Character Meet and Greets - Tips? Advice?

[ChiasMom]

For our next trip to WDW, I'm faced with planning for something I've never had to think about before - character meet and greets. I remember doing this during my first trip to Disney when I was 8 years old, going up to random characters with my autograph book and taking pictures, but that was the early 90's, and things have changed. Now, we're heading down in late November with my 4-year-old daughter and I think she's more interested in meeting characters than anything else. I'm going to make an effort to book plenty of character dining (Akershus princesses, Tusker House for Donald and the gang, possibly Crystal Palace for Pooh and friends) and am including things like Epcot character spot, Ariel's Grotto, etc. in my plans.

Are there any other things I need to consider, especially for those characters who don't have a dining event or specified building in which to go meet them? How long does it take to get to them (i.e. how much time do I need to allow in my touring plan)? How do I know where they are and when?

All responses appreciated

 

[ErinsMommy]

I find this super helpful when looking for a character. Also the pamphlet you can get at the parks also has times listed. I would get online about half an hour prior to scheduled time as they do stay on schedule and I've seen the CM stop the line when it gets too long. https://www.wdwhints.com/2015/10/kennys-the-pirates-disney-character-locator-app/

 

[maranara]

We just got back from a week at Disney and my daughter was ALL about the characters. To the point that one of our MK days she told us that she didn't want to go on any rides - she JUST wanted to meet characters. We joked before our trip that we were going to wait in every character line Disney had to offer, and that was just about right. In 6 days we met 53 different characters (and that doesn't include characters we met multiple times). I HIGHLY recommend subscribing to Kenny the Pirate's character locator. It was inexpensive and SO helpful. It was also helpful to figure out which characters were in each park to sort of decide who to try and meet each day. Some of the lines were quick...others we waited 30-40 minutes in. Also, be sure to look at the hours for each character. Some are all day, some are very specific times.

 

[Jfsag123]

My biggest tip for your first character-centric trip is to adjust your expectations and attitude. You are going to get way less done than before. My kids are character obsessed and show no signs of growing out of it - it's their favorite part of the trip! I have had many moments of frustration in the past lamenting all we were missing to stand in line to meet characters. Then I remind myself that my kids will only be young for a very little while in the grand scheme of things, while we have the rest of our lives to ride rides. That helped me a lot when we were spending an hour of prime time in the morning waiting for Joy and Sadness...or showing up 45 minutes early to be the first to meet Belle...or waiting an hour and a half to meet Naveen on his last night in MK...

I second the suggestion of Kenny the Pirate's app, as it's saved us so much time over the years, but character meeting is still a time suck regardless of how efficiently you do it.

 

[ktlm]

From the ages of about 2 to 7, the characters were more important to my DD than anything else in the parks. (At age 10, she still loves them- but since she has pretty much met them all multiple times, she does not absolutely have to meet each and every one at every location every trip now). I recall one MK day where we went from character to character almost the entire day and maybe rode 2 rides. She still calls that the best day ever (DH and I would differ). Also-- at that age, even if my DD had just been to CRT and had seen Cinderella- if we passed her meet and greet in the park (or really just after the first time when DD knew she also met in another location at MK) DD wanted to see her again. If they were the favorites- she would want to see them again at any location. Also, if they dressed different, then she would want to see them at all such locations. For example, at MK, Minnie is now in pink, Epcot- traditional, AK- Safari. All were necessary.

As the PPs have said, Kenny the Pirate is wonderful. His app and his recommendations have saved us a ton of time. You want to do some research into which characters are the most popular and plan accordingly. For example, there are a ton of characters around WS in EPCOT--- which is one of the reasons that EPCOT was DD's favorite park other than MK when she was a preschooler (still is today). For those characters, you want to know their times and plan a path where you get to the area and get in line 10 to 15 minutes before the character comes out--- especially for Belle, Jasmine/Aladdin, and Mulan. (And don't think that Akershus will get you out of Belle, because she wears her Gold dress in Akershus and her blue dress outside). Those 3 lines particularly, often get cut off right after the character steps out (and occasionally even before). The minute the character comes out and people see them in WS the line builds extremely fast. Really for most characters that have intermittent meet and greets in any park, your best bet is to get there at least 5 minutes and preferably 10 before they come out- that avoids the immediate long line build up. For Joy and Sadness in EPCOT, you want to head there immediately at Rope Drop because that line builds to 45 minutes to an hour within the first 30 minutes of park time and stays there (and don't be swayed by that cute Baymax if he is still there, his line does not build up as fast- see Joy and Sadness first). I don't know if you have a night owl kid (I do), but if you do extra evening hours at Epcot and wait about 20 minutes in to let the Joy and Sadness line dissipate, the line is much shorter than during the day after it builds up.

