Disney’s Animal Kingdom Characters Guide
Disney’s Animal Kingdom is an excellent place to meet characters during your Walt Disney World vacation. However, as you may know, the park will undergo many changes over the next few years. We’ll keep this character guide as updated as possible. But with the phased closure of Dinoland, U.S.A., we expect to see a few characters moving locations. Sometimes, a character might move a couple of times before they find a new location that works. Therefore, our best advice is to use this guide as a reference and use the following two tips on the day of your visit:
- Always (always) check the My Disney Experience app on the day of your visit for available characters, times, and locations. (Directions for this step are provided below.)
- If a character isn’t listed (who you are pretty sure meets there regularly), ask a cast member wearing a blue shirt if they can help you locate them. The cast members who work the character meet-and-greets wear blue shirts and khaki pants or shorts. The best place to find them is at another meet-and-greet.
Below, we’ll preview a list of characters who meet regularly in the park and where to find them.
Characters at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
The following characters have traditional meet-and-greets at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
- Chip and Dale
- Daisy Duck
- Donald Duck
- Divine
- Dug
- Goofy
- Kevin
- Mickey and Minnie Mouse
- Moana
- Pluto
- Pocahontas
- Rafiki
- Russell
- Timon
Surprise Characters: Other characters might make surprise appearances during your visit. For instance, we’ve occasionally seen Meeko with Pocahontas or Baloo at a pop-up dance party. So always be on the lookout for rare characters!
Fun Fact: Disney’s Animal Kingdom is the only traditional place to meet Mickey and Minnie Mouse together at Walt Disney World!
Earth Day Characters: Disney’s Animal Kingdom celebrates its anniversary each year on Earth Day. Surprise characters usually meet near the Tree of Life during the week leading up to and on Earth Day. This is not necessarily guaranteed, but it’s happened several years in a row, so we consider it a likely occurrence.
Character Dining: Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, and Donald Duck meet at Tusker House Restaurant at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. You will want a reservation, and this location requires the cost of a meal. We have a Disney World Character Dining Guide if you want to learn more.
Lightning Lanes: Character meet-and-greets do not have Lightning Lanes at this time.
PhotoPass Photographers: Under each character, we note whether a PhotoPass photographer is usually available at the meet-and-greet. However, they are not guaranteed.
Character Autographs: We also note whether or not a character signs autographs. If they do, you’ll want to have your autograph book out and open to the page you want them to sign before it’s your turn.
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.
Chip and Dale
Chip and Dale meet in an area called the Upper Cretaceous Trail of Dinoland, U.S.A. They meet intermittently throughout the day.
- Location: Dinoland, U.S.A., Upper Cretaceous Trail
- Autographs: Yes, they both sign autographs at this location.
- PhotoPass: Yes, a PhotoPass photographer is usually available.
- Read More: Chip and Dale Chipmunk O’Saurus
Daisy Duck
Daisy Duck meets on the Cretaceous Trail, close to where Chip and Dale meet. She meets at this location intermittently throughout the day.
- Location: Dinoland, U.S.A., Cretaceous Trail
- Autographs: Yes, she signs autographs at this location.
- PhotoPass: Yes, a PhotoPass photographer is usually available.
- Read More: Meet Daisy Duck at Donald’s Dino-Bash
Donald Duck
- Location: Dinoland, U.S.A.
- Autographs: Yes, he signs autographs at this location.
- PhotoPass: Yes, a PhotoPass photographer is usually available.
DiVine
DiVine is probably considered more a form of entertainment than an actual character meet. But since this might be the only time you’ve ever heard of her, I felt she was worth including. DiVine is a stilt-walking character who hangs out at The Oasis of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. She typically is available intermittently between the park’s opening and 1:00 p.m.
DiVine is rather challenging to see because she’s covered in vines. But if you find her, you can watch her pose. Often, a crowd forms around her when someone notices she’s there. Just remember to give her enough space. Even better, if you visit Animal Kingdom in the Spring months, you might encounter her in full bloom. Her times are usually listed in the “Entertainment” section of the My Disney Experience app.
