Hi Rebecca!
What a great time to be
Beauty and the Beast fans! With the upcoming release of the live-action version of Disney's 1991 animated classic, Belle and Beast are at the top of guests' meet and greet checklists. While currently the only place to meet and get a photo with Beast is indeed during dinner at Be Our Guest Restaurant, there are several places you can see Beast in Walt Disney World Resort's theme parks.
Disney's Festival of Fantasy Parade, held every afternoon at 3pm in Magic Kingdom Park, features a series of "Princess Garden" floats (they're BEAUTIFUL!), led by none other than Belle and Beast. My favorite places to watch the parade are in Liberty Square or in front of the Walt Disney World Railroad station on Main Street, U.S.A.
You can also see Beast at the
Beauty and the Beast - Live on Stage show at Disney's Hollywood Studios. We always try to catch a performance of the "tale as old as time"! It's an amazing Broadway-style show with awesome vocal performances and beautiful costumes. Fun Fact: The stage show at Hollywood Studios opened on the same day in 1991 that the animated movie opened in U.S. theaters! Also in Hollywood Studios, Beast makes an appearance in the Fantasmic! fireworks/water show in the evenings.
If you'd like to try and dine with the Master in his castle at Be Our Guest Restaurant but are having trouble securing reservations, make sure to keep checking for openings. Up until 24 hours before, guests are still finalizing their dining plans, and you can sometimes get lucky if there's a cancellation!
I hope this helps, and you're able to see Beast during your Walt Disney World vacation! - Diane W.