Top 10 Park Characters at Disney World
As a Walt Disney World fan first and foremost, I love that Imagineering has created unique characters for the theme parks. This is a salute to those characters with no connection to Disney’s animated or live action films, instead existing in the realm of the parks. (Updated April 3, 2021.)
Don’t get me wrong–I enjoy Disney and Pixar animated films. I just have a much greater affinity for the theme parks, and the worlds Imagineers build within them. A lot of this probably stems from the attractions I enjoyed as a kid, and how several of them featured glimpses of characters and kernels of personality, allowing me fill in the rest with my imagination.
As an adult, I still really appreciate the characters that exist solely (or at least primarily, as there is now some crossover) for the parks. At Walt Disney World, there are a number of characters like this. These characters do the best job of conveying the theme, mood, and emotion of a particular attraction or land, probably because their whole existence is predicated upon furthering the experience–as compared to characters from the animated films, often injected into parks for the sake of synergy…
When I first sat down to make this list, I had about 25 ideas bouncing around in my head, so I made a few arbitrary “rules” to narrow things down. First, one character per experience. That’s necessary so this isn’t a list of 6 characters from Country Bear Jamboree.
Second, only characters presently in use in the parks. No extinct attractions or retired characters. (Sorry, Dreamfinder.) Finally, the character must be seen–no omniscient narrators. (Sorry, Ghost Host.) I think that about covers it, so let’s get started…
10. Mom – With a list like this, it’d be easy to say “the Cast Members” as a cop out. While they undoubtedly (along with guests, I suppose) play an integral role in the experience, they are not a single, defined role. Except when they are. Mom at 50’s Prime Time Cafe is the best example of a clearly-defined Cast Member ‘character.’
While the various Moms have the ability to ad lib to enhance the experience, you know that Mom is a stickler for rules and a strict disciplinarian, but with a bit of a wry humor plus a smidgen of cynicism (probably from dealing with all of us whippersnappers). Without Mom, 50’s Prime Time Cafe would just be an overpriced, fairly “meh” restaurant that consistently wouldn’t be fully booked. Mom does the heavily lifting, which earns her a spot on this list.
9. Old Bill – Pirates of the Caribbean is one attraction that has two characters who stand out…but both will have dramatically different roles a year from now. Absent choosing one of them, it’d be an easy out to call the attraction an ensemble experience, and punt on choosing one in particular.
Instead, I’ll go for a deeper cut here: Old Bill. For those unfamiliar with the character, Old Bill is the pirate trying to persuade a kitten to have rum with him, and then subsequently admonishing said cat for being too feisty. It’s such a brief and fleeting vignette, and yet it encompasses everything that’s great about Pirates of the Caribbean. The funny gags, lightheartedness, and the way it (mostly) spoofs the shenanigans of pirates in an innocuous way. Even though he’s “only” a supporting player, I’d argue there are several bit parts in Pirates of the Caribbean that give attraction its heart and levity.
8. Lagoona Gator – Here is a character who was born out of a desire to sell plushes…but one that failed spectacularly. This is probably why I love him so much. When Blizzard Beach opened, it had a fun mascot in Ice Gator. Accordingly, Walt Disney World made enhancements to Typhoon Lagoon to give it related a mascot: Lagoona Gator. He had a whole line of merchandise and a meet & greet character…all of which is now gone. Apparently, water park guests are not in the mood to drag alligator plushes into the sand or wave pool? Who could’ve known?!
While the profit motive for Lagoona Gator might’ve been a bust, a ton of details were added to the park to justify his existence. (Some might call this Disney pulling a “Reverse Duffy.”) Lagoona Gator is the resident surf ace of Typhoon Lagoon…and he’s also a movie star, rock star, artist, and more. You can still visit his beach shack in the Board Room under the clock tower, where his bedroom and kitchen remain fully-furnished.
7. José – Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room is a legendary show that’s one of the most historically-significant attractions at Disneyland, Walt Disney World, and Tokyo Disneyland. Choosing a bird to highlight from Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room is truly a tough task, as it’s an ensemble act with four hosts plus other memorable characters. There’s also the fact that the music by the Sherman Brothers does a lot of the heavy lifting in the attraction.
