Are Pandemic-Era Meet and Greets Coming to an End?

Many reports have circled recently of some Disney character meet and greets being removed entirely from Disney World; here’s what we know.

Character meet and greets are one of the best parts of the Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort. Having the chance to go the Theme Park and meet the mouse himself, Mickey, along with Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and Pluto, among so many others, allows Guests to meet their favorite Disney character. Bearing in mind, characters aren’t just limited to classic Disney cartoons, whether you’re in Magic Kingdom Park, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, or Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

But with the changing times, it seems some attractions and rides may change. Recently, some reports suggest that several meet and greets have been cut entirely from Walt Disney World due to labor shortages among Cast Members. Per some reports, specific areas and characters that will be affected include Minnie Mouse at Town Square Theater at Magic Kingdom and Minnie Mouse at the EPCOT International Gateway. Donald, Daisy, and Max will all be removed from Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

At the time of publishing, it’s uncertain how long this will last, and reportedly these experiences will be cut starting Sunday, October 23, 2022.

We reached out to a Cast Member who shared the following insight about the experiences leaving Walt Disney World Resort:

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As the Cast Member said,

“Since the reopening, we have heard great feedback from Guests relating to many of our new character experiences. Recent trends and guidance have provided opportunities for us to bring back some of our most beloved magic, like character greetings and dining experiences! There has not been any communication regarding lowering the current availability of character experiences at this time though.”

While these reports are circulating, it’s clear there is no real confirmation from the Disney Park either way, at the moment.

However, it’s worth noting that the 50th Anniversary celebrations are coming to an end, so in the spirit of speculation, it’s entirely possible that as some of the 50th Anniversary celebrations conclude, perhaps Disney is also phasing out some pandemic-era Character Experiences. For example, Minnie Mouse joined Mickey Mouse in Town Square for a special 50th Anniversary meet n’ greet, and Max wasn’t really seen before the pandemic.

While we don’t know if any of this will come to pass yet, what is worth noting is that the Tinker Bell meet n’ greet is no longer seen on the Disney World website.

Read More: Tinker Bell Meet and Greet Completely Removed from Disney World Website

Only time will tell whether these rumors are in fact true but, until then, here’s hoping that fan-favorite Disney World characters remain where they are or at the very least, are replaced by ones Guests are equally excited about.