Character Meet-and-Greets at Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party (2023)

This article discusses where to meet characters at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. We’ll provide updates after the first party in 2023.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! You know, the time when you wait in line for hours to meet characters at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.

For this holiday season, I’ve got good news and bad news. On the positive side of things, there are a ton of character meets available at this year’s Christmas party.

Unfortunately, on the other end of the spectrum, character shortages are a real thing. Those shortages leave us with the whole over-promise under-deliver scenario that we hate to see at the most magical place on earth.

So if you go to meet characters, especially in the pouring rain, remember one thing–It’s rough out there.

This article discusses character meet-and-greets at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. We’ll look at the location for each meet, how long we waited, and a few tips for the best time to meet characters.

So grab your autograph book and plan your best character bound (with a Christmas twist, of course) because we’re off to meet characters at Mickey’s Christmas Party!

Characters at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

Here is a list of the characters who meet at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party (MVMCP).

Mickey Mouse
Jack Skellington (Sandy Claws) with Sally
Tweedles
Winnie the Pooh and Friends
Santa Goofy
Donald Duck and Scrooge
Minnie Mouse and Daisy Duck
Ariel and Prince Eric
Belle
Snow White and The Prince
Aurora (Sleeping Beauty) and Prince Philip
Rapunzel and Flynn Ryder
Tiana and Prince Naveen
Cinderella and Prince Charming
Elena of Avalor
Country Bears
Moana
Aladdin and Abu
Jasmine and Genie
Captain Jack Sparrow
Santa Claus

Here are a few other essential character meet details for the party:

*A Santa Clause meet-and-greet is available at the gazebo in Liberty Square.

*Several popular Disney Junior characters (Timon, Fancy Nancy, Vampirina, Doc McStuffins) appear in the Storybook Circus Disney Junior Jingle Jam in the Calliope Tent.

*In Tomorrowland, Mike Wazowski, Buzz Lightyear, and Santa Stitch appear in the Totally Tomorrowland Christmas stage show.

*Unfortunately, the Seven Dwarfs are not at this year’s party, but they are part of Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade.

Below we’ll look at each character meet.

Mickey Mouse in Christmas Suit

In true save the best-for-last fashion, I met Mickey Mouse in his holiday suit at 12:05 a.m. on the night of the first party. At this point, I wouldn’t have been surprised if my car had turned into a pumpkin when I got back to the parking lot.

You need to know that Mickey doesn’t start meeting in his Christmas suit until 7:00 p.m., the formal start of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.

So if you got in line to meet him before that time, you would likely meet him in his 50th celebration suit alongside Minnie Mouse. Mickey leaves his traditional meet at approximately 6:00 p.m. to prepare for the party.

Mickey meets near the front entrance of Magic Kingdom at Town Square Theater. There are two different character meets here. The other meet is Jack Skellington and Sally.

I got in line to meet Mickey Mouse at 11:39 p.m. when it was pouring rain. As I joined the line, the cast member said there was a 20-minute wait. I met Mickey at 12:05 a.m., for a total wait of 25 minutes.

Mickey signs autographs at this location. He also takes his time with everyone, so don’t expect the line to move quickly.

However, he has this magical way of making you feel like you’re the only one in the room once it’s your turn. So I think most guests leave with a smile and possibly even a twinkle in their eye.

I know I did.

Related: Meet Mickey Mouse at Epcot

Jack Skellington as Sandy Claws with Sally

If you’re set on meeting as many characters as possible at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, you’ll want to get there promptly at 4:00 p.m., secure a party band, and head straight inside Town Square Theater.

Make sure you get that party band first. If you’re already inside Magic Kingdom, the closest place (within proximity to the meet) to secure one is the Chamber of Commerce.

For those who can’t enter the park until the party begins, you’ll want to get to the turnstiles 45 minutes to an hour early. Lines to enter the party are usually exceptionally long.

At the first party, many guests were waiting outside the turnstiles as the first bands of tropical storm wind and rain began to beat down on us. It seems as though a better solution could be found for these types of instances.

