Meeting characters?

[NewsiesGoil]

This will be my first solo trip (ignore the ticker, I thought I was going to have a buddy) and I'm super excited! I've always wanted to get pictures with characters but my siblings (who I traveled with before) never wanted to wait in line with me. I'm a 30 year old woman, will I get weird looks because I want a picture with Phineas & Ferb?

 

[Figmificent]

I am close to your age... Went to DHS in Feb just to get my picture with those two! Lol. Honestly, I don't care what anyone else thinks, I'm at Disney, I'm gonna have a good time!

 

[sam_001]

go for it i always do no problem i got picture with darth vadar see

 

[GaRain]

I would say no, you will not get weird looks - but you will.
Especially if you have the line closed behind you and some parent comes up and wants you out of line so that their kid can have their picture with said character.
But other than that - no, no problems. I love getting my picture with the characters and love that they interract with you!
Example - Peter Pan. I was wearing my SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPEALIDOCIOUS tshirt so we got into a conversation about Mary Poppins and how she had told him to behave....LOL!

So - don't worry about what other people think. It is your trip - have fun!!

 

[HugsForEeyore]

I love meeting characters, but as a solo, I find it difficult to do. Often you are invisible. I can't even begin to count how many times people cut right in front of me, like I wasn't there. When families of 8 cut in front of you, even speaking up and trying to be assertive isn't going to help much. You're outnumbered, they got cute kids, they win.

Even when I stand in line and I'm the next to meet the characters, I had the CM look right around me and wave up the people behind me (who always gladly step around me). I guess the CM assumes you're part of the family behind you (but you obvioulsy are not) and the people behind you assume you are with the people in front of you, so they happily step around you when it's suppose to be your turn. So you wind up standing there, skipped and feeling awkward and embarrased. Ugh. This happened to me at least 4 times last trip.

Even when the CM waves me up for my turn, I also can't count how many times the family behind me runs up to the character in the split second it takes to hand my camera to the CM. Then it becomes awkward while their little kids gets called back to wait their turn. Usually I will just shrug and let them go, or just leave. I get too frustrated sometimes with spending all my energy guarding my spot in line, to the point where I just don't want to bother.

When I do feel like meeting characters, I tend to do lines that are well-monitored, like Epcot's Character Spot.

I used to love meeting characters, but being solo makes it very difficult, and I just don't want to deal with it anymore. Glad to hear everyone else has great experiences - wish I did.

 

[karice2]

I have never had an issue meeting characters. I stand in line and chat up the people around me. This prevents me from looking like a weirdo but also lets people know that I am meeting chararcters too. Sometimes, I use a trick and tell people that I am doing research on a character scavenger hunt for my friends, so they even participate in getting me thru the line. Offering to take pictures or telling me where they found other characters.

I know some people are not that gregarious but it works for me. What also works is having the camera and photo pass ready so when I walk up, it is a 20-30 second transaction between me and the character. I am usually in position before the photographer has put camera up to face.


Parents can't give me a weird look, if I am doing legitimate research.

 

[Landscaper]

You may, though I wouldn't be overly concerned about it. If you think about it, ALL sorts of people go to WDW - from people who eat gum off the sidewalk (if you can find it, mmmmmm, sidewalk gum), to people who wet themselves on Space Mtn. Lining up for a character picture now doesn't seem so bad huh?

Also, I've seen PLENTY of single adults line up to meet characters. Inexplicably, most are guys lining up to see Ariel, but I have seen many other instances (it's just that I'm typically IN said line to see Ariel).

Long story short, you're there for you, for your inner kid, no one else's - go and have fun. When in doubt, remember my motto: !@#$# 'em if they can't take a joke.

Hope this babbling helps.

 

[GaRain]

I love meeting characters, but as a solo, I find it difficult to do. Often you are invisible. I can't even begin to count how many times people cut right in front of me, like I wasn't there. When families of 8 cut in front of you, even speaking up and trying to be assertive isn't going to help much. You're outnumbered, they got cute kids, they win.

Even when I stand in line and I'm the next to meet the characters, I had the CM look right around me and wave up the people behind me (who always gladly step around me). I guess the CM assumes you're part of the family behind you (but you obvioulsy are not) and the people behind you assume you are with the people in front of you, so they happily step around you when it's suppose to be your turn. So you wind up standing there, skipped and feeling awkward and embarrased. Ugh. This happened to me at least 4 times last trip.

Even when the CM waves me up for my turn, I also can't count how many times the family behind me runs up to the character in the split second it takes to hand my camera to the CM. Then it becomes awkward while their little kids gets called back to wait their turn. Usually I will just shrug and let them go, or just leave. I get too frustrated sometimes with spending all my energy guarding my spot in line, to the point where I just don't want to bother.

