Disney Tips Your Guide To A Great Disney Vacation
A quiet reshuffling of the royal court has taken place at Walt Disney World. According to a report from DVC Shop Official, Princess Elena of Avalor will no longer be greeting guests inside Princess Fairytale Hall at Magic Kingdom. Instead, she is reportedly moving to a new meet-and-greet location on Main Street, U.S.A.
While the move may seem minor to some, it carries a larger significance in how Disney manages character appearances—especially inside one of its most popular princess attractions.
On Instagram, DVC Shop Official shared, “🚨MAGIC KINGDOM UPDATE🚨
Elena of Avalor will no longer be meeting in Princess Fairytale Hall. You can now find her greeting guests on Main Street.”
View this post on Instagram
The Magic of Princess Fairytale Hall
Credit: Inside the Magic
Related: Disney Restricts Thousands of Kids From Meeting Princesses, New Shut Down Initiated
Princess Fairytale Hall, located in the heart of Fantasyland, is one of the park’s most sought-after meet-and-greet locations. The elaborately themed space opened in 2013 in the former location of Snow White’s Scary Adventures and was designed to offer guests a royal, storybook-like setting to meet some of Disney’s most iconic heroines.
Currently, the location regularly features characters like Cinderella, Rapunzel, Princess Tiana, and Snow White. Occasionally, Belle also makes appearances. These meet-and-greets are consistently among the longest waits in the park, with families—especially those with young children—willing to queue for hours for a moment of face time and a photo with their favorite princess.
The inclusion of Princess Elena of Avalor in this lineup, while notable, has often raised questions among Disney fans due to her relatively niche popularity compared to her counterparts.
Who Is Princess Elena?
Princess Elena made her debut on the small screen in 2016 in the Disney Channel animated series Elena of Avalor. The show ran for three seasons and wrapped up in 2020, focusing on Elena’s journey as a young Latina princess who must learn to lead her kingdom following the rescue of her parents’ spirits from an evil sorceress.
Elena holds the distinction of being Disney’s first Latina princess, and her show was praised for its cultural authenticity, strong themes of leadership and responsibility, and positive representation. The series incorporated Latin music, mythology, and traditions, with input from cultural advisors to ensure an accurate and respectful depiction of Latin American culture.
Despite this groundbreaking representation, Elena’s visibility within the Disney Princess brand has remained somewhat limited. She is not officially part of the Disney Princess merchandising lineup (like Ariel or Aurora), and her association with the theme parks has primarily been through her appearances at Princess Fairytale Hall and select live performances during her show’s original run.
A Move Based on Guest Demand?
While Disney has not officially commented on the change, reports from multiple sources suggest that Elena’s relocation is permanent, and her new home will be on Main Street, U.S.A.—an area increasingly used for roaming or temporary character meet-and-greets. That could mean Elena will appear in a less structured capacity, offering quicker, more casual interactions instead of the long, photo op-heavy experience at Princess Fairytale Hall.
So why the change?
One possible reason is simple guest demand. With so many popular princesses to choose from—and only so much real estate in Fantasyland—Disney appears to be adjusting the lineup based on who guests most want to meet. Characters from blockbuster films like Tangled, The Princess and the Frog, and Cinderella continue to draw strong crowds, while guests unfamiliar with Elena of Avalor might skip her line in favor of others.
Given that the Disney parks operate based heavily on guest feedback and data, the decision to shift Elena to a new location may reflect a broader trend in visitor interest.
What’s Next for Elena?
While her departure from Princess Fairytale Hall might feel like a downgrade to fans of her series, Elena isn’t disappearing entirely. Main Street, U.S.A. has become a flexible space for character appearances, offering the potential for more organic, less formal meet-and-greets that don’t require waiting in long lines.
This could also present new opportunities for Elena to interact with guests in a different way—perhaps tied to parades, surprise appearances, or seasonal events where she may be easier to spot and meet.
The departure of Princess Elena from Princess Fairytale Hall marks a subtle but meaningful shift in how Disney manages its character offerings. As the parks continue to evolve, character lineups will likely keep changing based on movie popularity, guest feedback, and even streaming trends.
For now, if your little ones are hoping to meet Elena of Avalor during their Magic Kingdom visit, keep an eye out on Main Street. She may no longer be in the palace, but she’s still holding court—just in a different kingdom of the park.
