Meeting characters is a big part of going to Disney Parks for many visitors. Even people more excited about rides or the experience overall will want to include a character meet or appearance of some kind. If you have kids in your travel party, meeting characters might be the main excitement. There's something special about taking around an autograph book and having characters sign it. Taking pictures with them and talking to them makes core memories for little ones. Meeting Mickey Mouse for the first time is worthy of its own page in the scrapbook. So where can you find Disney characters in the parks? Do they just walk around or do you have to wait in line? Where are the Disney character meals? Disney characters are part of some of the happiest memories on trips. Let's take a look at what characters are at each park at Disney World and where you can find them exactly.

What Characters are at Disney World theme parks?

A Quick Guide to the Characters at Each Park at Disney World

The four theme parks at Walt Disney World Resort all have different characters you can meet. Some have themed indoor, settings that look like where they are from. Others meet outside with more casual backdrops or backgrounds. They typically do not wander like they do at Disneyland. Characters at Disney World are more organized. Even if they just pop up outside, a character attendant will help guests form a line.

Related: Where to find Encanto at Disney World

Disney says entertainment is subject to change and we do see character offerings switched up every year or so. There may be additional, seasonal friends in the parks when a new movie launches or during a holiday like Independence Day. Find meeting times, places and more on your trip in the My Disney Experience app for the most up to date information.

What characters are at Magic Kingdom?

• Tomorrowland: Character greeting near Buzz Lightyear's Star Command
• Fantasyland: Enchanted Tales with Belle interactive show experience
• Fantasyland: Meet Ariel at Her Grotto
• Adventureland: Meet characters from Aladdin
• Storybook Circus: Meet Disney pals as Circus Stars at Pete's Silly Sideshow
• Main Street U.S.A.: Meet Mickey at Town Square Theater
• Fantasyland: Meet Mirabel at Fairytale Garden
• Fantasyland: Meet Peter Pan
• Fantasyland: Meet Cinderella and a visiting princess at Princess Fairytale Hall
• Fantasyland: Meet Princess Tiana and a visiting princess at Princess Fairytale Hall
• Fantasyland: Meet Winnie the Pooh and Tigger at The Thotful Spot

Magic Kingdom Characters in Parades and Shows

There are also a few shows and experiences where you can see characters but not meet or interact with them personally at Magic Kingdom. This might be a better way to introduce shy children to the idea of characters. There's little to no investment in a passing parade or cavalcade and you can move on if they don't like the idea.

Let The Magic Begin Characters

The Let the Magic Begin welcome show happens before, and as, the park opens on the castle stage. Mickey and his pals welcome guests in this short, five minute show. Let the Magic Begin starts five minutes before the park officially opens. You'll need to be well into the park down Main Street U.S.A. before the park opens to experience it. On a day when Magic Kingdom opens at 8:00 a.m., the show would happen at 7:55 a.m. Check the day of your visit. Friends might include:

• Mickey
• Minnie
• Donald
• Daisy
• Goofy
• Rapunzel
• Tiana
• Olaf

Mickey's Magical Friendship Faire Characters

Characters also appear in the stage show Mickey's Magical Friendship Faire in front of Cinderella Castle throughout the day. You may see:

• Mickey
• Minnie
• Donald
• Daisy
• Goofy
• Naveen
• Tiana
• Louis the alligator
• Elsa
• Anna
• Olaf
• Rapunzel
• Flynn

Festival of Fantasy Parade Characters

The Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade moves through the park from next to Tiana's Bayou Adventure in Frontierland to Main Street U.S.A. every afternoon. This has many floats showcasing different Disney characters around Magic Kingdom. Mostly in this order, you might see:

• Belle
• Beast
• Cinderella
• Prince Charming
• Elsa 
• Anna
• Tiana
• Naveen
• Rapunzel
• Flynn
• Ulf
• Ariel
• Wendy
• The Lost Boys
• Peter Pan
• Captain Hook
• Tinker Bell
• Mr. Smee
• Prince Phillip
• Flora
• Fauna
• Merryweather
• Maleficent dragon
• Bashful
• Doc
• Dopey
• Grumpy
• Happy
• Sleepy
• Sneezy
• Snow White
• Mad Hatter
• Alice
• Jiminy Cricket
• Pinocchio
• Donald Duck
• Pluto
• Goofy
• Chip
• Dale
• Daisy Duck
• Mickey Mouse
• Minnie Mouse

Disney Character Meals at Magic Kingdom

The Disney character meals at Magic Kingdom are some of the most popular. Make sure to book in advance if these are something you want to experience.

Cinderella's Royal Table

Dine inside Cinderella Castle where Disney Princesses await. 

Crystal Palace

Winnie the Pooh and his friends are celebrating friendship in this fancy, turn of the century style setting.

What characters are at Epcot?

• United Kingdom: a friend from the Hundred Acre Wood like Winnie the Pooh
• United Kingdom: Alice in the garden
• Norway: Anna and Elsa at Royal Sommerhus
• World Showcase Plaza area: Asha from Wish in a gazebo
• Near Epcot Main Entrance: Pluto
• France: Belle on the water
• France: Princess Aurora in a gazebo
• Communicore Hall area: Mickey & Friends indoor meet and greet
• Mexico: Donald Duck
• China: Mulan
• Morocco: Princess Jasmine
• Germany: Snow White
• World Discovery: Star Lord
• World Nature: Moana

Also see: Moana at Disney World

Disney Character Meals at Epcot

Akershus Royal Banquet Hall

This is another chance to meet Disney royalty. The Disney Princesses meet guests at Akershus.

Garden Grill Restaurant

Enjoy some hearty food served family style at your table and a visit from some classic Disney characters like Mickey and Pluto.

What characters are at Hollywood Studios?

