How Long Do You Spend With Characters?

[heathsf]

How long, on average, do you spend with a character during a meet and greet?

 

[wedowdw17]

I'd say 2-3 minutes total? The first minute or so signing autographs, the second/third minute chatting and taking pictures. I had a 4 and 2.5 year old on our last trip, so some of the characters spent a bit of time with them. We brought Elsa and Anna their Little Golden Book to sign and Elsa took the time to flip through the book with my kids and showed them her favorite part of the book and asked them what their favorite was too. It was very sweet.

 

[goofyintoronto]

I snap a pic then leave. But i'd imagine those with young kids might take slightly longer than I do.

 

[ucfknight]

0 minutes and 0 seconds.
Not my thing.

 

[DisDreaming4116]

Most of ours are right around 2 minutes. The kids give hugs, a little back and forth with the character, they will sign their books and then the picture.

 

[Cruisin Spartan]

Anywhere between 2 and 5 minutes on average. My kids are 3(almost) and 5. On our trip last week, there were several times where they really got into the interactions and I started to get anxious that we were taking too long. Honestly, it was probably only like 5 minutes in total, but I didn't want them holding up the line too much.

 

[Gophers]

2 minutes sounds right when in the parks. Dining is longer maybe 3-5 minutes.

 

[RangerPooh]

About 2 minutes. Hugs and high fives, then pictures.

 

[Star Tourist]

A minute or 2 for my wife and I. Sometimes it's just to pose for a pic, but sometimes when the characters interact with us it takes a minute longer.

When we were there with our friends' kids it was always 3-5 minutes because of the auto graphs and playing around with them.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

I did not time it one my cruise but they give such worm hugs

 

[Davey Jones II]

Just enough time to take a couple pics. One time at Disneyland, we were stuck behind a "character hog" (the phrase I invented on the spot). She took zillions of different poses with Pluto, it was ridiculous. There was a long line behind her. Very inconsiderate.

 

[heathsf]

Thanks for all the replies! I've been taking my daughter to Sesame Place and she LOVES meeting the characters and talking to them but I feel like they are pretty uninterested in spending time and interacting with her and just wave us on. I have much higher expectations for Disney

0 minutes and 0 seconds.
Not my thing.

It used to not be my thing either. It's grown on me and now that I have DD.... I can't wait!

 

[hiroMYhero]

I have much higher expectations for Disney

On busy days, the characters meet on a standard of 90 seconds per group whether it's a single person or a family reunion group. If you won't have an autograph book, your DD will have a longer interaction time within the 90 seconds max.

 

[tobikaye]

I let the characters set the pace, whether it is my sister only meeting to character, or a few adults, or a mix of adults and kids. This is not just at WDW, but also at US/USO and Kings Island. Sometimes this means the normal quick picture and a few words to 5+ minutes and I am worried the line is going to mutiny even though it is the character that will not let us go.

Character setting can also be a big part of it. At most of the character meals, we have had decent interactions with the characters where they acknowledged everyone at the table, even those not interested. At the character greetings where you are taken into rooms in small groups, the characters do not tend to rush people through too much. In the lines that are not FP and everyone can see the character and the interaction of everyone in front of them, those are the ones that tend to move guests through faster, normally.

 

[Lvsdisney]

Thanks for all the replies! I've been taking my daughter to Sesame Place and she LOVES meeting the characters and talking to them but I feel like they are pretty uninterested in spending time and interacting with her and just wave us on. I have much higher expectations for Disney



It used to not be my thing either. It's grown on me and now that I have DD.... I can't wait!

I love SP, but Disney it is not. The characters are most likely some 16-19 year old who was put on duty for the time. They train more for the shows, but the character pictures are usually a hug/high five and picture. Not much more.

 

[sqpcsqpc]

...If you won't have an autograph book, your DD will have a longer interaction time within the 90 seconds max.

I always felt getting autographs could help extend time with characters. But this sounds like you get the same time either way and autographs could eat into conversation or other interaction. That's interesting I never looked at it from that perspective.

 

[Spacecow]

Maybe 3-5 minutes. Long enough to get pictures, give them a hug, watch them mime something or interact with them, and go. Face characters even less unless they're really talkative.... And I don't hug face characters lol

 

[hiroMYhero]

I always felt getting autographs could help extend time with characters. But this sounds like you get the same time either way and autographs could eat into conversation or other interaction. That's interesting I never looked at it from that perspective.

Character performers know how much time they can spend with guests. When the lines are long and quotas are in place, 90 seconds is the max. If they spend more than that with 1 group, then someone else down the line gets shortchanged.

 

[sunshine1]

Usually very quick - hug, picture then gone.

I am always mindful of the people behind me.

Disneyland Paris is a different ballgame - the characters spend ages with each family.

 

[heathsf]

90 seconds feels like a decent chunk of time though. We were at Sesame Place yesterday and after about 30 seconds we were being shooed on.