The ABCs of Disney Character Hunting

The Examiner takes a look at finding your favorite characters at Walt Disney World A through Z.  How do you find your favorite characters, and do you have a tricks or tips?

"One of the most magical things to do at the Walt Disney World Resorts and Theme Parks is to go hunting for your favorite Disney character and get that autograph book filled.  Almost everyone who visit’s the Disney theme parks has a blast seeking out their favorite character.  Let’s be honest.  With a show of hands, how many of you have taken a selfie with Mickey Mouse or posed in a princess costume with Cinderella?  Yeah, I raised my hand too.

Some of the Disney characters only make rare appearances, coming out to visit with guests during peak seasons and special events.  Here is a list of Disney Characters in alphabetical order that can be found at the theme parks:
A

• Aladdin - Magic Kingdom: Magic Carpets of Aladdin; Epcot: Morocco
• Alice - Magic Kingdom: The Mad Tea Party; Epcot: United Kingdom; Epcot: The American Adventure
• Anastasia - Magic Kingdom: Behind Cinderella’s Castle
• Anna - Magic Kingdom: Princess Fairytale Hall
• Ariel - Magic Kingdom: Ariel’s Grotto; Epcot: Restaurant Akeshu (character dining only)
• Aurora - Magic Kingdom: Princess Fairytale Hall; Epcot: France, Restaurant Akeshu (character dining only)

B

• Baloo - Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Upcountry Landing
• Beast - Epcot: France
• Belle: Magic Kingdom - Cinderella’s Royal Table (character dining only), Enchanted Tales with Belle; Epcot: France, Restaurant Akeshu (character dining only)
• Buzz Lightyear: Magic Kingdom - Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin/Carousel of Progress; Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Toy Story Friends Building

C

• Chip ‘n’ Dale - Magic Kingdom: Golden Horseshoe; Epcot: Near the Land Pavilion, Garden Grill (character dining only); Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Sorcerer’s Hat; Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Outside Rafiki’s Planet Watch
• Cinderella - Magic Kingdom: Cinderella’s Royal Table (character dining only), Princess Fairytale Hall
• Country Bears - Epcot: The American Adventure

D

• Daisy Duck - Magic Kingdom: Pete’s Silly Sideshow in Storybook Circus; Epcot: Legacy Fountain; Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Discovery Island Character Landing, Tusker House Restaurant (character dining only)
• Doc - Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Hollywood and Vine (character dining only)
• Donald Duck - Magic Kingdom: Pete’s Silly Sideshow in Storybook Circus; Epcot: The American Adventure, Mexico; Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Sorcerer’s Hat; Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Cretaceous Trail, Tusker House Restaurant (character dining only)
• Drizella - Magic Kingdom: Behind Cinderella’s Castle
• Dug - Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Tough to be a Bug

E

• Eeyore - Magic Kingdom: Crystal Palace (character dining only); Epcot: United Kingdom
• Elsa - Magic Kingdom: Princess Fairytale Hall

F

• Fairy Godmother - Magic Kingdom: Cinderella’s Fountain
• Ferb - Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Exit to MuppetVision
• Frozone - Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Magic of Disney Animation

G

• Gaston - Magic Kingdom: Gaston’s Tavern
• Genie - Epcot: Morocco
• Goofy - Magic Kingdom: Pete’s Silly Sideshow in Storybook Circus; Epcot: The American Adventure, Legacy Fountain; Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Sorcerer’s Hat; Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Chester and Hester’s Dinorama, Tusker House Restaurant (character dining only)
• Green Army Men - Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Toy Story Friends Building

H

• Handy Manny - Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Hollywood and Vine (character dining only)

J

• Jasmine - Magic Kingdom: Cinderella’s Royal Table (character dining only), Princess Fairytale Hall, Magic Carpets of Aladdin; Epcot: Morocco, Restaurant Akeshu (character dining only)
• Jake - Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Hollywood and Vine (character dining only), Disney Junior LIVE
• Jessie - Magic Kingdom: Splash Mountain

L

• Lady Tremaine - Magic Kingdom: Behind Cinderella’s Castle
• Lightning McQueen - Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Luigi’s Garage
• Louis - Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Upcountry Landing

M

• Mad Hatter - Epcot: The American Adventure
• Marie - Magic Kingdom: Area by City Hall
• Mary Poppins - Magic Kingdom: Near Le Chapeau; Epcot: United Kingdom
• Mater - Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Luigi’s Garage
• Merida - Magic Kingdom: Fairytale Garden
• Mickey Mouse - Magic Kingdom: Town Square Theater; Epcot: The American Adventure, Garden Grill (character dining only), Future World Character Spot; Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Magic of Disney Animation; Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Adventurer’s Outpost, Tusker House Restaurant (character dining only)
• Mike - Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Exit of Backlot Tour
• Minnie Mouse - Magic Kingdom: Area by City Hall, Pete’s Silly Sideshow in Storybook Circus; Epcot: The American Adventure, Future World Character Spot; Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Sorcerer’s Hat, Magic of Disney Animation; Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Adventurer’s Outpost
• Mr. Incredible - Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Magic of Disney Animation
• Mulan - Magic Kingdom: Princess Fairytale Hall; Epcot: China, Restaurant Akeshu (character dining only)

