Finding Princesses at Disney World: Aurora

 

Photo Courtesy of Walt Disney World

For the B Family, all roads at Disney lead to royalty.

If you’ve got little princesses of your own, chances are their number one priority is going to be meeting other princess, be they mermaids, magic carpet riding, or born with freezing powers.

The good news is, Walt Disney World makes it very achievable to encounter as many of your favorite princesses as you’d like! Across the four parks, princesses have meet and greets and dine with subjects. The locations will vary, with some princesses meeting indoors for the entire day, and others meeting outdoors during a specific time slot. Some princesses seem to be everywhere, while a few only meet in one place.

But that’s not all! You can also indulge your royal side with a princess meal at a deluxe resort, or ride their attraction 700 times, or watch their Broadway style stage shows, or wave to them as they parade by. The princess possibilities are so much more than just a meet and greet. You can fashion entire park days, even entire vacations, around your little one’s favorite princesses. By knowing where your favorite princesses are, you can craft the perfect plan to meet them all before you turn into a pumpkin.

Aurora, the Sleeping Beauty

Photo Courtesy of Hong Kong Disneyland

Ride: None.

Show: None.

Meets: Aurora meets in the France Pavilion in the World Showcase at Epcot throughout the day. Be sure to check the character times guide.

FastPass: No.

Parade: Kinda? Maleficient, Prince Phillip, and the three Good Fairies are all featured in the Festival of Fantasy Parade at the Magic Kingdom. I guess Princess Aurora is getting her beauty sleep, because she does not appear.

Photo Courtesy of DisneyParks Blog

Dining Options: Here we go! Aurora is one of the rotating princesses at Cinderella’s Royal Table in the Magic Kingdom AND Akershus in Epcot, both of which serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

But if you really want some fact time with the lady in pink (and blue!) you’ve got to check out the Perfectly Princess Tea at the Grand Floridian. For a fee, young royals can have a breakfast tea with Aurora, receive a magical gift, and be pampered like the royalty they are. There are a certain number of spots and the Perfectly Princess Tea is only offered a few days a week, so be sure to make a reservation.

Bonus Naps: Heading to Disney Springs? Grab a quick pic with Her Royal Sleepiness.

And while you’re at Disney Springs, be sure to check out the awe inspiring Lego Maleficent.

You can also stop by Castle Couture shop, located in Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom to take a picture with Aurora’s color changing dress. While it changes color! Make it blue!

My Take: It’s hard out there for a Briar Rose fan. Despite the fact that she heads up one of the classic Disney fairy tales, there isn’t a lot of Aurora in the Florida parks. Things are a little different out in California, where the main castle at Disneyland is Sleeping Beauty’s.

But hope is not lost! Sleeping Beauty fans will definitely enjoy the Festival of Fantasy Parade, since the main set piece is the Maleficent Dragon, who breathes actual fire. Prince Phillip gets a cool moment to fight the dragon and three good fairies pop up. And there are lots of little touches here and there (like the color changing dress at Castle Couture) that are fun.

But if your gal is a ride or die Sleeping Beauty fan, then Epcot is going to be your best bet. While Akershus is a gamble (the princesses rotate daily and there is no guarantee who you will see), Aurora can usually be found in the France pavilion from the late morning to late afternoon. Since this is the only place to reliably meet her, the lines can get pretty long.

If you’ve got an extra $334, the Perfectly Princess Tea is a great option. There’s music, story telling, a princess parade by the participants, tea, cakes, and an appearance by Aurora. While the price is steep, it does include admission for one adult to accompany their princess and comes with treasury worth of gifts. Your little princess will take home an 18 inch Aurora dressed in pink gown (about the size of an American Girl Doll), a princess tiara, a silver princess bracelet, a princess necklace, a fresh rose, a best friend certificate for their new doll, a sticker page, and a princess cinch bag to keep it all stored. These kind of hard ticketed “extra” events may seem pricey, but in addition to a meal and a variety of gifts, what you’re really paying for is one on one time with a character. There is limited space for these events, so your child is getting considerable one one one time with a character in an exclusive environment, which is pretty rare. It might not be for everyone, but if you’ve got a huge Aurora fan, or even a princess you just want to pamper, this could be just the thing.

While Aurora doesn’t have a big ride or fancy Broadway style show, she does have some beautifully detailed, unique moments and experiences throughout the parks. You just gotta know where to look.

Is Aurora your favorite princess? What is your favorite Aurora experience? What Sleeping Beauty themed activity would you like to see at Disney World? Tell me all about it in the comments!

Kristen B. is wife to the best Prince around, mama to the spunkiest little princesses, and lover of all things Disney. She started her savings journey five years ago and is now dedicated to making her family’s wishes come true one coupon at a time. She is so excited to take her love of saving to the next level and share her journey with you! Click here to catch up on Kristen’s Savings and join in on your own savings adventure!