News Walt Disney World's Character meet locations to reopen along with more shows and entertainment

TestTrack

TestTrack

Active Member
Notes from Neverland said:
Admittedly, I'll be a bit sad to see the distanced encounters going away. Some of them felt more organic and it was nice to see the characters just doing their thing without a big line.
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I did mention this to my wife. I liked when characters just popped up and the interaction was actually quite fun. The downside came when my two year old who was beyond excited to meet his favorite character tigger realized that all he had to do was climb the train station stairs to go see him and I had to tell him we couldn't. That didn't compute. I wish he could have met him up close. Hopefully next trip...if he's still into Tigger at that point!
 
EeyoreFan#24

EeyoreFan#24

Well-Known Member
CaptainAmerica said:
They didn't "flip a switch," it's been two years.
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I’m not referring to anything COVID policy related, I just don’t like the meet and greets myself. I would have preferred they reviewed and kept some of the offerings. I though the characters out and about without a ton of people around them was neat. I kids meets and greets are a different situation, leading to my point of not just flipping back to the way it was and not just keeping it the same, but reviewing.
 
ToTBellHop

ToTBellHop

Well-Known Member
EeyoreFan#24 said:
I’m not referring to anything COVID policy related, I just don’t like the meet and greets myself. I would have preferred they reviewed and kept some of the offerings. I though the characters out and about without a ton of people around them was neat. I kids meets and greets are a different situation, leading to my point of not just flipping back to the way it was and not just keeping it the same, but reviewing.
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They’ll still have cavalcades. Everyone wins! My kids are happy to wave at Mickey but they certainly won’t wait in a 45 min line to hug him. Quick wave en route to Big Thunder is perfect!
 
Piebald

Piebald

Well-Known Member
Are they all going to return as before or are we gonna see some Cheapek-esque cuts across the board? I cant imagine itll suddenly be like walking in and seeing 20 characters hanging out in Main Street.
 
ToTBellHop

ToTBellHop

Well-Known Member
Piebald said:
Are they all going to return as before or are we gonna see some Cheapek-esque cuts across the board? I cant imagine itll suddenly be like walking in and seeing 20 characters hanging out in Main Street.
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I presume it will be the same characters we see now. Just no ropes blocking them.
 
ToTBellHop

ToTBellHop

Well-Known Member
Any word on how quickly character dining returns? I presume they’d start with the places that already have characters and just have them stop always scurrying away.
 
mattpeto

mattpeto

Well-Known Member
Okay a macro-perspective post below about the return of M&Gs...
  • We are still missing a ton of pre-pandemic M&Gs, even with the Sightings back for some of them. I account for 22 missing. I'd expect these to ramp back up to pre-pandemic counts as part of the phased approach.
  • I would imagine them prioritizing DHS next, especially if they can add Genie+ to a couple of key ones. Maybe this will finally trigger Launch Bay opening - can you imagine meeting Mando and Grogu inside there, what type of demand that would carry? Add that and an Fantasmic! LL - and you might be help the Genie+ inventory at DHS substancially.
  • Adventurers Outpost from AK should be open, like yesterday. This will absolutely be a LL (was in the FP+ days).
  • Enchanted Tales with Belle should be on the radar
  • Hopefully WDW can finally get a Mirabel M&G.
  • Obviously opening Storybook Dining at AP was the start, but Akershus and 1900 Park Fare will be the next to open now, especially with no restrictions. I'd be surprised if these restaurants don't come back in the next couple of months
  • Hopefully character breakfasts start "activating" too. Bon Voyage was a family favorite and I'd love to see the rest follow (Minnie at CMC, Lilo and Stitch at 'Ohana, etc.)
  • I predicted a Labor Day Before/After date for the Dining Plan and I think that's a pretty good target. It really depends on how fast Cultural representatives program starts helping EPCOT (and with the rest of countries are added from the initial batch).
 
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happymom25

Active Member
So happy about normal character interactions! Is there any word about places like Crystal palace bringing in characters soon? Birthday wish for one of our kids to meet the pooh characters so we are really hoping they’ll be back by May!
 
mattpeto

mattpeto

Well-Known Member
happymom25 said:
So happy about normal character interactions! Is there any word about places like Crystal palace bringing in characters soon? Birthday wish for one of our kids to meet the pooh characters so we are really hoping they’ll be back by May!
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CP returned to a buffet from family-style a while back. This is kind of notable.

The other pre-pandemic buffets with characters (Chef Mickeys, Tusker House, H&V) didn't switch back to buffets due to spacing concerns with the characters; and guests up out of their seat returning to the buffet line.

I wouldn't be shocked if CP is the one of the first character integrations.

Wild hunch though.
 
brb1006

brb1006

Well-Known Member
ToTBellHop said:
I just want the cast to be safe. I witnessed a particularly disturbing incident involving a man who was rather interested in Marie. Security was there in a snap, thankfully.
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Do you remember what actually went this and did this happen years ago? Was it at Disneyland or Walt Disney World?
 
drew81

drew81

Well-Known Member
Everyone needs to temper their expectations. Staffing could play a major roll in availability of characters and experiences starting on the 18th.

If they have issues with staffing right now, wait till they open the floodgates. I hope guests show patience to Cast, but we all know that won’t happen.
 

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