Disney World and Disneyland Reportedly Bringing Back Fan-Favorite Experiences After Two Year Shutdown

Both Disney Parks here in the United States have been slowly getting back to their normal operations following the last two years of shutdowns and changes due to the pandemic. Larger capacities returned, indoor attractions reopened, and mask mandates have been relaxed. Disneyland and Walt Disney World continue to make moves to get back to where they were before the start of the pandemic, and it looks like another major step is coming in the near future.

According to a report from Walt Disney World News Today, Disneyland and Disney World are finally bringing back the standard character meet-and-greets that guests love so much. The character meet-and-greets have been back for a while now, but they have been referred to as “character sightings,” with guests only able to interact with the characters from a distance. This new report suggests that Disney is looking to go back to the classic meet-and-greet format, allowing guests to hug, high five, and take close pictures with the characters.

There hasn’t been an official announcement from Disney about the meet-and-greet return, but the Disney Parks Instagram appears to be teasing the comeback with a recent post. There will be something more concrete from the House of Mouse on Thursday, and it’s likely they will be revealing exactly when these character experiences are coming back.

The return of meet-and-greets couldn’t come at a better time for the Disney Parks. As it gets warmer and summer creeps closer, more and more guests make plans to get out and visit the parks. In addition to the big summer crowds, Disney World is also in the middle of its 50th anniversary celebration and Disneyland has been rolling out new Marvel characters at Avengers Campus.

Disney World just recently opened the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, a two-night immersive Star Wars experience that puts guests in the middle of the action. This summer, Marvel is making its way to the Orlando, Florida theme park in the form of a new EPCOT attraction, Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind. 

Are you excited about the return of character meet-and-greets at Disneyland and Walt Disney World? Let us know in the comments!