Do you think we should get character autographs?

[MommytoaSweetie]

Our DD will be 14 months old when we go to DL. We're hoping she enjoys the characters! We've never done an autograph book for the characters, so I wasn't originally planning to, but should we do something like that for DD, like as a keepsake from her trip? How does it work to get autographs from the characters we see? Is there a special book to have for the purpose? Do you bring a pen with you or do the characters already have them? Do you think that would be a good keepsake or not a good idea?

Thanks so much for your help!

 

[ballarinamom]

I would definately get autographs but only if you are doing character meals or if the lines aren't too long. I think your DD might get grouchy waiting in long lines. You need to have a pen as they do not carry them. Hope she has fun!

 

[ballarinamom]

OOPS! They do sell special autograph books in the parks and at the Disney hotels. I do know some people make their own like scrapbooks. I've also seen people having hats and pillow cases signed with sharpies. If there is a character in the park, they will have a cast member to control the line and the time. When the time is up, they will escort the character away- even if there is a line.
At character meals, the characters go from table to table for a very short time to talk and sign books. We do the character meals because 1.) we have to eat and 2) we don't waste a lot of time in lines at the park

 

[EMAW]

We took a Sharpie marker with a click top instead of a cap, that worked well. We made our autograph books but they sell some too.

I would definitely do a character breakfast. This time we're not going to wait around so much for autographs- we waited an hour for princesses and a little more than an hour for Mickey.

It's lots of fun though and my kids just loved the characters. Makes for some adorable pictures!

Emilie

 

[ballarinamom]

When we went in the past, they had several characters at any time in DCA at the Animation building

 

[MommytoaSweetie]

This info is great, thank you! Maybe we should look into a character meal? I'm not sure how much they range, though (we're used to just counter service meals for the price). How do you make an autograph book?

 

[EMAW]

We did the Plaza Inn breakfast with Minnie and friends and I think it cost something like $24 for the adults and $12 for kids (but under 3 is free). It's a buffet and it was really good.

I made our books out of blank scrapbooks, the ones I used looked like cardboard on the outside with blank cream pages on the inside. Here's a link to a few of the pages and the cover http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AZNGLFq1ZNmLG&notag=1 On the opposite page I am going to put the pic of my dd with that character, or at least I will one of these days when my kids let me scrapbook!

Emilie

 

[MommytoaSweetie]

We did the Plaza Inn breakfast with Minnie and friends and I think it cost something like $24 for the adults and $12 for kids (but under 3 is free). It's a buffet and it was really good.

I made our books out of blank scrapbooks, the ones I used looked like cardboard on the outside with blank cream pages on the inside. Here's a link to a few of the pages and the cover http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AZNGLFq1ZNmLG&notag=1 On the opposite page I am going to put the pic of my dd with that character, or at least I will one of these days when my kids let me scrapbook!

Emilie

Oh, that's not too too crazy priced... more than we'd normally spend, but definitely different than counter service, I'm sure! We'll have to look into it. And thanks for the scrapbook pics - they're getting my ideas started.

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

Depends on if she ends up enjoying the characters. We took our son at 14 months and was NOT happy with those characters! LOL It was another year before he couldn't wait to see them, and then yes we did the autographs!

 

[Monkey Monkey]

I personally probably wouldn't do the autographs at that age, but that's just me. It may be more meaningful to her when she is older and understands what it means and can ask the characters herself.

But definitely go to Build-a-Bear for a keepsake!

 

[tink2dw]

Instead of getting autographs, Do a Picture book of Characters. It is easy to snap a pic of the characters between the autograph hounds! Then make up a brag book of the characters you have seen.

Then the little one can get use to the characters and have a great time on the next trip to disney!

 

[MonkeyDishwasher]

If she doesn't know what an autograph is, then what's the point of her getting one?

At least pictures will have a memory of some sort for her, and when she's old enough to understand autographs, then you could start her a book. Added bonus, I've noticed that if a character has to sign a book for someone, they usually Sign, Picture, Bye. If there's no book involved they can take that signing time and turn it into interaction time. Which is more meaningful in the long run, actually visiting a character, or just getting some ink into a book?

 

[Judy from Boise]

I agree, on some levels I think the whole autograph thing made interactions more rote and "programmed".

 

[lillybug]

I personally probably wouldn't do the autographs at that age, but that's just me. It may be more meaningful to her when she is older and understands what it means and can ask the characters herself.

As a mom of three little ones, I completely agree. We didn't bother when we went. None of our dks can read yet, and so they wouldn't know one from the other anyway. It was just one more thing we would have had to drag around with us.

We did get a lot of great pics with the characters! And my dd (who was 15m at the time) LOVED them all.

Have a great time!

 

[MommytoaSweetie]

I personally probably wouldn't do the autographs at that age, but that's just me. It may be more meaningful to her when she is older and understands what it means and can ask the characters herself.

But definitely go to Build-a-Bear for a keepsake!

Yeah, that's what I was thinking initially, and it does make more sense! I've just never done it... so you can just go up to the characters and take pictures without getting autographs?? That'll be even better! We're still not sure if DD will like to see the characters anyway.

And MonkeyMonkey - is there a difference to the BuildABear there rather than the ones at our local malls?

 

[EMAW]

I guess I am in the minority because I would rather have a book of memories and pictures. We didn't get any less character interaction than anyone else, actually the characters all spent a ton of time with my kids. And most of them signed the books with personalization like my kids' names, or in Tigger's case a funny moment they shared.

I mean when it comes down to it, the whole trip then would be a waste if you based it on what they would understand, or remember.

To each his own. Either way it's fun.

Emilie

 

[bumbershoot]

so you can just go up to the characters and take pictures without getting autographs?? That'll be even better! We're still not sure if DD will like to see the characters anyway.

Of course you can!

We didn't bother with characters for DS's first trip when he was a bit older than your kiddo, or even when he was 2, but when he was 3, oh boy! He got in line to see Buzz and would have been perfectly happy with just a picture, but then he saw all the older kids with their autograph books and he HAD TO have one. We still don't have a signature from Buzz, but every other character he saw for that trip (and the one 3 months later) he did the autograph thing in the book we bought him after the Buzz "fiasco".

I'm glad we waited, b/c the autographs mean something to him now, and they wouldn't have really meant the same thing if we had been getting them FOR him.

But yes, you can take pictures w/o autographs (the third time meeting Goofy inside of a week, you stop getting out the book for your 3 year old!!!).

 

[Silly Little Pixie]

I'd suggest getting one of the autograph books with the plastic sleeve for the photo above the signature. It's cheaper than a scrapbook, and easy for grubby little fingers to look at over and over after your trip! Just print the character's name underneath or write a little comment of your own. I did this for my DS's first visit to WDW and he loved looking at it over and over. He was 3 then. You can take tons of pictures of the interaction between your DD and the characters, and choose the best ones for "her" book! My DD was 15 months when we went to WDW the first time and she adored the character lunch we had. TONS of great pictures, and no having to wait in line.

And this from a die hard scrapper!

 

[MommytoaSweetie]

Okay, cool! We don't plan on waiting in any character lines, but we're doing the Disney Visa Meet & Greet thing (I knew we got a photo there, but maybe we can take our own, too), and we can just take photos if we see any other characters without much wait after we see how DD reacts. I don't know why that didn't make sense to me earlier! Thanks for the help!!

 

[Judy from Boise]

honestly you don't even have to take photos, the characters are more than happy to just fill your share of "time" with play, hugs, and interaction.