When I do feel like meeting characters, I tend to do lines that are well-monitored, like Epcot's Character Spot.

I used to love meeting characters, but being solo makes it very difficult, and I just don't want to deal with it anymore. Glad to hear everyone else has great experiences - wish I did.

This to has happened to me before, but I don't give up. I paid my ticket price to get in....But also, I do talk to the CMs right before it is my turn - will you take my picture and such. I also like to tell them that "Said Character" is my favorite - so they make sure I get the attention and not the kid behind me.

 

[karly05]

First off, Phineas & Ferb have fans of all ages. Seriously, high point of my Feb solo trip, being the first (and only) person there when the Boys came out at 9:30. (Miserable freezing cold weather was probably a factor in keeping the crowds down that morning. I told them that, since they'd already made winter in summer, they needed to work on making summer in winter, because it was way too cold out! They liked that idea.) I got hugs and pictures, P&F were great, Photopass guy was great (took his pics, and a couple with my camera). Go for it!

I also got my pic with Handy Manny (yeah, I'm a fan), and the CMs were very nice and did not make me feel weird.

 

[BelleBriarRose]

I think WDW is the place where everyone can act like a kid, no matter how old they really are! I say meet your favorite characters and enjoy the experience, because you'll regret it if you don't. Walt would want you to

 

[cbeeindisney]

I'm so glad that you asked this question! I pre-ordered my photopass and intend on getting as many pictures as possible, with characters and without- I was also a little worried about jumping in line with all the kids, but we all paid to get in and we deserve to do what makes us happy btw- next trip I will be with my bf in August- both 27.

 

[MyMuse]

I've gotten my pics with characters and had both great experiences and not-so-great.

But it's all on the way you approach it. The best story I have is doing Cinderella's table solo (and talk about solo!!!!) and trust me, it was daunting.

The photo beforehand, I talked with the Photopass people and told them straight out I was there solo and would like my photo (as it is part of the package). Luckily, I was the first person to check-in for my time, so I was able to talk with them. I stood in place in line where they told me.

Several families walked in, and just walked past me and straight to where Cinderella has just walked out to get into place. The Photopass people quickly got people organized and said to get behind me for the photos.

That said, the families were apologetic and didn't even realize. They just saw Cindy and got all excited. Now, Cindy was awesome and made me feel like a princess, so I appreciated that.

During the meal, the characters could not have been better. A very nice experience whe n it could had the makings of being quite terrible.

 

[carverebain]

Why don't they have any character dinners for only adult guys? Call it "Dinner and Drinks with Aladdin, Eric, and Prince Charming". Then we could all drink scotch and smoke cigars.

 

[DisneyWorldTraveller]

Go for it... I'll be 33 in a few weeks and in December the only person embarrassed by my love for Disney characters was my 7 year old daughter.... Quote... Mummy why do u keep hugging & kissing the characters and saying happy Christmas??? Well why not!!! After all Disney parks are the place to go to escape reality and feel like a kid again.

 

[ttintagel]

Even when the CM waves me up for my turn, I also can't count how many times the family behind me runs up to the character in the split second it takes to hand my camera to the CM. Then it becomes awkward while their little kids gets called back to wait their turn.

Oh, I hate that! And it's not even just with characters - it seems like any time I try to take a picture of something, someone jumps out from behind me, shoves her sixty-odd kids in front of whatever I'm trying to take a picture of, and starts snapping away.

 

[annieb727]

I am in a photopass share in June...and it's my solo trip - Going to make full use of that. I will most definitely go find some of my favorite characters. I want to see Tink, Eeyore, princesses...I have two boys, so on our family trip in May I won't make them wait in line to see tinkerbell with me. Unless THEY want to see them.

 

[ChadsGirl]

Inexplicably, most are guys lining up to see Ariel

Any guy I've ever talked to loves Ariel, my husband included. When I was in WDW on the college program, all my guy friends talked about Ariel being their favorite character because "she's hot." Must be the seashells. Jasmine seems to run a close second.


My husband and I always meet characters. I met Tiana and Naveen a couple years ago and had a great experience. They really engaged with me, asked me where I was from, etc. It was about a month before Thanksgiving and when I told them I was from Philly they started talking about how they were going to be there in the Thanksgiving parade. They couldn't have been nicer and they spoke to me like an adult.

 

[Qltrgrl2]

My daughter (age 30) and I had photos taken with the princesses in February after we ran the Princess Half marathon. There were a few other runners getting photos, but mostly precious little girls with their families. Making conversation with those waiting around you should assure a good experience once it is your turn.