Ashley's overview on Disney parks character sightings Disney dining and more...

BEST PLACE TO SEE CHARACTERS

Always check map and time schedule

Magic Kingdom

Toon Town - Mickey’s Country House

Follow all the way out side to Judges Tent and see Mickey

Toon Town Hall of Fame – 3 lines – 3 characters at a time

Always a Princess line.

Main Street – Town Square

Animal Kingdom

Camp Minnie Mickey - 3-4 characters on a mini trail walk. Out all day.

Front gate - 3 –5 characters out in the afternoon after the parade.

Conservation Station - Take the train and skip the petting zoo park. Inside the building there are 3-6 characters. Usually Stanley and Jimmney Cricket.

Epcot

Characters on Holiday – Bus comes loaded with characters catch them when they stop. Best stop is where The Future World and The World Showcase Meet.

MGM

Mickey Avenue - Mickey is all day in a sound stage studio

Animation studio - If you do not take the tour thru the Magic of Animation (don’t really recommend with small kids anyway) Go thru the store to the back follow the hallway. Find a large room with lots of characters. Right now Chicken Little is the feature.

Trailers - Look for the trailers along the Avenue, catch

Jo-Jo’s Circus, Tigger, Possibly the Incredibles.

Sorcerer’s Hat Characters around the Hat

ASHLEY’S MUST SEE OR DO LIST

Wishes Fireworks from the Top of the Contemporary Hotel and the California Grill.

Wishes Fireworks from inside the park – Fireworks are to the left of the castle. So if you are on the left you miss some. Don’t worry about trying to rush out of the park in the crowd. Disney will not leave you there. Stay inside, off of Main Street. Go to the entrance of Toon Town or Tomorrowland for excellent viewing and less crowds.

Fantasmic at MGM – Characters engaged in a show with fireworks and entertainment. (Best Show) Eat Lunch or Dinner at

Hollywood & Vine, Mama Melrose & The Brown Derby to get priority seating at the show.

Chef Mickey – Breakfast or Dinner Character Buffet – Meet all the main character – Mickey, Minnie Goofy, Pluto & Donald.

Festival of the Lion King - At Animal Kingdom. Go ½ hr early at least. Do not miss this.

Buzzlight’s Year Space Ranger Spin – Interactive video game type ride.

Soarin’ In the Land at Epcot. Fantastic ride – Check Height requirements. Get a Fastpass the minute you get to Epcot. Very long waits even for Fastpass.

The Barnstormer at Goofy’s Wiseacre Farm – In Toon Town at Magic Kingdom. Rollercoaster for little ones – 38inch height requirement.

Mickey’s Phillharmagic – In Fantasy Land at Magic Kingdom. 4-D Theater. Follow Donald through magical moments in cartoon history as he tries to steal Mickey’s spotlight.

SpectroMagic Parade – At the Magic Kingdom – Only on certain nights, lighted float parade. Dots on maps indicate parade route. IF kids are beat, grab food and sit on the top of the train station overlooking main street, but go EARLY and prepare to sit and wait. It’s worth it.

Playhouse Disney Live on Stage – AT MGM

Sit on the floor in Bear’s front yard and get your kids ready to sing and dance with their favorite Morning cartoon characters.

Cinderellabration - At the Castle at the Magic Kingdom. Show. See how Cinderella was made a Princess with all her Princess friends.

Killmanjaro Safari - At Animal Kingdom. Get into a safari jeep and head out onto the Savannah to see the animals up close.

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique – At Down Town Disney. Treat you little Princess to a Princess make-over. Start with hair and make-up or go all the way into full Princess costume.

Akershus Royal Banquet Hall – At Norway in Epcot. Princess and friends character Breakfast. 4 Princesses.

The Crystal Palace - In the Magic Kingdom. Winne the Pooh and friends Character Breakfast, lunch & Dinner. Breakfast is BEST good food.

Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue – Dinner Show. At the Wilderness Lodge CAMP ground. No Disney Characters, Watch a Country comic show during a delicious BBQ dinner. (Awesome Strawberry shortcake dessert) Tons of fun!

The Boardwalk - Outside at the Boardwalk Hotel. Visit the Atlantic City Boardwalk. Outside Street performers and festival games.

Beaches n’ Cream Soda Shop – At the Beach Club Hotel. Best Burgers and diner food. Also fantastic Ice-cream. Get a kitchen sink Sundae. (Comes in a real sink. Ask about it)

Tony’s Town Square - On Main Street at the Magic Kingdom. Themed after Lady and the Tramp. You won’t see them, but you will have a delicious meal.

Whispering Canyon Café - At the Wilderness Lodge Hotel – NO characters, but the wait staff provides entertainment such as the Pony Express and the Hokey Pokey. BBQ

50’s Prime Time - At MGM Studios. 50’’s style kitchen restaurant where you can get Mom’s meatloaf served by mom herself. No characters. Interactive wait staff. MMM the milkshakes.

Concourse Steak House – Fantastic for a great meal. Nothing too fancy just steak.

Bongo’s Cuban Café’ - Noisy but unique. Try different types of food. Live music.

Playhouse Disney at the

Hollywood and Vine This was a cute buffet – set up like an old time diner. It now has Character Breakfast and Lunch – Dinner not characters.

Coral Reef - At the bottom of the Living Seas in Epcot. Giant aquarium surrounding.

BEST TIME FOR RIDES

Jump on you favorite rides during the parades or fireworks – People line up for the parade and the rides are usually ½ the wait.

Dinner time

Fantasy land – Fantasy land is for the little kids. Those kids are wiped out and parents schedule early dinners. Have an afternoon nap and then Big late lunch and head for fantasy land. You’ll get more done then and 1hr before closing.

Fast Pass - Popular rides have a fast pass option. You use your park admission ticket and find the FastPass Machine. It will issue you a ticket with a time frame to return and get right on the ride without a wait. HINT: You can not get another Fastpass until the time passes on the previous pass. If you can split up the passes by which child wants to go on the ride the most and only one parent go. Also get a Fastpass for the ride you really want to go on most first.

Early Morning In the early morning when any park first opens. Find the quickest route to the back of the park. People tend to get excited and stop at the first thing they see. I.e.: Magic Kingdom – jump on the train at Main street and get off either in Toon Town or Frontierland.

Magic Kingdom Railroad – If you rent a stroller, use the railroad often to get from one end of the park to another. Take out your name tag and personal items, jump on the train. Where ever you get off there will be empty strollers waiting.

What to skip because you really aren’t missing anything!

Gulliver’s Grill Character Dinner at the Swan. Only 2 characters and they come out 1 at a time every half hour. Food OK.

Animal Kingdom

Donald’s Breakfastosaurus - Never heard a good thing about it. Food is fair

Affection Section - Dirty Dirty Dirty Animals. And it is only sheep & goats & typical barn yard animals.

MISC.

Stroller Rental

If you plan on renting a stroller, rent more than one day at a time. You then do not have to wait in the purchase line for the rest of your visit at any park. Disney will refund any unused days

ANYPLACE TRAVEL
“See the World”
1450 Atwood Avenue,
Johnston RI, 02919
401-831-8000