This article is your complete guide to Disney World characters 2025. If you’re looking for a Disney World character for a princess lover, a Disney classic, or even forest friends like Pooh Bear or new characters like Mirabel, we’ve met them all! So, if you want to learn more, keep reading!
SPECIAL NOTE: If you’re looking for the best time to visit Disney World, check out our Disney Crowd calendar!
Whether you’re walking down Main Street, U.S.A., or dining at one of the signature restaurants, Disney park characters truly enhance the magic of your vacation. We’ve all grown up seeing these iconic characters in our favorite Disney films that have stood the test of time. That’s why we truly love characters at Walt Disney World who bring the magic to life from our childhoods.
You can’t have a more authentic experience than meeting characters at Disney World, as even when you see them in the parks, it feels like they’re real! That’s what makes Disney so special, and why we can’t wait to help you plan out your perfect Disney character meet and greet list with this article.
Guests can also take pictures, give a quick hug, or even get an autograph from their favorite Disney characters at Disney World. On a regular day in any of the four Walt Disney World theme parks, you can expect to find the following characters:
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Buzz Lightyear doesn’t have your typical meet and greet in Magic Kingdom; it is more of a character sighting. If you’re a person who likes to wave hi and snap a picture, make sure to head over to the Tomorrowland Plaza Stage.
One of our favorite characters to meet at Disney World is the iconic Tigger and Winnie the Pooh character spot, which is perfect! Right next to the queue of The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is an adorable storybook backdrop where you can meet these two characters. The line is typically long due to how popular it is.
You can find Peter Pan in his usual home in front of the Never Land map near Peter Pan Flight’s attraction. If you want to look for the various times that Peter Pan is meeting throughout the day, make sure to check the My Disney Experience app for details.
The Country Bears are one of the more interesting meet and greets in Magic Kingdom, as you can find them in Frontierland roaming or even sometimes on the balcony near the attraction. You typically will not find this meet and greet in the app, so make sure to keep your eyes peeled when heading through Frontierland.
Captain Jack Sparrow does have a usual meet and greet spot on the Adventureland Stage, which is across from the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. What makes him one of the more interesting Disney characters at Magic Kingdom is that he wanders around Adventureland for random interactions with guests. You never know when you might run into Captain Jack Sparrow, and we think that’s extra magical.
Probably the most iconic Disney World character meet and greet is the Mickey and Minnie character spot in the Main Street Theater. Right now, since the 50th Anniversary Celebration is underway, you can meet the duo in their special 50th Anniversary outfits.
If you’re in Adventureland near Aloha Aisle, you will find a colorful and bright meet-and-greet spot to say hi or snap a picture with Princess Jasmine and Aladdin. Since Aladdin and Jasmine are some of the more rare Disney characters, this tends to be a very popular meet spot. Make sure to check your My Disney Experience app to make sure you catch a scheduled time.
This meet-and-greet for Mirabel is the newest at Magic Kingdom and has a beautiful setting in the park. Right on the front steps of the vibrant Casita, guests can meet their favorite magical girl, Mirabel. Since it is a newer meet and greet, expect the line to be long.
There are many different spots where you can meet the Disney princesses at Disney World in Magic Kingdom.
The Festival of the Fantasy Parade is the daily parade that happens in Magic Kingdom with an incredible lineup of Disney favorites. This parade happens twice daily, allowing guests to have plenty of time to see their favorite Disney World characters waving along in the parade.
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If you’re looking for Disney Junior characters at Disney World, the Animation Courtyard is going to be the best place to get a themed photo. Guests can find Vampirina, Fancy Nancy, and Doc McStuffins all in this area with very intricate backdrops from their shows. You can find them out here, usually between 10 AM and 5 PM, for photos and autographs since they are all non-speaking characters.
For the Fancy Nancy meet and greet, her backdrop resembles her playhouse, and she wears a fun and vibrant dress. Vampirina has her adorable bat wing pigtails and meets guests in what looks like her bedroom from the show. Doc McStuffins is in her usual outfit, meeting guests in a playful doctor’s office.
While the Disney World character meet and greets in the Animation Courtyard is mainly for Disney Junior, you can also find Pluto for photos and autographs. This Disney World character does have his little meet-and-greet area, which is adorable and perfect for kiddos.
A character sighting is a unique Disney World meet and greet, where you can’t get up and close with the characters, but you can snap pictures or wave. Donald and Daisy can be seen for their character sighting spot right at the entrance of Hollywood Studios, on a small balcony by the restrooms.
The Red Carpet Dreams Mickey Minnie meet and greet is super unique, and we definitely would not pass it up if we had the opportunity. Mickey Mouse is in his Fantasmic Sorcerers outfit, and Minnie Mouse is dressed up for the red carpet in a pink gown and matching bow. You can meet them both separately, meeting Minnie first for photos and autographs and then heading down another hallway to get to Mickey.
