Character Autographs etiquette...I NEED DETAILS!!!!

[PolyAddict]

I have had characters' sign pillowcases, and shirts before.

To make it simpler, quicker, and easier for the character this is what I have done:

You know those embrodiery circles? Those kind that you stretch the fabric in to do cross stitch and the like?
Put your fabric in that where and how you want the autograph, and you're set.
It makes the fabric MUCH easier for the character to sign!

Great advice thanks. Also, did you just buy a regular black fabric pen or are there other colors available?

 

[christymarie]

I agree with what the other posters said about interacting. My 8yo spent time talking with the characters who completely stayed in character. The next day he went back with his cousins and while he was not interested in visiting the pixies came over and remembered him from the day before. He would tell Ariel what he talked to Cinderella about and told Belle what Ariel had said about princesses. It was so much fun and I think the characters loved it. We did not do autographs so perhaps they felt like they had more time to talk, I'm not sure.

Also, there are groups of characters in various locations, Toontown, Epcot, Poohs playful spot, but then there are occasionally "rogue" characters...Goofy by Splash mountain, Peter Pan by POTC etc. Those "rogue" characters tend to have shorter lines.

 

[madcat]

I agree there is a lot of good advice here. This past Easter my husband was walking with my son at WL and they saw Minnie and Mickey on their way to the Easter Egg hunt, we were on our way to one of the parks, my son saw them walking and said "minnie and mickey" trying to take their pictures, Minnie was trying to turn around but Mickey was all business. My son wasn't upset though he understood that they had someplace to be. I could see how someone might think that they were ignoring them though.

I had my youngest son go meet the faries while we waited for my oldest to get off of Goofy's barnstormer (it was later at night and the wait was only 10 mins to meet them) so we went in and met the first fairy iridessa. She just gushed over how cute he was and that he must know how cute he was, then she asked him to give her a kiss on the cheek and he didn't want to do it, she said, "I shouldnt have signed your book, you better not give tinkerbell a kiss if she asks for one!" he thought that was so funny, then he met Tinker Bell, and she started running away from him and hiding behind a rock, he couldnt figure out what was wrong (he was wearing his Pirate Mickey ears) I told him to take his ears off, when he did she came back out and said, "I told them not to let any pirates in here, how did you get in!" He said "I'm not a pirate", she started walking up to him and sniffing him, she said "well you don't smell like codfish, Capt. Hook does you know!" She then looked through his autograph book and began talking about all of the adventures that he had had meeting all of the people that signed his book. Then she said really snooty "Peter and I used to have adventures all the time then he started hanging out with that Wendy". When we went to look at the photo pass pictures the man working at the counter commented on how much time she took with him. We chalked it up to it being so late and plus the fact that they may not get many boys

 

[Raevyn_Wolfe]

Great advice thanks. Also, did you just buy a regular black fabric pen or are there other colors available?

I have used just regular sharpies with mine with perfect results. Lasting several years of repeated washing. I'm sure there's alot of options with fabric pens, colors, etc. . . . but after one bad experience with a fabric pen bleeding I just started using Sharpies and haven't had any problems, and they come in alot of colors too.

This is my favorite thing I had signed:

It's not a very good pic, cause it's an OLD vintage pillowcase I found at a thrift store (so you can see the design from the other side) but you get the idea.

edited to add: with the three different signatures I just set up the hoop three different times, one for each signature.
iow-had the hoop set up for mickey before going up to him, after getting his sig. I took it off and set it up where I wanted Donald's. . . . etc.

 

[PolyAddict]

I have used just regular sharpies with mine with perfect results. Lasting several years of repeated washing. I'm sure there's alot of options with fabric pens, colors, etc. . . . but after one bad experience with a fabric pen bleeding I just started using Sharpies and haven't had any problems, and they come in alot of colors too.

This is my favorite thing I had signed:

It's not a very good pic, cause it's an OLD vintage pillowcase I found at a thrift store (so you can see the design from the other side) but you get the idea.

edited to add: with the three different signatures I just set up the hoop three different times, one for each signature.
iow-had the hoop set up for mickey before going up to him, after getting his sig. I took it off and set it up where I wanted Donald's. . . . etc.

This is great, i had not even thought about the characters pic being on it. How difficult is the hoop to use? I am creatively challenged.

 

[Raevyn_Wolfe]

This is great, i had not even thought about the characters pic being on it. How difficult is the hoop to use? I am creatively challenged.

No prob, maybe this will help:

The embrodiery hoop looks like this:

You can buy it REAL cheap at Walmart, it's only a couple dollars, and they come in various sizes, so basicly get the size you want the autograph to fit in (not too much bigger, cause the bigger the hoop the "looser" the fabric will be and so harder for the characters to use)

It consists of 2 hoops, one inside the other. Just loosen the screw on the outside one and they come apart:

Then just stretch whatever you're using over the inside hoop and put the outside hoop over it and tighten the screw and vwala!

Just make sure your fabric is nice and tight so it makes a nice, smooth, "hard" writing surface for our friends!


