Weekends event, and you might have a hugely popular eatery.
While the Rebel Hangar was conceived as just a lounge and not a full restaurant, “Star Wars” characters were casually stroll through the eating establishment during last year’s Star Wars Weekends event, and it would be pretty amazing if Disney brought back this idea for Disney’s Hollywood Studios, even if Star Wars Weekends is no more.
So have any of these ideas made you hungry — and made you wonder what you’d say to these characters if they visited your table? And are there more character meals you’d love to experience at the parks? Share your thoughts below!
