Character meet and greets

[DisneyDillyDally]

Can anyone let me know what character meets are like? Wondering if these are back to pre-Covid normal?

 

[mom2rtk]

They are still distanced. And as of this moment, indoor ones require you wear a mask.

 

[TexanInTheMidwest]

I popped into a couple this past week and spotted a few- they are all distanced. Here's what I saw

Epcot:

I saw Mickey in the Pixar building at Epcot - it was distanced with a photographer there (It was a 2 minute wait time - who can resist Mickey with a 2 minute wait).

Joy and Vanelope are in the Imagination building with a formal que and photographer. There is a little gateway blocking kids from getting too close.

Pooh bear was outside the Imagination area - selfies only.

I saw Minnie at Epcot in a Gazebo near Mexico. No photographer.

I saw Donald at Epcot on the side of the pyramid. There was a formal que and a photographer.

I saw a que in Norway for Anna/Elsa but didn't investigate. But there was a line where in times past there was no line just a chance to walk up for a distanced photo.

Snow White is set up near the wishing well in Germany but she wasn't out when I went by

Jasmine is on a stage near Morocco - no formal que just an encouragement by her to take a photo

Belle and Aurora Rotate out along the World Showcase side of the path in France. No line, just an op for photos.

Magic Kingdom

I went and saw Rapunzel and Tiana. There was a formal que with lightening lane available. And there was a handler but no photographer. The handler offered to take a photo with my phone but I just took selfies. (I was surprised there was no photographer)

I did not go into the que with Cinderella (can't remember who is with Cindy) to see if they have a photographer or not. But it is a formal line with lightening lane available.

I saw Belle early in the morning (as in pre-park opening time frame) out by her Enchanted Tales area - she was SO far away that it was hard to even see her IMHO plus she was in her coat as it was cold - but there was a handler encouraging people to take selfies.

Hollywood Studios:

There was an Olaf opportunity as well as Minnie in Red Carpet Dreams - both were formal lines with lightening lane available. I don't know about a photographer but assuming so. Rae and Chewie were in Galaxy's Edge but this time over near Rise of the Resistance . Storm Troopers were out as well.

Animal Kingdom:

Kevin has a formal line and is located by the bathrooms right before you go over the bridge to Dinoland. I don't recall a photographer or not.

 

[MsVanderquack]

Thanks for the detailed info, TexanInTheMidwest. It's super helpful for my family with character-loving kiddos!

 

[DisneyDillyDally]

I popped into a couple this past week and spotted a few- they are all distanced. Here's what I saw

Epcot:

I saw Mickey in the Pixar building at Epcot - it was distanced with a photographer there (It was a 2 minute wait time - who can resist Mickey with a 2 minute wait).

Joy and Vanelope are in the Imagination building with a formal que and photographer. There is a little gateway blocking kids from getting too close.

Pooh bear was outside the Imagination area - selfies only.

I saw Minnie at Epcot in a Gazebo near Mexico. No photographer.

I saw Donald at Epcot on the side of the pyramid. There was a formal que and a photographer.

I saw a que in Norway for Anna/Elsa but didn't investigate. But there was a line where in times past there was no line just a chance to walk up for a distanced photo.

Snow White is set up near the wishing well in Germany but she wasn't out when I went by

Jasmine is on a stage near Morocco - no formal que just an encouragement by her to take a photo

Belle and Aurora Rotate out along the World Showcase side of the path in France. No line, just an op for photos.

Magic Kingdom

I went and saw Rapunzel and Tiana. There was a formal que with lightening lane available. And there was a handler but no photographer. The handler offered to take a photo with my phone but I just took selfies. (I was surprised there was no photographer)

I did not go into the que with Cinderella (can't remember who is with Cindy) to see if they have a photographer or not. But it is a formal line with lightening lane available.

I saw Belle early in the morning (as in pre-park opening time frame) out by her Enchanted Tales area - she was SO far away that it was hard to even see her IMHO plus she was in her coat as it was cold - but there was a handler encouraging people to take selfies.

Hollywood Studios:

There was an Olaf opportunity as well as Minnie in Red Carpet Dreams - both were formal lines with lightening lane available. I don't know about a photographer but assuming so. Rae and Chewie were in Galaxy's Edge but this time over near Rise of the Resistance . Storm Troopers were out as well.

Animal Kingdom:

Kevin has a formal line and is located by the bathrooms right before you go over the bridge to Dinoland. I don't recall a photographer or not.

Thank you!

 

[Turksmom]

I watched a new Paging Mr. Morrow video where he did the Olaf sighting. No photographer. The automatic camera box was there, but not working.

