9 Character Meet & Greets You Might Not Know Are At Disney World

We all know the popular character meet and greets, like Mickey and Minnie, Anna and Elsa, but there a few character meet and greets that don’t happen every day, and aren’t listed on a schedule. Here are 9 meet and greets you might not know are at Disney World.

9. DiVine

DiVine is not a classic Disney character, but she has gained quite a reputation for being elusive! DiVine is a performer on stilts, covered in green foliage to blend into the backdrop of Animal Kingdom. She is often spotted on the walkway between Asia and Africa, usually between 10am and 2pm, and sometimes at the front gate at rope drop. DiVine doesn’t speak or sign autographs, but she is accommodating if you want a couple photos. Keep your eyes peeled for movement in the trees and greenery while at Animal Kingdom, or you might miss your chance to meet DiVine.

8. Water Parks

Meet and greets are not limited to just the four main parks or character dining experiences, there are also some characters at the water parks! Goofy is known to roam around Blizzard Beach, but his main spot tends to be by the Beach Haus. Lilo and Stich make appearances at Typhoon Lagoon. They don’t appear together but switch off throughout the day, so it may be tricky to get photos with them both, depending on your timing. Look for them next to the High N Dry rentals.

7. Disney Visa Meet and Greet

If you are a Disney Visa cardholder there is a special meet and greet for you at Epcot in Innovations. You must have your Disney Visa card with you and present it to a cast member. The characters are a surprise, but you will get a private meet and greet, sometimes with a few characters. Often the meet and greet includes Mickey, Minnie, Pluto and/or Pluto.

6. Character Palooza

At Hollywood Studios there is an unscheduled meet and greet called Character Palooza that only occurs on the days that Fantasmic is showing. This meet and greet moves around to different locations, sometimes it’s by Tower of Terror, Echo Lake, or the main entrance of the park. It takes place between the hours of 4pm and 7pm, and 5-10 characters, sometimes very rare characters, will make an appearance for a mingle style meet and greet with guests. Some characters who have been seen in the past include Donald Duck, the Evil Queen, Robin Hood, Tweedle Dum and Dee, and even Mushu. Count yourself lucky if you’ve caught this meet and greet!

5. The Brer’s and the Country Bears

The Frontierland Hoedown happens a couple times a day at Magic Kingdom in the area in front of The Country Bear Jamboree. The times are not always specified so it can be tricky to catch this one, but if you do you’re in for a real treat. Cast members, Brer Bear, Brer Rabbit and some of the Country Bears will join in. You may even get a chance to see Clarabelle Cow and Horace Horsecollar who appear very rarely. This isn’t your typical meet and greet, they don’t sign autographs, and they aren’t always able to pose for photos, but they do mingle with guests and bring people up to dance with them.

 

4. Epcot’s Character Training Spot

Often it’s the cast members that are accompanying the characters that are in training and not the characters themselves. Epcot is the park where this training happens most and often rare characters will make appearances at these unscheduled training outings. Common areas for these meet and greets are at the International Gateway, by Journey in Imagination and the American Adventure gates. Characters that have been known to make appearances are Megara, Rosetta, Chip ‘N Dale, Jane, Mad Hatter, and Shang to name just a few.

3. Prince Charming

Prince Charming can be seen in shows and parades in the parks beside his beloved Cinderella of course, but if you want to meet Prince Charming and get your photo taken with him then you have to leave the parks and head over to 1900 Park Fare located at the Grand Floridian Resort. Prince Charming will meet and greet guests as they dine at Cinderella’s Happily Ever After Dinner buffet. As with other character dining, the characters who appear are subject to change, but the dinner buffet at 1900 Park Fare is one of your best bets if you want to meet Prince Charming, as well as Cinderella, Lady Tremaine, Drizella and Anastasia.

2. Jiminy Cricket

During Earth Week at Animal Kingdom you can meet Jiminy Cricket. Earth Week falls in April, and if you find you’re at Animal Kingdom during that week, hop on the train to Rafiki’s Planet Watch to meet Pinocchio’s conscience. There aren’t many opportunities to meet the characters from the Disney classic Pinocchio, so if you get the chance, don’t pass it by!

1. The Seven Dwarfs

The Seven Dwarfs can be seen in parades at Magic Kingdom, and of course at their attraction, The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. But twice a year you can meet each and every one of the Seven Dwarfs and have your picture taken with them. The dwarfs appear for their meet and greet at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party in Frontierland, adding some extra pixie dust to these already magical celebrations.

What are some of your favorite character meet and greets?