Disney in a Minute: What is Silhouette Art?

We’re here with a series of quick posts, “Disney in a Minute,” bite-sized nuggets of information that can better help you understand a Disney term or planning topic. Enjoy!

Perhaps you’ve strolled by a cart on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom or at Disney Springs and seen loads of black frames displayed. Why? Who wants so many black frames? Well, those carts do sell frames, but they’re not the main attraction. The primary purpose of the carts is to host artists who will create silhouette portraits of your family.

Sitting for a silhouette portrait takes only a minute or two. You sit still, posing in profile, while an artist cuts black paper to match the shape of your face. The paper the artists use is actually two sheets. The cut creates two images at once, so you can display the portrait in either direction or keep one and give the other to another family member. The artists can cut profiles of sleeping children (sometimes easier if you have a squirmer) or even use a photograph as the model. [During the pandemic, photos references may be required.]

The silhouettes are among the most affordable personalized souvenirs available at Walt Disney World. Prices can change, but a single portrait costs just $10. Additional cutouts are $10 each. Several can be framed together to make a single portrait of a couple or family.

Those oval black frames (they’re plastic) cost an additional $10 each. You can use any frame you like to showcase your art, or none at all, but the oval is a traditional presentation. If you do happen to like the frames, you can purchase those separately, without buying the art.

There are silhouette carts located on Main Street and in Liberty Square (across from Sleepy Hollow) in Magic Kingdom and in the Marketplace area of Disney Springs. Hours vary but are typically shorter than overall park hours, opening mid-morning at the earliest.