You might be surprised just how many characters you can meet at Universal Orlando.

We’re not just talking about Minions and Marvel heroes — there’s a whole crew of familiar faces waiting for you across Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, and the new Epic Universe. Whether your kid wants to hug SpongeBob or you want a selfie with Frankenstein’s Monster (no judgment), we’ve got you covered. This is the full, unfiltered list of every character you can meet right now at Universal Orlando.
Let’s break it down by park:
UNIVERSAL STUDIOS FLORIDA
DreamWorks Land
DreamWorks fans, this is where the magic happens. You can meet Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey right at Shrek’s cottage. Over by the Trolls area, you’ll find Poppy and Branch, and you might also run into Po from Kung Fu Panda, the Madagascar penguins, Puss in Boots, Kitty SoftPaws, and King Julien. Plus, Gaby from Gaby’s Dollhouse has made her debut.

Despicable Me + Illumination Theater
After the Minion Mayhem ride, head to the Illumination Theater. That’s where you can meet the whole crew: Minions, Gru, Margo, Edith, and Agnes. Bonus: the characters from Sing! also appear here, including Rosita, Johnny, and Gunter.

Springfield, U.S.A.
If you grew up on The Simpsons, this one’s for you. In Springfield and occasionally on Hollywood Boulevard, you’ll see Homer, Bart, Marge, Lisa, Krusty the Clown, and Sideshow Bob.

Diagon Alley (Wizarding World of Harry Potter)
While the Harry Potter characters themselves don’t do meet-and-greets here, you can interact with the Knight Bus conductor (and the shrunken head) and see Gringotts goblins inside the queue for Escape from Gringotts.

Transformers Meet & Greet
At the exit of the Transformers ride, look out for Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and Megatron. These characters are HUGE—like, literally. And they talk to you. It’s one of the cooler meet-and-greet setups in the park.

SpongeBob SquarePants Characters
Over near the E.T. Adventure, you’ll find the SpongeBob gift shop, and yes—you can meet SpongeBob, Patrick, and Squidward right there.

Hollywood Boulevard
This area’s a bit of a wildcard. You might see Scooby-Doo and the gang with the Mystery Machine, Beetlejuice, Marilyn Monroe, Hello Kitty, and even Doc Brown. Some Simpsons characters hang out here too, especially when it’s less crowded in Springfield.

Outside Revenge of the Mummy
Not exactly cuddle-worthy, but the Mummy guards on stilts patrol the area and they’re always up for a photo. Just don’t expect them to smile.

Race Through New York with Jimmy Fallon
Don’t miss Hashtag the Panda, Fallon’s dancing sidekick, who pops out for quick dance parties and photos.

ISLANDS OF ADVENTURE
Marvel Super Hero Island
This is one of the most consistent places for character meet-and-greets. You can meet Spider-Man, Captain America, Wolverine, Cyclops, Storm, and Rogue. On the villain side, Doctor Doom and Green Goblin also roam around. The costumes? They’re genuinely impressive.

Hogwarts (Wizarding World of Harry Potter)
Outside the castle, check the performance stage for the Triwizard Spirit Rally. After the show, you’ll usually have a chance to snap pics with Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students.

Jurassic Park
You can’t hug a T. rex (thankfully), but you can have an interactive moment with a raptor. Over at the Raptor Encounter, you’ll meet Blue or her cousin Bravo. It’s part meet-and-greet, part adrenaline rush.

Madagascar Characters
You’ll find these guys dancing and playing music in The Lost Continent and Port of Entry. King Julien is usually the life of the party.

Toon Lagoon
If you’re into retro characters, check this spot out. Popeye, Olive Oyl, and Betty Boop appear here, usually around the ice cream shop or near Betty’s store.

Seuss Landing
This is the most colorful meet-and-greet zone. The Cat in the Hat, Sam I Am, Thing 1 and Thing 2, The Grinch, and The Lorax are all in rotation here. During the holidays, this is also Grinch Central.

EPIC UNIVERSE
Epic Universe is the newest park on the block and it’s bringing serious character game.
Super Nintendo World
In the Mushroom Kingdom, you can meet Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and Toad. Over in Donkey Kong Country, Donkey Kong himself makes appearances. The theming here is next-level.

Dark Universe
This section is all about the Universal Monsters. You’ll find Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, the Bride of Frankenstein, Ygor, and even the Invisible Man (yes, seriously—he’s there). These characters walk around the land, so stay alert.

Isle of Berk (How to Train Your Dragon)
At the Haddock Paddock, you can meet Hiccup and Toothless. Other characters like Astrid and Stormfly, Gobber, Ruffnut and Tuffnut, and Toothless’ kids (Pouncer, Dart, and Ruffrunner) appear too.

Ministry of Magic (Wizarding World)
This land is packed with roaming characters and show-based encounters. You can see Fantastic Beasts in the stage show and meet students from Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Ilvermorny. Keep an eye out for an inquisitive French auror and Cosme Acajor Baguettes Magique.

That’s the FULL list of characters you can meet right now at Universal Orlando. It’s a lot, we know—but the best part is, you never know who you’ll bump into. Universal leans into surprise meet-and-greets more than scheduled ones, so keep your eyes open, your camera ready, and your autograph book (if you still have one) handy.
In the meantime, we’ll be on the lookout for more updates from Universal Orlando. Make sure you stay tuned to AllEars for the latest theme park news!
Epic Universe Has Honestly Made Me Really Mad At Disney
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Which characters have you met at Universal Orlando? Let us know in the comments.
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