A side-by-side image of four Disney animated characters: Joy from Inside Out 2, the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland, Maui from Moana 2, and Kuzco from The Emperor’s New Groove.

Celebrate Your Birthday With These 9 Disney “Party Animals”

By Courtney Potter

“Happy, happy birthday; this is your special day... ” Congratulations! It’s time to start another spin round the sun! Which means it’s also time to plan a good ol’ fashioned party—full of music, mirth, and merriment with all your friends and family. Which got us to thinking… if we wanted to have a totally rockin’ birthday celebration (or really, any kind of festivity), which Disney characters would be the most fun to invite along?

There are so many awesome characters to choose from, we could’ve created this list several times over. But we’ve chosen, in no particular order, some of the most memorable—true Disney “party animals” (human, nonhuman, and everything in between!) who would bring laughter and joy to our next birthday shindig. Did your favorite reveler make the list?

An image of the Mad Hatter (voiced by Disney Legend Ed Wynn) from Alice in Wonderland. He’s pouring tea from a three-spouted tea kettle into three different teacups.

The Mad Hatter (Alice in Wonderland)
We’re starting our list with someone who is—quite possibly—the biggest “party animal” in Disney history: The Mad Hatter (voiced by Disney Legend Ed Wynn)! His life is a nonstop tea party, full of best friends (including the March Hare and Dormouse) and all manner of nonsensical cheer. He’s also a snappy dresser, with his bow tie and oversized top hat… We imagine he’d liven up any celebration he’s invited to.

In an image from Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day, Tigger (voiced by Paul Winchell) is shaking hands with Rabbit (voiced by Junius Matthews).

Tigger (Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day)
He’s fun-loving, perpetually optimistic, and can brighten up even the darkest day. He’s Tigger (voiced by Paul Winchell)—and the most wonderful thing about Tigger is that he’s the only one! Despite his recklessness and penchant for mishaps, we’d happily invite him to our next bash. (He likes ice cream sundaes, so we’d suggest having plenty on hand.)

An image of The Three Caballeros—Donald Duck, José Carioca, and Panchito—standing on a beach, with a boat in the background.

The Three Caballeros (The Three Caballeros)
This trio of festive feathered friends—Donald Duck; José Carioca, a parrot; and Panchito, a Mexican charro rooster—fall under the no-brainer category for our “party animals” list. They absolutely love to have a good time… And we know they can dance—just take a gander at Donald’s fiery number with Aurora Miranda (sister of legendary Carmen Miranda) in the short film Baia!

An image of Kuzco (voiced by David Spade) from The Emperor’s New Groove; he is almost in silhouette, coming through a golden doorway with his hands outstretched and smiling.

Kuzco (The Emperor’s New Groove)
In The Emperor’s New Groove, Kuzco (the teenage emperor of an Incan empire, voiced by David Spade) started out as self-centered, greedy, and stubborn. But (spoiler alert!) his time spent as a llama—while managing to thwart Yzma’s plans to take over the empire—rendered him a more affable and fun-loving dude. If we invited him to our party, we think he’d be the one to bring a delicious seven-layer dip to share.

In an image from Mary Poppins, Uncle Albert (Disney Legend Ed Wynn) is holding on to a lamp as he’s floating near the ceiling while laughing uproariously. He wears a checkered orange suit and glasses.

Uncle Albert (Mary Poppins)
For years and years, we’ve wished for a family member like Mary Poppins’ Uncle Albert—as portrayed by Wynn. Who wouldn’t want to soar into the sky, roaring with laughter? We’d have to give our fellow birthday party guests a warning, though; Albert’s “condition” is pretty contagious...

In an image from Hercules, the Muses are standing against a purple background, all wearing tan Grecian-style dresses and smiling.

The Muses (Hercules)
If your parties include gathering around the piano for a sing-along, don’t hesitate to invite the Muses from Hercules. These ladies (goddesses of the arts, of course!) seem eternally primed for a good time—they’re glamorously dressed; their harmonies are on point; and they’re ready to spill all the best stories.

In an image from Tangled, the pub thugs are gathered around and staring intently at something past the camera. The mean looks on their faces bely their friendly demeanor.

Pub Thugs (Tangled)
This rowdy bunch, who’ve set up shop at The Snuggly Duckling, would be a hoot and a half at any bash. Sure, they look a little surly and rough around the edges—but they’re quick to open up about their dreams and aspirations… and they’re really great at putting together a full musical number on the fly (accompanied by Hook Hand on the piano, of course).

In an image from Inside Out 2, Joy (voiced by Amy Poehler) is looking off-camera at something to the left while holding a memory ball.

Joy (Inside Out and Inside Out 2)
She’s bubbly and kind; she finds the fun (and heart) in any situation; and she’s always looking out for her friends. We have a feeling Joy (voiced by Amy Poehler) from Inside Out 2 likes a good party—especially one that includes tasty pizza, lacks any kind of broccoli whatsoever, and maybe (just maybe) features Riley’s dad rocking out to ACDC’s “Back in Black” on air guitar.

In an image from Moana 2, Maui (voiced by Dwayne Johnson) is holding up his hook and looking at something off camera to the right.

Maui (Moana and Moana 2)
The mega-muscled co-star of Moana 2 (voiced by Dwayne Johnson) is one of the biggest “party animals” on our list. (Case in point: He can shapeshift into an actual animal; how’s that for a party trick?) He’d certainly bring a cool “demigod” cachet to your next shindig… plus, he can carry a tune—and he’s up for any kind of adventure you could throw at him.