Adults without kids - why do you visit characters?

[A Mickeyfan]

OMG my 23 yr old DD just reminded me how she made me wait with her 45 minutes just to be the 1st one to get into the line to wait to see Tinkerbell for her 22nd birthday and yes, she took her time talking to Tinkerbell that day, it was her birthday and she wanted nothing more than to be the first to see Tink and talk with her.. and she did just that.. I took about 20 pictures of her with my camera not to mention the ones with the photopass of her and I That will be 2 years this coming Aug... and yes.. that is one fond memory we share..

My DD's 22nd Birthday with Tink!

 

[DerangedChipmunk]

For me, I'm the youngest in the family (19) but I still love the characters!

Yes, I know these are all the "friends" of the characters, but, hey--I can suspend my disbelief for a while. After all as dear Mr Disney said,

"Adults are only kids grown up, anyway.”

 

[Brit_Jude]

It would be a sad day if I didn't get excited when I see a character, along with the thrill I feel when we drive under the Walt Disney World sign as we enter, and the little lump in my throat as I see the castle for the first time. Magical

Disney = happiness for me. A chance to escape the daily grind of home, work and responsibilites and enjoy being with family. I love having my face ache from smiling and this sometimes includes interaction with the characters. Though I am always mindful of others in-line. However, I have paid my money for the pleasure just the same as every adult and child in line. I actually enjoy watching others enjoy their time with the characters and do not begrudge them their experience or time they take. I am patient as this may be that person's only opportunity to ever visit Disney. Not everyone can visit more than once.

People read fiction books, watch movies, go to the theater, watch TV shows etc., we know it's not real but we still enjoy them and want to be entertained.

 

[sharadoc]

Oh yeah, and not only do we take pictures with characters, we'll even yell or wave at them in a parade, across the "street" as they're walking, whatever. We've had some cute interaction at parades too. Prince Naveen saw our anniversary buttons, asked us how many years (it was 23!) and congratulated us. He even had to turn around to continue the conversation because his float was going past us.

If you pay attention the characters give equal time to everyone and that's obviously the way we all like it!

My daughter gets embarassed at her parents. We don't care LOL.

 

[scrapper2k]

I like the character pictures in my album. Some people are escaping their real life issues and problems for a few days and it makes them happy.

 

[Missymouse18]

Because when I pose with a Princess or a character, I am a little girl again. I am 44 years old, and if I am blessed enough to still be going when I'm 54, 64, 74, 84, then I will still stand in line to see them & have my photo made. My sons are now grown young men and they never tire of meet and greets.

 

[katiemely]

We like to "collect" the pictures. Nothing wrong with it. We are super excited about mnsshp and the opportunity to get new characters!

 

[dontthrowsand]

I only do photos because I love the characters. We have fun with it. We look at it as everyone in Disney is there to be fun, doesn't matter how tall they are.

 

[elleherself]

This is just one of those things that start to make sense the farther you venture down the Disney rabbit hole. I used to live in a different land-- when I was a teen I wouldn't even GO to Disney World because it was just too kiddy (Universal/Islands is what is cool when you're 14 and up). Then I went back to Disney and LOVED IT, but I would never be one of THOSE people... the pin-trading autograph book character-picture people.

Except then I took my goddaughter with me and participated in all of the above "for the child" and realized how fun those things actually are. When I caught myself trying to trade some of her pins, I realized that I was one of THOSE people. And it was pretty fun.

So now I am one of THOSE people who doesn't worry at all about appearing cool in the parks. You can either embrace Disney and all that it means, or not, but anytime I see a grown man with a pin lanyard and a goofy hat I can only think now that he has found the meaning of Disney vacations.

Well, except that I refuse to wear Crocs. I am not one of THOSE people!

 

[bdoyledimou]

My wife and I are 40 years old.
We go to Disney at least once a year.
I am an Account Manager for a large IT company.
Every time we drive under the "Welcome to Disney World" sign, I tear up.
When I am standing outside of Magic Kingdom watching the Rope Drop show, i CRY (happy tears)
The first time my wife met Mickey, she was so overcome with emotion she had to take a moment to compose herself -- Mickey and Minnie were very understanding -- we got pics of the whole thing
As soon as we go under the tracks, cross the threshold and step into the Town Square, we become a 10 years old. It is magic, and we are a part of that magic, and woe be unto those that try to rip us from that magic.

 

[tarrbear]

Well, it's because it's fun. There aren't many places when you can suspend your logic and have a "real" conversation with Rapunzel or Cinderella, have a moment with Buzz and Woody and just be like a kid again. Just because I know it isn't real doesn't mean I still can't enjoy it.

