One of our favorite parts of visiting the Disney Parks is getting to meet and mingle with our favorite animated characters live and in person, and Disney has several Meet and Greet opportunities throughout the various parks and attractions. Unfortunately for us die-hard fans, not all characters are so easily accessible.
While these magical mascots might not be out and about like Mickey or Goofy, they are still seen in some of the parades and stage shows available in the parks. Disney has quite a powerful cast to bring these magical performances to life, so be on the lookout for these famous faces in their current lineup.
Jose and Panchito
These two Caballeros are hardly ever seen in the parks normally, but they often make special appearances for certain stage shows and parades, namely the Main Street Block Party in front of Cinderella Castle in the Magic Kingdom. Though they might not be known by many modern fans, we still wish we could see more of them.
For those not in the know, Panchito Pistoles and José Carioca are a pair of classic Disney regulars, especially José, having appeared in The Three Caballeros, Saludos Amigos, and even Melody Time. And with Epcot's Mexico pavilion, you'd think they'd get more attention in the U.S. parks.
Clarabelle Cow
Though she's got her own occasional Meet and Greet in Disneyland, Goofy's main-squeeze, Clarabelle has only recently been featured in a handful of parades down south in Orlando along with the Frontierland Hoedown. She's most recently been seen in the new Main Street Block Party along with Clara Cluck.
Recently, certain parade characters like the Mad Hatter, Lumiere, and the Genie have been exchanged for either classic characters like Clarabelle or more modern characters like Moana. Either way, it's a double-edged sword of a trade-off in our opinion. It's honestly a matter of taste.
The Genie
Aladdin is one of Disney's most successful and beloved animated features, correct? And the Genie is definitely the character everyone remembers the most, right? So why isn't he more present in the parks? We're not talking about just more Meet and Greets, we're talking overall appearances here.
While it's true he appears in a few parades and plays a big role in Disneyland's version of Fantasmic, Genie hardly ever appears outside of a parade float or a stage show. But what can you expect when he's not so tied up to the lamp life?
Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather
While Maleficent makes more frequent appearances than most, at least she appears in more than one location, show, or event. The three good fairies from Sleeping Beauty, Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather are three of the rarest face characters you can possibly find in the parks.
Aside from a few parades, most notably the Festival of Fantasy, there aren't very many venues or shows that feature all three, at least in the Florida parks. They are, however, sometimes more accessible in Disneyland, but they're still not exactly what we'd call regular.
Pub Thugs
And now for a troop of characters that only appear in stage show or parade, the thugs from the Snuggly Duckling. Concerning Hook-Hand, Ulf, Atilla, Vladimir and all the rest of Rapunzel's barbarian companions, the variety of characters present are definitely as creatively designed as they are difficult to portray.
The Thugs have so many colorful personalities that it can be difficult to costume them all or give them appropriate attire for regular appearances. So we're not surprised that the only time we see them is in the Festival of Fantasy or in Mickey's Friendship Faire.
Barbossa and Angelica
While Captain Jack Sparrow can be frequently found in Adventureland, his pirate pals can often be a bit harder to locate, unless you happen to see the Black Pearl in the form of a float in a parade or two. While Angelica might be seen occasionally onshore, Barbossa is perhaps the most elusive pirate of the seven seas.
Though he was recently featured in the Villains After Hours event, the only spot you can normally find Captain Barbossa is in the Halloween Parades along with the rest of the Pirates of the Carribean crew. He's typically spotted reclining on the figurehead, munching on an apple.
Captain Hook and Mr. Smee
Of course, we can't talk about pirates without mentioning the original Disney-brand-buccaneers, Captain Hook and Mr. Smee. Occasionally, you might find Mr. Smee out and about as a rare Meet and Greet, but lately, the Captain has been sort of occupied, more than likely evading Tick-Tock the Croc.
Most of the Peter Pan cast is featured in the parades, nighttime or otherwise, but Hook is somewhat infrequent unless his pirate ship plays a leading role in the colorful display. He's been featured in the Festival of Fantasy in Disney World, as well as the illustrious Main Street Electrical Parade.
Various Villains
We could make a list with just the villains alone, but mainly because they're a seasonal set of characters available only during special events and Halloween. While certain villains like Cruella de Ville, the Queen of Hearts, and Jafar do get their own Meet and Greets during the season, others remain strictly to shows and parade floats.
When was the last time you got your photo made with Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed? How often do you see Bowler Hat Guy or Dr. Facilier mingling with the guests? As much love as there is for the villains, their appearances are sadly limited to performances alone.
The Headless Horseman
We know we've already mentioned the Disney villains, but we simply had to give this guy his own spot. First of all, the Headless Horseman is one of the coolest Disney characters around, especially when brought to life in the parks. Second, he's also only viewable in one parade during one special event each year.
If you want a glimpse at the famous horseman of the hollow, you'll have to attend a Disney park during one of their Halloween events and get a good parade spot. He might only be around for a limited time, but watching him gallop down Main Street is always a spooky experience.
White Rabbit
While you can meet Alice, the Mad Hatter, the Queen of Hearts, and both the Tweedles, the White Rabbit is as rare as a snowball in the Sahara. Yes, he exists as a huggable mascot, but we've only seen him in special parades and a few stage shows, but never really anywhere else.
We're giving him our top spot simply because it feels somewhat unfair that the rest of the Wonderland cast get to go out and about during special occasions, but rarely has this guy been seen on the regular, even in the performances. Maybe he was just late to the party?