The Return of Raya

The Lunar New Year Celebration at Disney California Adventure is well underway, and one of the highlights of this seasonal event is the rare meet-and-greet appearance of Raya from Raya and the Last Dragon.   Raya is "Disney's first Southeast Asian princess," and although the film's culture and mythology are fictional, she fits in well as a part of the Lunar New Year activities, since the holiday celebrates Vietnamese, Chinese, and Japanese cultures.  

Raya can be found at the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail, and her luminous and colorful backdrop make nighttime visits particularly appealing.  Given that most meet-and-greets are daytime, Raya offers later birds an opportunity to catch a unique photo op too.  Her interactions with kids are heart-warming, especially with little girls who share Southeast Asian descent.  It's really great to see this representation in the parks, giving role models to people of all backgrounds. It's important to showcase the strength of our collective diversity, and Raya is a great part of that.