DCL character autograph "Mickey Mail" being discontinued in August

[Kimberly1]

If they do only sign autograph books, just have the book signed and then cut out the signatures to use in your own scrapbook.

I guess. We just have years of autographs that are all on 4x6 index cards so I hate to change the consistency.

 

[C6PT7]

I guess. We just have years of autographs that are all on 4x6 index cards so I hate to change the consistency.

Cherish the years of autographs and memories you have.
Thats the best way to look at it IMO.

 

[lbgraves]

A friend called DCL about this, and the characters will only be signing autograph books, not other items.

I wouldn't think Disney would like the characters using sharpies that are needed to sign other items and messing up their outfits.

 

[tnshsms]

I would guess that limiting the character greetings to autograph books only is a way to keep them from becoming too time-consuming. I know I have seen families where there are three or four children and they seem to need numerous photos with a variety of different assortments of children, and then each child needs a couple of things signed. So you end up with one family spending a very long time with the characters, and they are out for such short periods of time. I would be OK with a policy where you can have something signed besides an autograph book, but it needs to be limited to one per family.

This! I was already annoyed when the line moved slow because people would bring a book to sign now it's just gonna be worse. It's hard to explain to a 5 year old that they don't get to ,wet Minnie because 3 kid family had to take 5 pictures and have 3 books signed. That's a 5 min meeting for one family when they are only out for 20 min. Now it will be worse.

 

[Saamh]

First it was autograph books, then photo mats and pillow cases and now it has exploded into plates and anchors. I saw a post one time where someone asked if they could bring a lamp to have signed. It got totally out of hand. It needed to be stopped.

 

[kaseyC]

First it was autograph books, then photo mats and pillow cases and now it has exploded into plates and anchors. I saw a post one time where someone asked if they could bring a lamp to have signed. It got totally out of hand. It needed to be stopped.

Exactly. It's just another case of folks reading about something here and/or on other sites and going way overboard with it. I'm not surprised one bit that DCL ended this unofficial practice. The inter webs are great sources of information but they can also be a curse... in terms of expectation management. That's why many of us do not share the "pixie dust" moments we've had on cruises or in the parks because others start expecting then demanding the same... leading to those special moments going away.

 

[Katrinak]

It would have been nice for a little longer cut off time. I am sailing in August and had bought special pillow cases for the girls. I think a three month notice would have been nicer for discontinuing service.

Don't get me wrong, I know my pillowcases are a great memory signed or unsigned and I understand CM time but I think we are also allowed to feel a little dissapointed.

 

[TestingH2O]

It would have been nice for a little longer cut off time.

This is really my only small complaint about this announcement. My cruise is the last one, but I had my items ready before the announcement; so, more that 2 weeks before our trip.

If I'm completely honest, I made a bigger deal out of doing something "creative" to get signed for DD than I should have. It's a string bag not a lamp or anything, but I can only imagine the piles of random stuff they have to deal with once people get sucked into the vortex of these Internet forums describing crazy ideas.

There are going to be some very sad Etsy sellers though.

 

[AngelDisney]

This is really my only small complaint about this announcement. My cruise is the last one, but I had my items ready before the announcement; so, more that 2 weeks before our trip.

If I'm completely honest, I made a bigger deal out of doing something "creative" to get signed for DD than I should have. It's a string bag not a lamp or anything, but I can only imagine the piles of random stuff they have to deal with once people get sucked into the vortex of these Internet forums describing crazy ideas.

There are going to be some very sad Etsy sellers though.

I am on the same boat here. I understand the situation but do feel a bit disappointed. I guess I will have to get the signatures at the meet and greets.

 

[yorkieteacher]

I like the idea of paying something per item much better than just concierge being able to do it. I would especially hope that the money would go directly to the people who are doing the signing, not just into Disney coffers.

I agree-I would rather pay for this than dinner at Palo! It's supposed to be about magic, isn't it? I surely don't want to be on a ship like during the "golden age of sailing" where guests who can afford more (like concierge) get everything and we peasants are kept locked out of the upper decks, lol!

 

[DMMarla07860]

That's why many of us do not share the "pixie dust" moments we've had on cruises

I never do share mine and I've had plenty, but then some people might expect it to happen and be upset if not. This doesn't just go for Disney thing everything in life. I'll tell people I know don't expect things

 

[wcw57]

ahhhhhhh, we have touched on one of the "problems" of the Disboards: unreasonable expectations.
I WANT A FREE UPGRADE!
I WANT A SERVER WHO STANDS ON HIS HEAD!
I WANT IT NOW!!!!

stopping the service is the only way the Veruca Salts of the world can be handled.

Many many many years ago (when I was young) baseball players actually signed and returned index cards that you sent them FOR FREE!!

I have Walt Disney's (or his secretary's) autograph which my FIL giot that way when he was a kid....

 

[declansdad]

Here's an idea, if you really need to have that character's signature on your pillowcase, photo mat, plate, etc, do it yourself. It would be no different than some random cast member in guest services doing it.

