3) Garden Grill - Chip 'n' Dale's Harvest Feast

Honestly, the top three character meals at Disney are all flawless experiences. Each is unique and memorable in its own way. Ranking them is a lot like choosing your favorite Pixar movie. Since they’re all wonderful, selecting the best is brutally difficult.

For me, The Garden Grill is the most interesting restaurant at Walt Disney World. Yes, it rotates, and that is an engaging aspect for tourists. What captivates me is that the changing view provides a few moments of contemplation regarding the sustainable foods below. This unique view of the farming enterprises in Living with the Land epitomizes the forward-thinking of Walt Disney Co. as a business. And the food is great. Plus, it’s guilt-free since I know exactly where it came from. Generally, those sorts of meals cost a lot more, yet the Garden Grill character meal is right in line with other table service meals at Walt Disney World.

All of the above is well and good, but the truth involves something I said above about costumes. Chip 'n' Dale's Harvest Feast is where Farmer Mickey is on full display, and the sight of a mouse in overalls entertains me in a way that Hee Haw never could. Plus, Chip and Dale create some adorable pictures with children (and grownups). Adding in Pluto, there are four wonderful selfie opportunities in addition to a wonderful, guilt-free meal. Character dining at Garden Grill is highly recommended by this author. It is everything great about Disney.

2) Chef Mickey's Buffet

One of the many wonderful aspects of visiting a Disney theme park is that one perfect moment, the unforgettable event that crystallizes the Disney experience. Everyone has one from a special park visit. Mine occurred at Chef Mickey’s. My wife celebrated a birthday there, and a kindly employee provided her with a brownie to celebrate the event. Moments later, a little girl behind us was treated to a birthday cake. When she realized that my wife shared the same birthday as her, this child proceeded to sing loudly and with her eyes shut. Simply by knowing that my *ahem* slightly older wife shared the same birthday and celebrated at the same restaurant, they were bonded in her eyes. She befriended us for the rest of the meal, keeping a watchful eye over her new birthday bestie. That is the vision of Walt Disney summarized with an anecdote.

Chef Mickey’s is a place of pure joy. There is an energy to it that has never been matched in any of my other table service experiences. I love it for the boisterous laughter of deliriously happy children mixed with an amazing backdrop. How many other places in the world serve a meal as monorails whiz by in the distance? While I understand that some people find the menu a bit bland, I love the food, which is rare for me. And the dessert bar is one of the best at the various Disney buffets.

Most important, Chef Mickey’s is highlighted by the five anchor Disney characters: Mickey, Minnie, Donald Duck, Pluto and Goofy. No matter how long the wait may be at this heavily trafficked establishment, you are always just a few moments away from one of them arriving to take your picture. And I don’t mean to brag but Minnie kissed me the last time I ate there. I eventually washed that cheek…but not immediately.

1) Fairytale Dining at Cinderella's Royal Table

In a huge upset, the most famous Disney restaurant and character meal is also the best. As I mentioned  with regards to Akershus on the Worst Character Meals list, that restaurant provides a dynamic meal in a wonderful setting. Despite this, even Disney employees understand that it is the fallback option to the crown jewel in the Disney table service line. Anyone who has ever tried to get Advance Dinner Reservations knows the truth of it.

While Be Our Guest is the trendy option of the moment, Cinderella’s Royal Table has maintained its status as the hardest one to get at Walt Disney World. It is in demand because no matter how old you are or how long you have been going to Disney, eating at this restaurant is something you dreamt about it until you did it or something you anticipate doing one day.

Fairytale Dining represents the best of Disney. It is located at the centerpiece of the Magic Kingdom, Cinderella’s Castle. And it features what can only be described as Princess Heaven, a cavalcade of Disney’s iconic personalities, all of whom are clad in the most memorable dresses and costumes in movie history. Eating at Cinderella’s Royal Table is like feeling like a princess/prince for a day. Simply being allowed access into the castle makes me feel taller. The panoramic setting and the unforgettable dining experience make it the obvious, easy choice as THE best Disney character meal. And I would add that I am standing behind my choice here in a memorable way. When my wife and I celebrate our tenth anniversary in May, we will do so at Fairytale Dining.