Meet Disney World Characters - Tip & Tricks for Disney World

Photo: Move It! Shake It! Dance Party | Trevor Cohen

For young kids and Disney fans, meeting a Disney character is akin to meeting a Hollywood celebrity. Disney World characters bring something that has only ever existed in a movie or fairytale into the real world. There’s just no other place on earth where you can meet Mickey Mouse, Tinkerbell, and Princess Belle. Whether it’s random meet-and-greets, dining experiences, shows, or parades – here are some of the best places to find your favorite characters all across Disney World.

Every effort was made to ensure the details here are correct. Please be aware that times, locations, and characters are all subject to change on a daily basis. Each park offers a Times Guide near the entrance with daily updates on character meet-and-greets. If you’re looking for a specific character, check with Guest Relations once inside the park on the day of your visit.

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

Photo: Blithe Bassoon via Flickr

This is a 25 minute interactive show that encompasses clips from the actual movie along with all of your friends from Frozen – live on stage. Get a FastPass+ for the shortest wait times. When neither of these options are available, arrive 20 minutes before the show and try to avoid those few seats that might have an obstructed view.

What you need to know
When: 10:25 am, 11:30 am, 12:35 pm, 1:40 pm, 2:45 pm, 3:50 pm
Where: Streets of America, Disney’s Hollywood Studios

2) Fairytale Dining at Cinderella’s Royal Table

Photo: Jason Wohlford via Flickr

Cinderella's Royal Table is a restaurant inside Cinderella Castle, which makes it special and unique in itself. The Disney World characters here will vary, but normally you’ll see Cinderella, Ariel, Aurora, Jasmine, and Snow White. Be sure to make reservations 180 days in advance.

What you need to know
When: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Where: Cinderella Castle, Magic Kingdom

3) Epcot Character Spot

Photo: Jason Wohlford via Flickr

Epcot Character Spot is the place to find Mickey, Goofy, and Minnie taking a break from creating their latest innovation – just to meet you. It’s air-conditioned and the lines are often reasonable. You’ll also find Chip ‘n’ Dale outside nearby. As with all character experiences, Photopass Photographers will be on hand to help you capture the moment!

What you need to know
When: 9 am – 9 pm
Where: Future World, Epcot

4) Character Palooza: Surprising Disney World Characters

Character Palooza is an unpublished character meet ‘n greet that occurs on any day Hollywood Studios holds performances of Fantasmic. It happens from 4-7 pm, depending on crowd levels. You won’t find this one in the Times Guide. A group of 5 to 10 random Disney World characters will be out for a 20-minute set of meets (which characters appear on a given day will always be a surprise, and there’s no way of knowing what characters will appear in advance.) These characters have included Aladdin, Belle, Robin Hood, Snow White, Stitch, Tiana, Mr. Smee, Minnie Mouse, Mushu, Pocahontas, Rafiki, and more. Character Palooza is not always easy to catch, but it’s your best chance to see characters that you won’t see in the rest of the parks!

What you need to know
When: 4-7 pm on Fantasmic days
Where: Streets of America, Echo Lake, and the gates near Tower of Terror; Hollywood Studios

5) Festival of Fantasy Parade

Photo: Cory Disbrow

Once daily at 3 pm, you can catch this incredible parade with innovative floats and characters in vibrant costumes. There are more than 100 live performers that accompany the floats. Characters include The Little Mermaid, Merida, Rapunzel, Peter Pan, Sleeping Beauty, Captain Hook, Flynn Rider, Anna, Elsa, and Cinderella. The finale is Mickey and Minnie in an air ship! The detail of the floats, the overwhelming size of everything, the more than 100 performers, and the music are all spellbinding.

What you need to know
When: 3 pm
Where: Main Street USA, Magic Kingdom

6) Tusker House

Photo: William Beem via Flickr

Tusker House Restaurant in Africa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom is popular for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Your favorite Disney characters such as Safari Donald Duck, Goofy, Minnie, and Mickey will visit your table for laughs, photos and autographs as you dine. You can enjoy all-American favorites, like waffles, bacon and pastries at breakfast – but also try beef bobotie (spiced minced meat with egg) or fruit chutneys.

What you need to know
When: 8 am – 10:55 am, 11 am – 3:30 pm, Dinner begins at 4 pm
Where: Africa, Animal Kingdom

7) Pete’s Silly Sideshow

Storybook Circus was inspired by the classic Disney animated film Dumbo, and you really feel like you’ve stepped into the movie. At Pete’s Silly Sideshow, you can meet Goofy, Donald Duck, Minnie Mouse, and Daisy Duck – each in their circus attire. One of the stars of Pete’s Silly Sideshow, The Great Goofini, has his own attraction nearby.