Nevertheless, we’ll go with José. He’s voiced by Disney Legend Wally Boag, the “Clown Prince of Disneyland.” José is the funniest bird and the one with the most personality. His performance contains a ton of range, from tongue in cheek zingers to a respectable Bing Crosby impersonation.
6. Madame Leota – Once the Ghost Host is ruled out, it’s a bit more difficult to choose a ghost that defines Haunted Mansion. They’re really all over the place in tone and design, and many have no dialogue. Cases could be made for the singing busts or any of the hitchhiking ghosts, but I think those appear so late in the attraction and are less fleshed out that they are not as impactful.
On the other hand, Madame Leota is a character encountered near the beginning of Haunted Mansion, and she resets expectations for what’s to come. She’s also just flat out cool, offering some personality that is showcased in a captivating practical effect–so captivating that you focus on her longer than any other ghost in Haunted Mansion.
5. Lieutenant Bek – Created for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, this character is a Mon Calamari Communications Officer in charge of Resistance recruits who operates from a secret base inside ancient ruins on Batuu. You are the “main character” of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance as you live out your own ‘Star Wars’ story, and Lieutenant Bek is essentially the Obi-Wan Kenobi to your Luke Skywalker.
Lieutenant Bek is your sage mentor, the one who guides you throughout the experience–and the steady hand when stuff’s hitting the fan. He’s wise beyond his years (no clue how old he is), but also adds humor to the experience. There are a ton of big-name Star Wars characters in the attraction, but Lieutenant Bek is its emotional core. By the end, there’s a certain camaraderie with him, and we’ve been through some stuff stuff together.
4. Sonny Eclipse – For the longest time, I feverishly defended Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe, and it was our most-visited restaurant in all of Walt Disney World for years. That was for one reason: Sonny Eclipse. (Really, two reasons: Sonny Eclipse and the toppings bar.) While the menu leaves something (okay, a lot of things) to be desired, entertainment-wise, no other restaurant in Walt Disney World can compete with Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe, and that’s all thanks to Sonny Eclipse.
Mr. Eclipse is from the planet Zork (Yew Nork, specifically) and he plays the Astro Organ, with back-up vocals from his amazing Space Angels. He performs a twenty-some minute loop of music that is infused with corny jokes that is really entertaining, during which time there’s a ton of character development. Even if sometimes they’re sometimes courtesy laughs, it’s a fun and funny set. For me, Sonny Eclipse like a cross between Uncle Joey and someone from the Max Rebo Band. What’s not to love about that?!
3. Progress Dad – Another attraction with a cast deserving of recognition for its ensemble work, Carousel of Progress resonates with so many long-time Walt Disney World fans because the Carousel of Progress family feels like actual family. The characters are not just boring MacGuffins for showcasing technology–if anything, the technology highlighted is almost immaterial to the attraction. Carousel of Progress is beloved because its characters have so much character.
Of these characters, Progress Dad (John) is the one with whom audiences are most familiar. His sometimes cringe-worthy jokes give new meaning to “dad jokes,” but audiences love him just the same. Other characters, including Rover and Uncle Orville, steal some scenes, but John guides the audience towards what Carousel of Progress is actually about: growing old with a family over the course of a condensed amount of time. Yep, Walt Disney did the whole Boyhood concept decades before Linklater, and didn’t earn a single Academy Award nomination for his efforts.
2. Big Al – A lot of the thing said about Carousel of Progress could be said about Country Bear Jamboree. Both are obviously ensemble attractions, and if I didn’t limited myself, at least 4-5 characters from Country Bear Jamboree would have made this list. Not only do each have personalities evident through the music, but they all present entertaining gags and have brilliant character design.
Ultimately, it’s easy to choose Big Al as the best Country Bear. When viewing Country Bear Jamboree through the prism of social satire or parody, Big Al’s appearance is what seals the deal. His performance is such a hoot that you cannot help but laugh out loud. Even if earlier musical numbers hit a little too close to home (and as a reformed hillbilly, I can relate), Big Al is the point at which the show enters a certain realm of absurdity–if you have even a morsel of a sense of humor, he gets to you.
