>Go on a Character Hunt

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Everybody has a favorite animated Disney movie. My son’s used to be Lilo and Stitch. I think now it is Finding Nemo. My wife’s is Toy Story (with Monsters Inc. a close second) and mine is probably Chicken Little (with Jungle Book a close second). The stories of the great Disney movies are wonderful and they stand the test of time. Finding a favorite character in Walt Disney World can be such a big thrill for you and your children that it may make a Magical Experience that you will talk about for years to come. So, today I offer to you, the Unknown Magic of Meeting your Favorite Character.

A lot of people love Disney’s Fab Five, Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and Pluto. Of course a lot of times Daisy is included with these five so I guess it’s actually the sensational six. Because of this, these six are available to be seen and met throughout the Walt Disney World Complex. Probably the next group with the biggest following is the Hundred Acre Woods gang; Pooh, Tigger and the rest. They can also be found throughout Disney World and host Buffets and character meals.

Another group that in recent years has become very popular and has actually spawned the refurbishment of Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom is the Princesses. They seem to be everywhere anymore, which is wonderful for little girls. There are a few different Character meals that feature the Princesses or some of them. Of course Dinner at Cinderella’s Royal Table is the biggest, but there are also others; Princess Storybook Dining at the Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in Norway in Epcot, and Cinderella’s Gala Feast at 1900 Park Fare in the Grand Floridian. Of course you don’t have to go to a character meal to see or meet the Princesses, they are always somewhere in the parks to be met. For example Princess Jasmine can usually be found in Epcot near the Morocco Pavilion.

So finding the big name Disney Characters is easy. But what if your favorite isn’t a Princess or one of the others mention? You still night be able to find your character
somewhere in Disney. We were excited this past year, because friends of ours went to Disney World before us in the spring and they told us they met Jiminy Cricket. I was floored. He is one of my favorite characters, and I had never seen him except in a parade, which I always excepted as good enough. They told us that he can be seen out at the Conservation Station in the Animal Kingdom. So, we made sure we went out to the Conservation Station this trip and visited with Jiminy Cricket. Another great find in the Animal Kingdom was Flik. Both of these sightings

make sense, since they are insects and the Animal Kingdom would seem like a likely home for them. As I wrote about before a great place for Character Meets in the Animal Kingdom is in Camp Minnie Mickey (if you haven’t seen this article, check it out here.)

Some other great characters that we have found throughout Disney World were some smaller characters but made us very happy to find. Seeing a Green Army Man from Toy Story was very cool and of course seeing Mike and Sully from Monsters Inc was a Magical Experience as was meeting Woody (from Toy Story). In Disney Hollywood Studios, they make it easy to see these guys, as they have set up meet and greet areas for them.

Over in the Magic Kingdom there are so many different places to meet the characters from the front of the park to the Special meet and greet areas throughout the park. We had a great experience finding Timon for example from Lion King over near the entrance to Adventureland, which is where we also found another one of my favorites, King Louie from the Jungle Book.

Over in Tomorrowland they have a set area to meet Buzz LightYear, which is very cool. As is meeting up with Brer’ Bear and Brer’ Rabbit near Splash Mountain.

As of today there have been 49 different Animated Features released by the Walt Disney Company. With so many Disney characters, you may need to ask a cast member if your favorite is available to be met. Sometimes you won’t be able to find your favorite character to meet and get an autograph or a picture, but if you don’t you may still be able to see them in a parade or show. There are many Characters that are seen in the parades and shows that aren’t around for meet and greets. So make sure you take the time to enjoy a parade or show.

Another great place to meet a character, especially the newest ones are in the animation Courtyard, in the Disney Hollywood Studios. They have a meet and greet area here that changes with the newest movies. It is a very neat thing to get a picture an autograph

with a character before their movie has even been released, or has just been released. This is a really Magical Experience for the kids to go so the movie and then to get the autograph of a star whose movie they just saw.

In the same area of the Hollywood Studios, the playhouse Disney Characters are available for pictures also; a great spot for the little ones to meet some favorites.

So, know you now, there are plenty of places and chances to meet or see your favorite characters in Disney. Even if your character isn’t one of the “big” ones right now, you still may be able to have a Magical Experience by getting an autograph or jut a picture. So figure out who your favorite is and when you’re in Disney, go on a Character Hunt.

>Goofy in a Swim Suit?

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My buddy Brad from mouseofzen.com left this morning for Walt Disney World. He had been saying that he was going to 1900 Park Fare in the Grand Floridian. It’s a character meal restaurant. I’ve never been; we don’t hang out in the Grand Floridian much, we always stop in, but never really stick around. But as he was talking about it, I was thinking about some of the character meals we have done. One of my favorite places to catch a breakfast is at the Unknown Magic that is the Cape May Café.

The Cape May Café is located at the Beach Club Resort (which is behind the Boardwalk Resort and within walking distance from Epcot’s International Gateway entrance.) This is one of the Disney Vacation Club Resorts and it is physically connected to the Yacht Club Resort (they actually share a pool). The Resort itself is a very wonderfully laid back place that makes it seem like you are at the beach somewhere on the east coast of the United States. The Cape May Café is directly off of the right side of the lobby. Although it doesn’t seem that big, it is bigger than it first looks and does hold quite a few people. The Cape May Café is open for breakfast and dinner, with the seafood buffet dinner being served from 5 to 9 pm. They do except the Disney Dining Plan and I do recommend a reservation for both dinner and Breakfast.

Breakfast is served from 7:30-11:00 am and is also a buffet. All of the food is wonderful and of course the kids love the Mickey Mouse Head Waffle. I really enjoy their omelets here, they make them by mixing everything you want into the egg and pouring it in the griddle, this way your entire omelet has your fillings throughout. The rest of food is about the same that you will get at many of the Disney Restaurants for breakfast, with fresh fruit, pancakes, waffles, eggs, pastries and breakfast meats. The difference here is that it is a Character Buffet.

Goofy, Donald and Minnie host this buffet and since it is at the Beach Club, they are dressed in their beach gear; bathing suits, life vests and flip flops. (Chip and Dale used to be here, but they rotate characters every now and then). It is pretty neat to see the characters in these outfits. This is one of our Favorite places to have a Character meal, because it is a very enjoyable place to eat breakfast. Although you do need a reservation, it never really seems crowded and you don’t seem rushed when you are eating. It is a much calmer atmosphere than most of the character breakfasts; I think because of the setting. The Characters like at other Character Meals, make their way around the dining room, and sign autographs and take pictures with as many of people as you would like in the picture. They have never rushed us and this makes it a nice place to enjoy the Magical Experience of meeting a character.

We have been to the Cape May Café twice. Once with just our family of three and once when we went with the “whole” family; when we went with the family, we had a group of nine with us. Both times we had a wonderful time. With the larger group we were treated as if we were a small group. They had no problem seating that many people and they made sure everything we needed to drink was brought quickly and correctly. Sometimes, when you have this many people in a dining party there are mistakes made or you have to wait for a table, but as usual in Walt Disney World, this is not a problem. As character meals go, for me this ranks up there with Chef Mickey as one of the best, although I think it is a much quieter and calmer place; which is why I like it so much.

So, now you know, over at the Beach Club Resort there is a very nice Unknown Magic that is a wonderful place to start your day. This character breakfast is as good as Chef Mickey but without the crowd and noise. It is a much more laid back place to enjoy a Magical Experience.