Are we the only ones not into characters?

[siskaren]

I took a long break from Disney and went back for the first time a year ago. The thing I was most shocked about was that I didn't see a single character walking around the park my entire trip. They used to be everywhere. Why has Disney changed this?

Because the characters were getting mobbed. It's much safer to have a set spot for them to meet guests.

 

[wareagle57]

Because the characters were getting mobbed. It's much safer to have a set spot for them to meet guests.

Thanks for the answer. It's crazy that things changed that much in 15 years. Did the crowds really grow that much or did people just change? When I was a kid there was never more than a line of more than 2 or 3 other kids. I remember getting an autograph book signed and pictures taken with pretty much every main character.

 

[flutterby3744]

We've literally been going to WDW since it opened. Went all through the 70s 80s and 90s with our parents. Now we bring our own kids. We love WDW but I guess we are all about the attractions and rides. We also enjoy the shows and parades. We like the characters but in all these years we have never once stood in line to meet a character or gone to a character meal. It's never really appealed to us. We've met a few characters just walking through the park and we have always enjoyed that. I remember we met Sleeping Beauty last time in Epcot and there was no one else around. It was very cute. But, we've never even thought about standing in line to meet someone. As soon as the kids see that a line is for a character they bounce right past it looking for the next ride. I think we will do a character meal on our next trip just to see what it's like. Anyone else not into character meets or character meals?

We aren't totally into it anymore. We do character meals because they are fun, but my kids are "realists". For example, my DS6: he LOVES Jake and the gang. When I asked him if he's excited to meet Jake, his response was "sure mom, but you know it's just a guy in a costume, right?" Lol

We go for the atmosphere, the magic, and the rides. Characters are a cool bonus but certainly wouldn't stand in a line for them.

Our best character memories are of spontaneous m&g anyway. (Epcot characters and "supporting" roles like the fairy godmother etc)

 

[redrosesix]

We've literally been going to WDW since it opened. Went all through the 70s 80s and 90s with our parents. Now we bring our own kids. We love WDW but I guess we are all about the attractions and rides. We also enjoy the shows and parades. We like the characters but in all these years we have never once stood in line to meet a character or gone to a character meal. It's never really appealed to us.

We've met a few characters just walking through the park and we have always enjoyed that. I remember we met Sleeping Beauty last time in Epcot and there was no one else around. It was very cute. But, we've never even thought about standing in line to meet someone. As soon as the kids see that a line is for a character they bounce right past it looking for the next ride.

I think we will do a character meal on our next trip just to see what it's like. Anyone else not into character meets or character meals?

On our first 2 trips, my DD was a lot younger and she did the autograph book thing, but waits were so much shorter then. I don't know if she would have waited an hour except to see Ariel. We have done only one character meal, and that was CP, but only because we wanted to go to a buffet. We'd rather have a good meal than a meal with characters.

I think it was nice when you saw the characters in the parks -- I miss that now. The only characters we take the time to see are the ones in the shows, but that's because we're watching the show.

We had to go to see Cinderella this year as a favour for a friend's DD, and we used a FP for it so we could do it as quick as possible.

 

[dizzwizz]

We like having our picture taken with the Seven Dwarves during the parties, but that's about it. I'd really like a photo with Baloo, but I don't think he appears at a Disney park for photos.

 

[flutterby3744]

We like having our picture taken with the Seven Dwarves during the parties, but that's about it. I'd really like a photo with Baloo, but I don't think he appears at a Disney park for photos.

This is really too bad. We LOVE baloo!

 

[aVASTGrl]

I'm not really a character person either. The only time I'll do a Character meet is if I'm with someone who really wants to do it. My sister, for example, MUST see the Princesses whenever we go, I have friends who love seeing Mickey & Minnie, and I'm doing a character breakfast with friends on my upcoming trip, but only to spend time with them.

The only time I ran to a character line was a few years ago, we ran into Cinderella's Step-mom and the Ugly Step-Sisters in Fantasyland. We had never seen them out and about before and it was an amazingly funny interaction!

I think this time I'm going to seek out Gaston, but just to watch him interact with other guests, not for a picture, haha

 

[chitwnnole]

We have done character meets the last two years. This last thanksgiving we did fast pass for Cinderella meet and greet. My wife is 43 years old. In all my life I have never seen someone literally stumped like she was when we met Cinderella She describes it as if she was literally transformed to being a 5 year Old. She was speechless for this brief time. It as one of the neatest experiences I have ever experienced

 

[Silock]

My wife loves it, but I can't stand it. We'll meet them if there's no/little line, or if we split up for a while, she will go off and do it on her own.

I can't talk to the characters. It kinda creeps me out.

 

[Manders77]

My DD6 and DS3 LOVE the characters. Our last visit in Aug 2012 we did character meals daily and M & G for some characters. For us at that time height restricted rides were out (well anything over 40 inches), DD did love Barnstormer. Before kids, I never waited in character lines, but now it is a requirement for my kids, it makes them happy.

 

[DRDISNEYMD]

~We don't do the character meet & greets at all. We've done our share of character meals but not anymore. However, I don't think there's anything wrong with it. There's just so much that we haven't seen and it's just not our thing. But, that may change sometime in the future.