Anyone else feel awkward around characters and don't know what to say?

[jennymouse]

I posted this here a few years ago and I haven't gotten any better at it. Whenever I have to interact with a character I always get dumfuzzeled and say something stupid. I don't care if it's at a character meal or just runing into them in the parks. I try to keep my mouth shut and let my granddaughter to the talking but I always open my mouth and something totally stupid comes out. For example:

Right before one trip I read on the DIS that the characters won a lawsuit? with Disney that they would get paid for the time it took getting dressed in their costumes. So, dumb me, congratulated Minnie mouse on the lawsuit victory at LTT character dinner. Minnie was gracious about it and acted like she didn't know what I was talking about. Bless her, but I felt dumb.

So I figured out they were supposed to stay in character and decided to keep the interaction with them in character. I told Dale that my cat ate one of his relatives that had been digging holes in my garden. He patted me on the back and walked away.

What am I doing wrong? Does anyone else dread the characters?

 

[Poohbear123]

I never know what to say either. So, I just stand there and take a picture!

 

[iceskatejen]

Yeah, they are supposed to stay in character, but don't tell them the cat ate one of their relatives, yikes! I did "hang loose" with Stitch (Hawaii, surfing--it works). If it was fall and I ran into Chip & Dale, I'd ask them if they have enough acorns stored for the winter.

 

[mic_key_mouse]

I guess I talk to them just like I do people...sort of....

"Hey, how's it goin' Mickey? (get a nod)
"Nice to see you"...(get another nod)
"You haven't aged a bit since I saw you last"...(another nod)
"Lookin' dapper today, buddy".....(another nod)
"I loved Steamboat Wille, but you look much better with some color- guess you've been getting some sun"....(another nod)

LOLOL- this is funny to talk about ...8 more days- can't wait!!!!

Blessings,
mic_key_mouse

 

[Tiziminchac]

I usually avoid the characters all together. I have no children and rarely visit the parks with kids in my group. Most trips are just my adult friends and I. Not that adults can't have fun meeting the characters. It's just never been something any of us seem to be drawn to. There have been several times when the characters seem to pick me out of a crowd and try to interact with me. I think they see in my face that I have no interest or something. I feel stupid talking to them. I'll mutter "Have a nice day," and keep going. But always with a smile, it's kinda amusing. But I just feel odd. Those bears in Frontier Land always seem to get me, especially that big one! I don't know what his name is. The other day I noticed I had no pictures with any characters and myself. So I posted a question about hard to find characters and judging from the replies, I decided to look to get a pic of Jimminy Cricket(?) and myself. I figure if I'm gonna try and meet one it might as well be a hard to get one. And what would I possibly have to say to a cricket? Sorry I just rambled on.

 

[Grog]

I like interacting with the characters, but don't do it often so the other kids (the smaller, non-adult kind ) can get in there and have some fun. On my last trip to DL, we got to spend some time with Tigger. He kept acting as if he wanted to go home with us so I told him he would have to share the litter box with our other cats, and he was going to the vet first thing to get neutered

 

[TnKrBeLlA012]

I always try to avoid the characters. When ever I see them coming closer to the table I get up!

 

[Poohlovr]

I, too, feel awkward around them. I mean, how much can you say to someone who doesn't talk to you?

However, one night at LTT, several of us (about 6 or 7 women DISers and their kids) had a ton of fun with Chip 'n Dale--we kept telling one that the other said something (like he said you aren't a very good actor in the cartoons, stuff like that)about him. Pretty soon, they started coming back to our table more and more often.
Then, they started wrestling and almost everybody in the place was chanting their favorite's name.
The escort stopped them (it was time for their break) and told us that we had gotten them in trouble and they had to go into time-out.
When it was time for them to come back out, the escort came back to our table and told us that they could come back if we promised to behave, so we did.
That was the most fun I've ever had with any characters.


If there is more than one character near-by now, I use the same kind of thing.
Like at Chef Mickey's last year, I asked Minnie if she an dMickey were married. WHen she said "no", I asked about all of the wedding pins I've seen of them. We went on a while with that and that Mickey should marry her or she should get her a new mouse

I get it's getting easier for me.

 

[freediverdude]

I usually am uncomfortable around the characters too, but last time at the Beaches and Cream breakfast, Minnie was there at the door greeting people, and I came up with a good line......"Hi Minnie! Now don't tell Mickey, but I'm falling in love with you!" Minnie really thought that was cute- she put one hand up to her mouth and giggled (silently), while waving me off with the other hand in that way that she does. That one was pretty good, hehe.

