Character meet and greets

[kjpotter]

Who/where is the "worst" place to meet the characters? Is there a certain area or a certain character that has a longer line than everyone else?

I'm trying to figure out what to avoid if at all possible.

 

[ses1230]

The fairies definitely have the longest wait.

 

[Susan2771]

For us it was the Fairies. The sign said 40 minutes, but we were actually waiting double that time. Brutal

 

[LisaInNc]

If you want to see the Fairies you really need to be at the rope drop for Tunetown.

Any "face" character will take longer. What I mean by that is the costumes animals like Pooh and Mickey that can't talk go faster, you hug them, get an autograph and take a picture and move along. With the people like the Princesses and Mary Poppins they tend to engage you a little and that takes longer. It's always fin to ask them questions and hear them answer in character. One interaction we had with Peter Pan and Wendy, my DD ernestly asked them how she could stop growing. That is something I constantly complain about, she is growing up WAY too fast. Their respeonse was something we often quote to each other.

When my DD was little the waits for characters took longer than any ride we ever waited for.

Lisa

 

[mdb78]

We were at MK this past Saturday and when we got to Toontown, the fairy and princess lines both said 40 minutes. We took the princess line since dd and her cousin are more familiar with them and we seemed to be moving while the fairy line just stood frozen.

 

[PeterPan]

The worst line is normally the line for the fairies. First thing when Toontown opens or late at night are the best times if you decide you really want to meet them. The Princess line can also get pretty long but not as bad as the Fairies. Another line that can get really long is the Character Spot in Epcot. Finally, the greeting trails in AK can get pretty bad; however, how bad varies throughout the day... normally they are worst right after a Festival of the Lion King show gets out. If you get there in the middle of a show normally it isn't so bad.

 

[asianway]

Fairies are tough and if you want all 6 of them, you would need to wait through the line 3 times minimum. And you would have to be very lucky. Totally unscientific, but recently on weekends Fawn has been there in the mornings, Iridessa in the afternoons.

And never go during a Halloween Party, the line is shorter, but Tink is the only one there.

 

[kjpotter]

How are the lines for Princesses at non-Toontown locations? I'm thinking of Ariel and Tiana. Since they are off by themselves, are the lines shorter or longer than the toontown lines?

 

[mickeysgirl17]

The line to meet Ariel and Eric at the Adventureland Verandah was pretty bad last week.

 

[FigmentChick]

I would love to meet both Ariel & Eric!!! How cool! Anyhow...back on to topic.....

The fairies were a nightmare. We got there at rope drop and it was still 90 minutes wait (I kid you not), but I think the worst was waiting for Pooh & Tigger across from the ride in Fantasyland. It was hot, very little shade, and not a whole lot for a toddler to look at while waiting.

Just MHO.

 

[kjpotter]

How bad is "pretty bad"?

 

[scrappinannie]

The worst line is normally the line for the fairies. First thing when Toontown opens or late at night are the best times if you decide you really want to meet them. The Princess line can also get pretty long but not as bad as the Fairies. Another line that can get really long is the Character Spot in Epcot. Finally, the greeting trails in AK can get pretty bad; however, how bad varies throughout the day... normally they are worst right after a Festival of the Lion King show gets out. If you get there in the middle of a show normally it isn't so bad.

We just saw both the fairies and the princesses last week on Monday. Tried to get there at rope drop but just didn't quite make it. The line for the fairies said 45 minutes at 10:30. We got in line & were just outside the area where the sign and the tv are. We did have to wait, but it wasn't 45 minutes. Maybe 30 tops. They only take a handful of guests at a time so that certainly contributes to the slow moving line. We saw Tink, Fawn & Terrence & all 3 were great with DD3. It was a neat experience for her. After the fairies, we turned around & got in line for the princesses and waited maybe 15-20 minutes. That line flew.

While at AK, we only did the line for Pooh, Tigger, & Eeoyre. It was right before the parade and there was no line at all. Walked right up to the characters and was out in time to see the parade. I believe the location was right outside Dinoland USA.

