My Disney Experience Adds New Profile Characters and Villains
Published October 5, 2026 · Updated October 12, 2026
Disney has added a fresh batch of profile characters to the My Disney Experience app and sorted the full selection into named categories, according to reports published Monday, October 5, 2026. The headline addition is a Disney Villains group, with Scar, Ursula, Jafar and Maleficent all selectable.
As of Monday, October 5, 2026, Disney has not issued an official announcement about the change; the updated lineup was shown in a video shared on social media and picked up in reports. Profile characters are the avatar attached to your account while you book dining, grab Lightning Lane selections and complete online check-in — cosmetic, not functional.
The categories are the real change here. Reports describe groupings including Disney Princesses, Disney Villains, Mickey & Friends, Modern Favorites and more, replacing a single long scroll that had grown to dozens of options across Disney films, Star Wars and Marvel.
Separately, Disney executives have described a ground-up rebuild of the app and the Walt Disney World website, including a full visual redesign, an itinerary checklist, group planning tools and an AI-powered search engine. Disney has pointed to smaller changes already made: folding daily schedules into a single “My Plans” view reportedly improved ease of use by 8%, and reworking the dining reservation interface lifted guest satisfaction by 5%. The existing “Ask a Question” search has drawn criticism for returning inaccurate answers.
What we know
- Disney Villains — new category; Scar, Ursula, Jafar and Maleficent available as profile characters
- Disney Favorites — includes Oswald, Launchpad, Judy Hopps, Nick Wilde, Simba, Genie, Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, Hercules and Meg
- Paranormal Pals — includes the Hitchhiking Ghosts and Jack Skellington
- Modern Favorites — includes Orange Bird, Hei Hei and Pua
- Mickey & Friends, Disney Princesses, Pixar and Star Wars — existing groups retained
What’s not confirmed
Disney has not confirmed the character update in a public statement, and no complete official list has been released. No date or rollout window has been announced for the larger app and website overhaul, and Disney has not said which pieces — the redesign, the itinerary checklist, group planning or AI search — arrive first.
What it means for your trip
- Nothing about your booking strategy changes. Avatars don’t affect reservation priority, Lightning Lane access or check-in speed.
- The timing that still matters: Advance Dining Reservations open 60 days before arrival at 6:00 AM Eastern, and Lightning Lane Multi Pass selections open at 7:00 AM Eastern on your eligible day — 7 days out for Disney resort guests, 3 days out for off-site.
- Treat the promised AI search as unproven until it ships. If you need a reliable answer on which attraction to hit next or when a Lightning Lane is likely to refill, SupaPark’s live data and alerts already cover that gap.
- If you plan in a group, hold off on restructuring how you coordinate until the group planning tools actually appear with a date attached.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does your profile character affect anything in the app?
No. It’s the avatar shown on your account while you book dining, select Lightning Lanes and do online check-in — it carries no functional benefit.
Has Disney confirmed the bigger app redesign?
Disney executives have described a ground-up overhaul including a visual redesign, itinerary checklist, group planning tools and AI-powered search, but no release date or rollout window has been announced.
Keep planning: Will Your Kid Hate Soarin’? How to Decide (And Where to Sit)
Go deeper — the full guides: Walt Disney World Hidden Gems Most Guests Walk Right Past – The Ultimate Insider Guide · Animal Kingdom Full-Day Touring Plan: Beat the Heat and Maximize Magic
SupaPark tracks live wait times and crowd forecasts, and pings you the second a hard-to-get reservation opens or a ride goes walk-on — free to start at supapark.com.