How much time needed - Epcot Characters

[Karin1984]

How much time do I need to plan to see the face characters in Epcot WS and which order would you recommend? I plan to go on a day with crowd level 1.
- Aladdin & Jasmine
- Alice
- Aurora
- Belle
- Mary Poppins
- Mulan
- Snow White

We could do Snow, Aurora and Mary Poppins in MK as well, where they should have shorter lines (if we believe Kenny the Pirate, and why wouldn't we?), but it'll be fun instead of drinking/eating around WS go character hunting)

Thank you for your help!

 

[RamKat77]

Following please

 

[Karin1984]

I think I go with those who have priority for us
1. Belle
2. Aurora
3. Mary Poppins
4. Alice
5. Aladdin & Jasmine
6. Snow
7. Mulan

Although I am thinking of making a visit to Mulan earlier, as she cant be met else where.

 

[philschrek]

Not a huge help with the order but wanted to add that we saw Mulan last May (crowd level 5 or 6) in the afternoon and there was only one family ahead of us when we came up to her.

 

[MmmSuite]

If it rains in Epcot on the day you want to meet them...STAY!

We meet Mulan, Aurora, Belle, Aurora again, and the Aladdin and Jasmine in about 2-3 hours.

No one wanted to be out in the rain.

The friend I was with went on the meet Tigger and Pooh and I think Alice in the next hour.

 

[Missyrose]

I think I go with those who have priority for us
1. Belle
2. Aurora
3. Mary Poppins
4. Alice
5. Aladdin & Jasmine
6. Snow
7. Mulan

Although I am thinking of making a visit to Mulan earlier, as she cant be met else where.

You'll meet, on average, a character an hour in the World Showcase (sometimes two). I would plan for at least an entire afternoon to get through the list. Especially since you'll have to double back to England to meet Mary Poppins and Alice at separate times.

 

[UnderTheRialto]

Another option is Characterpalooza. We have seen Snow, Mary, Mulan, and Jasmine/Aladdin there (along with others).
Aurora had a shorter line in MK than Epcot from what I saw.
So I'd start with Belle!

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

Snow often has crazy long lines in Epcot and much (much) shorter lines in MK.

 

[tobikaye]

Look at the times for those characters when they release the weekly times: http://wdwent.com/EPCOT.htm

Then, once you see the times, then plan out where you could start and see most of them by going in the same direction without having to back track. Depending on their schedule for that week would change how long it would take you. Just make sure not to show up at a line with only about 5-10 minutes left in their set unless you are willing to wait for the next one. They do cut off longer lines when they are getting close on times.

 

[tink9702]

We got cut off on the line and couldn't meet for Snow White in November. medium crowd level day too. We were there about 5 minutes BEFORE she even arrived to meet with people. We arrived about 20 min. before Aurora was expected and were 4th in line. We were 3rd in line for Mulan and were there about 15 min. before she was expected. My point - if you are very serious about meeting them arrive before the time listed or you may not be able to. Unless the day we were there was different for some reason???

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

We got cut off on the line and couldn't meet for Snow White in November. medium crowd level day too. We were there about 5 minutes BEFORE she even arrived to meet with people. We arrived about 20 min. before Aurora was expected and were 4th in line. We were 3rd in line for Mulan and were there about 15 min. before she was expected. My point - if you are very serious about meeting them arrive before the time listed or you may not be able to. Unless the day we were there was different for some reason???

no IMO I've seen and experienced exactly what you are talking about! In MK Snow is harder to find - with the exact meeting times published in Epcot people tend to flock there and I have seen (and been in) some very long lines for her. Mulan I encourage you to meet in one of her earlier sets they always seem less crowded to me. Belle and Aladdin/ Jasmine can have some really long lines too. Aurora I've seen some very short lines in Epcot and some much longer ones. We usually try to time it so we can meet Mary Poppins and Alice in the same timeframe (arrive significantly early for the one who starts meeting first and then 'move it' over to the other one to make it before the line is cut off).

Is Epcot a recommended park on the day you are going? that can make a difference too!

 

[tobikaye]

I will say the best day I had with my sister meeting characters at WS was when we were waiting in Norway for the rope to drop for WS opening. We were about 2nd - 5th in line for most of the characters during their first or second set that day. It worked out that most of the characters had earlier meets that day. I think the UK characters were the only ones we did not get to, but we had meet them before.

 

[Karin1984]

Thanks for all the tips, everyone!

If it rains in Epcot on the day you want to meet them...STAY!

We meet Mulan, Aurora, Belle, Aurora again, and the Aladdin and Jasmine in about 2-3 hours.

No one wanted to be out in the rain.

The friend I was with went on the meet Tigger and Pooh and I think Alice in the next hour.

Thanks! I remember indeed being in Epcot France once when it rained and Aurora and Belle went inside. Absolutely no lines and bored characters 'begging' guests to come over and take their picture

Look at the times for those characters when they release the weekly times: http://wdwent.com/EPCOT.htm

Then, once you see the times, then plan out where you could start and see most of them by going in the same direction without having to back track. Depending on their schedule for that week would change how long it would take you. Just make sure not to show up at a line with only about 5-10 minutes left in their set unless you are willing to wait for the next one. They do cut off longer lines when they are getting close on times.

Thanks for the website, didn't know this one yet! If I look at the schedule now, I would need to make adjustments, as Aurora doesn't start her meets till 12:30. But Alice, Belle and Mulan already start at 11:00

no IMO I've seen and experienced exactly what you are talking about! In MK Snow is harder to find - with the exact meeting times published in Epcot people tend to flock there and I have seen (and been in) some very long lines for her. Mulan I encourage you to meet in one of her earlier sets they always seem less crowded to me. Belle and Aladdin/ Jasmine can have some really long lines too. Aurora I've seen some very short lines in Epcot and some much longer ones. We usually try to time it so we can meet Mary Poppins and Alice in the same timeframe (arrive significantly early for the one who starts meeting first and then 'move it' over to the other one to make it before the line is cut off).

Is Epcot a recommended park on the day you are going? that can make a difference too!

I have 2 full Epcot days and 1 half day. According to easywdw.com
1st day is half a day (expected arrival time 4pm), crowd level 2, most recommended
2nd day is a full day, crowd level 4, highly recommended.
3rd day is a full day, crowd level 1, most recommended

I aim to do this on the 3rd day as then we might have met some characters already and can make a choice to skip them. Or do them again!

 

[lauraleh]

If you write down the times they meet, you'll notice that there is a clear pattern to follow. We started with Mulan, Snow White and then Jasmine and Aladdin and worked our way to France to Belle and then Aurora. Pooh and Tigger had no wait so don't forget about them back there in Christopher Robin's room! Aladdin and Jasmine were our longest wait. Probably 15-20 minutes? The others we tried to get there about 10 minutes prior to the M&G start and we were one of the first few families in line.

 

[trainingupmy4princes]

We went to Epcot on a mid crowd day (second recommended) and Mulan was by far our hardest. Now we were doing the characters in the afternoon and Mulan had only 2 sets left. We got cut of for the first one we went to and I stuck around the area waiting for the line up for the last one. DH and the kids went over to meet someone in another country so I waited and when the line started forming I jumped in and was 5th. Of course, this was a day with weather changes so they weren't sure at first where she would be meeting.