Disney Park Faces Massive Guest Demand as Wait Times Surpass 600 Minutes
Disney guests are facing extraordinary wait times this Halloween season.
October is traditionally one of the busiest periods at Disney parks, with Halloween decorations, limited-time entertainment, and exclusive character appearances attracting crowds. At Walt Disney World, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party remains a major seasonal draw, offering experiences unavailable during regular park hours.
Character meet-and-greets are particularly popular during Halloween. Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and other Disney favorites often appear in costumes specifically designed for the occasion, giving guests an opportunity to take photographs and collect autographs with characters in their seasonal outfits.
However, not every lengthy Disney queue is for an attraction. Some of the longest waits occur at character greetings, especially when a popular Disney character appears in a limited-time costume. Unlike rides, these experiences also depend on how many guests can meet a character during scheduled appearances.
At one Disney resort, demand has reached an extraordinary level, with a reported wait time stretching beyond 10 hours.
Disney Character Meet-and-Greet Reaches 620 Minutes
On October 17, 2026, a guest reported a 620-minute wait to meet LinaBell at Shanghai Disneyland. The figure translates to 10 hours and 20 minutes, although it has not been independently verified.
LinaBell is one of the most popular characters in Disney’s Duffy and Friends lineup. The pink fox debuted at Shanghai Disneyland in September 2021 and quickly developed a following, despite never appearing in a Disney animated movie or television series.
Known for carrying a magnifying glass and solving mysteries, LinaBell regularly attracts long lines at the resort. She celebrated her fifth anniversary in September 2026, with Shanghai Disney Resort holding a week of special festivities from September 23 through 29.
This October, LinaBell has traded her usual outfit for a Halloween costume featuring a red, fur-trimmed coat, a striped purple-and-yellow dress, and a miniature top hat decorated with a pumpkin, spiderweb, and white feather.
Shanghai Disney,
＿人人人人人人人人人人人人人人人人人人＿
＞ Astonishing 620-Minute Wait Time ＜
￣Y^Y^Y^Y^Y^Y^Y^Y^Y^Y^Y^Y^Y^Y^Y￣
上海ディズニー、
＿人人人人人人人人人人人人人人人人人人＿
＞ 驚 異 の 6 2 0 分 待 ち ＜
￣Y^Y^Y^Y^Y^Y^Y^Y^Y^Y^Y^Y^Y^Y^Y￣ pic.twitter.com/cAdIrwdKSQ— ウェルズ 10/11WB南4み18b (@Wells_1983) October 17, 2026
Guests can meet LinaBell at Friendship Point in Adventure Isle. Disney’s official schedule lists the character experience from 8:30 a.m. to 7:15 p.m., although operating times are subject to change.
The reported 620-minute queue would account for almost the entire scheduled meet-and-greet period. However, a posted wait time does not necessarily mean every guest spends that long waiting, particularly when queues close before the end of the day.
Shanghai Disneyland has several rules governing its character experiences. Guests must follow cast members’ instructions, and Disney warns that meet-and-greet queues may close depending on capacity and operational requirements.
Visitors are also asked to keep their interactions brief so more guests can meet the characters. Each person can request a maximum of one autograph per character, while selfie sticks are prohibited and physical affection must remain gentle.
This is far from the first occasion that demand for Duffy and Friends has resulted in extraordinary crowds at Shanghai Disneyland.
In March 2024, guests reportedly waited up to eight hours outside Sweetheart Confectionery to purchase Duffy and CookieAnn backpacks. According to Inside the Magic, some visitors allegedly fainted, while others attempted to rush the store.
Security was reportedly called to manage the situation, and the backpacks eventually sold out. Reservations for the merchandise queue also disappeared within minutes, with some later offered for resale for between 300 and 500 yuan.
Following complaints, Shanghai Disneyland promised to improve its operations and introduce further measures to combat unauthorized merchandise reselling.
Shanghai Disneyland Expands Halloween Celebrations for 2026
The massive wait comes as Shanghai Disneyland celebrates Halloween from October 4 through November 1, 2026. This year’s festivities coincide with the resort’s 10th anniversary, with new entertainment, special character costumes, and an expanded schedule of Halloween events.
Disney has increased the number of Halloween Spook-tacular Days from eight in 2025 to 10 in 2026. These take place from October 16 to 18, October 23 to 25, and October 29 through November 1, putting the reported LinaBell queue on the second day of the festivities.
The celebrations include five Halloween party zones, additional character encounters, and Donald’s Mischievous Treat Party in Festival Forest. Guests can also watch the Disney Villains Castle Celebration, a nighttime projection show at the Enchanted Storybook Castle.
Other seasonal offerings include Treasure Cove: Buccaneer Bash, featuring Captain Jack Sparrow, and The Villains’ Club in Tomorrowland. Jack Skellington and Sally also make appearances in Fantasyland on select Spook-tacular Days.
Disney has introduced several additional character experiences for 2026. Peg-Leg Pete appears in a Halloween costume on Mickey Avenue, while Mickey Mouse and his friends have received steampunk-inspired outfits. Duffy and Friends have also been given new costumes inspired by a troupe of traveling performers.
Unlike Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom, Shanghai Disneyland’s Halloween festivities do not require a separate event ticket. The seasonal entertainment is included with regular park admission, although individual experiences remain subject to availability.
With two more weekends of Spook-tacular entertainment scheduled before Halloween ends, guests planning to meet LinaBell should check Disney’s official app for updated character schedules and queue information before joining the line.
Have you ever waited several hours to meet a Disney character?
