Where To Meet Characters at Disney World in 2023: The Best Meet & Greet Spots!

Since character experiences returned to Disney parks last year, many returning favorites and new character encounters have made daily appearances. Meeting characters is always a fun-filled experience and will surely be one of the highlights of your trip. Whether you have preschoolers who can’t wait to hug their favorite character or you want to fill your Instagram feed with character selfies, here are the best spots where you can meet characters at Walt Disney World in 2023! 

Moana 
The newest character to get a permanent meet-and-greet location is Moana. Moana voyaged to Disney’s Animal Kingdom on April 22nd to celebrate Animal Kingdom’s 25th anniversary and Earth Day. She meets guests daily at Character Landing, to the right of Discovery Island (where the Tree of Life is located), near the bridge to DinoLand, U.S.A. 
 
Princesses at EPCOT 
One of the best places to meet princesses at the parks is EPCOT! Journey around the World Showcase, where you’ll find princesses meeting outdoors throughout the various countries. Princesses you may see include: 

• Jasmine in Morocco 
• Mulan in China 
• Aurora in France 
• Belle in France 
• Snow White in Germany 

These princesses meet at different times throughout the day, so check your Times Guide or the My Disney Experience app on the day of your visit to see the exact meeting times and locations for each princess. You’ll need to wait in line to visit each princess, but lines here tend to be much shorter than character experiences at Magic Kingdom.

EPCOT is also the only place to get a picture with Elsa and Anna from Frozen. They meet guests at their Royal Sommerhus, outside the Frozen Ever After ride in Norway. Also in Norway, Akershus Royal Banquet Hall provides fairytale dining with some of your favorite princesses in a medieval-style castle for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. While visiting princesses may vary, you may be able to dine with Belle, Snow White, Aurora, and Ariel there. 

Enchanted Tales With Belle 
If you’re a Beauty and the Beast fan, you’ll want to experience this interactive show inside the Beast’s Castle at Magic Kingdom. You’ll help Belle retell her story in her library, complete with props, singing, and a few surprises. At the end of the show, you’ll have the opportunity to snap a picture with Belle, too. 

Captain Jack Sparrow 
If he’s not out on his latest pirate voyage, you may catch a glimpse of Captain Jack Sparrow near the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Magic Kingdom. He’s known for roaming around the courtyard near the ride and the Adventureland stage. 
  
Cinderella’s Step Sisters 
Anastasia and Drizella always provide humorous character interactions! They certainly know how to make an entrance, and you can find them around Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom throughout the day, especially behind Cinderella Castle near the Cinderella Fountain. ​

Pixar Characters at Pixar Place 
The reimagined Pixar Place at Disney’s Hollywood Studios includes a brand new meet and greet with Edna Mode from The Incredibles and spots to meet Mr. & Mrs. Incredible, Frozone, and Sulley from Monsters, Inc. 

Mickey Mouse 
A trip to Disney World wouldn’t be complete without meeting the mouse himself! While there are several places to meet Mickey throughout the parks, one great place is at the Town Square Theater on Main Street, U.S.A., at Magic Kingdom. You’ll meet Mickey in his classic tuxedo and yellow bow tie here. The location is easy to find, too—it’s just inside Magic Kingdom’s main entrance, to the right when you first walk onto Main Street, U.S.A. 

The Pals 
There are plenty of places to meet Mickey’s friends, like Minnie, Donald, Daisy, and Goofy, across all four theme parks. One of our favorite locations to meet them is Pete’s Silly Sideshow, inside the circus tents in Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom. Here, there are two lines: one to meet “Daring Disney Pals,” Donald and Goofy, and another to meet “Dashing Disney Pals,” Minnie and Daisy. Each pal is dressed to perform in the center circus ring, with Daisy as a fortune teller, Minnie as a “magnifique” pet trainer, Donald as a snake charmer, and Goofy as a stuntman.  

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Ariel from the Live-Action Story
Ariel from the newly released live-action Little Mermaid greets guests in human form inside Walt Disney Presents at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This character interaction is only available for a limited time. If you’re visiting Disney World this summer, this character interaction is worth experiencing. 
  
Star Wars Launch Bay 
Star Wars Launch Bay was the original place to meet Star Wars characters at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and it’s still filled with fun and thrilling characters like BB-8, Chewbacca, and Darth Vader. 

Galaxy’s Edge
Inside the Star Wars-themed land at Hollywood Studios, you’ll see a few of the biggest stars from the newest films and TV shows. One of the most popular character experiences is The Mandalorian & Grogu. Though they don’t have any set times to meet guests, you can usually tell where they are by the huge crowd that follows them. You can also spot Rey, Kylo Ren, and roaming Storm Troopers here.

Animation Courtyard 
Your preschooler will love seeing their favorite Disney Jr. characters come to life at the Animation Courtyard at Hollywood Studios. You can meet Vampirina, Doc McStuffins, and Fancy Nancy here. Don’t forget to stay for the Disney Jr. dance party show, which plays throughout the day, too. 

Retro 90s Favorites
You can find Chip ’n Dale in their Rescue Rangers attire near the Indiana Jones™ Stunt Spectacular show at Hollywood Studios. You can also find vacation Goofy and Powerline Max (from The Goofy Movie) greeting guests along Grand Avenue (near Muppet Vision 3D) at Hollywood Studios, too! 

Where to Meet Disney Characters: **Coming Soon**
Mirabel from Disney’s hit film Encanto will begin greeting guests in the Fairytale Garden at Magic Kingdom this fall. This is currently Merida’s meet and greet location. The area will be redecorated to incorporate elements of the Madrigals’ Casita. 
 
Figment will have a meeting location inside the Imagination! Pavilion at EPCOT, just outside the Journey into Imagination ride. An official date hasn’t been set yet, but we know he’ll start meeting guests later this summer. Sign up for our email list for more updates. 
   
 Let Just Add Magic Travel® Plan Your Dream Disney Vacation 
Character experiences can change daily, so check out your Times Guide and the My Disney Experience app for the most accurate meeting times and locations. Character encounters are always subject to change, and there are no guarantees of who may visit at a particular time. However, this list will give you an idea of where to meet characters at Disney World. Once you find the characters you don’t want to miss, add their location to your plans using the free Disney Genie itinerary planning section inside My Disney Experience. You’ll get real-time updates about meeting times, wait times, and more. 

Need help planning your Disney vacation? Let Just Add Magic Travel help! Get a free quote and start planning your dream vacation today!