Hollywood Studios Characters Meet-and-Greets (With Updates)
So you’re planning a visit to Hollywood Studios, and you’ve heard it’s an excellent park for meeting characters. Wouldn’t it be great to knock out a few character meet-and-greets during your visit? If this sounds like you, then you’re in luck. Disney’s Hollywood Studios is one of the best parks to meet characters!
Below, we’ll discuss character meet-and-greets at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. We’ll review specifics like autographs, photos, and locations where you can meet each character. As always, it’s best to check the My Disney Experience app for exact locations and times on the day of your visit. While we are in the parks regularly and update changes as we encounter them, things can change. And they could change from the time you read this post to your actual visit. So, the app is the best way to check character availability on the day of your visit.
If a character you were hoping to meet is not listed, you can stop at one of the guest experiences kiosks in the park (they are under a blue umbrella) and ask a cast member if they can double-check for the character.
Hollywood Studios Characters List
Below is a list in alphabetical order of characters you can expect to find during your visit to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
- Ariel (Live-Action)
- BB-8
- Buzz Lightyear
- Chewbacca
- Chip and Dale
- Daisy Duck
- Darth Vader
- Doc McStuffins
- Donald Duck
- Edna Mode
- Fancy Nancy
- Frozone
- Goofy
- James P. Sullivan (Sulley)
- Joy
- Kylo Ren (character sighting)
- The Mandalorian and Grogu (Roaming Characters)
- Max
- Mickey Mouse
- Minnie Mouse
- Mrs. Incredible
- Olaf
- Pluto
- Rey (character sighting)
- Storm Troopers (character sighting)
- Vampirina
- Vi Moradi (character sighting)
- Woody and Jessie
Ariel (Limited-Time Live Action)
Ariel from the live-action The Little Mermaid is currently part of the character lineup at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. When this meet-and-greet was announced, it was noted that she would meet for a limited time. As of this update, Ariel is still available at this location.
You can find this meet-and-greet inside Walt Disney Presents, between the Animation Courtyard and Pixar Plaza. Ariel meets intermittently throughout the day at this location as “land” Ariel, the princess. A PhotoPass photographer is usually available at this location, and she signs autographs.
Related: Meet Ariel (Live-Action) at Hollywood Studios
BB-8
BB-8 is the cutest character meet-and-greet at Star Wars Launch Bay. This darling droid usually has reasonable lines. But the best part is he’ll probably want to talk to you. So don’t be surprised if the cast member attending the meets translates a few questions. He is available at this location throughout most of the day.
Related: Meet BB-8 at Hollywood Studios
Buzz Lightyear
Buzz Lightyear meets near the entrance of Toy Story Land. He meets intermittently throughout the day, across the walkway from Woody’s Roundup Rodeo BBQ. Unfortunately, Buzz Lightyear doesn’t sign autographs. However, the cast member attending the meet will usually provide a sticker. It’s important to note that all outdoor character meet-and-greets will close in the event of inclement weather.
Related: Meet Buzz Lightyear at Toy Story Land
Chewbacca
Chewbacca has a traditional character meet-and-greet at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. However, he’s also a roaming character. He roams Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge off and on throughout the day. So you might happen upon him while touring the land. Sometimes, we see Chewbacca near the Millennium Falcon; other times, he’s with Rey.
Chewbacca also has a dedicated meet-and-greet at Star Wars Launch Bay. This location is typically open between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., but you’ll want to check the My Disney Experience app on the day of your visit for the exact time. While you’re in the area, you can also meet BB-8 and Darth Vader.
Related: Meet Chewbacca at Hollywood Studios
Chip and Dale
Chips and Dale can be a difficult pair to find because they move around quite a bit. We’ve seen them in various places at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, including near the Brown Derby, around Echo Lake, and near Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular. They also meet during Jollywood Nights as Rescue Rangers. Make sure to check the app for their exact location on the day of your visit.
Related: Chip and Dale at Hollywood Studios
Daisy Duck
Daisy Duck once again meets with Donald Duck at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Daisy is now meeting alongside Donald at North Grand Avenue. This is the only place to meet them together at Walt Disney World.
