Autograph books

[dani12]

Should I buy an autograph book b/4 I get to the parks or just get one there? I've heard that MK has some that have a place for a picture and autograph. Has anyone seen these and know if they are worth it?

 

[smilie]

If you can get your hands on one before you get to the parks, that might be good. Sometimes when the park opens (if you plan on getting there then) there are many characters at the entrance. That would be a good opportunity to get a few autographs.

 

[WaltD4Me]

Unless they have new ones, the only autograph book I saw that has room for a picture with the autograph is the Princess one. It doesn't have that many pages, probably just enough for the Princesses, so you'd have to buy and carry around another book for the rest of the characters.

I'd try to see if you could get the book before your trip (check ebay) or you
could even make your own. JoAnn's and Michael's craft stores carry small spiral bound plain albums in their scrapbook section. You could decorate the cover and bring that, then add your pictures when you get home.

Another hint: Bring a plastic ziplock back for your album no matter which one you use. We got caught in a short rainstorm and one of our kid's books got completely ruined.

 

[MECH8T7]

The Princess autograph books are designed to take a photo on one side of the page and signatures on the other side. Used in this way, it only has room for about 10 photos / signatures.

We bought one for our DS from the laughingplace.com which takes photos on both sides of the page and the place for the autograph is below the picture. Much, much better but, unfortunately, only available at Disneyland. So, you wouldn't be able to get it at WDW, at least for now. And laughingplace likely charges quite a mark-up to buy it through them.

http://laughingplacestore.com/Product-2406.asp

 

[ccgegg]

I know I'm going to take some lumps on the chin for saying this, but what is the point of the autograph books? It's obviously a hot "to do" at Disney. I guess I've just never been much of an autograph seeker in my life.

The purpose of an autograph is:
1) To prove you actually met someone.
2) To increase the value of the autographed item.

I don't see either of these applying to Disney characters... that is, when the people getting autographs are also taking photographs.

How many times have you non-autograph people been standing in line, only to hear the dreaded "x minutes left" as you near the character? First thing we do is check to see how many people in front of us have autograph books because they'll take almost twice as long as someone without them.

Luckily, our DD4 has never asked why people have them, so we've never brought it up. I just hope it stays that way.

I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade. I just don't understand it.

 

[dani12]

Actually, I am not big on the autograph thing myself, but we wanted to try it for our kids. It is just something for them to keep from our trip. And I've also heard that when you are at character meals that the characters spend more time with you if you have a book with you. If not, they just take the picture and keep on moving.

 

[THE HAT]

i bought a 3x5 index card notbook(same size)...much sturdier and cheaper too. ds decorated the front with stickers, and such on the plane ride down.



ds loved doing the autographs, he still takes it out, and looks at all he got to sign it. it took no time at all, but it was january too. he loves the pics he has too, but he just really gets a hoot out of the autographs and how they did it. ie/ robin hood drew the arrow, and dale drew his e upside down etc etc. so for the joy and fun it gave him, i can stand in line for 10 min. (that was the longest we ever waited) there were alot he didn't want to get, such a pooh and friends, as he is to "old" for that, so that saved time, and of course NO princesses either.

 

[MECH8T7]

I know I'm going to take some lumps on the chin for saying this, but what is the point of the autograph books? It's obviously a hot "to do" at Disney. I guess I've just never been much of an autograph seeker in my life.

I don't think I understand it either, which is why I thought the photo / autograph books were a good idea. At least that way, the autograph book is also a photo album which, in our DS's book, includes some photos (without characters) of our WDW trip.

I agree that allowing the characters to do autographs severly reduces the number of people that get to visit with the character but, in a warped way, maybe that is a positive...for example, our little ones (ages 4 and 6) quickly learned that they would rather be going on rides and attractions rather than waiting in line to take photos and get autographs with characters.

