Woody, Buzz, and Jesse Return to Disney World Park 

Amongst the many things returning back to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, many guests were thrilled to see the return of the Toy Story Meet and Greet featuring Buzz, Woody, and Jesse.

It was previously announced that Fantasmic! would be returning back to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in November, but that isn’t the only experience the Disney Parks have lined up. It was recently shown that the characters from Pixar’s Toy Story have officially made it back to Andy’s backyard as Buzz, Woody, and Jesse have been seen mixing and mingling about their Meet and Greet location. As wonderful as it is to see them again, they aren’t the same toys fans might be used to seeing. In fact, all three characters have received a major makeover.

Fans who have visited the Parks on a regular basis will immediately notice that Buzz, Woody, and Jessie all look incredibly different than they have during previous Meet and Greets. All three characters have received major face-lifts for a more movie-accurate look at the Parks. Whether they are face or fur characters, Disney has always strived to bring their beloved cast to life with impeccable accuracy, but the cast from Toy Story did have a slight hiccup in their original designs. Fans only have to look back at Woody’s enormous Easter Island head to notice the change in quality. The characters have much more lively expressions, as well as some wardrobe alterations as well.

Perhaps the most obvious change to the Pixar pals’ lineup is Buzz and his Space Ranger suit. Fans who are used to seeing Buzz on the space-aged streets of Tomorrowland will immediately notice that he’s slimmed down quite a bit. The old outfit was incredibly bulky and clunky to accentuate the character’s plastic exterior, but fans who attended Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party this year caught a glimpse of the new and improved Buzz Lightyear. The new costume allows the performer a wider range of movement, therefore more interaction with the guests.

Regardless of whether or not the toys have received new and updated looks to their theme park counterparts, it’s honestly just a good sign to see more character interactions in the Parks. Whether it’s in Hollywood Studios, Epcot, or the Magic Kingdom, Guests are happy to see Andy’s friends return to Toy Story Playland for more fun outside the toybox.

Disney Character Falls Off Vehicle During Performance

A video has emerged showing a Disney character crashing during a popular performance.

Disney Parks worldwide offer Guests the chance to meet their favorite Disney characters, whether that be a classic Disney character, an intergalactic icon from the Star Wars universe, or a mighty hero from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Meeting Mickey and Minnie Mouse,  Goofy, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Chip, and Dale, your favorite Disney princess, Winnie the Pooh, Captain Jack Sparrow, Chewbacca, Kylo Ren, Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, and many more can create an emotional and memorable moment for the young and the young at heart.

During a recent performance, user @truly.disney shared a video of Goofy crashing on TikTok.

As you can see in the video, Goofy is riding on a jet ski when he hits a wave that knocks him off the vehicle and into the water. While the video labels this at Disney World, this actually took place at Tokyo DisneySea at Tokyo Disneyland Resort.

While the crash looked like it may have hurt, everything seemingly turned out okay at the Disney Park and Goofy was able to get back on his jet ski.

List of Character Greeting Spots Reopening Soon at Disney World

While “normal” character greetings with hugs and autographs returned to Walt Disney World in mid-April 2022, many characters greeting spots continue to be unavailable for greetings. Thankfully, Disney has announced that many will be reopening in the next few weeks, and even more in the next few months.

From a Disney Cast Member;

One of the most rewarding parts of the steady return of live entertainment to Walt Disney World Resort has been watching guests create special moments with their Disney character friends once more. Whether it be a wave in a parade, a family photo or a warm embrace, these encounters bring even more magic to each visit. That’s why I can’t wait to share what’s next for new and returning characters as we continue The World’s Most Magical Celebration!

Magic Kingdom Park

Let’s kick things off with some exciting news for Magic Kingdom Park. We may not talk about Bruno, but we can definitely talk about Mirabel making her debut in the “Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade” on June 26! The young hero from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ hit film “Encanto” will join Miguel from “Coco,” Nick and Judy from “Zootopia,” Max, Goof, Moana and more as this super-sized cavalcade winds through the park several times each day.

Looking ahead to July, the always iconic Minnie Mouse will join Mickey Mouse starting on July 6 in Town Square Theater at Magic Kingdom Park. Both will be ready for hugs and photos in their EARidescent fashions designed specifically for the Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary celebration!

Then, on July 10, keep an eye out for familiar Fantasyland friends Peter Pan and Snow White as they greet guests at Magic Kingdom Park once again.

Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground

July 6 also marks the return of Chip ‘N Dale’s Campfire Sing-A-Long at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, where you can join the nutty friends for a campfire celebration followed by a classic Disney movie under the stars.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Over at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Star Wars Launch Bay returns July 17! A celebration of the legendary space saga, Star Wars Launch Bay is your place for a warm embrace with Chewbacca, a face-to-droid encounter with BB-8 or a run-in with Darth Vader himself for those brave enough.

In the Coming Months!

