One of the reasons why many of us enjoy visiting the most magical place on earth is thanks to the characters at Walt Disney World.
We love to see them. We love to wave to them. We love to take photos with them. Not only do they star in some of our favorite films and television series, but they also make the experience special. And you know what? The parks would not be the same without characters.
And, yes, traditional meet and greets are back to normal, including character greetings and dining experiences.
We’ve gathered everywhere you can see characters at Walt Disney World, including cavalcades and other sightings. Let’s dive in!
What Is A Cavalcade?
Cavalcades are like a parade, but smaller and shorter. This means you don’t have to save a seat beforehand to catch them.
These mini-parades allow you to see characters quickly and multiple times a day.
Cavalcades really are a lot of fun and provide opportunities to wave to characters without feeling tied down to a parade schedule.
You can even easily catch one as you’re on your way to hop in line for an attraction or grab a bite to eat.
Here’s a brief breakdown of why cavalcades are magical and why we love them so much.
- Cavalcades are smaller, providing a more intimate experience. You won’t be stuck in the 2nd or 3rd row of a crowd – you’ll be front row with lots of opportunities to wave – and for the characters to wave back.
- They are quick – no standing in the hot sun for an hour. You get a dash of magic and then you move along to your next adventure of the day.
- Cavalcades bring these magical character sightings into parts of parks we haven’t seen before like seeing Pocahontas waving from a boat.
How Do You Know When A Cavalcade Is Coming?
Your biggest clue is music! Not only will you hear a shift in the park area music, but it will also be a bit louder.
Before you’re even able to see a cavalcade you’ll likely hear it first.
You can also check the My Disney Experience app for cavalcade schedules in the “Entertainment” section. They usually run about every 15 minutes or so.
Here’s how you can find cavalcade schedules in the My Disney Experience app.
Open the app. Click the pin symbol at the bottom (second one from the left)
Tap the arrow next to “Wait Times” at the top of the screen. Select “Entertainment”.
Tap “Show List” on the right at the top of the screen. Scroll to find the cavalcade schedules.
You can also “Filter” for the cavalcade schedule of the park you’re visiting. Simply hit “Filter” in the top left of the screen and select the park you want. Then hit “Apply” at the bottom of the screen.
Where Can You See Cavalcades At Each Park?
There are specific locations to catch the cavalcades. Let’s take a look.
Important: Epcot and Hollywood Studios no longer have daily cavalcades.
Magic Kingdom
Cavalcades starts at the back of the park near Splash Mountain in Frontierland and moves towards the front, exiting next to the Main Street Fire Station (this is the standard parade route in Magic Kingdom).
Hollywood Studios
While there are no daily motorcades anymore at Hollywood Studios, you can usually catch one at Christmas.
The holiday motorcade starts at the front of the park and runs down most of Hollywood Boulevard before turning left and heading towards The Backlot Express.
Animal Kingdom
The cavalcades float around the entire Discovery River.
Catching cavalcades on the Discovery River can be tricky. You sometimes have to be in the right place at the right time. But here are our favorite spots to see characters float by on boats.
- Bleachers near Expedition Everest: The seating from the Discovery River Amphitheater is a great place to catch the Character Cruises, but they can get quite hot during the middle of the day. And, unfortunately, Disney KiteTails is no longer running, but you can still catch the flotillas here.
- Near the Caravan Stage Theater: Across from where Feathered Friends in Flight! takes place, there’s a seating area that offers a good view of the river and the cavalcades.
- Flame Tree Barbecue: The Quick Service spot in Discovery Island has some great food and an even more amazing view of Expedition Everest and the river, meaning you have the perfect spot for both the cavalcades.
- Bridges: Most of the bridges will give you a unique angle to shoot photographs as the characters pass below.
Are There Differences Between Park Cavalcades & Characters?
While all of the cavalcades are pretty much similar (they transport characters around the parks to wave to guests in a convenient and quick way), they all do it with different modes of transportation.
