Disneyland Character Meals: Are They Worth the Money?

Disneyland Resort Character Meals are simply meals where character interaction is provided inside select restaurants of Disneyland Park, Disney's California Adventure, and Disneyland Resort hotels.

Currently, Character Meals are offered at Ariel's Grotto, in California Adventure; the Plaza Inn restaurant, at Disneyland Park; Goofy's Kitchen, inside the Disneyland Hotel; PCH Grill, inside Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel; and Storyteller's Café, inside Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa.

Some Character Meals offer breakfast, while others offer lunch and/or dinner. The Character Meal at Goofy's Kitchen is a buffet, while all other character meals offer fixed-price menus. The cost also varies between Character Meals at the Disneyland Resort. Depending on location, meal, and age of each customer, a Character Meal will cost anywhere from $15 to $36 per person.

Whether or not a Character Meal at the Disneyland Resort will feel like an experience that justifies the cost, depends on several factors. Listed ahead, are reasons that some may feel a Character Meal is, indeed, worth the money, and reasons that others may feel that they are not.

Yes, a Character Meal is worth the money.
Reasons given by those in one of the most popular Disneyland-related public message forums, express that Disneyland Resort Character Meals are worth the money mainly because of the character interaction. Often, it is stated that a Character Meal reduces the amount of walking through the Disneyland Resort parks with very small children in an attempt to locate characters. This saves time for rides and other attractions. It should be stated here that the quality of food is typically not a reason given as the driving incentive for visiting Character Meals within the Disneyland Resort. Usually, as stated, it appears to be a choice arrived at more for reasons of convenience, rather than for the quality of the food or service.

No, a Character Meal is not worth the money.
There are several reasons which appear to be significant as to why Disneyland Resort Character Meals may not be worth the money. Many complain that the quality of the food offered, particularly at Goofy's Kitchen breakfast buffet, is mediocre. It's easy to see why visitors would be dissatisfied with a meal that cost $100 or more for their family to attend if they found the food to be seriously lacking in quality. It is also reported that service from the waiting staff at Character Meals can be quite poor. Finally, the biggest complaint seems to be that the actual character interaction is sometimes nearly non-existent.

As Character Meals at the Disneyland Resort can eat up a nice chunk of a vacation budget, it is important to weigh the pros and cons of this type of dining experience. For more information, or to make Character Dining reservations, call Disney Dining direct at (714)781-DINE.

Sources:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2611067&highlight=character+meals