Character meets, is this rude?

[Mom2Stitch]

I'll never forget at Tusker House one year, a very large group was seated near us in one of the back rooms. I think they must have had 10 kids, every one of them had books. When Goofy realized how many there were he plopped onto the floor and started signing, the kids were all laughing and running around having a blast that he was on the floor and goofing off (pun intended)-it was so much fun just to watch those kids smile and have fun. That is what WDW is all about and phooey on anyone who tries to say differently. Get your pics, get those autographs and have fun!

 

[cavepig]

I've seen plenty of families where all the kids get something signed, a group photo, and then individuals I think they kind of expect it.

 

[cmwade77]

I'll never forget at Tusker House one year, a very large group was seated near us in one of the back rooms. I think they must have had 10 kids, every one of them had books. When Goofy realized how many there were he plopped onto the floor and started signing, the kids were all laughing and running around having a blast that he was on the floor and goofing off (pun intended)-it was so much fun just to watch those kids smile and have fun. That is what WDW is all about and phooey on anyone who tries to say differently. Get your pics, get those autographs and have fun!

Exactly, I love seeing when stuff like this happens, not autographs, but a couple of favorites that have happened for me were:

• One time when leaving Disneyland on a very slow day, Pluto was playing duck, duck, goose with a group of guests.
• Another day, which was much busier, we had my family in town and waiting for the 50th fireworks. My sisters had to use the restroom, unfortunately we were in the hub and access to most of the restrooms was difficult or the restrooms were already closed for the fireworks (yes they had to close several of the restrooms for that show), so we went into First Aid, because I knew they had a restroom and would allow her to use it. While waiting for them to come out, Cruella comes in because apparently a kid that ended up in First Aid was so upset that she wasn't going to get to meet her, well she got to meet her, but Cruella also met with everyone else that was in First Aid at the time as well, including my sisters and me. There are other photos, but I like this one because it has nurse Minnie in the background with Cruella. The point here is she came in for one girl in particular, but still took the time to meet everyone, so don't ever feel that you taking extra time (aside from not being prepared) is taking time away from others with the characters.

 

[Deadp00l]

Let's just say if I was behind your group, I wouldn't mind one bit at all. Why? Because as a former kid (lol), I understand how important and awesome it is to have your own stuff and not have to share it with your siblings!

 

[Tink1987]

If people are going to complain at kids getting autographs and photos with characters then they are in completely the wrong place. Pay zero attention to them.

 

[BLLB]

On NYE in Epcot last year ( around 3 in the afternoon), we were in a short line waiting for a PhotoPass picture. The people that were getting their picture taken, we were next in line, were guests from outside the US (or non-English speaking or ESL). So it took slightly longer.

The younger couple behind us, loudly complained the entire time. It was awful. My DSs, who are teenagers, were so embarrassed by the couples’ behavior.

All to say, some people are horribly rude. It wouldn’t matter if you had a magnificent plan and books were at the ready, they would still complain. I think what you are doing is fantastic, not rude.

Have a great vacation!

 

[jimim]

Please be honest, no hard feelings.

We have a trip with 4 kids (7,5,5, and 13 months). When we meet characters I would like them each to have a signature (not positive what we are signing yet).

We are fine with one group picture for all the kids and maybe one with the adults and kids.

Is this asking to much? I do not plan on doing individual pictures or even small groups of siblings (2 kids and 2 kids), but it is important to me they each get their own autograph (book, pillow whatever we decide). I just don’t want to seem like I’m taking to much time.

My daughter is obsessed with all her autographs from prior trips so I really want her to be able to have her own and not need to share with her sister or cousins.

just like mom2 said. have a plan. no big deal. we always have my 2 kids plus usually 2 other kids based on who we are traveling with usually. i already know i won't be in any pics to save time. i go next to the photo pass person. usually to the left of them cause they like u on their left i have learned. i snap away as each kid gets a signature. we send all 4 up so we get some shots of all of them interacting. i then ask nicely if i can get 1 pic with each kid. then i throw em all in. i just keep it moving so we don't hold anyone up. i usually tell the photo pass person they can take a break if they want that it's no big deal if they don't shoot. sometimes they do sometimes they don't. no big deal. it has never been an issue. no one ever said anything to me. i just do the same exact thing overtime so the kids know the routine. lol

 

[bumbershoot]

We also did not spend a ton of time on "Look at the camera! Look over here!" As a photographer, I know there's a limit and the kids don't always look where you want them to. We have great shots- some times my 2 yo is looking right at the camera and others he's looking at the character

The candid pix are the best, IMO. The ones I have of jack sparrow looking at the light up clangy sword, or the lightsaber keychain, that my son showed him (two different trips), with my son looking at jack, are far better and more meaningful than the pictures I got (or photopass got) with them looking at the camera. The one with my son looking askance at Belle when she asked him to sit right down with her, which meant ON her skirt, are awesome.

