The Super Secret World of Character Palooza

Psst! Hey, you? I can tell just by looking at you, that you’re the kind of person who can be trusted. That’s good, because if anyone ever found out that I told you what I’m about to tell you, I’d be clapped in irons and fed to Maleficent in her dragon form. I’m going to give you the inside scoop about the super secret Walt Disney World experience known as Character Palooza.

1. What Is Character Palooza?

Character Palooza is a chance to meet rare Disney characters at Hollywood Studios. You’ll never find it listed on the My Disney Experience app or on park maps, and if you ask a Cast Member about it, you aren’t likely to get a very direct answer.

2. Who Can You Meet?

There’s no guarantee who you’ll meet, but the characters of Character Palooza are all featured in Fantasmic. That means that you can meet characters like Stitch, Meeko (from Pocahontas), Genie, The Evil Queen, Robin Hood, Brer Fox, Mushu, and many more.

There are typically between 5-10 characters out during Character Palooza and there’s no guarantee who will appear.

3. When Does It Happen?

The event typically takes place between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Once the characters come out, they’ll typically meet with Guests for around 15-20 minutes.

4. Where Does It Happen?

As noted above, there’s nothing official as to where Character Palooza takes place, however some reliable sources have suggested that your best best is to look near Tower of Terror, on the Streets of America, or around Echo Lake.

5. Do They Sign Autographs?

Assuming they can, characters will sign autographs. As with other meet and greets, there are certain characters who are unable to sign due to the nature of their costumes.

6. Can We Get Pictures Taken?

Yes! Though it will have to be done with your own camera. As it is not an “official” event, there are no Disney photographers on hand. However, the characters are accompanied by a Cast Member who will be more than happy to snap a few pictures for you.

7. Why All The Secrecy?

So, why all the secrecy from Disney? The simple explanation is crowd control. Character meet-and-greets can draw massive crowds and generate extremely long waits. By keeping the event unofficial (and very hush hush) the event doesn’t turn into a madhouse.

So there you have it. The secret knowledge you need to have one an incredibly special character experience during your next visit to Hollywood Studios. I hope you’ve noted it well, because this blog will self destruct in 5, 4, 3, 2…