Wild animals aren’t the only draw at Animal Kingdom. In fact, Animal Kingdom is full of fun and unique ways to experience your favorite Disney and Pixar characters.

Animal Kingdom has two ways to experience characters: Meet & Greets and Character Cruises.

Character Meet & Greets are back at Disney World. When guests get their picture taken with a character, they are now allowed to hug and get autographs. PhotoPass photographers will now also take a picture with your phone if you’d like. Animal Kingdom is currently offering the fewest number of Meet & Greets of any park, but we expect the lineup to increase over the next few months.

Character Cruises – This is Animal Kingdom’s version of a character cavalcade, which is basically a mini parade. However, these take place on the waterways that flow through Animal Kingdom. You can see some of your favorite Disney Characters on boats waving as they float by.

Tip: Check the times guide or the Walt Disney World app to see an up to date list of which characters are appearing during you day in the park.

Tip: You don’t need PhotoPass to get pictures with the characters. While PhotoPass can be a great enhancement to your trip, you can ask one of Disney’s photographers to take a picture with your phone. You are also always welcome to take a selfie, which is your best option for sightings.

Animal Kingdom Character Meet & Greets

Discovery Island

Dug from Up - Animal Kingdom Character Meet and Greet

  • Russel and Dug from Up
  • Kevin from Up

Dinoland USA

  • Donald’s Dino-Bash: Meet Donald, Chip, Dale, and other characters dressed as dinosaurs. Returning in the second half of 2022.

Animal Kingdom Character Cruises

These character cruises take place frequently throughout the day. Check the My Disney Experience app for showtimes.

  • Discovery River Character Cruise – See characters from The Lion King or Pocahontas on the Discovery River
  • Goofy & Pals Set Sail – See Goofy, Chip, and Dale cruising down the Discovery River.
  • Mickey and Friends Flotilla – Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, and other friends set sail on the Discovery River.