Disney Character Meet and Greets Tips

Where is Mickey Mouse?

According to Walt Disney World, that was the number one most frequently asked question for several years when that theme park opened forty years ago. Everyone who visits WDW wants to meet the Big Cheese.

Once upon a time, the Disney characters freely roamed the different lands of the Magic Kingdom Theme Park at unscheduled times and locations, providing an unexpected but always happy meeting with park guests enjoying their day. As the demand increased, the Disney Company found a more practical way to make this special wish come true for more guests.

Disney World Meet & Greet Schedule

"Meet and Greet" character locations are spotlighted on Walt Disney World theme-park maps, with characters and times of their appearances published in the supplementaryTimes and Information Guide, a daily entertainment schedule that also provides information on parades and shows.

These materials are prominently available for free at the turnstile entrances to all of the parks as well as at Guest Relations located at the front of each park. (Often these guides can also be found in merchandise stores throughout the parks.)

***Orlando Vacation Travel Tip:These days, it is even possible to look up the updated schedules online or download them to your smartphone. This can be very convenient while you are in the park-just check out the character locator phone application to see which characters are close!

***Orlando Vacation Travel Tip: Guest Relations cast members have access to a special phone number that they can call that will help them locate where and when a character may be appearing throughout Walt Disney World. If you are unable to find your favorite toon star, a stop at Guest Relations may provide you with an answer that will result in a happy ending for your search.

Magic Kingdom Meet And Greet

Since Mickey Mouse is perhaps the most popular character, Walt Disney World has given the superstar his own special location to guarantee that guests can find him.

Mickey resides in Town Square Theater on Main Street U.S.A, located just to the right of the entrance to Main Street.Guests can interact with Mickey as they first enter the park or just as they are leaving at the end of the day.

Mickey is preparing for his performance as a world-renowned magician but always seems to find time to visit with his fans in his rehearsal room which is filled with magic hats, wands, and many surprises, including clever references to other Disney cartoon characters.

For popular characters, you can useGenie+to schedule a meet and greet with.

While many characters like Goofy, Chip’n’Dale and Minnie Mouse appear in various parades and live shows throughout the four parks, some characters only do a “meet and greet” experience at a particular park.

Always check your My Disney Experience App or ask a Cast Member about meet-and-greet locations as they are not guaranteed.

Town SquareLocation: Town Square Theater - Backstage Magic with Mickey Mouse
Characters:Mickey Mouse
Times: Park opening to approximately 1 hour before park closing

Location:In front of City Hall, Exposition Hall, and the Flag Pole
Characters:Marie, Minnie, Pluto

Location:Inside the Crystal Palace (diners only)
Characters:Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore and Piglet
Cinderella's Royal TableLocation:Inside Cinderella's Castle (diners only)
Characters:Cinderella, Belle, Jasmine and Snow White
FantasylandLocation:Princess Fairytale Hall
Characters:Cinderella and Rapunzel, each joined by Aurora, Snow White, Tiana, Jasmine and Mulan

Location:Fairytale Garden
Characters:Merida

Location:Behind Cinderella Castle
Characters:Lady Tremaine, Anastasia and Drizella

Location:Cinderella's Fountain
Characters:Fairy Godmother

Location:The Mad Tea Party
Characters:Alice and the White Rabbit

Location:The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Characters:Pooh and Tigger

Location:Pete's Silly Sideshow in Storybook Circus
Characters:Donald, Daisy, Goofy, Minnie

Location:Outside Gaston's Tavern in the Enchanted Forest
Characters:Gaston

Location:Ariel's Grotto in the Enchanted Forest
Characters:Ariel

Location:Enchanted Tales with Belle
Characters:Belle

Location:Queue area of Peter Pan's Flight
Characters:Peter Pan
TomorrowlandLocation:Between Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin and Carousel of Progress
Characters:Buzz Lightyear

Location:Variable
Character: Stitch
Liberty SquareLocation:The Glade, area behind the Christmas shop
Characters:Princess Tiana

Frontierland

Location:Across from the Golden Horseshoe
Characters:Chip and Dale

Location:Splash Mountain/Pecos Bill area
Characters:Woody and Jessie
AdventurelandLocation:Adventureland Veranda
Characters:Tinker Bell

Location:Magic Carpets of Aladdin
Characters:Aladdin and Jasmine

Epcot Meet And Greet

Epcot’s international World Showcase is known for hosting several characters whose stories originated in those countries including appearances by Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in Germany, The Three Caballeros (Donald Duck, Panchito the Rooster and Jose Carioca the parrot) in Mexico and Pinocchio and his friends in Italy.

