Meet Dug and Russell from 'UP' at Disney's Animal Kingdom

Dug and Russell from ‘UP’ have a dedicated meet-and-greet location at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. These two lovable characters meet at Dug & Russell’s Wilderness Explorer Clubhouse. Below, we’ll discuss the details of their meet-and-greet locations and preview a few photos of both characters with their autographs.

Since their return, Dug and Russell have been meeting separately and intermittently. Their individual times are listed in the My Disney Experience app. You’ll want to check the app for availability and exact timing on the day of your visit. From our experience, each character meets for approximately 25 minutes. Then, that character leaves, and the other returns.

a multi photo picture with Russell on one side and Dug on the opposite — Dug and Russell from ‘UP’

Update: Dug was roaming Discovery Island as Talking Dug. However, as of late, he has returned to the Wilderness Explorer’s Clubhouse and is once again rotating locations with Russell. As always, it’s important to check the My Disney Experience app on the day of your visit for exact times and locations. Here are the instructions on how to locate characters in the app.

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.

The Wilderness Explorer’s Clubhouse sits near the front of the park. If you’re facing the Tree of Life, you can take the path to the right of the tree toward Asia. The clubhouse will be on your left, in front of the Lemur exhibit.

a sign that says Dug & Russell's Wilderness Explorers Club House — Meet-and-Greet Signage

Here is a look at the area. The queue is partially covered. But since this is an outdoor meet-and-greet, it’s subject to inclement weather.

Dug & Russell's Wilderness Explorer's Club House — Guests are waiting to meet Dug and Russell.

Given the popularity of these characters, wait times are typically lengthy. If you get in line and see one of them disappear, don’t worry. Another will be back within a few minutes. Typically, a cast member will tell you who you will meet when you join the line.

I joined the line at 10:25 a.m. with approximately 12 sets of guests ahead of me. Russell was meeting at the time. A cast member near the entrance indicated we would meet Dug because Russell was about to leave. I met Dug at 10:38 a.m. for a total wait time of 13 minutes, which wasn’t too shabby.

Dug poses with his paws in front of him and big black nose. — Dug

Dug is adorable!

Dug from Up! poses with his paw saying hi and one foot kicked out. — Dug poses with the Wilderness Explorer’s backdrop.

He was more than eager to sign his autograph.

Here’s his signature.

Dug's character signature with his paw — Dug’s character autograph

After I met Dug, the cast member said that Russell would return at 11:00 a.m. So we got back in line at 10:59 a.m. and met Russell shortly after.

Russell posing for a photo with his foot kicked up and making the Wilderness Explorer sign. — Russell

Russell blushes with his hands on his cheeks.

Russell makes the framing pose for the camera.

He was kind to show me his badges.

Russell shows off his decorative sash of Wilderness Explorer badges — Russell’s Wilderness Explorer Badges

Here is a photo of his autograph.

Russell's character signature — Russell’s Autograph

While waiting to meet Dug and Russell, we saw Kevin roaming the area. We have an article that shares a few tips for finding Kevin at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Unfortunately, Mr. Frederickson does not meet at Walt Disney World. He has made surprise appearances at special events from time to time. But he is one of those rare characters you likely won’t find on a regular park day.

For more information about meeting characters at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, you might enjoy:

You might also enjoy previewing our entire list of character meet-and-greets at Walt Disney World.

Get our Quick Start Planning Guide

Walt Disney World vacations are expensive and time-consuming to plan. This email course teaches you how to plan a vacation that’s PERFECT for you!

In the Comments

Do you hope to meet characters from ‘UP’ when visiting Disney’s Animal Kingdom? Would you love to meet Russell and Dug? Let us know below in the comments.