Hey there, Hi there, Ho there, Mona!
You’re as welcome as can be here at planDisney. I love your question about how to visit characters because one of my cousins has met and posed in photos with over 350 of them! He loves the thrill of the chase and it brings him so much joy to find characters throughout the parks at whichever resort or cruise ship he is at all over the world.
He would tell you that using the
Disneyland Mobile App is critical to planning and mapping your day with character visits. Have you downloaded this app yet, Mona? This can be a great way to see which characters are out and about while you’re visiting the resort. From the app, choose the location icon at the bottom of your screen on the left of the center. That will bring you to a map of the resort! At the top, click on the word “Attractions”, and it will give you a drop-down menu of all of the things that can be explored on the map. If you choose “characters”, you’ll see several location icons pop up on the map. I like to click on “Show List” in the upper right corner so that I can see which particular characters are available, where I can find them, and what time!
For certain characters that are more rare, like some of the Disney princes and some of the sidekick animals, the
Disneyland After Dark events are a wonderful opportunity to meet characters up close. I was able to take a photo with Esmeralda at an
Oogie Boogie Bash once while I happened to be wearing her costume!
Have you considered making a reservation for a
character dining location, Mona? I find that these are the best ways to meet Mickey & Friends in one place (and meanwhile, any Hungry Bears in your party can satisfy their rumbly tummies!). The
Minnie & Friends – Breakfast in the Park at the Plaza Inn is popular, and I find the
Storytellers Café at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa to be one of the best breakfasts at the Disneyland Resort. I can’t wait to bring my little man-cub there soon to enjoy the famous Mickey Waffles. Meanwhile, I get to savor the eggs benedict station while my husband can get his fill of chilaquiles too! And finally,
Goofy's Kitchen is a special place for me as we celebrated my first Mother's Day there last year, and my little Mouseketeer got to high-five Chip, Dale and Goofy. Best of all, we got to take a group photo with Minnie to commemorate the event forever! It's important to note that reservations for these popular dining experiences can book up quickly since they can be
made up to 60 days in advance, so just make sure you’re not left out in the cold!
I hope this was helpful, Mona. If you think of any other questions while you’re planning your next visit to The Happiest Place On Earth, feel free to
send me another direct question, now that you’ve got a friend in me.
See ya real soon!
Danielle