Hi there, Stephanie, and welcome to planDisney! Clearly, your son has good taste in movies. Russell and Dug are two of my favorite characters, and the story of Carl and Ellie gets me every time.
There are
Character Experiences all around the Disneyland Resort! What I love most about them is that they're so unexpected. I can't tell you how many times we've been headed to an attraction or to pick up some food when we've run into one of our son's favorite characters. It's definitely one of my favorite parts of the Disney Magic!
The best place to find where certain characters will be is on the
Disneyland mobile app. Once it loads, select the map pin icon on the bottom menu, then tap the drop-down menu in the middle of the top section (it will probably say "Attractions" when you first load up the map, and there is a blue down arrow next to it). From this list, select "Characters," and then I like to also tap "Show List" just to the right on that top bar so you can see the full list of scheduled Character Experiences in both parks for that day.
Having said that, this is not a comprehensive list of characters you might run into while at the parks! I think your best bet for possibly running into Russell and Dug and other Pixar Pals would be around
Pixar Pier. This would also be the best area to see if there was any merchandise from Up that your son might enjoy as well!
I sure hope that your son does get a chance to run into Carl, Russell, and Dug when you all visit! Beyond Pixar Pier (near the
Games of the Pixar Pier area), there are a few other sweet spots to run into some favorite characters as well. First, and my favorite, is
Avenger's Campus. My son and I love to count how many different super heroes we can find here - and there are so many all throughout the day! Second, is Main Street, U.S.A., near
The Mad Hatter. This is a great spot to meet Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy, and Donald. Third is
Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, especially near the storefronts like
Toydarian Toymaker where you'll often find
The Mandalorian with Grogu or Boba Fett patrolling the promenade. Finally, once it opens back up in a few weeks,
Mickey's Toontown will be an amazing place to meet Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and more.
There's nothing quite like the magic of getting a big hug and picture with some of your favorite Disney characters. Whether Carl, Russell, and Dug are visiting the Disneyland Resort or out on more adventures when you all visit - I'm positive you will have many amazing Character Experiences on your visit! Thank you again for your question, Stephanie!
Have a Magical Day,
Greg