Hanging out in the Port Orleans lobby the other day, we were lucky enough to catch the Disney World Character Caravan. We’ve spotted this special offering before, and it brought some of Zoe’s favorite character interactions. Here’s what you need to know about this surprise character offering!
Related Posts
This character briefly covers the character caravan at Disney World. If you’re interested in meeting characters at Disney World, there are significantly more important (and reliable) ways. You might also read:
What Is The Disney World Character Caravan?
The Disney World character caravan is a surprise character greeting that pops up every so often at Disney’s resorts. An RV brings characters to interact with guests in the hotel lobby. It returned in 2020 after last occurring sometime in the early 2000s.
These are informal greetings—no queues. Usually you can get photographs, but I wouldn’t expect an autograph. When they’re not swarmed with people, the characters will roam around the lobby doing things like sit and watch TV with kids and welcoming the guests who are checking in.
Which Characters Appear?
The character caravan bus specifically mentions Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy, Donald, Daisy, and Chip & Dale. I’ve never seen all of these characters present at the same time—usually I’ve seen two or three of them. I’ve never actually seen Mickey or Minnie, but that could just be my bad luck.
Disney World Character Caravan Schedule
Generally, the schedule of the character caravan is a mystery. While there might be some circumstances in which a front desk Cast Member might be able to tell you, the typical policy is that this is a “surprise and delight” moment.
However, in February 2025, Pop Century Resort posted a schedule for the character caravan. That schedule listed the characters as appearing at Pop Century on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 11:30AM to 12:20PM.
Since the character caravan moves from hotel to hotel, other hotels will have different schedules. It’s possible (maybe even likely) there are actually multiple caravans that would allow for overlapping times. The most recent times I recall seeing the caravan, it was between 9AM and 3PM.
The posting at Pop Century may be an indication that Disney will be more forthcoming with the schedule going forward. Back in the early 2000s, the schedule for all resorts was publicly available.
Have you been lucky enough to catch the character caravan?
All Your Other Disney World Planning Questions Answered
Don't be overwhelmed by Disney World planning! Take a second to check out our most important content and you'll not only be an expert, but you'll save big $$$ along the way.
Just starting out? Check out our Walt Disney World planning guide! If you're still picking dates, we've got everything you need to know about Disney World crowd calendars. For picking your hotel, check out our Walt Disney World hotels guide.
When it comes time to book we’ll help you find discount Disney World tickets. Decide whether you need a dining plan in our Complete Guide to Disney World Dining Plans! And don't forget to book those Disney World Advance Dining Reservations!
Don't forget to master your Disney World Lightning Lane Guide and Strategy a few months in advance. We'll keep you out of long lines so you can maximize the magical time in the parks! We've got park-specific guides as well: Magic Kingdom Lightning Lane Strategy, Epcot Lightning Lane Strategy, Animal Kingdom Lightning Lane Strategy, and Hollywood Studios Lightning Lane Strategy.
Know what to ride with our guides to: Magic Kingdom rides, Hollywood Studios rides, Epcot rides, and Animal Kingdom rides! Plus learn about the water parks with our guide to Blizzard Beach and our guide to Typhoon Lagoon! And for some some fun prep, check out our Ranking of Every Ride at Walt Disney World.
Finally, before you head out, be sure to check out our to-the-point packing list, 10 essentials you forget to pack for every Disney trip. And if you're interested in saving, there's no better list than our 53 Ways to Save on your Disney trip from start to finish.