Ah, how we love meet-and-greets! I remember when I was a young lad, walking around Disney World with a small notepad and a Sharpie, asking every single character I encountered for an autograph. Sometimes, I’d even ask random staff members to sign my book just to collect more signatures. Those moments are definitely special, and there’s nothing better than seeing your children’s smiles as they meet Mickey, Minnie, and friends.
You can find lots and lots of Disney characters all over Disneyland, scattered in the two main theme parks: Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure. I’d say that Disneyland Park is more focused on the traditional Disney characters, Disney Princesses and Star Wars characters, while you can find Marvel characters like Iron Man, Spider Man and the Guardians of the Galaxy in Disney California Adventure.
You can often find the same character in both theme parks, though they might be wearing different outfits. For example, Elsa is frequently seen in Disney California Adventure Park with her outfit and hairstyle from Frozen 2, while the original Elsa is typically found in Disneyland Park. Mickey, Minnie, and friends are also commonly seen across both parks.
General Meet & Greet tips for Disneyland
- Check the Disneyland app on the day of your visit for specific character meet-and-greet locations and hours.
- Characters listed in this guide are not guaranteed to appear. In Disneyland, more so than in Disney World, characters often roam around. One day you might find Captain Hook in Fantasyland, only to return the next day and find Peter Pan there instead.
- Character meet-and-greet experiences are not included in the list of attractions eligible for a Lightning Lane Multi Pass. For meet-and-greets, simply enter the standard line.
- Some characters appear during special occasions. For example, Mulan is a common sight during the Lunar New Year celebrations, while Jack Skellington and Sally often appear during Halloween.
- Some characters also tend to appear near the release of a new movie. For example, Asha was a common sight just before the movie Wish released.
With that said, let’s check out the most common meet & greet across Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure. Remember, this isn’t an exhaustive list, and some rare characters might appear from time to time. We are going to divide our list based on theme parks and locations where characters usually appear.
Let’s go!
Meet & Greet at Disneyland Park
Disneyland Park is the perfect place to meet some of the most classic Disney characters. Yes, we're talking about Mickey, Minnie, and all their friends, but it’s also a great spot to take photos with the Disney Princesses!
Additionally, Disneyland Park is home to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, so you can not only use the Force but also strike your best Jedi (or Sith) pose next to Darth Vader, Kylo Ren, Rey, Chewbacca, and other characters from a galaxy far, far away.
To make it easier for you, we’ll separate this guide into sections for Disneyland characters and Star Wars characters.
Disney Characters
Near the Entrance to the park
You can usually find these characters just after you pass through the main gates. They are often there early in the morning, and some will stay in place, rotating throughout the day until late afternoon. Some of the most classic Disney characters can be found here.
- Mickey
- Minnie
- Goofy
- Pluto
- Donald
- Daisy
- Chip 'n' Dale
Mickey’s Toontown
- Mickey
- Minnie
- Pluto
Princess Royal Hall
Random princesses can be found at the Princess Royal Hall, where you’ll usually encounter three of the princesses listed below. For specific hours, check 'Meet Princesses at Royal Hall' in the Disneyland app. This is definitely one of the best places in Disneyland to find princesses. Here are some of the names you might see there:
- Tiana
- Snow White
- Rapunzel
- Cinderella
- Belle
- Jasmine
- Tiana
- Ariel
- Anna
- Elsa
The Wishing Well
The wishing well to the right of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle is a popular spot for meeting Disney Princesses, Princes and even some Villains. Some of the characters you might find there include:
- The Evil Queen
- Anna
- Elsa
- Aurora
- Ariel
- Rapunzel
- Flynn Rider
- Jasmine
- Aladdin
Pooh Corner
You can find Pooh Corner right after exiting The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh ride in Bayou Country.
- Winnie the Pooh
- Eeyore
- Tigger
- New Orleans Square
- Tiana
- Pixie Hollow
- Tinker Bell & friends
…Just Walking Around
The characters listed here are usually found walking around the park, though they can be easier to locate at specific spots at times.
- Alice & Mad Hatter (near the Alice ride)
- Fairy Godmother, The Evil Queen, Gaston, Beast, Peter Pan, Captain Hook (usually in Fantasyland)
- Jack Sparrow (New Orleans Square)
- Mary Poppins (Pixie Hollow)
Star Wars Characters
Walking around Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge randomly
- Darth Vader
- Kylo Ren
- Rey
- Vi Moradi
- R2-D2
- Stormtroopers
- The Mandalorian & Grogu
Star Wars Launch Bay
- Darth Vader
- Chewbacca
- Kylo Ren
Disney After Dark Meet & Greet
You can also find exclusive characters during Disney After Dark events, which are not present in the park during regular hours. Disney After Dark events are special ticketed evenings that allow you to enter the park after regular hours. There are various After Dark events, such as Sweethearts Nite in February and Star Wars Nite in May. Here is a list of characters that have been spotted during these special events.
- Mickey & Minnie
- Donald Duck
- Daisy Duck
- Goofy
- Clarabelle Cow
- Mirabel
- Bruno
- Rapunzel
- Anna
- Elsa
- Olaf
- Rapunzel
- Tinker Bell & friends
- Jack Sparrow
- The Evil Queen
- Cruella De Vil
- Maleficent
- Queen of Hearts
- Ahsoka
- The Mandalorian and Grogu
- C-3P0
Meet & Greet at Disney California Adventure
Meet & Greet at Disney California Adventure is similar to Disneyland Park. Make sure to check your app for specific times for characters to appear and any special event. Disneyland Park also has appearances from classic Disney characters like Mickey & Minnie, but it’s more focused on Marvel and Pixel characters as well. It’s here that you can meet the Avengers, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Toy Story characters, The Incredibles and even the cars from… Cars.
Let’s see where you can often find your favorite characters, shall we?
Disney Characters
Buena Vista Street
- Mickey
- Minnie
- Donald
- Goofy
- Pluto
- Clarabelle Cow
- Oswald the Lucky Rabbit
Animation Building
- Anna
- Elsa
- Olaf
- Kristoff
Redwood Creek Challenge Trail
- Raya
- Mulan (especially during the Lunar New Year celebrations)
Cars Land
- Lightning McQueen
- Mater
- Red the Firetruck
- Cruz Ramirez
Near Toy Story Midway Mania
- Woody
- Buzz
- Jessie
- Green Army Men
Near the Incredicoaster
- The Incredibles
Near The Little Mermaid - Ariel's Undersea Adventure
- Judy Hopps
- Nick Wild
Marvel Superheroes
Avengers Campus
- Black Widow
- Black Panther
- Captain America
- Iron Man
- Captain Marvel
- Doctor Strange
- Thor
- Loki
- Spider-Man
- Ant-Man
- The Wasp
- Star Lord
- Gamora
- Groot
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