One of the most popular questions about Universal Orlando Resort is, “Are there characters at the parks?” The answer is a resounding yes! This page will take a look at who you can see on your next visit to Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure.
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Who can I meet and greet with at Universal Orlando?
The characters at Universal Orlando can be divided into two groups: those who make individually scheduled appearances and those who appear periodically throughout the day.
Scheduled characters
The first group of meet-and-greetable characters, those with a schedule, make appearances at set times and locations throughout the two theme parks. These are (usually) as follows:
UNIVERSAL STUDIOS FLORIDA
- Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey
- Trolls
- Gabby from Gabby’s Dollhouse
- Characters from The Simpsons
- SpongeBob SquarePants and friends
- Optimus Prime, BumbleBee, and Megatron
- Knight Bus Conductor and Shrunken Head
- Illumination Characters from Despicable Me and Sing
ISLANDS OF ADVENTURE
- Spider-Man, Captain America, Wolverine, Storm, Green Goblin, Dr. Doom
- Dr. Seuss characters, including Thing 1 and Thing 2, Cat in the Hat, the Grinch, the Lorax, and more
- Blue the velociraptor (from Jurassic World), who has his own dedicated meet-and-greet
How do I know when and where these characters will be available?
Guests can sort through characters and information in the Universal Orlando Resort app. Please be aware that these schedules change throughout the course of the year, so always double-check before setting foot on your meet-and-greet adventures.
Periodic characters
Here are some of the characters from the second group, who may periodically make appearances during the day but aren’t listed individually on the app:
UNIVERSAL STUDIOS FLORIDA
- Doc Brown (from Back to the Future)
- Puss in Boots and Kitty Softpaws
- Lucy Ball and Marilyn Monroe
- The Men in Black
- Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and Megatron (from Transformers)
- Shaggy and Scooby
ISLANDS OF ADVENTURE
- Popeye and Olive
These characters usually make their appearances in their respective parks’ character zones, which can be found near Universal Studios Florida’s turnstiles and in Islands of Adventure’s Toon Lagoon. Do note, however, that they have sometimes been known to roam from land to land.
How long are the wait times for characters?
In general, the wait times for the characters are not too long – 10 minutes, tops. During very busy days, you may have to wait 15 minutes, but you will rarely ever wait longer. In fact, many times there are no lines at all! This makes the character meet-and-greet experience quite comfortable, and it also means you do not have to plan significant portions of your days around waiting in lines for autographs.
If you are wondering about Express Pass access for meeting the characters, none is offered at any of the various locations.
Does Universal have character dining?
It most certainly does!
There is one year-round experience: the Marvel Character Dinner, held at Islands of Adventure’s Cafe 4 on select nights. This meal allows plenty of face time with their respective characters—Captain America, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Cyclops, Storm, and Rogue—and features more-or-less solid food options.
Then there is the seasonal character meal: The Grinch & Friends Character Breakfast, held – of course – during Christmas. Though limited in availability, this tends to be more popular with guests, and we recommend snagging your reservation as soon as possible.
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