• Galaxy's Edge: First Order Searches for the Resistance
• Meet Ariel at Walt Disney Presents
• Meet Disney Stars, Starlet Minnie and Sorcerer Mickey, at Red Carpet Dreams
• Meet Olaf at Celebrity Spotlight
• Meet Edna Mode at the Edna Mode Experience
• Meet Joy at Pixar Plaza
• Meet Frozone at Pixar Plaza
• Meet Mr. Incredible at Pixar Plaza
• Meet Mrs. Incredible at Pixar Plaza
• Toy Story Land: Meet Woody
• Toy Story Land: Meet Bo Peep
• Animation Courtyard: Meet Fancy Nancy outside of Disney Jr. Play and Dance!
• Animation Courtyard: Meet Doc McStuffins outside of Disney Jr. Play and Dance!
• Animation Courtyard: Meet Vampirina outside of Disney Jr. Play and Dance!
• Animation Courtyard: Meet BB-8 at Star Wars Launch Bay
• Animation Courtyard: Meet Darth Vader at Star Wars Launch Bay
• Animation Courtyard: Meet Chewbacca at Star Wars Launch Bay

See Characters at Hollywood Studios from a Distance

If members in your party just like to see characters and not meet them, there are some options at Hollywood Studios.

Fantasmic! Characters

The nightly Fantasmic! show is the way to go. Mostly in this order, you might see:

• Mickey Mouse in various outfits
• Mulan
• Aladdin
• Elsa from Frozen 2
• Moana
• Belle
• Beast
• Ariel
• Prince Eric
• Snow White
• Her Prince
• Evil Queen
• Witch from Snow White
• Maleficent dragon
• Tiana 
• Naveen
• Pluto
• Chip
• Dale
• Pinocchio
• Gepetto
• Pocahontas
• Meeko
• Jasmine
• Mary Poppins
• Rafiki
• Stitch
• Bashful
• Doc
• Dopey
• Grumpy
• Happy
• Sleepy
• Sneezy

For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration

See Elsa, Anna and Kristoff in For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration. This is one of a few places you can see Frozen at Disney World.

During the holiday season, Olaf is in the show too, wearing his bowtie from Olaf's Frozen Adventure.

Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage Characters 

You can also see quite a few characters in the Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage show including:

• Lumiere
• Cogsworth
• Mrs. Potts
• Chip
• Gaston
• Belle
• Beast

Disney Junior Play and Dance!

Little travelers will love this one. At Disney Junior Play and Dance! you might see these characters on stage:

• Doc McStuffins
• Vampirina
• Timon
• Mickey Mouse 

Star Tours – The Adventures Continue

You can see R2-D2 and C-3PO in the queue at Star Tours – The Adventures Continue.

Green Army Drum Corps

You can see the plastic heroes from Toy Story in the Green Army Drum Corps show in Toy Story Land.

Disney Character Meals at Hollywood Studios

Hollywood & Vine

At Hollywood & Vine in the Echo Lake area of Disney's Hollywood Studios, you can have breakfast with Disney Junior Stars or enjoy lunch or dinner with Minnie and friends. The lunch and dinner seatings at Hollywood & Vine have seasonal themes and the characters outfits change throughout the year.

What characters are at Animal Kingdom?

Though this park focuses on animal experiences, there are a few characters to meet! Many of these are outdoors and weather dependent.

• Discovery Island: Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse in safari outfits at Adventurers Outpost
• Discovery Island: Moana at Character Landing
• Discovery Island: Pocahontas may be around the Discovery Island Trails
• Discovery Island and Asia: Kevin and Dug from Up may be spotted roaming freely
• Rafiki's Planet Watch: Meet Timon and Rafiki at Conservation Station

Disney Character Meals Animal Kingdom

It can be quite hot at Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park. A nice character meal can help break up being outdoors and get some character interactions into your day. 

Tusker House Restaurant

In Africa, Tusker House Restaurant has host Donald Duck and his friends Mickey, Goofy and others in their safari outfits.

Characters in Shows at Animal Kingdom

Festival of the Lion King

The Festival of The Lion King show celebrates the best of the animated film. Live singers and dancers perform and a few characters from the movie appear on floats.

• Timon
• Pumba
• Simba

Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond!

This stage show tells the story of Nemo's adventure in the big blue. Lots of friends are on stage and some even venture into the audience briefly.

• Nemo
• Marlin
• Dory
• Mr. Ray
• Crush
• Squirt
• Bruce
• Peach
• Bloat
• Deb
• Gill

Characters at Disney World FAQs

Do characters walk around at Disney World?

If you've visited Disneyland, you may be familiar with seeing Disney characters casually around the parks. At Disney World, things are a bit more organized when you meet a character. Even the ones that meet outside typically have a designated space with a queue. Many characters at Disney World meet indoors. The hot weather, humidity and regular rainstorms make indoor meet and greets the most practical for Florida. 

You may see characters walking around Epcot. From time to time, many random characters will come out to visit with guests in the America pavilion. Next to the Regal Eagle Smokehouse quick service restaurant there's a gate and a wide path to it where characters may be spotted coming or going. There's also a path behind a fence that's sometimes open in between the United Kingdom and Canada pavilions. You may see a collection of characters meeting here too though these are at random and times aren't announced.

Are there Disney character meals not in parks?

Some of the best vacation memories are made at character meals. There are some inside the parks but there are also a few Disney character meals at resorts. The resort character meals can be quite helpful in making the most of your time in the parks. If you have a pool day or Disney Springs day, adding a character meal can totally enhance it. This is especially helpful for meeting popular characters who typically have a long line at the parks.

Will Disney characters sign things?

Many Disney characters do sign autograph books and such. Sometimes they have their own card with their signature to give instead. Ask the attendant when you arrive.

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