What you need to know
When: 9 am to 10 pm
Where: Storybook Circus, Magic Kingdom

8) Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage

Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage is a Broadway-style musical based on Beauty and the Beast. The production is special because it features the vocal talents from the hit film. You’ll hear Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Potts and Jerry Orbach as Lumiere. All of your favorite characters from the film will be featured of course, such as Belle, the Beast, Gaston, Chip, and more.

What you need to know
When: 11:45 am, 1 pm, 3 pm, 4:15 pm, 5:30 pm
Where: Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood Studios

9) Festival of the Lion King

Photo: Leigh Caldwell via Flickr

Festival of the Lion King is a grand celebration of The Lion King that includes songs from the film, along with pageantry, puppetry, and audience participation all rolled into a big-as-Broadway show. Disney World characters featured include, Simba, Scar, Mufasa, Timon, Pumbaa and more. You can relax in the air-conditioned stadium seating while this amazing show unfolds all around you.

What you need to know
When: 10 am, 11 am, 12 pm, 1 pm, 2 pm, 3 pm
Where: Africa, Animal Kingdom

10) World Showcase

Where else can you feel like you’ve traveled the world and visited so many special friends (all in one afternoon!) but at World Showcase in Epcot? There’s a wide variety of Disney characters to meet here – some that you can’t meet anywhere else. If you’d like to meet the Princesses, start walking toward World Showcase at 10:30 am. Grab a Times Guide as you enter the park for exact locations and more.

What you need to know

Disney characters can be found at Multiple locations throughout World Showcase.

Aladdin/Jasmine Morocco Pavilion
Location: Across the sidewalk (near the water) from the Morocco Pavilion
When: 11:45 am, 12:45 am, 1:45 pm, 3:35 pm, 4:35 pm and 5:35 pm
Tip! Arrive 15 minutes before their first session of the day for the shortest wait time. Ask Aladdin and Jasmine if they have ever flown on an airplane.
Times are subject to change! Check http://bit.ly/1TgpWmL before you head out.

Belle (in her blue dress)
Location: Along the promenade across from the France Pavilion.
When: 11 am, 12 pm, 1 pm, 2:50 pm, 3:50 pm, 4:50 pm
Tip! Have a snack at Boulangerie Patisserie when they open at 9am and then get in line to meet with Belle about 10 minutes before her first scheduled session. Ask Belle if she likes her blue smock, red Christmas dress or gold dress the most.
Times are subject to change. Check http://bit.ly/1f6O0sw before you head out.

Snow White
Location: Germany Pavilion on the China side
When: 12:30 pm, 1:30 pm, 2:30 pm, 3:30 pm, 5:20 pm, 6:20 pm
Tip! Her first meet is a little later than the others. Visit Belle, Aladdin, Jasmine, and then get in line for Snow’s first session about 10 minutes before her scheduled time. Ask Snow if wishing wells actually work and bring her an apple.
Times are subject to change! Check http://bit.ly/1I8SuFW before you head out.

Alice
Location: Across from Yorkshire County Fish Shop at the United Kingdom Pavilion
When: 11:30 am, 12:30 pm, 1:30 pm, 3:20 pm, 4:20 pm, 5:20 pm
Tip! Ask Alice what ingredients are in a sauce fit for Kings. Arrive 10 minutes before her first session, or 5 minutes before the meet after her long afternoon break for the shortest wait.
Times are subject to change. Check http://bit.ly/1E50Rp1 before you head out.

Mary Poppins (in her white dress with umbrella)
Location: Just past the United Kingdom Pavilion on the right side as you’re walking towards France.
When: 12:00pm, 1:00pm, 2:00pm, 3:50pm, 4:50pm, 5:50pm
Tip! Arrive 5 minutes before her first scheduled time or 5 minutes before she is scheduled to appear after her long afternoon break. Ask her to sing the lullaby song with you.

Mulan
Location: Near the front of the China pavilion or where The Acrobat show happens.
When: 11 am, 12 pm, 1 pm, 2 pm, 3:50 pm, 4:50 pm
Tip! Arrive 5 minutes before her first session for the shortest wait time. Ask her what it’s like to meet a real Emperor and what it was like to fight in the military.
Times are subject to change. Check http://bit.ly/1MvI6eY before you head out.

Princess Aurora (in her pink dress)
Location: In the France Pavilion off to the right of the main walkway into the Pavilion and Impressions de France and Boulangerie Patisserie.
When: 12:30 pm, 1:30 pm, 2:30 pm, 4:20 pm, 5:20 pm, 6:20 pm
Tip! Ask her if Flora, Fauna or Merryweather is her favorite fairy.
Times are subject to change. Check http://bit.ly/1IzmKN3 before you head out.