Walt Disney Presents Theater is a self-guided gallery of some of Walt Disney’s history, with an indoor meeting location for Sully. You can find this Monsters-themed backdrop in the back of the theater for this iconic Sully meet and greet in Hollywood Studios.
You can meet some of the main characters from Toy Story right at the entrance of Toy Story Land, where there is queue and a massive Woody backdrop with the name of the land. Here, you will find Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Jessie, and Bo Peep for a meet and greet with a PhotoPass member ready to take pictures.
Another cute character sighting is Chip and Dale, who sometimes bring their picnic supplies to the Brown Derby Lawn for cute photos and videos. They often pose with baskets and props and play around with each other throughout the day on the lawn.
Olaf has a traditional meet and greet for Disney characters in Disney World, where guests can hop in a queue to spend some quality time with their favorite snowman. You will find Olaf at Echo Lake inside of the Celebrity Spotlight building for his meet and greet.
If you’re looking for an interesting spot to meet Goofy at Disney World, you can find him with Max on the Tower of Terror balcony. Whether you’re waiting in line for the iconic ride or passing by on the outside, make sure to check for this father/son duo for the best photos and interactions.
There are a few different places you can meet Star Wars characters at Disney, and that is both in Star Wars Launch Bay and in Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge.
The Toy Story Character meet and greets have returned to Toy Story Land in the Pixar Plaza. You can meet the Incredibles, Frozone, Sully, Edna Mode, and Sully!
You can also see them in the Pixar Pals Motorcade, which runs down Hollywood Boulevard with Jessie, Woody, Buzzy, the Green Army Men, Edna Mode, Sully, and The Incredibles.
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Pooh Bear is one of our favorite Disney characters in EPCOT in that his sighting is super adorable and special. Out in front of the Figment ride, you will find a beautiful sectioned-off, cleared lawn where Pooh Bear can be seen trying to catch butterflies with a net. He will occasionally come up to the fence to take photos with guests, but you’ll mostly see him in action catching insects on the lawn.
A really fun Disney World character is Joy, and you can meet her in a special spot inside EPCOT. After you exit the Figment ride, you enter the “What If” Labs, which are a great place to have some fun! There are two character spots, interactive activities, and a small gift shop. Here is where you will find the EPCOT character meet and greet for Joy.
As we mentioned with the Joy EPCOT meet and greet, The What If Labs can be found at the exit of the Figment ride. The Journey into Imagination Pavilion is more than just an attraction; it is home to interactive activities and character meet and greets. Figment can be found there with an adorable backdrop ready to meet guests all day!
If you don’t want to ride the Figment attraction to meet those Walt Disney World characters, you can just enter the front of the store around the left side of the ride.
This character spot tends to rotate out characters for traditional pictures and meet and greets. Right when you enter EPCOT, to the right of Spaceship Earth, there is a small spot that will usually have either Goofy or Pluto ready to take pictures with guests. We have occasionally seen Minnie Mouse and Mickey Mouse meeting there from time to time, so make sure to check when you’re there! These Disney park characters can switch out from time to time, so make sure to keep checking back to see who you can meet!
If you’re looking for a unique meet and greet at EPCOT, you can look for Mary Poppins at the gazebo in the back of the UK pavilion. She can also be found wandering around in the UK pavilion in other places, so make sure to keep your eyes peeled. Typically, the My Disney Experience app will have all of her times listed and where you can expect to meet her that day.
You will find classic Mickey Mouse in his red pants and black suit jacket at the Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival in EPCOT. It is a little hard to find this Mickey Mouse meet and greet, so make sure you’re in the right place, which is right next to Journey into Imagination if you want to meet Mickey!
Minnie Mouse has been seen in a few places but is typically seen at the World Showcase Plaza, at the green gazebo across from the Disney Traders shop. The Minnie Mouse meet and greet here features Minnie in her red and white polka dot dress and a big red and white polka dot bow on top of her head. You can’t miss Minnie Mouse here, as her meet and greets start nice and early on the World Showcase.
If you’re coming in on the backside of EPCOT, on the International Gateway, you’ll be able to find the Daisy Duck EPCOT meet and greet, which is one you won’t want to miss. Daisy is in her typical everyday outfit, but she is a very fun and expressive character who is worth the short wait to snap a picture or hug her! So, if you’re heading to the Disney Skyliner or Pone of the EPCOT resorts, make sure to check and see if there is a queue to meet Daisy.
EPCOT is a great place to meet princesses at Disney World, seeing as it celebrates everything about the globe, and our Disney princesses are from all over! You will get the most luck meeting princess Disney World characters when making your way around the World Showcase, which happens to be home to almost every single one of them.
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This Donald Duck meet and greet in Animal Kingdom happens to be one of the most unique, as Donald is wearing his special Dino Bash outfit! There is even a special Dino-Bash background with bright greens and yellows that look incredible for photos. So join Donald and his friends for a prehistoric party for a super special character moment.