- Magic Kingdom: Standard parade floats
- Hollywood Studios: None (no more car cavalcades)
- Animal Kingdom: Boats, aka Flotillas
- Epcot: None (no more carriage cavalcades)
Of course, each park also has different characters for guests to experience.
Do Disney Characters Sign Autographs?
Yes! Disney characters are signing autographs at Walt Disney World.
However, not every character can sign autographs, including:
- Baymax
- The Beast
- Buzz Lightyear (uses stamp)
- Olaf (pre-signed autograph card)
- Ralph and Vanellope (pre-signed autograph card)
- Mike and Sulley
Will Cast Members Take Photos With Guests’ Phones?
Yes, Disney PhotoPass Photographers will take guests photos with select Disney characters.
Keep reading to see where PhotoPass is and isn’t available across all 4 theme parks.
If a character doesn’t have a PhotoPass Photographer, the character attendant will take photos for you — just ask!
Are Characters Part of Genie+?
Yes, select meet and greets can be used with the Disney Genie+ system.
These include:
- Meet Cinderella and a Visiting Princess at Princess Fairytale Hall (Magic Kingdom)
- Meet Princess Tiana and a Visiting Princess at Princess Fairytale Hall (Magic Kingdom)
- Meet Mickey at Town Square Theater (Magic Kingdom)
- Meet Olaf at Celebrity Spotlight (Hollywood Studios)
- Meet Favorite Disney Pals at Adventurers Outpost (Animal Kingdom)
Can You See Characters At Resorts?
As far as we know, this fun character opportunity isn’t going anywhere.
In what is a super cute addition to onsite Disney Resort hotels, sometimes you can spot members of the Fab Five (Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, and Donald)!
Keep your eyes peeled for the “Caravanning ‘Round the World” shuttle at your resort, because that usually means characters are hanging about for some socially-distant fun.
You can also try Chip ‘N Dale’s Campfire Sing-A-Long at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, where you can enjoy a campfire celebration followed by a classic Disney movie under the stars.
Is Character Dining Available?
You bet character dining is available at both resorts and the parks, along with character hugs and autographs.
Here is where you can currently experience character dining:
- Magic Kingdom: Cinderella’s Royal Table (breakfast, lunch, dinner), Be Our Guest (lunch, dinner), The Crystal Palace (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
- Epcot: Garden Grill (breakfast, lunch, dinner), Akershus Royal Banquet Hall (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
- Hollywood Studios (both at Hollywood & Vine): Disney Junior Play n’ Dine (breakfast), Minnie’s Seasonal Dine (lunch, dinner)
- Animal Kingdom: Tusker House (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
- Contemporary Resort: Chef Mickey’s (breakfast, dinner)
- Riviera Resort: Topolino’s Terrace (breakfast)
- Four Seasons Resort: Ravello (breakfast)
- Wilderness Lodge: Story Book Dining at Artist Point (dinner)
- Polynesian: ‘Ohana Best Friends Breakfast featuring Lilo and Stitch
- Beach Club: Cape May Café Minnie’s Beach Bash Breakfast
You can read more about character dining at the parks below under each park section.
Now, let’s check out where you can see all of the current cavalcades and characters at Walt Disney World…
Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom Cavalcades
Magic Kingdom formerly had a lot of cavalcades offering many opportunities to see a range of characters.
But, with the park going back to pre-pandemic operations, many of the cavalcades are no longer running. There are a couple you can still catch, though.
Here are all of the former and current cavalcades at Magic Kingdom.