Related: Meet Daisy and Donald Duck at Hollywood Studios
Darth Vader
He’s tall, dark, and more than a little intimidating. He’s Darth Vader, and his meet-and-greet is located at Star Wars Launch Bay at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Darth Vader meets meets daily between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. But make sure to check the My Disney Experience app on the day of your visit. If you’re visiting during a slower time of year, this location may close earlier.
Related: Meet Darth Vader at Hollywood Studios
Doc McStuffins
Doc McStuffins is one of the Disney Junior characters at Animation Courtyard. Her clinic is her backdrop, and she loves to have guests. This character meet-and-greet is perfect for the little ones. Doc McStuffins usually meets intermittently between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. She signs autographs, and sometimes, a PhotoPass photographer is available.
Related: Meet Disney Junior Characters at Disney World
Donald Duck
Donald Duck has been meeting guests at Grand Avenue lately (with Daisy). This is a traditional meet-and-greet, where you’ll stand in line to meet him. Once it’s your turn, you can get a hug, an autograph, and a photo with him. Note that he and Daisy have moved around several times, so you’ll want to check his times and location on the day of your visit in the My Disney Experience app.
Edna Mode
Edna Mode meets at The Edna Mode Experience at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This adorable meet-and-greet has a queue featuring her designs. Guests can see some of their favorite Incredibles supersuits while they wait. Of course, the real treat is when you get to meet Edna Mode. She is fabulous! Edna Mode meets at this location throughout most of the day. She signs autographs, and a PhotoPass photographer is usually available at this location.
Related: Meet Edna Mode at Hollywood Studios
Fancy Nancy
Fancy Nancy is another one of the Disney Junior character meet-and-greets at Hollywood Studios. She is a non-talking character who signs autographs. She wears her cheerful dress, and the backdrop of her location resembles her playhouse.
Frozone
Frozone has a traditional character meet-and-greet at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. He meets at Pixar Place near the Incredibles and Edna Mode. This fun area around the corner from Walt Disney Presents is an excellent place to meet several characters.
Related: Frozone Roams Pixar Plaza
Goofy
Goofy meets on Grand Avenue at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. He wears a tropical “dad” vacation shirt at this location. He probably thought he was visiting Potatoland. Max was meeting next to Goofy at this location, but he recently moved back to Echo Lake!
Related: Meet Goofy and Max at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
James P. Sullivan (Sulley)
Are you ready to scare? I hope not because Sulley from Monsters, Inc. is more of a fan of laughing than scaring. He even has a canister full of laughs to prove it. Sulley meets daily at Pixar Plaza near The Edna Mode Experience. This meet-and-greet is usually available from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Given his popularity, his line can be relatively long.
Related: Meet Sulley from Monsters, Inc.
Joy
Joy from Inside Out meets daily at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. She meets in Pixar Plaza at the Pixar Palette, the same location where other Pixar favorites meet!
Related: Meet Joy at Pixar Plaza
Kylo Ren
Kylo Ren is considered a roaming character at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. You might see him at any given moment, hindering guests in Galaxy’s Edge. Given his villainous appearance, he might be a little scary to younger children. His ship regularly lands in Batuu, and you will usually find him with a couple of stormtroopers. Unfortunately, roaming characters are a bit hit-or-miss, so keep your eyes peeled for a sighting.
Kylo Ren is also part of the First Order Searches for the Resistance entertainment offering. You can locate the times for this character experience under the Entertainment section of the My Disney Experience app. It’s worth taking a few moments to see this offering if you are in the area.
Related: Where to Find Star Wars Characters at Disney World
The Mandalorian and Grogu
The Mandalorian and Grogu are roaming characters in Galaxy’s Edge. Their times are usually listed in the My Disney Experience app. As you can imagine, they are exceptionally popular characters. So don’t be surprised if you find a crowd of guests waiting to see them. We have a walk-through of the first day of their appearance in Galaxy’s Edge. Since they are roaming characters, they do not always stop for guests. But if you ask politely and don’t crowd them, they might stop for a quick photo.
