Adults without kids - why do you visit characters?

[YankeePrincess]

because......

My name is YankeePrincess..and I have the hots for Donald Duck.

 

[minnieluvzmickey]

Because it's fun.
Because I like it.
Because I want to.

Because I can!

 

[laurabeth]

For me, most of the characters don't mean enough to me to take the time to get a photo or an autograph. If it was a favorite childhood hero I may stop to take a quick photo if there was a short wait. I wouldn't blame anyone though for stoping to enjoy themselves-it's Disney. The whole idea is to be a kid again.

 

[bee86]

why??

Because for the other 357 days of the year I have to be an adult

 

[ttintagel]

because......

My name is YankeePrincess..and I have the hots for Donald Duck.

Hey, who doesn't love a man in uniform? Hello, sailor!

 

[pugcrazy]

And that's why my 5 year old has to wait just a bit longer...Thanks!

You betcha! I worked and saved my money to take the "Magical Trip of My Dreams" to my Happy Place. Deal with it!!! You and your 5 year old have the right to enjoy Disney just the same as the rest of us. The CM may call your darling prince or princess, DON'T LET IT GO TO YOUR HEAD! Darling 5 year old is not royalty and has to learn to wait like everyone else. Consider it our gift to you. A life lesson and a Disney trip!

 

[dingleberry]

Like a few of the previous posters, I had a dream of a park without adults. No adults clogging up the lines. Nothing but kids laughing and playing. No weirdo adults acting juvenille.....

...then I realized I was dreaming about something resembling Michael Jackson's creepy Neverland park!

I guess Disney is ok the way it is. Let the adults play too.

 

[LadyK2257]

I don't actively seek out any characters now as an adult -I will get the photo with the character if there is a short line or an unexpected encounter. The unexpected encounters are the most magical (even as an adult!). My last visit, Goofy snuck up on me outside of Dino Land in Animal Kingdom. He went out of his way to surprise me and it was one of the highlights of my entire trip. I think it's just the magic of Disney that makes it fun to meet and interact with the characters even being an adult. I also make sure I get my picture with Mickey during every vacation!

 

[CityGirlLost]

I go to the parks with and without my kids and I will wait for character photos/interactions if I want to. I shamelessly waited in line in shadeless August sunlight for an hour last year to meet Rapunzel. She was precious.

A few years ago, I came into some money unexpectedly and planned a WDW trip for myself, my fiance and our kids. His ex-wife thought the kids would "miss her too much" to be able to go to Disney without her. So I offered to take her and her boyfriend as well, they could stay at a different resort or whatever and she refused. So while we were there, my fiance bought a pair of Minnie and Mickey stuffed toys. He waited on countless lines to take photos of characters with these toys. He posed them throughout the parks.

When we got home he made a photo album and wrote a story about Minnie and Mickey's adventure through Disney world for his two kids and he gave them the dolls. It was absolutely adorable. He got several nasty looks and comments for taking characters' time to pose for photos with these dolls. All he wanted was something special for his kids back at home.

 

[ocean134]

I admit, I have had pictures taken with the characters and yes, I am 34 years old.

I won't however stand in horribly long lines. I will have character interactions at meals, and if a character has a short line and it is a character who interests me, I'll jump in line and get a candid photo.

Who doesn't want a photo with the Mouse?

 

[sunshine girl]

And that's why my 5 year old has to wait just a bit longer...Thanks!

Goodness. I'm hoping this post is just trying to stir the pot, and not a genuine (albeit capped with sarcasm) sentiment.

I'd not begrudge anyone their opportunity/choice to have gotten in line ahead of me, or ahead of any kids I have with me.

If adults were not allowed/expected to meet characters, Disney would set age restrictions. I believe we are all welcome, and no one guest is more important.

I enjoy seeing people of all ages meet and greet the characters. I like to see people having a good time at Disney. It makes the experience more magical to be surrounded by people of all ages who are having fun, and it makes me happy!

