Character meet and greets are a big part of what makes a trip to Walt Disney World so special, and in recent months Disney has taken it upon themselves to make a number of improvements and changes to each park’s character line-up, including adding new experiences, making changes to the lineup and more.
This month, roaming characters come to Walt Disney World’s most expensive upcharge, a beloved character buffet returns, plus new technology could be on the way that may change the character meet-and-greet experience forever!
1. Princesses returning to Cinderella’s Royal Table on February 28
Though Cinderella’s Royal Table reopened a while ago, this fine dining establishment inside Cinderella Castle has not featured the same princess meet and greets that it had pre-2020, with Cinderella only able to pose for pictures with guests in the lobby of the restaurant. However, Disney has announced that in just a few weeks, on February 28th, princesses will return to meeting guests at Cinderella’s Royal Table while they dine, just as they did before spring 2020.
Though no official princess list has been revealed, guests have previously been able to see Cinderella, Ariel, Aurora, Jasmine, Snow White, and other various rotating princesses while they dine. Reservations for this returning experience are now available on the official Cinderella’s Royal Table website, and can be made up to 60 days in advance of a visit to this restaurant.
2. Mulan appeared briefly at the Magic Kingdom in December
Though there’s no telling if Disney will make this change permanent, last month Mulan alternated with Snow White on Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom, meeting a very few lucky guests in front of the Curtain Call gift shop. Though it might seem a little strange to see this character outside of her normal spot in EPCOT, if the trial last month is deemed to have been successful, we could see more of this character (or perhaps other new faces) in the future at this park, potentially paving the way for updated character experiences in 2023 at the Magic Kingdom.
3. Chef Mickey’s buffet-style breakfast returns on March 1
It has been confirmed that buffet dining will once again return to Chef Mickey’s at Disney’s Contemporary Resort on March 1. This character dining location, which features Mickey, Goofy, and other pals, will once again feature characters interacting with guests as they help themselves to a breakfast buffet, which includes favorites like Mickey waffles, banana bread, French toast, “loaded” potato-cheese casserole, various eggs, breakfast meats and more.
According to Disney’s official website, the price for this dining experience will be $59.99 per adult. Reservations are available now on the restaurant’s website for this returning experience.
4. Roaming characters appear at Disney After Hours at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Now that Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party has officially ended, Disney After Hours is back for the new year, and as in years past, character interactions are a big part of the experience. Instead of queuing to take a photo with a character, guests will instead meet many characters just roaming around the park. At the most recent Disney After Hours Event at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the following characters made an appearance
- Chip and Dale
- Green Army Men Drum Corps
- Woody and Bo Peep
Bo Peep is of special note here, as this character has not appeared during park hours in several years, making her (as of right now) an exclusive character for the Disney After Hours event.
At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney After Hours takes place select Wednesdays and one Sunday between now and April 19. Ticket prices range between $129-$149, $99-$115 with discount. There are no child-priced tickets for this event, so even if you have children in your party, their price will be the same as an adult.
Roaming characters will also be available at the Magic Kingdom Disney After Hours event, which will take place select Mondays and Thursdays from January 9 through March 27. Tickets for the event at this park will be slightly more expensive and cost between $135-$159.
5. Minnie’s Silver Screen Dine has returned to Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Hollywood & Vine at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is continuing to host Minnie’s Seasonal Dining for lunch and dinner, and now that the holidays have concluded, Minnie’s Silver Screen Dine character experience has returned. This fan favorite experience features character appearances by Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Pluto, all dressed in outfits that recall the golden age of Hollywood. Reservations are required for this experience and lunch and dinner pricing starts at $55 per adult and $36 per child. More information, including menu items and a link to make reservations is available on the Hollywood & Vine website here.
6. New patent could bring better visibility to character performers
Disney has filed a patent for a new system that could help provide better visibility for character performers in the future. According to the recently-filed patent, a special digital head-mounted display is mounted inside a character costume, which would provide a synthesized view of the surrounding area by using data from omnidirectional cameras mounted around the exterior of the character costume.
This high-tech system could not only let performers see more of what’s around them but also allow Disney to make more elaborate costumes, as they wouldn’t need to worry about having a mesh area for the performer to see through anymore, as the heads-up display would be mounted in the same place inside the performer’s costume, no matter what the outside looks like. Of course, the cameras on the outside would still need to be cleverly disguised, but it is still exciting to think about the possibilities technology like this could open up.
Though this is just an idea for now, it will be interesting to see if Disney pursues this visibility technology in the future to deliver better character interactions and potentially eliminate the need for holes in costumes for performer viewing.
