Autograph Gathering Help

[Blissikins]

When we go to WDW this October I am hoping to put together an autograph book for a friend of mine who is seriously ill with a life-limiting illness. It is their dream to go to WDW but they are too sick to travel and will never get there.

I am making a scrap book with a character per page, so that I can either get the book signed, or collect the autographs on nice paper and stick them in later.

I know that we will not have time to get around every character though, even if we used all our FPs and spent the whole two weeks autograph hunting.

Are there any groups or anything that people know of for autograph sharing/trading? Would it be unacceptable to ask an adult already in line to get us an autograph in exchange for a pin or some other Disney treat? I know I'd do it for someone else if they asked, but is that just me? Is it something WDW staff would be able to help with, if we explained the situation?

Any suggestions greatly appreciated!

 

[amerikiwiroo]

When we go to WDW this October I am hoping to put together an autograph book for a friend of mine who is seriously ill with a life-limiting illness. It is their dream to go to WDW but they are too sick to travel and will never get there.

I am making a scrap book with a character per page, so that I can either get the book signed, or collect the autographs on nice paper and stick them in later.

I know that we will not have time to get around every character though, even if we used all our FPs and spent the whole two weeks autograph hunting.

Are there any groups or anything that people know of for autograph sharing/trading? Would it be unacceptable to ask an adult already in line to get us an autograph in exchange for a pin or some other Disney treat? I know I'd do it for someone else if they asked, but is that just me? Is it something WDW staff would be able to help with, if we explained the situation?

Any suggestions greatly appreciated!

What a nice thing to do! If there's no group/staff solution, your idea to ask an adult already in line is fantastic. I'm going in September and would be happy to get a copy of any/all of the characters that we meet when I'm there for you. I'm having 5x7 character photo cards printed out to make photo books for my two kids. I'd happily print an extra set for you and you could stick them on the book that you're making?

 

[Disney_Alli]

I'm going for three weeks in August and would be happy to help collect autographs for you. Just let me know. I don't know of any other way to help, sorry. You could try stopping at Guest Services and speaking with them. If you were going on cruise it would be a simple matter of dropping the book off at GS and picking it up at the end of the cruise.

 

[Karin1984]

I don't know about WDW, but in DLP I asked concierge in the hotel to help get a certain autograph on a birthday card for a friend. I don't remember what she called it, but apparently there are people backstage who can 'copy' autographs for these sort of things. I gave her the card and picked it up the next day.

I would e-mail WDW to see what they can arrange before you arrive, that you can pick it up in the hotel for example.

 

[dayvewc]

A couple of years ago, I went on an "autograph trip". I used Kenny the Pirates plans for meeting the characters and managed to meet all the characters I wanted and still do everything else. Though, it did take two days in EPCOT, one for characters and one for rides and shows and stuff. I think I managed about 60 meets on that trip. Probably 20 or more just in Epcot, and about the same for AK. So, I would recommend looking at his character touring plans as an option, especially if you are going to be there for 2 weeks (I was there for 6 days). I will say that this was before FP+, so I do not know how that may have changed things.

As a second suggestion, this past spring at DisneyLand, I was trying to get signatures, but was not as focused. On Wednesday before I left on Friday, I talked to the concierge at the Grand Californian, who had me drop off my autograph book that night to pick up after park close on Thursday. I had gotten about 10 autographs before I turned it in, and when I picked it up they had gotten all the rest in my book but 3 or 4. My book had individual pages for each character to sign, and I think there were about 75 total pages. It was awesome how nice they were about it. (When I picked it up the cast member implied that they do this for lots of people, because she said that the book I turned in was one of the nicest homemade books she had seen). It was also lots of fun talking about the "story" of getting the different character signatures - Had to wake up Aurora, interrupting the Snow Queen who was making something with apples, Darth Vader thinking it was beneath him to sign so neither would the Stormtroopers, etc.

Anyway, if you are going to be there for two weeks, and especially if you are staying in a Disney resort / hotel, I would recommend checking Kenny's site and do what you can the first couple of days, and then politely asking the cast members at the resort if you find that you either aren't getting enough signatures or it is becoming too time-consuming. Especially if you explain who you are collecting them for.

Good luck!!

Oh, and check with the DISigns board, several of them make autograph pages. That is where I got the templates for my book, and then took it to Office Depot to have it printed on cardstock and spiral bound with plastic covers for protection. You might choose other options. ;-)

 

[Blissikins]

I'm sorry I missed all the replies! My notifications obviously aren't working!

Thank you for all the suggestions, I didn't know Guest Services would do things like that, I will definitely look into that if there are any we are missing!

I really appreciate the offers to collect autographs on your trips amerikiwiroo and Disney_Alli, thank you so much! I am in the UK, but I'm guessing we can receive mail at the hotel when we are there (never stayed on property before!)? I would be happy to reimburse you for postage/materials!

 

[dayvewc]

If you go to Guest Services, make sure you do so with at least a couple of days remaining. I don't know if they will/can help, but based on what they did for me at DisneyLand, they will want at least a day to do so.

Good luck!!