P

• Peter Pan - Magic Kingdom: Peter Pan’s Flight
• Piglet - Magic Kingdom: Crystal Palace (character dining only)
• Phineas - Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Exit to MuppetVision
• Pluto - Magic Kingdom: Area by City Hall; Epcot: The American Adventure, Garden Grill (character dining only), Future World Character Spot; Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Sorcerer’s Hat; Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Chester and Hester’s Dinorama
• Pocahontas - Epcot: The American Adventure; Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Discovery Island Trails

R

• Rafiki - Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Inside Rafiki’s Planet Watch
• Ralph - Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Magic of Disney Animation
• Rapunzel - Magic Kingdom: Princess Fairytale Hall
• Russel - Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Tough to be a Bug

S

• Snow White - Magic Kingdom: Town Square Theater Porch, Cinderella’s Royal Table (character dining only); Epcot: Germany
• Sofia the First - Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Hollywood and Vine (character dining only); Disney Junior LIVE
• Stitch - Magic Kingdom: Throughout Tomorrowland; Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Sorcerer’s Hat
• Sulley - Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Exit of Backlot Tour

T

• Tiana - Magic Kingdom: Princess Fairytale Hall, The Glade
• Tigger - Magic Kingdom: Crystal Palace (character dining only), The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh; Epcot: United Kingdom
• Tinker Bell - Magic Kingdom: Town Square Theater

V

• Venellope - Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Magic of Disney Animation

W

• White Rabbit - Magic Kingdom: The Mad Tea Party
• Winnie the Pooh - Magic Kingdom: Crystal Palace (character dining only), The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh; Epcot: United Kingdom
• Woody - Magic Kingdom: Splash Mountain; Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Toy Story Friends Building

Hopefully this will help you find all of your favorite characters throughout the parks at Disney World.  Remember that character appearances are intermittent during the times listed on the park guide so check with guest relations at the park for more details about times and locations for character meet and greets.  Happy vacationing!"

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 Visit the RunDisney website to sign up or for more information.

REVIEW - Disney on Ice Presents Worlds of Fantasy

*Courtesy Teen Disney

Fun.

If I could pick one word that sums up Disney on Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy, it would be FUN.

Disney on Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy is a little over two hours long (with one intermission) and goes by fast!

I guess time flies when you are having fun, right? 

Get your food and souvenirs early, before the show begins.  Crowds were thick opening night, so I would suggest giving yourself enough time to stand in line to get inside your venue, grab some food (if eating on-site), and buying your souvenirs.  This gives you time to soak in the Disney magic and get prepared for the show.

Jessee Snow Cones courtesy of Teen Disney

The show opens up with our favorite mice, Mickey and Minnie, entering the ice rink in a red, convertible jalopy.  Unfortunately, the jalopy has a hard time running, and Mickey and Minnie need a little help from all their Disney friends.

*Courtesy of Teen Disney and Glenn Briggs

This is where we get to visit the many different realms of Disney's fantasy worlds.

There are four different Worlds of Fantasy:

• Cars
• The Little Mermaid
• Pixie Hollow
• Toy Story 3

The first three worlds take up the first half of the show, and Toy Story 3 is given the entire second half.

Personally, Cars is one of my family's favorite movies and collection objects, so for me this was my favorite part of the show.  I loved seeing life-size Lightning, Mater, Sally, Flo, and Ramone cars on the ice!  What's really a treat is that Sally, Flo, and Ramone are rarely (if ever) seen anywhere else (even on Disney property in Florida and California)!

*Courtesy Teen Disney and Glenn Briggs

*Courtesy Teen Disney

 Soon after the Cars characters depart the ice, we are treated to a rousing and abbreviated version of The Little Mermaid.  Ariel was splendid, as always, and Ursula always captivates the littlest Disney fans.  Was so much fun hearing everyone sing along to The Little Mermaid songs we all know and love:

(The video above is not from our performance, but it does give you an idea of the show and Ariel's performance.)

Next up - Pixie Hollow and Tinkerbell.  I will be shorter than usual here - I don't enjoy Pixie Hollow, and I don't enjoy Tinkerbell, so I was disappointed in this segment of the show.  There are so many classic Disney stories and characters to choose from, so why pick Tinkerbell?

I know, I know.  Tink is very popular with today's young Disney fans, and Disney has been more than happy to oblige them by marketing Disney and her fairies to the point of - well - overkill (in my opinion).

Again, I will say that I was very disappointed that Disney chose to give Pixie Hollow what appeared to be the longest segment of the first half.  I saw almost all the adults around me playing with their phones during this segment.  I think it's partly because the characters are new and not quite as charming or enduring to us or that we just don't know them as well as the older characters.  But, then again, I did take my 16-year old, who kept whispering to me, "This is so stupid!  Why would they put Pixie Hollow in the show?"