MDE also now has character times and locations and it can be useful during your day, but we found that Kenny was often more accurate.

For us, we had to do game plans to meet all the characters, and that was the most important part of DD's day those years. I would say at the very least, know who your DD's absolute favorite can't miss characters are, and do some research and come up with a plan for those. If you want to post who the most important are, I may have some ideas for you.

You mentioned Ariel's Grotto and the Character Connection. Ariel's Grotto- you can find low line times throughout the day if you keep an eye on it- I don't think we have ever waited more than 10 minutes for her. If you go in the first hour, you probably won't wait more than 5. We typically go straight to Peter Pan (have FP for 7DMT some point in the day -or we would go to 7DMT first then Pan if the line wasn't bad yet), then Pooh, then go see Ariel- and we often walk in. We have also waited to see Ariel until night time and walked right in. For the character Connection at Epcot, it isn't as bad as it used to be. It used to be an hour most times when we were there and now we often find it at 20 to 30 minutes which isn't bad for multiple characters. If you are heading straight to Joy and Sadness, then hit Baymax, then go to the Character Connection and the line may still be 15 minutes or under by the time you get there. If Joy and Sadness aren't of interest, if you go to the character connection in the first half hour at EPCOT, the wait typically isn't bad. Of course, all that depends on whether you have a FP for the Frozen ride, how many days at EPCOT, if you used your TIER1 on Frozen and are trying to rush to Soarin or Test Track at rope drop etc. It is all about priorities with those annoying Tiers and that annoying FP+!

I will say though it involved a lot of lines, a lot of waiting, and a lot of time- those pre-school character interactions are probably our most precious times at WDW and our best memories.

 

[maranara]

My biggest tip for your first character-centric trip is to adjust your expectations and attitude. You are going to get way less done than before.

That's probably the best piece of advice. We came home and people kept asking us if we had done certain rides/shows/etc and I couldn't believe how much we missed. But then I thought about how much of our trip was spent in character lines and it made so much more sense. We just embraced the fact that our DD is 7 and this was what she really wanted to do. And were thankful that we bought the autograph book with lots of pages (the plain autograph book, not the one for autographs and pictures!). Rope Drop also helped us. We went straight to Joy & Sadness at Epcot and were able to meet them and Baymax and still get to Soarin before a line had built up. Same with the princesses in MK - was in Cinderella's line right around 9 which worked out great.

 

[Klayfish]

Yes, our kids like character meet and greets too, especially DD9. They take a lot of time, usually, but in the eyes of my kids it's worth every second...so it's worth every second to me.

Lines can vary wildly. Joy and Sadness can be a very long wait, an hour or more. They have no FP+. Some characters are very short...we saw Max Goof in HS last summer and he was pretty much looking for people to take pictures with...no line whatsoever.

 

[SureAsLiz]

My biggest tip for your first character-centric trip is to adjust your expectations and attitude. You are going to get way less done than before.

This is a matter of perspective - you will get different things done, not necessarily less.
On a line-item basis, I find I am able to get more done on character days, and still have time for attractions.

Remember that, while your daughter seems interested in characters now, that could change very quickly once she's there and actually has to interact. If she ends up not wanting to actually meet anyone, check out the parades/shows - this allows her to see everyone without having to talk to them.

Check out Kenny's character list - his subscription service will have every schedule, and plan to arrive before the characters for your best shot at a short wait. He's also got interaction tips on there if you're interested (though I'm personally not a fan of some of the ideas), but characters know what they are doing and can guide interactions pretty well. He also has info about line waits that are very helpful.


