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Credit: UniversalWhether it’s Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Sea World, or Universal Studios, the Meet-and-Greet characters are one of the most defining features of multiple theme parks. While Mickey Mouse has held the crown for practically the past century, the Grinch might just put an end to his reign of magic.
Both kids and adults have enjoyed rubbing elbows with their favorite movie characters for decades, but Disney has had a monopoly on the experience for the longest time. That said, the Magic Kingdom isn’t the only place where guests of all ages can hang out with beloved cartoons and childhood heroes.
Disney’s colorful cast of characters might be the most recognizable, but its biggest competitor also has an army of famous faces on its payroll. While droves of visitors come for miles around to get a hug from Mickey, recent reports from Universal Studios have shown guests waiting hours to meet a certain Christmas curmudgeon.
How the Grinch Stole Mickey’s Fans
Anyone who’s ever been to a Disney Park knows they will be waiting in line for one thing or another; it’s a cold, hard truth everyone eventually accepts. However, the queues for certain Meet-and-Greets can range from merely a few minutes to over an hour, depending on the character’s popularity.
Related: Icon Jim Carrey Breaks Silence, Confirms ‘Grinch 2’ Status
In this writer’s experience, queues for Disney characters are often very fluid, but characters like Anna and Elsa, or even the master mouse himself (who has a 60-minute wait at the time of writing) have spanned over an hour on even the mildest of crowd days. What sort of character would have guests lining up for over four hours just for a five-minute interaction?
@makingmemorieswithjess Waited FOUR house to meet The Grinch….but it was definitely worth it!! #thegrinch #grinch #grinchmeetandgreet #universal #universalstudios #whoville #grinchmas #UOAP #florida #orlando #drsuess
@makingmemorieswithjess posted her experience with the Grinch at Universal Studios Orlando, where she and a whole host of other park-goers waited upwards of four hours just to meet Dr. Seuss’s famous holiday terror. Granted, the casting department at Universal has clearly worked wonders in acquiring a steady supply of performers that match Jim Carrey’s manic energy, but this is something almost unheard of from Disney’s characters.
Related: Fan Favorite Seuss Landing Café Under Possible Refurbishment
Universal truly hit the jackpot with How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) and his appearance at the parks has become just as much of a tradition as the film and book that spawned him. Along with his faithful dog, Max, the Grinch has been running amok in Universal Studios’ Who-ville every “Grinchmas” for practically the last 20 years.
Along with the movie-quality makeup allowing him to become both a face and fur character at the same time, one advantage the Grinch has over Disney’s cavalcade of classic cartoon characters is his seasonal status. Since he’s only around when Christmas comes to town, fans never fail to flock to his corner of Who-ville every year.
Related: Universal “Evaluating In-Park Experiences” For Dr. Seuss
The Grinch might be popular for the next month or so, but Mickey and all his friends are practically immortal. That said, it’s truly a rare occasion when a Disney character gets as dense of queue as Universal’s favorite green fiend has these past few days. Mickey might need to kick things up a notch.
How long have you waited to see your favorite character? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!