I got in line at 3:45 p.m. to secure a band. By 4:00 p.m., I had a band and splashed my way across Town Square to get inside the theater.

At 4:01 p.m., I was in line. There were approximately 40 guests ahead of me.

Jack Skellington as Sandy Claws, and Sally do not begin meeting until 4:30 p.m. So that first 30 minutes are so, the line will not move.

However, at 4:30, things begin to progress. Your wait time depends entirely on how long other guests ahead of you take.

Similar to Mickey above, Jack and Sally are not in any hurry. Instead, they enjoy talking about Zero and Sally’s outstanding sewing skills. She made his Sandy Claws costume.

Here is their autograph card for the Christmas party.

If you don’t meet Jack and Sally before the party starts, the best time to meet them is during the first parade. However, you’ll sacrifice seeing the parade for potentially shorter waits.

You could wait until toward the end of the night to see them. However, if they have an extensive line, a cast member will cut their line off early.

Tweedles

Next, we have the Tweedles from Alice in Wonderland, who meet near Mad Tea Party. Unfortunately, due to the rain, I didn’t get a chance to see them.

We’ll try to get back over that way at the next party. In the meantime, you’ll want to check the My Disney Experience app for the exact times on the evening of your visit.

On this evening, the Tweedles didn’t come out until 7:30 p.m., which was a little late compared to the other meet-and-greets. Once the party begins, the characters for the party should be listed in the app.

By that time, though, it’s too late to plan. Tis’ the season and the reason I do this for you.

Winnie the Pooh and Friends

If you’re a long-time reader of the site, you know this isn’t my first rodeo with long lines, rain, and Winnie the Pooh and Friends. I shudder to think of the debacle of trying to meet these guys last time.

Nevertheless, this time I succeeded. When I left Jack and Sally, I ran into a cast member friend who told me this foursome would come out at 6:30 p.m. due to their popularity.

Determined, I polished off my chicken tenders kids’ meal at Cosmic Ray’s and got in line for this meet at 6:02 p.m.

Hey, it was pouring down rain, and a blogger’s got to eat, right?

When I joined the line, there were approximately 15 guests ahead of me. We all huddled underneath umbrellas in the queue, hoping to see our Hundred Acres Woods friends.

At 6:33 p.m., the characters appeared. I met them at 6:50 p.m. This character meet-and-greet features Piglet, Eeyore, Winnie the Pooh, and Tigger in their holiday scarves.

Rest assured, this character interaction is worth every second. Crystal Palace is the only other place to meet all of these characters at the same location.

Santa Goofy

Unfortunately, Santa Goofy met sporadically due to rain on the first night of the party. We’ll try to circle back to check out his meet-and-greet at the next party.

He meets in front of his attraction, The Barnstormer, dressed in a Santa Suit.

Here we go, we got him on the second time around. Surprisingly, this meet moved more swiftly than any other I’ve seen.

Donald Duck and Scrooge

When I saw Scrooge McDuck in the character line-up, I was elated. Not every day do you get to meet a penny-pinching budget cutter.

You never really know who you might run into in the parks or elsewhere. If there were a Fortune 500 company list in Duckberg, I bet Scrooge would be at the top of it.

Sorry, Donald, you’re still number one in my book!

Anyway, Donald Duck and Scrooge McDuck meet in the circus tent behind Dumbo, the Flying Elephant. Specifically, they are set up in the back of the play-while-you-wait area.

While standing in line, I couldn’t help but notice several children wanting to take advantage of the roped-off play area. All the time, I was thinking about how smoothly the area used to operate.

Children would play, and parents would receive a pager. When the pager went off, it was your turn to join the queue with a minimal wait time.

After about an hour and 40 minutes in line to meet the characters at this location, I felt sorry for everyone involved. Could you imagine being five years old, standing in front of a playground, and not being allowed to play? For over an hour and a half?