 

[Pens Fan]

First it was autograph books, then photo mats and pillow cases and now it has exploded into plates and anchors. I saw a post one time where someone asked if they could bring a lamp to have signed. It got totally out of hand. It needed to be stopped.

This made me chuckle. When I read the comment on Scott's blog about the guy who had purchased wooden anchors to be signed I couldn't figure out if he was serious or if he was poking fun at the people who had taken this whole thing to ridiculous heights.

Carry on folks, and enjoy your cruise!

 

[MakiraMarlena]

I'd rather curtail it to a single item per cabin

Any family with more than one child would be asking for an exception. And they wouldn't be turned down.

 

[EvieBug]

ahhhhhhh, we have touched on one of the "problems" of the Disboards: unreasonable expectations.
I WANT A FREE UPGRADE!
I WANT A SERVER WHO STANDS ON HIS HEAD!
I WANT IT NOW!!!!

stopping the service is the only way the Veruca Salt's of the world can be handled.

Many many many years ago (when I was young) baseball players actually signed and returned index cards that you sent them FOR FREE!!

I have Walt Disney's (or his secretary's) autograph which my FIL giot that way when he was a kid....

Expectations are definitely the problem. Elsewhere, I was reading comments about this and someone was lamented that it was hard enough last cruise when she had to whine and cajole to get THREE separate pillow cases done because the limit was supposed to be two. There is a thread here going about the discontinuation of towel animals at WDW, and people were posting about leaving notes for their housekeeper requesting towel animals, or seeing guests at the front desk yelling that they did not get them. I've stayed on property three times and have never had a towel animal - because it's Pixie Dust and Pixie Dust doesn't happen every trip.

It is so disappointing though that the only answer is Pixie Dust for none. If people are blaming social media/the internet/forums for this information getting out there in the first place, maybe those places have a bigger responsibility to help folks understand that you can't DEMAND magic. Or maybe I'm engaging in wishful thinking, because I love the magic part of Disney, and am saddened by the erosion due to everyone expecting THE ULTIMATE EXPERIENCE every time they near Disney property.

 

[Ariel Wanna-be]

...but I can only imagine the piles of random stuff they have to deal with once people get sucked into the vortex of these Internet forums describing crazy ideas...

I'm picturing the Marcy's Diner owner looking at all the stuff and yelling "THIS HAS GOT TO STOP!!!"

.

 

[tup1830]

Everyone has their own opinion...

I say instead of cutting it off 100%...make strict limits. Do NOT allow more than 1 item per stateroom. Limit the things that can be signed (maybe pillowcases and frames only) and charge a per item fee ($10...per stateroom cause you only get 1 per room).

I'm not sure if the cast members actually sign things or they stamp them...i say get a stamp and put it in a machine at night. All requests MUST be made by the end of the day of embarkation day.

Its like a ticketed event...you have to read the navigator, get in line and you'll get a ticket. If you don't read, don't wait, you don't get in...its as simple as that.

DCL def charges a premium and taking character time away for signing (and maybe sometimes messy on a rocking ship) doesn't make sense.

 

[kaicruiser]

My two cents...

As this was an unofficial courtesy I think they should have just stopped doing it without any announcement. I mean look at what it gets them, people are going to complain no matter what, but now it's "why couldn't I have had more notice?" Since they didn't actually announce the service to begin with they should have ended it the same way, and people would have found out of the discontinuation through the same word of mouth (or text).

I thought it would be cool to have a photo mat done for my first cruise, but oh well, i'm over it. And realistically, will it be the children that are horribly disappointed that this is over or the parents. A lot of people don't appreciate a FREE GIFT for what it is and then complain that without the experience and the value of that experience is somehow lessened. Well if you paid thousands of dollars to go on a cruise and the absence free signatures ruins that, you might need to reevaluate your priorities.

 

[Disneyholic]

It would have been nice for a little longer cut off time. I am sailing in August and had bought special pillow cases for the girls. I think a three month notice would have been nicer for discontinuing service.

Don't get me wrong, I know my pillowcases are a great memory signed or unsigned and I understand CM time but I think we are also allowed to feel a little dissapointed.

And the people who are on the cruise 3 months after yours would have said it should have been 4 months notice and so on and so on and so on........

The cut off has to be set and done. I book my trips 12 to 18 months out and yes I would be disappointed if something changed, but it is not life changing, just a little disappointment. Life hands us disappointments all the time. We need to learn to handle them. This is nothing compared to other cruise cases: for example - Cruise gets cancelled because it has now been chartered.

When they decided to not allow smoking on balconies they set a date for it to happen and I just happened to be one of the lucky ones who were on a cruise with a balcony right after they changed it. I was relieved that I could actually use my balcony for some "fresh" air. Smokers on the other hand felt they should have been given some warning and some said they would have cancelled their cruise if they had known sooner.