What is your greatest character experience?

[dvcfamily41801]

My DS (4) favorite character is Mulan and the week before last we were able to spend so much time with her at MGM Studios, and she was just awesome!!! We first saw her on Monday at the Princess Storybook Breakfast at Norway and then on Wed she was Ping at MGM and remembered him from Monday and we had a real great time with her. And then before we left on Friday, we saw her again as Mulan Princess and she was just as wonderful. We wrote a letter to WDW about our visits with Mulan and how she totally created Disney Magic for all 3 of us:D

We also had a fun time with Meg from Hercules as she was fighting over our son with Mulan LOL, even Herc himself walked by at one point and said "There is Mulan's boyfriend" pointing to our little guy.

It was just awesome!!!!:D

[kbkids]

We had a couple of cute experiences. On my DD's first trip at age 3, she had to have one of the Minnie stuffed animals. She carried it around with her all day in the parks. When she had her first encounter with Mickey, he took the Minnie doll from her and started dancing around with it. We all thought she would be pleased, but instead, she looked back at us and said, "Hey! He took my Minnie doll!" Made for a cute video.

When we were there a few weeks ago, DD is now 6 and missing her two front teeth. She went to see Chip N Dale, and Chip pointed out that she looked like Dale (missing his tooth also). She looked up and realized what he was trying to show her and grinned. We then turned to leave and she quickly turned around and ran back for one more quick hug from Dale ("my buddy").

[shelleybell]

I have a cute picture of my DS(8 at the time) dancing with Minnie. I have to hide it when his friends come over.

[PiperG]

Originally posted by shelleybell
I have a cute picture of my DS(8 at the time) dancing with Minnie. I have to hide it when his friends come over.

I know this is a parks board, but I loved what shelleybell had to say.

In Jan of this year, we did a Magic cruise. When we got on board, Minnie was just ending her "shift" and heading back toward Shutters. DS 6 ran towards her, and she just opened up her arms. I have never seen him hug anyone like he hugged her.

I got a great picture, which I recently placed on my desk at my new job. My boss came in and said, "WOW." Its an amazing shot of an amazing moment and its fun to see the reaction of others. That is the power of Disney

Thanks for this great thread!!:sunny:

[pampam]

We were having a character breakfast and Goofy came along. I patted his tummy and said "Oh, Goofy. You look just like my husband". He pointed to the notebook on the table, so I said "That's my journal. I write down things I want to remember. " He picked up the book and pen and started to write. Then he gave me back the book. He had written "Today Goofy kissed me. It was great." After I read it, he made me stand up, put my head in his mouth , and made a big kissing sound. It was embarrasing, but what a hoot! I find if we talk to the characters they will react more to us.
Another time we went to see a show, but it was cancelled. Instead, the characters came out. Of course, they were mobbed. We had difficulty getting to them with the wheelchair, because of all the other children. Dale motioned for us to go see him. We kept trying but it was mass confusion. Dale was motioning for us to come to him, and finally he came to us. As the children approached him, he was very nice, patting them on the head etc. When he got to us, he brushed me aside, and took control of my dd's wheelchair, taking my dd to meet all his friends- Chip, Pluto, Goofy, and Minnie. What a wonderful memory.

[Mickey76]

:D

I have a great picture of me walking with Mckey and Minnie to FrontierLand as the park was opening. There wasn't anyone in front of us and it was just a cool feeling.

::MickeyMo Mickey76::MickeyMo

[sdamico71]

By Far, the best character interaction my children has was with Princess Kida in MGM. Princess Kida had minimal visitors, so my children got to spend a lot of time with her. She remembered us throughout our visit, and also during the MGM parades.

Close 2nd would be Belle at CRT breakfast. My 2 1/2 yo loves Belle, and Belle spent so much time with her. I felt sorry for the others in the room, because my 2 1/2 yo stole all of the attention.

[jacksonsmom]

Our best character interaction by far as been with Cinderella, just last week.

My 4 yr old son was dressed up as Prince Phillip. We went into Toon Town to meet a princess. When Cinderella saw my son she came over to him put her arm around him & said "I won't tell Sleeping Beauty you came to see me"
She then took him over to her "area" and she posed for TONS of pictures. She gave him tons of kisses & really spent alot of time talking to him.
There was no one else in the room waiting so it was not rushed at all.
Cinderella really played her part.
Then afterwards she asked my son if he would escort her out. So my son escorted Cinderella out the door & then she blew him a kiss as we walked away.

