Big Changes With Disney Character Meet and Greets--May 16, 2011

Some big changes are underway for Disney character meet and greets at Walt Disney World and May 16, 2011, seems to be the go date—if not before.

1. The Mouse himself will begin making daily appearances at the newly renovated Town Square Theater (formerly Exposition Hall) in the Magic Kingdom.  His meet and greet will have a Fastpass system—click here to read more.  And, he may begin making appearances here before May 16.

2. The Princesses lost their home in Toontown due to the Fantasyland expansion and were temporarily relocated near the verandah in Adventureland.  Well, they are being moved again to the new Town Square Theater in the Magic Kingdom and will most likely also have a Fastpass system with their meet and greet location.  The plan is for the Disney Princesses to have a home in Fantasyland as the expansion continues.

3. No more meet and greets for Lotso at Hollywood Studios.  Lotso’s meet and greet has been located in the Magic of Disney Animation at Studios since last May and this May he is being replaced by Winnie the Pooh.  No word yet if Pooh will have other characters join him.  This change is most likely to help publicize the Winnie the Pooh movie due out this summer.

4. The current Cars meet and greet location at Hollywood Studios—click here to read more—is being refurbished to represent Cars 2.  Cars 2 the movie is also due in theaters this summer.

5. This is the change we are most excited about. . .  Phineas and Ferb will host a meet and play location in Hollywood Studios near the exit to the Muppets 3D attraction.

6. While this isn’t character meet and greet news, it does involve the date of May 16, and that is the debut of the new Star Tours. . . just in time for the Star Wars Week-ends, which do involve character meet and greets!

 While there has been no official Disney confirmation, rumors on the web indicate that the Disney Fairies may be making their way back to the Magic Kingdom.  When Toontown closed, the Fairies, and Pixie Hollow, were relocated to EPCOT.  While Studios seemed to be a rumored location for the Fairies to find a more permanent home, indications now lead to the Fairies returning to the Magic Kingdom and joining Mickey and the Princesses at the Town Square Theater.  If that is the case, Town Square Theater is going to be one busy place!

As always, Disney is changing and mixing it up to please guests while keeping some of the many cherished traditions.  Guests will be making memories this year and beyond!