Character Meet and Greets
One thing I didn’t include in the Bite-Sized Disney 1 Day
itinerary is meeting characters for photos or autographs. Some people are more
interested in all the Princesses while others prefer the costumed, classic
characters so it’s hard to include all the character preferences into an
itinerary. Wanting to meet or take pictures with Disney characters at the parks
is a fun experience for young and old and should be a part of your Disney trip,
though! Once the parks get full the lines to meet Mickey and pals can get
pretty long. Don’t be intimidated! There are definitely some great ways to save
time when planning your character meet and greets.
The best way to save some precious park time and meet tons of characters (if your budget allows) is to reserve a character meal. These meals are usually table service with either buffet or family style dining. As you eat the characters come around the dining room to meet everyone saving you time by having a great meal and making new friends!
The best way to save some precious park time and meet tons of characters (if your budget allows) is to reserve a character meal. These meals are usually table service with either buffet or family style dining. As you eat the characters come around the dining room to meet everyone saving you time by having a great meal and making new friends!
Minnie and Friends – Breakfast in the Park is a character
meal located at the Plaza Inn, Disneyland. It is the only character breakfast
located inside the park. Classic breakfast items are serviced including Mickey
waffles, omelets, French toast, and biscuits and gravy. The setting is
authentically Victorian and is an original location from the 1955 opening day.
As you meet with Minnie and friends enjoy the stained glass ceilings, marbled
floors, and ornate wood work. Lillian Disney, Walt’s wife, helped design the
interior and some of the pieces were saved from a home in LA. The Plaza Inn
isn’t just a breakfast stop. They are known for their Specialty Chicken – fried
chicken – that has put this stop at the top of everyone’s lists. It is also a
great place for parade views at night.
Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures – Napa Rose, Disney’s
California Adventure Hotel and Spa will take your character and dining
experience to a whole new level with a three course meal. A royal price does
accompany this experience at $125 per person. However, along with meeting
variety of princesses your family enjoys activities, special photo
opportunities, and a unique memento to remember the experience. Having
breakfast with the Princesses is an experience enjoyable without park admission
so this could be a special meal anytime you visit the Anaheim area, not just
during a Disney vacation.
Donald Duck’s Seaside Breakfast – Disney’s PCH Grill,
Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel is a causal and beachy way to start breakfast.
Buffet style with a build-your-own-parfait station, kids and adults can load up
on delicious breakfast fares. Characters will be in alternate costumes to
accompany the seaside atmosphere which adds a little extra magic to this meal
vs traditional meets and greets in the ToonTown area of Disneyland.
Breakfast and Dinner at Goofy’s Kitchen – Disneyland Hotel
has an atmosphere akin to an open air kitchen with Goofy at the helm. Breakfast
is buffet style with a continuation of classic foods, Mickey waffles, Minnie
pancakes and Goofy’s own creations a peanut butter and jelly pizza. This is the
only experience available at the Disneyland hotel; it offers visitors another
way to experience Disney magic without a park admission ticket and has a lower
price tag than the Princess breakfast.
Mickey’s Tales of Adventure Breakfast Buffet – Storytellers
Café, Disney Grand Californian Hotel and Spa provides guests with a whimsical
atmosphere and a buffet menu similar to Goofy’s Kitchen. Mickey and friends
visit each table and discuss his newest adventures. Another opportunity to see
a classic character in a unique costume, this experience has a similar price
point to others but at a higher end restaurant within Disney Grand Californian
Hotel. Characters can also be seen during the lunch seating at the Storyteller’s
Café.
With more space at WDW comes more character dining options!
If you’re interested in Princesses, check out Cinderella’s Royal Table,
Akershus Royal Banquet Hall, 1900 Park Fare, Disney’s Perfectly Princess Tea, Trattoria
al Forno, and Storybook Dining at Artist Point. Special character experiences
include the Wonderland Tea Party at 1900 Park Fare for $49 per child. Signature
dining at Cinderella’s Royal Table includes dinner as a guest of Cinderella and
Prince Charming followed by priority seating for evening fireworks and After
Fireworks Dessert Party for $199 for adults and $169 for children.