1. Figment – Figment is my favorite Walt Disney World character. Always has been, and always will be. If you only know the present-day version of Figment, you might find it perplexing that so many EPCOT Center fans still adore Figment. Why is that grating character from such a dull attraction so beloved?!
Quite simply, Figment is not the same character today that he was during the 1980s through the mid-1990s. Then, Figment was Dreamfinder’s sidekick on their Flight of Imagination, with the latter being the literal embodiment of a childlike sense of wonder, curiosity, and (yes) imagination. If you were a child of the 1980s who visited EPCOT Center, you identified with this character. It really was as simple as that. Not only did he bring out the best in you, but he was just really cool. He got to be an artist, performer, astronaut, and more–all while being a friendly purple dragon.
The Figment of 1983 would be #1 on this list by such a large margin that the gap between #1 and #2 could be measured in Grand Canyons (sorry, Big Al). The Figment of today manages to maintain the top slot, even if he largely coasts on nostalgia. Still, those of us who knew him before see those flashes of childlike wonder in him today, and desperately cling to the notion that someday, just maybe, the real Figment–and Dreamfinder–will return.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts
Which park-specific Disney characters are your favorites? Any that we missed? Do you agree or disagree with our rankings? Hearing your feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts or questions below in the comments!
One of my favorite blog posts. I love your honoring of none film related elements of the park since I also have greater affinity for the theme parks than the films. My only addition would be either Michael, Fritz, or Pierre from the Enchanted Tiki Room.
Big Al all the way lol! Such a talented bear
Great article! As a Figment and Cosmic Ray fan, I was quite pleased. My only addition would be Little Red! 🙂
One of my favorite posts from this blog, and there are so many good ones. Great list, and I hope to see more like this. So much fun to read, even if Dreamfinder also deserved a spot, not just Figment. 😉 The creator/creation relationship was part of what made that attraction, and those characters, so special in its glory days. It’s shocking and sad to realize how long it’s been since that attraction left. Thanks for some great memories with this post.
Great post, but oh man this is a tough list.
Thinking of a few you didn’t mention:
– Goat with dynamite (BTMRR)
– Trader Sam
– Disco Yeti OR Matterhorn Yeti
– Pirate napping with the pigs on Pirates
– Hatbox Ghost
– Polynesians tiki guy (does he count since he’s at a hotel instead of a park?)
– Carnotaurus
Assume you excluded Brer Rabbit (and the rest of the Brer’s – Brer Roadrunner is my favorite for no reason in particular) and Mr. Toad given their roots in film/literature (despite being relatively obscure compared to more contemporary Disney movies)?
Ice Gator’s on my list. I chased that Vinylmation for a while.
Great Post! I wish I could have seen Figment in all his glory, back then. Also, I have a question, and I really hope someone could enlighten me? It’s a genuine question, not at all mocking, born of the fact that I’m from the UK, and the references are just so culturally different… It’s about the Country Bears.
So, I’ve seen the Country Bears at Walt Disney World. I thought they were quite cute and funny on a surface level, with their appearances and voices and movements… but I get the feeling that there is a far greater wittiness that is perceived by those who are familiar with the genre/culture that they parody. (I confess, also, that I found it quite hard to catch the lyrics). I’d love if if someone could explain! What are the almost-too-close-to-the-bone elements, for example?
The whole experience reminded me of an acclaimed novel I recently finished reading, translated into English from the original Japanese. It was an interesting book, but definitely left me with the feeling that I was missing a great deal of the assumed context with which to read it.
Thank you for any insight offered!
I don’t think there’s a succinct explanation for the humor, and I can’t think of something in contemporary pop culture that effectively satirizes the American South and its culture.
It’s really not popular for satire/parody even in American pop culture today. In most cases, the people who are most inclined to find it funny don’t have exposure to the culture so the nuances to the humor are lost on them, and those who do have exposure don’t find it particularly funny.
Is that novel The Great passage? I just finished it and thought it was wonderful, but also that I might be missing something:)
http://passport2dreams.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-music-of-country-bear-jamboree-part.html?m=1
There are 2 follow up posts to the one in the link. If you Google “passport2dreams country bear” you can easily find links to all oF the articles that will give you probably way more than you ever wanted in the way of background on this attraction
I never understood why Bean Bunny from the Muppets 4D movie never got a plush. He is adorable.