Mickey Celebration Cavalcade (No Longer Running)
Characters: Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Pluto, Goofy, and Chip ‘n’ Dale on two tiered floats (it’s from the Move it! Shake it! Mousekedance it! Parade) and a crew of dancers accompanied by the special 50th anniversary anthem, “Magic Is Calling”
Where: starts at the back of the park near Splash Mountain in Frontierland and moves towards the front, exiting next to the Main Street Fire Station (this is the standard parade route in Magic Kingdom)
Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade
Characters: Nearly 30 characters, including Mirabel from Encanto, Miguel from Coco, Nick and Judy from Zootopia, Baloo and King Louie from The Jungle Book, Miguel from Coco, José Carioca and Panchito from The Three Caballeros, Merida, Moana, The Incredibles, and more (features “the most characters of any cavalcade to date”)
Where: starts at the back of the park near Splash Mountain in Frontierland and moves towards the front, exiting next to the Main Street Fire Station (this is the standard parade route in Magic Kingdom)
Mickey & Friends Cavalcade (Currently Unavailable)
Characters: Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, and Pluto on a tiered float (it’s from the Move it! Shake it! Mousekedance it! Parade) and a crew of dancers
Where: starts at the back of the park near Splash Mountain in Frontierland and moves towards the front, exiting next to the Main Street Fire Station (this is the standard parade route in Magic Kingdom)
Tinker Bell & The Lost Treasure (No Longer Running)
Characters: Tinker Bell
Where: starts at the back of the park near Splash Mountain in Frontierland and moves towards the front, exiting next to the Main Street Fire Station (this is the standard parade route in Magic Kingdom)
A Royal Princess Processional (No Longer Running)
Characters: Aurora, Ariel, Jasmine, Belle, Princess Elena, Snow White, Cinderella, Mulan, and The Fairy Godmother (on the mirror float), Princess Merida (on her horse Angus), Rapunzel and Tiana (on the gazebo float); sometimes the princesses will walk instead of riding on the float
Where: starts at the back of the park near Splash Mountain in Frontierland and moves towards the front, exiting next to the Main Street Fire Station (this is the standard parade route in Magic Kingdom)
Merida looking quite Brave on Angus.
Magic Kingdom Cavalcade (No Longer Running)
Characters: Moana, Alice, Peter Pan, Aladdin, and Mary Poppins all on a float resembling a stack of wrapped gifts (it’s from the Move it! Shake it! Mousekedance it! Parade), Gaston on horseback
Where: starts at the back of the park near Splash Mountain in Frontierland and moves towards the front, exiting next to the Main Street Fire Station (this is the standard parade route in Magic Kingdom)
Disney Friends Cavalcade (No Longer Running)
Characters: Max, Clarabelle Cow, Panchito, José Carioca, and Stitch on a float resembling a stack of gifts (it’s from the Move it! Shake it! Mousekedance it! Parade), and a crew of dancers
Where: starts at the back of the park near Splash Mountain in Frontierland and moves towards the front, exiting next to the Main Street Fire Station (this is the standard parade route in Magic Kingdom)
Parades
Currently, there is one parade running at Magic Kingdom — Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade!
And the good news is the parade runs alongside the cavalcades, meaning yet another opportunity to see characters during your visit.
You can check the My Disney Experience app for that day’s parade time.
Festival of Fantasy (Available with Genie+)
Characters: Mickey, Minnie, Rapunzel, Merida, Anna, Elsa, Belle, the Beast, fire-breathing dragon Maleficent, and more
Where: starts at the back of the park near Splash Mountain in Frontierland and moves towards the front, exiting next to the Main Street Fire Station (this is the standard parade route in Magic Kingdom)
Traditional Character Meet & Greets
You can hug the following characters, take photos, and have them sign autographs (unless otherwise noted).
Mickey Town Square Theater
(Available with Genie+)
Characters: Mickey in his magician outfit (automated PhotoPass available)
Where: On the righthand side of Town Square next to Tony’s Town Square Restaurant
Disney Princesses At Princess Fairytale Hall
(Available with Genie+)
Characters: Tiana, Rapunzel, Elena, and Cinderella
Where: In Fantasyland across from Prince Charming Regal Carrousel and near The Friar’s Nook
Step Sisters
Characters: Anastasia and Drizella
Where: You can find them behind the castle near the Cinderella fountain
Meet Ariel at Her Grotto (Available with Genie+)
Characters: Ariel (automated PhotoPass available)
Where: inside Ariel’s Grotto in Fantasyland
Peter Pan
Characters: Peter Pan
Where: In front of Never Land Map near Peter Pan’s Flight in Fantasyland
Snow White
Characters: Snow White
Where: Main Street U.S.A., near Town Square Theater, sometimes at Princess Fairytale Hall in Fantasyland
Merida (leaving Fairytale Garden fall 2023)
Mirabel (below) is replacing Merida in the Fairytale Garden come fall 2023. At this time, it’s unclear if Merida will move to a new meet and greet location (we sure hope so).