 

[Sea of Progress]

With the updated masking policy starting this week, how long do you think it will be before Meet & Greets are no longer distant? I imagine there may be some contract/union issues. Or do you think they won't even consider this until the younger population can get vaccinated? We have a trip end of March and I would love to see my (vaccinated) kindergartener get to hug Mickey!!!

 

[mom2rtk]

With the updated masking policy starting this week, how long do you think it will be before Meet & Greets are no longer distant? I imagine there may be some contract/union issues. Or do you think they won't even consider this until the younger population can get vaccinated? We have a trip end of March and I would love to see my (vaccinated) kindergartener get to hug Mickey!!!

Baby steps. At this point I have to assume it just means you can finally get a maskless but still distanced photo with Mickey.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

I don't believe they have ended the requirement for cast members to mask, until then you should probably expect distanced meets and no hugging, especially indoors.

 

[HopperFan]

I don't believe they have ended the requirement for cast members to mask, until then you should probably expect distanced meets and no hugging, especially indoors.

Forbes a few hours ago ~

"Cast Members at Walt Disney World who are verified as fully vaccinated will be able to follow a new masks optional policy for indoor and outdoor locations."

 

[HopperFan]

Forbes a few hours ago ~

"Cast Members at Walt Disney World who are verified as fully vaccinated will be able to follow a new masks optional policy for indoor and outdoor locations."

But I am not implying that Meet & Greets, especially indoors will be up close. I imagine the distancing will continue if nothing else it reduces the limited number of "friends of characters" being out sick and causing a staffing issue.

Also we have to remember that ages 2-5 will have to be masked inside (unable to be vaccinated) and I imagine at character meets this will be fully enforced, especially if the character is not masked.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

But I am not implying that Meet & Greets, especially indoors will be up close. I imagine the distancing will continue if nothing else it reduces the limited number of "friends of characters" being out sick and causing a staffing issue.

Also we have to remember that ages 2-5 will have to be masked inside (unable to be vaccinated) and I imagine at character meets this will be fully enforced, especially if the character is not masked.

it won’t be enforced and it’s not up to cast members to ask the age of your children no one is policing the adults either.

 

[1lilspark]

The distance is 100% a union thing….
Would be nice to get photopass in fairytale hall and town square….

 

[MakiraMarlena]

since little kids can't be vaccinated, they could enforce based on the ages of the kids, but not sure they want to put the CMs through that --- therefore the distancing will probably continue.

 

[mom2rtk]

The distance is 100% a union thing….
Would be nice to get photopass in fairytale hall and town square….

That's nothing to do with Covid protocols. We got a Photopass picture with Mickey at Epcot more than a month ago. Very disappointing they didn't do the same at Town Square where Mickey was in his 50th attire. They did so little for the 50th. Would it have killed them to start there?

 

[Kerr84]

it won’t be enforced and it’s not up to cast members to ask the age of your children no one is policing the adults either.

I agree that it won't be enforced. It wasn't enforced last year when the rules were the same. There is a reason they said "expected" indoors and "required" on buses.

 

[1lilspark]

That's nothing to do with Covid protocols. We got a Photopass picture with Mickey at Epcot more than a month ago. Very disappointing they didn't do the same at Town Square where Mickey was in his 50th attire. They did so little for the 50th. Would it have killed them to start there?

Oh I know they are doing photopass at all the “structured” epcot sightings except Anna and Elsa (aka Mickey, Donald, joy, vanelope) I was wondering if there is a reason it’s ONLY those four cause you’d think especially with adding genie+ to 50th Mickey, fairytale hall and Olaf they would at least have boxed photopass

 

[mom2rtk]

Oh I know they are doing photopass at all the “structured” epcot sightings except Anna and Elsa (aka Mickey, Donald, joy, vanelope) I was wondering if there is a reason it’s ONLY those four cause you’d think especially with adding genie+ to 50th Mickey, fairytale hall and Olaf they would at least have boxed photopass

I think I can kind of see why no "Photopass in a box" yet at the structured spots. Lighting is terrible for the people standing behind the rope. And it could be harder to get people in the shot and properly lit. Of course, they should add it and fix the lighting, but sadly it seems to be a low priority.

 

[rangerxenos]

I popped into a couple this past week and spotted a few- they are all distanced. Here's what I saw

Animal Kingdom:

Kevin has a formal line and is located by the bathrooms right before you go over the bridge to Dinoland. I don't recall a photographer or not.

So happy about having a formal line for Kevin, in past trips I was almost never able to find her.

 

[ejgonz2]

I’m not seeing anything online and I’m assuming she’s not back but has anyone seen Merida in her spot in MK?