Related: Meet The Mandalorian and Grogu at Disney World
Here is a closer look at Grogu.
Max
Over the last few years, we’ve seen Max in several locations at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Lately, he’s returned to his meet-and-greet on Grand Avenue next to his dad, Goofy. Max is a regular character in the park. But like many others, you’ll want to check for exact times and locations on the day of your visit.
Max has been known to meet in his Powerline cosplay outfit at Jollywood Nights and make pop-up appearances at Mickey’s Halloweeny Party.
Mickey Mouse
Mickey and Minnie Mouse meet at Red Carpet Dreams at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. However, they do not meet together. You’ll stand in one line and meet Minnie Mouse in her dressing room. Then, you’ll wait a few more minutes to meet Mickey. This is a very popular location that often has long lines.
Mickey Mouse meets guests in his Sorcerer Mickey’s wardrobe. This is his outfit from the popular movie Fantasia. He is a non-speaking character but will happily sign your autograph book.
PhotoPass photographers are usually available at this traditional character meet. Red Carpet Dreams is typically open most of the day at Hollywood Studios. At the time of this update, this meet-and-greet is open from 9:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.
Usually, wait times for this location tend to drop off after 4:00 p.m. So, if you can wait until later in the day to meet the pair, the lines should be shorter.
Related: Meet Mickey and Minnie Mouse at Red Carpet Dreams
Minnie Mouse
Each Disney Park offers a unique opportunity to meet Mickey and Minnie Mouse in different attire. Hollywood Studios is no exception. Minnie Mouse meets in her dressing room at Red Carpet Dreams at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Red Carpet Dreams is across the walkway from the ABC Commissary on Commissary Lane. The majority of the queue is outdoors in a partially covered area. Once you reach the inside portion of the queue, you won’t have much longer to wait.
First, you’ll meet Minnie Mouse in her dressing room. She is decked out for the red carpet in her fabulous pink gown with a matching bow. Minnie Mouse is not a speaking character. However, she does sign autographs.
A PhotoPass photographer is usually present at this location for those with the Memory Maker. If you didn’t purchase the Memory Maker, you can always ask the photographer if they would take a photo with your device.
Mr. and Mrs. Incredible
On our last visit to Pixar Plaza, we found that Mrs. Incredible (AKA Elastigirl) was meeting alone. Apparently, Mr. Incredible is still staying at home with the kids these days. She meets intermittently between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. However, you’ll want to check their exact times in the My Disney Experience app. This is the same area where Frozone, Sulley, Joy, and Edna Mode meet.
Related: Meet Mrs. Incredible
Olaf
Everyone’s favorite snowman, Olaf from Frozen and Frozen 2, meets daily at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This character meet-and-greet is usually easy to plan into your day.
Olaf meets on the opposite side of the Hyperion Theater, where the Frozen Sing-A-Long takes place daily. His meet-and-greet is located inside a building. However, most of the queue is in a covered outdoor area.
Wait times are usually fairly reasonable. I recommend seeing him after seeing the Frozen Sing-Along. After exiting the theater, you’ll run right into his location.
A PhotoPass photographer is usually available to take photos at this location. Since Olaf has difficulty signing autographs, a cast member will present you with an autograph card. For more details, we have a complete walk-through of this meet-and-greet.
Related: Meet Olaf at Celebrity Spotlight
Pluto
Everyone’s favorite pal, Pluto, has a meet-and-greet at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. He meets with the other Disney Junior Pals characters in the Animation Courtyard.
Pluto is always full of energy and will likely perform a few tricks. Since he’s a dog, he doesn’t talk. But somehow, he’s managed to learn to sign autographs. The last time I walked through each of these meet-and-greets, it took about 45 minutes. Of course, the later you wait in the day, the shorter the lines. However, this entire area is outdoors. So the later you wait, the more temperatures will rise in the hotter months. Make sure to plan accordingly.