A good strategy is to have the books open to the page your kids want signed and have the pen out and ready. If each child hands the character a book the photographer will take several photos of that interaction and hugs and other stuff.

Yep

we live near Disneyland and many of the characters just roam the parks and there isn't a line anyway

I haven’t seen characters wandering AND doing pictures and autographs in decades there. Jack Sparrow wandered and talked, but didn’t do autographs or anything but FAST pictures until he got to the spot that was set up for him. I’ve seen characters going from backstage to where they were heading, but they don’t stop to talk. Any apparent wandering wasn’t really wandering (like mad hatter). And the characters “wandering” in the city hall area at opening are obviously purposely there to pull people away from heading straight to rides.

We definitely haven’t been there in the same exact places at the same time!

 

[wendlle]

On NYE in Epcot last year ( around 3 in the afternoon), we were in a short line waiting for a PhotoPass picture. The people that were getting their picture taken, we were next in line, were guests from outside the US (or non-English speaking or ESL). So it took slightly longer.

The younger couple behind us, loudly complained the entire time. It was awful. My DSs, who are teenagers, were so embarrassed by the couples’ behavior.

All to say, some people are horribly rude. It wouldn’t matter if you had a magnificent plan and books were at the ready, they would still complain. I think what you are doing is fantastic, not rude.

Have a great vacation!

Before we had kids I could hear people in the line constantly complain because we as two adults (and myself when I would go solo) would dare to enter a character line. They would very loudly say "Why do these adults need photos, this is for children" and try to cut in and some would even say to me "We have children, you can wait longer" Little did they know that we had been trying to have children for years and it was a very emotional time for me.
People just need to shut up sometimes.

Honestly, I am always surprised with how many lines there are for characters at Disney World, we live near Disneyland and many of the characters just roam the parks and there isn't a line anyway, but I say if you have waited in line, each individual person is entitled to their time, so if every single individual wants and Autograph and their own picture, go for it, it would be no different than if each person stood in line at different times.

This is the exact reason why we love Disneyland so much. It is so much more fun with the characters there, they don't have "handlers" either. Just wander around doing their own thing.

 

[BLLB]

Before we had kids I could hear people in the line constantly complain because we as two adults (and myself when I would go solo) would dare to enter a character line. They would very loudly say "Why do these adults need photos, this is for children" and try to cut in and some would even say to me "We have children, you can wait longer" Little did they know that we had been trying to have children for years and it was a very emotional time for me.
People just need to shut up sometimes.

Same situation for our family. Ugh.

Honestly, you go to Disney, you wait. Keep your trap shut, you’re on vacation for goodness sake!

 

[Haley R]

Before we had kids I could hear people in the line constantly complain because we as two adults (and myself when I would go solo) would dare to enter a character line. They would very loudly say "Why do these adults need photos, this is for children" and try to cut in and some would even say to me "We have children, you can wait longer" Little did they know that we had been trying to have children for years and it was a very emotional time for me.
People just need to shut up sometimes.



This is the exact reason why we love Disneyland so much. It is so much more fun with the characters there, they don't have "handlers" either. Just wander around doing their own thing.

Omg I’m so sorry that’s happened to you. That is so rude. You don’t know someone’s situation. Dh and I usually only go by ourselves and don’t have kids. We’ve never had any comments about us getting pictures before.

I will say the worst are for people who take individual pictures but want like 5 for each person. That’s definitely happened but the ABSOLUTE WORST we’ve dealt with was an adult female by herself who filmed the entire thing and took 10-15 minutes with each character. It was during dah so she probably thought no big deal but we weren’t happy waiting there while she filmed her entire interaction.