Is It Possible To Take Photos?

[Tinkerbell42385]

We are going to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas party for the first time and while I'm not interested in meeting the characters I would like to snap a few photos of them. For those who have been to the party before, is it possible to get close enough to take a photo of them without having to do a meet and greet?

 

[Robo]

A "gray area" and a rather hot topic here, I'm afraid.

 

[CarolMN]

Very rude to hold up other guests in line waiting for their turn or to have your flash affect their picture. JMHO. YMMV.

 

[DisneyOma]

We are going to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas party for the first time and while I'm not interested in meeting the characters I would like to snap a few photos of them. For those who have been to the party before, is it possible to get close enough to take a photo of them without having to wait in line to meet them?

No, you'll be directed by the CMs in the area to move away, etc. It's pretty controlled. When we were there last, a woman tried to step in to take a photo and the official photographer pretty much blocked her off and then the CM directed her away.

Think of it this way - if they let people do it, it would be a free for all.

 

[Dug720]

Very rude to hold up other guests in line waiting for their turn or to have your flash affect their picture. JMHO. YMMV.

Not to mention you them have strangers - or worse, kids not your own - in the picture.

 

[Tinkerbell42385]

Very rude to hold up other guests in line waiting for their turn or to have your flash affect their picture. JMHO. YMMV.

First of all calling someone else rude isn't very nice when you are assuming that I intended to walk up to the front of the line to take a photo. I never said anything about holding up someone's turn in line. I simply asked if it was possible pass by and snap a photo as I walked by. Sorry I asked.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I wasn't speaking of holding up other guests. I'd never think of doing that. I just wan't sure if there was a chance to walk by and see them without having to do a meet and greet. Sorry I asked.

When we went to MVMCP in 2015 we walked by just as the Seven Dwarves were getting ready to meet (this was in Fantasyland, close to 7DMT. I don't know where they are this year). I snapped a photo as we walked by before they were meeting with anyone so I did it without interrupting or disturbing anyone. I didn't know this was frowned upon?

 

[DisneyOma]

When we went to MVMCP in 2015 we walked by just as the Seven Dwarves were getting ready to meet (this was in Fantasyland, close to 7DMT. I don't know where they are this year). I snapped a photo as we walked by before they were meeting with anyone so I did it without interrupting or disturbing anyone. I didn't know this was frowned upon?

You're talking about a short window of time where you were lucky to get a shot before they started. The OP wants to avoid waiting in a long queue, which would be what we've answered here. Of course, if people were lined up, and you got in the way of them starting the M&G, then it would have been a different story.

 

[caribbeandream]

I find that it's best to stand in line even if you don't actually want to be in the photo. That way they are posing at looking at the camera.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

You're talking about a short window of time where you were lucky to get a shot before they started. The OP wants to avoid waiting in a long queue, which would be what we've answered here. Of course, if people were lined up, and you got in the way of them starting the M&G, then it would have been a different story.

Yeah, I wouldn't have done that!!

 

[Momoftwins+1]

Man...i don't mind standing in line to get photos of my kids with the characters but thinking back to the 80s, everyone now would have left Disney pissed off as there were no lines for characters or shots without random strangers. Just parents pushing their kids towards a character who were standing out in different locations. We all survived without killing each other or having a panic attack about other people being in the vicinity.

 

[MikeOhio]

Not to mention you them have strangers - or worse, kids not your own - in the picture.

What’s wrong with that. Just about every picture I take in Disney probably has random people or kids in it. It’s a public place.

 

[gap2368]

I wasn't speaking of holding up other guests. I'd never think of doing that. I just wan't sure if there was a chance to walk by and see them without having to do a meet and greet. Sorry I asked.

i know people that will walk by and take a quick Picture most of the time it is between meet and greets ( they are kind of fair away) some times it comes out really good ( most of the time this person get the character between meet and greets other times no but the times there are other people in the picture there back are away)

I would say if you are walking by and you see an opportunity then do it, but some are in rooms and not out the ones in rooms are harder to do, If a CM tells you to move on then move on if not have fun.

There are youtubes that will walk by and go oh there is Micky over there and point the camera towards Micky ( or fill in the blank ) often times there is someone meeting Mickey but they turn the camera when the person meeting back is too it. I find this no different

 

[Tinkerbell42385]

When we went to MVMCP in 2015 we walked by just as the Seven Dwarves were getting ready to meet (this was in Fantasyland, close to 7DMT. I don't know where they are this year). I snapped a photo as we walked by before they were meeting with anyone so I did it without interrupting or disturbing anyone. I didn't know this was frowned upon?

