Some of the best memories at Walt Disney World come in the form of Meet & Greet interactions with the infamous characters that you’ve grown up with. From Mickey to your favorite princess…a photo will allow you to step back into your childhood like you’ve only dreamed about!
Going into a vacation at Disney World, the goal is to have a memorable experience that you’re able to talk about years after while you’re deciding on your next spot to travel to. With that being said, I’ve got a few secrets to share about getting the best interactions with Characters that you can plan into your itinerary without worrying about standing in crazy long lines.
Here are the Best Disney World Meet & Greet Locations with Genie+
PRINCESS FAIRYTALE HALL
These go fast, but when you’re planning a trip for fans of the Princesses…be prepared to get this reservation from the Magic Kingdom. We tend to do one per trip, but doing a back-to-back isn’t too much of a stretch.
Tip: There are two separate meet and greets within Princess Fairytale Hall. Each has two princesses, so make sure that you’re getting the right one for your family, because the experience meeting Tiana and Rapunzel is completely different than meeting Cinderella and her visiting friend.
We’ve never been able to ‘walk-up’ to this experience because the lines get crazy. Just know beforehand that folks actually run at Rope-Drop to this instead of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train AND you’re also competing with parents who are having their kids all dolled up at Bippity Boppity Boutique within Cinderella Castle.
TOWN SQUARE THEATRE
Another great option to meet Mickey Mouse, the Town Square Theatre is a great option for a possible last-minute Genie+. We typically wait around 20 minutes, even with the reservation, but it’s always worth it!
The other option at Town Square Theatre is to meet Tink, but the reservation is usually not worth it as I’ve walked-up multiple times without really too much of a wait.
Related Article – Where To Find Mickey Mouse
LITTLE MERMAID IN HER GROTTO
With New Fantasyland bringing a number of character interactions to the table, with The Beast meeting guests for Table Service at Be Our Guest and Enchanted Tales with Belle…the one spot that often gets forgotten is the opportunity to meet Ariel in her Grotto!
Is it worth a reservation? Sure…if you’re not at the Magic Kingdom first thing in the day or late at night and your family REALLY wants to meet Ariel in her non-human form. Fun Fact – Ariel (human form) is usually a part of the Character Dining experiences at Cinderella’s Royal Table and Akershus in Norway at EPCOT.
ADVENTURERS OUTPOST @ DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM
Mickey & Minnie meet guests in the only combined character interaction on property, but because of that…you’re only getting one single experience for your Genie+ reservation. You’re also seeing them in their least popular outfit (safari gear), so unless you’re lucky to get a last minute reservation at Animal Kingdom before the sun goes down and you make your way to Pandora or Everest….it’s not the best option.
Insight – The lines for this character experience get incredibly long, but that’s because in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, meet and greet options are few and far between. Granted, it’s getting better, with the addition of characters like Dug and Pocahontas…but it’s still not quite there yet. We’ve never walked-up to this interaction because the lines range from 30-60 minutes on any given day.
FUN FACT
MICKEY AND MINNIE IN RED CARPET DREAMS AT DISNEY’S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS
Not a Genie+ attraction, but it’s the only park (thus far) that hasn’t put this technology to use with a Mickey character experience. I’ve waited for about 30-minutes for this before, and it was worth it to see Mickey & Minnie:)
Hope this helps with your Trip Planning adventures for your next vacation to Walt Disney World in Florida!