Walt Disney World’s 1900 Park Fare Review

I’m a sucker for pretty much anything at Walt Disney World’s Grand Floridian Resort. If I’m not staying there, and don’t have a dining reservation there, many times I’ll just sit in the lobby listening to the music, or walk around finding all the different Disney characters etched in the marble floors. I find the resort overwhelmingly charming, full of Victorian nostalgia, and just the right amount of Disney. For years, the fact that the resort also housed a character meal, somehow managed to fly under my radar, while I enjoyed lobster at Narcosses, and cobb salads at The Grand Floridian Cafe. I have been remiss though, to you, as readers. 1900 Park Fare is, in many ways the crown jewel of character meals, second only to Cinderella’s Royal Table, but without the hefty price tag.

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1900 Park Fare is open for a character breakfast and dinner, but closed for lunch. It’s important to know that you’ll be getting an entirely different experience depending on which meal you book, so know what your kid (or your adult) wants. For breakfast, you’ll be enjoying the ‘Supercalifragilstic Breakfast’, which features Mary Poppins, Alice in Wonderland, The Mad Hatter, Winnie the Pooh, and Tigger. Unless these characters are the height of your list, we generally don’t recommend breakfast for character meals. We think that you’re paying high prices for breakfast food that’s not going to rock your world, and that selections tend to be far better at other times. Also, the time you’ll spend eating a character meal in the morning, is peak touring time when crowds are light.

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The meal we do recommend having at 1900 Park Fare is ‘Cinderella’s Happily Ever After Dinner’. Depending on what time of year you visit (peak vs. non peak), the dinner time buffet will cost anywhere from $30 – $50 per adult, or 1 credit on the dining plan. But, this is the only place on property, besides Cinderella’s Royal Table, that you can eat with Cinderella, and you’re paying a lot less money. If you’re on the dining plan, you’re only using one credit, instead of two. We think that makes 1900 Park Fare an easy pick over Cinderella’s Royal Table if your family is on a budget, or trying to stretch your dining plan further.

DSC_0639DSC_0636DSC_0644Dinner at 1900 Park Fare is an affair to remember. The dining room is decorated with a carousel theme, and you’ll see different carousel horses and animals around the room. This character meal was without a doubt, the best character interaction we’ve ever had at Walt Disney World. Not only do you get to see Cinderella and Prince Charming dance (this is the only character meal that has a Prince on hand), but the real fun comes after. On hand are also the Wicked Stepmother, and Anastasia, and Drizella. These three are hilarious – sarcastic, witty, satirical, and full of jokes specifically tailored to each table. For example, at one point, Anastasia asked to see my wedding ring, and congratulated me for marrying for money, because true love never lasts. Drizella was flirting with the four year old little boy at the table next to us, causing him to hide under the table. The Wicked Stepmother asked us if we were bored talking to Cinderella because she’s so nice. I have never been so entertained at a meal.

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Honestly, the food could have been terrible, and I still would have had great things to say. The food wasn’t terrible though – I love how varied this particular buffet was. Nothing seemed to fit a certain theme, or overarching direction. You had everything from a carving station, to sushi, to BBQ, to the house specialty, a chilled strawberry soup.

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We had a fantastic experience at 1900 Park Fare. It’s become our favorite character meal on property, and we highly endorse it, especially if dining with Cinderella is high on your priority.