How old is too old for character dining and autograph books?

[DisneyWorldWisher]

I've heard some people say that kids should stop with the character stuff at 12 and I've heard other people say it should never stop.

How old was too old for you?

 

[HugsForEeyore]

I am a mid-thirties adult who wanders around Disney World looking for nothing but characters and autographs!!! And I have no plans to stop anytime soon!

So adults and kids alike can meet their favorite characters at any age - the characters are quite used to us bigger kids in their lines! I even gone solo as an adult to character meals to get autographs.

 

[kydeb1346]

I say never too old! I'm 30 and DH is 32 and yep, we still get our pictures taken with the characters if we want too! We also have at least 1 character meal per trip and have never felt out of place. The characters paid just as much attention to us "older kids" as they did the little ones. Have never done the autograph thing but wouldn't see an issue with it at any age.

 

[chanty]

Same here!!!! It wouldn't be Disney without the character chasing and autograph books and funny pictures!!! You should see my scrapbook... hehe

We're never too old.

 

[mickeymousemom]

I've heard some people say that kids should stop with the character stuff at 12 and I've heard other people say it should never stop.

How old was too old for you?

one hundred gazillion. It's Disney World......nuff said!

 

[bleeps]

I would say it is up to each individual. I don't think a parent should TELL at 12 year old that he/she is too old for characters -- that's robbing a child of childhood. But by the same token, if a 12 year old tells her parents she feels she's outgrown them, her parents shouldn't foist the character events on her. If it's handled sensitively, that same 12 year old may just become an 18 year old (?) who realizes that it IS ok, afterall, to enjoy "childish" things and come back around.

 

[meeko_33785]

Right now, I'd say you're never too old, but I remember back when I was a teenager I had a very different oppinion. I stopped doing the character thing when I was about 14 or so because I thought it was just for kids. Years later I got over that slowly and by now I'm more into characters now then I was as a kid. There's lots more characters to find now then there was back then. I would say it really varries by person and age.

 

[vacationwoman]

My DH and I are 60'ish and still love the character meals and getting pics with them in the parks. Don't do autographs.
My DC & DGC think it's a riot that I believe the characters in WDW are real.

 

[Feralpeg]

A person is too old when they decide they are no longer interested. For some, that might be 12. For others, it might be 70. IMHO, no one should dictate to another person what they should or should not enjoy.

 

[helenm29]

NEVER TOO OLD! I'm 46 and still getting pictures taken with my favorites! I guess it just depends on the kid. If they want to keep getting autographs and pictures there's no reason to stop them. My twins are 13 and they have autograph books for both Disneland Ca. and WDW and they are sure to bring them and a camera when ever we go. Keep the magic going as long as you can!

 

[GarrettJD]

I think a lot of kids/teens feel they're too old for the characters at a certain age, then when they become adults, they're suddenly not too old.

Really, I'm 29, and Nikkie is 31, and we schedule 2-3 character meals per trip. Last year was the first time we did the autograph thing... we'll be doing it again. Plus, our pictures and videos with the characters are some of our favorite memories.

 

[PreppyPolyMom]

Oh wow, I am 35 and I still love character dining, I'm probably more excited about than the kiddos. But I don't do the autograph thingy.

 

[Tinkerbell_Girl]

I am 23 and DBF is 25 (no kids) and when we were at WDW in Dec we took pics with any character that was out. This time in Sept we are having our first character dinner at CP. I don't ever think you're too old.

 

[MinnyGranny62]

NEVER TOO OLD DH and I are in our 60's and we still go to the character dining. We get our pictures taken with them but don't get autographs. I always look forward to this every year as it keeps me young. Shirley

 

[joshsmom]

DS10
Me37
Grandma60

We ALL love Character Meals--especially grandma!!! She LOVES CP because she gets to see Pooh and Pals and she will get up and dance with the best of them!!! Now, if DS ever decides he doesn't want to get autographs, that's fine with me. He's entitled and he'll know when he's too old. Right now he still thinks its fun--especially with characters like Stitch He loves how Stitch can grab things from you--like your hat--and take off with it.

Nope, don't think we're too old yet!!

 

[curiouser]

My DH and I are 60'ish and still love the character meals and getting pics with them in the parks. Don't do autographs.
My DC & DGC think it's a riot that I believe the characters in WDW are real.

But they ARE real!!!

 

[Evil Queen]

I still love characters!!

Finally on the last trip DS10 WANTED to find characters. He has Asperger's and characters use to be too much for him to handle, so we never pushed it.

Last year he really turned that around, and we finally got to look for characters. He didn't have an autograph book, because he never cared for them. So he got them to sign his lanyard, until we found him a book.

 

[bobbiwoz]

The Crystal Palace buffet with characters is just about our favorite meal in the world! I get autographs on post cards to send to friends and family.

Bobbi

 

[Disneyholic]

I've heard some people say that kids should stop with the character stuff at 12 and I've heard other people say it should never stop.

How old was too old for you?

I figure when you are dead is soon enough to give up on characters and autographs.

DH is 62 and I am 52. We both still get pictures and autographs and love the character meals (especially the breakfast at Cape May Cafe - Beach Club).

Actually I figure there is a Disney Theme Park in Heaven, or it wouldn't be heaven, would it?

 

[my_try]

We took our two kids to a character breakfast in Epcot last summer (when they were 6 & 9). At the table next to us was a woman (around age 25) and her sister (who was about the same age). The princesses treated them no different than my two kids. They posed for pics. with the women and signed autographs. Whether or not the princesses laughed about it later (I have no clue) but during the meal they were in character for everyone no matter how old they were.

Kathy