Characters can be found at Disney Parks around the globe, signing autographs, posing for pictures and appearing in live stage-shows. Costumed versions of characters from Disney's Animated Features and shorts, TV shows, video games and rides have been appearing at Disneyland since the day it opened in 1955 and have subsequently become must-see attractions at Walt Disney World, Tokyo Disneyland, Dinseyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland and on the Disney Cruise Line. The characters are Disney Cast Members who are costumed and interact with guests to further enjoy their visit or vacation. The characters are broken down into two groups: Atmosphere Characters and Face Characters
Atmosphere Characters
Atmosphere Characters are the most common type of characters who cannot talk to guests, but most can communicate through actions. A host often accompanies them to help them to guide them around the park. Atmosphere Characters are either meetable or non-meetable.
Meetable Atmosphere Characters
Meetable Atmosphere Characters who appear at the parks include:
Disney's Early Animated Shorts
Disney Feature Films
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Pinocchio
Bambi
Saludos Amigos and The Three Caballeros
Song of the South
Cinderella
Alice in Wonderland
Peter Pan
Sleeping Beauty
Mary Poppins
Winnie the Pooh
The Jungle Book
The Aristocats
Bedknobs and Broomsticks
Robin Hood
The Rescuers and The Rescuers Down Under
The Great Mouse Detective
Beauty and the Beast
Aladdin
The Lion King
Pocahontas
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
- Quasimodo
- Judge Claude Frollo
Hercules
Mulan
Tarzan
The Emperor's New Groove
Lilo and Stitch
Brother Bear
Chicken Little
- Chicken Little
- Abby
Meet the Robinsons
Bolt
The Princess And The Frog
Pixar Films
Toy Story series
- Woody
- Buzz Lightyear
- Jessie
- Green Army Men
- Lotso
A Bug's Life
- Flik
- Princess Atta
Monsters, Inc.
- Mike
- Sulley
The Incredibles
- Mr. Incredible
- Mrs. Incredible
- Frozone
Cars
- Lightning McQueen
- Mater
- Finn McMissile
Ratatouille
- Remy
- Emile
WALL-E
- WALL-E
Up
- Carl Fredrickson
- Russel
- Dug
Other TV Series/Video Games
The Adventures of the Gummi Bears
- Tummi Gummi
- Grammi Gummi
- Zummi Gummi
- Cubbi Gummi
Phineas and Ferb
- Phineas Flynn
- Ferb Fletcher
- Perry the Platypus
Duck Tales
- Launchpad McQuack
- Webby Vanderquack
- Gyro Gearloose
- Darkwing Duck
- Baggy Beagle
Others
- Gadget Hackwrench
- Roger Rabbit
- Monterey Jack
- Fat Cat
- Kit Cloudkicker
- Rebecca Cunningham
- Don Karnage
- Sora
- Jake
Non-meetable Atmosphere Characters
Non-meetable Atmosphere Characters who appear at the parks include:
Disney Feature Films
Fantasia
- Magic Brooms
Dumbo
- Dumbo
Cinderella
- Lucifer
Alice in Wonderland
- Cheshire Cat
Peter Pan
Sleeping Beauty
- Dragon Maleficent
The Jungle Book
- Kaa
The Little Mermaid
- Flounder
- Sebastian
- King Triton
- Ursula
- Flotsman and Jetsman
Beauty and the Beast
- Lumiere
- Cogsworth
- Mrs. Potts
- Chip
Aladdin
- Snake Jafar
- Iago
- Carpet
The Lion King
- Simba
- Pumba
- Zazu
- Scar
Pixar Films
Finding Nemo
- Dory
- Bruce
Face Characters
These people wear costumes but interact with the guests via improv acting and theatrical expertise as part of their job. Like the Atmosphere Characters, they are assisted by a character host at all times. Noted examples include all of the Disney Princesses, Disney Fairies, Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland. An example of a change for the better came in the 1980s, when park executives decided to change the Mad Hatter from an atmosphere character into a face character so they be allowed to interact with guests.
Disney Feature Films
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Pinocchio
Cinderella
Alice in Wonderland
- Alice
- The Mad Hatter
Peter Pan/Tinkerbell
- Peter Pan
- Wendy Darling
- John Darly
- Cubby
- Tinker Bell
- Rosetta
- Silvermist
- Iridessa
- Fawn
- Vidia
Lady and the Tramp
- Tony
- Joe
Sleeping Beauty
One Hundred and One Dalmations
The Sword in the Stone
- Merlin
Mary Poppins
- Mary Poppins
- Bert
Jungle Book
- Mowgli
Winnie The Pooh
- Christopher Robin
The Little Mermaid
Beauty and the Beast
Aladdin
- Aladdin
- Princess Jasmine
- Sultan
Pocahontas
Mulan
The Princess and the Frog
- Princess Tiana
- Prince Naveen
- Doctor Facilier
Tangled
TV Series
Kim Possible
- Kim Possible
- Ron Stoppable