 

[goofyernmost]

It really isn't unusual for an adult to feel a little uncomfortable interacting with a "charactor". Children are, at least to some degree, able to believe that the charactor is real, adults, no matter how childlike they profess to be, still know that it is not real.

If I have a child with me I am able to interact and play along with the fantasy but on my own, I just find it embarrassing and very uncomfortable. That is probably why they head for the ones that look the most uneasy. If I had to be in the outfit in the Florida sun for very long, I would want to spread the "pain" as well.

 

[seashoreCM]

It is understandable that people, even children, may not know what to say to characters because, with few exceptions*, the characters never speak.

One of these days the characters may be outfitted with loudspeakers and microphones like the talking trash can, and an apprentice out of sight with a voice changer will answer in the character's cartoon voice.

* Does Hercules, who has much of his real self as his costume, speak?

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[kramer_clan]

I guess that I am not that uncomfortable with the characters since I have danced with Goofy and usually start a battle between Chip and Dale by asking who has been getting the other one into trouble. I just love it.

Vicki

 

[Cinderella37]

I am somewhat (okay, more than somewhat) of a ham, so I love the character interaction. I often dance with many of characters and love to engage them in "conversations." My favorite was with Captain Hook a few years ago. He asked me to marry him and was motioning that he had a large "ship." Well I called it a boat and he got furious. My fiance had to tell me he was referring to a "ship." I've gotten many marriage proposals and severals of the Country Bears even went over to an ice cream stand and were trying to feed me free ice cream.

My fiance, on the other hand, isn't as crazy as I am. He's a conservative businessman, but does love to have fun. One exception was when Peter Pan was at the 1900 Park Fare character dinner. My fiance's hair was a little spiky in front and Peter touched it and screamed that it hurt his hand. Then, he was showing his muscles and making my fiance show his (which are quite plentiful). He kept taunting my fiance and he was getting a little irritated. I thought it was the funniest thing I'd ever witnessed in my life.

Peter would not leave him alone, so the kids at the next table (boys about 8 or 9) started calling him Peter Panty and tried to steal his hat. My fiance told Peter that he was calling Captain Hook, so Peter finally walked away. It was the funniest thing I'd ever seen - kids coming to my fiance's defense against Peter Pan.

The most important thing is just to have fun and never feel silly about anything you do in WDW.

 

[jimmytammy]

I find that I can talk to the more well known characters better than the lesser known ones.

Ex. Recently I told Mickey that he was holding his age very well for a 75 yr old. He nodded. I always tell Goofy he is my favorite cause he reminds me so much of myself. Usually a nod or a covering of eyes is the reaction.
My kids told Capt Hook recently that they thought they heard the crcodile tick tocking close by. He reacted by grabbing me and putting me in front of him.

If I dont know much about the character, I usually dont say anything.

 

[diswedwish]

DH and I love interacting with the fur characters and have lots of fun with that. However, with the face characters it's a different story. We did the 1900 Park Fare bfast and spoke with Belle - she was very nice, but we just felt funny about it. Go figure - lol!

 

[BrerRabbit_fan]

I love interacting with the characters. If there are no kids with me, I act like the kid instead.

 

[Kaycee]

I'm normally kind of shy, but as soon as I see the Disney characters I turn into an excited 6-year-old! I think the characters can sense how you feel around them, because I always have great interaction - lots of hugs and playing around. I can't say there's much in the way of conversation, but that's okay, I'm perfectly happy with the hugs!

 

[RealMickey]

I generally enjoy interaction with the characters! They are so much in charcacter, that something funny often happens, which really enhances the vacation.
My number one rule of character interaction, is to THANK the character when you leave!

 

[Cinderella37]

I agree to thank the characters. We've never had to think about it, as we've always thanked them automatically. It's strange to think that many people don't.

 

[liznboys]

I feel a bit funny talking to them because I can't get it out of my head that there's SOMEONE in there... WHO is it? WHO'S in there looking out at me????

I did get a little giddy with Pluto on our last trip (see photo in my sig.) He's my favorite Disney character, has been since I was a wee one. So I was pretty excited when he came up and sat with me while I was letting my ds sleep in the stroller next to me. I actually got choked up when I told him "You're my favorite character!!"

The DIS needs a Pluto smilie!!