Before heading in, I would create a list of priority characters and plan the day around them. If someone has limited sets, get them in early. Decide if you want to meet Mickey in all his outfits, or just one and which one.

One thing to consider with a 4 year old is nap time. Most of the outdoor meets end before dinner, so you will want to get those done early. Save princesses who meet from open to close for after she naps. This also leaves the evenings open for attractions/nighttime entertainment.

 

[blemon]

How is the Kenny the Pirate app ahead of time?
Like I'm trying to plan for May 7 -- Merida, Fairy Godmother and Peter Pan. It's a Saturday.
If I buy the app right now will it help me to plan my day in Touring Plans?

We missed so many characters on our last trip (her first) because we just didn't know about them.
So these are the ones she really wants to see.

 

[Jfsag123]

This is a matter of perspective - you will get different things done, not necessarily less.
On a line-item basis, I find I am able to get more done on character days, and still have time for attractions.

For us this is not a matter of perspective, it is a fact. We tour pretty efficiently when it comes to rides, and have never spent more than 15-20 minutes waiting, most times a lot less than that. We have spent more than 20 minutes waiting for a character many times. For us, on a line-item basis we absolutely get more done on days when we don't meet characters. However, what is a matter of perspective for us is how we perceive what we're getting done, which was my point. While we may have been able to ride 3 things in the time it has taken us to meet one character, the time is worth it for the experience and the memories, which tend to be our best from each trip.

Great point about being mindful of meets tending to stop before evening! I forgot about that one, but it's definitely important to remember if you're trying to meet a bunch outside of the main princesses and fab 5.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

That's probably the best piece of advice. We came home and people kept asking us if we had done certain rides/shows/etc and I couldn't believe how much we missed. But then I thought about how much of our trip was spent in character lines and it made so much more sense. We just embraced the fact that our DD is 7 and this was what she really wanted to do. And were thankful that we bought the autograph book with lots of pages (the plain autograph book, not the one for autographs and pictures!). Rope Drop also helped us. We went straight to Joy & Sadness at Epcot and were able to meet them and Baymax and still get to Soarin before a line had built up. Same with the princesses in MK - was in Cinderella's line right around 9 which worked out great.

We started going to WDW when our kids were toddlers (now they're in their late teens). None of us rode Space Splash, or BTMRR until the third time we went. It was all about the characters and the nice easy stuff. Once I got my mind around making it all about the kids, then I was cool with everything

 

[mickeymom22]

I am not sure if this still takes place or not...but just in case...In the Animation building in Hollywood Studios during the day some of the characters that are in Fantasmic will have meet and greets. It is a great place to meet characters because you get to stand in line in the air conditioning! We have met so many characters in there...from the Queen of Hearts to Frozone.

Another great place to meet Chip and Dale is at Fort Wilderness campground. There is a campfire and singing! Super fun!

 

[SureAsLiz]

I am not sure if this still takes place or not...but just in case...In the Animation building in Hollywood Studios during the day some of the characters that are in Fantasmic will have meet and greets. It is a great place to meet characters because you get to stand in line in the air conditioning! We have met so many characters in there...from the Queen of Hearts to Frozone.

This ended several years ago. The animation building has been converted into Star Wars Launch Bay now houses meets with Kylo Ren and Chewbacca

 

[ktlm]

How is the Kenny the Pirate app ahead of time?
Like I'm trying to plan for May 7 -- Merida, Fairy Godmother and Peter Pan. It's a Saturday.
If I buy the app right now will it help me to plan my day in Touring Plans?

We missed so many characters on our last trip (her first) because we just didn't know about them.
So these are the ones she really wants to see.

In our 9 years of experience with a character fanatic child, on the whole I would say that it would definitely help you at this point. There are meets and even schedules that are the same now as when DD was a toddler. You just need to keep an eye on things. Some characters get cut from meet and greets entirely, some get moved around and changed, some have their times altered somewhat or slightly, but many stay consistent for a long period of time- or at least pretty close to consistent.

