If you’re only going to meet one character during your trip to Walt Disney World, it obviously has to be Mickey Mouse. He’s available for meet-and-greets at all four theme parks; however, not all meet-and-greets are created equally. Here’s a breakdown of the best places to meet everyone’s favorite mouse.
1. Magic Kingdom
So why is Magic Kingdom at the top of this list? It’s not just because you’re meeting Mickey in the happiest place on earth. It’s because…he talks. Yes, you read that correctly. Mickey Mouse talks when you visit him in Magic Kingdom. I honestly have no clue how this works, but it really freaked me out the first time, so I want you to be prepared. One time, the family in front of me told him they were from Mexico. “Oh, you’re from Mexico? ¡Hola!” And then when they were taking a photo, he said, “Say, ‘queso’!” And when I brought a friend’s two-year-old niece who was a little scared, he suggested that they act like choo-choo trains and marched along all over the room, yelling, “Chugga, chugga, choo choo!” Everything he says is in the Mickey Mouse voice, and his mouth moves in sync, and he blinks. It’s really wild to see. A very interactive experience!
2. Animal Kingdom
I actually flirted with the idea of making Animal Kingdom the best place to meet Mickey only because this is the only place where you can actually meet Mickey and Minnie at the same time and see them interact together with you. Being able to see Mickey and Minnie together and get a photo with both of them at once is almost unheard of at the other parks, which is why Animal Kingdom is one of my favorite places to meet Mickey. Also, the line seems to move the fastest, and you’re in air conditioning the whole time. All plusses in my book.
3. Epcot
There’s nothing wrong with meeting Mickey at Epcot; it’s just not at the top of my list because Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom’s meet and greets are just that awesome. There’s nothing that really stands out about meeting Mickey at Epcot other than the fact you can knock out seeing several characters at once (i.e., you’ll see Minnie and Goofy there too). However, unlike Animal Kingdom, you can’t get your photo with all of these characters at the same time. While they are in the same room, you can only have your photo taken with one at a time. There is a tiny chance you might see the characters interact with each other though. This is also the only place you’ll see Mickey and the gang in their “normal” clothes (e.g., Minnie is in her red dress with white polka dots).
4. Hollywood Studios
Hollywood Studios is my least favorite place to meet Mickey. The biggest reason is because the line to meet him is outside. While it’s covered so you’re at least in the shade, there’s really no getting away from the Florida heat and humidity. While you can meet Minnie at the same time, she’s in the first room, and then you have to walk to another room to meet Mickey. That makes for a nearly impossible chance to see them interact with each other. This also seems to be the slowest moving line. However, I really do love Mickey’s outfit and his room setup at Hollywood Studios.