Some characters start meeting before the party begins. This is something we definitely recommend you do if your goal is to meet some of the most popular characters. Just make sure you get your party wristband before you hop in line:
Jack and Sally: Characters begin meeting at 4:30 (can line up as early as 4:00)
Pooh & Friends: begin meeting around 6:30 (we suggest you line up by 5:30)
If you didn’t meet Jack and Sally before the party begins, keep in mind that it isn’t unusual for them to close the lines around 11 p.m., so don’t wait too long to visit them.
For most other characters, the later the time, the shorter the lines.
Most characters will sign autographs, but a few (like Jack & Sally) do not. For them, you’re handed pre-signed cards, instead.
During the 2nd parade is a great time to meet the characters.
Some character meetings are close enough together that it is easily possible for 1 member of your party to wait in 1 line, while the remaining members of your party wait in the other.
Important: This only works if you have at least 1 person who isn’t interested in meeting/taking pictures with the characters AND if you are respectful of the people behind you and keep it to 1 meet and greet. Don’t have your group of 6 join you in line and then split up into 6 different meet and greets. That’s really frustrating to the people behind you.
So, for example, let’s say 2 characters meet right next to each other — and have 2 separate lines. Have the placeholder person jump in the longest of the 2 lines, and the other group can join them after they finish meeting the character with the shorter line.
PhotoPass photographers are available at all the meet and greets. They will take a picture with your camera, but a 1-day Memory Maker purchase (if you don’t already have the full, multi-day one) will give you double the chances to snag the perfect picture.
The map Disney hands out at the party marks character locations, but it doesn’t tell you who is located where.
So, to make it easier for you, we’ve added character names to the map below.
Important Note on Wait Times: The wait times noted below are just averages and are more typical for the beginning of the party. Wait times will drop during the parades, fireworks, and at the end of the evening.
Main Street, U.S.A.
Mickey Mouse
Meeting Location: Town Square Theater
Costume: Christmas attire
Exclusive to MVMCP: Just the costume is exclusive. You can meet Mickey at this same location in his regular attire during the day.
Average Wait: 30-60 minutes.
Tip: Avoid jumping in the line immediately after the parade, as that is when it is typically the longest. He doesn’t start meeting until right at 7 p.m.
Jack Skellington as Sandy Claws and Sally
Meeting Location: Town Square Theater
Costume: Jack in his Santa suit and Sally in her regular outfit
Exclusive to MVMCP: Yes; you can meet them at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, too, but for that party, Jack is in his regular outfit.
Average Wait: More than 1.5 hours.
Tip: Line up as close to 4:00 p.m. as you can (they begin meeting around 4:30 p.m.) OR join the line around 11 p.m. (at the end of the night). If lining up early, make sure you get your wristband first!
Exclusive to MVMCP: Yes, she is exclusive to specially ticketed events like MNSSHP
Average Wait: 30-40 mins
Tip: The line for Moana opens at 6 p.m. outside. You’re allowed inside the queue beginning at 6:30 p.m. and she’ll start meeting around 6:35 pm. You can also try to getting in line during the fireworks and the parades or during the final hour for shorter waits.
Exclusive to MVMCP: This combo of characters is exclusive to specially ticketed events like MVMCP
Average Wait: 30-40 mins
Tip: This pair of characters swaps sets with Jasmine and Genie. This line usually opens at 7 p.m. You’ll be allowed to enter the queue around 6:50 p.m.
Jasmine with Genie
Meeting Location: At the Agrabah Bazaar (this pair swaps sets with Aladdin and Abu)
Costume: Holiday attire
Exclusive to MVMCP: This combo of characters is exclusive to specially ticketed events like MNSSHP
Average Wait: 30-40 mins
Tip: This pair of characters swaps sets with Aladdin and Abu. This line usually opens at 7 p.m. You’ll be allowed to enter the queue around 6:50 p.m.
Frontierland
Country Bears
Meeting Location: Roaming around
Costume: Holiday outfits
Exclusive to MVMCP: No, but you can’t see them in holiday attire outside of the party
Average Wait: No wait; the characters are roaming around Frontierland
Liberty Square
Santa Claus
Meeting Location: Gazebo behind Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe
Costume: Santa suit
Exclusive to MVMCP: No, you can also meet Santa Claus in other areas at Disney World, including Epcot and Disney Springs.
