How early do the characters come out at the parks?
If I recall - I think the times guide for MK usually have them starting around 10am.
Character Connection in EPCOT - 9am
Not sure what time they start meeting around the hat in MGM - I am thinking 10am as well.
AK - we don't spend too much time here - but I have seen characters in the entrance area around opening on one occasion, and throughout the day -
Do they still have several of them at the front of the parks at park opening? Normally don't get there at opening - so i can't help here
Do they list which characters will be at a certain place and time? Check the times guides for each park. You may also be able to get some informatin from Guest Relations. I've not always had great luck when the question is too specific.
How early do the characters show up at the various World Showcase pavilions? How long do they stay until? Where can you find these characters in World Showcase? Characters come out around 12:30 - 1pm in World Showcase - the schedules usually say something like "intermittently" between the hours of 12:30 and 8:00 (I think is the general ending timel)
We have seen characters in WS in the following locations - it is never guaranteed who will be there when - so sometimes you just have to get lucky, or if wander by an area more than once for someone in particular. You can ask the CMs - they can sometimes help you out with times - I have been given inaccurate info or been told they did not have the info at times as well!
UK - Pooh, Alice, Mary Poppins character - in the toy store
Canada - Brother Bear charactersnear the totem poles
Outpost - Timon
Germany - Snow White
China - Mulan & Mushu (both one time recently, just Mulan last week)
Italy - Gepetto
American Pavilion - personally we have seen none - but I have heard folks say they have seen characters here
France- Aurora, Beast & Belle
Morocco - Jasmine, Aladdin, Genie - one, two or all three
Do they still have the character bus over near the entranceway to World Showcase near Future World? No more bus. They now have the Character Connection inside of Innoventions - near the Fountainview restaurant. It is open from 9-5:30 daily. Classic characters that we have seen - Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Donald, Goofy, Chip & Dale, also in the hallway we have seen Gepetto, Pinocchio.
When do they show up and for how long?
Are all of the princesses at the Toontown tent or just a few? Princesses rotate at the Toontown tent, we personally have seen Jasmine, Cindy, Aurora, Snow White. I saw a glimpse of Mary Poppins one day when we were going in the other line to see Daisy, but by the time I got back through the line she was gone. The sign above the line will generally tell you who is in the room - but sometimes they have a "mystery" character and the CMs either don't know or won't tell!
Am on a character mission this trip and want to see how many signatures and pictures with the characters I can get. Recently MGM has added a meet & greet by the hat in the afternoon - 4:15 and 5:15 (approx times) - last Sunday we saw Evil Queen, Jafar, Queen of Hearts & White Rabbit, Mulan & Mushu, Snow White & Dopey; Belle (blue dress), Pluto, Minnie & Goofy, Mary Poppins & 3 Penguins, Chip & Dale.
Camp Mickey Minnie Trail in AK has characters throughout the day -
