There are lots of fun activities to do at your Disney World hotel, no matter which one you’re staying at!
Sometimes Cast Members will host games by the pool, crafts are often available, and at some moderate and deluxe hotels, you can even play sports like basketball, pickleball, shuffleboard, and so much more. Another exciting experience that happens every now and then is surprise character visits at different hotels. Typically, you don’t know when these characters will be around to say hello, but that’s CHANGED at this hotel.
We stopped over at Port Orleans French Quarter to check out how the refurbishment was going on Building 5 when we noticed something interesting in the lobby.
This sign details exactly when and where you’ll be able to find some Disney character friends at the hotel. In this case, that’s Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 9:30 AM to 10:20 AM.
UPDATE: We spotted another sign at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort! You can catch characters on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 2:30 PM to 3:20 PM. It’s possible we could start seeing even more signs like this pop up around other hotels — which is a big deal because this is one of the only ways you’re guaranteed to see characters for free, without a park ticket.
This may not seem that unusual — in fact, it’s actually very helpful, but this isn’t what we’ve found to be normal in the past. Character experiences like this are usually kept under wraps, making it more of a surprise when you see them, because Cast Members don’t want big lines or crowds forming around the area in anticipation of the characters.
This sign though, announcing where the characters will be, certainly showcases a shift in that mindset. However, some people may choose not to hang around since they don’t know what characters will be meeting, so this could still be an effective crowd-control technique.
More Recent Meet and Greet News!
- A RARE Disney Character Will Be Making a Surprise Appearance Tomorrow!
- I LOVE Winnie The Pooh, But Here’s Why I’ll NEVER Pay to Eat With Him in Disney World Again
- It’s Official! BLUEY Has Made Her Disney Character Meet and Greet Debut
- We Can’t Tell If We Love or Hate This Disney World Hotel Change
- NEWS: ANOTHER Animal Kingdom Attraction Is Closing for Refurbishment in Disney World
We’ll be sure to keep an eye out for more signs like this around other Disney World hotels, so be sure to stay tuned to AllEars!
The WEIRDLY SPECIFIC Thing I Have to Know About Mickey Mouse Because of My Job
Join the AllEars.net Newsletter to stay on top of ALL the breaking Disney News! You'll also get access to AllEars tips, reviews, trivia, and MORE! Click here to Subscribe!
Which do you prefer: totally surprise hotel meet and greets, or ones where you have a heads up? Tell us in the comments!
I’d say this is absolutely intended as a crowd-control technique, especially given the time (9:30 – 10:20am), since that’s when a large number of families are usually finishing breakfast at their resort and preparing to head out to start their park day. An incentive to stay behind at the hotel a bit longer to meet characters redistributes people throughout the resort at large, thereby lessening crowds at the parks and bus stops first thing in the morning.