Character meet-and-greets are one of the most fun and exciting activities any Disney fan can participate in. They’re one of the things you shouldn’t miss whenever you happen to visit Disney World.
Each Disney World theme park has its share of characters you can meet and greet. Animal Kingdom, in particular, is mostly centered on famous Disney animal characters like Timon and Rafiki and a few adventurous characters like Russel and Pocahontas.
In this guide, we’ll look at all the characters you can meet and greet at Animal Kingdom and where you can find them.
As far as we know, there are a total of 22 characters that you can meet and greet at Animal Kingdom. These include well-known characters like Pocahontas, Scrooge McDuck, Rafiki, Russel, Donald Duck, Goofy, and Mickey Mouse.
All of them are located in different parts of the park, and some even hold cavalcades and flotillas to make the interactions even more exciting.
Since Animal Kingdom is huge, you have to head over to certain spots to get a chance to meet the characters themselves.
Some characters remain in a single spot, while others can be spotted in different locations. Disney’s cast members will also inform you which character will meet the guests on a given day.
Characters To Meet and Greet at Animal Kingdom
As mentioned, there are a total of 22 characters that you can meet and greet at Animal Kingdom. However, since they are scattered throughout the park, it won’t be possible to meet all of them in a single day.
We also highly recommend getting a daily Times Guide to know which characters are available in certain locations at specific times. You can also use the My Disney Experience app for the same purpose.
Another thing to remember is that characters will take breaks throughout the day. So in some cases, you’ll have to wait a little while for them to show up, especially during the summer.
Without further ado, here are the characters you can meet and greet at Animal Kingdom and where to find them:
Baloo
Baloo is the big cuddly sloth bear who’s a friend of Mowgli in the popular The Jungle Book animated film.
You can only see him at Discovery Island anytime between 10 AM to 4 PM.
However, he only shows up occasionally, so if he happens to be on schedule, make sure not to miss meeting him.
Chip and Dale
Next, we have Chip and Dale from the popular movie of the same name.
You can find them regularly in Dinoland, USA, between 10 AM and 3:30 PM.
What makes it interesting is that they come in dinosaur costumes to fit the theme and vibe of Dinoland.
However, they’re not exclusive to Animal Kingdom, as you can also find them in the other parks, albeit minus the dinosaur costumes.
Daisy and Donald Duck
Another popular character you can regularly meet is Daisy Duck at Dinoland USA.
She’s available between 10 AM and 5:30 PM, giving you ample time to catch up and meet her.
She is also at the Tusker House as part of their character meals.
Of course, if there’s Daisy, there’s also Donald Duck, who you can find in the same spot and timeframe. They will even hang out with each other from time to time.
Like Daisy, Donald is also one of the characters you can meet at Tusker House’s character meals.
DiVine
DiVine is a rather interesting character, as you won’t be able to spot her right away when she blends with the foliage.
Since Animal Kingdom has many trees and plants around, you might be unable to tell she’s there until you get close enough.
She’s a regular character you can meet at the Oasis from 10 AM to 5 PM.
She will occasionally walk on stilts covered in foliage, and you can chase her between Africa and Asia.
Dug
If you’ve watched the animated film, Up, you’ll be familiar with Dug.
You can find him at Discovery Island, specifically at the Wilderness Explorers Clubhouse alongside Russel between 9 AM and 5 PM.
This massive, furry dog walks on two feet, making him easy to spot.
Eeyore
Eeyore can also be located at Discovery Island from 10 AM to 5 PM.
He will normally be accompanied by Piglet and Winnie the Pooh.
You can also find him at Camp Minnie-Mickie in the park.
Goofy
Goofy is a character that’s also present across all parks.
In Animal Kingdom, you can find him regularly hanging around at Dinoland USA alongside Pluto from 10 AM to 5:30 PM.
They are also present at the Tusker House character meals.
Kevin
Kevin is this tall, colorful bird from the Up film.
It’s hard to miss her, considering she’s towering over every guest inside the park.
You can find her roaming around Discovery Island between 10 AM and 5 PM.
Koda
If you’re wondering, Koda is this young and playful cub from the Brother Bear film.
Unlike most characters, however, he only appears occasionally.
You can find him on Discovery Island from 10 AM to 5 PM.
Launchpad McQuack
Launchpad McQuack is Scrooge McDuck’s pilot, so you can find him in pilot attire when you meet him at Dinoland USA, specifically at Donald’s Dino-Bash.
He’s a regular character who you can meet anytime between 10 AM and 5:30 PM.