It was one of those Disney moments you will always remember!

princess:

[MinnieGi]

Wow, we have had lots of great character interactions. I can't just pick one so here are some of my favorite memories:

DD (14 months) first trip and character breakfast at 'Ohana -
We ate towards the end of breakfast so we had the characters literally hanging out with our table. I'll never forget Chip feeding DD her bottle and Goofy in between sips of milk feeding her eggs!! DD thought it was the coolest and was all smiles. We got a ton of pictures of Chip, Dale, Goofy and Mickey with our table in a whole bunch of poses.

DD (2yo) first CRT breakfast -
Snow White was our first princess greeter and DD was speechless but staring and smiling at her in awe. Snow White was very sweet as she talked to DD. She then gave DD a big red kiss right on her forehead! Then Cinderella came for a visit and DD reacted the same way - wouldn't talk but in awe! Cinderella said she just had to giver her a kiss too. Cinderella left a nice kiss mark on her right cheek! Well you can guess what happend when Belle came along. Yep DD got another kiss. This time a lipstick kiss mark on her left cheek. DD looked adorable sitting there with three big kiss marks! The marks lasted half a day too so she then got many compliments from the cm's around the park. :)

DD (2 1/2) Epcot-Character Bus
DD posed with all the characters on the bus. This was first week in Feb. and there weren't many people there. After we got DD's picture with Goofy, he started playing with her. He sat her down and had her clap with him and do "high fives." DD is a real big hugger so she and Goofy went through several rounds of hugs. Then Goofy got up and took DD's hand and started skipping around to the other characters and playing around. There were so few people around that hardly any of the characters had people to take pictures with they were just standing there bored! But Goofy and DD made sure they were greeted. It was such a hoot! And another reason I think early Feb. is such a great time to go! :)

[GRAYWIFE]

We, too, have had many wonderful experiences with the Characters...but the most fun would have had to be this passed September while having dinner at Liberty Tree. The characters were very attentative to our table but Minnie took a special interest in my husband. She kept walking by him and waving and then she would "act shy" and run away...finally she came over to him and started to rub his head (he shaves it bald) and then she pulled up his sleeve and started squeezing his muscles!!! I looked at my mother and said " Minnie is flirting with my husband!!". Minnie then pointed at me, pointed at my husband and then gave me the thumbs up...it was hilarious!!

Also, when my DD was 3 1/2 we were having breakfast at CRT, my DD told Cinderella that she couldn't find her Cinderella video and that it was missing since Christmas...she then told Cinderella that she thinks Santa might have swiped it when he was at our house. We all were dying laughing but Cinderella never missed a beat...she yelled across the room "Get Santa on the phone...he has some explaining to do!!" She assured her that she would get to the bottom of this!! It was priceless!! (We were in the process of moving and we found the tape about a week after we moved. Sydney was convinced Cinderalla talked to Santa and got her tape back!!)

[mom2boys]

Our best was our first. Our boys' first trip was 2 weeks after we decided to go. Our 1st on-site meal was the character breakfast at the Beach Club. DS#2 was only 23 months old - he was uncomfortable with strangers and everyone but me, DH & his daycare provider were strangers. Chip came to our table & DS#2 turned away & started squirming. I tried talking to DS, DH got up and stood next to Chip. DH then took DS's hand and together they pet Chip's arm. DS became curious. Then Chip pet DS's arm. DS thought that was hilarious. After that we couldn't keep DS away from the characters.

2nd best was Snow White in Epcot. DH bought a poster of all of the characters & was having it signed by as many as possible. We had all 7 of the dwarf signatures. It was our last day & I went and waited for story time with Snow White. I spoke to a couple of cast members & explained what I was doing. The CM's politely informed me that when Snow White came out she would not be able to sign any autographes. In fact, I was told she was not permitted to sign autographes. However, the CM's suggested I wait anyhow. When Snow White came out, she came directly to me, signed our poster & then sat down & started her story. (We had the poster framed & it still hangs in our family room.)

[mom-2greatkids]

When my dd was 3 we were getting on Aladdin's Magic Carpet. Jasmine came up to our family and asked if she could ride with us. DD was thrilled! After the ride she took us off to the side for pictures and an autograph.

Plane fare to Orlando: $800

6 nights at WL: $1,000

Riding with Princess Jasmine: priceless

[Raysplus1]

Our greatest character interaction actually happened at Disneyland.

We (DH & 3yr DS) saw Dale come out with Goofy and went over to get their autograph. While we were waiting in line. Parents kept coming up and pushing their children ahead of our son. After the 4th or 5th time this happened a nother mother tried this. Dale stepped forward pionted to our son and motioned him to come forward. He spent extra time playing and posing for pictures.

I explained to our DS that the other people were rude and see what happens when you are patient and polite.

PS

We found the people at Disneyland to be much more ruder than WDW.

