Your guide on how to meet your favorite characters in Disneyland this summer.
No matter if you’re young or old, there is nothing like meeting your favorite characters when you visit the Disneyland Resort.
Whether you want to meet Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy, speak Wookie with Chewbacca or imagine your “Happily Ever After” when you meet Cinderella, meeting your Disney heroes is what makes the Happiest Place on Earth so magical.
However, knowing exactly where to find them is the trickiest part. Luckily, I’ve teamed up with my friends at Get Away Today to give you the inside scoop on how to meet your favorite characters in Disneyland this summer.
Download the Disneyland App:
Before you start your memorable Disney day, make sure to download the official Disneyland app. Not only will you be able to see wait times for each attraction, but you can also use this to utilize MaxPass, Mobile Ordering and most importantly, how to find Disney characters located throughout the park.
Once you’ve downloaded the official Disneyland app, you’ll be able to see a map located on the top of your screen. If you click on the map, you’ll see attraction wait times. However, if you click on the drop-down arrow next to the word “Attractions”, you can filter the search to include “Characters.” When you do this, you can see various Mickey icons located throughout the park.
By clicking on the Mickey icons, it will show you what character is at each location and their appearances for the day. This way, you can plan and organize your day around what characters your looking to meet.
Character Dining:
My absolute favorite way to meet characters is at a Character Dining. Not only do some of your favorite pals come to YOU, but you also get to eat a delicious meal while you’re at it!
There are currently four-character dining locations at the Disneyland Resort including Minnie & Friends – Breakfast in the Park at the Plaza Inn, Goofy’s Kitchen at the Disneyland Hotel, Chip ‘n Dale Critter Breakfast at Storytellers Cafe and Surf’s Up! Breakfast with Mickey and Friends at Disney’s PCH Grill.
However, starting July 10th, guests can experience two new Character Dining locations. Mickey’s Tales of Adventure will be located at Storyteller’s Café while Donald Duck’s Seaside Breakfast will be at the PCH Grill in the Paradise Pier Hotel.
While there is no guarantee on which characters will be there, you’ll be able to see a variety of pals that you don’t normally see around the park. You can usually count on seeing Mickey and the gang at each breakfast, however, I’ve seen characters like Rafiki, Pooh Bear, Max Goof, Eeyore, Tigger, The Fairy Godmother and more.
On very rare occasions, the princesses can even make an appearance too. If your child loves meeting Disney characters, Character Dining is the way to go.
Plus the food is really good. We did the Surf’s Up! Breakfast the last time we were there and we all agree it was the best meal we had while we were there.
Mickey and the Gang:
Of course, no trip to Disneyland would be complete without meeting Mickey Mouse himself. Whether you’re in Disneyland or Disney California Adventure, you’ll be able to find Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy towards the entrance of each park.
In Disneyland, you’ll be able to find the characters in various locations around Main Street U.S.A. and at Buena Vista Street in Disney California Adventure. As a warning, these are typically the most popular spots for photo ops, so there might be a long line.
However, if you’re only looking to meet Mickey and Minnie Mouse, I would suggest heading over to Toon Town in Disneyland Park. These lines are typically shorter, plus, kids get a kick out of being able to visit their houses!
Princesses & Fairies:
If you’re looking to befriend some of Disney’s heroines, your best bet of meeting a princess is in Fantasyland at Fantasy Faire. At the Royal Hall, you’ll be able to meet both classic and new princesses like Rapunzel, Tiana, Snow White, Belle, Cinderella and sometimes even the princes!
However, if you’re looking to build a snowman with Elsa and Anna, you can find them at Anna and Elsa’s Royal Welcome at the Disney Animation building on Hollywood Blvd in Disney California Adventure. On certain days, other princesses can be found at various places throughout the park, so make sure to double check your app.
If you want to spread a little love, trust and pixie dust, you can find Tinker Bell and her fairy friends at Pixie Hollow near Tomorrowland.
Star Wars Characters:
Luckily, you don’t need to travel to a “Galaxy, Far, Far Away” in order to meet some of the bravest space explorers. You can find Chewbacca, Darth Vader and Boba Fett at the Star Wars Launch Bay in Tomorrowland.
Plus, if your child is selected to participate in Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple, they’ll put their Jedi skills to the test and come face to face with Kylo Ren or Darth Vader.
In addition to this, you’ll occasionally see Storm Troopers patrolling Tomorrowland. Just be sure to let them know you are not the droids they are looking for.
Superheroes:
Ever since Disney acquired Marvel, we’ve been able to meet some of the world’s best heroes at The Happiest Place on Earth. In Hollywood Land at Disney California Adventure, you can meet both Captain America and Spider-Man.
However, if you’re looking to meet the best crew in the galaxy, you should head over to Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! to meet Groot. And if you’re really lucky, you’ll be able to see special appearances from Hawkeye, Black Widow, Black Panther, Star-Lord and Gamora while you’re there.
Disney Junior:
In Disney California Adventure, your little one can meet Disney Junior favorites like Sofia the First and Doc McStuffins outside of the Disney Junior Dance Party!
However, if your little one wants to meet more of their Disney Junior pals, they can attend the high-energy show filled with dance, music and characters like Timon, Kion, Mickey and even Minnie Mouse!
Pixar Pals:
This summer at the Disneyland Resort, you can head to “Infinity and Beyond” with beloved Disney-Pixar characters. During Pixar Fest, you’ll be able to meet characters from The Incredibles, A Bug’s Life, Monsters Inc., Toy Story and more.
The best part? You can continue to meet these characters year-round when Pixar Pier opens on June 23, 2018.
Of course, you can always head over to the quaint town of Radiator Springs to meet Lightning McQueen, Mater and other Cars characters too. Be sure to check the official Disneyland app to make sure you don’t miss these cars zooming by.
If you haven’t booked your next Disneyland vacation, make sure you use Get Away Today. With discount Disneyland tickets, hotel specials and a flexible payment plan, you’ll be able to visit your favorite pals sooner than you think!
Plus when you use promo code, SIMMONS, you’ll be able to get an additional $10 off your hotel and tickets vacation package. To book, visit getawaytoday.com or call 855-GET-AWAY to speak to a travel expert directly.
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