Characters over-scheduled or just me?

[mousetrip]

I'm noticing as I plan our next trip that now there are so many places where the characters are scheduled and regularly appear. I always thought a big part of the fun was "bumping into" Donald or Pinnochio or whoever happened to be around the corner. Do you think there will still be random appearances here and there or was that my imagination in the first place? I know that in 2010 Donald was all by himself one morning (with his handler but no line) in his Daniel Boone outfit, just waiting for me to get off Splash Mountain. And in commercials, they'll show Mickey swaggering down the street but in reality, does this every happen anymore? To me, the more scheduled, the less magical. We're headed to the world April 24th and the idea of having to be a sheep at the trough every time we'd like to meet a character is a little unmagical... still excited to go, but I'm hoping to bump into someone special again at least once!

 

[Jfsag123]

The only characters that we just "bumped into" on our trip were the green army men in DHS. I think they on their way backstage for a break, but spotted my son, who was dressed head-to-toe as Woody. They came over and spent a decent amount of time interacting with him and he was absolutely thrilled and so surprised. The interaction ended up being one of my favorite pictures from the trip. Don't know that it happens all that much spontaneously anymore. I'll admit that the surprise interaction did feel special, but I also like the scheduling in that I know how to plan for meeting my kids' favorites. They are character obsessed and it was nice to be able to guarantee they'd get to see all of the ones at the top of their lists.

 

[Disney_Princess83]

In the past, they characters used to do this. This does still happen to Disneyland to some extent. However with the crowds are they are now, it's impossible for them to do this, Aside from safety, the crowds and lines just get too crazy with everyone pushing their kids up for photos.

 

[yulilin3]

One of the only random experiences happens at Epcot at the World Showplace (between UK and Canada) Every once in a while a big number of characters come out that are not on the schedule.
The other day Baloo, Captain Hook, Mr. Smee. Goofy, Max and Chip and Dale came out, this was at 11am.

 

[Alesia]

The characters have been on a schedule for a long time. I think the difference is that you used to be unaware of it.

 

[Hopefully]

The characters have been on a schedule for a long time. I think the difference is that you used to be unaware of it.

I agree. It has been this way for many years. And it is mainly due to safety concerns for the CM's. Unruly, pushing and shoving guests made spontaneity a thing of the past.

 

[disnut8]

I agree. It has been this way for many years. And it is mainly due to safety concerns for the CM's. Unruly, pushing and shoving guests made spontaneity a thing of the past.

Scheduled meets have been around for quite a while but I wouldn't label the guests as being unruly, pushing or shoving like all characters got mobbed every time they appeared. I think the lines being formed helped guests realize there are others in the parks who want the same thing they do - a picture with a character or an autograph or both. Many people just went into a zone and were only thinking about themselves or their child and it was getting out of control. There were more timid people who would stand and patiently wait for their turn but maybe didn't really get it because of the more confident people who went in front of them. Having lines make sense.

 

[skysmom99]

The Tremaine stepsisters ride the Carousel sometimes. We had a great random experience when Anastasia got onto the horse right next to us. I told her she could have my 10 yr old son if she was in need of a prince. It was hugely entertaining when she tried to talk to him about marriage.

I also love the meet-and-greets, though. I like to meet the characters, and this is usually the only chance.

 

[skysmom99]

Darn double post!

 

[snarlingcoyote]

I had a great unexpected meeting with Alice just last October. We spent at least 10 minutes chatting and taking goofy photos with DH's phone.

It still happens!

 

[karly05]

The Tremaine stepsisters ride the Carousel sometimes. We had a great random experience when Anastasia got onto the horse right next to us. I told her she could have my 10 yr old son if she was in need of a prince. It was hugely entertaining when she tried to talk to him about marriage.

I also love the meet-and-greets, though. I like to meet the characters, and this is usually the only chance.

Feb 2013, first thing in the morning in Fantasyland, the Tremaines came strolling through - it was a low crowd day and there were not many people out yet. Lady Tremaine made a bee-line for a family with a son who was probably 15-ish and started checking him out as a potential match for her girls - I was too far away to hear the conversation, but that was obviously what was going on. I've also seen Alice and the White Rabbit hanging around Mad Tea Party first thing in the morning looking for a family to ride with.

 

[morethananyonex]

The characters have been scheduled for a long time, I think the difference is it's just more obvious now. Many of them have permanent themed meet & greet spots complete with FP access, so it doesn't seem like you're just running into a character in the parks like it did before, even if they were at the same place every time.

As a child of the 80's, meeting characters is far superior now than my childhood visits in the 90's. Watching video of the meets back then is funny, the characters were swarmed and you were lucky if your picture had only you in it. There was also far less one on one fun interaction when there was a crowd because the characters had kids pulling on them from every which direction.

 

[mummabear]

We personally prefer the scheduled meets as it makes it really easy to know when and where our kids can meet the characters they are interested in and I do find it more controlled than how it is at DL.
There is some spontaneity at Characterpalooza at DHS but depending on the handler depends how well the "line" is managed

 

[xie]

We have been going to WDW for many many years. The following has been true on our visits in recent years (2 - 3 times a year, in both peak and value season trips):

1. Characters no longer "roam freely down Main Street". Or any other street. The days of impromptu bumping into Mickey when rounding a corner are long over. This is mainly, I think, due to the growing crowds making it more and more unsafe for the actors inside the costumes. It's a little better for characters who do not wear full headgear, because they usually have peripheral vision, but it's really not safe for any of them anymore.

2. Yes, there are MANY MANY MANY scheduled lines for characters. This didn't really exist 15 years ago, and now they are packed into every nook and cranny of the parks. I think they are doing this for two reasons: First, because they continue to use the characters in advertisements, clearly they want kids to have a chance at seeing them (whether by standing in a line, or by purchasing a character meal at a table service restaurant). Second, the more character lines there are to occupy guests, the fewer people there are standing in ride lines, which have gotten kind of out of control.

I remember walking around World Showcase during the post-Christmas week and seeing character lines everywhere - along the fences, in front of the gates to backstage, anywhere they could put them. Along with the ones who appear in the storefronts and back gardens of the various countries. And all those lines had 50+ people waiting in them. My thought at the time was "well, at least they're not all over in Future World in the Soarin' line, it would be 5 hours instead of 2.5..."

In short, each of those characters becomes an attraction line.

 

[mousetrip]

Thanks, everyone, this is actually a bit encouraging to me! I'm glad to hear of those surprises that happen now and then. I'll have to report back in May to let you know if anyone unexpected pops around for a chat. The flipside to this is that it's always to have something that's not guaranteed to hope for...

I'd love to hear of more surprise run-ins! They make for great stories! Please share!!