Next up, intermission and then the "meat" of the show - TOY STORY!

Of course, everyone loves Toy Story.  It is amazing to me that Toy Story now has three movies to it's credit (with another one rumored to be in the works) and each one is just as popular as the ones preceding it.

Disney on Ice presents World of Fantasy proved that point.  People sang along, children stared wide-eyed with jaws dropped, and we all cheered (or jeered) at the appropriate parts.  The stories are tried and true, and we all know them by heart.

That's why we love the characters from Toy Story so much.  They each have their own personality and character, and we are endured to them.  To this day (and I've seen this three times so far), my favorite Disney on Ice Toy Story segment is Ken and Barbie.  I love the interaction between these two toys, I love the "Dream Weaver" bit, and I love Ken showing Barbie his wardrobe through the decades:

(Again, this clip was not from our show, but will give you an idea...)

*Courtesy of Teen Disney and Glenn Briggs

To end the night and to wind up Disney on Ice presents World of Fantasy, Disney treats us to a rousing Grand Finale of  "Move It Shake It" by most of the show characters and brings back our Fabulous Five - Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and Pluto. 

It's always a lot of fun watching the Green Army Men, Mickey, and other Disney on Ice characters do the Running Man and the Sprinkler.  It gets the crowd smiling and clapping before heading home:

All in all, I would not have missed this show.  I am a self-proclaimed Disney addict and any time Disney comes to town, I am usually there to greet it.

This show is great for all ages - the littlest Disney fans, the adults (like myself), and I actually saw a lot of teens there on dates!  It's a fun, family entertainment show that everyone can enjoy (plus it's pretty amazing to see what these athletes can do on ice skates)!

Another thing -- If you're going, feel free to take your Mickey Ears (if you got 'em) and dress accordingly.  I saw a lot of people with Mickey Ears adorned and plenty of little girls in Princess dresses and tiaras.

When Disney comes to town, it's always special.

Disney on Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy is in Atlanta through Sunday, May 5th.  Tickets are available through the box office at the Arena at Gwinnett Center or via phone (1.800.745.3000).

You can discover more about Disney on Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy at their website or on their facebook page.

*Special thanks to Feld Entertainment for providing an opportunity to promote and review this show.  In exchange for promotion and review, we were given tickets to preview the show while in Atlanta.  All opinions expressed are my own and do not reflect any organization I may be associated with.

Disney on Ice - Worlds of Fantasy - Pixie Hollow!

Disney characters and artwork, © Disney.  Disney/Pixar characters and artwork © Disney/Pixar.

Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy Takes Families on a
Whirlwind Tour of Contemporary and Classic Disney Tales

Production Features Live Adaptation of Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story 3 and
Life-Sized Animated Characters from Disney/Pixar’s Cars 

Feld Entertainment’s action-packed ice spectacular, Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy, whisks audiences on a captivating adventure to four magical locations, including the auto-racing terrain of Cars and a visit to Andy’s bedroom for some fun with the stars of Toy Story 3.

This production delights audiences with a journey under the sea to Ariel’s world from The Little Mermaid and then into the mystical land of Pixie Hollow for a presentation of Tinker Bell.

“To be the first to introduce the Tinker Bell story live on ice and to be
entrusted with the beloved Toy Story characters is incredible, and we are
thrilled to bring these heartwarming tales to families across the United
States,” says producer Nicole Feld.

“The arena instantly transforms into Pixie Hollow as we show our audience
how the fairies prepare for spring with an explosion of color. To convey the
world of the toys and create the proper toy-to-human scale, we manipulated the size of the props and costumes to make live skaters – and even the audience – seem toy size,” she adds

Railton took particular care with Pixie Hollow. “Audiences are still getting
to know Pixie Hollow, so it was important to me to capture the lushness
and the scale detailed in the film,” says Railton.  Because fairies are
miniature in size, Railton used inflatable technology to create a giant tree
backdrop.  In the finale, larger than life butterflies float onto the ice as
oversized inflatable flowers bloom around the ice signifying the arrival of
spring.

Show times:

• Wednesday, May 1 -- 7:30PM
• Thursday, May 2 -- 7:30PM
• Friday, May 3 -- 10:30AM, 7:30PM
• Saturday, May 4, 11AM, 3PM, 7PM
• Sunday, May 5, 1PM, 5PM

Ticket prices:

• VIP Dining (ticket includes food) -- $95
• Rinkside -- $75
• VIP -- $50
• 4th -- $30
• 5th -- $25

Tickets are available at The Arena at Gwinnett Center Box Office or via phone (Ticketmaster, 800.745.3000).

To find out more about Disney on Ice, please visit their website, facebook page, or YouTube channel.

*Stay tuned, we will have some very exciting news concerning Disney on Ice next month!

* * * * * * * * * * 

In the meantime, enjoy this special treat from Disney on Ice!  A word search page featuring some of your favorite characters!