I know it probably sounds all complicated for just an autograph, but I think it works better than just putting the shirt on a table or something, cause then the fabric can "snag" and when you're out about in the parks it can be hard to find something flat to put fabric on to sign, and I have heard of characters refusing to sign anything someone is wearing.

So, this way I just know I am all set to go and can just whip it out for the character to sign, as quick and easy as any autograph book.
And then my kids have a wearable memory, or something to lay their head on and dream of Disney.

 

[Joanna71985]

I know it probably sounds all complicated for just an autograph, but I think it works better than just putting the shirt on a table or something, cause then the fabric can "snag" and when you're out about in the parks it can be hard to find something flat to put fabric on to sign, and I have heard of characters refusing to sign anything someone is wearing.

That is correct. The characters will not sign clothing that people are wearing at the moment. The item has to be off the body to be signed. The exception, of course, is casts.

 

[PolyAddict]

No prob, maybe this will help:

The embrodiery hoop looks like this:

You can buy it REAL cheap at Walmart, it's only a couple dollars, and they come in various sizes, so basicly get the size you want the autograph to fit in (not too much bigger, cause the bigger the hoop the "looser" the fabric will be and so harder for the characters to use)

It consists of 2 hoops, one inside the other. Just loosen the screw on the outside one and they come apart:

Then just stretch whatever you're using over the inside hoop and put the outside hoop over it and tighten the screw and vwala!

Just make sure your fabric is nice and tight so it makes a nice, smooth, "hard" writing surface for our friends!


I know it probably sounds all complicated for just an autograph, but I think it works better than just putting the shirt on a table or something, cause then the fabric can "snag" and when you're out about in the parks it can be hard to find something flat to put fabric on to sign, and I have heard of characters refusing to sign anything someone is wearing.

So, this way I just know I am all set to go and can just whip it out for the character to sign, as quick and easy as any autograph book.
And then my kids have a wearable memory, or something to lay their head on and dream of Disney.

You have been a big help-thanks so much.

So to recap
pillowcase
hoop
sharpie
And we are good to go...

 

[Bongi22]

then he met Tinker Bell, and she started running away from him and hiding behind a rock, he couldnt figure out what was wrong (he was wearing his Pirate Mickey ears) I told him to take his ears off, when he did she came back out and said, "I told them not to let any pirates in here, how did you get in!" He said "I'm not a pirate", she started walking up to him and sniffing him, she said "well you don't smell like codfish, Capt. Hook does you know!"

That was a great time you had with the Fairies... Very very nice...

This again is one of those reasons why you should always have the camera ready BEFORE you get up there... These two pictures aren't my favorites with Peter and Wendy, but they are memorable because Peter was doing the walk around and sniffing my daughter... ( I hate to admit it, but I had NO idea what was going on ).. then they explained the Codfish thing...

Your story reminded me of it. This was next to POTC, we had seen them there earlier and asked the handler when they would next be out... we were the only ones waiting when they came back so we were the entire line... which gave them a couple minutes to play around with her.

Later that day Hook and Smee were across the way and we were going in for some food at the court next to them... Gabrielle yelled "Codfish" and Hook turned to her and shook his fist... she yelled it again and he chased after her and the two of them were darting in and out of the tables while people were trying to eat... finally he gave up and went back to pictures... ( didn't have the camera ready )... after we ate we got on that line and Hook picked a flower and offered it to my daughter... then when she went to take it he put it in Smee's hair.... Smee later gave it to my daughter... I've got those pictures... I'll post later if anyone cares to see them... but it all goes to how much more fun you can have when the kids ( and yourself ) get into it and take part.

 

[madcat]

Bongi22 how fun for you and your daughter! I love when they get the chance to interact for a few extra seconds I remember when I was about 7 or 8 I was visiting Disneyland, well I have always loved Alice in Wonderland, I was wearing a shirt with the mad hatter on it, Alice walked up to me during one of the parades and brought the White Rabbit with her and said, Oh look we know him!

 

[aimeeg]

I make custom boutique clothing. My girls had really great interactions with several characters. They were wearing Alice outfits and Alice invited them back to ride the tea cups with her. Also, my oldest had on Belle's blue dress. She was picked to be in the "Bell" show and invited afterwards to have her pictures taken with Belle and the Beast's rose. Another day my dd was wearing June's costume and June flipped over it. The biggest reaction the girls got were from their Incredible dresses. Frozone thought they were so cool he invited the girls back to have pictures done with all the Incredibles. There were sometimes I thought characters would have made a big deal and they did not. I noticed that if you interact with the characters the experience is a lot more fun. We took the approach that if a character made a bigger "deal" it was great and we made sure the girls said thank you but we did not expect anything other than a hug, autograph and a picture.

 

[madcat]

aimeeg, it sounds like you got some great interaction! I would love to dress my sons up, but I don't think that they would see the humor in it one bit!

 

[aimeeg]

You have to love little girls!