Your specific characters however, are ones that you really will need to watch. May 7, is before summer, so I would think most big changes would probably be a week or two after that and closer to Memorial Day, but you just never know. Peter Pan is usually one of DD's must meets. He has moved around a lot--- his times have changed a lot too. I do think that he is pretty stable right now since after the Peter Pan ride update, there is a spot right near the ride that they even have a line with ropes set up for him. So, my guess is that he probably will stay in that spot and his schedule will probably stay pretty close to his schedule now- unless something happens. He has never been the most reliable meet for us-- sometimes he doesn't show or doesn't show when the schedules state he will. We have even had CMs call for us to get exact times from City Hall when he has not been there when we thought he would and they have given us times to return and still no Pan- or we have already missed him. He just seems to fly around at will Merida has been in a consistent location for quite a while-- I think her hours were cut back at one point- but her schedule and location have generally been very consistent. Again- things can always change, but I would bet her schedule will be close to the same as it is now. The Fairy Godmother is kind of the wild card- Cinderella has not received a whole lot of love lately and we are always in fear that the Fairy Godmother will disappear (Cinderella is DD's favorite and we love all the characters from it and see them multiple times in a trip and we love her!) . For several years, she has pretty consistently met behind the castle, alternating with the Stepsisters and Lady Tremaine (who has been cut). This last year, they have all sometimes been meeting at the Fantasyland wall and sometimes at the castle-- still typically alternating-- but their times aren't always exactly the same as they have been in years past. So-- I would say that she still be on the exact same schedule as now by your trip- but I would definitely keep a close eye on her location and schedule.

Fairy Godmother is easy to meet. If you get there 5 minutes before she is scheduled to come out, you will probably be one of the first 3 or 4 in line. Peter Pan can get a line going pretty quick and his line can get cut off fast, but get there 10 minutes before he comes out for a set and you should be fine- you won't be at the front of the line, but you should be in the line before cut off and it shouldn't be horribly bad. Merida's line can get long fast and stay really long. Kenny the Pirate probably has some good tips for her. It seems like her line can be really long consistently- she is not one of DD's favorites and she is one of the harder/longer ones to see- so we have skipped her the last couple trips.

 

[JETSDAD]

My family loves meeting characters. If given a choice of a ride or a M&G my DD(11) will still take the M&G unless it is one of a few rides (such as RR). Kenny's is a must have IMO. Also keep your eyes open for random characters in the parks. There is a forum on Kenny's where people will post character sightings outside of the scheduled ones. Thankfully my daughter is content with just seeing a given character once so we have a good balance of time spent between rides and M&G's.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

I don't know if characterpalooza still happens (near ToT), but that is/was a good way to see a bunch of characters at once

 

[blemon]

ktlm thank you!

 

[ChiasMom]

WOW, thank you to EVERYONE for the great tips and overall Disney Parent wisdom! I am slowly coming around to accepting the fact that we'll need to skip some old favorite rides this time, but I'm doing so with the knowledge that there's always next time... and the time after that.... and after that...etc.

I subscribed to Kenny the Pirate's character locator and already feel loads better about incorporating characters into our plans.

 

[BJ7644]

Lots of great advice on here. The only thing I can add that I didn't see mentioned is to be mindful of the weather. Some of the outdoor characters won't meet in the rain.

Even though it can include a lot of backtracking, I would focus on any essential outdoor characters first.

I learned the hard way with Belle at Epcot. Of course it was the one thing my DD wanted to do that day. Luckily the rain stopped before her last set of the day, but I watched no less than 20 little girls walk away crying while I held a place in line for an hour in the rain. That's in addition to the 30 minutes in line before the rain. And by the time she came out her line was cut off, lots of disappointment. But it was a highlight of the trip for DD so worth it, I guess!!

 

[Kerriowl]

If Peter Pan is a must and it is in your budget you might look into the Pirate and Pals fireworks voyage. It leaves from the Contemporary and is a cruise to watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks. You get to meet Hook and Smee before the voyage and Peter Pan meets your boat when you dock. It is definitely pricey, but it was my favorite part of our trip last time we went.