Characters: Merida (PhotoPass available)
Where: Fairytale Garden in Fantasyland (between the wishing well near Cinderella Castle and Mad Tea Party)
Mirabel (coming fall 2023)
Characters: Mirabel
Where: Fairytale Garden in Fantasyland (between the wishing well near Cinderella Castle and Mad Tea Party)
Aladdin and Jasmine
Characters: Aladdin and Jasmine
Where: Adventureland near The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
Captain Jack Sparrow on Adventureland Stage
Characters: Jack Sparrow
Where: on the Adventureland stage across from the entrance of Pirates of the Caribbean
Winnie the Pooh and Tigger
Characters: Pooh and Tigger
Where: Next to The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Pete’s Silly Sideshow in Storybook Circus
Characters: Donald as The Astounding Donaldo, Goofy as The Great Goofini, Minnie as Minnie Magnifique, and Daisy as Madame Daisy Fortuna (automated PhotoPass available)
Where: Pete’s Silly Sideshow tent in Storybook Circus
Chip ‘n’ Dale
Characters: Chip and Dale
Where: next to Pete’s Silly Sideshow in Storybook Circus
Buzz Lightyear
Characters: Buzz Lightyear
Where: Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin exit courtyard in Tomorrowland
Other Character Opportunities and “Sightings”
Even with character meet and greets back to normal, there are still some character “sightings” for guests to enjoy.
You can actually have 1-on-1 time with select characters — but at a distance. This means for some characters there is no hugging or autographs.
Most of these experiences don’t have PhotoPass photographers, so you’ll need to take photos/selfies with your own camera and/or mobile device.
You can check appearance times for select character sightings in the My Disney Experience app.
Characters At The Main Street Train Station
Characters: Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Pluto, Chip ‘n’ Dale, Pooh and Friends
Where: on the balcony of the Main Street train station
Let The Magic Begin Welcome Show (Begins 5 Minutes Prior To Official Park Opening)
Characters: Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Pluto, Chip ‘n’ Dale, and a crew of dancers
Where: on the stage in front of Cinderella Castle
Country Bears
Characters: Country Bears
Where: roam Frontierland near Country Bear Jamboree
Stitch at Tower Plaza Stage
Characters: Stitch
Where: At Tower Plaza Stage in Tomorrowland
Enchanted Tales With Belle (Available With Genie+)
Characters: Belle
Where: Maurice’s Cottage in Fantasyland
Live Entertainment
The following live entertainment show means you can see characters and enjoy a show all at the same time.
You can always check the My Disney Experience app for the daily live entertainment schedule.
Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire
Characters: Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, Tiana, Prince Naveen and Louis from The Princess and the Frog, Rapunzel and Flynn Rider from Tangled, Elsa, Anna and Olaf from Frozen
Where: Cinderella Castle Forecourt Stage
Magic Kingdom Character Dining
Magic Kingdom is currently home to 3 of the character meals you can find on property right now – Be Our Guest, Cinderella’s Royal Table, and Crystal Palace.
Unlike other meals where multiple characters are present, Be Our Guest only has 1: The Beast.
You can meet several Disney princesses, including Cinderella who you take a photo with before dining, at Cinderella’s Royal Table. Plus, you can also meet Pooh and Friends (Tigger, Piglet, and Eeyore) at The Crystal Palace.
Seasonal Character Experiences
As we’ve said, one of our favorite things at the parks is the parades. And this is especially true of the seasonal parades offered during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.
And with both full parties available in 2022 at Magic Kingdom, there are plenty of opportunities to see and meet characters in fun, seasonal attire!