 

[leebee]

My DD loves getting autographs, although it is a big relief that now, at 11, she only looks for favorites rather than wanting to meet them all, over and over! Autograph collecting takes a HUGE amount of time, although it is magical when a child gets to meet a hero or fantasy favorite! Unfortunately, in WDW time is money, and autographs can really wreck a touring plan. We finally decided that the best way to beat the autograph thing is to carefully plan our character meals...ChefMix for the traditional, Crystal Palace for the Pooh Gang. We figure the cost of the meal is buying us time in the parks. We also always have to stop for princesses, especially the much desired and cherished Mulan. Yes, even at 11, DD is enthralled with Mulan, who of course is difficult to find. ANYHOW...autograph books are $7, we never fill all the pages, and DD wants a new one for each trip, so we buy them at Publix for $3. They have a spiral binding across the top and the cover comes with choices- Mickey and Friends, Pooh Guys, or Princesses. DD always has characters sign the bottom half of the page and we glue the photo to the top half (you have to get the smallest photo option for developing). It's kind of sweet- even thought none of the books are filled and she has the same characters year after year, it's neat to see how DD has grown over the years at Disney!

 

[kat6994]

I was big on teh autograph thing.
I met Mickey Mouse for god's sake...you don't meet him everyday of your life. (yeah, I know there's someone in the outfit), but it was the coolest thing ever.

I also thought that Pin Trading was a waste of time...(notice THOUGHT), now, I'm addicted...

Hey...at least I admit it.

 

[MECH8T7]

During our recent, first-time trip, we were running into Mickey and the gang all over the place and I assumed that our kids would have multiple autographs in their books from the same character that were inconsistent with each other.

Now that we're back from our trip and I've had a chance to look at the signatures, I noticed that the multiple autographs from the same characters actually look almost identical! I then noticed that the "basic" autograph books that WDW sells which has pictures of Mickey and the gang on the front cover also has preprinted signatures for those characters on on the outside back cover. When I compared them to the signatures our kids got from the Chef Mickey's character breakfast and elsewhere, again, the signatures pretty much matched the ones that were on the outside back cover of the WDW autograph books. Finally, my DD got a princess activity book from one of the stores while we were down there and some of the pages of the activity book have signatures by the princesses. For example, Cinderella has a very distinctive one with a capital C the sweeps along the bottom of the letters of the rest of her name. I then looked at the signatures our kids got from Cinderella at the CRT breakfast and, lo and behold, it was the same signature.

To me, it's impressive that Disney (and the CMs) would go to those lengths to preserve the "magic". No wonder the autographing takes so long...the characters actually have to try to make their signatures look like some Disney standard for that character!

 

[wicket2005]

My kids really enjoyed collecting the autographs and meeting the characters. Now they are 14 and 16, and are not interested in that side of things any more, so saves us some time.

One tip is to take a chunky pen with you, they are easier for the characters to hold than regular pens.

 

[honeysuckle_rose]

I just purchased an autograph book on EBAY for my DS. There was a pretty good variety and I'm glad to have this out of the way before our trip.

 

[donnab2005]

Are there any places to purchase Autograph books and pressed penny books before we arrive at the parks?? How many pages does the new princess books have in them. I have never seen the new autograph books before. How much do they cost at the parks??

Thanks

 

[valandemmy]

My wife went to Walmart and bought a Disney Princess Journal/Diary type thing.
it has tons of blank pages, and the "3" princess on the front.

figured we could use one page for the picture, then the opposite page for the signature.

DO you guys think that will be good enough? or should we get another one when we actually get to the park???

 

[jenr812]

I think we're going to get the larger sized index card books from walmart. Then when we get home, I'll tear out each page at the preforation and slip it into an inexpensive photo book from Michael's with a picture of that character on the opposite page. Cheaper and more fun

 

[apcall]

might try this.....I bought alot of postcards with individual characters on them (like minnie on one, goofy on another, etc) and had them appropiate characters sign each one just like an autographed photo....was a big hit....

 

[donnab2005]

You guys have some great ideas. Do they sell disney autograph books at any of the Orlando Outlets?? I would like to have my new autograph book before we arrive. I am also interested in a pressed penny book.

Thanks

 

[Forevryoung]

I dont know what I should do!!! I am not one to just look at an autograph book because I am 20 years old so should I do a piece of fabric that I could hang on my bedroom wall in a frame (like the tshirt idea) or should I use the index cards and put them in a photo/scrapbook when i get back???

I wouldn't do autographs (except Shrek at Universal because I am obsessed ) but I'm going with kids who will want to so if I'm waiting I might as well get them too!

 

[dani12]

I think hanging a cloth in a frame is a cute idea.