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Full List of Every Disney Character at Disney World

If you are heading to the Disney World theme parks, there is a good chance you will want to see at least one Disney Character. If you are heading with children then it is going to be a “for sure” thing!

Even as an adult, to see Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck brings out the child in us. To see your children meet Minnie Mouse or Buzz Lightyear with that huge smile on their faces can be one of the best moments of the trip.

Disney does a wonderful job with the characters. When guests meet them, they magically interact with those they are in contact with great personality, mannerisms and enthusiasm in order to give people exactly what they were hoping for.

how to meet characters at disney world

It is important to know, if you have never had character interactions before, that characters with fur (including non-human characters like the Toy Story folks, Disney’s Fab Five and others) cannot talk. They communicate through actions, gestures and body language.

The fur animals always have a cast member with who can sometimes help communicate for the character but not always.

kevin at animal kingdom

Characters who are face characters do talk. Characters like Mary Poppins, any of the Princesses and other animated characters brought to life, will indeed talk to you in the exact way you would expect.

The Cast Members playing the characters even have a wealth of knowledge about the character’s makeup and personality.

storm troopers

What Disney Characters are at the Walt Disney World Parks?

More characters are available to meet than you think! Many of the popular characters Disney has brought to us over the years can be found at Disney World, however, not all are at every park and on every day.

A little investigative work might need to be done on your part before you head out to the parks to ensure you are seeing your favorite character.

cinderella and prince charming parade

Here are the characters you can usually find at one of the Disney World parks. This is by no means an exact list but gives you a good idea of the number of characters.

The Fab 5. Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck

Disney Princesses. Cinderella, Snow White, Aurora, Jasmine, Belle, Ariel (the Little Mermaid), Rapunzel, Elsa, Anna, Tiana, Mulan, Moana, Merida, Elena of Avalor, Pocahontas. Aurora is the hardest princess to meet.

jasmine and aladdin

Pixar. Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Jessie, Sully, The Incredibles, Russel, Olaf, Kevin, Miguel, Joy and others

Star Wars. Chewbacca, Darth Vader, Storm Troopers others

chewbacca star wars land

Animals. Winnie the Pooh, Chip and Dale, Pluto, Stitch, Dug and others

Minor Characters. Many other “secondary” characters can be found including, some of the seven Dwarfs, Star Wars characters, Disney Junior characters, Alice in Wonderland, Mad Hatter, Peter Pan, Flynn Rider, Tinker Bell, and more.

doc and dopey

What are the ways to have Character Meets?

When you watch a Disney World vacation commercial, you may get the idea that you will simply be walking through one of the parks, almost by yourself, and as you turn the corner past the Cinderella Castle, out will pop Cinderella herself and your child will run up to her and give her a big hug, again, with no one else around. She will blow you a kiss as you continue to make your way to the next attraction.

woody at toy story land

Unfortunately this can’t be further from the truth. The Disney Characters will never be walking alone trying to find you.

You need to make the effort to find the character. How does this happen? There are primarily three different ways to see the characters for a meet and greet.

Chewbacca and Rey

1. Character Meals.

The first way, and in our opinion, the best way to meet n greet your favorite Disney Characters is to dine at a Disney restaurant that has the characters you would like to see. This is one of our top suggestions of things to splurge on during your Walt Disney World vacation.

evil queen

The main reason we like a character dining experience so much, is because of the time factor. You can fill your tummies and see your character friends at the same time.

There can be a few issues in this approach, the main one being that your favorite characters may not be at any restaurant. Another issue is that the food, wait staff, and commotion of a Disney Restaurant may not be the ideal spot for interactions and pictures.

chef mickeys

A couple great places to meet characters is Chef Mickey’s and Story Book Dining at Artist Point. We also really love Topolino’s breakfast!

mickey mouse at topolinos

2. Traditional Character Meet and Greets

Unlike the character meals, this is a wonderful way to have the character giving you the most attention and getting the best pictures.

