D23 2026 is bringing back its official Cosplay Meet-Ups and Photo Shoots at the Grand Plaza Fountain, giving fans a themed gathering spot across all three days of the event, and it pairs naturally with the return of D23 Mousequerade, the ticketed costume contest happening the same weekend. Together, the two give cosplaying fans both a low-key way to connect with other fans in costume and a formal stage to compete for the title.
The Cosplay Meet-Ups require nothing more than a D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event ticket, and all attendees are welcome to join in, whether they are in a full costume or just there to watch.
- On Friday, August 14, the schedule runs Star Wars from 9:45 to 10:30 a.m., Pixar from 11 to 11:45 a.m., Marvel from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m., and All the Worlds of Disney from 2:15 to 2:45 p.m.
- Saturday, August 15 brings Disney Princesses, Heroes, and Villains from 12 to 12:45 p.m. and Disney Parks and Games from 2:15 to 3:15 p.m.
- Sunday, August 16 closes the weekend with a second All the Worlds of Disney meet-up from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Every session takes place at the Grand Plaza Fountain, and Disney has been running fan photos from past meet-ups on its social channels, so following @DisneyD23 and the #D23 hashtag is worth doing if you want a chance at being featured.
Beyond a valid event ticket, Disney is not requiring anything specific to join a Cosplay Meet-Up, making it one of the more accessible photo opportunities across the three days. Mousequerade is a different story for anyone planning to compete, since it functions as a judged runway show rather than a meet-up, so costume construction, presentation, and stage presence all factor into how contestants are scored. Fans planning to do both should treat Friday and Sunday’s meet-ups as lower-pressure photo opportunities and save their most ambitious build for the Saturday morning contest.
For fans who want more than a meet-up, D23 Mousequerade: The Ultimate Disney Costume Contest presented by AT&T returns Saturday, August 15 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on the Premiere Stage. Where the Cosplay Meet-Ups are casual and open to anyone with a ticket, Mousequerade is the event’s formal costume competition, hosted by Nina West with judges Yvette Nicole Brown, Ashley Eckstein, and Bobby Kim evaluating fan-made looks on the runway. See the full D23 2026 schedule for where Mousequerade fits alongside everything else happening that morning. The two events sit close enough together on the calendar that a cosplayer could realistically hit a Friday meet-up, compete in Mousequerade Saturday morning, and still make the Saturday afternoon meet-up in costume.
For the complete event guide, visit our D23 2026 hub.
