question

[Cruiser4Life]

I have read that the lines to meet and take pictures with the characters are really long (or maybe it is just the princesses)... I have also read that at the character breakfast they come to each table and take pictures with everyone. So why stand in line for a long time for a picture if they come to the tables? Am I missing something? Do the princesses maybe not come to the character breakfast or something? Will this theory not work? Do I still have to stand in line with my small girls to take a pictures?

 

[cashewpeanut]

During the character breakfest you only have the main Disney characters. Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Chipmunks, and Pluto are the ones I remember. When you stand in line for pictures there are certain characters at certian times and sometimes in front of different backdrops and with different outfits on. Like on pirate night the characters are dressed up as pirates. On formal night the characters have formal wear on. Some pictures are just for family/friends too...no characters.

 

[lbgraves]

We never wait in longs lines for the characters. I plan ahead the night before by calling the PALS line which will list each character and where they will be. I get there 20 minutes before with the princesses. Get to know the person who supervises the characters...that has helped me alot. I go to the place the character I want to see and aske the CM with the current character if this is the correct location. When they confirm it. They usually tell me to get in the line & they will be cutting off the line for the current character soon. They will look for you. You can then go to the end of that line. I always ask the people who are lining up behind us who they are waiting to see. If it is the current one, I let them in front of us. When the new character comes out the CM will takes us & those behind us to that character to start the new line. We can usually get 3-4 pictures/autographs during the 5-6 time frame...sometimes more if there are characters that we don't have yet.

I just took my notes from the last cruise out to give you some idea. Usually 5-6 before dinner & 7:30-8:30 are busy times in the atrium area for pictures.

Monday
5:15 Chip & Dale (in front of tree)
5:30 Capt Mickey & Minnie (deck 4)
5:45 Pluto (in front of tree)

7:30 Donald (starboard)
7:30 Capt Mickey & Minnie (deck 4)
8:00 Snow White (in front of tree)

9:30 Donald & Daisy
9:30 Snow White (preludes) means in front of the theater picture of Walt
9:45 Belle (in front of tree)

Another great time to see the princesses is any time during dinner. Formal night Cinderella was appearing outside Preludes 7-7:20. Most people would either be at dinner or in the show at that time. We all dressed for formal night & got our pictures taken with the captain & such in the atrium before dinner at 6:15. At 6:45 I excused myself & DD. I took her to the bathroom to quickly change into her Cindy costume (which I carry around in a bag) and went to the spot. At 7 Cindy showed up took DD by the hand since she was first in line & went to take her picture. We were back at our table a minute later & the entre was being brought out.

With the schedule I listed above we got two pictures in costume with the princesses that night. After dinner we went & got DD changed into Snow white & took a picture then went to see the show. After that we changed her into Belle & got a picture with her. It took me a couple cruises to get this system down to work for us...but seeing her smile when she looks at her picture of Cinderella with little Cinderella is so worth it.

 

[mattmommy]

We had the late seating and there were NEVER any characters out when we went to eat. During pirate night we were there early and Jack was on deck 4 and the line was looooooooong. I was hoping to get a picture of pirate Mickey and my ds5, but it was not to be. I guess I assumed he'd be out there while people went for portraits and didn't read my navigator--shame, shame.

The characters at the breakfasts at the parks seem like a leisurely stroll compared to DCL. I've always seen lines, but at least you're not in full blaze of the sun.

 

[sdmomof3]

We split up. One of us went early and stood in line about 10 minutes BEFORE the character was going to appear. This would put us very close to the beginning of the line. The rest of the family would show up at the exact time the character was going to appear and we'd be done with the whole thing in less than 20 minutes, including the 10 minutes I waited in line by myself. No fussy and complaining kids to deal with because we were close enough that they could see the character from where we were standing in line.

 

[Cruiser4Life]

Splitting up is a great idea. We may do that.

 

[webray]

I have read that the lines to meet and take pictures with the characters are really long (or maybe it is just the princesses)... I have also read that at the character breakfast they come to each table and take pictures with everyone. So why stand in line for a long time for a picture if they come to the tables? Am I missing something? Do the princesses maybe not come to the character breakfast or something? Will this theory not work? Do I still have to stand in line with my small girls to take a pictures?

We have never waited in long lines, we too, plan ahead. The schedule is posted well in advance so you can arrive early, be one of the first in line and you will be good to go.

 

[allears]

One of the things we like about the crusie is we haven't found the lines to be that long and certainly not as unrulely as they can get in the parks. Now that my kids are older, seaking out the charachters isn't as important, but very little advanced planning and you can get to see lots of them. We have always had late seating and have always found charachters to get photos with. On formal night on one crusie my youngest son was in a mickey tux and DD was in a Minnie dress. Right after the show we had their pictures taken with the couple.

I know we will all be looking for Captain Jack this time.

 

[Cruiser4Life]

We have early seating dinner so will they be out when we are eating? IF so when do we get to see them?

 

[lbgraves]

Some will but they start at 5. We had 6:15 seating so still had an hour of pictures available.