Woody and Jessie at Disneyland Paris: where and how to meet them

These days, there are two places where Woody and Jessie greet guests.

At Barrel of Monkeys, right in Toy Story Playland (Disney Adventure World, where the old store used to be): this is the new meet and greet spot. A Toy Story character is waiting for you there, usually Woody. You come with no booking, and the line forms on site at the posted times. The spot is sheltered from wind and rain. Jessie, for her part, meets guests with no booking next to the Crush’s Coaster ride.

Disney Hotel Cheyenne is the other option. Each morning, anyone can walk into the lobby to see them, hotel guest or not. There, Woody and Jessie are dressed in Woody’s Roundup gear to match the hotel’s cowboy-country look.

Animation Academy’s meet and greet, which used a virtual queue and was part of the Toy Story 5 celebration, wrapped up on September 30, 2026.

If it’s your first trip, one naming detail to know: until March 2026, the second park went by Walt Disney Studios. Its name is now Disney Adventure World.

A photographer is there, so remember to have your PhotoPass (Disney’s photo service) scanned to get your pictures, on top of your own shots. Bring an autograph book and a marker too, so your kids can leave with an autograph.

Locations can shift depending on the season and current events, so the safest bet is to check on the day.

Your go-to move is the Disneyland Paris app: tap into its character listings to find out when and where Jessie and the "Toy Story Character" (most often Woody) are scheduled.

Their times vary a lot, and what happens one day may not happen the next. You’ll generally see them out more when there’s Toy Story programming going on. The one dependable way to get that day’s times is the character section of the Disneyland Paris app, which is best checked early in the morning.

While the Toy Story 5 celebration was on, guests booked a spot for a "Toy Story Character" meet and greet at Animation Academy using a virtual queue. That system wrapped up on September 30, 2026, and Woody and Jessie no longer require a reservation.

Disneyland Paris may bring a virtual queue back depending on the season and crowds. The app is your day-to-day reference: if a virtual queue is required, you’ll see it when you go to book your meet and greet.

For a full explanation of the system, how to book a time slot, and what time spots open up, see the virtual queue guide.

There’s a second, much lesser-known place to meet Woody and Jessie: Disney Hotel Cheyenne. This hotel has a Wild West theme that Toy Story borrows (the world of Woody’s Roundup), which makes it a perfect setting for these characters.

Look for them in the hotel lobby during the morning (typically 8:15 to 11:00). You don’t need to be a hotel guest to join in, since anyone can come. Usually just one of the pair is on duty, and Woody and Jessie sometimes take turns, so seeing both of them on a single morning isn’t a sure thing.

If you’re staying at the Cheyenne, ask at the front desk when you arrive to find out the schedule for your stay.

Be careful not to mix up meeting and seeing. Meeting a character means getting close for a photo and an autograph. Seeing a character means spotting them from a distance during a parade or show, with no direct contact.

Woody and Jessie sometimes appear during entertainment or shows in the park. You can then see them, film them, and wave to them, but without a close-up photo or autograph. It’s a good option if your kids just want to catch a glimpse without waiting in a line. For a real photo, you’ll need to go to the meet and greet spots described above.

At certain times of the year, you may also run into other characters from the saga wandering around Worlds of Pixar, like the little Green Army Men. These are spontaneous appearances: fun to watch, but they aren’t organized meet and greets with a dedicated photo.

Good to know: Buzz Lightyear doesn’t have a regular meet and greet. You’ll mostly see him in passing appearances or on his ride, Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast, in Disneyland Park.

Two resources will help you get ready for character encounters at Disneyland Paris:

• all the character meet and greets, which tells you who you can see and where, across both parks.
• the virtual queue guide, which walks you through reserving time slots so you spend less time waiting.

A final pointer: where and when characters appear shifts over the course of the year. On the day you go, rely on the Disneyland Paris app, because nothing else is more current.