Donald’s Dino-Bash also extends to Daisy Duck and Chip and Dale, as they have their unique meet-and-greet spots, where they are in their prehistoric outfits.
Mickey and Minnie are in their safari best for this Disney character meet and greet, which can be found in the Adventurers Outpost. This is a special character meet and greet that typically has a longer line since it has a dedicated indoor meeting spot. With that being said, we love Mickey and Minnie’s special outfits and would highly recommend going to see our two favorite mice in this spot!
Our favorite Animal Kingdom meet and greet is the giant bird Kevin from Up, which is a roaming and impressive character sighting. Kevin is larger than life and roams around Discovery Island every 15 minutes through the crowds of guests waiting to meet everyone! There isn’t a line or a designated queue area, so make sure you look out for her when making your way around the park. She is nearly impossible to miss, as you can see and hear her from far away.
These two adorable characters are back in Animal Kingdom now and can be seen right at the Wilderness Explorers Club House. Russell and Dug do not meet together, so if you’re looking for one photo with both, unfortunately, you will not get that. But you are welcome to wait in line twice to snap a selfie or have a cast member take a photo of you with these two!
You can now meet Pocahontas again for meet and greets again at the rocks in the Oasis on Discovery Island! The Oasis area is the surrounding rocks and greenery of the Tree of Life. So, if you can find the Tree of Life, you can find Pocahontas, who is meeting regularly throughout the day there.
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Meeting rare Disney characters can be tricky and even cost you more, seeing as most of them are at special events. Rare characters are the Disney World characters that you can’t meet every day in the parks, many of them are villains, side characters, or characters in special costumes that aren’t year-round.
Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween party is a great place to meet rare Disney characters, seeing as that it is an extra-paid ticketed event. One of the main reasons guests buy tickets to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween party is to meet rare characters like Jack Skellington. The line can run as long as 4 hours sometimes!
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is a lot like Mickey’s Not So Scary Party in that it is super popular for those who like rare Disney character meet and greets. You can find many of the Disney princess characters with their counterparts, as well as other characters that aren’t in the parks and event exclusive.
Some of the rarest Disney characters we have ever seen have been at runDisney events, which is probably surprising to most. runDisney events are park-hosted running events where guests can run 5ks, half marathons, and marathons. Along your route, you can stop for some pretty incredible character meet and greets for a quick photo or chat.
Not all of these characters are always at every race, but these are some of the rarest Disney World characters we’ve seen at the races!
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Character dining is another fun way to meet characters while at Disney World and is unique in that you also get to eat a meal! We aren’t going to go into a lot of detail because we have an entire article dedicated to character dining at Disney World. Instead, here is a brief overview of the characters you can meet if you choose to do a character dining experience while in the parks.
Magic Kingdom
EPCOT
Hollywood Studios
Animal Kingdom
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A: Moana can be seen in a few places in Magic Kingdom but can only be met during one of the special Disney events with rare characters. Guests can see Moana from afar in the Adventure Friends Cavalcade or can typically meet her during specialty races, After Hours events, or celebrations.
A: Yes, guests traveling to Walt Disney World will have chances to meet characters in all four theme parks. Each park has a unique set of Disney World characters for either photos, autographs, high fives, or even a brief chat.
A: Yes, almost all dining experiences and characters’ breakfasts are back to normal and ready for guests. You can find Tusker House in Animal Kingdom for breakfast, or splurge at Cinderella Royal Table in Magic Kingdom to meet the princesses. Disney’s Hollywood Studios also has the Disney Junior Play N Dine Breakfast!
A: No, there are no Marvel characters on Walt Disney World property, but you can meet Marvel characters over at Disneyland in California.
A: Yes, guests are allowed to take pictures with Disney World characters. Whether you’d like one of the Disney Cast Members to take your photo or if you want to take a selfie, it is allowed with character interactions of all sorts!
A: Yes, COVID restrictions have relaxed, and character interactions are back to normal at Walt Disney World. Guests may ask characters for hugs and photos or just generally have a chat as long as you remain respectful!
A: The only Encanto character you can see is Mirabel. You can meet her up and close at the Fairytale Garden in Magic Kingdom. You’ll have a backdrop as Casa Madrigal for your photo!
Our Disney World Crowd Calendar is the best tool to help you get the most out of your time in the parks. We break down park crowds, park hours of operation, ticket prices, and average temperature. We also break down the best time to visit Disney World based on specific times of the year and special events.
Are you planning a trip to Walt Disney World? Be sure to speak with a Disney World Travel Agent for the most recent deals and promotions. The Park Prodigy will provide a Free Quote for all Disney World Vacation Packages. The Park Prodigy can also help you save up to $20 per ticket when purchasing your Walt Disney World Tickets, and we offer promotional discounts for special events such as Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Tickets and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Tickets. If you’re brand new to Disney vacation planning, we recommend our Walt Disney World Planning Page! Learn more about Disney hotels by reading our Walt Disney World Hotels Review page.
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