I may be the only person who despises Figment. I hated him in the original JII. So annoying! (Sorry.)
I hate the current version of Figment but still won’t argue with your choice for the top spot since the original version was so great. I agree with some other comments and would have included Orange Bird in my list. I’m not too proud to admit I own 3 different Orange Bird t-shirts.
No Orange Bird? Surely he ranks higher than Lagoona Gator!
Came here to say the same thing. What have you got against Citrus Swirls, Tom? This reeks of Big Pineapple lobbyists…
Hey, everyone has a price. 😉
I’ve always loved the hints at Orange Bird around the parks. He would be in the top two for me, alongside Figment.
Lagon Gator made the list but the Jungle Cruise Captain didn’t? That reptile must have deeper pockets than I thought for that bribe.
Kidding aside, great list and I love your site.
I debated whether to include the Jungle Cruise Skipper, but ultimately decided it was not a distinct ‘character.’ It’s a role played by a Cast Member, and even though there’s a script, they are given a lot of discretion to show their individual personalities. I think that’s a key difference from “Mom” or the Citizens of Hollywood, but maybe that’s just me.
I love Figment he is so Original went I go for vacation I all ways go there
Isn’t the bus driver on the Magic Express video one of the Citizens of Hollywood, too?
I believe so. Longtime Walt Disney World fans also should recognize a few of the Citizens as being Adventurers Club members.
I love Figment, even though I know the Figment I know is a shadow of his former self. I only went to Disney World once as a kid (I think summer of 95?) and that trip we only did Magic Kingdom, so I don’t even think I was aware Figment existed until I started planning my first trip as an adult back in 2011. But his core concept is so fantastic- Of course a figment of your imagination looks like a little purple dragon!- and even in his current ride he still manages to have this playful warmth to him. But god, I wish we had made it to Epcot back when I was a kid. The first version of the ride looked to be something truly special, and the original version of “One Little Spark” always puts a smile on my face. I’m crossing all my fingers and toes that the plans for Epcot include giving Figment (and Dreamfinder!) a ride they truly deserve,
You definitely aren’t the only one. The odd thing is that Figment still features prominently on Epcot merchandise (just look at all of the Food & Wine stuff announced today!).
Clearly, there are still plenty of Figment fans despite the current attraction being unpopular and scoring poorly on guest satisfaction surveys. You’d think it would actually behoove Disney to improve the attraction–create a whole new generation of hardcore Figment fans, and sell boatloads of additional merchandise in the process!
The first (and only) time I experienced Alien Encounter, I was eight years old. I had begged my dad to take me on, only to have a nervous breakdown once strapped in the seat. My dad had to buy me that little Skippy plush just to calm me down afterwards! Wish I still had it.
I would go with either DeVine or Push (though Push is no longer around, maybe?). Fun interactions with both of them.
Skippy! Do it with XS!
Such a vastly superior attraction all round than That Stitch Thing. (Its name in our house).
While I adore Leota, am I the only one who remembers a certain Eddie Murphy movie? Does that count as crossover? Even with what they did? (I am happy to try and forget that ‘incident’ and move on with this list of course! :-))
We don’t speak of the Eddie Murphy Incident. This is a family blog and all. 😉
Hahahaha!!!
What incident?? 🙂
I’ve never seen him but I’m always fond of Mr. Tom morrow calling Mr. Tom morrow
Figment is definitely #1. So underrated! So nice to see him be appreciated!
Somehow, in all of out trips to WDW we had never seen Sonny Eclipse. This past June, we were walking past Cosmic Rays late in the evening and made a point of going in just to see him. My daughter’s quote: “Daddy, please let’s never eat here again.” So he’s not making her top 10 (or mine, sorry!). 🙂
I’ll replace him with the Jammitors. If the Citizens of Hollywood can make the list (I’d pick Jack Diamond as my favorite), then the Jammitors can make the list too. They are probably my favorite streetmosphere in WDW.
Are the JAMMitors actually distinct characters? I dunno…I have a tough time as seeing them as eligible for this list. (Then again, it’s not like I’m the ultimate arbiter of rules, so you can make your own list and include whoever you want!)