Storybook Dining At Artist Point

First of all, our family loves Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. It is a beautiful resort and it fits our family’s personality. We love hiking, camping, and the great outdoors. The decor is stunning and you can stroll around the lobbies to take in all of the architecture which is just absolutely breathtaking.

Heading To Wilderness Lodge Resort

We were early for our reservation (we had taken a bus from the Magic Kingdom over), so we spent some time strolling around the resort. We checked out the lobby, saw Chip and Dale, who were visiting with guests in the lobby. Then we walked around the grounds for a little while taking in all of the beauty that the Wilderness Lodge has to offer.

Artist Point Restaurant

Artist Point is a beautiful restaurant and feels very much like you’re sitting in the heart of the woods. It was quiet and not very crowded for a character meal.

When it was time for our reservation, we were greeted by our server and he let us know that we were being seated in one of the best spots in the restaurant: the Queen’s Table. Why was it called the Queen’s Table? Because we were seated RIGHT in front of where the Evil Queen greeted guests. This was by far one of the best character experiences we have ever had because we got to watch the Queen interact with everyone throughout our entire meal! If you have never met her, I have to tell you that she might be my favorite character that we have met with ever.

A Three Course Meal

Now, this dinner is a three-course meal with shared appetizers and desserts. The concept was new to us, but our waiter explained everything to us and made sure we were ready for when characters were going to appear and when we would get our chance to meet the Queen.

Snow White was lovely and sweet and came out quite quickly after we were seated. My girls and my son loved her. She wrapped up her visit to our table by giving my son a kiss on the forehead (and the best photo-op)! When he grows up I’m definitely showing posting this in his graduation slideshow!

Appetizers And Characters

The appetizers were small bites with enough for everyone at our table to have a portion. They were brought out together, but were plated so that you could grab your own of each of the offerings. The kids all had special appetizers brought out on a small bread board. We had mushroom soup, Hunter’s Toureen, and Wicked Shrimp Cocktail. The mushroom soup was definitely my overall favorite and I swapped my husband my shrimp cocktail for his soup!

While we finished our appetizers, we met Grumpy and Dopey. We made our best grumpy faces and then we blew kisses to Dopey as he had to leave! While we waited we were able to keep a constant watch on the Evil Queen’s meet and greet with other guests. I have to say that our night would not have been quite as enjoyable if we hadn’t been seated where we could see and hear all of these interactions!

Entree

Our entrees arrived and they were delicious. All of the adults but my mother-in-law had the prime rib with horseradish mashed potatoes and a popover. It was delicious! My mother-in-law had the Sorceress Spell of Land and Sea and she said it was one of the best things we ate during our entire trip. The children’s portion of the prime rib was large and my kids devoured it. The sides were equally as good. My oldest had the roast chicken and the portion size was really big! The sides were good too! Overall, the entrees were awesome and have been some of the best that we’ve had at any character meal at Disney World!

Desserts And The Queen

The dessert portion of the meal was also a hit. I honestly wish I could have had a giant slice of the gooseberry pie! It was delicious. The best part about the small portions was that you got to sample a little bit of everything. There was a little bit of trading and bartering for favorites toward the end too. And, there was a special finale brought out by our server before we got to meet with the Evil Queen. I don’t want to spoil it, but it was very…dramatic just like the Evil Queen herself! (And also, it was really delicious!)

Meeting the Evil Queen after watching her throughout our entire meal was definitely a highlight of our night. She was funny, dry, and really fun to watch interact with other guests. My children were so excited to meet her and couldn’t keep straight faces throughout their conversation with her. (They had watched her all evening, so they had some crazy questions for her….Part of the perks of sitting at the Queen’s Table for sure!)

Storybook Dining At Artist Point is a Complete 10!

Overall, I would have to give this dinner a 10. It had the best food, atmosphere, and character experiences that I think we’ve had at a meal. It also wasn’t super crowded like I’ve found some of our other character dining experiences to be and honestly, I preferred it to Cinderella’s Royal Table because of that.

At one Table Service dining credit I feel like this dinner was definitely a gem and if you’re Character Dining inclined, should be on your must-do list!!

Tips For Storybook Dining At Artist Point

• This is only one table service credit on the Disney Dining Plan
• Allow for extra travel time
• Bring those autograph books

We have a Facebook Group that is dedicated to all things Disney! Join us by clicking this link: DISNEY EXPRESS LANE.

The post Storybook Dining At Artist Point: A Disney World Dining Review appeared first on WaltExpress.com.

Disney 101: Character Dining At Disney World Parks & Resorts

What exactly is character dining and how does it work? Walt Express explains it all below!

What Kinds of Character Meals Does Disney offer?

