5 Reasons why I loved Disneyland® Paris’ Character Dining Experience!

The Plaza Gardens Restaurant is definitely one of the most beautiful and elegant restaurants in Disneyland® Paris! Both the exterior and interior of the restaurant offer a Victorian charm and elegance that will transport you to a different era!

This charming restaurant boasts a beautiful Victorian-themed design with antique mirrors, classic furniture, vintage tiles, pink and green velvet drapes, an array of flowers and a fountain in the middle of the restaurant. The fountain doesn’t actually work! It’s full of flowers but it’s such a cute feature! With intricate details, elegant decor and hidden Mickeys, it offers a more luxurious Disney experience.

You’ll find the Plaza Gardens Restaurant at the end of the main street, opposite the castle at Disneyland® Paris Park.

Our character dinner was a buffet. There were plenty of options to choose from and it generally catered very well to different dietary requirements.

You can choose from a range of fresh salads, bread, cuts of meat, french cheeses, seafood, steak or chicken, soup, pasta, rice and more. We particularly loved the Mickey-shaped potato croquettes (I may have had an obscene about of them). 

The main meal was delicious and we went up a fair few times to try everything and were definitely full by the end of the experience. Although, I must say that the dessert is where it’s at! You’ll find the BEST-tasting macaroons, chocolate mousse, Mickey cheesecakes and Mickey cakes. A favourite of ours had to be the Mickey chocolate cake. 

If you are celebrating a birthday (like we were), Plaza Gardens is a lovely place to have a birthday meal. You can order a birthday cake (for €35) and the characters will stand around you as they bring the cake to your table. They even play a really cute birthday song throughout the restaurant. It’s such a fun way to celebrate a birthday and it was so lovely to see everyone get so involved and excited!

Obviously, I have to include the characters as it’s the whole reason we chose to book a character dinner! I cannot say enough about how incredible it was, the characters interact with every single person and spend a good amount of time with each table.

I had Goofy take my friend’s seat opposite me and pretend we were on a date, Tigger was bouncing on a chair next to me trying to get closer (before being told off by the staff!) and Minnie Mouse complimented my outfit! I couldn’t stop laughing and my cheeks genuinely hurt from smiling so much! There are plenty of photo opportunities during your dinner – but be warned – your camera roll will fill up extremely quickly!

You’ll meet some favourite characters from Mickey and Friends and Winnie the Pooh, including Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck, Eeyore, Daisy, Pluto, Piglet and Tigger. You’ll usually meet 6 characters in your experience, we met Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Pluto, Tigger and Eeyore.

While the characters interacting with the kids was such a magical experience, this experience is not just for kids. We went as two adults (there were quite a few other adult-only parties) and the characters were just as invested in us. They spent lots of time interacting and goofing around with us and it made the whole experience even more magical!

Of course, this experience is perfect for families with children but it is just as amazing as an adult-only party and I would highly suggest booking this experience!

• Booking: Be sure to book in advance as the character dining experiences tend to sell out really quickly! Booking opens 2 months in advance so make sure to set a reminder! I ended up booking my experience at the end of January, ready for March. 
• Disneyland® Paris App: If you’re planning a trip to Disneyland Paris, then I highly suggest downloading the app. It was incredibly easy to book the restaurant via the app and I could manage the booking from my phone!
• Pictures: Make sure your phone is charged! There are plenty of amazing photo and video opportunities as your family interact with the characters. I literally have a billion pictures on my phone of my characters dining experience at the Plaza Gardens.
• Take it all in: Be present and take it all in. It’s such an incredible experience and it will go by so quickly, so really take a moment to stop and embrace the magic.

So, is it worth it? I 100000% think it is and you should definitely put this on your bucket list! It was by far the most memorable experience of my whole trip and made my birthday extra special. I will definitely be back to do the Princess Dining Experience and to try some of the other restaurants at Disneyland® Paris!