Character dining at the Walt Disney World Resorts will offer you and your family a chance to enjoy a meal with Disney character favorites. By enjoying a character dinner with the family you will have many memories to share and great photo opportunities. The characters will walk around to the different tables for an entertaining interaction with the entire family.
Different character dining options include dinner with Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, Pluto, Chin 'n' Dale and all of the Disney Princesses. Each restaurant offers its own menu, including table service, buffet and family style dining options for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Restaurants at Disney World that offer the character dining experience include 1900 Park Fare, Akershus Royal Banquet Hall, Cape May Café, Chef Mickey's, The Garden Grill, Cinderella's Royal Table and The Crystal Palace.
When paying to stay at one of the Walt Disney World Resorts make sure to take advantage of what the hotel has to offer. Try spending a day at your resort with the entire family enjoying the pool, playing in the arcade or exploring the resort. All of the different Disney Resorts are themed making it an adventure walking around the different buildings and larger than life characters, beautiful gardens and creatively designed buildings.
Many of the resorts also offer planned family activities throughout the day, including arts and crafts, movies at night, campfires, pool parties and a sporting activities. The All Star Resorts offer some activities, while the deluxe and Disney Vacation Club Resorts all offer a day full of activities for the entire family. If you are staying at one of the resorts on the water, such as Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Resorts, Contemporary Resort or the Grand Floridian, head down to the marina and rent a boat for an hour or so and explore the waters in front of the Magic Kingdom or Disney's Hollywood Studios. There are pontoons available for rent, which will accommodate the entire family.
Make your day at the park an adventure by playing a family scavenger hunt for Hidden Mickeys that are located throughout all of the theme parks and resorts. A Hidden Mickey is an item that is in the shape of Mickey Mouse's head, body, hands or feet and has been either purposefully or accidentally placed in the design of an attraction or building by Disney's Imagineers. Sometimes these are obvious, but other times it may take a little bit of searching for them. To help your family find all of the Hidden Mickeys check out Steven Barrett's Hidden Mickeys: A Field Guide to Walt Disney World Best Kept Secrets for a complete list of known Hidden Mickeys.
Alternatively, head on over to Norway in Epcot's World Showcase and go on a hunt for hidden trolls. There are trolls everywhere in the Norway Pavilion, including some hiding on the roof tops, on windowsills and throughout the gardens.
Spend the day as an entire family, or in team, with your very own I Spy game at the theme parks. This is especially great if you have teenagers who may want some time away from mom and dad as they go hunting. To play this sit down with the family and come up with a list of about 10 unique items to search for the next day at the park. Some suggestions include a Hidden Mickey, a picture with Goofy, picture from the top of Expedition Everest, a photo giving Mickey a high five or someone in the family drinking a soda. Give a camera to each group, or if you do not have enough cameras purchase disposable ones, and go on a search for your items on the list. With little ones you can give them one item at a time to look for and then help them with the camera or take their photo in front of the found item. The best part of this is how involved the family will be with seeking out the items and the fun you will have looking through the photos after your vacation is over.