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I stood with Minnie, King Louie & Baloo, Rafiki and AK Mickey just for the dumb pics.

I stood with Daisy because my mom was dying and wanted me to do it. Hard to say, "No" to your dying mother. Donald and Daisy were her favorites.

I stood with Homer and Marge at Uni because it was the coolest thing ever! Even bought the dumb, plastic-framed pic.

I spend no time chatting them up or making them play with me. I know people are waiting. I zip up, smile, then zip off.

awe come on.. were they the pic's that dumb you have them now to look back on and think of how you waited on the line that day to see Minnie, King Louie & Baloo, Rafiki & AK Mickey..... and no one can ever take those "magical" memories from you...

 

[luvmyguyz]

A few years ago, I came into some money unexpectedly and planned a WDW trip for myself, my fiance and our kids. His ex-wife thought the kids would "miss her too much" to be able to go to Disney without her. So I offered to take her and her boyfriend as well, they could stay at a different resort or whatever and she refused. So while we were there, my fiance bought a pair of Minnie and Mickey stuffed toys. He waited on countless lines to take photos of characters with these toys. He posed them throughout the parks.

When we got home he made a photo album and wrote a story about Minnie and Mickey's adventure through Disney world for his two kids and he gave them the dolls. It was absolutely adorable. He got several nasty looks and comments for taking characters' time to pose for photos with these dolls. All he wanted was something special for his kids back at home.

My inlaws offered to take my DSD to WDW when she was 5, and my DH's ex refused to let her go because SHE wanted to take her. Well, his ex never did take their daughter to WDW (despite going to Florida with her friends several years in a row for a kid-free vacation) and my DSD's first trip to WDW wound up being when she was 11 and we were finally able to afford to take her ourselves. I think it is sooo unbelievably sad when one parent won't allow her children to have a nice experience with their other parent (or relatives) for her own selfish reasons. I'm so sorry your fiance's kids missed out on what sounds like it could have been a great vacation with their dad, all because of their selfish mom. Kudos to your fiance for taking the time to make that album - I'll bet he got a ton of mean (and completely undeserved) looks from tired parents waiting in line with their cranky kids! I can honestly say I probably would have been one of the jerks waiting in line behind your fiance and thinking to myself "geez, what is this guy's deal?" Having read your post, I will make it a point to do my best to keep my judgemental thoughts at bay, despite how tired or cranky I might be - because you never know the reason someone is doing something that may seem a little odd to you.

OP - I can't say it would ever occur to me to wait in a long character line if I didn't have kids, but because I do hav kids and thus have no choice, I mut admit that the character interactions are a lot of fun. As others said here, they can b really entertaining and funny!! I will admit I am really looking forward to the Cinderella dinner at 1900 Park Ave so I can "meet" the Wicked Stepmother - I heard she's a hoot!

 

[etoiles]

We went to WDW three years ago for DH's first trip and we stood in a few character lines (shorter ones, not longer ones) because we want to make special memories from the trip just like everyone else. Who says we can't make special memories and have fun photos just because we don't have kids??!

 

[ilovezach33]

I'll be 18/19 when I go to Disney with my (future) DH.
It will be both of our first times at Disney.

I plan on meeting every character and getting all of their autographs.
It's fun, that's what Disney is for.

 

[KingK12]

Because we are Toys R Us kids and we'll never grow up!

 

[Cdn Friends of Pooh]

If you "get it", no explanation is necessary

If you don't get it, no explanation will suffice

 

[Disneyholic]

If you "get it", no explanation is necessary

If you don't get it, no explanation will suffice

Couldn't have said it better!

 

[wendydarling826]

I will pay this poster no mind. Next he'll be telling me there's no Santa. Such a silly question. Why wouldn't I want to meet the characters? I may be advancing in years, but in Disney World, I'm a kid again.

 

[DisLis]

Because we want to.