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Character meet and greets represent one of the most enjoyable and memorable aspects of a trip to Walt Disney World. The iconic characters you’ve loved since a child are there to hug you, converse with you, and even sign your autograph book. Best of all, Disney trains their cast members to stay in character, which leads to unforgettable encounters such as this one. While some characters are easy to find and require minimal effort to interact with, others are a challenge, and I’m not just speaking of the Frozen siblings. Here is a list of 7 unheralded Disney character meet and greets to maximize your enjoyment during your visit.

1. Mulan & the World Showcase Princesses

One of the best kept secrets about the World Showcase at Epcot is that it features a lot of characters who seem hidden in plain sight. Any visitor to the Chinese Pavilion has a chance to happen upon everyone’s favorite cross-dressing soldier, Mulan. The warrior of legend fittingly resides at the Temple of Heaven. Since the perception of the park is that the front is for kids and the back is for grown-ups, there are rarely large lines for these meet and greets.

The same rules apply to these characters as they do with Mulan. Jasmine and Aladdin are frequently found near the Restaurant Marrakesh at the Morocco Pavilion. Snow White is similarly is much easier to find and talk with at the Germany Pavilion at the Snow White Wishing Well. Finally, the crowd for Belle resides at Enchanted Tales with Belle,in Fantasyland. Savvy hunters know that she’s also found at the France Pavilion. Aurora aka Sleeping Beauty is also sometimes found in the gardens here as well.

2. Sofia the First

Disney is in the business of princesses like Heinz is in the business of ketchup. Nobody what other enterprises they’re involved in, princesses comprise the body of the company due to Walt Disney’s creation of beloved animated characters that little girls love. Disney Junior cleverly explored this concept by introducing Sofia the First, a young girl whose mother suddenly marries into the royal line. The television series involves her princess training, and if you have a daughter, I didn’t have to tell you that. Sofia is relatively new as a character meeting but can be found every day at the Animated Courtyard at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

3. Stitch

Project 626 is one of the most popular characters in recent Disney history, which makes his general absence from the parks a bit mystifying. Many frequent visitors consider him the most difficult character greeting. While there is a shortcut if you’re willing to schedule a character breakfast at ‘Ohana, something I highly recommend for the food and ambience, that’s not the free way. You’ll occasionally find Stitch roaming around Tomorrowland near Space Mountain. His schedule varies, but most people find success early in the morning. A pro tip is to set up a FastPass+ selection for something in the area such as Space Mountain. You may get lucky and discover him as you exist the attraction.

 
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Comments

Stich can also be found around opening time near Pizzafari in Animal Kingdom--often with Lilo. AK is also great to find Flick.

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