While every attraction in Walt Disney World is great, some are defined by the characters which bring them to life. Characters help to set the tone, introduce setting and time, and immerse you into the journey you are about to experience. I definitely have some favorite characters from attractions throughout the World, so I thought it would be a great idea to compile a list of my favorites and compare them to yours! Let’s see which character comes out on top as the favorite of WDW!
Ghost Host – Haunted Mansion – The Ghost Host is one of the few in the mansion to directly interact with guests, and he immediately sets the somber yet jaunty mood of the attraction through his introduction in the study. As you move along through the many rooms of the mansion, he checks in on you, proving to be an ever-present and ever-spooky narrator.
Uncle Orville – Carousel of Progress – Uncle Orville is constantly complaining about a lack of privacy, providing comedic interruptions on your journey through the inventions and improvements of the century. Plus, ole’ Orville must be applauded on his innovative air cooling system!
Rosita – Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room – Despite her near complete absence from the show, Rosita still has a completely memorable moment in the spotlight. Listen closely for Jose’s questioning of “whatever happened to Rosita?” as the beautiful singing show birds descend from the center of the room on their white chandelier.
Trader Sam – The Jungle Cruise – Two of your heads for one of his, what a deal!
Auctioneer – Pirates of the Caribbean – The auctioneer is coincidentally voiced by Paul Frees, the same actor who also voiced the Ghost Host. The auctioneer drives a hard bargain, remember it be gold he’s looking for. As the focal point of the auction scene in the attraction, he commands attention and makes light of the fact that he is selling brides.
Big Al – Country Bears Jamboree – Big Al steals the show from the first melancholy plucks of his broken down guitar. Despite singing about rather morbid topics, he never gives up- listen closely during the finale and you can hear him continuing to sing his same mournful tune.
Figment and Dreamfinder – Journey Into Imagination – While Dreamfinder is no longer featured in the attraction, it is only right to pay homage to him, alongside Figment. The pair set the playful tone for the journey through our imaginations where we learned to be playful and to always create.
Trolls – Maelstrom – Despite banishing you back over the falls, the trolls do a great job of combining Norwegian folklore and Disney magic all while protecting their forests.
Ghosts – Tower of Terror – While you probably are wise in choosing not to join them in the Twilight Zone, these ghosts add just the right amount of eeriness to the attraction as you make your way through the deserted hallways of the Hollywood Tower Hotel. My favorite of the bunch is the little girl who clutches a vintage Mickey plush while singing “It’s Raining It’s Pouring” in a haunting echo.
Warden – Kilimanjaro Safaris – Currently you can only find the warden on some of the pre-show footage shown on the televisions scattered throughout the queue for the attraction. However, when the attraction first opened he guided you throughout your journey across the reservation as you raced to save Little Red and Big Red (sorry Big Red). The warden’s most memorable line was explaining that Thompson’s Gazelle should only be referred to as “Tommies.”
Dr. Grant Seeker – DINOSAUR – First, let’s take a moment to collectively groan at his name. Okay, now that we got that out of the way, we can take a minute to appreciate Seeker’s playfulness, penchant for breaking the rules, and dedication to bringing back a dino.
So there is the list of my favorite characters from attractions throughout WDW! It was hard to narrow the list down as there are so many great characters to meet. Some close runner-ups were the yeti, Br’er Bear, Crush, and Marty Wazowski, but I had to cut the list somewhere! Be sure to comment below with your favorite characters from attractions and let’s see which one comes out on top as the favorite!
What are your favorite characters from attractions? Think I left some off the list? Let me know in the comments below, I would love to hear from you!
– Photos from my private collection.
Caitlin Corsello was born and raised in New York. She graduated from Adelphi University with a Masters in Mental Health Counseling in 2012. Her love for Disney started as an infant and has continued to grow with family vacations to Disney parks almost every year since. She holds a particular interest in WDW’s parks and attractions, never passing up an opportunity to visit. She looks forward to continuing to explore and learn about all things Disney and to share that passion with readers.
