Don’t miss out on your dream Disney World dining experience by booking the wrong restaurant!

We know how much thought and care go into planning a Disney World vacation. From picking the perfect hotel to snagging your must-have dining reservations, people can spend countless hours crafting the trip of a lifetime! But what if you build your plans around a particular restaurant only to find out it’s absolutely NOT what you expected?? Here are five Disney World restaurants people keep booking for the WRONG reason!

For lots of guests, Character Dining is an essential part of the Disney World experience. After all, what screams “Disney World” more than meeting Mickey WHILE eating a Mickey waffle?? There are restaurants in each of the parks and a few hotels that offer Character Dining experiences…but there are also a few spots we often hear people assume offer Character Meals, when they actually don’t! Here are five Disney World restaurants that AREN’T Character Meals, even though lots of people think they are!

Roundup Rodeo BBQ

Roundup Rodeo BBQ is a Table Service restaurant located in Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. And we can totally see why people might assume that this is a Character Meal at first! For one, it’s a SUPER immersive atmosphere, themed after a rodeo arena created by Andy himself!

Plus, it FEELS like a more interactive experience since the Cast Members really get into their roles. In fact, you may even experience an “Andy’s Coming” moment!

But despite the immersive decor and Cast Member interactions, Roundup Rodeo BBQ is NOT a Character Meal, so you won’t be able to meet any of the Toy Story characters here!

Even though you won’t find the Toy Story characters at this restaurant, Woody, Jessie, and Buzz are typically available throughout the day for character meet-and-greets in Toy Story Land. Be sure to check the My Disney Experience app for the times and locations they’re scheduled on the day of your visit!

If you are in search of a place to have a Character Dining experience during your park day, Hollywood & Vine is the only spot that has a character meal in Hollywood Studios for now.

Minnie Mouse is the “hostess” of the seasonal dining experiences at Hollywood & Vine, so you can usually meet Minnie, plus Mickey, Pluto, and Goofy!

Check Out Our Full Review of Roundup Rodeo BBQ

Be Our Guest Restaurant

Speaking of restaurants that just “feel” like a Character Meal, Be Our Guest Restaurant in Magic Kingdom literally feels like you’re stepping RIGHT into Beauty and the Beast, with three gorgeous dining rooms inspired by Beast’s castle from the movie!

There’s the Grand Ballroom (where Belle and the Beast share their iconic dance at the end of the movie), plus the ominous West Wing (home to the enchanted rose!), and the Rose Gallery (a bright, cheerful room dedicated to Belle and the Beast’s romance).

To be fair, there’s also another good reason, on top of just the immersive design, that people may confuse this spot for a Character Meal. The Beast does typically come out and roam through the dining rooms at various points throughout the meal. But, he DOESN’T stop by the tables to meet with guests and take pictures, so you get a “character sighting” rather than a “character meeting,” like you do at an actual Character Meal.

Plus, he’s the ONLY character that makes an appearance, so don’t expect to spot any other Beauty and the Beast characters like Belle or Chip roaming around!

If you’re looking for a princess-themed character meal, you can try to book Cinderella’s Royal Table at Magic Kingdom instead. Just beware, this is typically one of the HARDEST reservations to snag, so you’ll have to really be on top of it as soon as your reservation window opens!

Since Cinderella’s Royal Table can be hard to land, another great princess-themed Character Meal option is Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in EPCOT.

You can also find many of the princesses at regular meet-and-greets throughout the parks, especially Magic Kingdom and EPCOT. Remember to check the My Disney Experience app for the daily schedule of character appearances!

Check Out Our Full Review of Be Our Guest Restaurant!

‘Ohana (for DINNER)

If you thought having a character appear but not meet guests was confusing, wait until we get into our next few restaurants! ‘Ohana is the super-popular Hawaiian-style restaurant at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. ‘Ohana is home to the Best Friends Breakfast, an all-you-care-to-eat Character Meal where guests can typically meet Lilo, Stitch, Mickey, and Pluto.

But, there’s an essential caveat — the characters appear at breakfast ONLY! That’s right, NO characters will appear during dinner at ‘Ohana! This can understandably catch people off guard, since the question of “is this a Character Meal?” depends on WHICH meal — breakfast or dinner — you’re talking about.

If you can’t snag a breakfast reservation at ‘Ohana, Stitch often appears in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom, so you can try to spot him in the park instead. And Mickey and Pluto make appearances all over, so just keep an eye on the app for a meet-and-greet that works for your schedule!

If you’re on the hunt for another nearby Character Meal option, Chef Mickey’s at Disney’s Contemporary Resort has visits from Mickey and friends at both breakfast AND dinner!

Check Out Our Full Review of Dinner at ‘Ohana!

Cape May Cafe (for DINNER)

Now that we’ve gone over the confusion at ‘Ohana, hopefully this info about dinner at Cape May Cafe will be easier to swallow (no pun intended). Like ‘Ohana, Cape May Cafe at Disney’s Beach Club Resort DOES have a Character Meal for breakfast. It’s called “Minnie’s Beach Bash Breakfast” and features appearances from various characters, which can include Minnie, Donald, Daisy, and Goofy.

But, also like ‘Ohana, there are NO characters at Cape May Cafe for dinner! With that being said, dinner at Cape May Cafe might still be a big draw for seafood fans, since it includes all-you-can-eat surf-and-turf. But if it’s the characters your heart is set on, dinner at Cape May Cafe isn’t the place to go!

The good news is, since the characters featured here are Minnie and friends, you can find them in plenty of places around the parks if you missed out on the character breakfast. Just remember to — you guessed it — check your My Disney Experience app to see where and when you can find character meet-and-greets in whichever park you’re visiting that day!

We’ll also give another mention to Chef Mickey’s at Disney’s Contemporary Resort if you’re looking for a character dinner with a similar lineup. Plus, since it’s a hotel restaurant, you can make a reservation there no matter which park — if any — you’re planning on visiting that day!

Check Out Our Full Review of Dinner at Cape May Cafe!

Topolino’s Terrace (for DINNER)

Rounding out our list, we have Topolino’s Terrace — Flavors of the Riviera, located at Disney’s Riviera Resort. Once again, you will find a prix fixe Character Breakfast here, called Breakfast à la Art with Mickey & Friends. It’s a fun way to start your day with awesome views from the rooftop restaurant and visits from Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy in art-inspired costumes!

But, keeping with the trend, dinner at Topolino’s Terrace is NOT a Character Meal! Instead, you’ll find an elegant signature dining experience with gorgeous views thanks to the rooftop location. You can even see the EPCOT fireworks if you’ve got a later dinner!

With its fancy vibes and stellar views, dinner at Topolino’s Terrace is a perfect spot for an elegant date night or an elevated dining experience. Just keep in mind, you won’t see any characters during dinner!

If you’re in search of a nearby character meal, you could book a reservation for Garden Grill in EPCOT, which is just a Skyliner trip away!

The vibes aren’t as fancy as Topolino’s Terrace, but Garden Grill also offers unique character costumes and cool views into Living with the Land as the restaurant slowly rotates during your meal!

Check Out Our Full Review of Dinner at Topolino’s Terrace!

Don’t get us wrong, there’s a LOT to love about all of these restaurants… But if you book them expecting to have a Character Dining experience, you’re gunna be disappointed! We’re here to help you plan the Disney World vacation of your dreams, from dining experiences and beyond, so stick with us for all the latest tips, tricks, and expert Disney info you need to know!

We’ve Eaten at Every EPCOT Restaurant. These Are the BEST.

What’s your favorite Character Meal in Disney World? Share with us in the comments!