Traditional character meet-and-greets have returned to the Disney parks, Disney Cruise Line, and Aulani along with traditional character dining in some locations. We’re now able to hug our favorite Disney characters again, and we’re so excited for that!
Meeting characters can be an exciting part of many people’s vacations, and luckily, you don’t need to have a park ticket in order to do it.
One of the best ways to meet characters outside of the Disney World theme parks is by booking a character dining experience. Disney is in the process of slowly reintroducing character dining to the parks and hotels, so some of the restaurants that previously offered character dining are not currently offering it. Happily, character dining has returned to some restaurants!
Chef Mickey’s
Chef Mickey’s in the Contemporary Resort is probably one of the most iconic and recognizable dining experiences at Disney World. The Chef Mickey’s breakfast was once a buffet, but it is now served family-style and is $42 per adult and $27 per child.
The dinner is served in courses and is currently $55 per adult and $36 per child. Guests visiting Chef Mickey’s can hug and interact with characters, as well as have them sign autographs. Guests will also be given an autograph card as part of the experience. At Chef Mickey’s you will be able to meet Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and Pluto!
Topolino’s Terrace
Topolino’s Terrace at the Riviera Resort has returned to traditional character dining for its breakfast! Topolino’s Terrace is all about art, and is the only place you can meet Mickey as a painter, Minnie as a poet, Daisy as a dancer, and Donald as a sculptor!
Breakfast is a prix fixed menu priced at $42 per adult and $27 per child. We’ve found the options here to be a little more upscale, with choices like quiche gruyere, smoked salmon, and a wood-fired butcher’s steak.
Story Book Dining at Artist Point
Story Book Dining at Artist Point is located at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, and is one of the pricier options on our list coming in at $60 per adult and $39 per child. This character dining experience features Snow White, the Evil Queen, plus the dwarves, Dopey and Grumpy!
Story Book Dining at Artist Point is currently the only place outside of the parks at Disney World where you can meet a princess! If you’re interested in dining here, you should know that this character experience is only offered at dinnertime.
Ravello
Ravello is a restaurant located in the Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort. It offers a Good Morning Breakfast with Goofy and His Pals. This experience is currently not allowing autographs and character photos, but guests will still be able to see the characters move through the restaurant.
Each party will also have their photo taken when they arrive to the restaurant, and that photo “will have a little Disney magic,” according to the Four Seasons website.
Caravanning ‘Round The World
This is the experience on our list that is the most difficult to predict, so we wouldn’t recommend counting on it! Caravanning ‘Round The World is a bus/RV that brings characters to the Disney hotels for spontaneous meet-and-greet opportunities!
There’s no way to predict when or where it might show up, so keep your eyes peeled the next time you’re at a Disney hotel!
Currently Unavailable Experiences
As Disney is slowly introducing character experiences back to the parks and resorts, there are some experiences that are currently unavailable, but will hopefully be returning soon! For example, Cape May Cafe at the Beach Club Resort still has not returned to character dining. Similarly, character dining at Trattoria al Forno at Disney’s Boardwalk is currently unavailable, as well.
‘Ohana was another popular character dining experience at the Polynesian Resort with Mickey, Pluto, Lilo, and Stitch, but character dining is unavailable here, too. While not a character dining experience, Chip ‘n’ Dale’s Campfire Sing-a-Long located at the Campsites at Fort Wilderness was a nightly campfire with Chip and Dale where guests could roast marshmallows, make s’mores, and watch a Disney movie under the stars.
We’re always looking to see if Disney character experiences become available again, so make sure to stay tuned to AllEars for the latest updates!
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Who’s your favorite character to meet at Disney World? Let us know in the comments!