Hello, Patricia!
Congratulations for scoring one of the most coveted dining experiences at the
Magic Kingdom.
Be Our Guest offers one of the most enchanted dining options available at
Walt Disney World.
I want to begin by saying this restaurant is not considered a character dining experience. A more traditional character dining experience will have multiple characters that come through the restaurant, visiting the tables, and interacting with guests. This is not the case at Be Our Guest. No characters at all appear during breakfast or lunch.
During dinner, which does include your 5 o'clock reservation time, guests may be able to see the Beast, who usually appears in his study, which you pass through as you leave the restaurant. Belle does not make an appearance at the restaurant at all. The Beast does not visit tables, as you would see during a character dining experience, and his presence in the study is not guaranteed when you leave. You never know when something pressing in another area of the castle may call him away unexpectedly.
If you are hoping for a more traditional character meal at the Magic Kingdom,
Cinderella's Royal Table will give you a princess experience or
the Crystal Palace has Pooh and Friends. These are more what most people think of when they think of character dining.
Have a wonderful visit, Patricia!
Anna