If you miss this character meet at Hollywood Studios, you can always try to meet Pluto at Epcot or Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Related: Meet Pluto at Epcot
Rey
Rey is another character you’ll see roaming Batuu. Sometimes, you may see her working on her ship, the Millennium Falcon. Since she is a roaming character, she’s not guaranteed. But we see her reasonably often while touring Galaxy’s Edge.
Stormtroopers
Stormtroopers are almost always out, keeping things under control on Batuu. They tend to go after guests who are nose-deep in their mobile phone screens, asking them what they’re doing with those data pads. So stay alert. You never know when you’ll run into them. They almost always travel in pairs.
Vampirina
Vampirina meets next to Fancy Nancy, Pluto, and Doc McStuffins in the Animation Courtyard. She has the cutest bat-wing hair and is probably the most energetic of the group, making for a fun character meeting.
Vampirina is a non-speaking character that signs autographs. Spoiler: she dots her i’s with bats when she signs her name. So don’t forget to bring your autograph book!
Vi Moradi
Vi Moradi, another character from the Star Wars saga, is often out in Batuu. She works for the good guys. Therefore, it’s not uncommon to see the Stormtroopers taking her away. But she seems to do a good job escaping.
Woody and Jessie
Woody and Jessie meet in front of Toy Story Mania at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The pair meet with guests throughout most of the day. You’ll want to check the My Disney Experience app for the exact times on the day of your visit. Since this meet is held outdoors, it could get canceled in the event of rain or inclement weather.
Be prepared. The pair tend to hold awfully long lines.
Additionally, while in Toy Story Land, you might run into the Green Army Men. They are usually listed in the entertainment section of the My Disney Experience app.
Related: Meet Woody and Jessie at Toy Story Land
Other Places to See Characters at Hollywood Studios
While the following favorite Disney characters don’t have traditional meets at Hollywood Studios, you can still see them in the park:
- Beauty and the Beast, along with other favorites from the movie, appear daily in Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage.
- Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff appear daily in the Frozen Sing-Along Celebration, a must-see performance for Frozen fans.
- Tons of characters make up the cast of Fantasmic!, the feature nightly entertainment offering at Hollywood Studios.
- Several Disney Junior characters participate in the Disney Junior Play and Dance, an interactive dance party located in the Animation Courtyard.
- Hollywood and Vine is a character meal at Hollywood Studios. The characters vary depending on which meal period you pick. Learn more at Character Dining Locations at Disney World.
As always, remember to check the My Disney Experience app on the day you visit the park for the most accurate information. Most of the character meet-and-greets are listed with times and locations.
How to Locate Characters in the My Disney Experience App
- Open the MDE app and select the pin drop at the bottom of the home screen.
- Select the “Characters” category at the top middle of the screen. (The default is “Wait Times”.)
- After selecting characters, use the park filter to select the park on the top left side of the screen.
- Then, on the top right side of the screen, select “Show List.”
- Scroll through the list of characters with their times and locations.
*As the day passes, you might notice that characters disappear from the app. When their last scheduled time passes, the meet-and-greet automatically disappears. A new schedule won’t be loaded until the following day. It is essential to check the app for meet-and-greets on the day of your visit.
Final Thoughts
All in all, there are many great character meet and greets available at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The park has always been an excellent place to meet a few unique characters you won’t see anywhere else. For more information, check out the entire Disney World Character List. Or you might enjoy some of these individual guides for each park:
- Meet Characters at Magic Kingdom
- Epcot Characters Guide
- Character Meet-and-Greets at Animal Kingdom
- Meet Star Wars Characters at Disney World
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In the comments:
What do you think about the character meet-and-greets at Disney’s Hollywood Studios? Do you have a favorite character you’re hoping to meet?
Are the wondering Star Wars characters out at night? Specifically Mandalorian, Kylo Ren, Rey & Stormtroopers?
Unfortunately, they are fairly random. We used to see Rey around the Millenium Falcon a good bit in the evenings. But the past couple of times I’ve walked through at night, I haven’t seen anyone. But again, it could just be my timing.