[meeko_33785]

These stories are great. It's hard for me to pick just one. Here are two that immediatly came to mind:

In 1995, I was in the American Adventure Pavillion at EPCOT. The entertainment schedule had listed the area as a Pocahontas meet-and-greet location so I was on the lookout for her (the movie had just came out). When I got there, I saw Ratcliffe and Meeko, but no Pocahontas. While I was looking, a CM came up to me and asked if I wanted to meet Pocahontas. I said yes and the CM took me to a little hidden area of the garden where Pocahontas was waiting all by herself. She said hello, signed my book, and told me that if I came back latter, John Smith would be there. Then she asked me how I liked her movie and then showed me how to say hello in her own language (win-gap-o) just like she taught John Smith in the movie.

This past trip, I was at MK at park opening and decided to get autographs from a couple of the characters after they got off the train. I managed to get Wendy from Peter Pan, Aladdin, and Cruella De Vil before the rest of the park opened at 9. Later that morning, I was in the Expo Hall on Main Street looking for Princesses (usually they seem to appear here after the character meal at the Castle is over). In the back was Wendy and Cruella together, along with Belle and Jasmine all by themselves- no other guests in site. Cruella saw me and said in true Cruella fashion. "I know you. I saw you earlier" to which Wendy chimmed in "So did I!" I said yes, that was me to which Cruella replied "Stop stalking me!" I convinced Cruella and the rest of the group to pose for a picture together, which they did. I thanked them, said my goodbyes, and left. As I was leaving I heard Cruella tell the others "Now see, they just won't stay away from me!" She was so perfectly in character- it was great.

[crusin'minnie]

There have been so many wonderful moments but my favorite was in the UK in WS. DD was 2 and we saw Pooh. This was her first character meeting and I did not know how she would react. She went right to him and started hugging. He sat down on the ground and put her in his lap and played with her while I snapped pictures like crazy. We had him all to ourselves for about 5 minutes and then people gathered around. I called for DD to come to that Pooh could visit the other children, but Pooh held on to her and shook his head no. He kept her for another couple of minutes. She waved bye until we left the UK. It was precious.

This year DD is 6 and we have a picture in her autograph book of her and Pooh in the UK. When we saw him at the Crystal Palace she had him sign her book. When he saw his picture with her he made a great big fuss over it. She was just beaming!!

Gotta love the magic!!

[ToTLaugher]

This was a lucky one. We were at MVMCP - DDs 9 and 6. DD 6 was tired and wanted to go back to the hotel, so I took her. As we walked down Main Street, we saw Belle, in the Red Winter outfit on the side street on Main Street - on the left as you are leaving. There was NO LINE at all for her... we had to wait while I reloaded the camera, but DD got a princess photo without any line!

[wdarling]

my name is wendy and my brother is peter (no it was not planned it kinda just happened) it wasn't until the 25th wdw anniversay we met both peter pan and wendy. it was a 10 year photo in the making. it was at the magic kingdom. it was a big moment for us and it was the first day of our stay. on our last nite we saw peter and wendy again and my mom wanted another picture. while waiting in line peter pan announced hey everyone it's our friends peter and wendy from NJ. it was the greatest moment. to think how many thousands of people they have seen in that time and they remembered us truly was magical.

[Jinxy23]

I just came back from my first Disney visit and unfortuantly we did not go up to the characters that much. Being just me and my s/owe did feel a bit self concious queing up for a hug. However, we did have a breakfast at Crystal Palace and Tigger was fantastic. he came up behind me and started hugging me whilst my s/ohanded over the camera to the people on the next table so they could yake a picture of the 2 of us with tigger. My s/o came to join the hug but Tigger shoved him away and then "stole" me. He made me walk around a bit hand in hand before I could sit down. It really made our day being able to enjoy spending time with a character.

The best bit is that the people on the table not only took a picture of the 3 of us as asked but also managed to get a snap of tigger shoving my s/o away with me laughing like mad. It's great to have a picture to go with the memory so if they are part of DIS, thank you very much :D

[ironz]

OK...this was ages ago...but I won't forget it!
As a 5 year old at DL in 1968, I got to do the bunny hop with Thumper! Somehow got picked out of the audience with several other kids. :)

[tigger&tigerlover]

DH and I went to WDW in October for the first time, and the one character that I *really* wanted to see and get an autograph of was Tigger. I had found Tigger "ears" on our first day at the parks, and wore them all week. But I didn't see Tigger at all the first day.

On the next day, we went to MGM, and I saw the Pooh characters there, with a meet and greet hours long, and I sighed, and told DH that I didn't want to wait that long. We wandered on through the park, and was getting out of One Man's Dream, and there was Tigger!!! He was walking up to start the meet and greet right then, and I was 5th in line!!