Mickey’s Boo To You Halloween Parade (runs during MNSSHP)
Characters: Mickey, Minnie, and more characters in costume on floats, along with other spook-tacular performances, including one by the Headless Horseman
Where: starts at the back of the park near Splash Mountain in Frontierland and moves towards the front, exiting next to the Main Street Fire Station (this is the standard parade route in Magic Kingdom)
Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade (runs during MVMCP)
Characters: Marching toy soldiers, reindeer, gingerbread men, classic characters dressed in their holiday best, and Santa Claus himself appear in this super fun parade
Where: starts at the back of the park near Splash Mountain in Frontierland and moves towards the front, exiting next to the Main Street Fire Station (this is the standard parade route in Magic Kingdom)
Sometimes Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade even runs during regular park hours around the last two weeks of December.
Santa Claus Daytime Sighting
In 2022, Santa Claus made appearances during the day at the Liberty Square Gazebo in Magic Kingdom. You could find appearance times in the My Disney Experience app. We expect him to continue making daily appearances in 2023.
We will let you know where you can meet Santa once we know more. Until then, check out our post on where to find Santa at Disney World.
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Epcot
Epcot Cavalcades (No Longer Running)
Cavalcades are no longer running at Epcot, but there are other character opportunities at the park.
Traditional Character Meet & Greets
You can hug the following characters, take photos, and have them sign autographs (unless otherwise noted).
Mickey and friends (later in 2023)
Characters: Mickey and friends
Location: Communicore Hall in World Celebration
Mickey At Disney And Pixar Short Film Festival
Characters: Mickey Mouse (PhotoPass available)
Where: At the Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival next to the Imagination! Pavilion
Joy at ImageWorks
Characters: Joy from Inside Out (PhotoPass available)
Location: ImageWorks in the Imagination! Pavilion
Vanellope at ImageWorks
Characters: Vanellope from Wreck-It-Ralph (PhotoPass available)
Location: ImageWorks in the Imagination! Pavilion
Figment (beginning late summer 2023)
Characters: Figment
Location: Imagination! Pavilion
Disney Visa Cardmember Character Photo Opportunity
Characters: Minnie, Mickey, Goofy, Pluto (characters subject to change; PhotoPass available)
Location: Building near ImageWorks in the Imagination! Pavilion
Anna and Elsa at Royal Summerhus
Characters: Anna and Elsa from Frozen (automated PhotoPass available)
Location: Royal Summerhus in the Norway Pavilion
Minnie Mouse
Note: Sometimes Minnie will appear here instead of Pluto and he’ll take over her spot in World Showcase Plaza. Check the My Disney Experience app or ask a Cast Member for confirmation.
Characters: Minnie Mouse (PhotoPass available)
Location: In the gazebo in World Showcase Plaza near the Mexico pavilion
Goofy and Pluto
Note: Sometimes Minnie will appear here instead of Pluto and he’ll take over her spot in World Showcase Plaza. Check the My Disney Experience app or ask a Cast Member for confirmation.
Characters: Goofy and Pluto
Location: Epcot entrance plaza
Donald Duck
Characters: Donald (PhotoPass available)
Location: Mexico pavilion (outdoor location to the right of the pyramid)
Mary Poppins
Characters: Mary Poppins
Location: while she used to meet in the gazebo, you can now find Mary in the garden outside The Tea Caddy shop in the United Kingdom pavilion
Alice In Wonderland
Characters: Alice
Location: In the garden outside The Tea Caddy shop in the United Kingdom pavilion
Aurora
Characters: Aurora
Location: In the France pavilion gazebo
Belle
Characters: Belle
Location: Along the water adjacent to Chefs de France in the France pavilion (alternates with Aurora)
Jasmine
Characters: Jasmine
Location: In “Lamps of Wonder” inside the Morocco pavilion
Snow White
Characters: Snow White
Location: By the wishing well in the Germany pavilion
Mulan
Characters: Mulan
Location: On the bridge in the China Pavilion
Daisy
Characters: Daisy
Location: at International Gateway
Other Character Opportunities And “Sightings”
Even with character meet and greets back to normal, there are still some character “sightings” for guests to enjoy.
You can actually have 1-on-1 time with select characters — but at a distance. This means no hugging or autographs.
