Our experiences with meeting the princesses.

[Misskitty3]

My DD and I got in line around 8:55am last Friday (May 11) at Princess Fantasy Fair to meet the princesses. The PFF opens at 9am. Princess Minnie, Ariel and Tiana were the Princess that were there. DD and I stood in line for about 20 minutes until we were at the very front of the line. At that point, the CM working the line told us Minnie would need to leave but we would still get to see the other 2 princesses. In other words, one princess would be leaving but she would not be replaced. So for us, we stood in line for 20 minutes and got to meet 2 princesses - not bad.

Next on our list was meeting Rapunzel. Her meet n' greet didn't start until 11am (in Fantasyland). We got in line at 10:40am with the sign saying we had a 45 minute wait. Note that there is virtually no shade for the folks in line. There were many smart parents taking turns with one holding the spot in line and the other riding rides with the kids. The Rapunzel lined moved extremely slow....by Noon we were second in line and Rapunzel needed to take a 15 minute break. By that time, I actually said something to the CM's that there wait time sign was waaay off. They apologized. We finally got our 30 seconds with Rapunzel (Flynn was not there) and that was it. Rapunzel is my DD's favorite and she really wanted to meet her but I felt an hour and a half to meet just one character was too much.

 

[ValpoCory]

Definitely agree on the Disneyland Rapunzel line taking forever. They should have done Pixie Hollow parallel processing (multiple rooms) like they had at WDW in Toon Town before they closed ToonTown there. It still went slowly there, but not as slowly at DLR's Pixie Hollow. I'm not sure if they have multiple Tinks at WDW now, though.

 

[coaches24]

wow that doesnt sound fun at all. Im glad you posted this though. My DD(3) cant wait to meet the princesses. We are doing the AG lunch and were planning on doing the PFF and any other princess meet and greats we could find but now I know not to stand in a long line for it. AG may be DDs chane to meet the princesses and we may "forget" about PFF unless we see a golden opportunity.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

wow that doesnt sound fun at all. Im glad you posted this though. My DD(3) cant wait to meet the princesses. We are doing the AG lunch and were planning on doing the PFF and any other princess meet and greats we could find but now I know not to stand in a long line for it. AG may be DDs chane to meet the princesses and we may "forget" about PFF unless we see a golden opportunity.

We book AG just so we don't have to do PFF. Definitely worth the money! And the food at lunch is very good.

 

[Mommy26]

Sounds like they need Fast Pass for characters now.

Maybe they offer FP before the character gets there.

Only hand out a certain amount of FP, so the character can take a break at a certain time.

Etc.

Maybe I'm just crazy

 

[Misskitty3]

I forgot to mention that the line for Rapunzel didn't appear to be really long. I have seen the line at PFF at times look like there is a 100 people waiting. This was not the case at Rapunzel....other than her 15 minute break, not sure why it took forever since she only spent 30 seconds with us!

 

[mexican-mouseketeers]

We book AG just so we don't have to do PFF. Definitely worth the money! And the food at lunch is very good.

Definetly, money well spent!

We waited 2 hours at PFF just to meet Aurora, Cinderella and Snow White that we had already met at AG the day before with no wait.

 

[pixiewings71]

We do AG as well, we prefer not to have to wait for the Princesses and we enjoy the food at the Grotto as well. It was our experience that when the line for Rapunzel got too long they would close it down, we were lucky enough to get in line right after the reopened it, so even tho the MouseWait app (and wait time sign) said 90 minutes we only waited 45.

 

[kailuagirl]

Meeting the characters has always been hit or miss with us. Sorry you had to wait so long

When Rapunzel was new in Nov. 2010 it took us 5 days to see her. They would only allow a certain # of people in line at a certain time, there was like times it would open up, it was so crazy, we always just missed it. We would go back at the right time and it was already full. Finally on our last time the CM told us to come back at such time, earlier than the assigned time and line up in the "unofficial" line that forms and that worked. We saw both of them and they spent a nice couple of minutes with DD. In Nov. 2011 we were like you and waited forever, once at the front, rushed us in, rushed us out.