In a traditional meet, you will wait in line/queue like any other attraction. When it is finally your time, you (or probably your child) will be able to interact with the character in a personal way.

aurora at epcot

You will have time for asking questions, getting autographs and posing for pictures (which is almost always done through the Disney PhotoPass Service) and possibly getting a hug.

elsa and adlee

Using the paid add-on Genie+, you will be able to book meet and greets with some characters in the park you are headed to on any given day. This will mean shorter lines allowing you to see more characters.

alice at epcot

3. Informal Park Character Meets

Each day, each Disney park will have character experiences that you may not know about until the day it happens.

Rapunzel Magic Kingdom

How will you find out about a particular character interaction? They are posted in the My Disney Experience app and the times guide. If you don’t look in one of these two places you may not know about them.

jack sparrow at magic kingdom

As soon as the character shows up, the line can get long quickly and it will usually end abruptly. Time with the character is not long, but it is a fun way to get a quick meeting. We have seen Mary Poppins, Rapunzel, Woody and Pluto in these informal meeting situations.

Pluto with family Epcot

Disney World Characters List by Park

For the Disney World Characters meet, refer to the following characters and locations to see them.

Please note that Disney will sometimes suspend Character appearances for different reasons so be sure to check the Disney app or contact Disney directly for exact appearances.

Anna Ana

Magic Kingdom

Adventureland

  • Aladdin and Jasmine
  • Captain Jack Sparrow

Fantasyland

  • Princesses in Princess Fairytale Hall – Usually you can find Rapunzel, Tiana, Cinderella and Elena of Avalor here!
  • Anastasia & Drizella (rare, but we saw them our last visit!)
  • Ariel – at Ariel’s Grotto
  • Belle – at Enchanted Tales with Belle
  • Daisy & Donald Duck – located at the Town Square Theater
  • Gaston – Temporarily unavailable
  • Mirable
  • Mickey & Minnie Mouse – located at the Town Square Theater
  • Peter Pan – located near Peter Pan’s Flight
  • Tigger and Winnie the Pooh – located near the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh at the Thotful Spot

Frontierland

  • Chip and Dale – located on balcony outside Country Bears or on River raft boats
  • Country Bears – outside Country Bear Jamboree
country bears at magic kingdom

Liberty Square

  • Merida – at Enchanted Glade Gazebo

Main Street USA

  • Mickey – Town Square Theater
  • Tinker Bell – temporarily unavailable

Tomorrowland

  • Buzz Lightyear – he is often around for a dance party, not a traditional meet and greet
  • Stitch
  • Chip and Dale
jasmine and aladdin

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Animation Courtyard

  • BB-8 – located at Star Wars Launch Bay
  • Chewbacca- located at Star Wars Launch Bay
  • Darth Vader – located at Star Wars Launch Bay
  • Doc McStuffins
  • Fancy Nancy
  • Vampirina
  • Ariel
chewbacca

Commissary Lane

  • Olaf – located at Celebrity Spotlight
  • Minnie & Mickey Mouse – located at the Red Carpet Dreams

Pixar Place

  • Edna Mode
  • Mr & Mrs Incredible
  • Frozone
  • Sulley
mr incredible

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge

  • Chewbacca – located at Star Wars Launch Bay
  • BB-8 – located at Star Wars Launch Bay
  • Darth Vader – located at Star Wars Launch Bay
  • Rey – located in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
chewbacca and rey

Toy Story Land

  • Buzz Lightyear
  • Sheriff Woody
  • Jessie the Cowgirl
woody and Jessie parade

Hollywood Studios –

Some of the following characters are not meet and greet but can be seen from a distance

First Order Stormtroopers – located in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
Kylo Ren – located in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
Vi Moradi – located in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
Chip ‘n’ Dale – located in the Brown Derby Lawn
Daisy Duck – located on the Front Entrance Balcony
Donald Duck – located on the Front Entrance Balcony
Goofy – located on the Tower of Terror Balcony
Max – located on the Tower of Terror Balcony

