Elsa and Anna meet and greet strategy

[Tony74]

Anyone have any updates on what the 9AM start time does for wait times? Specifically, if you get there at RD (and not an Akershus breakfast), what times are people getting through?

Need to plan my FP+ around my waiting in line.

 

[stevesgirl]

If you are staying on-site, we arrived before rope drop and headed straight back to Norway so were there a few minutes after 8am and were the 10th family in line. This was last week when we thought the meet time had changed to 9am and were disappointed to find out that Disney had changed the time back to 11am so we had a very long wait but once they started meeting, we were in quick since we were 10th in line.

How do you find out what time it starts during your visit?

 

[MakiraMarlena]

These are all very good tips. If 2 of the people in my reservation are under the age of 3 would we get charged for them if we missed the reservation?

Yes. The charge applies to all diners. However, if anyone at all shows up at the restaurant and eats, there will be no fee. So as few as one of you can go and have breakfast.

You would, however, have to make the reservation for everyone, including the infants, because they won't let you in the park early if you don't have the reservation.

How do you find out what time it starts during your visit?

Apparently the start time can vary due to staffing issues - they are trying, and they are casting and hiring, but apparently they still do not have enough performers to play these characters to offer consistent timing. Disney apparently vastly underestimated the popularity of these two characters when they started this.

 

[Missyrose]

For the record, Disney only charges the $10 per person if no one from your reservation shows up. So if the reservation is for four people and three show up, you won't get charged a no-show fee. If the reservation is for four and zero people show up , then you'll be charged $40.

 

[Amanda999]

FWIW:
We just got back. Several families on the plane with us survived the Anna/Elsa line on Tue and Wed., Feb 18 and 19. Each reported the wait was between 3.5 hours and 4 hours total.

They said that basically no children waited in line, and the CMs told everyone in line that not everyone has to wait in the line. One parent/adult would wait in the line while the others went on rides/ate/whatever. (One family went on nearby Maelstrom 17 times while dad waited in line.)

Anyway, this only works for groups with more than one adult.

 

[stevesgirl]

Is this a photo pass meet and greet?

 

[mesaboy2]

Is this a photo pass meet and greet?

Yes.

 

[LSUfan4444]

For the record, Disney only charges the $10 per person if no one from your reservation shows up. So if the reservation is for four people and three show up, you won't get charged a no-show fee. If the reservation is for four and zero people show up , then you'll be charged $40.

There is even kind-of a way around the no show fee as well.

Anyone have any updates on what the 9AM start time does for wait times? Specifically, if you get there at RD (and not an Akershus breakfast), what times are people getting through?

Need to plan my FP+ around my waiting in line.

Depends on the crowd level, but 2-3 hours is pretty common. I wouldn't make any FP+ until after 1:30 to give you time to get something to eat, etc.

 

[KelleyK75]

My daughter will turn 3 on this trip. We are going there for her birthday so if she wants to meet Elsa and Anna for her birthday I will make that happen. Her birthday is not my opportunity to teach her about opportunity costs. Besides, that lesson would be totally lost on a 3 year old. The only other Epcot attractions that she can do and/or is interested in are turtle talk and nemo so the fact that we are waiting 2 hours to see Elsa and Anna is not cutting into our park time.

Maybe its just me, but Disney to me is seeing my children's dreams come alive right before their eyes. My daughter loves to pretend that she is Elsa and her little sister is Anna. I would love nothing more that to see her face when she gets to meet Elsa. Being a mother of two little girls, I think that the message that frozen teaches (sisterly love) is a message I am more concerned with at this point than "opportunity costs." So, in response, she "obviously has to" meet them.

I couldn't have said this better myself. I feel the same way. I have 6 & 4 year old boys, and they really love Anna and Elsa (and Olaf), too. I am going to sacrifice any other park time to make it happen that they can meet them. If not for the Flower and Garden festival and Anna and Elsa, I don't know that we'd be going to Epcot. Like you said, Turtle Talk and Nemo are the only other must do's, along with the character spot. The kids are too little to want to spend time in the countries. So I don't mind spending my morning waiting for Anna and Elsa so that I can make their hopes of meeting them come true.

