SummaryWhether you’re a tadpole or a grown-up frog, meeting and seeing your favorite Disney characters brought to life is a memorable and magical experience. I’ll never forget the looks on Tad and Lily’s faces when they each met Mickey and Minnie for the first time! A quick chat and photo can brighten anyone’s day — and even become a major highlight of the entire trip. While spending the day at the parks, the traditional meet-and-greet (back in most locations, as of April 18, 2022!) is easily the most popular photo-op and personalized interaction. However, it’s not the only way to have fun with the characters! In this guide, we’ll reveal the different types of characters, which characters you'll find in each park and tips for making the most out of these special moments. Show
Hop ToCharacter experiences have been limited over the past two years, but are continuing to return back to normal. Besides cavalcades, boat flotillas, character dining and surprise sightings, traditional meet-and-greets are making a comeback! As of April 18, 2022, Disney World has reintroduced traditional character greetings, so you can now go in for the hug with many of your favorite characters! Locations continue to reopen in phases — recently returned is Star Wars Launch Bay in Disney's Hollywood Studios, as well as the debut of the ever-popular Mirabel from "Encanto" in a Magic Kingdom cavalcade! As of Sept. 4, "Donald's Dino-Bash" at Disney's Animal Kingdom returns with Donald, Daisy and Chip 'n' Dale in their adorable Dino outfits! Debuting on the same day is a new Adventure Flotilla, featuring either Launchpad McQuack and Scrooge McDuck or Russell and Dug. This guide dives into all of the deets about traditional character greetings and experiences, as well as all the locations to see your favorite character. Types of Disney World CharactersAt the Disney World theme parks and resorts, you’ll find two types of characters: face characters and fur characters. Face characters take on a fully-human form and look like real people, complete with wigs and makeup, while fur characters have a mascot-style costume with oversized heads. Face characters include all of the Disney princesses and princes, as well as live-action characters including Jack Sparrow and Mary Poppins — just to name a few. Fur characters are typically animal or nonhuman characters, such as Disney’s Fab Five, the Toy Story gang and Chewbacca. But there are some "human" fur characters, most notably the Incredible family and Carl and Russell from "Up." Pretty self-explanatory, right? It’s important to point out that face characters can talk, but fur characters can only communicate through body language, gestures and actions. Consequently, the interactions will be quite different. Because the fur characters can’t engage in conversation, some tadpoles could find them more intimidating than the face characters. Not to fear! We have an entire post with additional tips to help tadpoles overcome those initial hesitations and fears. Once Lily got over her shyness, she then hit me with the big question: "Mickey talks on TV. Why won’t he talk to me?" It can be a tough one to answer, but it’s toadally up to you (and you'll want to consider your tadpole’s age and maturity level). Lily was still pretty young when she asked, so to keep the Disney magic going, I simply told her that Mickey would lose his voice if he talked to everyone. But with Tad, who was older when he first asked, I turned it into more of a "teachable moment" that actions speak louder than words. I explained how Mickey prefers not to talk so he can show how much he enjoys spending time with guests. Traditional Meet-and-Greets with Disney World CharactersThe traditional meet-and-greet is by far the most personal way to interact with Disney World characters. Even though it only lasts for a few moments, the character has all of their attention on you. Plus, you get the best photo-op whether you use your own camera or the Disney PhotoPass service. Since you’ll be taking lots of pictures, get creative with poses. Pretend you’re surfing with Stitch or shooting an arrow with Merida. As of April 18, traditional character greetings are back in most locations, so you can get that Mickey hug in! Don’t be afraid to engage with them! The Disney characters want to participate in the experience of a meet-and-greet, and they'll find ways to get you involved. We've found that making the most of the experience comes with being prepared. This is as simple as asking Mickey, "Where's Pluto?" Or saying to Snow White, "Who is your favorite of the dwarves?" Taking it up a level, ask Chip 'n' Dale, "Which one of you is Chip?" Or say to the ever-jealous Donald, "I've wanted to ask you this for a while ... where can I find Goofy?" Ask Belle for book recommendations, or quiz Jasmine about what Raja is up to. When Mommy Frog once commented on Flynn Rider's tall height, he told us his stature was extra hopful in his former life as a thief (and did a live demonstration of how it helped him reach trinkets on the tippy-top shelf). Think about what would get a Disney character to play along, and get ready to ask some questions. It will truly be more memorable than the photo or autograph! For the more popular Disney characters, you’ll typically find them in a designated spot, and the Times Guide and My Disney Experience app will list the times they show up so that you can always double-check the day of your trip. If it’s an inside location, the characters will stay for longer periods of time. If it’s an outdoor location, the characters will be there intermittently throughout the day. Here’s a brief breakdown of the character sightings and the traditional greeting locations by theme park so you don’t miss them! Disney World Characters at Magic KingdomMagic Kingdom hosts the most variety of characters, with many of the Disney princesses, members of the Fab Five and Winnie the Pooh and friends. The characters can be seen traveling down Main Street in the Festival of Fantasy parade or cavalcades or greeting from throughout the park. Check the My Disney Experience app for showtimes. Many characters returned to their regular locations over the summer, and we even have the Disney World debut of Mirabel in the Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade (Time to listen to "Encanto for the thousandth time)! Indoor traditional meet-and-greets:
