Going Disneyland Solo, question about characters

[bennyb98]

Greetings! This is my first time posting on here but I am in the process of planning my first visit to Disneyland. I consider myself a WDW vet after doing the College Program and making several solo and family trips there.

Which brings me to my main question about Character Meet and Greets at Disneyland. I do quite enjoy going around and getting my picture taken with all the characters and I never really though about it but I always have the character attendant take my photo. I read on a website (don't remember which one exactly) about the differences between the parks and one that was noted was the almost non-existence character attendants at Disneyland. So my question really is this, is that very true, and what’s a solo visitor supposed to do to get a picture with characters? I'm not really big on asking the people behind me in line or another guest so not really sure what to do and I would hate to go on this trip and not get any good character pics.


Thanks for any information on my dilemma.

 

[twinspluscade]

I haven't been to DLR yet so I don't know the answer to your question, but maybe you could have the Photopass person take a picture using your camera? We did that a few times at WDW and they were always happy to do it.

 

[mo3bys]

When we went to DLR last December a Cm always took our pic for us. There is always a Cm with the characters as far as I know.

 

[ironpig70]

When we went to DLR last December a Cm always took our pic for us. There is always a Cm with the characters as far as I know.

never met a character with out one. i will ask the person behind us to take a pic of the family i think thats part of the magic that is disney and when asked to do it for the family in front of you, you do it.

 

[Dizneydaz]

Sometimes the attendants may be hard to spot. And no, they don't always have a PP with them. If you can't find a CM, and you're not comfortable having someone else use your camera, I'm not sure there's an easy solution. I've taken pictures for people plenty of time. I don't see it as a problem, other than they don't always come out. (ask them to take 2!). How about if you offer to take a picture of someone ahead (or behind) you in line and then ask them to return the favor. Maybe that would make you more comfortable.

The characters that are at an official Meet 'n Greet will definitely have CM (as wells as PP) there. It's the random ones on the street that'll be harder.

Have a great trip!

 

[Jenn1116]

We chased down Alice - she was in a hurry and I snapped pics of DD by her while she walked and signed her authograph book

And there was not a CM with the Queen of Hearts and Cruella on Main Street. However, those are the only times I can think of w/o a CM.

 

[bennyb98]

Thanks everyone! I'm a bit less worried now. I think I just got scared reading all the reports of children and parents being trampled as guests run up to characters right as they appear. I tend to be the more timid type in lines (and have been cut in front of countless times by little kids getting over excited and just running up to a character which i'm fine with, just don't like to be trampled), but i'm also going in the middle of september so hopefully that wont be too much of a problem.

 

[tortugaverde]

Interesting. When we were at DL during spring break, we met a few characters without CM's.

It was frustrating! We met Goofy in Toontown without a CM... there was no line to greet him, just chaos. We stood in a "line" that us orderly people created... while random parents sent their kids out to greet him, cutting us off. We were at the "front" of the line for quite awhile while kids ran up from all over the place until I had to make my shy kids get a bit aggressive by shoving them up to Goofy.

We also meet Chip and Dale and Donald Duck by the hat shop at the main entrance. They did not have CM's either. However, luckily... the kind people that were meeting them formed and followed a line So that was easy!

 

[oscarkitty1]

We were just there last weekend, and my nieces were determined to meet Donald.

While they were watching the band perform at the train station, I saw Donald, Goofy, and Pluto headed to the main entrance. I convinced the girls to leave the band for pictures.

When we made it to the main entrance, the characters were signing autographs, but no handlers. It was a mess!!! Especially since Donald and Pluto were standing really close together, which made it hard to figure out where to stand for which character.

I'm not shy, so I just started asking people, are you in line for Donald? Turns out many were not, the were just standing and watching. So I started orgainzing a line. As people would start to approach Donald from the other side and try to cut in, I would just say to them, excuse me there's a line, the end is right there! I know a few of them thought I was extrememly pushy, but in the long run it's the best for everyone. I don't know what happened after we got our pics, if anyone took over my handler job, or if it went back to chaos!

So if you are shy, I would try to get as many pictures as possible in the spots where there is always a handler, or better yet, do a character meal. This trip was our first time to Goofy's Kitchen, and I LOVED it!!! I think DH and I will have to go there on our trips from now on.

We thought the line at Mickey's house was extremely well done, and those pictures were awesome! Defitnely go to ToonTown and do that one.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Last month almost all characters had a PP photog with them, none at character meals though ~that'd be nice!

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Welcome to the DIS. I think you got some good answers here.

 

[prettyprincessbelle]

none at character meals though ~that'd be nice!

I agree. I think that would be a wonderful idea too.

 

[Disney Dider]

I hardly ever see a character with a cm. We were just there last week and the only cm's I saw were at Mickey's house. All the rest that were roaming around the park, we had to take our own pictures.

 

[bennyb98]

Thanks for all the help and advice! Hopefully when I go I’ll find a CM nearby or hopefully the people behind or in front of me in line will take my picture for me, I’ll find a way.

I know all the times I’ve been to WDW I’ve never seen a character without a handler around and often when multiple characters are out together each one has a handler (except for the princesses w/ princes, peter pan and Wendy, etc.), so its a bit worrisome about hearing all the reports of characters roaming around by themselves. And it would be nice to have PP at Character Meals but luckily ever time I’ve gone I’ve had excellent servers who always magically appear to take my photo when I’ve gone solo. And judging from watching other families it appeared the characters interacted a lot more with me since I was by myself.