 

[Khara]

Will you have a park hopper? If you do, that'll give you more flexibility for other attempts. I took advantage of a day I happened to wake up super-early and went to Epcot for Anna and Elsa before hopping to my intended park that day. If your FPs are scheduled for the afternoon, it'll work just fine!

But even if you don't have a park hopper the strategy works. So don't worry too much.

(And I just want to encourage you to look forward to it! Anna and Elsa are wonderful with children and I'm sure you'll have a great time. On one of my trips by the pavilion I peeked in and saw Anna playing toy cars with a shy girl and Elsa gently encouraging her. It's so cute and your child will love it!)

 

[stevesgirl]

Will you have a park hopper? If you do, that'll give you more flexibility for other attempts. I took advantage of a day I happened to wake up super-early and went to Epcot for Anna and Elsa before hopping to my intended park that day. If your FPs are scheduled for the afternoon, it'll work just fine!

But even if you don't have a park hopper the strategy works. So don't worry too much.

(And I just want to encourage you to look forward to it! Anna and Elsa are wonderful with children and I'm sure you'll have a great time. On one of my trips by the pavilion I peeked in and saw Anna playing toy cars with a shy girl and Elsa gently encouraging her. It's so cute and your child will love it!)

Yes, I will have a park hopper, so good point. I can try later if the first attempt fails.

 

[OlaftheSnowman]

it is very easy to meet characters and have short wait times!
Just get there early and the kids should be so grateful after wards. Bring them there without telling them what's happening. I tell you it works!!

 

[LCoulter]

How do you find out what time it starts during your visit?

Unfortunately, I don't know. Someone in line said that the MDE app said 11am but, like me, they heard that the time had changed to 9am so they assumed it was wrong. However, I didn't verify what the app said. That weekend it was definately 9am, as was the entire week before but, again, I didn't verify what the app said.

The CM told us that the previous week was a "test" for 9am and it had ended on Monday and was back to 11am, indefinately.

 

[Nola Girl]

I am also hearing they will be in the new parade in the MK. Not a meet and greet but better than nothing.

 

[a*lil*bit*goofy]

booking an ADR and choosing to skip it, and pay the fee sucks for those who want legitimate early morning ADRs. Hopefully Disney figures out that they obviously need a different strategy to allow folks to meet Ana and Elsa.

I know my daughter wants to meet them, but this all sounds crazy .. WDW powers that be, lets make this better!

 

[Kimmers127]

I am also hearing they will be in the new parade in the MK. Not a meet and greet but better than nothing.

Do you know the date that the new parade starts?

 

[siskaren]

it is very easy to meet characters and have short wait times!
Just get there early and the kids should be so grateful after wards. Bring them there without telling them what's happening. I tell you it works!!

Right now, 2 hours is a short wait for Anna and Elsa.

 

[Iowajes]

it is very easy to meet characters and have short wait times!
Just get there early and the kids should be so grateful after wards. Bring them there without telling them what's happening. I tell you it works!!

I think "short wait times" doesn't seem to apply to Anna and Elsa.

 

[mom2threegirls]

Unfortunately, I don't know. Someone in line said that the MDE app said 11am but, like me, they heard that the time had changed to 9am so they assumed it was wrong. However, I didn't verify what the app said. That weekend it was definately 9am, as was the entire week before but, again, I didn't verify what the app said. The CM told us that the previous week was a "test" for 9am and it had ended on Monday and was back to 11am, indefinately.

Just got back and all last week it was 9 am. My husband ran from the entrance closest to the Beach Club when it opened at 9 am along w the other dads. He got 6 in line for the 11 am meet and greet. It was comical to see the dad's sprinting to get in line.

The only ones ahead of him were the breakfast skippers.

It is a long wait - but worth it.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[mom2threegirls]

Just got back and all last week it was 9 am. My husband ran from the entrance closest to the Beach Club when it opened at 9 am along w the other dads. He got 6 in line for the 11 am meet and greet. It was comical to see the dad's sprinting to get in line. The only ones ahead of him were the breakfast skippers. It is a long wait - but worth it. Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

I meant it was 11 am all week, not 9 am

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards