All You Need to Know About Disney World

Whether 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 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.

Right now, character experiences have been limited but are slowly returning back to normal! Over the past year, we've been able to interact with them in new ways, including cavalcades, motorcades, flotillas, surprise sightings (socially distanced outdoors) and modified character dining. Those will continue to hoppen, but guess what?! You can now have individualized time with some characters in an indoor, themed location. That means the Disney princesses are returning to Princess Fairytale Hall, Minnie Mouse at Red Carpet Dreams and the Disney Junior pals in Animation Courtyard. Mickey Mouse is also sporting his EARidescent look at Town Square Theater. We were so hoppy to see Mickey and the princesses again in their regular areas!

It isn't quite time for hugs and autographs just yet, but you can certainly snap a themed pic or two and have their attention all on you! This guide dives into all of thedeets about traditional character greetings (currently known as sightings) and experiences, so not everything will apply. But as Princess Tiana says, we're almost there!

Types of Characters | Character Dining | Other Character Experiences | Tips | Comments

Meet-and-Greet Locations by Park: Magic Kingdom | EPCOT | Disney's Hollywood Studios | Disney's Animal Kingdom

Types of Disney World Characters

At 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 Characters

The 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.

With the new indoor character sightings, guests can get personalized interactions again. Even though there is distance, the characters do a great job of having those individual conversations. Remember that masks are currently required indoors and must stay on at all times, even for photos. Lily got excited when taking a photo with Cinderella and took her mask off, so we had to gently remind her to keep it on. Note that there isn't a PhotoPass photographer stationed at these new character sightings, so you'll have to use your own phone or camera.

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 Disney Parks 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. Currently, some character sightings are random and not listed in the app so you'll want to keep an eye out, but the new indoor locations are structured similarly to the traditional character meet-and-greet. Here's a brief breakdown of the new character sightings and the traditional greeting locations by theme park so you don't miss them!

Disney World Characters at Magic Kingdom

Magic 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 cavalcades or greeting from atop the train station. Check the My Disney Experience app for cavalcade showtimes. Magic Kingdom is also home to some of the new distanced, indoor character sightings!

Current indoor character sightings:

• Mickey Mouse at Town Square Theater (in his new EARidescent outfit)
• Cinderella and Elena at Princess Fairytale Hall
• Rapunzel and Tiana at Princess Fairytale Hall

Character cavalcades:

• The Royal Princess Processional: Merida, Rapunzel, Tiana, Aurora, Ariel, Belle, Elena, Jasmine, Mulan, Snow White, Cinderella and the Fairy Godmother
• Mickey & Friends 50th Celebration Cavalcade: Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy, Donald, Daisy, Chip, Dale and parade dancers
• Magic Kingdom Cavalcade: Gaston, Moana, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Aladdin and Mary Poppins
• Disney Friends Cavalcade: Max, Clarabelle Cow, Stitch, José Carioca, Panchito and parade dancers
• Tinker Bell & the Lost Treasure: Tinker Bell

Traditional character greetings (currently unavailable):

• Ariel at Ariel's Grotto
• Aladdin and Jasmine in Adventureland
• Mary Poppins at Liberty Square Gazebo
• Minnie, Goofy and Donald Duck at Pete's Silly Side Show
• Merida at Fairytale Garden
• Buzz Lightyear in Tomorrowland

Disney World Characters at Disney's Animal Kingdom

At Animal Kingdom, you'll find a couple of unique character greetings, with lots of characters that can only be seen at this park! With indoor character sightings slowly returning to other parks, we hope they will come back soon to this wild park.

Character flotillas:

• Timon and Rafiki
• Pocahontas with John Smith or Meeko
• Donald, Daisy, Launchpad McQuack
• Goofy and Chip 'n' Dale
• Mickey, Minnie and Pluto

Traditional character greetings (currently unavailable):

• Mickey and Minnie (in safari gear) at Adventurers Outpost
• Chip 'n' Dale at DinoLand
• Donald Duck at DinoLand
• Goofy at DinoLand
• Pluto at DinoLand
• Launchpad McQuack at DinoLand
• Scrooge McDuck at DinoLand
• Rafiki and Timon at Character Landing on Discovery Island

Disney World Characters at EPCOT

We 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.

Random outdoor character sightings:

• Elsa or Anna in Norway
• Snow White in Germany
• Jasmine in Morocco
• Mulan in China
• Belle or Aurora in France
• Alice in Wonderland and Mary Poppins in the United Kingdom
• Joy or Winnie the Pooh near Journey into the Imagination with Figment
• Mickey and friends near Spaceship Earth

Traditional character greetings (currently unavailable):

• Donald Duck in Mexico
• Vanellope and Ralph at ImageWorks

Disney World Characters at Disney's Hollywood Studios

Listen up, "Toy Story" and "Star Wars" fans! With the additions of Toy Story Land andStar Wars: Galaxy's Edge, Hollywood Studios is the best park to interact with a lot of your favorite characters.