If we went by that logic then what is the point of reading fiction, watching movies or tv shows, they aren't real so why dedicate time to them?

 

[Starclassic]

For me....I never had the opportunity to go to Disney World when I was a child. So when I finally got my chance to go (this past February, at age 25), I wanted to do all the things I never could, including meet all the characters. It was a blast and I enjoyed interacting with them a lot more than I had expected to as an adult. I know logically that they're not "real", but it's still magical.

 

[Emma1987]

I'd be the kind of person to have photos done with the characters in the costumes like Mickey, Buzz, Pluto, Goofy etc.... But I'm not keen on the real life characters.

Something about it doesn't seem real unless you're a kid and you can't tell the difference.

 

[Pixiedust34]

Disney is for ALL ages! It's fun to meet characters. I don't do autograph books, but I will get a quick photo with a character when I see an opportunity to do so.

 

[cwehrstedt]

Didn't read all the posts..

But I do have one of Belle and the Beastmy first trip to Epcot... I was about 23!

It was fun.. And like many others didn't have the opportunity when I was a kid.

 

[sharadoc]

This is just one of those things that start to make sense the farther you venture down the Disney rabbit hole. I used to live in a different land-- when I was a teen I wouldn't even GO to Disney World because it was just too kiddy (Universal/Islands is what is cool when you're 14 and up). Then I went back to Disney and LOVED IT, but I would never be one of THOSE people... the pin-trading autograph book character-picture people.

Except then I took my goddaughter with me and participated in all of the above "for the child" and realized how fun those things actually are. When I caught myself trying to trade some of her pins, I realized that I was one of THOSE people. And it was pretty fun.

So now I am one of THOSE people who doesn't worry at all about appearing cool in the parks. You can either embrace Disney and all that it means, or not, but anytime I see a grown man with a pin lanyard and a goofy hat I can only think now that he has found the meaning of Disney vacations.

Well, except that I refuse to wear Crocs. I am not one of THOSE people!

Welcome to "Those People" world. It's fun isn't it!

You need Crocs with socks before you can totally join us - try it!

Goofy DH in his Goofy Christmas sweatshirt with Goofy! They do this pose every trip with his regular Goofy hat - they each hold out one ear. This time he had to use his Christmas stocking baseball cap to simulate an ear.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I'm genuinely curious why adults without kids visit characters. Obviously by that point in your life, you know that it's not *really* Mickey or a princess standing in front of you and you don't actually have Cinderella's signature in your book, so what's the draw to the characters?

Now I do get that Disney is not just for kids, but I don't understand why an adult would stand in line to meet a character. Character meals are a little different since you get food there, but all you get in a character line is to meet the character. Can you tell that I really can't wait until my girls don't want to stand in character lines any more?

Because I still love the characters, and I love the photos that we get from those interactions.

I have had some people be incredibly rude to DH and I while standing in line for characters, and it's really frustrating. I understand parents don't like waiting in line for long (hey, neither do we!) - but we waited patiently and don't deserve to have someone literally shove their kids in front of us to the character as though we aren't standing there

I'm asking because on our trip last week, we were in line to see Tiana and there was a couple who were most likely in their mid-20's a couple of families in front of us. They both had autograph books and the guy took an unusually long time talking to Tiana and doing different poses with her. So much so that that one mom in front of us started getting testy and said in a loud voice "Come on. There are KIDS waiting to see her. You had your time."

That said - this wouldn't be me. I enjoy the photo op, and a short convo with the characters - but I don't do the autographs, and I wouldn't sit there doing multiple poses and taking an excessive amount of time with the character. I enjoy my opportunity to get the fun pictures, but I don't take away from any other guests experience in order to do that either.

 

[recmouse]

I'm 48 and I still get on some of the lines for pictures! I always make sure I get one with Mickey. I've even asked Minnie to step out so it can just be Mickey and me! It's all part of the magic!

 

[ttintagel]

If there's a line, each group should get the same amount of time no matter what their ages.

That is to say, the adults were wrong to hog extra time, but not because the people waiting behind them were kids.

 

[MrRob]

Here's my take:

Why do adults act? They know the scenes they're acting out aren't real, and nobody is actually the character they're portraying, but they do it anyway.

Why? Cause it's fun!

My friends and I have had some fun with the characters (we're all mid twenties in age) and I think a lot of it is actually knowing that there's a person under that costume. It's the wink wink nudge nudge of it all.

The people in the suits are in character so we get in character too.