Newest Characters to meet in Walt Disney World (and where to find them)

For many kids and adults alike, meeting characters is a HUGE part of vacationing at the Walt Disney World Resort. Before kids, I had a key few that I tried to get each trip, however I mainly just stopped to grab a picture if I saw a smaller line. Now that I have tots in tow, we have a game plan for each trip on who, when, where and how to meet these guys. We are already planning our strategy for our next trip around the newest characters that can be found. Now since we have yet to see them the pics are of the cartoon versions. Rest assured they exist...check it out!!

(Click the title link to go to the official Disney info page)


Gaston

Nooooooo oooooooonnnnnneeeee hits like Gaston, matches wits like Gaston. In a spitting match, no one spits like Gaston....he's especially good at expectorating...TEN POINTS FOR GASTON!! The guy we love too much to hate. Is he a villain? I mean he did try to "slay the beast"...but he's just too fun to hate! I heard that the meet and greet version is especially fun! Announced on 10/11/12, Gaston can be found for meet and greets outside of his tavern in the new Fantasyland. He has been known to be a bit flirty with the ladies and is always flexing his guns for the photos. Oww owww!



Sofia the First

 

 

Sofia the First is one of the newer shows on Disney Junior. My 3 year old boy loves it and has been know to watch it over and over again. She is a sweet girl and always tries to do the right thing. If you have a younger kid in your travel party, this will be a "must do". Announced on 7/2/13, she can be found by the Disney Junior: Live on Stage attraction. She can also be found at the Hollywood and Vine character meal, which in my opinion is very under rated. We just love the food there!

 

 

 

Doc McStuffins 

 

 

 

Another preschooler fan favorite is Doc McStuffins. I actually even enjoy this show...it is imaginative and fun. This character meet and greet is so new that it was just announced a week ago, 12/17/13. She can be found only at the Hollywood and Vine character meals. However, I could foresee that changing in the near future to allow her to meet out in the Animation Courtyard along with her Disney Junior counterparts. She is super popular!!

 

 

Wreck-it-Ralph and Vanellope

 

 

 

 

 

This meet and greet was announced 11/20/12 and can be found in the Magic of Disney Animation building. If any of you are familiar with the meet and greet areas from the past, it is where Pooh used to be. The line wraps around the back and has some interactive stuff to keep the kids busy. We usually hit up this building in efforts to get some rare autographs due to "characterpalooza". Head over to Kenny the Pirates site for more info on that...LINK HERE

Periwinkle

Tink's sister, Periwinkle, has made it to Tinker Bell's Magical Nook!! She was brought to light by the film, Secret of the Wings. Her meet and greet was announced 11/18/12. This is another wonderfully themed (and air-conditioned) waiting area for a meet and greet. The lines can get long for Tink and her sis, but if you head there early in the day it shouldn't be too bad!

Update: Tink has been moved to the Town Square Theater near the entrance to Magic Kingdom!

Anna and Elsa

 

 

 

The moment you have allllll been waiting for............FROZEN meet and greet!!!!!! We have literally been singing this movie since we saw it. We love the story, characters and music. I for one, cannot wait to meet the Princess and the Queen! Announced on 11/19/13, the ladies will be hanging out in Norway. I did some research to see if I could find where they are located and I think it is inside of the gift shop where you exit Maelstrom. This will be a must do for our family (and probably yours if you have seen Frozen)!!

 

Update: They have moved the sisters to Princess Fairytale Hall! The meet and greet is showing up on the Fastpass+ lineup, however if you do not get the FP+ you can still get to them much more easily than before, by heading there at rope drop. The lines will not be like they were at Epcot!

 

Rumor Alert: Talk has been swirling around like Elsa's snow about a possibility of Maelstrom closing and a change-over happening to create a Frozen ride! Now, it will be bittersweet for me. Maelstrom is one of my favorite rides of all time. But Frozen is AWESOME! Disney Imagineering will have fun with a ride like that...it is sure to be great :)

 

 

Cupcake Cup Garland

My little one is going to be celebrating her first birthday next weekend. We are gearing up and getting ready. Balloons are ordered, venue is set, cupcakes are ordered....now for the decorations! We are doing a Sweet Shoppe theme. Click HERE to view some ideas I have found on Pinterest! In addition to some of these very cute décor ideas, I also wanted to create a garland made out of cupcake liners. Follow along!

What you will need:

Cupcake Liners (choose whatever color scheme you want)
Coat Thread
Larger Needle


Start by deciding what order you want your colors. If you are organized (which I am currently not), I suppose you could make a little assembly line for the correct order. Pull the thread through the needle eye and begin by poking a hole in the center of your first liner.

 Alternate going through the middle of the back and the inside center of the liners...

If you are making the garland for a tree you may want to consider making them in "batches". We plan on using them around a doorway and on a table front, so mine didn't need to be so long.


The finished product:

Thanks for stopping in...I would love to see your variations!

 

WDW: Arrival Day Ideas

Walt Disney World: Arrival Day Ideas

Today's post is about a common question that I often hear...

"What should we do on arrival day?"

Most people don't want to just sit at the hotel on that first night because they are all wired up from that magic that sets in when they arrive. This being said, they also don't want to waste a park day on a few hours and a couple of rides.

Here are my top five suggestions for that first night in Disney:

5. Resort Hidden Mickeys

When you check into the resort, ask the front desk if they have a Hidden Mickey list. If you are new to Hidden Mickeys, you can always ask the cast member to explain how it works. We love to explore the grounds and learn our way around while looking for those rascally Mickeys!



4. Resort Hopping

One of our favorite things to do on that first day is to utilize the Disney transportation and just hop around. We don't plan on going anywhere specific, but we usually start out by getting to the TTC. From there we take the first monorail, resort boat or bus we see. Each resort has activities that are free for anyone visiting. Just ask the front desk for an activities calendar. We have also found some yummy snacks on our hopping trips...like the tie-dye cheesecake at POP or Dole Whip at the Poly! Also, check out Yehaa Bob if at Port Orleans! He's great!!


3. Downtown Disney

Downtown Disney is a must for us every trip. We love some of the dining options there and we also love the shopping. If you have never been, it can be overwhelming so some planning is in order. Contact your travel professional (*clears throat*) or do some research on your own to see what might interest you. We usually try to visit Disney's Days of Christmas, D Street, Goofy's Candy Co. and of course World of Disney (which is the world largest Disney Character store). Our favorite dining options include Wolfgang Puck Express, Raglan Road and Earl of Sandwich.


2. Dinner Shows

I have been to both Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue at Fort Wilderness and the Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show at Disney's Polynesian Resort...and I loved them both!!! What a great way to celebrate your first night in Disney. Both offer great food, great entertainment and unlimited beer and wine included in the cost of the show! Utilize those Disney buses to get home safely :)


1. Hard Ticket Events

By far the best thing that we have done on an arrival night is to visit Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. The party doesn't start until 7:00 pm, however they will allow you entry to the park as early as 4:00 pm. That is quite a good value for the cost of the ticket, if you use your time wisely! Use those first couple of hours to grab a bite to eat and possibly get a couple of rides out of the way before the festivities ensue. Same goes for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party! What a magical way to start your vacation!!!