The funniest thing that a character ever said was to my husband. We met Captain Jack and my DH had a backpack filled to the brim. There were wands sticking out the sides and he was holding the girls autograph books. Capt. Jack said to DH- Jeez man you have more loot than I do. My girls cracked up! They have such a good Daddy to carry everything for us.

 

[Bongi22]

Bongi22 how fun for you and your daughter! I love when they get the chance to interact for a few extra seconds I remember when I was about 7 or 8 I was visiting Disneyland, well I have always loved Alice in Wonderland, I was wearing a shirt with the mad hatter on it, Alice walked up to me during one of the parades and brought the White Rabbit with her and said, Oh look we know him!

Fortunately for me, these things happen to my daughter fairly often... I guess I've spent a lot of time making sure she is polite, which gets a bit of extra attention at times... I went to Disneyland when I was 3, so I don't remember a darn thing... I wish I had a memory like you had... but hearing about it makes me happier knowing that my daughter will have at least one or two of those encounters stick with her for white some time.

 

[Bongi22]

You have to love little girls!

The funniest thing that a character ever said was to my husband. We met Captain Jack and my DH had a backpack filled to the brim. There were wands sticking out the sides and he was holding the girls autograph books. Capt. Jack said to DH- Jeez man you have more loot than I do. My girls cracked up! They have such a good Daddy to carry everything for us.

You got me thinking about Captain Jack... that is a GREAT show for the things they say...

The first time my daughter got picked she was wearing the dress below. They picked a few kids and then Mack said "Captain... I think we should take this one too." Jack asked why and Mack said "because she has Pirate teeth" Then as Jack brought her over to the rest of the picked kids he muttered "I have that same dress back on the boat".

She has done some weapons training in martial arts, so when they were sparring with the swords she kind of caught him by surprise and chased him around, ( only hitting his sword though ) and Jack had to take her sword away.. but it got enough of the crowd laughing that they were able to play off it big time... when it was over I apologized to Mack and we got a picture, he said it was no problem at all and that it worked out perfectly.. he asked her to come back and do it again. We did a couple of times, but with different people... got picked each time.. so I asked a different Mack the next day how they knew to pick her, he told me that the other one said to look for the white guy with the big camera and the chinese wife and kid.. and to pick her because she REALLY sword fights... After he told me that, I decided not to bring her back to it, because other it meant she was taking up another kids spot.. but sure enough they played off the way she was doing it as if they were prepared for it. ( which of course they were ).

This Mack was the best I'd seen... he was absolutely hilarious and at one point Captain Jack noticed his mic coming from under his bandanna and tried to fix it... it didn't work and it slowly worked its way down his nose... he just stared at it for a minute and made a few jokes about knowing how a fish feels and things like that.. and while everyone and I mean EVERYONE laughed their butts off with his 2 minutes of improv on it, he said " Well at least when I get fired from Disney for this, I'll have gone out with a flourish" I'm hoping that he wasn't fired for having gone a bit out of character, because he was possibly the most memorable part of a show I've ever seen at Disney.

The show is a must see for anyone going, particularly with kids... just keep in mind that Captain Jack doesn't do autographs or photo's... ( Photo's only if your child is picked and even then you may not get a shot of them together unless you are quick ).

 

[cbilton]

Just wanted to add that during the dinner at CRT, the Fairy Godmother and the mice do not do photos or sign autograph books!

 

[madcat]

Fortunately for me, these things happen to my daughter fairly often... I guess I've spent a lot of time making sure she is polite, which gets a bit of extra attention at times... I went to Disneyland when I was 3, so I don't remember a darn thing... I wish I had a memory like you had... but hearing about it makes me happier knowing that my daughter will have at least one or two of those encounters stick with her for white some time.

Oh yes I remeber it quite well (and I am in my 30's now) my mother has always been a photo taker too so the pictures are still floating around in her house some place. You are very right about good manners, my sons have to mind their manners as well, and it does seem to get noticed.

 

[JerseyMamaBear]

Here is the big one that always puts me in a bad mood,,,Please do not cut in line, hold the line for 15 others and dont be afraid to kindly point that out to someone who knowingly cuts in front of you. Accidents happen, and people sometimes get caught up in the moment and may step in front of you, thats okay. It happens and I understand that. It's when people are rude and knowingly cut in front of you that tends to ruin it for others. Have a wonderful trip and post some of your photos.

 

[spider0215]

Adult going solo, is it silly or wrong to stand in line for an autograph and photo without children?

 

[anonymousegirl]

Adult going solo, is it silly or wrong to stand in line for an autograph and photo without children?

I often go solo and I will get my photo taken (I don't do autographs). I don't chat too much if others are waiting, but will if there's time.

Last July I ran into Lady Tremaine (Cinderella's Stepmom) in Fantasyland early one morning. When I asked my friend to take a photo, she indicated to her handler that he should do it and said that I really needed to learn how to manage my servants. I told her my DH was at home earning the money so I could come here without him and she said "well done" and gave me the approving eyebrow arch (which is not so different from her disapproving eyebrow arch)

When I met Belle and Beast at MVMCP I told Beast he made me look thin and pretty

A quick hello and "loved your movie" is fine.