lynn Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 What is the easiest way to not have to spend an hour or so in Ariels grotto? What about getting to see the other princess'? I had originally planned this trip just for dd and I and dh wants to go and bring our youngest son also so we want our together time and I am trying to plan this to maximize everthing we want to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 Let them go see pirates on the island while you do the girlie princess thing? Just plan to meet at a certain time/place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orangearrow Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 You can visit the other princesses in the kids' section of the Magic Kingdom (Mickey's Town, or something like that?) We went RIGHT before closing time. Everyone else had run to the front of the park to watch the fireworks - we went in the opposite direction to Mickey's Town to see the characters. There were NO lines whatsoever - and when we came out (after visiting with Cinderella, Snow White, Belle, Donald, Minnie, and Goofy) - we watched the fireworks from Mickey's Town and had a great view and less crowds. :D My daughter's name is Ariel - so meeting Ariel was a priority for me. But that LINE at Ariel's Grotto never lessened! We waited 45 minutes and didn't move (it was the longest we waited in any line at MK). DH ran to buy some snacks and drinks while we waited - but when we finished those, we ditched the line and went elsewhere. I've yet to speak to anyone who didn't wait for an eternity to meet-and-greet with Ariel. It just wasn't worth it to us in the end. hths! Have a great time! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 What about a princess breakfast? I haven't been yet, but I hear Norway (Epcot) has a breakfast and you get to see a lot of the princesses there all at once. Dd and I ate at Cinderella's castle and while it was wonderful, there was only one princess there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chanda7 Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 The best way to see princesses is to go to the Toontown Hall of Fame. You wait in line to have your pictures made with three princesses (you can take your own as well). One year, we had Cinderella, Snow White and Aurora. Three years later, we had Cinderella, Belle and Aurora. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 Have you seen this guide? It is pretty helpful. It's been a while since we've been to Ariel's Grotto but last time we did it we went during a parade and it wasn't quite as busy. We only waited about 25 minutes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tabrizia Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 When we went we found the fastest way to get a picture with Ariel was to go right at opening and get in line. We waited maybe 20 minutes and got DS' picture with Ariel, if the line had been any longer we won't have bothered. We just went straight back there when the ropes dropped and didn't have an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilbean05 Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 The best way to see the Disney Princesses is to go to the Akershus Restaurant in Norway (Epcot). You don't have to wait in line, you have to eat anyway, and the princesses come to your table and spend some time with your kids, more than just snapping one picture. You are also give a posed picture at the beginning of the meal that I believe comes with the cost of your meal, so you have a photo to take home outside of all of the ones you snap at your table. You can eat here for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Breakfast is American food, lunch and dinner are more traditional Norweigan menus--tasty! You need to make reservations, which you can do by calling 1-800-WDW-DINE. They just changed reservations back to 180 days in advance as the EARLIEST you can make a reservation, but you can call anytime before your vacation to make a reservation. We are Disney freaks. :) I hope you guys have a good trip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amsunshine Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 I'm assuming you mean Disneyworld? If so, ignore my post. In Disney's California Adventure, Ariel's Grotto is a place where you can have a Princess Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner. You first get to take a picture with Ariel, and then several different princesses come around to your table during your meal. It is lovely. We had Cinderella, Belle, and Mulan circulate when we were there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 The two best ways to see princesses and not wait a long time.... Book a princess meal. Epcot has one in Norway that several princesses are at. There's Cinderella's Royal Table. There's 1900 Park Fare. But Epcot is the one with the most princesses at it. Another way....we do this often...Get to Magic Kingdom at rope drop (AKA the opening time). Hop on the railroad, take it around to Toon Town and get off there. Wait at the rope till Toon Town opens (it is usually a bit later than MK's opening). Usually Mickey is waiting there. We are often one of the few waiting there. Upon the opening of Toon Town walk directly (and quickly) towards the big "tent" where there are 3 different rooms for meeting characters. Each room has about 3 different characters so you pick which line to get in depending on which characters you want to see. Line 1 is usually something like Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto....Line 2 is usually princesses like Belle, Aurora, and Cinderella....and Line 3 I think is the Tinkerbell fairies. Get in the princess line and you are probably among the first there. Dont walk through the park to get to Toon Town, this is what everyone does. Most do not jump on the railroad and come around the other way. This way you'll fight fewer crowds and be closer to the character greeting area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cera Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 When we went I stood in the lines while dh sat and had lunch with the kids. By the time they were done I was near the front of the line and they rejoined me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 You can try heading there as soon as the gates open to minimize the line, but honestly, it's a bit of a crapshoot, and I've never, ever seen it without a line. We did the Norwegian castle, and it was great for the meeting-many-princesses part. But our party of four adults and two kids found the Norwegian food to be . . . rather disgusting, actually. We ordered four different adult plates, and didn't like any of them. We're Cajun, so it's not like we're not used to eating strange things :D. We were on the meal plan - - I think it took 2 meal vouchers instead of one, but there's so much food on the meal plan we didn't really mind. This was also back when tips were included on the meal plan; I would have been rather grumpier about it had I paid forty or fifty dollars for the tip (it's muy expensive), and I defnitely don't think it's worth paying if you don't have a meal plan. We did like the bread, *g*, and it's a great way to knock a lot of princesses off your list. Keep in mind that Ariel at the castle is not in mermaid form. Ariel at the grotto is rather more spectacular in appearance. Like the characters in Toon Town, she takes plenty of time to talk to the kids, and you have plenty of time to take your pictures. The first year we took our princess-mad girls, when they were 6 & 8, the excitement was worth the long wait. We also waited endlessly to meet Cinderalla outside her own castle, and to meet Snow White at Toon Town. Our second visit was great; we only had to wait endlessly for Tinkerbell! I think you'll find that you just have to split up occassionally. It's very easy to manage with cell phones. We have one brave dd and one scaredy-cat, so we split up a LOT, and there was still plenty of opportunity for the 'together' stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brenda in FL Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 Check out the princess character meal in Norway and then look for the rest of the princesses in the countries. DD got to see all the princesses in one afternoon this way - with no lines!! DH and DS spent the time we were at lunch at Innovations glorying in all the technology! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrganicAnn Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 My DD favorite princess is Ariel. She wasn't into meeting the princess or the characters but we thought if there was a chance to do Ariel we'd take it. We'd walk by the grotto and the line was always long. We were there one evening and the grotto closed at something like 7:00. We noticed as 7:00 neared the line decreased. At about 6:45 we made a decide to try. We were the last people to get in line and then the closed the line. It only took about a 10 minute wait. We didn't feel pressure to move on because of people waiting behind us. We brought a dopplefinder (?) fork. It was well okay it was Magical. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.