Characters at Disney World During the Phased Reopening

For many guests, meeting and taking pictures with characters is a highlight of their Disney World trip. The lack of traditional character experiences could be a reason that many families are considering canceling their trips. We just returned from visiting Disney World this past week to check out all the new experiences. We got to see and interact with characters a lot on our recent trip, just in new ways! From the new cavalcades, modified character dining and surprise appearances from characters, we had plenty of opportunities to see and enjoy our favorite characters at Disney World during the phased reopening!

Character Cavalcades

One of the main ways Disney has added for guests to see characters is through their new cavalcades. These new cavalcades are like little ‘pop-up parades’ that you can see throughout the day in each of the parks. Each park has several different cavalcades to see, which usually consist of 1-2 floats (or boats, or cars…) featuring a collection of characters. Magic Kingdom even has a few special Halloween cavalcades to see!

You’ll hear the music start and look around excitedly to see which cavalcade is coming your way. Personally, I don’t usually care to watch parades so I love this alternative. It was great to see the little floats go by throughout the day without having to commit a big chunk of time to stake out a viewing spot. I hope cavalcades are something they keep around long after the phased reopening!

Modified Character Dining at Disney World

Modified character dining experiences are currently available at three restaurants: Garden Grill, Topolino’s Terrace and Hollywood & Vine. Garden Grill and Topolino’s Terrace were the first two to open, while Hollywood & Vine just opened in September. Additionally, Chef Mickey’s will bring back characters in December for another modified character dining experience. These modified experiences are a great way to see characters at Disney World during the phased reopening!

Character Experience at Hollywood & Vine

Modified dining with characters at disney world atHollywood & Vine

We dined at Hollywood & Vine during our trip and we really enjoyed it! While the characters don’t come up to your table, you can say hi, wave, talk to them and see them dance just a short distance away from your table. At Hollywood & Vine, the characters are all in their Halloween costumes, which added an extra bit of seasonal fun. Not to mention, the food was delicious! Click here to read our full review of our dining experience at Hollywood & Vine.

Surprise Character Sightings

Socially distanced characters at disney world

Lastly, characters were also available to see in select unique places around the parks. Whether it’s Winnie the Pooh frolicking in a field in Epcot or Stormtroopers watching over Galaxy’s Edge, it was so fun to unexpectedly see characters around the parks like that! We even saw Stitch and Buzz Lightyear hanging out in Tomorrowland, too. During your visit be sure to always be on the lookout for character sightings. You just never know who you’ll get to see!

Conclusion – Characters at Disney World During the Phased Reopening

I love that Disney has gotten creative in bringing the characters out in new ways! Despite the changes, I feel like we got a great overall experience with characters this trip. From the cavalcades to modified character dining experiences to surprise sightings, there are so many opportunities to see characters at Disney World during the phased reopening. We hope this post reassures you that even without traditional character meet and greets, there is still so much magic to find with characters at Disney World!