Hidden Character Hunts: Find a Friend at Disney Resorts
An adorable new activity has been popping up at select Disney Resorts lately! Cute character cut-outs are hiding around the resorts, and they’re moved to a new hiding place every day. Guests are invited to search the resort and find these characters to receive a prize! The character cut-outs are easy to see (they’re about a foot tall), and it’s a perfect “starter” hunt for younger children who aren’t quite ready for a more advanced Hidden Mickey hunt. Characters can be found hiding in any resort public space, so while it’s not difficult to see the character once you’re close to it, it may take some time to explore most of the resort’s public spaces until you find the right location. While it’s possible they could be outside, they’ll most likely be found in indoor spaces - so this is a fun activity for a rainy day or a really hot day when you’re in need of an air-conditioned activity. These hidden characters can currently be found at Disney’s Old Key West Resort, Disney’s Riviera Resort, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Resort, Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, Disney’s Pop Century Resort, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort, and Disney’s Art of Animation Resort.
Once you find one of those cute hidden character cut-outs, there are just a few simple steps needed to collect your reward:
Take a photo. This can either be a photo of the character or a selfie with the character, but make sure you can see some background in the photo so a Cast Member can easily confirm the location. Do not move the character or take it away from its hiding spot - doing so will ruin the game for other guests!
Get your button. Visit the nearest Front Desk, Community Hall, or Activity Center and show a Cast Member your photo. They’ll confirm that it’s a current photo of the character in today’s specific hiding place, and then they’ll give you a button as a prize.
Collect daily stickers. Each button has four dedicated spots for stickers. Find the hidden character on four separate days to collect all four stickers and complete your button!
Keep in mind that this activity doesn’t need to be completed over four consecutive days, so if you happen to be visiting a resort for a meal or only at a resort for a very short stay, you can still participate! You’re welcome to start your button on one visit, then bring it back later to finish up on your next visit.
Disney’s Old Key West Resort
Orange Bird is exploring Old Key West Resort! Disney says that “Orange Bird is flying South and has stopped by Conch Flats for some rest and relaxation.” This happy little Orange Bird can be found anywhere within the Hospitality House area, so spaces like the Lobby, Olivia’s, Community Hall, Conch Flats General Store, Gurling Suitcase, Electric Eel Game Room, Turtle Krawl, and more are all fair game. Once you find him and take your photo, visit a Community Hall or Front Desk Cast Member to receive your button and daily stickers. When you have all four stickers on your button, bring it Community Hall for a prize!
Disney’s Riviera Resort
Keeping in theme with Riviera’s gorgeous Tangled tile mosaic, guests can search the resort to find a hidden Pascal! Disney has updated this hunt to include a backstory: “Pascal is exploring the Riviera, but wants to stay hidden from Mother Gothel.” He could be anywhere within Riviera’s public spaces, and he’s often found in places like the Eventi Room, Le Petit Café, La Boutique, Voyageurs' Lounge, and Athlétique Fitness Center. Once you’ve located Pascal and taken a photo of him, visit a Cast Member in the Eventi Room (next to Primo Piatto) to collect your button and daily stickers.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Resort
Animal Kingdom Lodge offers double the fun - there are actually two character cut-outs to be found at Animal Kingdom Lodge, and guests are encouraged to look for both!
Pumbaa will be hiding out at Jambo House, so guests can search places like the Lobby, The Mara, Simba’s Activity Center, Sunset Lounge, Zawadi Marketplace, Pumbaa’s Fun & Games Arcade, and more. When you find him and take your photo, visit Simba’s Activity Center to show your photo to a Cast Member and obtain your button and stickers.
Timon can be found playing hide-and-seek at Kidani Village. Look for him hiding in various locations throughout the resort, and he could be in any of the Kidani Village public spaces like the Lobby, Community Hall, Palace Library, Johari Treasures, or Safari So Good Arcade. Once Timon has been found, visit Community Hall to show the Cast Member your photo and earn your button and daily sticker.
Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort
Saratoga Springs recently announced their own Tangled-themed character hunt with a cute story! The activity calendar explains: “The guards under Maximus’ command are playing a prank on him and have hidden his favorite snack from him - apples! Maximus is searching multiple locations around the resort for his favorite snack.” Guests are invited to search the resort daily to find the Maximus prop, take a photo with it, and stop by Community Hall to collect your daily sticker. If you have a Tangled fan in your family, it would be fun to spend a day hunting for both Maximus at Saratoga Springs and Pascal over at Riviera!
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
This new resort character hunt gives you the chance to “Search for Sebastian” at Caribbean Beach! Guests are asked to be on the lookout for Sebastian because “Chef Louis is busy preparing tonight’s dinner at Sebastian’s Bistro, but Sebastian himself is on the menu! He escaped Chef Louis’ kitchen and is hiding around Disney’s Caribbean Resort.” This is the first non-DVC resort to introduce a character hunt, so rather than going to Community Hall to collect your button and daily stickers, guests will need to visit the Front Desk at Caribbean Beach. This fun activity is the perfect activity when you have plans to have dinner at Sebastian’s Bistro - arrive a little early and challenge yourself to Sebastian before dinner!
Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground
Fort Wilderness is the second Moderate resort (but soon to be DVC) that has added a new hidden character hunt! Here, you’ll find Chip ‘n’ Dale hiding around The Meadow Recreation Area. You won’t have to explore the entire resort looking for these little guys - they’ll always be around The Meadow at places like Campfire Theatre, Bike Barn, Meadow Swimmin’ Pool, and Meadow Trading Post. When you find them, take a selfie with them and visit a Cast Member at the Bike Barn to earn your button and daily sticker. Once you’ve found them four days in a row and collected all four stickers, bring your completed button to Bike Barn for a prize!
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
A couple of Value resorts are finally joining in on the Hidden Character Hunt fun! First is Art of Animation, and it’s very cool that they went with an underrated character - Nala from The Lion King! Search for Nala around Animation Hall, and when you find her, visit the Front Desk for your button and daily stickers.
Disney’s Pop Century Resort
Pop Century has guests searching for a classic character - Goofy is wandering around Disney’s Pop Century Resort! Explore Classic Hall to find the hidden Goofy cutout each day, and then visit the Front Desk to get your daily completion sticker. You’ll be rewarded with a surprise at the Front Desk when you complete your button!
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort
While you’re visiting Wilderness Lodge, keep an eye out for Chip ‘n’ Dale! They’re hiding around the resort and move around daily, so when you find them, take a selfie with them and then visit the Front Desk for your free button and sticker. Once you’ve collected all four stickers, present your completed button to a Front Desk Cast Member to claim your prize!
Disney’s Beach Club Resort
Over at Disney’s Beach Club Resort, guests should be on the lookout for Ariel’s best buddy, Flounder! He could be hiding anywhere around the lobby or Beach Club Marketplace area, so look high and low and try to find him. Since he’s bright yellow, I actually found Flounder easier to spot than most other characters. Once you find him, take a selfie with him and show it to a Front Desk Cast Member to earn a button.
Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
And at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, you can find yet another popular character from The Little Mermaid! Guests can search for Prince Eric’s adorable dog, Max, all around the lobby area. Take a photo with him and the stop by the Front Desk for your free button. If you happen to have a fan of The Little Mermaid in your family, be sure to find Max at Yacht Club, Flounder at Beach Club, then take a quick Skyliner ride over to Caribbean Beach to find Sebastian so you can add all 3 buttons to your collection!
Disney’s Port Orleans - Riverside Resort
The first Character Hunt featuring a character from Princess and the Frog has appeared at Port Orleans - Riverside! Guests are invited to look for Ray hiding somewhere in the lobby, Riverside Mill Food Court, Boatwrights, Fulton’s General Store, or River Roost. The Front Desk Cast Members will gladly give you a button when you find him, and invite you to find him several days in a row to get your daily stickers and earn your prize!
This activity has been very popular, so there’s a good chance that more hidden character hunts will start appearing at additional resorts in the future! If you’re interested in joining in the hunt during your next resort visit, keep an eye on this website - as new hidden characters are announced, that resort’s “Free Activities” section will be updated with all the details. This is such a fun little adventure for guests of all ages, and it gives you a chance to take a great family photo with a special Disney character every day, too!
