Hi Stephanie, welcome to planDisney!
Your question combines two of my greatest loves at Walt Disney World Resort - food and characters! Starting your first full day of vacation with a character dining breakfast is a practically perfect idea. Beloved characters will welcome you into Disney magic with warm hugs and Mickey waffles. My tween is obsessed with Stitch and I'll never forget the look on her face when he snuck up behind her at
'Ohana. I'm not sure what was sweeter - their interaction or the syrup on our Stitch and Mickey waffles.
Autograph books are a great way to preserve magical moments spent with Disney characters. I see Ariel's name in my daughter's autograph book and remember our visit to
her grotto in Fantasyland. I see Grumpy's name in my son's autograph book and fondly recall Grumpy posing for a picture with "Grumpy" Grandpa at
Story Book Dining at Artist Point with Snow White.
It is indeed possible to purchase autograph books and pens before your trip, Stephanie. In fact, I encourage it! When my friends visit Walt Disney World Resort for the very first time, I often give their kids autograph books and pens a few days before their departure. I even had a friend share that they started collecting autographs at the airport - the pilot, the flight attendants, the Mears Connect bus driver, the first Disney Cast Member they met, etc.
I don't currently see many autograph book options on
shopDisney.com, but I most often have luck doing a general internet search for "Disney autograph book." The book/pen combos are great because they decrease your chance of losing the pen. If you plan to bring a separate pen, just make sure it's big enough for someone like Stitch to grab.
If you need help filling your autograph book during your park days, Stephanie, you can use the
My Disney Experience mobile app to search for characters (Location icon at the bottom right of the app's home page > Down caret next to "Wait Times" > Characters > Show List). Click "Filter" at the top left to filter by park.
You and your cast of characters are going to have an amazing time collecting autographs in February. Please return to planDisney with any other trip-planning questions.
Choose magic,
Jennifer