Related: Meet DiVine at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Dug and Russell
Dug and Russell from Pixar’s UP meet daily at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. However, at the time of this update, they meet separately. Dug meets with guests for approximately 30 minutes before Russell returns and meets with guests.
- Location: Discovery Island, Wilderness Explorer’s Club House
- Autographs: Yes, they both sign autographs at this location.
- PhotoPass: Yes, a PhotoPass photographer is usually available.
- Read More: Meet Dug and Russell at the Wilderness Explorer’s Clubhouse
Goofy
- Location: Dinoland, U.S.A., Near Restaurantosaurus
- Autographs: Yes, he signs autographs at this location.
- PhotoPass: Yes, a PhotoPass photographer is usually available.
Kevin
Kevin is one of the most popular characters at Walt Disney World. Where she goes, so does everyone else! She typically roams Discovery Island. Like DiVine, Kevin is a unique character who often prefers to keep moving over standing still, so you’ll want to allow plenty of space for her to roam freely.
From time to time, Kevin will pause to take a photo with guests. So make sure to have your camera out and ask politely for a photo. But don’t take it personally if it doesn’t work out. Kevin and her Wilderness Explorer friends tend to retreat when crowds are too much! If seeing Kevin is essential, check for her times in the My Disney Experience app. Her bright coat of feathers makes her relatively easy to find.
Related: Meet Kevin at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Mickey and Minnie Mouse
Mickey and Minnie Mouse meet daily in safari suits at Adventurer’s Outpost in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. This is the only traditional location where they meet as a couple in all four parks. This location is on the path to the right of the Tree of Life before you cross the bridge to Asia.
Adventurer’s Outpost is typically available from the park’s opening time until about an hour before it closes. However, we have found that if you wait until toward the end of the day, wait times for this meet-and-greet tend to drop.
- Location: Discovery Island
- Autographs: Yes, they both sign autographs.
- PhotoPass: Yes, see below for details.*
- Read More: Meet Mickey and Minnie at Adventurer’s Outpost
*Unfortunately, a PhotoPass photographer is no longer available at this location. The photographer was replaced with photo boxes that electronically take your photo. So, if you would like a decent photo, you might ask the cast member attending the meet if they would take one with your camera or phone.
Moana
Moana meets guests daily at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Her character meet-and-greet is located at Character Landing. This location is on the right before you cross the bridge from Discovery Island to Dinoland, U.S.A. Since it’s toward the front of the park, it’s pretty simple to find.
- Location: Discovery Island, Character Landing
- Autographs: Yes, Moana signs autographs.
- PhotoPass: Yes, see below for details.*
- Read More: Meet Moana at Character Landing at Animal Kingdom
Moana signs autographs, and a PhotoPass photographer will likely be available at this location. Additionally, she is a talking character, so you might think of a few things to ask her while waiting.
Pluto
- Location: Dinoland, U.S.A., Near Restaurantosaurus
- Autographs: Yes, he signs autographs at this location.
- PhotoPass: Yes, a PhotoPass photographer is usually available.
Pocahontas
- Location: Discovery Island, Discovery Island Trails West
- Autographs: Yes, she signs autographs at this location.
- PhotoPass: Yes, a PhotoPass photographer is usually available.
Rafiki
Rafiki meets at Rafiki’s Planet Watch at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. He rotates this location throughout the day with Timon. It’s important to note that you must take the Wildlife Express train from Harambe (Africa) to Conservation Station for this character meet-and-greet.
- Location: Rafiki’s Planet Watch
- Autographs: Yes, he signs autographs at this location.
- PhotoPass: Yes, a PhotoPass photographer is usually available.
Related: Meet Timon and Rafiki at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Timon
Timon rotates his meet-and-greet with Rafiki, similar to Dug and Russell. Both of their times are listed individually in the My Disney Experience app.
- Location: Rafiki’s Planet Watch
- Autographs: Yes, he signs autographs at this location.
- PhotoPass: Yes, a PhotoPass photographer is usually available.
Final Thoughts
You might enjoy our other park guides for more meet-and-greets:
- Magic Kingdom Characters Guide
- EPCOT Characters Guide
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios Characters Guide
Or preview the entire list of characters at Walt Disney World.
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