Let me break it down. I got in line for this meet at 7:21 p.m. By about a quarter after eight o’clock, we got to the point where we could see the entire length of the queue and the characters up ahead.

At 8:30 p.m., the characters left for a break. They returned at 8:39 p.m. I met Donald Duck and Scrooge at 8:48 p.m.

So at this point, meeting Donald and Scrooge took one hour and 27 minutes. But this character meet is a two-for-one.

After meeting the first set of characters, you immediately meet the next set, standing nearby. Unfortunately, however, one member of that party wasn’t present.

Minnie Mouse and Daisy Duck

This brings us to meeting Minnie Mouse and Daisy Duck at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Per the cast member, Daisy had gotten an eyelash in her eye and had to leave for a few minutes.

As you can imagine, several of us waiting in line decided to wait until Daisy returned. So in the meantime, I snapped a few photos of Minnie in her candy-cane-striped holiday shirt.

She had a matching bow and eyelet trim on her blouse. I couldn’t imagine her being any more adorable.

After about 15 more minutes of waiting, a cast member told us she might not return. So it was time to bail.

I wasn’t kidding when I said it’s rough out there.

Had it not been for having a pleasant conversation with another guest the majority of the wait, I would have probably been pulling my hair out.

Additionally, the cast members attending the meet were sincere. Try to remember that no one enjoys being the bearer of bad news.

Ariel and Prince Eric

Finally, at the second Christmas party I attended, I was able to meet Prince Eric and Ariel. You may remember on my first try, they weren’t meeting due to the rain.

So I returned at 10:39 p.m. after meeting Snow White and The Prince to try my luck again, only to find the line cut off.

This evening I got in line for Ariel and Prince Eric at approximately 6:45 p.m. There were about 20 guests ahead of me.

Ariel and Eric came out to greet guests at precisely 7:00 p.m., and I met them at 7:10 p.m. sharp.

Both characters sign autographs, and a PhotoPass photographer was present at this location on the evening of my visit.

Belle

Belle meets at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party in her holiday dress. On the first evening I got in line for this meet, I was told by the cast member that she only greeted guests in her blue dress.

However, I did a double-check on my next visit and found her in her Christmas gown. On this evening, I spoke with the cast member attending the meet, who confirmed she should always be in her holiday dress at the party.

She is well worth taking the time to meet at this location.

Snow White and The Prince

In the past, the Seven Dwarfs met at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party near the castle wall in Fantasyland. However, the Seven Dwarfs are busy in the mine this year, so they won’t be in attendance.

In their place, two sets of characters meet in this area. First, we have Snow White and The Prince. I do not know why he doesn’t have a formal name.

This is the first time I recall seeing Snow White meet with The Prince in the parks. For many of us, an opportunity to meet the star of Walt’s first feature animated film is a little special.

Snow White enjoys talking about her forest friends and the Seven Dwarfs. She might be a little bashful (no pun intended) to talk about The Prince since he’s beside her.

Sorry, I have no help with conversation starters with The Prince. But I did get in this line immediately after the fireworks at 10:32 p.m. and met them at 10:37 p.m.

I strategically watched the fireworks on the right-hand side (facing) of the castle to head straight to this meet when they concluded. You could probably do this with most character meets.

Like the parade, I wouldn’t miss the fireworks spectacular.

Related: Meet Snow White at Epcot

Princess Aurora (Sleeping Beauty) Prince Philip

Princess Aurora of Sleeping Beauty meets with Prince Philip at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. This meet is alongside Snow White and The Prince.

After meeting Winnie the Pooh and Friends, this was the next character meet on my list. However, after 15 minutes of waiting, a cast member came out and apologized, saying no one was coming.

Later in the evening, another cast member said that Aurora and Philip would not return this evening. So I’m not sure if they ever came out or not.

But I did come here twice in an attempt to meet them, and I wasn’t the only one. It is rare to see these princesses meeting with their princes.

We’ll try again.

Rapunzel and Flynn Rider

Another pleasant surprise was that most of the princesses at Princess Fairytale Hall were meeting with their princes. So even though this is a regular meet by day at Magic Kingdom, you get a bit of a bonus during the party.

