You should make reservations for at least one character meal during your WDW visit. Basically, you are paying for you and your children to get up close and personal with many Disney characters. Characters come around to all tables for hugs, autographs, and photos. Prices for character meals range from $18 to $23 per adult and $10 for children three to nine years old.

Magic Kingdom

The Magic Kingdom has three restaurants that offer character meals, for a total of two breakfasts, two lunches, and three dinners.

• Cinderella's Table is open for Once Upon a Time Breakfast, Cinderella's Royal Table Lunch, and Dreams Come True Dinner. During breakfast and lunch, several princesses roam the room, while dinner includes a visit from the Fairy Godmother. Reservations are taken three to six months in advance. Tables are not to be pulled together. Only parties of two, three, and four are allowed. If you have a larger party, it's not guaranteed that you will sit near one another.

• Liberty Tree is open for Liberate Your Appetite Dinner (4:00 P.M. to park closing). Enjoy a Thanksgiving meal menu with Minnie and friends in Frontierland.

• Crystal Palace offers breakfast (8:00 to 10:30 A.M.), lunch (11:30 A.M. to 2:45 P.M.), and a dinner buffet (4:00 P.M. to park closing) with Pooh and friends.

Epcot

There are two restaurants that offer character meals at Epcot. One is buffet-style and the other is service-style. In total, they offer one breakfast, two lunches, and two dinners.

• Akershus Restaurant at Norway offers Princess Storybook Dining for breakfast (8:30 A.M. to 11:40 A.M.), lunch (11:40 A.M. to 2:50 P.M.), and dinner (4:20 P.M. to 8:40 P.M.).

• The Garden Grill at the Land Pavilion has a circular floor that rotates slowly around. The restaurant is open for lunch (noon to 3:30 P.M.) and dinner (5:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M.), with Mickey, Minnie, Chip, and Dale.

Disney-MGM Studios

At the moment, Disney's MGM Studios only offers one breakfast and lunch buffet character meal. More are on the way.

• The Hollywood and Vine offers a buffet breakfast (8:00 to 11:20 A.M.) and lunch (11:40 to 2:25 P.M.) with Jo Jo and Goliath, and lunch with June and Leo.

Animal Kingdom

Even though Animal Kingdom only has one character meal restaurant, they offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

• Restaurantosaurus in Dinoland offers Donald's Breakfastosaurus, and lunch and dinner buffets with Donald and friends. The restaurant is open according to Animal Kingdom's opening and closing hours.