If you’d rather get some cooking lessons from the mouse
himself or dine with classic characters head to Chef Mickey’s, The Crystal
Palace, The Garden Grill, Hollywood & Vine, Tusker House Restaurant,
‘Ohana, Cape May Café, Garden Grove, and Ravello for a good morning breakfast.
Some of these options including reserve seating for evening light or fireworks
shows such as Rivers of Light at Epcot. As well as additional benefits, some
character dining also occurs in the evening in WDW. Meals at ‘Ohana and other
hotel restaurants do not require park tickets while those at eateries like The
Crystal Palace will require park admission. If your young ones are fans of
Winnie the Pooh, the Crystal Palace was a great place to meet all the
characters at once in a light and airy atmosphere akin to a Victorian
greenhouse with glass walls and ceilings.
Looking for unique or rare characters? Events such as the
Half Marathon Princess Run may have a few extra faces like Hercules, Tarzan and
Prince Charming in attendance. Mickey’s Not-so-Scary-Halloween Party will have
extra villains in tow such as Cruella De Vil and Captain Hook. Parades are also
a great time to see unique characters that may or may not do individual meet
and greets. Holidays are a great time to see characters in alternate costumes.
If character dining or a special event would be a strain to
the purse strings, look for characters on the move within the parks and at designated
meet and greet opportunities. Using the Disneyland or WDW App is a great way to
quickly locate your favorite characters and view their limited greeting
windows. Guides are also available at guest relations. If you or your kids have
a lists of characters they want to meet or specific characters to track down to
complete their autograph books, it is a great idea to find out where each
character is within the parks. Some are more obvious such as Buzz and Woody in
Toy Story Land at Hollywood Studios or Pixar Pier. Not all the Princesses can
be found in Magic Kingdom, some are only in Epcot like Anna and Elsa, while
Pocahontas can be spotted on Discovery Island in Animal Kingdom. Likewise,
characters like Mary Poppins can be found in England at World Showcase.
FastPass+ is available for some character meet and greets.
In most cases this isn’t a great use for your FP. If, however, you have brought
some of the littlest Disney fans to the parks and you don’t plan on using FP
for the most popular rides due to height restrictions or other limitations
skipping the majority of the line so your little Princess can meet her favorite
Princess might be ideal. Each family will have a different rhythm when it comes
to organizing and prioritizing their Disney vacation.
When meeting characters be prepared with a personal camera
or smartphone. Pictures are great ways to remember your interactions with the
characters. For tangible evidence of interaction, you can pick up an autograph
book or make one at home. Some characters will have PhotoPass photographers at
the ready for catching excited reactions and a great way to utilize your
MaxPass so you can be in the photo with your child too!
Many of the characters have unique signatures and some folks
have a serious check-list of must meet characters for signatures. Not all
characters will be able to sign with a pen. Buzz Lightyear may have a special
stamp for your book. Characters like Lightening McQueen unfortunately can’t
leave tire prints.
Signatures can be a great way to remember a special for
first Disney trip. Characters are happy to
sign on non-traditional items as well such as photo mats, cups or mugs, and clothing (as long as it isn’t on your body). @JenniferVerge received a great gift from her friend – a tumbler covered in Disney signatures with a Disneyfied Starbucks logo. Having different colored Sharpie markers at the ready for characters is a great way to add color to an autograph book for other keepsake! Logos like the Starbucks Ariel and other Disney-inspired images can be found on Etsy.
sign on non-traditional items as well such as photo mats, cups or mugs, and clothing (as long as it isn’t on your body). @JenniferVerge received a great gift from her friend – a tumbler covered in Disney signatures with a Disneyfied Starbucks logo. Having different colored Sharpie markers at the ready for characters is a great way to add color to an autograph book for other keepsake! Logos like the Starbucks Ariel and other Disney-inspired images can be found on Etsy.
What tips do you have for meeting classic or unique Disney
characters? Who is on the top of your ”Must Meet” list? Comment below!
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