Hiya Kimberly!
Welcome to planDisney, and thank you for sending us this magical question! I know Disney is supposed to be for kids, but I always love meeting the characters on my Disney vacations. Indeed, no Disney vacation is complete if you haven't at least met Mickey Mouse, in my opinion, and those meet, and greets are just so magical.
I am happy to say that earlier this year, hugs officially returned to the Walt Disney World Resort and have stayed ever since. While some character meet and greets are still pending their grand return, those available now are back to normal meet and greets, hugs included. That is also the case with character dining experiences like
Chef Mickey's or
Topolino's Terrace - Flavors of the Riviera. Experiences like
Cinderella's Royal Table are unfortunately not back to regular character dining, but you may still be able to see Cinderella walking around in the castle. For the
latest updates on character experiences, be sure to keep an eye on the
Disney Parks Blog!
One of my personal favourite character dining experiences is over at Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park in Africa.
Tusker House Restaurant is an incredible buffet that combines crowd favourites with African flavours and traditions. I got to eat there in 2019 and still have dreams about their mac and cheese! Plus, if you are a big fan of Disney's Animal Kingdom like me, the famous POG juice (passion fruit, orange, and guava juice) is also available there. The best part, however, is getting to meet Mickey, Donald, Daisy and Goofy in their safari outfits. I have not had issues getting a reservation for this experience in the past, but should you want to book reservations at Topolino's Terrace - Flavors of the Riviera, be sure to log into your
My Disney Experience account 60 days before your arrival date. If you are
staying at a Disney Resort hotel, you will even be able to make reservations for the entirety of your vacation for up to ten days.
I hope this was helpful, Kimberly, and that you will be able to spend time with your favourite characters and get all the hugs! If you have any other questions in the time leading up to your trip, please don't hesitate to reach back out. Helping fellow foodies plan their dining reservations is always such a
treat!
Have a magical day,
Ariane