Storm trooper

Epcot

Mexico Pavilion

  • Donald Duck
donald duck at epcot

Norway Pavilion

  • Anna and Elsa – Royal Sommerhus

China Pavilion

  • Mulan

Germany Pavilion

  • Snow White
snow white at the flower and garden festival

Morocco Pavilion

  • Jasmine

France Pavilion

  • Belle
  • Princess Aurora
belle at epcot

United Kingdom Pavilion

  • Alice
  • Mary Poppins
  • Winnie the Pooh -in Christopher Robins Room

World Celebration

  • Joy – located at ImageWorks – The “What If” labs
  • Vanellope Von Schweetz – located at ImageWorks – The “What If” labs
  • Daisy Duck – located at the International Gateway
  • Goofy – located near the main entrance of Epcot
  • Pluto – located near the main entrance of Epcot
  • Mickey Mouse – located at the Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival
  • Figment – Imagination! pavilion

Mickey and friends will be moving to a new home when CommuniCore Hall opens!

World Showcase

  • Minnie Mouse – located at the World Showcase Friendship Ambassador Gazeebo
  • Winnie the Pooh – located in the United Kingdom World Showcase
  • Asha from Wish – World Showcase Plaza Gazebo

What are Character Cavalcades at Disney World?

You may have heard of Character Cavalcades at Disney World. What’s it all about? Just after the pandemic was winding down and things were getting back to normal, there were still no character meet and greets and Disney was worried that the full blown parades would cause people to be too close together so they developed shorter, smaller, more impromptu parades called Cavalcades.

Cavalcades was a quick way for guests to see characters from a distance and because it moved by swiftly (a couple of minutes), it didn’t cause people to congregate closely. Think of it as a mini parade!

Mickey in car parade

Now that everything is opened up and seemingly back to normal, including the bigger parades, Disney has kept the Cavalcades, at least for the time being.

Festival of the Fantasy Parade

In addition to the Cavalcades, the Magic Kingdom hosts a wonderful parade 2 times every day called the Festival of the Fantasy Parade. Here you will be able to see many types of characters in one place.

Elsa and Anna in parade

Similar to the Cavalcades, you will not be able to meet and greet any of the characters. It is simply a watch and wave parade, however, the characters do as much as they can to make it personal by pointing and waving and doing other mannerisms. Many of the following characters can be seen at this parade:

  • Micky Mouse
  • Minnie Mouse
  • Donald Duck
  • Daisy Duck
  • Belle and the Beast
  • Cinderella and Prince Charming
  • Peter Pan
  • Captain Hook
  • Aurora
  • Prince Philip
  • Maleficent Dragon
  • Pinnochio
  • Dumbo
  • Tiana and Prince Naveen
  • Anna and Elsa
  • Flynn Rider and Rapunzel
  • Ariel
  • Pluto, Mad Hatter
  • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Tinkerbell

Character Dining Restaurants information

The following restaurants all have different characters available for meet and greet. Some are only Character Breakfasts or Dinners and some have characters present at all meals.

As always, if you are looking for a specific character and have a must-meet list, please call Disney for further information.

Please note: Specific Characters May Change Without Notice.

Akershus Royal Banquet Hall

Location: Epcot
Service: Buffet
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Characters: Snow White, Jasmine, Princess Aurora, Bell, Mary Poppins

akershus royal banquet hall

Cinderella’s Royal Table

Location: Disney’s Magic Kingdom
Service: Menu
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Characters: Cinderella
Notes: Cinderella’s Royal Table used to have several princesses during your meal. Since the pandemic this character meal has been not consistent with meet and greets. Currently you can meet Cinderella prior to your meal. Be sure to check before booking.

cinderella and kids

Chef Mickey’s

Location: Contemporary Resort
Service: Buffet
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Characters: Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald, Goofy and Pluto

We share even more about Chef Mickey’s here!

pluto and chef mickeys

Cape May Cafe

Location: Disney’s Beach Club Resort
Service: Buffet
Meals: Breakfast is the only meal with characters
Characters: Minnie Mouse, Donald, Daisy and Goofy

