Theme parks will always have fun decorations and attractions that drive traffic every year. Some may go the extra mile and include actual restaurants instead of your traditional “park foods.” But the more frequented parks will add that extra element that truly brings fantasy worlds to life – interactions with characters. We see them in our favorite movies and TV shows and wonder what they would be like in person. At Disney, the character interactions are as much as the overall vacation package as the attractions, food, and resorts. And we need to give these interactions their due.
Welcome to Believe Vacations’ weekly post where today, we will look at the Best Characters at Disney. For this list, our agents shared their thoughts on the best characters at Disney and some threw in a fun story or two. After looking at all the responses, we took the ones mentioned the most and ranked them. But let’s start with some characters that are still fun regardless of our thoughts:
Honorable Mentions:
Chewbacca/Kylo Ren/BB8 – Star Wars is slowly taking over Disney and photo ops with these characters are surreal for fans of all ages.
Sorcerer Mickey – Now that Talking Mickey is downgraded to regular Mickey, this version seems to be the most popular.
Rafiki – One of the tallest costumed characters on the property, our spiritual guiding primate can be both calming and playful at the same time.
Mary Poppins – The kind-hearted British nanny brings out the child in everyone with her amazing interactions.
Stitch – As Agent Christie Pownall says, “Stitch is always fun!” He does seem to have a very playful side!
Chip and Dale – From Agent Whitney “Lintz” Turner – “Not sure why, but we always stop for them.” They’re infectious, I guess!
10) Snow White
Agent Kasie Kline Baird – “We loved Snow White at Magic Kingdom but she is sometimes hard to catch.”
Confession time – Snow White was the first real princess I WANTED to get my picture with. And then my son was completely infatuated with her a few years ago. Of course, my daughter always loved her as well. There’s something about her that will never grow old even though her story is over 200 years old. The true Dean of Disney Princesses deserves her spot on this list.
9) Peter Pan
Agent Kasie Kline Baird – “We really enjoy and love Peter Pan.”
If you’re going to meet Peter Pan, you better have had your coffee. This character is always so full of energy and wanting to play games and tell jokes. Just like a little kid that needs to grow up. Of course, that’s the charm of this character. He plays off his naiveté to make people laugh but should Smee or Captain Hook be around the corner, he’s ready to do his swashbuckling best!
8) Lady Tremaine and Wicked Stepsisters
Senior Agent Becky Willis – “The step sisters are super fun. I have the best video of my daughter and Anastasia dancing together. Drizella was a riot!”
Believe it or not, some of the more popular characters to meet are the villains. Something about them seems cool even though their stories are filled with evil. Yet, look around and you’ll see the longest lines for them, especially these 3 beauties. They love to dance, flirt with the men, put down Cinderella and provide laughs for all ages. Just know that when Lady Tremaine says it’s time to go, they get out of there quickly!
7) King Louie and Baloo
Senior Agent Brian Doebele – “King Louie can’t sign so they make you sign it!”
Those Jungle Book characters will always be joking around and having fun. While King Louie may be pretty short in stature, his compliment in Baloo is freakin’ huge! Seriously, the size differences in the photos you get back are comical. But that’s their nature. That’s also why they are 2 of the most friendly, personable and likable characters to meet at Disney.
6) Merida
Agent Jessica Harwood Bouwsma – “We loved meeting Merida! Aside from her awesome personality, the whole set is awesome.”
And sometimes the set does wonders for our loveable friends. While it’s nice to see the princesses out and about or at a character meal, in their own environment allows for a little more magical experience. For Merida, the interactions with her are good but then, she teaches you how to shoot a bow and arrow. Talk about character involvement! It makes going to see a character a destination for a few minutes inside the Magic Kingdom. And it makes Merida that much more awesome!
5) Alice and the Mad Hatter
Senior Agent Becky Willis – “My daughter getting to ride the teacups with Alice was perfection.”
She’s a bookworm but also a little quirky; his gift is his welcoming persona but can be over the top as well. The combination of these characters from Alice in Wonderland will bring in-depth answers, practical jokes, curious responses and whimsical laughs. Every Alice I’ve seen takes a great interest in each child she meets and really tries to get to know them on a personal level. The Mad Hatter? Well he’s a nut. But a good nut and a crowd favorite for many people!
4) Winnie-the-Pooh and Friends
Agent Savannah Sharp – “Winnie the Pooh and friends are the best for cute and cuddly photos.”
More likely than not, experiencing Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends will come at the expense of frequenting the Crystal Palace character dining restaurant inside the Magic Kingdom. You might catch them at a parade or around the parks but the best versions of these classic characters is enjoying your meal and getting loved on. It’s so much fun that even Eeyore gets in on the act for once!
3) Anna and Elsa
Agent Brian Pavlick – “I knew my daughter would enjoy them. I wasn’t expecting my parents to have so much fun with them.”
We met Anna and Elsa last year on our cruise and they were a ton of fun. There’s the quirky and awkward Anna who is all over the place and a ton of fun. Then there’s the more serious but majestic Elsa who exudes the confidence all young girls want to have when they grow up. The pair of them together makes for a magical grouping and with the popularity of the Frozen franchise, this tandem will be high up on similar favorite characters lists for many years to come.
2) Gaston
Agent Savannah Sharp – “Gaston is always good for humor and good pictures.”
Once again, I must state my theory that all the men who play Gaston have gotten together and made a pact to be the most popular character at Disney. Men want to challenge him and women want to flirt with him. And he’ll do both back. Just roll with his insults as they really are a compliment!
1) Mickey and Friends
Agent Dana Zachry – “Mickey and Minnie, forever and always. The memory of my little guy’s face the first time he met them.”
It was almost a given right? Everyone who has been to Disney SHOULD have a picture taken with at least Mickey. But don’t forget that there’s Minnie, Goofy, Donald, Pluto, Daisy, etc. They are all over the parks and resorts so they won’t be hard to find. But being famous comes at a price and the lines for our favorites are usually long. These classic characters are the reason we got introduced to the Disney family in the first place. We’ve watched the old cartoons and now enjoy them on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse with our kids. So take a minute to wait, meet them, hug them and show your appreciation for what they mean to the Disney family.
Did we miss anyone? Who are your favorite Disney characters to meet? Leave your comments in the section below and remember there’s a great, big, beautiful tomorrow!