Meeko
Meeko is Pocahontas’s cute little pet raccoon you can find at Discovery Island anytime between 10 AM and 5 PM.
He only appears occasionally, similar to the other characters in this list.
Mickey and Minnie Mouse
A Disney character meet-and-greet won’t be complete if you can’t meet Mickey and Minnie Mouse.
They can be found throughout the parks, but in Animal Kingdom, you can find them at Discovery Island and the character meals in Tusker House.
They will accompany each other at all times and are available all day until the park closes!
However, due to their popularity, we recommend getting a FastPass+ if you want to skip the lines.
Piglet
Piglet will always hang around with the gang of Eeyore and Winnie the Pooh (no Tigger, though, sadly).
You will find her at Discovery Island from 10 AM to 5 PM.
She’s also at Camp Minnie-Mickie, the same as the other two.
Pluto
Pluto will always accompany Goofy when you meet him at the same location at Dinoland USA, around 10 AM to 5:30 PM.
Pocahontas
A well-known Disney princess, you can get the chance to meet and greet Pocahontas at Discovery Island, right behind the Tree of Life.
She’s available anytime from 9 AM to 5 PM.
She’s also a regular character exclusive to Animal Kingdom, so make sure not to miss her out.
Rafiki
Everyone’s favorite Mandrill, Rafiki, can be spotted on Discovery Island, specifically at Character Landing.
He’s one of the earliest characters you can meet, usually available shortly after the park’s official opening hours to 5 PM.
You will also see him accompanied by Timon, though he only occasionally appears.
Russell
Russell will always accompany Dug, and you can normally see them roaming around the Wilderness Explorers Clubhouse from 9 AM to 5 PM.
You can also spot him at UP! A Great Bird Adventure in Asia.
Scrooge McDuck
As Launchpad’s boss, you can also see Scrooge McDuck in Dinoland, USA, between 10 AM and 5:30 PM.
However, they don’t accompany each other and can be seen individually instead.
Timon
The ever-talkative Timon also appears at Character Landing alongside Rafiki, who he accompanies.
You can see him from 9 AM to 5 PM.
Sadly, his beloved partner-in-crime, Pumba, is not part of the park’s characters.
Maybe we’ll get to see them together someday.
Winnie the Pooh
Finally, we have the beloved Winnie the Pooh, who you’ll see hanging around with Eeyore and Piglet.
You can see him in the same locations in the same timeframe.
Random Animal Kingdom Characters
Aside from the abovementioned characters with a schedule for when they’ll appear, Character Landing also features random character meet-and-greets if you’re lucky enough.
Remember that there are no guarantees that you can meet a random character during your visit, but it happens occasionally. For example, you can meet characters like Jiminy Cricket, Miss Bunny, and Thumper.
We highly recommend dropping by Character Landing each time you visit Animal Kingdom. You can find its entrance to the right of the bridge that leads to Discovery Island. It’s a small pathway that can be easy to miss if you’re not paying attention.
You can tell that a character is present if a cast member stands by the entrance. They will tell you who is there, and if you’re lucky enough, it might just be someone who doesn’t belong to the list above!
Aside from the scheduled meet-and-greets, you can meet other Disney characters at Animal Kingdom.
One such example is the Festival of the Lion King which features characters like Baloo, King Louie, Rafiki, Simba, and Timon.
There’s also Finding Nemo – The Musical, where you can see some of your favorite undersea characters.
Takeaway
Animal Kingdom is massive, so meeting and greeting all the characters on the list won’t be possible. Besides, some are only available occasionally, so if you’re not lucky, you won’t be able to meet them during your vacation.
For most of them, however, plan your daily schedule to meet as many of them as possible. Many of them are located in a single location, while some will even accompany other characters, making it easier to find them at once.
Then again, character appearances and locations are seasonal, so ask for the official Times Guide or the My Disney Experience app during your visit to get informed beforehand.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is There a Disney Princess at Animal Kingdom?
As far as Disney princesses go, Pocahontas is the only one you can meet and greet at Animal Kingdom.
The other popular princesses are in the other theme parks, especially at Magic Kingdom.
You can find her at Discovery Island; sometimes, you might even spot her by the river riding around on a boat.
Can You Meet All of the Characters in Animal Kingdom?
It’s possible, but only if you’re really lucky. The reason is that some characters only appear occasionally, so there’s no guarantee they will be present during your visit.
Is It Okay To Hug a Disney Princess?
If you’re a huge Disney fan, you’d be glad to learn that character meets with hugs have made their comeback ever since April 2022. This means that you can hug not just Disney princesses but also your other favorite Disney characters!
