Read a couple of soft opening reviews, omg, food looks awesome, like stuff I actually eat by choice when NOT at Disney. Not headed to Disney till summer, so likely able to get a Skipper Canteen res. But I’m on regular Disney Dining Plan, and I’ve maxed out of table service, so there is a choice to be made. So the question–do I treat my own taste buds at SC, or do I suffer through crap food so my kids (mostly daughter) can see characters at Crystal Palace? I am underwhelmed by the bland Americana at CP, so don’t try to convince me it’s good., it’s not to my taste even if it’s to yours. But is the character experience THAT amazing there? DD5 will get princess meal Akershus, and probably some FastPasses squandered (lovingly used?) on Anna/Elsa and maybe even Rapunzel as well, and DS7 doesn’t give a hoot about characters. HMMMMmmm. Thoughts?
Well I guess it depends on how much your DD likes the characters at CP. We have always found the interaction to be very good - but I wouldn’t classify it as amazing (i have rarely seen that with non talking characters in TS setting to be honest). An option that may work well is to meet Winnie the Pooh and friends outside his ride and then go to the skippers canteen. In that way everyone gets what they want. Could also do skippers canteen straight after jungle cruise and sell it to your children as an all in package, where they get to meet retired skippers.
We enjoy the characters at CP, but…They are just characters and if your DD isn’t asking about meeting Pooh & Tigger she’s unlikely to even realize she’s missing out I’d guess. Now if you’ve already sold her the Pooh meet and greet as a big deal that may be different.
I’d treat yourself and go for Skipper unless DD’s expectations are already to bounce with Tigger & friends. The other option is to do both & pay out of pocket for Skipper, but that presumes you have the time and can handle consuming the extra food from a bonus table meal…
Go to Skipper’s Canteen - it is your vacation too. You can meet Pooh and Tigger in England at Epcot with shorter lines than the MK meet and greet.
Rereading this in the morning, it is pretty clear I have already decided and just asking permission, ha. DD mildly likes WInnie the Pooh, but she’s more a Princess girl. And I had not yet told her we would be meeting Pooh friends. I like idea of swinging by the ride for characters there, perhaps meet & greet, waving at characters as we pass if line long.
Do the kids like Jungle Cruise? If they do, then they may enjoy finding items from the attraction in the restaurant. If they laugh at the antics of the JC Skippers, then interacting with them in the restaurant should be fun.
As for Crystal Palace, it’s a great place to meet the Pooh characters in one sitting, but the restaurant is very crowded, with some tables pushed pretty close together. It can make composing a decent photo somewhat challenging. Also, being that they’re not face characters, there’s nothing that I’d consider “amazing” about the experience. Cinderella’s stepsisters at 1900 Park Fare are much more interesting.
I would eat where YOU want to, I love my kids but they don’t make all the food choices on our trips. 
DH and I say when you are paying, you get to choose. We found CP to be the worst of the character buffets at WDW. The food is not good. The characters were fine, but nothing out of the way or special for us. Go with Skippers!
I don’t know about you, but I do 85% of the planning for our Disney vacation and my wife usually puts in her 2 cents closer to the vacation date and during the week, but my kids have pretty much 0 knowledge of what I’m planning unless I tell them. So, do what you want to do! You have to have some of your own moments during this vacation and considering this is a Disney World trip, I’m sure the kids we’ll get ‘theirs’. 
How is this even a question? Skipper Canteen, of course 
It sounds like you are already have your answer, but I am going to add my voice, too! Definitely do Skipper’s. I have had this exact quandary myself because my son loves Crystal Palace for the build your own ice cream sundaes. I have said that I will get him plenty of sundaes, Mickey bars, etc, but that we are not eating there again for awhile. As a side note, the best combination of characters and food I have experienced is Garden Grill. The CP characters are just ok, never anything great and once very very rushed to the point that I got into an argument with one of their handlers who really got to me with her grabbing my kids’ autograph books and generally being rude. Long story, short, good choice on Skippers!