If you’re looking for Disney characters at Animal Kingdom, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by who you might see!
Find out where to meet Animal Kingdom characters during your trip to Disney World!
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When you’re headed to Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World, chances are that you’re hoping to meet a few of your favorite Disney characters.
And with so many to choose from, you’re sure to find a few that you’ll want to say hello to.
But before you start your search, there are a few things you should know about Disney Animal Kingdom characters.
Animal Kingdom Character Tips
First, it’s important to understand that not all characters are available at all times or at all Disney parks.
While you may see The Little Mermaid and other Disney Princesses at Magic Kingdom, she’s not likely to make an appearance at Animal Kingdom.
The same is true of characters that are specific to certain parks or attractions.
For example, you’ll find Jack Sparrow near Pirates of the Caribbean at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, but he won’t be hanging out at Animal Kingdom.
Likewise, you can sometimes find Stitch at Disney World, but not usually at Animal Kingdom.
Second, it’s a good idea to have an idea of where you want to meet your favorite characters before you arrive at the park.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom is divided into seven distinct lands, and each land has its own set of characters.
And for some interesting trivia–did you know there are height requirements for Disney characters? This helps give them the appearance of their movie heights, making them more realistic.
Related: Kidani Village vs. Jambo House – Which Animal Kingdom Resort is Best?
What characters are at Animal Kingdom?
Now that you know a little bit more about meeting characters at Animal Kingdom, let’s take a look at where you can find them.
You’ll be able to find all of your favorites, including Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, and Pluto.
You can also meet characters from some of your favorite Disney movies, like The Lion King, Finding Nemo, and Toy Story.
Characters in the Park
Most of the characters at Animal Kingdom will be located at various meet and greet locations around the park’s different areas.
Discovery Island is the central land of Animal Kingdom, and it’s home to some of the park’s most popular animals. You’ll also find a few of your favorite Disney characters here regularly.
If you’re looking for characters from The Lion King, head to the Africa section of the park.
You’ll find Timon and Rafiki near The Festival of the Lion King show, and you can meet Simba, Nala, and Zazu near the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail.
You’ll also be able to see some characters from Finding Nemo, in the Finding Nemo – The Musical show. Characters like Marlin, Dory, Bruce, and Crush are on stage here.
These performances are a great way to “see” the characters without getting too close if you have a timid kiddo in the family. Perfect if you don’t want the full character meet and greet experience.
Characters at Restaurants
You’ll also find a few Disney characters at some of Animal Kingdom’s restaurants. You can book dining reservations at these locations to make sure you see your must see friends.
If you’re hoping to meet Mickey Mouse or Minnie Mouse, be sure to stop by Tusker House Restaurant for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. You can also meet Donald Duck here.
Related:
Characters on Flotillas
If you’re not familiar with the term flotilla, it’s a group of small boats that travel together.
And at Animal Kingdom, you can find different flotillas that feature some of your favorite characters along the rivers of the lush park.
When you hear music playing near the bridges, make sure you check out the area to see which Animal Kingdom Disney characters you can spot on these fun boats:
- Mickey and Friends Flotilla
- Discovery Island Drummers Flotilla
- Discovery River Characters Cruise Flotilla
- Adventurer’s Flotilla with Disney Ducks
- Adventurer’s Flotilla with Up
Animal Kingdom Characters List
To make it easy to see your favorites, here’s the Animal Kingdom list and locations for the characters you can find them in the park.
The regular characters are seen often, where the special characters are out occasionally.
Regular Characters
- Baloo – Upcountry Landing (Asia)
- Chip n’ Dale – Donald’s Dino-Bash (DinoLand USA)
- Daisy Duck- Tusker House Restaurant (Africa), Donald’s Dino-Bash (Dinoland USA)
- Devine- Near entrance inside the park
- Donald Duck- Tusker House Restaurant (Africa), Donald’s Dino-Bash (Dinoland USA)
- Dug (Up)- Discovery Island
- Goofy- Tusker House Restaurant (Africa), Donald’s Dino-Bash (Dinoland USA)
- Kevin (Up)- Discovery Island
- King Louie – Upcountry Landing (Asia)
- LaunchPad McQuack- Donald’s Dino-Bash (Dinoland USA)
- Mickey Mouse- Tusker House Restaurant (Africa), Meet Minnie and Mickey (Adventurer’s Outpost on Discovery Island)
- Minnie Mouse- Tusker House Restaurant (Africa), Meet Minnie and Mickey (Discovery Island)
- Pluto- Donald’s Dino-Bash (Dinoland USA)
- Pocahontas- Character Landing (Dinoland USA)
- Russell (UP)- UP! A Great Bird Adventure (Asia), Discovery Island
- Scrooge McDuck- Donald’s Dino-Bash (Dinoland USA)
Special Characters
- Koda (Brother Bear)- Discovery Island
- Meeko (Pocahontas)- Discovery Island
- Rafiki (Lion King)- Discovery Island
- Timon (Lion King)- Character Landing (Dinoland USA)
Now that you know where to find all of your favorite Animal Kingdom Disney characters, you’re ready to start planning out your best vacation! Happy planning!
Be sure to save this list to your Disney planning board on Pinterest!
