Older kids and autograph books?

[dizneymomma]

Hi, all!

My sons are 11 and 9 and think they're way too cool to get character autographs (football players are another story entirely). But I'm wondering -- parents of tweens, is this the standard, or are your kids still into getting the autographs?

 

[kalc12345]

My daughter just turned 10 and she asked for an autograph book for our upcoming trip. She is still into that sort of thing.

 

[Cinderelli16]

I took my best friend to WDW for the first time when she was 15 & she got autographs. Probably only because it was her first time being there, but she didn't think it was uncool.

But my brother who was 10 this past trip didn't want to get autographs because he too thought it was "uncool", it kind of seems like a boy thing.

 

[eeyorethegreat]

I have 4 kids and they all love getting autographs. My 13 yo son got autographs from the characters, in fact his goal was to get every page filled

 

[FingZing]

My son is 9 - never been to Disney - he does not want the autograph book. I think it's more of a boy thing. When I took my nieces to DL when they were 11 & 14 they did it.

 

[susykt4]

My SIX-yr-old son decided he was too old and cool for autographs our last trip. He was much more into riding Expedition Everest and Space Mtn as many times as possible and didn't want to wait in lines for "boring characters." My nine-yr-old daughter was still totally into it and filled her whole book. I'm gonna put in another vote for boy thing.

 

[squirrel]

Would they like a T-shirt with autographs? If you are going to any of the character meals it would be easy to get done there.

 

[nettii]

My youngest DS was seven last year and he didnt want to "wast time getting autographs." But at our character dinners he did still get autographs and loved it! Its all a matter of each kids own unique personality.
Just remind them to relax and have fun! Nettii

 

[DISNEYNV]

My son is 9 - never been to Disney - he does not want the autograph book. I think it's more of a boy thing. When I took my nieces to DL when they were 11 & 14 they did it.

I agree! It would definately be a girl thing to do! Boys might really want to...but you know I wouldn't be too upset either way

 

[dizneymomma]

Ah, I could see it being a boy/girl thing. (Although it's definitely a YMMV thing, too, among genders!)

Thanks for the input -- I appreciate it!

 

[karliebug]

How about a baseball cap or visor for the characters to sign instead of a book? Or I have heard that some people bring a picture mat for them to sign and then you can add a photo of him with the characters to display at home.

 

[NHdisneylover]

My youngest DS was seven last year and he didnt want to "wast time getting autographs." But at our character dinners he did still get autographs and loved it! Its all a matter of each kids own unique personality.
Just remind them to relax and have fun! Nettii

Both of my kids ahve been at that point for a while now as well. By the time DD was 7 or 8 she was not interested enough in seeing a character/getting an autograph to wait in a line for it, but even now at 12 she can enjoy doing so at a character meal. DS10 is pretty much the same way. Not just a boy thing in our house at all

 

[MichelleVW]

My girls like to get autographs, but I think it's a "girl" thing.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

my DD is 13 and totally chased down Aurora to get her autograph at Epcot, but my 11yo DS wasn't interested at all and said he thought his sister was too old.

 

[dogodisney]

This past Sept. my DD was 15 and she got autograhs, had her passport signed and did the mask activities at the Kid Cots in Epcot. She had a really good time doing it. I think she realized that they would be great souvenirs and something that she can cherish when she is older. My DD (14) on the other hand didn't want any part of any of it.

 

[SmallWorld71]

DS10 is VERY into getting autographs. I think it is for 2 primary reasons:
1) He is very shy and this gives him a way to approach the characters.
2) He is a collector. He keeps his autograph books from each year and is always trying to do better than the year before with either new autographs or more autographs.

DS13 could take em or leave em and has been that way for a few years. DD6 gets them, but is much more interested in meeting the characters; I think she just does the books because her brother thinks it's so important. I don't think it is so much a boy/ girl thing as it is a personality thing.

 

[WantToGoNow]

My ds8 is looking forward to getting the autographs. My dd5 has only collected autographs one time and she loves looking through that book. My cousins 4 kids have never been so they don't know what to expect - their oldest ds is 9.

I have a bag that my oldest dd purchased from Walmart that I am planning to use for our trip. I got out everything I would need to carry to see if it fit in the bag well and how the bag felt when it was full - it's like a cheap knock-off of the mini-hipster. My kids saw the 2 autograph books from last trip laying on the table and dd5 asked me if we were leaving yesterday on the trip. Sorry, a few more months but the bag will work.

 

[FunkyDuck]

My son was 11 when we went last year and it was our first trip...he LOVED getting the autographs in his book that I made him.

 

[Tink_Or_Belle]

neither of my girls are into the autographs anymore so it may not be a girl thing they did them the 1st 3 trips and realized they have the same autographs every year so instead they like to think of a fun pose that goes with each character and have me take a picture then they get a 4 by 6 album and keep the character photos together. less to carry around that way. my 6 year old boy still does autographs but the girls did them at age 6 too

my girls are 12 and 10

 

[Jetaime]

For girls once your 13 you can start wearing a tiara to the parks, get an autograph book signed because you feel mature enough......for 10-12 year olds there may a reluctance to do that stuff because you "have to act cool." Then again plenty of self esteemed girls ignore this.

For boys....maybe you could buy like a plainish baseball cap..in there favorite color and have favorite characters sign.....