Hey Howdy Hey Lisa and welcome to planDisney!
Thank you so much for your question on maximizing your time with characters during
character meals! These have been staples for our family on past trips and I will be happy to share my knowledge on our experiences to spend a little more time with the characters.
The biggest tip that I can offer you when you are booking your reservations, is that timing is key! For a variety of reasons, booking your character meals closer to the end of the meal times can offer up opportunities you may not experience during peak hours. When booking breakfast, try to do this still at breakfast time, but try a little later in the morning say 11:00 or 11:30 AM if possible. Usually in those circumstances, the characters will not have to rush nearly as much to get from one table to another and the gift of time is on your side. Characters may tend to linger a bit longer and you may have some rare opportunities you won't find during busier times.
The other tactic you may want to have ready to go is the art of conversation. Engaging characters in the theme of their environment is another tactic you may want to look into. If you wanted to spend more time with say, Snow White, have a few things cued up you would be able to ask her such as the location of the Evil Queen or where her favorite animals are at the present moment. It is so much fun to discuss some details of the movies or friendships the characters may have as they truly embody the role and the exchanges are priceless!
I am so excited to hear that you are considering a meal at
Story Book Dining at Artist Point with Snow White.
Disney's Wilderness Lodge is such an immaculate resort with so much rich and unique scenery you might want to linger around the resort to check out if you are not staying there. If you do plan to grab breakfast and then head on over to Magic Kingdom, might I suggest a
relaxing boat ride? Take a water taxi from Wilderness Lodge to Magic Kingdom for a super relaxing mode of transportation with views of Seven Seas Lagoon and the surrounding resorts like never before! If you are finishing your day with dinner at Story Book Dining, you might want to hang around for a chance to view the
Electrical Water Pageant on Seven Seas Lagoon as well! So many things to do throughout the day unique to this resort and a great way to make some Magical memories!
Best of luck as you continue to plan for your vacation next year. Please feel free to stop back and let us know if you have any further questions, we would be happy to help!
Have a Magical Day,
Nick