Visitors will be able to hug Mickey Mouse, high five Goofy and strike a royal pose next to Cinderella as the Anaheim theme park once again allows up-close meet-and-greet photo opportunities with Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars characters.

Traditional up-close character interactions will return as early as April 18 to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, according to the Disney Parks Blog.

Non-distanced character meet and greets will also return this spring to Walt Disney World, the Disney Cruise Line and Aulani hotel in Hawaii. Up-close meet-and-greet opportunities may not be available at all locations immediately.

The tradition was stopped for two years during the coronavirus pandemic. Last year, Disney brought back meet-and-greets, but with social distancing requirements.

According to Disney Parks Blog, regular character meet-and-greets will resume as early as April 18 at Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts, as well as aboard Disney Cruise Line and at Aulani Resort in Hawaii. 

Disney Character Greetings Returning to U.S. Sites This Spring

by Shawn Slater, Senior Communications Manager, Disney Live Entertainment

It’s been so great to see live entertainment returning to our theme parks, resorts, and cruise ships, and today, I’m thrilled to tell you about another quintessential Disney entertainment experience that’s on the way back. As early as April 18, we will start reintroducing traditional character greetings at Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts, as well as aboard Disney Cruise Line. That’s right! Very soon, you will once again be able to hug Mickey Mouse, get an autograph from Mulan, and share a laugh with Goofy. We know many of you have missed these special moments, and your Disney character friends have missed you, too!

During the past two years, we’ve taken a very gradual, intentional approach to health and safety protocols. Recent trends and guidance have provided opportunities for us to bring back some of our most beloved magic, like character greetings and dining experiences. While not all locations will be available immediately, we anticipate reopening in phases throughout the spring and early summer.