As for PFF, that is a hit or miss. I truly find that they rush you though this and it's just for photo op, the princesses never talk to my daughter. Now when we run into them outside the castle and such we find it way way better. They interact more with DD and have conversations, they play games, Cinderella played princess says and there was some other ones, tell stores, etc. We like them on the "streets" alot better, but we still will go to PFF if the line is short.

As for Pixie Hollow, we love it there, never had a bad experience and the characters always interact with DD.

 

[monkey30]

Definitely agree on the Disneyland Rapunzel line taking forever. They should have done Pixie Hollow parallel processing (multiple rooms) like they had at WDW in Toon Town before they closed ToonTown there. It still went slowly there, but not as slowly at DLR's Pixie Hollow. I'm not sure if they have multiple Tinks at WDW now, though.

I finally had the chance to meet a few princesses and Tink on the last trip, there was one room that had up to 3 fairies, but only Tink was there (after a hour long wait sign said 20 mins!)

 

[Briarrose1306]

I've been lucky to never have been rushed through the PFF then. I've always had quite nice visits with whomever was in there and they've spent quite a bit of time talking to me on some occasions and I'm an adult. Usually they get enraptured with my pins and want to look through them all. lol But I agree the wait can be quite awful. I think I waited over 2 hours last time I was there, though it was Valentine's Day when the princes were with them.

 

[Blue32]

As for PFF, that is a hit or miss. I truly find that they rush you though this and it's just for photo op, the princesses never talk to my daughter. Now when we run into them outside the castle and such we find it way way better. They interact more with DD and have conversations, they play games, Cinderella played princess says and there was some other ones, tell stores, etc. We like them on the "streets" alot better, but we still will go to PFF if the line is short.

As for Pixie Hollow, we love it there, never had a bad experience and the characters always interact with DD.

I have read this in other posts too, about trying to meet them around the castle instead. I'm just not sure I'll be able to convince my daughters that the PFF may not be worth the wait. They will NEED to see some princesses but I'd like to do it with less of a wait.

 

[CrazyDuck]

This is why you need to pay $100 for the 3 of you to eat breakfast at Ariels and be done with them! $100 for 5 princesses, breakfast, and 2 hours of valuable DL time is a good deal!

 

[Mama Who]

As for PFF, that is a hit or miss. I truly find that they rush you though this and it's just for photo op, the princesses never talk to my daughter.

It's odd how varied these experiences can be. We had a wonderful time with our daughter at PFF last May. She was just turning 1 and all three princesses took lots of time to play and talk with her. We were there first thing in the morning and were in the first 3 or 4 families in line.

 

[Princess Sleepy]

Is there any other way to meet Rapunzel? When we were at WDW last November, we missed her and my DD5 was devastated. I was hoping to have an easier time seeing her at DLR, but now I am not hopeful. We don't have a ton of time and I'm not sure I want to spend hours of it in line to meet Rapunzel for 30 seconds.

 

[cari12]

Does Rapunzel go to AG? My kids had a magical time at AG in 2009 but I know they will definitely want to meet Rapunzel this time. I really do not want to spend over an hour in line to meet her though so if she's a regular at AG then perhaps it would be better to book that.

 

[Isatricia]

Our experience was much the same as the OP.

 

[Minnie Sue Oz]

Oh my................a princess Minnie!!!

I didn't know there was a princess Minnie! Is she there often or is this just a sometimes thing? I would love to know as when we were there last in 2010, we didn't see one!

I would be happy to wait to see her, but I am an adult! To make the kids wait so long is very frustrating so the characters should at least give them some real attention when they finally get to see them!

Going now to add "Princess Minnie" to my things to do in October list!!!!

 

[Vala]

Oh my................a princess Minnie!!!

I didn't know there was a princess Minnie! Is she there often or is this just a sometimes thing? I would love to know as when we were there last in 2010, we didn't see one!

I would be happy to wait to see her, but I am an adult! To make the kids wait so long is very frustrating so the characters should at least give them some real attention when they finally get to see them!

Going now to add "Princess Minnie" to my things to do in October list!!!!

We've met her during our first visit at AG in 2007. Never seen her again since, but there's reported sightings once in a blue moon in trip reports.

 

[perlster]

Is there any other way to meet Rapunzel?

There is another way, but it's rare and not available to everyone. She may appear outside during a private event held at night:


Rapunzel & Flynn having a merry time by perlster, on Flickr