Notes: Minnie’s Beach Bash Breakfast is the place to be for the characters

cape may

Hollywood and Vine

Location: Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Service: Buffet
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Characters: Fancy Nancy, Vampirina, Doc McStuffins, Roadster Goofy at breakfast and Micky Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy and Pluto at the other meals.
Notes: Disney Junior Play ‘n Dine Breakfast and Minnie’s Seasonal Dine for lunch and dinner

hollywood and vine

Tusker House Restaurant

Location: Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Service: Buffet
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Characters: Micky Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck and Goofy
Notes: Characters dress in safari clothes

tusker house animal kingdom

Garden Grill

Location: Epcot
Service: Buffet
Meals: Lunch and Dinner
Characters: Micky Mouse, Pluto and Chip and Dale
Notes: Rotating Restaurant

garden grill restaurant

Artist Point – Story Book Dining with Snow White

Location: Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort
Service: Menu
Meals: Dinner
Characters: Snow White, Dopey, Grumpy and the Evil Queen
Notes: Elegant. Check out our full review here (we loved it!)

Evil Queen at Story Book Dining

Topolino’s Terrace – Flavors of the Riviera

Location: Disney’s Riviera Resort
Service: Menu
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Characters: Micky Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck
Notes: Fireworks view in the evening

minnie. mouse

The Crystal Palace

Location: Disney’s Magic Kingdom
Service: Buffet
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Characters: Winnie the Pooh and friends including Tigger, Piglet and Eeyore
Notes: Window table can get glimpses of the Main Street Parade and Fireworks in the evening

‘Ohana

Location: Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
Service: All you can eat feast
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Characters: Micky Mouse, Stitch, Lilo and Pluto during breakfast
Notes: Hawaiian style “Churrascaria” type of service for dinner

polynesian
Polynesian restaurant

Be Our Guest

Location: Disney’s Magic Kingdom
Service: Menu
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Characters: Beast
Notes: This is not a meet and greet at your table. Guests can view the Beast as he makes his way through the castle during the meal.

Be our guest restaurant

Trattoria al Forno

Location: Disney’s BoardWalk Inn Resort
Service: Menu
Meals: Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast
Characters: Rapunzel, Flynn Rider, Ariel, Prince Eric
Notes: Characters are currently not available, check here for updates.

1900 Park Fare

Location: Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort
Service: Buffet
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Characters: Cinderella, Prince Charming, Lady Tremaine and Cinderella’s Stepsisters, Anastasia and Drizella
Notes: Characters are currently not available

1900 Park Fare

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Disney pals featuring Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse – located at Adventures Outpost
Chip ‘n’ Dale – located in DinoLand U.S.A.
Daisy Duck – located in DinoLand U.S.A.
Donald Duck – located in DinoLand U.S.A.
Kevin – located on Discovery Island
Russell – located on Discovery Island
Moana – Discovery River

Donald Duck in Animal Kingdom

Special Event Character Interactions

Characters can also be found at Disney Special events. You can find the Special Events Calendar here.

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is an extra pay event but will have characters that are not your typical main Disney characters.

Included in the lineup has been:
Gaston, Jack Skellington and Sally, Aladdin and Abu, The Disney Genie along with Jasmine and Jafar, Queen of Hearts.

Maleficent
Maleficent at Disney’s Not So Scary Halloween Party

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is similar to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party with rare character sightings, including:

  • Santa Claus
  • Flynn Rider
  • Mary Poppins with Bert
  • Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum
  • Prince Eric and Ariel
  • Moana
  • Jack Skellington

runDisney Events

runDisney events also will give us some fun character meet and greets that are a bit out of the ordinary. Those include:

  • Carabelle
  • Woody and Bullseye
  • Pinocchio
  • the Seven Dwarfs
  • Jiminy Cricket
  • Atta and Flick
  • Sebastian
  • Mike and Sully
  • Star Lord and Gamora
  • Judy Hops and Nick Wilde

Hopefully you are well equipped to head out to the parks and dining areas to see your favorite Disney characters.

Don’t forget your autograph book and remember to do your homework before heading out to the parks so you are sure your favorite character is there!