Most of these experiences don’t have PhotoPass photographers, so you’ll need to take photos/selfies with your own camera and/or mobile device.
You can check appearance times for in the My Disney Experience app.
Winnie The Pooh
Characters: Winnie the Pooh
Location: Imagination! Lawn
Epcot Character Dining
Epcot is currently home to two character meals – Garden Grill in the Land Pavilion and Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in the Norway Pavilion.
Garden Grill
We visited Garden Grill right after it opened, and we are happy to report that our longtime favorite is still a great option.
You can hug characters here and have them sign autographs. Characters here include Farmer Mickey, Chip, Dale, and Pluto.
Akershus Royal Banquet Hall
Guests dining at Akershus will have the opportunity to take photos and interact with a mix of Disney princesses that could include Snow White, Cinderella, Belle, Aurora, Tiana, and Ariel.
Dinner features Princess Storybook Dining and traditional Norwegian food that is served family-style.
Seasonal Character Experiences
In 2022, you were able to say hello to Santa Claus as a storyteller during the Epcot International Festival of the Holidays. He usually is present through December 24. We’ll let you know if, when, or where he’ll meet in 2023.
Winnie the Pooh is usually also be seen around the Imagination! Lawn sporting a Santa Hat and ringing jingle bells.
Hollywood Studios
Hollywood Studios Cavalcades
Hollywood Studios used to have a total of 3 motorcades (like a mini-parade), but those have since ended.
Reminiscent of the old “Stars and Motor Cars” parade, Hollywood Studios used adorable automobiles for their caval, err, we mean, motorcades.
This motorcade happened throughout the day, but start and end times varied. You were able to check the My Disney Experience app for the latest schedule.
Here are the former motorocades that were once available at Hollywood Studios.
Pixar Pals Motorcade (No Longer Running)
Characters: Green Army Men (drum corps) walking, Woody & Jessie walking, Mr. and Mrs. Incredible walking, Sulley walking, Buzz in a themed car, Edna Mode in a themed car
Where: From the front of the park down Hollywood Boulevard
Disney Junior Motorcade (No Longer Running)
Mickey And Friends Motorcade (No Longer Running)
Characters: Mickey and Minnie in separate cars, Pluto, and Chip ‘n’ Dale walking, and sometimes Goofy
Where: From the front of the park down Hollywood Boulevard
Traditional Meet & Greets
You can hug the following characters, take photos, and have them sign autographs (unless otherwise noted).
Minnie Starring In Red Carpet Dreams
Characters: Minnie (PhotoPass available)
Where: Commissary Lane across from Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant
Sorcerer Mickey Starring in Red Carpet Dreams
Characters: Mickey (PhotoPass available)
Where: Commissary Lane across from Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant
Disney Junior Pals In The Animation Courtyard
Characters: Vampirina, Doc McStuffins, Fancy Nancy (PhotoPass available)
Where: In the Animation Courtyard
Disney Junior Come & Meet Pluto
Characters: Pluto (PhotoPass available)
Where: In the Animation Courtyard
Celebrity Spotlight (Available with Genie+)
Characters: Olaf (no autograph)
Where: In Echo Lake around the corner from Vacation Fun
Star Wars Launch Bay
Characters: BB-8, Chewbacca, Darth Vader (no autograph)
Where: Inside Star Wars Launch Bay in Animation Courtyard
Toy Story Characters
Characters: Woody and Jessie meet next to Toy Story Mania and Buzz can either be found near Slinky Dog Dash or the Toy Story Land entrance sign (PhotoPass available for all)
Where: Toy Story Land
Green Army Drum Corps
Characters: Green Army Men
Where: Toy Story Land
Vacation Goofy
Characters: Goofy wearing his vacation shirt (PhotoPass available)
Where: Grand Avenue (near entrance to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge)
Powerline Max
Characters: Max Goof in his Powerline costume (PhotoPass available)
Where: Grand Avenue (near entrance to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge)
Chip ‘n’ Dale
Characters: Chip and Dale wearing their Rescue Rangers outfits
Where: Echo Lake at the Adventure Outpost next to the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular
Other Character Opportunities & “Sightings”
Even with character meet and greets back to normal, there are still some character “sightings” for guests to enjoy.
