Story Book Dining at Artist Point with Snow White – A Review!

This week, we’re reviewing our recent visit to Story Book Dining at Artist Point with Snow White!

Story Book Dining at Artist Point is a character dining experience located at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort. This prix fixe dinner offers a selection of individual plated entrées in addition to shared appetizers and desserts. Set in a scenic enchanted forest, guests have the pleasure of interacting with popular characters from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs during their meal.

I’ve always been curious to dine at Story Book Dining at Artist Point, but my daughters never showed much interest in those characters growing up. Now, as they have gotten older, their interest in character dining has diminished altogether. I had written off this dining experience for us until something intriguing happened – my son inexplicably became fascinated by Snow White!

So, with a mother/son birthday trip scheduled for the beginning of the year, I made it a priority for my little guy to meet his favorite princess.

We easily secured a last-minute reservation, but I still highly recommend Advance Dining Reservations to ensure your table. If you’d like to learn more about scoring hard-to-get dining reservations, check out our Tips for Booking ADRs!

Price/Cost

Character dining always has a hefty price tag at Walt Disney World. For Story Book Dining at Artist Point, expect to pay $67 per adult, and $41 per child (ages 3-9) plus tax and gratuity.

As I mentioned before, the price includes three small appetizers, a plated entrée, and a dessert trio for each guest. Nonalcoholic beverages are also included in the cost, but themed cocktails and mocktails are an additional charge.

Atmosphere

Outside the restaurant, the walls are lined with paintings depicting the characters and settings of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Walking into the restaurant is like stepping into an enchanted forest. The tables are surrounded by a canopy of trees lit with glimmering lights creating a charming and whimsical dinner setting.

In the center of the room, there is a wide-open space where the characters make their grand entrances and dance around the room. This is also where The Evil Queen will hold her meet-and-greet.

During the characters’ entrances, the lights on the surrounding trees change colors and “dance” along with the music. The sun was still shining during our early dinner reservation, so we didn’t get the full effect. But I bet the area is simply stunning at nighttime.

The Menu

The Story Book Dining at Artist Point menu offers unique dishes well-themed to the story of Snow White. The food seemed very elevated in preparation and style compared to other character dining we’ve experienced. I would argue it’s even comparable to some of Disney’s signature dining restaurants.

While I appreciate the type of cuisine on the menu, I have heard others complain this isn’t the best selection for picky eaters. I suggest looking over the menu before deciding to book this dining experience. If food may be an issue for a member of your party, you will be paying too much for character interactions alone.

Wickedly Refreshing Beverages

To kickstart our Story Book Dining at Artist Point, we treated ourselves to some beverages. As I mentioned before, nonalcoholic beverages are included with the meal, so my little guy went with chocolate milk.

Alcoholic options include a variety of bottle and draft beers, wines, and specialty cocktails for an additional charge.

For the sake of this review, I felt obligated to sample one of the wonderfully themed cocktails. 😉

I enjoy Scotch, so I decided to go with The Smoking Mirror made with Johnnie Walker Black 12yr, wildberry, lime, and rosemary smoke.

The presentation of this cocktail was quite impressive. Our server brought out a snifter filled with the rosemary smoke. Then, he released the smoke and poured the cocktail into the glass.

I enjoyed this drink; the smoke created a dramatic presentation and added complexity to the flavor profile. The wildberry and lime also provided a good balance of sweet and tart. The scotch wasn’t overly pronounced, so if you’re new to peated whisky, this may be a good introduction.

And the Story Begins…Shared Appetizers

Children receive their own special appetizer to start the meal called, From the Garden. The dish consists of a roll, honey butter (in an adorable hidden Mickey shape), fruit, vegetables, ranch, and cheese. The presentation in an overturned flowerpot was very cute, as was the edible dirt and shovel utensil.

Honestly, this could have been a whole meal for my little guy. And he loved it! I was surprised how happy he was to eat the vegetables since they came with “yummy dip.”

Individual servings of three appetizers are brought to the table for each guest and consist of the following:

Smoky Mushroom Bisque – Chive Oil
Hunter’s Harvest – Turkey and Chicken, Cranberry Preserve, Crispy Sauerkraut
Wicked Shrimp Cocktail – Bloody Mary Vinaigrette, Seaweed Salad, Spiced House-made Seasoning

The Hunter’s Harvest was unremarkable to me, it read as a meatball and was quite dry. I didn’t pick up on the cranberry or sauerkraut flavors.

The Mushroom Bisque, however, was fantastic! I’m not a fan of mushrooms, but the complex earthy flavor and smooth texture of the bisque was a win for me.

I don’t eat shrimp, so I let our server know he could leave that off the plate. But to my surprise, the kitchen whipped up a small cucumber salad for me to enjoy in its place. Funnily, I’m not a fan of cucumbers either (I swear I’m not that picky!), but I actually enjoyed it. It served as a great palate cleanser between the other dishes.

I was also surprised my son received these three appetizers in addition to his kids’ appetizer (hence the photo of the missing shrimp). Unfortunately, he was too busy with his garden platter, so these went untouched.

