First Weekly Tip: Character Dining: Fun and Helpful for First Time Visitors With Little Ones
On our last trip we traveled with another family. It was great because all the kids got along so well, but we were not sure how they would react to the characters. My daughter has always been freaked out by Santa (stranger in a big red suit and white beard…can’t say I blame her) and my friend was not sure how her kids would react.
So, to avoid some major meltdowns and wasted time of waiting in lines to meet characters, we booked breakfast at Cape May Cafe at The Beach Club Resort as a test before we hit the parks. We were all so glad that we did this! My daughter ran up to every single character (Minnie, Donald, and Goofy in beach attire) and gave them a hug. My friend’s son did not want a picture with them (no freak out though) and her daughter was nervous, but let Minnie sit next to her and hold her hand (by the end of the trip she was running up to characters and hugging them).
So, this helped us to see their reactions and we knew that it would be okay to wait in line to meet the characters. My daughter only had one freak out when we met Mike and Sulley, but I can kind of understand that one.
If you are traveling to Disney World and you are not sure how your child will react to the characters, I highly recommend booking a character dining experience before you visit the parks. That way if they do freak out, you can ask the characters to just skip your table and enjoy the rest of your meal. Also, you won’t waste precious park time waiting in line to meet a character only to have your child be afraid of the character.
Plus, the character meals are just fun, even if they have to skip your table. I will say that Minnie was absolutely wonderful with my friend’s daughter, who was clearly nervous. She just sat next to her and gently held her hand for pictures. They are so wonderful and patient with the kids!
So, there you go! The first ever Weekly Tip. If you are nervous about your child’s reaction to the characters, book a character dining experience. It’s worth it! There will be an actual review of Cape May Cafe in another blog.
Thanks for reading!