You can actually have 1-on-1 time with select characters — but at a distance. This typically means no hugging or autographs.
Most of these experiences don’t have PhotoPass photographers, so you’ll need to take photos/selfies with your own camera and/or mobile device.
You can check appearance times for in the My Disney Experience app.
Star Wars Favorites
Characters: Mandalorian and Grogu, Chewbacca, Rey, Stormtroopers, Kylo Ren, Vi Moradi
Where: elevated stages near ships, in other secured/fenced/blocked off areas around Batuu, and walking around the land
Donald & Daisy
Characters: Donald & Daisy
Where: In the grassy area near Hollywood Brown Derby
The Edna Mode Experience
Character: Edna Mode
Where: Pixar Place
Pixar Place
Characters: Mr. and Mrs. Incredible, Frozone, and Sulley ((PhotoPass available with select characters)
Where: Pixar Place
Live Entertainment
There are several opportunities to see characters and enjoy a show all at the time time. You can always check the My Disney Experience app for the daily live entertainment schedule.
Fantasmic!
Characters: Mickey, Minnie, Disney Princesses, Pinocchio, Pocahontas, and more (when the show returns there will be a new sequence featuring characters that haven’t been part of the show before)
Where: Fantasmic! theater at the end of Sunset Boulevard
For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
Characters: Anna, Elsa, Kristoff (Olaf will make a limited-time appearance during the holidays)
Where: Hyperion Theater in Echo Lake
Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage
Characters: Belle, Beast, Gaston, Mrs. Potts, Chip, Lumiere, Cogsworth
Where: Theater of the Stars on Sunset Boulevard
Hollywood Studios Character Dining
Hollywood Studios is currently home to a couple of the character meals you can find on property right now – Disney Junior Play n’ Dine and Minnie’s Seasonal Dine, both at Hollywood and Vine.
These popular meals are offered with buffet service. Disney Junior Play n’ Dine is available for breakfast only, while Minnie’s Seasonal Dine is offered at both lunch and dinner.
This character dining experience also offers traditional character meet and greets.
The seasonal theme meal 2023-2024 schedule for Minnie’s Seasonal Dine is as follows:
- Halloween Dine – spooktacular Halloween feast typically runs August through November
- Minnie’s Holiday Dine – dazzling holiday dinner party should begin in November through TBD (usually ends in early January)
- Silver Screen Dine – glitz and glamour of Hollywood usually start in January and running through February
- Springtime Dine – bright and beautiful delights of spring run from March 16, 2023 through May 24, 2023
- Summertime Dine – beach-inspired bash begins May 25, 2023 through TBD (usually sometime in August)
Seasonal Holiday Motorcades
During the holiday season, you can expect to see some Christmas spirit added to the existing character motorcades.
You’ll see a very special guest cruising around in his special themed motorcar… Santa Claus (usually through December 24).
Animal Kingdom
Animal Kingdom Flotillas
Since the news was announced that Disney would be bringing cavalcades to all the parks, we were very excited to see what that would mean for Animal Kingdom.
Unlike the other 3 parks, at Animal Kingdom there really isn’t any great space for a parade – no matter how small. At least not on the land, that is.
While Animal Kingdom may be lacking wide pathways fit for a cavalcade, they do have a river: Discovery River, to be exact.
And that means that in Animal Kingdom the characters have taken to the water in fun character cruises or flotillas.
There are quite a few flotillas at Animal Kingdom. Let’s take a look!
