Told a friend recently that we eat more at Walt Disney World than anywhere else, in part because the kids are so entertained, we have time to finish all of the courses.

Stitch, the bad boy of Disney, is particularly entertaining to little boys. Perhaps because he does what they can't, like writing on a dad's head.

Planning dining experiences can be stressful, and parents feel pressure to make the most of their time in parks as well as get some face time (or fur time) with the characters.  Here is some up-to-date information about how to dine with the characters in and out of the park.

You can book meals online, but some will also require a credit card deposit. If you are arriving in 180 days, you can call (407) WDW-DINE and book for day 180, and the days following, by giving your resort reservation number. You can call at 7 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.

For reviews and menus, I can’t say enough wonderful things about Allears.net, because they are the authority on details related to Walt Disney World.  There are several contributors, and the content serves as both an archive of what was there, and the most up-to-date details on new happenings.   Subscribe to their newsletter. Donate to their causes (Breast Cancer Walk for Life in Metro DC) and post chipper comments.

A few tips:

• Princesses All Around. Cinderella’s Royal Table is the most popular, but many parents find that The Princess Storybook Dining at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall, located in the Norway Pavilion at Epcot, is a great deal.  This one has more of a focus on Belle, but her other friends stop by, as well.  Since Snow White, Jasmine, Mulan, and Aurora are normally at Epcot, it is likely that your child will meet most of them, but you might also find Pocahontas or Ariel.  You never know. Also, a photo is included in the meal and it is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but is only one table service credit for meal plan users, no matter what time you go.  Inside, it looks like a castle.
• Brunch or bust? It is easier to find a character breakfast than a character dinner.  If you book the Tusker House at Animal Kingdom, Ohana at the Polynesian, Cape May Cafe at the Yacht Club, or Play House Disney’s Play ‘n Dine at Hollywood and Vine (Hollywood Studios), don’t be late for brunch.  They may be able to seat you later, but the characters are only there during breakfast (except for Hollywood and Vine, which has a character lunch, as well).  Chef Mickey’s, the very popular breakfast and dinner spot at the Contemporary, closes for lunch.  As you are making reservations, if the time you wanted in not available, you may forget your goal and offer to take a reservation for a later time, but confirm that there will be characters at that time, or you may be sorry.
• Day Three. No Park Entry? You can keep meltdowns at bay by eating away from the parks and spending a day regrouping, shopping, or swimming, particularly towards the middle of your stay.  This is the “third day rule.” Aside from those mentioned above, you can book a character meal at 1900 Park Faire, for breakfast, lunch or dinner, at the Grand Floridian.  Depending on the time of day, you might meet The Mad Hatter, Alice in Wonderland, Mary Poppins, Tigger and Pooh, or even Cinderella (with her prince and the step sisters) for dinner.  Again, look at all the monorail resorts (The Polynesian, The Grand Floridian, The Contemporary) for great character meals.  You don’t have to stay there, or even on property, to eat there.
• Mickey, Mickey, Mickey.  When I had trips planned down to the calorie, I would hate it when people who say, “Say hello to Mickey for me.”  Used to the legalistic responses I’d get from my preschooler on most things, I felt like yelling, “We are not scheduled to meet with Mickey. Please ask him to say hi to Pluto, or Stitch.” Mickey can be met in the safety of a restaurant at the Garden Grill at Epcot, and as mentioned above, Ohana and Chef Mickey’s.  Go give him a high four.
• Oh nuts. If you are allergic to nuts, have a gluten-free diet, or need to keep meat off of your plate, don’t hesitate to mention this when you book by phone, or online.  If you have a lot of anxiety about it, make sure you call 407-824-5967 or email: SpecialDiets@DisneyWorld.com, and ask for someone to call you back. Have your reservation confirmation numbers, or your itinerary on hand. At counter service restaurants, the manager can steer you towards safe choices.  At a table service restaurant, the chef may come to discuss how foods are prepared with you, one on one.  Remind the hostess that you have a concern, as well.  We traveled with a party of 4, in which 3 had nut allergies and one has stitches in their mouth. Nobody went hungry or need Benedryl all week.  If your child won’t eat with foods that are touching each other or can’t access a buffet due to a mobility issue, the chef may prepare a plate for them, if you can’t pull something together. Just ask.
• A must-skip. I feel I must mention that the Swan also has a character meal (don’t use air quotes, don’t use air quotes, don’t use air quotes).  I was delighted that is was so easy to book, during a busy summer week. We used the online system.  At check in, we learned that the table service credits we had saved were not going to be honored, nor could we use our room key, since technically the Swan is not a Disney hotel.  It is a hotel, on Disney property.  See the difference? The family before us, celebrating their 5-year old’s birthday, had a little conference and admitted they could not afford to stay, upon hearing this news.  I pitied them. I should have followed them.  The food was not good, the two characters could not have made the rounds among the 8 tables that were occupied fast enough, and the waitress told my son that if he did not finish his meal, she would tell Goofy not to play with him. I would have preferred food poisoning to someone being rude to my child.  He hid under the table.  The bill for the four of us came to over $130, since sodas and coffee were not included in the price of the buffet.  I wondered, for moment, if he’d make some room for me down there.  This restaurant is The Garden Grove. The menu changes from night to night, and the characters change as well. After I wrote a letter, the web site changed to warn folks that you’d have to pay out of pocket, even if you have the dining plan.  Look for the 8-point font.   Not magical.
• Boys, boys, boys.  While the princess meals are quite girly, boys are given swords, and called princes or pirates.  Boys also tend to love Ohana, where they will meet Pluto, Mickey, Stitch and Lilo.  The Garden Grill, at Epcot, also has Mickey and Pluto, but also Chip and Dale, who allegedly prepare the food, and they dress as farmers.  Very butch.  The Crystal Palace, at Magic Kingdom, features all of the key players from the Hundred Acre Wood.  My boys love bouncing with Tigger.  This one is a great choice for siblings of opposite genders.  Meals that include a parade or movement, like Play ‘n Dine at Hollywood and Vine (Little Einsteins) at Hollywood Studios, encourage my kids to come and shake what I gave them.
• DIY meals. If eating with a princess makes it no easier to have the manners of a Royal, or special diets make dining out prohibitive, you can book a villa, or a cabin at Fort Wilderness.  Having a kitchen, similar to home, may be what saves your vacation.  The Garden Grocer is a local store that will deliver food you buy online to your resort.
  

  Pluto leads the parade at Ohana Best Friends Breakfast.