Disney World has many options when it comes to dining with your favorite characters. From breakfasts with Mickey and friends to dinners with your favorite Disney Princesses, there is something for everyone! You can find character meals both in-park and at select Disney Resort Hotels, which means that you have so many options when trying to fit character dining into your plans!

What Are Some Important Things to Remember About Character Meals?

Disney World opens up dining reservations for everyone at 180 days before your trip. It is so important to schedule dining as early as possible so that you don’t miss out on your ‘must-dos’ for your trip! Dining reservations can be made via phone or online using your My Disney Experience account linked to your hotel reservation. (Also, when you use a Disney Travel Planner they will help you plan out and make these reservations, so you don’t have to wait on the phone and stress about getting your magical dining plans. They will take the stress out of it for you! (Grab a FREE quote here!)

If you are staying on property at a Disney World Resort, you are allowed the 180 days, PLUS you have a little bonus! You will be able to book your dining for the duration of your stay.

Where Can We Find Character Meals?

Character meals are available both in the Disney parks and the Disney Resort Hotels. We love having the choice to go to a meal at a Resort hotel because it gives a chance to explore other resorts during our stay. One of our very favorite things to do is eat at the three hotels on the monorail system near Magic Kingdom: Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Polynesian Resort, and Disney’s Grand Floridian. Each of these hotels offer its own unique dining opportunities, and it’s so fun to be able to enjoy the theming and the grounds of one of these resorts after a meal!

Here’s a quick list of some resort dining experiences, with the resort listed:

• Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast: 

Trattoria al Forno at Disney’s Boardwalk Resort (featuring Rapunzel, Flynn Rider, Ariel and Prince Eric)

• Minnie’s Beach Bash Breakfast: 

Cape May Cafe at Disney’s Beach Club Resort (featuring Minnie Mouse and friends)

• Best Friends Breakfast:

Ohana at Disney’s Polynesian Resort (featuring Stitch, Mickey, and friends)

• Chef Mickey’s Funtime Buffet:

Disney’s Contemporary Resort (featuring Mickey and Friends)

• Supercalifragilistic Breakfast:

1900 Park Fare at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa (featuring Mary Poppins, Alice, the Mad Hatter, Winnie the Pooh and Tigger)

• Cinderella’s Happily Ever Dinner: 

1900 Park Fare at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa (featuring Cinderella, Prince Charming, Lady Tremaine and the Ugly Stepsisters at lunch and dinner)

As fun as dining at a resort is, having a character meal in park also can be a HUGE time saver for your family so that you can have those amazing character experiences, but still fit in as much park time as possible! In-park character dining options are just as fun and the experiences are still high-quality, without sacrificing the time it can take to leave a park and make your way to a resort for a meal!

Here is a quick list of some in-park dining experiences, by park:

Disney’s Magic Kingdom:

• Fairytale Dining at Cinderella’s Royal Table (featuring Cinderella and her Disney Princess friends)
• The Crystal Palace featuring Winnie the Pooh and Friends
• Be Our Guest (featuring The Beast at dinner-this can change sometimes)

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

• Disney Junior Play ‘n Dine Hollywood and Vine (featuring Disney Junior characters)-during breakfast.
• Minnie’s Seasonal Dining at Hollywood and Vine (seasonal meals and table activities!)-during lunch and dinner.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

• Tusker House (featuring Safari Donald Duck)-available for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Epcot

• Chip ‘n’ Dale’s Harvest Feast at Garden Grill (featuring Chip, Dale, Pluto and Mickey)-available for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
• Princess Storybook Dining at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall (featuring the Disney Princesses)-available for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

What Else Should I Know?

• When planning character dining, be sure that you have checked out how many table credits a meal uses! You also need to plan on paying tax and gratuity for every dinner except at Cinderella’s Royal Table. Here is a great guide that will help!
• Be sure to give yourself plenty of time for a character meal! Sometimes characters can take a little bit of time to make the rounds, so be sure to give yourself at least an hour so that you have a chance to spend quality time with each one!
• Disney photographers aren’t normally available at Character meals except for a designated picture taking area, so be sure that you have your own personal cameras ready to take pictures!
• If you need someone to take a picture for you, be sure to ask a cast member and they will normally be more than happy to help.
• If you are gathering autographs, be sure to bring your autograph books along too!

Don’t be afraid to try character meals both in and out of the Disney parks. Each one is unique with different food options and special touches that you can’t get anywhere else! Here at Walt Express we also have lots of reviews that you can check out before your 180 day booking window. We also can help you access menus so that you can take a look at food choices before you book! Character meals are perfect for getting a great meal, making memories, and getting 1-on-1 time with your favorite Disney characters. What’s not to love?

Looking for even MORE Disney information and fun? We have a wonderful Facebook Group, DISNEY EXPRESS LANE!

The post Disney 101: Character Dining At Disney World Parks & Resorts appeared first on WaltExpress.com.