Average Wait: 45 mins
Tip: Doesn’t meet during the parades. The line opens at 6:30 p.m. and starts meeting at 7 p.m. As it gets closer to Christmas, Santa will also meet during the day. He won’t meet if weather is bad.
Exclusive to MVMCP: This combo in their holiday outfits is exclusive to MVMCP
Average Wait: 30-60 minutes
Tip: If priority, line up as close to 6 p.m. as you can. They start meeting around 7 p.m. The line grows quickly. This is definitely a popular character spot. If lining up early, make sure you get your wristband first.
Daisy and Minnie
Meeting Location: Dumbo queue in Storybook Circus
Costume: Holiday attire
Exclusive to MVMCP: This combo in their holiday outfits is exclusive to MVMCP
Average Wait: 30-60 minutes
Tip: If priority, line up as close to 6 p.m. as you can. They start meeting around 7 p.m. The line grows quickly. This is definitely a popular character spot. If lining up early, make sure you get your wristband first.
Santa Goofy
Meeting Location: Storybook Circus near Goofy’s Barnstormer
Costume: Santa suit
Exclusive to MVMCP: No, you can also meet Santa Goofy at Minnie’s Holiday Dine at Hollywood & Vine in Hollywood Studios
Average Wait: 30-40 mins
Tip: When raining, you can find him at the Disney Junior Jingle Jam dance party in Storybook Circus near the Barnstormer
Belle
Meeting Location: Inside Maurice’s Cottage (Enchanted Tales with Belle)
Costume: Blue cape over her traditional blue and white dress
Exclusive to MVMCP: Just the costume is exclusive. You can meet Belle at this same location in her regular attire during the day.
Average Wait: 30-60 minutes
Ariel and Prince Eric
Meeting Location: Prince Eric’s Market (across from Ariel’s Grotto)
Costume: Regular outfits (Ariel is with her feet; in her dress)
Exclusive to MVMCP: This combo of characters is exclusive to specially ticketed events like MVMCP
Average Wait: 20-40 minutes
Cinderella and Prince Charming
Meeting Location: Princess Fairytale Hall
Costume: Regular outfits
Exclusive to MVMCP: This combo of characters is exclusive to specially ticketed events like MVMCP
Average Wait: 30-60 mins
Tip: They meet with Princess Elena, meaning you can meet 3 characters at once while only waiting in one line. Princess Fairytale Hall doesn’t open until close to 7 p.m.
Princess Elena
Meeting Location: Princess Fairytale Hall
Costume: Regular outfit
Exclusive to MVMCP: No
Average Wait: 30-60 mins
Tip: She meets with Cinderella and Prince Charming, meaning you can meet 3 characters at once while only waiting in one line. Princess Fairytale Hall doesn’t open until close to 7 p.m.
Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen
Meeting Location: Princess Fairytale Hall
Costume: Regular outfits
Exclusive to MVMCP: This combo of characters is exclusive to specially ticketed events like MVMCP
Average Wait: 30-60 mins
Tip: They meet with Rapunzel and Flynn Rider, meaning you can meet 4 characters at once while only waiting in one line. Princess Fairytale Hall doesn’t open until close to 7 p.m.
Rapunzel and Flynn Rider
Meeting Location: Princess Fairytale Hall
Costume: Regular outfits
Exclusive to MVMCP: This combo of characters is exclusive to specially ticketed events like MVMCP
Average Wait: 30-60 mins
Tip: They meet with Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen, meaning you can meet 4 characters at once while only waiting in one line. Princess Fairytale Hall doesn’t open until close to 7 p.m.
Snow White and The Prince
Meeting Location: along the New Fantasyland wall near the Pinocchio Village Haus restrooms
Costume: Regular outfits
Exclusive to MVMCP: This combo of characters is exclusive to specially ticketed events like MVMCP
Average Wait: 30-60 mins
Tip: They meet at the same time right next to Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip.
Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip
Meeting Location: along the New Fantasyland wall near the Pinocchio Village Haus restrooms
Costume: Regular outfits
Exclusive to MVMCP: This combo of characters is exclusive to specially ticketed events like MVMCP
Average Wait: 30-60 mins
Tip: They meet at the same time right next to Snow White and the Prince.
Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, and Piglet
Meeting Location: At Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Costume: Holiday attire
Exclusive to MVMCP: This combo of characters and costumes are exclusive to specially ticketed events like MVMCP
Average Wait: 30-60 minutes
Tip: Line up as close to 5:30 p.m. as you can (they begin meeting around 6:30 p.m.) and the line grows quickly. This is definitely a popular character spot. If lining up early, make sure you get your wristband first.
Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum
Meeting Location: Near Mad Tea Party
Costume: Holiday attire
Exclusive to MVMCP: This combo of characters and costumes are exclusive to specially ticketed events like MVMCP
Average Wait: 30-45 minutes
Tip: They meet by Cheshire Café when its raining
Characters at Dance Parties
In addition to being able to meet lots of characters, there are others that you’ll be able to catch at one of several dance parties throughout the park.
You won’t be able to get autographs or take pics with these characters, but you will be able to dance and boogie to your favorite tunes.
All the dance parties happen throughout the event (there aren’t any set times) so they are perfect to pop into when visiting nearby characters.
Character Dance Party at Club Tinsel
Characters in Attendance: Reindeer and Polar Bears
Dance Party Location: Inside Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café in Tomorrowland
Disney Junior Jingle Jam
Characters in Attendance: Vampirina, Doc McStuffins, Fancy Nancy, and Timon (sometimes Santa Goofy if it’s raining)
Dance Party Location: Storybook Circus
Characters in A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas Show
This show plays 5 times nightly for about 20 minutes on the Rockettower Plaza Stage in Tomorrowland (between Space Mountain and The Carousel of Progress) — and features some fun characters dressed up!
Characters in Attendance: Santa Stitch, Buzz Lightyear, and Mike Wazowski from Monsters, Inc. (wearing his construction hat)
Character Checklist
Characters in Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade
One last place you can spot characters is in the extremely popular and festive Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade.
Shown twice nightly at 8:30 p.m. and 11 p.m., the parade is loaded with all your favorites.
The parade is divided into separate sections or “units”.
You can see the holiday parade after the final MVMCP of the year. Actually, you can typically see all of these events daily (without a party ticket):
Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime parade
Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration
A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas
The Reindeer Wranglers
Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks
In addition, the attractions with special overlays (Tomorrowland Speedway, Space Mountain, Mad Tea Party, and Monster’s Inc. Laugh Floor) are also usually available.
As for the holiday parade, here’s who you can see:
Opening
Pluto, Peter Pan, Wendy, Donald, Daisy, Nick, Judy, Pinocchi, Geppetto, Tigger, Pooh, Alice, Mad Hatter, Mary Poppins, Bert — all walking
Mickey and Minnie on float with Christmas tree
Frozen Section
Skiers
Olaf on float
Anna and Kristoff walking with ice harvesters
Elsa on Wandering Oaken’s Trading Post float
Baking and Gingerbread Section
Vanellope driving a gingerbread car
Ralph on gingerbread house float
Chip and Dale in baking outfits walking with gingerbread men and bakers
Clarabelle on gingerbread float
Candy cane dancers
Goofy bicycling on a gumball machine float
Princess Section
Seven dwarfs walking
Snow White, Ariel, Tiana, Rapunzel, Cinderella, Belle, Jasmine, and Aurora on gazebo float
Prince Phillip, Aladdin, Flynn Rider, The Prince, Prince Charming, Prince Naveen, and Prince Eric walking
Royal dancers
Santa’s Workshop and Toy Story Section
Elves and bears walking with Pixar Luxo Balls
Float with Jessie, Bo Peep, Woody, and Bullseye
Toy soliders marching
Finale
Reindeer prancing
Santa in his sleigh
Are the Seven Dwarfs meeting at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party?
Unfortunately, just like the 2022 Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, the Seven Dwarfs did not return for the 2022 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. You also won’t find Peter Pan in Adventureland and Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps in Tomorrowland, unlike past parties.
Allyson was able to take her lifelong love of Disney and her education (Bachelor’s Degree in English/minor in writing and a Master’s Degree in Print & Multimedia Journalism) and turn it into a career writing about all things Disney parks. Her writing can be seen in a few places, including her site, Magically Main Street. Email Allyson