However, Epcot also offers exclusive “meet and greet” opportunities with characters like lovable Duffy the Bear, independent Mulan in China, talented little Marie the kitten from “The Aristocats” in France, practically perfect Mary Poppins in the United Kingdom, and of course, the devoted and loving couple, Aladdin and Jasmine in Morocco.Main EntranceLocation:By the Legacy Fountain in front of Spaceship Earth at the Main Entrance
Characters:Daisy Duck, Goofy
Character Spot

Location:Inside Character Spot in Future World
Characters:Mickey Mouse, Pluto, Minnie Mouse
Garden Grill RestaurantLocation:Inside the Garden Grill Restaurant (diners only)
Characters:Mickey Mouse, Chip and Dale, Pluto
Future World WestLocation:Between the Land Pavilion and Innoventions West breezeway
Characters:Chip 'N Dale
MexicoLocation:Outside on the Walkway beside the Mexico Pavilion, near to the Margarita Bar
Characters:Donald Duck
NorwayLocation:Inside Restaurant Akershu (diners only)
Characters:Typically- Aurora, Belle, Ariel, Jasmine, and Mulan
Location:Puffins Roost
Characters:Anna and Else from Frozen
MorrocoLocation:Outside, at the edge of the lagoon
Characters:Jasmine, Aladdin, Genie
FranceLocation:Outside, in front of the France Pavilion
Characters:Belle, Beast, Aurora
GermanyLocation:Outside, next to the Glas und Porzellan shop
Characters:Snow White
ChinaLocation:Outside of the Temple of Heaven
Characters:Mulan
The American AdventureLocation:On the walkway by the side of the Liberty Inn
Characters:Surprise appearances from Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Pluto, Goofy, Country Bears, Mad Hatter, Alice, Pocahontas
Times: Occasional surprise appearances, with no published schedule.
United Kingdom

Location:Outside of The Tea Caddy shop
Characters:Mary Poppins, Alice

Location:Inside the Toy Soldier shop
Characters:Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Meet And Greet

Disney’s Animal Kingdom emphasizes Disney characters who are friends of nature.It is the only location to get some time to talk with Pocohantas, Rafiki, Flik, Baloo the Bear, King Louie and even Jiminy Cricket (who is the Disney mascot for conservation).

Donald's Safari Breakfast and LunchLocation:Tusker House Restaurant, Africa
Characters:Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Mickey Mouse, Goofy
Discovery Island

Location:Adventurers Outpost
Characters:Mickey and Minnie
Location:Upcountry Landing on walkway between Asia and Africa
Characters:Baloo and Louie

Location:Discovery Island Character Landing
Characters:Tigger, Pooh

Location:Near 'Tough to be a Bug' entrance
Characters:Russell and Dug from UP

Location:Discovery Island Trails
Characters:Pocahontas

Rafiki's Planet WatchLocation:Inside Rafiki's Planet Watch
Characters:Rafiki

Location:Outside Rafiki's Planet Watch
Characters:Chip and Dale
Dinoland, USALocation:Chester and Hester's Dinorama
Characters:Goofy and Pluto

Location:Cretaceous Trail
Characters:Donald Duck

Disney Hollywood Studio Meet And Greet

Disney Hollywood Studio is the only showcase for many of the stars from the popular Pixar films including race car Lightning McQueen and Buzz Lightyear. Also appearing for photographs and autographs are Mike and Sully from “Monsters Inc.”, Mr. and Mrs. Incredible, and Jessie.

Animation CourtyardLocation:Outside Disney Jr LIVE
Characters:Stars of Disney Jr - Vamparina, Sofia the First
Luigi's GarageLocation:Inside the Toy Story Land
Characters:Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Jessie
Toy Story LandLocation:Inside the Magic of Disney Animation
Characters:Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse
Streets of America

Location:On New York Street
Characters:Mike, Sulley
Streets of America Location:Inside Hollywood and Vine (diners only)
Characters:VIPS (Mickey, Minnie, Donald, etc.)

Spend More time With The Disney Characters

While all of these experiences are free, some guests chose to pay for a dining experience at a WDW restaurant or resort where the characters are guaranteed to come right up to the table to pose for photos and welcome the diners.Contact Walt Disney World directly to make those types of reservations.

Getting a chance to meet with a favorite Disney character can be the most special vacation memory of an entire trip for many guests so using these tips to plan ahead for the experience is a wise decision.

Plan Your Walt Disney World Adventure and Experience the Magic

Walt Disney World is a one-of-a-kind destination, brimming with thrilling attractions, immersive themed lands, and unforgettable character experiences for guests of all ages. With four incredible parks: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom, it’s a place where dreams come true, and memories are made to last a lifetime. 

Planning your visit is simple with our Walt Disney World Resort page, where you’ll find essential tools and tips to craft the perfect itinerary. Save on your trip with our selection of discounted Disney tickets and value-packed Disney vacation packages, which bundle tickets and accommodations for a seamless experience. Speaking of accommodations, we offer a variety of lodging options to suit your family’s needs, including top-rated hotels near Disney with convenient access to the parks and spacious vacation homes near Disney, complete with private pools and fully equipped kitchens for added comfort. 

Whether you’re soaring through the galaxy on thrilling coasters, exploring world cultures at Epcot, or diving into wild adventures at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Walt Disney World offers magic and wonder for everyone. Start planning your trip today with our discounted tickets, vacation packages, and lodging options, and get ready to create magical memories that will last a lifetime!