Tigger saw my "ears", and made a big deal out of them. Gave me several hugs and kisses, that DH got lots of pictures of. I was happy, and didn't figure that I'd get another chance like that.

Four days later, we were at the AK picking up a t-shirt (Pooh saying "Tigger is that you?" to a Tiger), and DH and I were laughing about the phrase, when DH went: "that's not Tigger, but *that* is" pointing to where Tigger was just standing there with his CM, waiting for people.

No one was in line!! The CM waved me over, and I had him all to myself for a few minutes, and it made my week. Again. :hyper:

I was very very happy to know that the CM's that play the characters realize and react to us grown children that have wanted to meet the characters for years as much as they react to the children of younger ages. :)

[Alice42]

2 stories come to mind................
We had the Mad Hatter show up at our wedding reception at WDW. It was a surprise for our guests and everyone loved him. He was signing autographs, telling funny stories, taking pictures with everyone. I was laughing so hard at some of the silly things he was saying, I thought I was going to wet my pants:hyper:

another story.............

My DH and I were at Epcot (it was pretty empty that day) and we were walking through the UK. We went to the maze area and there was no one back there. Then, low and behold, ALICE comes walking out! I ran up to her and told her I loved her movie, she is my favorite character, etc. We were chatting for a bit and there was no one around! It was incredible. I will always cherish the picture I took with her that day. I was definitely in the right place at the right time!:cutie:

[Horizons16]

i would have to say getting mickey donald and goofy along with 3 or my great friends to flex for a picture... looking at it now... memories...

my crew and i are so goofy :)

[kitty9tails]

I went in January of 98 and got the most adorable pics of my then 1 and 3 year old kids with the CMs above. I then headed to a resort beach in Sarasota and lost my roll of film. Some kind person found the film, got it developed and turned it in to the front desk of the resort, where the folks returned it to me. I will always treasure those photos.

[PrincessTToo]

Here are my two favorite WDW character experiences:

Minnie and my husband:
On our first big trip to WDW several years ago, my husband and I ran into Minnie at the Garden Grill in Epcot. She was very, very, very attentive to him. (Later on I squealed on her to Mickey.) She sat next to him as close as she could and he put his arm around her. I took their picture and it is the best picture of my husband that I have ever taken. He was grinning from ear to ear. It’s almost 10 years later and I still have that picture on my desk at work.

Minnie and me:
On my first solo trip to WDW a couple years ago, I was coming out of Minnie’s house and saw her in the gazebo. It was a really short line so I went ahead and got in line. There was a very large family ahead of me and it took quite a while to get all their pictures taken with Minnie. By that time the line behind me was quite long and I was beginning to feel very uncomfortable being a solo adult waiting in line to meet a character. Then the man behind me told his daughter that she was next to meet Minnie. Just then Minnie motioned for me to come meet her. The little girl behind me started screaming (and not in a good way) as I moved forward and Minnie and I hugged. I told Minnie that I was just going to take a quick picture of her for her biggest fan (see story above). But she insisted that her “handler” also take a picture of me and her together. The little girl is still screaming as I’m explaining my very complicated camera to the “handler”. The little girl continues to scream as the “handler” takes a couple of great pictures of me and Minnie. We hugged again after the pictures. I was so impressed that Minnie took so much time with me despite the screaming little girl and treated me as if I was the most special person she had met that day! I have the best of the pictures of me and Minnie on my desk at home in a Tinkerbelle frame. It definitely was a moment sprinkled with pixie dust!

[Cinderella37]

I will admit to being character crazy. My poor fiance has just learned to keep up with me when I see a character or am heading to a character greeting. I think my handsome fiance secretly enjoys all of the attention he gets from the female characters like Minnie, Cinderella, Mary Poppins, etc. One experience that will be forever in my head (as well as in the photo) is Erik and the Queen of Hearts. First, she didn't want me in the picture. Then she insisted that Erik get on his knee and kiss her hand. He kept shaking his head and the Queen kept getting madder and madder. Finally at my prodding he did. The crowd was roaring with laughter.

For myself, last July in front of the castle, Big Al took off with me and was grabbing Mickey Mouse ice cream bars to share with me. He only brought me back when Erik told him how expensive I was to support! Then, Captain Hook did the same thing, motioning for me to leave Erik and join him on his ship. Well, I called it a boat and he got mad at me. A few weeks ago, Sulley was afraid of me until I promised him I wasn't toxic to him and Mike. I have tons more stories and enjoy the interaction so much (I admit to being somewhat of a ham)...