Goofy And Pals Set Sail (No Longer Running)
Characters: Goofy and other friends from Donald’s Dino Bash (most frequently Chip and Dale)
Where: Discovery River
Mickey & Friends Flotilla (No Longer Running)
Characters: Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto
Where: Discovery River
Discovery Island Drummers
Characters: Discovery Island Drummers take their music to the water
Where: Discovery River
Donald’s Dino Bash Flotilla (No Longer Running)
Characters: Donald, Daisy, Launchpad McQuack
Where: Discovery River
Discovery River Character Cruise
Characters: Pocahontas and Meeko (Meeko isn’t always included) OR Rafiki and Timon
Where: Discovery River
Adventurer’s Flotilla — Disney Ducks
Characters: Launchpad McQuack and Scrooge McDuck
Where: Discovery River
Adventurer’s Flotilla — Up
Characters: Russell and Dug
Where: Discovery River
Best Places To Catch The Flotillas
Anywhere you can see Discovery River is a great spot, but here’s a few of our favorite places:
- Bleachers near Expedition Everest. The seating from the Discovery River Amphitheater is a great place to catch the Character Cruises, but they can get quite hot during the middle of the day. And, unfortunately, Disney KiteTails is no longer running, but you can still catch the flotillas here.
- Near the Caravan Stage Theater. Across from where Feathered Friends in Flight! takes place, there’s a seating area that offers a good view of the river and the cavalcades.
- Flame Tree Barbecue. The Quick Service spot in Discovery Island has some great food and an even more amazing view of Expedition Everest and the river, meaning you have the perfect spot for the cavalcades.
- Bridges. Most of the bridges will give you a unique angle to shoot photographs as the characters pass below.
Traditional Character Meet & Greets
You can hug the following characters, take photos, and have them sign autographs (unless otherwise noted).
Meet Favorite Disney Pals at Adventurers Outpost (Available With Genie+)
Characters: Mickey and Minnie (automated PhotoPass available)
Where: In Discovery Island across from Eight Spoon Cafe
Donald’s Dino Bash
Characters: Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, and Chip ‘n’ Dale (PhotoPass available)
Where: DinoLand U.S.A.
Moana
Characters: Moana
Where: Discovery Island (down the path across from Isle of Java and near the bridge that leads to DinoLand, U.S.A.)
Other Character Opportunities & “Sightings”
Even with character meet and greets back to normal, there are still some character “sightings” for guests to enjoy.
You can actually have 1-on-1 time with select characters — but at a distance. This means no hugging or autographs.
Most of these experiences don’t have PhotoPass photographers, so you’ll need to take photos/selfies with your own camera and/or mobile device.
You can check appearance times for in the My Disney Experience app.
Kevin from Up
Characters: Kevin from Pixar’s Up
Where: She roams around Discovery Island
Live Entertainment
There are several opportunities to see characters and enjoy a show all at the time time. You can always check the My Disney Experience app for the daily live entertainment schedule.
Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond! (Available with Genie+)
Characters: Nemo, Dory, and more from Finding Nemo and Finding Dory (a reimagined version of original show Finding Nemo: The Musical and set during the timeline of the movie Finding Dory)
Where: Theater in the Wild in DinoLand, U.S.A.
Animal Kingdom Character Dining
Animal Kingdom has one character meal that you can find in Africa at Tusker House Restaurant, which is buffet style.
You can meet Safari Donald, Goofy, Mickey and Daisy, while can also enjoying African-inspired foods.
This character dining experience offers traditional character meet and greets, meaning you can hug the characters and have them sign autographs.
Holiday Flotillas
In 2022, you’ll see get to see the Santa Claus Festive Flotilla, along with the Discovery Island Drummers Festive Flotilla.
Usually, you can find Santa cruising around the Discovery River in his sleigh themed boat through December 24.
Check out our other posts for character information across Walt Disney World
- Cavalcades and Characters in Magic Kingdom
- Cavalcades and Characters in Hollywood Studios
- Cavalcades and Characters in Animal Kingdom
- Cavalcades and Characters in Epcot
- Disney World Removing 50th Decor, Mickey & Friends Get New Costumes, & More Updates
- ‘Ohana Character Dining Returning to Walt Disney World, Plus More
- Disney After Hours Returning to Disney World in 2023
- Walt Disney World Closing Theme Parks Due To Tropical Storm Nicole
- Akershus Royal Banquet Hall Is Reopening November 4