Disney World Hints at Return of Traditional Character Dining

By Sierra Vieregge Leave a Comment

Today we shared the big news that traditional meet and greets are coming back to Disney World, Disneyland Resort, Disney Cruise Line, and Aulani.

Hey There Mickey!

But you may have missed an important detail within all of that news…

Not only are character meet and greets returning to normal in the parks but Disney has hinted that character DINING is returning as well. Disney says that “recent trends and guidance have provided opportunities for us to bring back some of our most beloved magic, like character greetings and dining experiences.”

Mickey!

Now, Disney was very vague in the language when mentioning character returns. They stated, “Very soon, you will once again be able to hug Mickey Mouse, get an autograph from Mulan, and share a laugh with Goofy.” While dining is not specifically mentioned, in the video released by Disney, they do show traditional character interactions inside the restaurants where character dining happens! And distanced character dining has been happening at the parks for sometime, so this should impact those locations. You can check out that video right here:

These traditional meet and greets should begin returning around the parks starting April 18th. That means that you will be able to hug characters, take photos with them, get autographs, and have your own private interactions once again.

Pluto

Not all locations will be available immediately, Disney says they will be reopening in phases throughout the spring and early summer. A few restaurants currently offering character dining include Chef Mickey’s, Tusker House, and Cinderella’s Royal Table. Other restaurants, like The Crystal Palace, have not reintroduced characters. So we’ll be on the lookout if any of that changes!

Evil Queen

We WILL be at a restaurant on the first-day traditional meet and greets return to the parks to see if they’re back to normal at restaurants too! So, stay tuned to DFB for all of the details and let us know if you have any questions!

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