Meeting Disney’s colorful cast of characters is practically a mandatory experience at Disneyland, the Walt Disney World Resort, or any of the other Disney Parks, but recent events could take some of them off the roster.

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Few sensations are more delightful than getting a hug from a Meet and Greet version of your favorite animated friends at the Disney Parks. Whether it’s the nine-year-old girl encountering her favorite Disney princess or the 29-year-old guy getting a hug from Goofy at the EPCOT entrance, the characters help bring the magic to life on a massively different level.
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Disney’s lovable characters have evolved far beyond the typical mascots found at other theme parks, and some have even gained features like articulated heads and features to make them more interactive. That said, some of the company’s newest additions have led to a few problematic encounters in the Parks.
Disney World Characters Pose Persistent Problem

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Whenever most guests embark on a Disney trip, characters can be found in one of three places. They are either in their own themed encounter area (i.e., the Main Street Theatre at the Magic Kingdom), on a parade float, or simply walking about for a surprise visit. Because this third option is seemingly at random, it can cause confusion, delay, and congestion in the flow of Disney Park traffic.
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It was only a few years ago that Disney realized that characters play a considerable role in the environmental storytelling of their theme parks, resulting in the application of more Walk-Around characters for certain lands like the streets of Hollywood, the original layout for Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. However, it seems like they are beginning to negatively affect the experience for other guests.
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Credit: Disney
Sounds more like someone who needs attention himself on his Tik Tok account. These surprise character appearances are what can be really appealing about the Disney Experience. You don’t go looking for them but when they do it only adds to the Magic! Do they cause a bit of congestion- possibly, but so what. They aren’t usually out for very long and they keep moving. Any congestion is similarly temporary and very often worth it.