Flynn Rider and Rapunzel were as bubbly as ever when I met them, even though I got to this meet-and-greet very late.

I got in line for this meet at 10:45 p.m. and met them at 11:09. That wasn’t bad, considering I also got to meet Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen.

Oh, and one thing’s for sure. Both Flynn and Rapunzel will ask you to make sure to get the nose right if you take their photo.

Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen

After meeting Rapunzel and Flynn Rider, you’ll immediately meet Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen. There’s nothing like a two-for-one, especially when it’s less than a 25-minute wait.

I commented to Tiana how beautiful she looked and how I always enjoyed our conversations about…cooking. We both love to cook.

Prince Naveen lovingly said that Tiana was perfect and that she made things so easy. He even kissed her. Thankfully, no frogs were involved.

Cinderella and Prince Charming

On the opposite side of Princess Fairytale Hall, Cinderella shares a meet-and-greet with Prince Charming. Prince Charming is another rare character meet at Walt Disney World.

They were both a delight and asked me how I was enjoying my time in the kingdom. Cinderella enjoys talking about glass slippers and her mice friends.

I got in this line at 11:17 p.m. and met them at 11:25 p.m. Unfortunately, at this point, it had begun to pour down rain once again. Thankfully, the queue for this location is indoors.

Elena of Avalor

Next to Cinderella, Elena of Avalor meets guests. She is excited to talk about her Jaquins, which are magical creatures featured in her television series.

Yes, I had to look that one up.

Country Bears

You will likely see the Country Bears roaming around Frontierland during the party. When I came through, the lighting in the area had a blue tint.

I thought that was fitting, given the nature of the Country Bears.

Moana

Moana is back this year at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. To me, this meet is a no-brainer.

Moana meets guests in the queue for the Enchanted Tiki Room, so the area is covered. However, she generally holds long lines.

My idea was to cover this character meet during the first Christmas parade because I knew wait times would be low. Thankfully, I was right. There were only two guests ahead of me.

However, the second parade was canceled due to the downpour. So my plan backfired. Thankfully, I have plans to attend another party, but I know most of you are limited to one.

Aladdin and Abu

Characters from Aladdin meet next to Agrabah Bazaar in Adventureland. This is directly across the walkway from Magic Carpets.

Like the Halloween Party, Aladdin and Abu rotate spots with Princess Jasmine and Genie. There is no guarantee which character you’ll meet when you get in this line.

While you may see Aladdin and Abu meeting guests while you wait, their time could end. When that happens, Jasmine and Genie take their place and vice-versa during their meet.

Princess Jasmine and Genie

This evening, I got in line to meet Jasmine and Genie at 9:36 p.m. after meeting Moana. Since this was also during the parade, there were only about five guests ahead of me.

So I was able to meet them quickly. A cast member attending the meet said that Aladdin and Abu would return later in the evening.

Unfortunately, I never made it back to Adventureland to meet them.

Captain Jack Sparrow

Lastly, our dear pirate friend Captain Jack Sparrow was meeting guests on the Adventureland stage across from Pirates of the Caribbean. Or you might find him wandering the area.

I can’t help it–Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a pirate’s life for me. I’m giggling again.

Speaking of giggling, some of you will be happy to know that I finally found my Monsters Inc. hat. What once was lost is now found–grace.

Final Thoughts: Characters at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

I hope this character guide to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party helped you decide which characters you would like to meet at the party. Unfortunately, I don’t believe it would be ideal to try and meet every single character available.

Had it not been so rainy, I don’t think I would have gotten as far along as I did. Many guests left early due to the rain. Lines would likely have been much longer had the weather been to one’s liking.

For more information, we have an entire list of character meets at Disney World.

We’ll see what’s next.

In the Comments

What characters are you hoping to meet at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party? Do you have any questions this article didn’t answer about meeting characters at the party?

Character Meet-and-Greets at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party (2023)