Tip Time Tuesday: Character Meals

One of the first questions that I am usually asked is, “How or where do we meet Mickey (or Princesses)?” While there are lots of ways to meet Mickey and friends, my favorite way is with a character meal. There are lots of character meet and greets in each of the park, including a special place just for Mickey. But sometimes – often times, in fact, those lines can get very long. If you don’t want to wait in a long line or have children who don’t want to wait – try a character meal.

At a character meal, you can enjoy a Disney meal and the characters come right to your table to sign autographs and pose for pictures. Aside from not having to stand in line another great thing about character meals is that you set the tone. This is very important for children. Some kids love characters, some kids like to watch the characters but aren’t sure that they want any interactions and still other kids don’t want anything to do with the characters. By discovering these things at a character meal you have the chance to monitor the situation without the hassles of long lines and cranky kids. And while at a character dining experience you can usually signal to the character (or his/her handler) that your child doesn’t want an up close and personal meeting. The characters are usually more than accommodating and will wave and let your child know that they are seen without getting too close.

Character meals are available in all four theme parks and some of the resorts. Due to the popularity of these dining experiences, advanced reservations are strongly recommended and can be made 180 days prior to your visit. (Or you can use a Disney Vacation Specialist and have them take care of making the reservations for you!)