Meeting Characters with out fast pass

[VioletSparkles]

this will be our first trip to Disney and my almost 3 year old is princess obsessed.
We have fast passes for Cinderella and rapunzel, Anna & Elsa, and Ariel. We also have reservations at CRT and Akershaus.
I'm just wondering what the wait times are for characters who don't offer fast passes? From what I can gather most of them are at Epcot (Snow White, aurora, Mulan) and we don't have a full day scheduled there.
Any input is appreciated!

 

[tobikaye]

It will all depend on when you plan to arrive and how many other people will be waiting. Plus, there is the possibility that when you get to the line you will be told the line for that meet is cut off and you might have to wait for the next set. This means you will wait in line, but at some point in front of you the character will leave for a break, usually 10-20 minutes, before returning.

At Epcot, I have had short waits and longer waits, it all depends on the ebb and flow of the crowds. I have been at Epcot on slower days, but found long lines for many characters and I have been there on busy days, but practically walked up to characters.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I would check character meet and greet times when you get to the park so you know when the characters will be out and when to get in line.

This is a good site, too, for schedules and tips:

http://www.characterlocator.com/?p=character_list&id=2&park=ep&parkShow=1&sortBy=

 

[Skjhjb]

My girls were 16 & 18 last year when we went - and my oldest especially - were meet & greet obsessed!

We kept an eye on the app for characters and where to meet them. We managed to get in line before the character appeared, so we had a bit of a wait for a few of them, but nothing outrageous.

We happened upon Mulan by chance - and while waiting, it started to rain, so Mulan took the hand of a girl she was with, and her CM lead the way into the building for the rest of the line.

Pocahontas was harder to find - it took us a while to find her "spot" but we were first in line for her. We knew we were in the right place when a few others showed up!

But the app was great for checking on who would be coming out when!

 

[muenginerd]

Pocahontas at AK had a very short wait, I think because she's alittle harder to find.

We saw Mulan and Snow White at Epcot. Both were alittle longer wait. CMs suggested we arrive at least 10 mins prior to when the princess was due to arrive. Mulan's line general closed before Mulan arrived. Her CM told us her meet and greet fills rather quickly because this is the only location she meets unlike some of the other princesses.

Belle is also a harder Princess to "meet" in my opinion. She appears at Epcot in her blue dress and does the princess dining at Epcot. She doesn't generally appear at CRT or within MK. You can see her at Enchanted Tales with Belle but it's a very quick meet and no signing for little ones.

 

[britterbell]

My girls were 16 & 18 last year when we went - and my oldest especially - were meet & greet obsessed!

We kept an eye on the app for characters and where to meet them. We managed to get in line before the character appeared, so we had a bit of a wait for a few of them, but nothing outrageous.

We happened upon Mulan by chance - and while waiting, it started to rain, so Mulan took the hand of a girl she was with, and her CM lead the way into the building for the rest of the line.

Pocahontas was harder to find - it took us a while to find her "spot" but we were first in line for her. We knew we were in the right place when a few others showed up!

But the app was great for checking on who would be coming out when!

Did you use the MDE app or a different one?

 

[tobikaye]

We saw Mulan and Snow White at Epcot. Both were alittle longer wait. CMs suggested we arrive at least 10 mins prior to when the princess was due to arrive. Mulan's line general closed before Mulan arrived. Her CM told us her meet and greet fills rather quickly because this is the only location she meets unlike some of the other princesses.

Belle is also a harder Princess to "meet" in my opinion. She appears at Epcot in her blue dress and does the princess dining at Epcot. She doesn't generally appear at CRT or within MK. You can see her at Enchanted Tales with Belle but it's a very quick meet and no signing for little ones.

To meet Mulan with a short wait, try to be at the RD for WS between Norway and China. She normally meets right at 11 am. We basically walked right up to her and were probably the 3rd to visit her. That day Snow White was meeting starting at 11:30, so my sister and I headed there next and were 2nd in line. (We were very lucky that day as she had her Prince with her.)

 

[tinkfan160]

Just make sure you check the times for the appearances of the characters around the World Showcase on the entertainment guides. They tend to only have two or three 30-40 minute windows that they are out and the lines will often be shut down before they even come out. I don't know if Aladdin and Jasmine are on the list of those you'd like to see, but they also meet by their ride in Adventureland at MK in addition to being in the Morocco pavilion.

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

Don't forget Tiana and Merida in MK Merida usually comes out at 9:15 for her first meet/ greet - we try to meet her first thing one day. Tiana has recently moved indoors in Liberty Square (small building behind the waffle place) - I don't know how her lines have been since the move.

 

[Marbel]

Timing is important. The line for Tiana was short right at the beginning of her morning appearance. Merida was short during the dance party at the castle (Dream Along with Mickey?). The line quickly got long when the party ended. Tinkerbell was 15 mins around 12:30.

 

[Hezzy04]

Don't forget, you will most likely meet Aurora and Snow White through your character dining. Of course, you can always choose to wait in line to meet them again, but those two should be covered if you don't want extra waits! The princesses (or princess's Yep characters) not covered by character dining are Merida, Tiana, Mulan, Pocahontas, tinker Bell. I also always like to see Ariel at her grotto, because my girls like seeing her with her tail!

 

[Skjhjb]

Did you use the MDE app or a different one?

We used the MDE app on DD's iPod - none of us had data in the parks, so we relied on the wifi and DD's ipod.

 

[cath1979]

you will wee belle at arkhensus and have a beautiful photo in her yellow dress