Epcot"s Character Spot was probably the longest wait we had for characters. Not really sure how long we waited. It wasn't an hour but I bet we did spend an hour there total, including standing in line and then actually meeting the characters. But, that being said, it was air conditioned in there sonwe didn't mind! Plus, at the end, we waited just off to the side by the doors while DH got the stroller and got a surprise visit with Belle. She was coming out of the back of the character greeting area in her blue dress and there was only one other family there. When DD saw her she was so excited she RAN down the hall right into Belle's arms. So priceless.

As for meeting characters elsewhere in the parks, you have to time it just right. While the main map and show times guide for a particular park will tell you when and where the characters are meeting, you have to be really careful to get in line before they cut it off. Tiana & Navine, Jasemine & Alladin, (MK) & Lilo & Stich (AK) were all out for a good chunk of the day, but they were only out for an hour at a time, followed by a good 20-30 minute break before starting up again. If you happen to arrive near the end of that hour, you may not be allowed to get in line. The CMs will rope off the line after a certain amount of time and you may be SOL.

And in Epcot, it's even trickier. We saw the Beast in France and Snow White in Germany only because I read the DIS. Not even kidding! Had I not known they made appearance in those countries, we would have missed them completely. They were kind of in off the main path areas and often times the only way you knew they were coming was the presence of a photopass photographer and maybe a handful of people kind of forming a line. There's not really a specific mention of what character will be appearing, a sign just says "Character Greetings" with the times listed as "itermittently" from 11-5 or whatever.

You just never know who or what you're gonna find! lol

 

[ajcolorado]

The fairies definitely have the longest wait.

This article gives some good advice for seeing the fairies: http://www.buildabettermousetrip.com/disney-characters-tinkerbell.php

Lines used to get really long for the Power Rangers; they're leaving in August (I think). The Toy Story characters always seem mobbed at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

 

[serene56]

I could handle a 45 minute wait for the fairies==

but I have not ever heard the time posted is more then 45 minutes.

(even on tourplans.com the app for time--- it never goes higher then 45 minutes.)

Has anyone see the time posted higher then 45 minutes?

 

[Sabbie]

It goes higher, yes. I've seen it, 60 and even 75 high! Be warned, in the summer, yes it will hit 90+.

 

[deerhart]

I could handle a 45 minute wait for the fairies==

but I have not ever heard the time posted is more then 45 minutes.

(even on tourplans.com the app for time--- it never goes higher then 45 minutes.)

Has anyone see the time posted higher then 45 minutes?

saw it easily 60-70 minutes last august. Ariel also averaged a 70 minute wait. In fact the lowest I ever saw her's was 50 minutes.

 

[Princess Pudding Pop]

We went to see the fairies when pixie hollow just opened that was probably the longest wait ever it was 2 hours. Everyone just sat down and scooted along the carpet lol

This time around we went at night just before they close pixie hollow down it said 45 min wait but it only took 1/2hr. We moved just as slowly as the princess line.

 

[Lisha1979]

We tried to see the faries last Thursday (5-20) around 11am and the line was 90 mins. The CM at the beginning of the line said that was the lowest it had been that day. Needless to say we changed our minds and walked out b/c 90 mins is a long time with a 4 year old =)

 

[queenof3]

Yes, we saw the Fairies line at 90 minutes last August. Also, this is probably not the case with all of the construction happening now but on that same trip there were a bunch of "different" characters way in the corner of Toontown like way to the side of Mickey's house. There were barely any waits cause no one knew they were there. You might want to ask cast members if they are doing it anywhere else now.

 

[stitchfriend]

The line for the fairies gets pretty long of a wait. We waited 70 minutes for the faires back in Nov 08. My DD11 at that time wanted to see Tink. My DH waited with her while I took my DS8 on SM twice, Tommorrow Land Speedway, and Buzz twice before they finished. My DD said it was worth every minute.