The Core of the Story Entrées

Kids’ Menu

Children create their own meals by choosing one entrée and two accompaniments from the following:

Entrées – Grilled Chicken, Grilled Fish of the Day, Prime Rib Roast, or Chicken Strips

Sides – Roasted Potatoes, Carrots, Broccoli, French Fries, Mashed Potatoes, and Macaroni & Cheese.

I knew my son probably wouldn’t even touch the entrée, so I selfishly ordered him the Prime Rib so I could try it. For accompaniments, we went with the Macaroni & Cheese and French Fries.

As I suspected, he had no interest in the meat, but he picked at the sides a bit. The portions were very generous, and he was just too little to eat all that food! Fortunately, we were able to box it up and bring it back to our hotel.

Adult Menu

Adult entrées consist of the following:

A Stroll Through Nature – Asparagus, Leeks, Tomatoes, Gnocchi, Herb Cream, Arugula Pesto

Fish of the Day – Seasonal White Wine Risotto, Gremolata, Kale Pesto

Magic Mirror’s Slow-braised Pork Shank – Polenta, Spinach, Red Wine Demi, Gastrique

‘Cottage’ Beef Stroganoff – Preserved Vegetables, Spätzle, Mushrooms, Sherry Reduction, Parmesan

Royal Prime Rib Roast – Horseradish-Mashed Potato, Carrots, Jus

Brother’s Grimm Herbed Chicken – Cauliflower Purée, Roasted Vegetables, Chimichurri

Sorceress Spell of ‘Tricken’ Chicken – Cauliflower Purée, Roasted Vegetables, Chimichurri Vegetable Jus

I had no idea what to order – so many things sounded good! I decided to go with the Pork Shank, and our server commended the choice which reaffirmed my decision-making.

This dish was incredible. At first, I wondered why I didn’t receive a knife with my entrée to cut the meat. But when I took my first bite, the meat was so tender it fell right off the bone. The preparation and flavors of the pork shank were outstanding.

The creamy polenta was an excellent pairing for the meat, and the gastrique elevated the flavors by adding acidity to an otherwise rich dish. I couldn’t stop myself from finishing the entire entrée – highly recommend!

Sweet Endings Shared Desserts

My son and I each received our own portion of the following desserts:

Miner’s Treasures – Cookies and Cream Panna Cotta, Chocolate Gems

Fairy Tale Gooseberry Crumble – Meringue, Gooseberry

‘Poison’ Apple – Dark Chocolate-Apple Mousse, Sour Center

Because we were celebrating my son’s birthday, they did a special birthday plating of the Miner’s Treasures. My son loved this dessert, especially the chocolate gems.

My favorite was the Gooseberry Crumble. The pie crust was golden and buttery, and the gooseberry was a great balance of sweet and tangy.

As if our dessert trio wasn’t enough, we had one more surprise in store. Our server brought out a box, much like the one The Queen gave The Hunstman to retrieve Snow White’s heart. When opened, a cloud of smoke emerged to reveal two chocolate hearts inside.

This was such a cool presentation and an awesome nod to the movie!

The Characters

Now that we’ve covered the food (which far exceeded my expectations), it’s time to focus on the characters!

At the beginning of the meal, each guest received an autograph card signed by each of the characters. I love these type of keepsakes!

The first character to come to our table was Dopey. Seeing my son’s eyes light up as he approached the table is something I will never forget. Dopey noticed his birthday button and did a little celebration for him.

Next up was Grumpy, and he was perfectly grumpy in the most lovable way.

When Snow White approached the table, my son proudly showed her the coloring he made of The Queen on his menu. She approved of his artwork and suggested her stepmother might hang it in her castle.

The Queen is the only character with a PhotoPass Photographer on hand. In order to meet her, you must first receive an invitation. She does not deign to stop by tables like the other characters.

My son proudly approached her, and upon seeing his birthday celebration button, she said, “Ohhh, you must think you’re special.” Ha! She went on to say her presence was the greatest birthday gift of all, and she’s not wrong.

The Queen was a lot of fun and had me cracking up, and her severeness was somewhat intimidating! Surprisingly, my son said she was his favorite character of the meal.

All the characters did a wonderful job during our dinner, but my one complaint is we only saw each one once. Other meals we’ve experienced (such as Topolino’s and Hollywood and Vine) the characters came around several times. So, don’t forget to gather those pictures and autographs right away, because there may not be another chance!

Final Thoughts

Overall, we really enjoyed Story Book Dining at Artist Point. As with all character dining, you can expect a high price point. But the quality and quantity of food was fantastic. Not only did we leave stuffed, but we also had enough leftovers to constitute a second meal! I felt we got our money’s worth from that aspect alone.

Now, I have heard from other guests the menu isn’t great for picky eaters, so if food may be an issue, I suggest looking into character dining with more approachable menus. I would also recommend skipping Story Book Dining at Artist Point if you’re not interested in meeting the Snow White characters, and book a signature dining restaurant instead.

However, I was absolutely thrilled with the experience. Seeing my son’s face light up when he interacted with each character was priceless. I’m so grateful we got to enjoy this experience together and celebrate his big day. Story Book Dining at Artist Point is a must-do for Snow White fans!

Have you dined at Story Book Dining at Artist Point with Snow White? Tell us about it in the comments!

Looking for other Disney Character Dining Reviews? Check out our Topolino’s Terrace Review and our Minnie’s Halloween Dine Review!

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