And those are just the next few weeks! We have even more fun, hugs and memories on the horizon. In the coming months, a visit to Magic Kingdom Park will bring chances to meet Aladdin, Jasmine, Merida, Pooh, Tigger and Storybook Circus pals like The Great Goofini in Pete’s Silly Sideshow. Your favorite toys will be ready for playtime in Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Donald Duck and friends will rejoin their prehistoric party at “Donald’s Dino-Bash!” in DinoLand U.S.A. at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park.

These exciting character encounters add to the many terrific offerings returning across Walt Disney World Resort, including Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue stomping into Pioneer Hall June 23, and Harmony Barber Shop creating magical memories on Main Street once again beginning July 31.

New Characters Introduced INto Galaxy’s Edge

In 2019, Disneyland Resort opened a brand-new land that fully immersed Guests in the Star Wars universe. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge allows Guests to fly the Millennium Falcon, be kidnapped by the First Order, and even drink the famous blue milk. Guests can also meet some of their favorite characters, including Rey, Chewbacca, and Kylo Ren. According to Disney, Batuu — the planet that is Galaxy’s Edge — exists in the timeline between the events of The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker. That means that, theoretically, certain characters would never be seen on Batuu. But Disney has decided to break that timeline.

Following a ton of exciting news from the Star Wars Celebration convention at the Anaheim Convention Center, Disney announced that some iconic characters would be making their Galaxy’s Edge appearance. Those characters are Fennec Shand, Boba Fett, the Mandalorian, and the much-beloved Grogu, AKA Baby Yoda. Fennec Shand and Boba Fett made their Disneyland debut on May 28. The Mandalorian and Baby Yoda will come to Disneyland at a later date.

Grogu Baby Yoda

If you are wondering, “So, will I see Boba Fett and Rey talking to each other?”, the answer is no. Disney Parks Blog shared more information on how they will incorporate these new characters onto Batuu without interrupting the storylines.

Since Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opened in 2019, Star Wars storytelling has experienced a galactic expansion to include many new characters and stories across a wide range of settings. Now, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is likewise expanding the stories guests can encounter when visiting. Having been designed from the outset to connect with a broad range of Star Wars storytelling, Black Spire Outpost has played a role in many of these stories stretching over thousands of years and while, up to now, we have mostly shared those story connections through media and publishing, we will soon give visitors to Batuu an opportunity to connect with those fan-favorite stories with the immersive detail and authenticity that Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge was designed to deliver.

We are committed to the long history of Batuu and the collection of amazing characters who inhabit the outpost including our legacy characters and original characters and know that we will feel the same about new and future characters from the ever-expanding galaxy of Star Wars storytelling. While we as visitors may be able to experience different stories throughout Star Wars history, the characters on Batuu can not. They will remain in their specific story and timeline and won’t intersect with other characters or stories that would not be appropriate for them.

At this time, Disney has not said whether Fennec Shand, Boba Fett, the Mandalorian, and Grogu will ever come to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World. It is possible that they will not, as Disney also has the stories on the Galactic Starcruiser that also intersects with Galaxy’s Edge. However, Disney could always decide to put them at the Launch Bay, which is also in Hollywood Studios.

Character Hugs Are Officially Back at Disney!

It seems as though we have been waiting for ages, but the time has officially come! Pre-pandemic character meet and greets are finally back at Disney! You can now run up to some of your favorite Disney characters — like Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Pluto, and more — and give them a great big hug. And don’t forget to bring your autograph book, because they will also once again be signing for any Guest who asks.

Walt Disney World Resort has been open since the summer of 2020 but, until now, all character interactions have been socially distanced. Any character meals have also been altered, with characters simply walking through the restaurant and waving to Guests as they go by. Disneyland has been open since April 2021, and its character meet and greets and character meals have been much the same.

Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort are not the first Parks to see the return of traditional character meet and greets. Disneyland Paris began allowing pre-pandemic interactions all the way back in early March. That was mainly due to the fact that Guests visiting Disneyland Paris were required to provide either proof of a negative COVID test or proof that they were fully vaccinated. Such a rule was never in place at Walt Disney World or Disneyland.

Winnie the Pooh Disneyland Paris

Character hugs at Disneyland Paris made US Guests jealous, and anxious for Disney to make an announcement that the same thing would happen in its stateside Parks. Not long after Paris started allowing hugs, Disney CFO Christine McCarthy informed fans that hugs would be returning to the US Parks “soon.” 

While some characters meet and greets at Walt Disney World will use a traditional standby queue, there will be some that Guests will be allowed to book Lightning Lane access to. Guests can book the Lightning Lane to meet Cinderella and a Visiting Princess at Princess Fairytale Hall, to meet Mickey Mouse at Town Square Theater, and to meet Princess Tiana and a Visiting Princess also at Princess Fairytale Hall. Standby queues will also be used for those Guests who do not wish to book or do not have Disney Genie+.

Disneyland Resort will not be following in the footsteps of Walt Disney World when it comes to character meet and greets. Disneyland Resort will use regular standby queues for all of its character interactions. Disney Genie+ will only be used for rides and attractions.