This is exactly what I was asking. I wouldn't ever interrupt or mess up someone that had stayed in line for the meet and greet. I simply wanted to know if we could walk by and see them and maybe snap a photo. Had no idea people would be so mean about a simple question.

You're talking about a short window of time where you were lucky to get a shot before they started. The OP wants to avoid waiting in a long queue, which would be what we've answered here. Of course, if people were lined up, and you got in the way of them starting the M&G, then it would have been a different story.

I was not asking if I would be allowed to disturb a meet and greet for someone who had been in line. I simply wanted to know if there was an opportunity to walk by and see the characters and maybe snap a photo as I passed by. It had nothing to do with avoiding the line and trying to cut in or disturb someone's turn for a photo. After seeing some of the answers to this question I'll probably just avoid the entire character thing and just do rides instead.

 

[Tinkerbell42385]

i know people that will walk by and take a quick Picture most of the time it is between meet and greets ( they are kind of fair away) some times it comes out really good ( most of the time this person get the character between meet and greets other times no but the times there are other people in the picture there back are away)

I would say if you are walking by and you see an opportunity then do it, but some are in rooms and not out the ones in rooms are harder to do, If a CM tells you to move on then move on if not have fun.

There are youtubes that will walk by and go oh there is Micky over there and point the camera towards Micky ( or fill in the blank ) often times there is someone meeting Mickey but they turn the camera when the person meeting back is too it. I find this no different

Thank you for so kindly answering my question. Since it's my first time to ever do a Disney party I wasn't sure if there was an opportunity to walk by the characters or if they were all in more hidden areas. I appreciate the information. Thank you!

 

[CinderDuffy]

Man...i don't mind standing in line to get photos of my kids with the characters but thinking back to the 80s, everyone now would have left Disney pissed off as there were no lines for characters or shots without random strangers. Just parents pushing their kids towards a character who were standing out in different locations. We all survived without killing each other or having a panic attack about other people being in the vicinity.

We survived because the crowd level was probably 15-20% of what it is today.

 

[Dug720]

What’s wrong with that. Just about every picture I take in Disney probably has random people or kids in it. It’s a public place.

There is a difference between random kids in a crowd scene and A random kid with a character.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Thank you for so kindly answering my question. Since it's my first time to ever do a Disney party I wasn't sure if there was an opportunity to walk by the characters or if they were all in more hidden areas. I appreciate the information. Thank you!

Yes, there will be some characters outside and you should have no problem seeing them as you walk by. That's the only way I get to see characters now as DS10 has zero interest in meets. It is still fun to walk by and see them in their holiday outfits though! There is a good list on here with character locations: https://www.undercovertourist.com/blog/mickeys-very-merry-christmas-party-guide/

 

[DisneyOma]

Man...i don't mind standing in line to get photos of my kids with the characters but thinking back to the 80s, everyone now would have left Disney pissed off as there were no lines for characters or shots without random strangers. Just parents pushing their kids towards a character who were standing out in different locations. We all survived without killing each other or having a panic attack about other people being in the vicinity.

The reason the characters are so heavily guarded now is that people did get pissed off back then, and stampeded to get there first, etc. I was there in the late 80's, and it was crazy when a character came out.

This is exactly what I was asking. I wouldn't ever interrupt or mess up someone that had stayed in line for the meet and greet. I simply wanted to know if we could walk by and see them and maybe snap a photo. Had no idea people would be so mean about a simple question.


I was not asking if I would be allowed to disturb a meet and greet for someone who had been in line. I simply wanted to know if there was an opportunity to walk by and see the characters and maybe snap a photo as I passed by. It had nothing to do with avoiding the line and trying to cut in or disturb someone's turn for a photo. After seeing some of the answers to this question I'll probably just avoid the entire character thing and just do rides instead.

Yes, you can walk by, but you won't get very close - the CMs keep an area secure around the character to keep it safe. So, you can probably squeeze in with all the others at the outside of the zone, but you'll be getting the backside of the official photographer and/or the CMs working that area in the photos. For some characters, the queue is part of the barrier, so those characters would be hard to get.

 

[BalooFan]

OP - Some characters are in open areas and visible to anyone passing by, while others may be in more restricted areas. You are obviously seeking pictures of characters who are in open areas. As long as you keep a respectful distance from the characters, their handlers, the Photopass photographers, and the guests waiting in line, you should be fine. If you can’t snap pictures when the characters are walking to/from the meet and greet, you may be able to snap them (from a distance) between guests. If this doesn’t work, you can just take the picture and crop any guests out of it. You may not get great pictures, but it can be done.