Outdoor character sightings (intermittently):
Parade and cavalcades:
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Disney World Characters at Disney's Animal KingdomAt Animal Kingdom, you’ll find a couple of unique character greetings, with lots of characters that can only be seen at this park! On Sept. 4, Donald and friends return to "Donald's Dino-Bash!" in DinoLand U.S.A., as well as a new Adventure Flotilla featuring either Launchpad McQuack and Scrooge McDuck or Russell and Dug. Indoor traditional meet-and-greets:
Character flotillas:
Outdoor character sightings (intermittently):
Traditional character greetings (currently unavailable):
Disney World Characters at EPCOTWe love meeting the characters at EPCOT because you can find many of them in World Showcase stationed at the countries they’re originally from! Plus EPCOT is the only park with a character greeting location for Anna and Elsa from "Frozen" at Royal Sommerhus in Norway. Indoor traditional meet-and-greets:
Outdoor character sightings (intermittently):
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Disney World Characters at Disney's Hollywood StudiosListen up, "Toy Story" and "Star Wars" fans! With the additions of Toy Story Land and Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, Hollywood Studios is the best park to interact with a lot of your favorite characters. Star Wars Launch Bay recently reopened where you can meet Chewbacca, BB-8 and Darth Vader. And soon characters will return to Toy Story Land! Plus, characters in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge are back to roaming around, so you never know who you'll see in Black Spire Outpost. Indoor traditional meet-and-greets:
Outdoor character sightings (intermittently):
Character motorcades:
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Dining with Disney World CharactersFor a large selection of characters in one stop, it’s worth considering a character dining experience. These meals offer you a slight time advantage. Why wait 45 minutes for one character when the same amount of time at a character meal could get you multiple greeting opportunities? Plus you have mealtime covered, and for some spots, you don’t even have to leave your resort if you’re staying on-site! The downside is the price tag, which is definitely more than counter-service dining. Your time with the characters is also limited. With 40+ tables to cover, they can't linger with you for too long. Some character dining locations are not currently offering characters, while others have returned to traditional greetings, such as Topolino's Terrace at Disney's Riviera Resort. If you decide to dine with Disney World characters, we’ve ranked our favorite Disney World character dining experiences, as there are plenty of options to choose from. Once you pick out your own favorite, be sure to make reservations in advance! Some locations, such as Cinderella’s Royal Table, are very popular and may even be booked out a full 60 days ahead. Other Unique Experiences with Disney World CharactersSo, maybe your tadpole is shy or you’d rather wait in lines for rides, but you still think the trip would be incomplete without Disney World characters. The parks have plenty of other opportunities to see them in action! Parades Daily parades at Magic Kingdom have been going on since the opening of the park, and Disney switches it up every few years to bring in new characters and festive floats. The most recent daily parade is the Festival of Fantasy Parade, which debuted in 2014. Lily absolutely loves waving to the Disney princesses and beloved characters, including the Fab Five, Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland and more. Special events, such as the Halloween and holiday parties, offer fun, party-exclusive parades to celebrate the holidays. The Festival of Fantasy parade recently returned to Magic Kingdom. Check out our guide for the best parade viewing spots! Shows With an abundance of rides and meet-and-greets, sometimes the shows get overlooked, but they can be perfect for a much-needed break in the day (trust me, your feet get tired!). Of course, our favorites usually star a Disney character or two.
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More Tips for Interacting with Disney World CharactersNow that you know all of the different ways you can interact with Disney characters and where to find them, here are some extra tips to make the actual process of finding and meeting them as smooth and efficient as possible.
These are our Frog Family-tested Disney World character meeting tips, but we're sure there are more. What was your Disney World character meeting experience like? Do you have any favorite tips? Share in the comments below. Related: All of the ~Frogtastic~ Places to Find Mickey at Disney World Related: Your Royally Good Guide to Finding Princesses at Disney World Hoppy planning! What characters can you meet at Animal Kingdom 2022?Where to Meet Characters at Animal Kingdom. Discovery River Character Cruise – Pocahontas usually featuring Pochantas and Meeko.. Discovery River Cruise – The Lion King featuring Timon and Rafiki.. Donald's Dino Bash Flotilla featuring Donald, Daisy, and Launchpad McQuack.. Are there character meet and greets at Animal Kingdom?Characters to Meet at Animal Kingdom. The characters at Animal Kingdom are located throughout the park with the majority in DinoLand U.S.A. or the Discovery Island area of the park. Be sure to check the Walt Disney World app for the most up-to-date character times and meetings. Due to the pandemic these have changed.
How many characters are at Animal Kingdom?The Animal Kingdom theme park at Walt Disney World Florida has limited opportunities to meet characters compared to other Disney parks in Orlando. But Animal Kingdom offers some unique opportunities to meet animal-themed characters that you can't find anywhere else.
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