Disney’s characters are so well-known they can command a line over an hour long just for a meet and greet. While Universal offers its own line-up of recognizable characters, many guests don’t realize that they’re out and about until they stumble right over them. Fill out your autograph collection and get some unforgettable photos by scoping out these fantastic character spots in Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure.
1. Marvel Superheroes and Villains
Marvel Superhero Island has two waves of characters that regularly sweep through the area. Villains come first, lurking through the streets, lunging at guests, and generally looking to create chaos. You’ll find Dr. Doom and the Green Goblin skulking through the area about once an hour.
About half an hour after the villains are unleashed, the Marvel Superheroes follow to chase them off. They arrive on their own personal ATVs, park along the streets of Superhero Island, and spread out to cover the area. These characters include Captain America, Wolverine, Cyclops, Rogue, and Storm. Spiderman does continuous meet and greets in his own private indoor area in Superhero Island.
Of course, the Marvel characters are now actually owned by Disney, following the company’s multi-billion dollar takeover deal in 2009.
2. Hollywood Icons
The streets of Hollywood in Universal Studios Florida are a great place to spot characters. You can find a wide range of Hollywood celebrities including Marilyn Monroe, Lucy, Miss Scarlet, the Blues Brothers, Betty Boop, and more. While timeless Hollywood icons are the focus of the area, don’t be surprised to find the Simpsons, Scooby Doo and Shaggy, Doc Brown, a few Men in Black, and Curious George around the area as well. Keep your eyes open because this popular character street has a little of everything.
3. The Cast of Springfield
Springfield in Universal Studios Florida is its own immersive land filled with characters from the Simpsons. Though early meet and greets only included the Simpsons family, the character selection has since expanded to include Krusty the Clown and Sideshow Bob.
4. Seuess-ical Favorites
Seuss Landing in Islands of Adventure is the perfect character spot for young children. You can find plenty of classic Dr. Seuss characters here including Cat in the Hat, Thing 1 and Thing 2, Sam I Am and the Grinch. Visit around the holidays and you’re in for an even bigger treat, as all the Whos from Whoville descend on the streets. During the Christmas season you can also meet a very different kind of Grinch. During the year, the Grinch is a fur character that looks like he came right from the storybook. Around Christmas, the Grinch is a face character strongly reminiscent of Jim Carrey in the live action version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
5. Shrek and Friends
Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey are all regular characters in Universal Studios Florida. They have their own character meet and greet spot near the attraction where you can get a great photo op at designated times. While most other characters roam their respective areas, these stay put in front of their backdrop, making them easier to find if you’re a fan.
6. SpongeBob and Friends
In the SpongeBob StorePants gift shop, you’ll find a colorful meet and greet area right at the front. Here you can meet SpongeBob, Squidward, and Patrick. Like Shrek, these characters have their own designated spot which makes for some really great photo ops, thanks to the bright backdrop.
7. Classic Comic Book Characters
Toon Lagoon in Islands of Adventure is home to several classic comic book characters. You’ll find Betty Boop, Beetle Bailey, and the iconic couple Popeye and Olive Oyl. This area is already the perfect place for a photo op thanks to the comic book word bubbles found all along the streets. These charming characters just make your pictures that much better.
8. Transformers
The Transformers characters are easily the most impressive in the park. They emerge from a designated area on the side of the Transformers ride and stay in this spot for meet and greets. A queue is set up for this photo op because it’s easily one of the most popular. Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and Megatron rotate. Depending on when you get in line, you may not meet the same character you see when you walk up. These towering characters are strikingly realistic. It’s no secret that Universal loves to employ stilt walkers, but these costumes go above and beyond what you’ll usually see on stilts. The characters talk occasionally as well, making the experience even better.
Keep your camera handy and don’t forget your autograph book if you like collecting character signatures. The Universal Orlando Resort is packed with outstanding opportunities to meet and greet your favorites from cartoons, books, movies, and television.
