Meeting Characters in Disneyland: Every Tip You Need

Meeting characters in Disneyland brings an extra dose of magic to any Disney Resort trip. Here’s how to find and meet your favorite characters!

There is so much joy in meeting the characters in Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure!

Aside from the rides and the entertainment, meeting characters like Mickey, Minnie, and the gang is one of the most unique experiences that Disneyland provides.

While my own kids have gone through various phases of wanting to meet the characters or just wanting to observe them from afar, we’ve learned so many great tricks for being able to interact with characters over the years.

And while we’ve got lots of great photos in this post, rest assured that there are many other ways to interact with characters than just taking a picture!

Psst — before you get the details, be sure to sign up below for my VIP group. I send these folks more of my very best family and travel ideas.

Etiquette for Meeting Disneyland Characters

While you’re trying to meet Disneyland characters, there are a few spoken and unspoken rules for making interactions positive for everyone.

If you’re waiting in a line, be ready for your turn when it comes up! Have a camera or autograph book ready, and if your kiddo wants to ask or tell the character something make sure they’re ready for that too.

When it’s your turn, take the time to have a meaningful exchange but don’t linger so long that the character doesn’t have time for others.

Hugs are great! But be sure not to handle the character’s costume inappropriately or physically touch them in aggressive or awkward ways.

Sometimes you’ll see characters roaming or on the move. This could mean that they’re on the way to a break. Characters always have a Cast Member Attendant with them who can tell you whether they’re available for a quick hello.

Ways to Interact with Characters in Disney Parks

If you or your children are into characters and like getting up close and personal, a photo is a great way to have a special moment with a character!

But that’s not the only way to interact, especially if your child is shy or scared of being too close to a character.

If you have a collector in your family, get a little autograph book and have them collect autographs of various characters. They each have their own special handwriting!

Some kids love to ask questions or have conversations with characters, which is great. Face characters can have full conversations, while fur/head characters are fantastic at using hand signals and body language to communicate.

For shy children, high fives or even waving at a distance can be just as magical as an up-close meeting. I recommend watching parades for this, as you’ll get a whole slew of characters in a short amount of time, at a safe distance.

Where to Meet Mickey, Minnie, and the Main Gang

So let’s talk about where to meet specific characters!

Mickey and Minnie can be found often in their own homes in Toontown – you tour the house and get to meet them at the end.

They also hang out near the entrance of Disneyland around the Disney Showcase, and in Disney’s California Adventure (DCA) on Buena Vista Street.

You’ll also find the main gang (Donald, Daisy, Goofy, Pluto) in these areas!

Chip and Dale often visit guests in or around the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail in DCA.

How to Meet Disney Princesses in Disneyland and California Adventure

If you want to meet princesses, your best bet is to get in line at the Royal Hall. You’ll often have the chance to walk through the hall and meet up to three princesses in succession. You’ll find princesses like Ariel, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Jasmine, Elena, and Aurora.

If your child loves Frozen, you can meet Anna and Elsa in the Animation Building in DCA.

They sometimes hang out in Disneyland as well; be sure to check the info for the days you’re visiting the parks.

Meeting Marvel Characters at the Disneyland Resort

Marvel characters are out in full effect on Marvel Campus in DCA!

They have multiple daily shows with a whole cast of characters so that kids can wave and give high fives.

You can meet Spidey after his daily show in the corridor; just get in line after the show ends.

And sometimes you’ll find other characters in Hollywood Land or just roaming Marvel Campus (Cap, Doctor Strange, Black Panther, and more!).

How to Meet Pixar Disney Characters

DCA is the place to meet your favorite Pixar characters!

Woody and the gang hang out near the Midway Mania ride.

You can meet Incredibles Characters near the exit of the Incredicoaster.

Monsters, Inc. characters usually greet visitors near their ride in Hollywood Land.

If you’re in the park on a day when the Better Together Pixar Parade is traveling through the park, you’ll be able to see characters from lots more Pixar movies too!

More Characters and How to Meet Them

A few more tips! Head to Galaxy’s Edge to meet Star Wars characters like Chewbacca, Rey, Kailo Ren, and more.

In Fantasyland you’ll find the main characters from Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, Mary Poppins, Aladdin and other movies.

If you want to guarantee a bunch of character greetings with a little more personal interaction, you can also book a character breakfast in one of the Disneyland Resort hotels.

These breakfasts have multiple characters roaming around as you eat, and they’ll hang out at your table with you for a bit. Each different breakfast has a different group of characters and a slightly varied experience.

Hope you find that these little insider secrets bring extra magic to your next trip!

We also have more secret Disneyland tricks here, along with how to go on a budget and how to make the most of your Magic Key pass.

Have fun, travelers! xoxo