Thinking of planning a Disney Cruise?

There are SO many things to consider and learn. Where do you want to cruise? Which ship should you choose? What about excursions or on-ship entertainment? It can all be a bit (OK, a LOT) overwhelming. Don’t worry, you do NOT have to figure this all out alone. We’re here to help!! We’ve got a whole post about EVERYTHING you need to know about Disney Cruises, but today, we’re diving into the COMPLETE Guide to Disney Cruise character meet & greets!

Meeting your favorite Disney characters is probably one of the main reasons why you decided to book a Disney Cruise over some of the other cruise line options out there. Luckily, it doesn’t matter what ship you cruise on, how long you cruise, or your cruise itinerary, if you’re on a Disney Cruise ship, you’re going to have world-class entertainment and get a chance to see, meet, and hug some of your favorite Disney pals!

Meet & Greet General Info

Listed on your Personal Navigator or on the Disney Cruise Line app will be a schedule of character meets. It is recommended that you show up to the meets a few minutes early (10 minutes should be enough) in order to limit the amount of time you spend waiting in line and to maximize the amount of time you spend meeting characters.

When heading into a character interaction, check to see whether the characters will be signing autographs. This information may be listed in your Personal Navigator or you can just ask the Cast Members at the character location. If the characters are signing autographs and you want a signature, be sure to have your autograph book ready with a pen or marker at hand.

Some character meet and greets are extremely popular. Due to the massive crowds that some characters can attract, the some of the popular character meet events may be ticketed. These are FREE tickets, you just have to sign up for them in advance so that you don’t miss your favorite character. You can get your tickets by booking through the My Cruise Activities page in your cruise app account. The advanced booking window for character meet and greet tickets varies depending on the Castaway Club level of the guest. Sometimes additional character meeting tickets are available on the first night of the cruise if you visit guest services. A few of these ticketed events include Marvel characters, Star Wars characters, and Frozen characters.

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Characters

Most Cruises have a variety of characters you can meet and interact with. 

• Mickey
• Minnie
• Goofy
• Pluto
• Donald
• Daisy
• Chip n’ Dale
• Cinderella
• Anna
• Elsa
• Doc McStuffins
• Sofia the First

In addition to the traditional meet and greet locations, some ships have special themed restaurants where certain characters will be there hosting their story in the dining room. These characters won’t be able to stop for an autograph or a photo, but will often circulate around the restaurant so everyone can see them and say hi.

• Disney Magic  – Rapunzel’s Royal Table and Royal Court Royal Tea
• Disney Wonder – Tiana’s Palace and Royal Court Royal Tea
• Disney Dream – Royal Court Royal Tea
• Disney Fantasy – Royal Court Royal Tea
• Disney Wish – Worlds of Marvel and Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure

There are also special themed cruises where you can find more unique characters that are part of the extended Disney family that you can’t find on other cruises. These characters are often on special sailings such as Marvel Day at Sea, Pixar Day at Sea, or Star Wars Day at Sea. Not only will you get to see these uncommon characters, but you’ll also get to see your favorite Disney friends dressed up in themed attire just for the occasion!

• Iron Man
• Spiderman
• Black Panther
• Groot
• Chewbacca
• C-3PO
• R2-D2
• Darth Vader

And you can’t forget about the holidays! Disney Cruises get decked out in festive decor for both Halloween and Christmas. So if you find yourself sailing during the spooky season or on a yuletide cruise, you’ll have more opportunities to get some photos and hugs from your Disney friends in their seasonal attire.

It pays off to keep an eye on your Personal Navigator app to check out for updates on which characters will be out, when, where, and perhaps even if they’ll be dressed up for the occasion.

Meet & Greet Locations

One of the nice things about cruising on Disney ships is that most things are pretty standardized and familiar from ship to ship. You can definitely find some unique offerings and nuances that make each ship special, but you don’t have to worry too much that if you don’t book a specific ship that you’ll be missing out on something. So matter what ship you’re on, you can plan to spot characters at:

• Lobby Atrium
• Gangway
• Oceaneer Lab
• Oceaneer Club

Disney Dream and Fantasy

• Donald’s Pool

Disney Magic and Wonder

• Goofy’s Pool Stage
• Deck 4 Midship or Balcony

Other Character Meeting Opportunities

Aboard Disney Cruise Lines, all ships will have deck parties and celebrations where you can bet a few of your favorite Disney characters will be making the rounds. Embarkation Day always includes a visit from Mickey and friends, as well as the famous See Ya’ Real Soon and ‘Til We Meet Again parties.

The Disney Junior Character Breakfast typically offers greetings with Mickey Mouse, Sofia the First, Vampirina, and Doc McStuffins. The Disney VIP Breakfast typically features characters such as Mickey Mouse and more.

Most of the rotating dinners will include visits from characters as well, including Tiana, Rapunzel, and more. Dining on the High Seas can help you find which dining experiences and restaurants will include a character meet and greet.

No matter which Disney Cruise ship you choose, you’ll have plenty of chances to meet a ton of Disney characters! If you’re specifically looking to sail with some of Disney’s extended family, like Pixar characters, Star Wars, or Marvel characters, be sure to zero on those themed cruise dates. But no matter when you cruise, your favorite Disney friends will be there to welcome onboard and help you have a magical cruise!

What Characters Are On Disney’s Castaway Cay?

Who is your favorite character to meet on a Disney Cruise? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!