Character sightings (coming in November):

• Minnie Mouse at Red Carpet Dreams
• Disney Junior Pals at Animation Courtyard

Random outdoor character sightings:

• One or two of Mickey and friends will appear on a balcony near Oscar's Super Service
• One or two of Mickey and friends will appear in the grass area near The Hollywood Brown Derby (we've seen Chip 'n' Dale having a picnic and Pluto playing with a bone)
• Max or Goofy will appear by Echo Lake
• Kylo Ren and Stormtroopers near First Order Cargo
• Rey, Chewbacca and Vi Moradi across from Droid Depot

Character motorcades:

• Mickey & Friends Motorcade: Mickey, Minnie, Donald Duck, Daisy, Pluto and Chip 'n' Dale
• Pixar Motorcade: Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl, Edna Mode, Sulley, Green Army Soldiers, Woody, Jessie and Buzz Lightyear

Traditional character greetings (currently unavailable):

• Olaf at Echo Lake
• Mickey (in his sorcerer's robe) and Minnie at Red Carpet Dreams
• Sulley from "Monsters Inc." at Animation Courtyard
• Pluto at Animation Courtyard
• Chip 'n' Dale at Sid Cahuenga's One-of-a-Kind
• Mr. and Mrs. Incredible and Edna Mode at Pixar Place

Dining with Disney World Characters

For 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 distanced ones.

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 Characters

So, 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 (currently unavailable)

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 was 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 Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party or Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, offer fun, party-exclusive parades to celebrate the holidays.

Festival of Fantasy Parade has not returned yet, but Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime Parade will be available during Disney Very Merriest After Hours this holiday season.

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.

• For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration at Disney's Hollywood Studios — It's time to belt out "Let It Go!" The Royal Historians of Arendelle recount the story of their kingdom with a little bit of help from Anna, Kristoff and Elsa. (Even Olaf makes a special appearance during the holiday season!)
• Beauty and the Beast — Live on Stage also at Disney's Hollywood Studios takes you through a tale as old as time. This Broadway-style show takes you through Belle's iconic story, with plenty of musical fun! Although the show is marked a little differently now due to social distancing, we are so hoppy to see this musical again.

Currently unavailable:

• Mickey's Royal Friendship Faire at Magic Kingdom — This outdoor musical stage show in front of Cinderella Castle brings many characters together, including Mickey, Minnie, Rapunzel, Flynn, Tiana, Anna, Elsa and Olaf.
• Enchanted Tales with Belle at Magic Kingdom — While more of an interactive experience than a show, Enchanted Tales with Belle is a good pick for tadpoles who want to live their own "Beauty and the Beast" story. Guests are invited into Belle's cottage, where they're given the chance to play a role in a live re-enactment of her story, culminating in the chance for each guest to meet Belle herself. PhotoPass photographers are on-site to capture the enchanted moments.
• UP! A Great Bird Adventure at Disney's Animal Kingdom — Learn all about exotic birds with Russell and Dug from "Up." Just be prepared to duck your head when the birds fly into the audience!

More Tips for Interacting with Disney World Characters

Now 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. (Note that some of these tips are for character meet-and-greets during normal operations).

• It can be tempting to leap at the first sign of a Disney character your little one needs to see. Many people will stop and see the characters when they first pass by earlier in the day, causing long lines. For those characters who have all-day meeting times (i.e. Mickey Mouse and the princesses at Magic Kingdom), consider waiting until later in the afternoon or evening. By waiting until later, fewer people are passing these areas for the first time and are more apt to carry on with their magical day.
• If there's a character you want to see and you know where the meeting place and time will be, line up before the character arrives. Nothing draws a crowd (and a line) at Disney like a character. Arriving a few minutes early and hanging around or waiting in line before the character appears can save you time later. This worked well for us when we met Alice at the United Kingdom pavilion in EPCOT. The fact that Mary Poppins was still out nearby helped to further draw people away from the Alice meeting spot.
• Watch for "unlisted" characters. Not all of the Disney characters or character meeting spots are listed in the Times Guide. We hoppened to find Fairy Godmother along with Anastasia and Drizella next to Cinderella Castle, near the Cinderella fountain. These characters were only available to meet until around 1 p.m. that day. Score!
• If there are two characters using the same meeting spot but switching off every half-hour, you can be the first in line to see the next character if you tell the cast member assisting the characters that you want to do this. For example, while other guests were seeing Anastasia and Drizella, I checked with the assisting cast member about being the first to see Fairy Godmother, who would be coming out next. She told me just to wait at the end of the line and to let people go ahead of me until she gave me the signal. Like magic, we were able to see Fairy Godmother at the start of her last appearance of the day.
• An often-overlooked Disney character interaction is taking the time to chat with the various Streetmosphere characters (currently unavailable). Part improv and part scripted show, these performers give the park a "lived-in" feel. In Magic Kingdom, you'll find the Citizens of Main Street — the Mayor, Socialite, Suffragette and Fire Chief. At Disney's Hollywood Studios, rub elbows with the Citizens of Hollywood — aspiring stars, directors, acting coaches and more from Hollywood's Golden Era. These citizens have much more flexibility and time for interactions, so striking up a conversation is well worth your time.

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!

All You Need to Know About Disney World

Source: https://www.undercovertourist.com/blog/disney-world-character-greeting-tips/

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