Finding Disney Junior Characters

A Williams Family Blog reader asked via Facebook about where to find and meet Doc McStuffins while at Walt Disney World.  The reader knew that Doc McStuffins was on the “menu” so to speak for breakfast or lunch at Disney Junior Play ‘n Dine at the Hollywood and Vine Restaurant in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  In fact, here’s what the Walt Disney World web-site tells about this experience:

A few of your Disney Junior favorites are coming to Hollywood & Vine—don’t miss this chance to eat, play and dance along with friends from Doc McStuffins, Sofia the First, Jake and the Never Land Pirates and Handy Manny during this fun and interactive dining experience.

But where else might this character be found?

In my response, I indicated that the Disney Junior characters can also be seen on a rotating basis in the Animation Courtyard between the Voyage of the Little Mermaid and Disney Jr. Live on Stage daily between 9:30 am and 4:40 pm.  This character meet and greet typically features two or more characters.  Information about this meet and greet would be found on the Park’s Times Guide.

While the boy considers himself beyond this stage, we did bump into Handy Manny and Jake from the Never Land Pirates just inside the Magic of Disney Animation building, which is where the characters from the courtyard go to meet guests during inclement weather.

If you are at Walt Disney World and there is a character you would like to meet, be sure to check at Guest Services at the entrance to each park and inquire about character meeting locations and times.  Also know that those times and locations can change based on weather and character availability.

On one of our trips the only Disney Princess we had yet to meet was Snow White and we knew she would be in the Germany Pavilion just prior to our dinner at the Biergarten—click here to read more.  When we arrived, we were greeted, instead, by a Cast Member telling us that Snow White was tending to a sick Dwarf.  While we were disappointed, we were grateful for the information from the Cast Member so that we did not wait around wondering.  We never did see Snow White that trip;  it was another reason for another trip!

Meeting the Characters from Playhouse Disney

If you are traveling with someone under the age of 8 to Walt Disney World, chances are they would like to meet their friends from Playhouse Disney. Characters from Playhouse Disney can be found in the Animation Courtyard at Disney Hollywood Studios. The Animation Courtyard is between the Voyage of the Little Mermaid attraction and the Playhouse Disney Live On Stage show. There are two meeting locations set up back to back, which makes it convenient to move from one queue to the next. The characters typically rotate every 30 minutes or so starting around 10:00 am. Check the Times Guide you pick up upon entering the park for more specifics.

Annie, Quincy, June, and Leo from Little Einstein's can be found at this meet and greet. Typically, Photopass Photographers are on hand to capture the photos and add them to your photopass account. Click here to read more about Disney's Photopass service.

JoJo and Goliath can also be found here. These are characters from JoJo's Circus, a show on Playhouse Disney.

Handy Manny has been added to the character line-up as he has grown in popularity. No tools, though.

Sometimes the characters are in pairs, as in the photos above, and sometimes they are single characters. No matter what, the characters offer lots of interaction, autographs, photos, and hugs. I can hear the Playhouse Disney music in my head as I write this. It is competing with the theme song from Little Einstein's though.

To read about dining with the Playhouse Disney characters, click here.

Play and Dine at Hollywood and Vine

If you or members of your family and Playhouse Disney fans, one place you can find the Playhouse Disney characters is at Play and Dine at Hollywood and Vine in Hollywood Studios. Hollywood and Vine serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily via buffet. Only breakfast and lunch are character meals. Dinner at Hollywood and Vine can be reserved for the Fantasmic Dinner and Reserved Seating option--click here for more info.

We have eaten at Hollywood and Vine three times--breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Twice with characters, and once for dinner. Know that when the characters are in residence the restaurant is noisy and bustling. When the Playhouse Disney theme music swells, kids are encouraged to get up and have a dance party with the characters. That's Leo in the photo above from Little Einstein's. Goliath is is in the photo below--from JoJo and Goliath. I understand Goliath has been replaced by Handy Manny.

The buffet offers a variety of excellent choices. The buffet starts at both ends of the restaurant and ends with a carving station in the middle. Both sides offer a children's buffet section--anyone can select items from the children's buffet section (it usually has some sort of Mickey shaped food and I just can't resist), and kids can select items from the entire buffet. Desserts are honored with their own station.

JoJo is in the photo above along with June from Little Einstein's in the photo below. The characters may vary from day to day, meal to meal, but expect to meet at least four characters as they move from table to table for autographs and photos.

Advanced dining reservations are recommended. We have been outside checking in and hear others being told they need a reservation and then go inside to find a relatively empty restaurant. Maybe that's a fluke, but we sure were glad we had an ADR.

Hollywood and Vine shares restroom facilities with 50's Prime Time Cafe which is next door. If you use the restroom, take a wrong turn on purpose to sneak a peek at 50's Prime Time Cafe if you haven't been there before.

The theming at Hollywood and Vine is nothing to write home about---it's decorated as a diner. Service is fast and friendly, and buffet selections are varied and excellent.

Sometimes the characters spend time with the adults! After all, it is Play and Dine!