NEW: Disney shares an update regarding character meet and greets

Wondering when character meets will return to normal? One Disney executive shares an update!

Character Meets

When the parks reopened in July 2020, none of us truly realized how different the guest experience would be. From masks to social distancing, Disney implemented various health measures for our safety.

One of the biggest changes was character meets. Instead of hugging, posing for photos, and getting autographs with our favorite friends, we could only see them in passing. Slowly, Disney brought back outdoor distanced meets followed by indoor distanced meets.

In February, Disney relaxed the indoor mask mandate making it possible for guests to take a photo with a character indoors without a face covering (as long as they were vaccinated). However, social distancing continued to be in place for these interactions.

While many Guests have been waiting to return to Disney until it feels more “normal”, many are still hesitant due to the social distancing factor. 

Disneyland Paris recently dropped all precautions regarding character meets. That means Disneyland Paris Guests can now stand next to their favorite character, get a hug and an autograph, and pose for photos. We have been wondering for quite some time when Disney may do the same. With the 50th anniversary well underway, many of us are hoping to have the full-blown experience all of us anticipated having before the world shut down.

When will character meets be normal again?

Disney CFO Christine McCarthy is participating in the Morgan Stanley Tech, Media & Telecom Conference today, March 7. She just shared that character meets, as they were before the park closure in 2020, should be returning to domestic theme parks “soon.”

This is exciting news!

Many of miss our Mickey hugs and getting those autographs in our books, so for many this will be the true return to normalcy. One of the last times my son hugged a character was Mickey Mouse (pictured above). I am so excited to witness these moments again.

While she did not share an official date, Disney could be preparing to make an announcement in coming weeks. Stay tuned to our blog!

When do you think character meets will return to normal? Are you excited? Join the conversation in the comments below and on Facebook.