Hey there, Mike!
Welcome to planDisney! I'm so glad you stopped by. In t-minus two weeks, you'll be blasting off on your magical Walt Disney World Resort adventure. You're arriving at the perfect time, because the
EPCOT International Festival of the Arts begins right before your arrival. Plus, you'll be here during
The World's Most Magical Celebration, so there will be plenty of new sights, sounds and experiences for your family to take in.
Seeing your favorite Disney characters and Princesses throughout the parks is such a magical experience for kids and adults alike. I still remember the look on my niece's face when she saw Mickey Mouse for the first time. The sheer joy and excitement in her eyes is why we keep coming back "home" again and again. It's magic!
I'm sure you're anxiously awaiting the moment that your family will get to experience this same magic. Thankfully,
Character Experiences are slowly returning To Walt Disney World Resort, which means you should have plenty of opportunities to see your favorite Disney characters on your upcoming trip. However, keep in mind Character Experiences may be a little different than in the past. Currently, face coverings are required at all indoor locations throughout Walt Disney World Resort, including Character Experiences. Be sure to check the
Know Before You Go information in case anything changes before your arrival regarding the use of face coverings, but have your face coverings ready to wear for now.
Characters are separated from Guests by ropes for everyone's health and safety. While this means you won't be able to get a hug from
Mickey Mouse or any of his pals, you'll still be able to wave and interact with him from a safe distance and snap those oh-so important pictures to remember your experience by.
Disney PhotoPass photographers are available at select Character Experience locations, so you may want to consider adding
Memory Maker onto your vacation package to have unlimited downloads of your PhotoPass pictures. I'm sure you'll want to hold onto these memorable moments forever!
Unfortunately, the modifications to Character Experiences mean you won't be able to get character autographs at this time. Instead, I suggest you look into
Character Dining options, because select dining locations may hand you an autographed keepsake card from the characters at their location. In November, my family and I dined at
Garden Grill Restaurant in EPCOT. Their character dining includes Mickey Mouse, Pluto, Chip and Dale. At the end the meal, our server presented us with a Garden Grill Restaurant card that had autographs from all four characters on it. Characters and autograph cards are subject to availability, but perhaps this is an option that would work.
I hope your vacation is everything you've been dreaming of and more, Mike. If you have further questions, my fellow Panelists and I would be happy to help.
To infinity and beyond,
Alyssa