Ask Magically Speaking

In each issue we like to answer questions from you. Are you wondering about a certain attraction? Are you curious about a resort or cruise? Do you have some nagging little trivia question that you are just dying to know the answer to? If so, please send them to us. We have a great team of Disney experts and sleuths that who would love to answer your questions! If you have a question, send it to us at magicallyspeaking@themouseforless.com.

Ask Magically Speaking is a regular feature in the Magically Speaking newsletter. The following Ask Magically Speaking was published in the January 14, 2008 issue
of Magically Speaking ISSN: 1556-3863

Q. Long time reader, first time writer. Has anyone ever taken their boys to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique? What about women? Can they get "the treatment"? I think it might be a hoot! (Submitted by Amanda T.)

A. Hi, Amanda. You'll be happy to know that despite having an apparent demographic, one thing Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique doesn't do is discriminate by age or by gender. The salons, located both inside the Princess Room at the World of Disney store in the Downtown Disney's Marketplace and inside Cinderella Castle in the Magic Kingdom, don't impose age maximums on their patrons (there is an age minimum of three, however). They also offer a special package just for boys. The Boutique's (or is that Boytique's?) "Cool Dude" features hair styling, colored gel, pixie dust and more, and is priced at around $10 plus tax. Reservations for the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique are highly recommended and can be made at up to 180 days out by calling 407-WDW-DINE. A credit card will be required for securing the reservation but you will not be charged except in the case of a no-show, which carries a penalty of $10 per appointment. If you have pre-ordered the PhotoPass PhotoCD or are just interested in obtaining PhotoPass photos, make sure to ask your Fairy Godmother in Training about the photo studio sessions available near both Boutique locations. As an additional bonus, the Magic Kingdom location opens each morning at 8 a.m., making it the perfect excuse to get into the park an hour before it officially opens on most days.

On a tangent, for those whose tastes aren't as fancy, or for children under the age of three, another option is the Harmony Barber Shop on Main Street, USA, at the Magic Kingdom. Open daily from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., the shop sees walk-ins only and offers a couple of the same services the Boutique does in the way of colored gel and pixie dust for about half the price as the Boutique. For girls, they'll even do up-dos. Another specialty of the Harmony Barber Shop is Baby's First Haircut for about $15, which includes your child's first pair of ears. If you time it just right, you might even get a visit from the Walt Disney World barbershop quartet, the Dapper Dans.

Q. My husband and I are going alone to Disney in June, and I would like to book a character meal. He says that's just for families with kids. Is that true? If it's not true, which character meal would you recommend for us? (Submitted by Bonnie K.)

A. Hi, Bonnie. The answer to your question really depends if he means that adults without children aren't allowed or if they simply won't appeal to childless couples. The answer to the former is when it comes to interacting with characters, there are no age restrictions, including for dining. For the latter, that all depends on your personal perspective and preferences.

There are a few things you might want to consider when choosing the right character meal (or meals -- no restrictions on how many you can dine at either!). Let's take a look at some of these factors and some examples of each.

Characters: Have a favorite? You'll find the Fab Five (Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto, give or take) at locations like Cape May at the Beach Club, Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary Resort, and Liberty Tree Tavern (during dinner only) at the Magic Kingdom, the revolving Garden Grill at the Land in Epcot, and the newest option, Donald's Safari Breakfast, at Disney's Animal Kingdom, which is also frequented by Daisy.* You'll find Pooh, Eeyore, Tigger, and Piglet* at Crystal Palace in the Magic Kingdom. Lilo and Stitch (and a couple of others) at the Best Friends breakfast at 'Ohana. Princess overload comes at Cinderella's Royal Table (breakfast and lunch) at the Magic Kingdom and Princess Storybook at the Akershus Royal Banquet Hall (all three meals, though lunch and dinner often receive visits from Ariel -- complete with legs* -- and possibly even Cinderella*) in Epcot's Norway pavilion. 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian offers a breakfast hosted by Mary Poppins for the anglophile (usually featuring Alice, the Mad Hatter, Pooh, and Tigger) and a dinner with Cinderella, Prince Charming,* and the boisterous clan of Lady Tremaine* and Cindy's lovely stepsisters, Drizella* and Anastasia.* (Character names followed by an asterisk mark ones you're rather less likely to find out in the parks, if at all).

Special Features: How'd you like to get into your favorite park before most others on mornings without extra magic hours? Cinderella's Royal Table and Crystal Palace at the Magic Kingdom allow you to make reservations as early as 8 a.m.; Princess Storybook starts serving at 8:30 a.m.; Donald's Safari Breakfast starts serving at 8:00 a.m.; and the Playhouse Disney Play 'n' Dine starts serving at 8 a.m. During Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween parties, the characters at Liberty Tree Tavern are in special Halloween outfits. If you're celebrating a birthday, Chef Mickey's, 1900 Park Fare, and Crystal Palace all have their own unique gifts/cards to offer. For anniversaries, Cinderella's Royal Table offers couples complimentary champagne flutes. Dinner at Cinderella's Royal Castle is also subdued in the character department, which might offer a happy medium. Cinderella will be downstairs to receive guests but you won't find any princesses upstairs, just occasional appearances by the Fairy Godmother and Suzy and Perla. If you're lucky, you can also time it so your dinner coincides with the fireworks, offering a unique perspective (the restaurant will dim the lights and pipe in the music as well).

Location, Location, Location: Here's the last factor we'll look at. As you can tell from above, some dining opportunities appear to be redundant in terms of the characters they offer, although each dining experience truly is unique in its own right. But careful planning never hurts when it comes to choosing restaurants, either. Consider which park you'll be at on that particular day and don't neglect the area-resort options. And if you're staying at or near one of the resorts hosting character breakfasts, you can reserve breakfast early enough to still get to the parks when they open, as most resort table-service restaurants start serving between 7:00-7:30 a.m. And don't forget -- the Swan hotel and the Hilton Downtown Disney also offer limited character meals.