private character meet and greet

[karasmom]

I have recently, for the very first time heard of this and was wondering if anyone has ever been pixie dusted with one? Or if anyone has ever heard of anyone having had it happen to them and if so...can you give details?

(NOT talking about the VISA m&G at epcot or the ones that are part of some of the behind the scenes tours)

 

[princessmocha]

Not sure if this is what you mean, but . . . When my daughter was 6 we had a very early morning ADR to CRT and she got picked to be the princess of the day. She and all of us got to spend about 15 minutes alone with Cinderella. It was just us, Cinderella and the photopass person. No one else was in the castle with us. Then they let everyone else in and my daughter got announced as the princess of the day and led everyone else up the stairs to the dining room.

 

[Marthasor]

I have never heard of anyone pixie dusted with this, but you can hire the characters for private meet and greets. Pricing depends on the characters, but I believe they start at about $750 per half hour

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Yeah, unless you pay for it these types of moments, while they do happen, are apparently mostly if not totally random and tough to anticipate.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

It happened to us in 2011 on our first trip. Totally unexpected, and I sent a huge complimentary email to the guest feedback inbox, and actually got a call from Disney about it, letting me know the CM in question would be recognized as a result of my email.


Here's our story:
We decided to take our kids to Disney for my daughter's 5th birthday. It was a surprise trip...the kids had no idea they were going until we woke them up that morning. Prior to the trip, we'd introduced our daughter to Star Wars, and she LOVED it from day 1. When she found out that Darth Vader is at Disney, she decided that she was going to write him a letter to give to him one day when she met him. She kept this letter for months, not knowing that we had our first trip to Disney coming up. In her mind, it was for some unspecified time in the future when she'd meet Vader at Disney. The morning that we left on the trip, her #1 concern was that she had her letter!

Anyway, so we go to DHS and we sign up for JTA. When she shows up for her show time, I tell the CM checking kids in (his name was Dustin, will never forget) that my daughter had a letter for Vader, and she handed it to him and asked him if he could give it to Vader. I expected him to take it and tell us that he gave it to Vader. Instead, he just told us to keep it and said that he'd see what he could do.

Next thing I know, he's pulling me aside telling me to hang out after the show, but not be obvious and not tell anyone else that we were asked to stay. After the show, he took us into the handicapped entrance of Star Tours, where we waited in the area overlooking the main queue. A Photopass photographer came out, and then a couple of minutes later, in comes Vader looking very...Vader-ish. My daughter had her back to him, so we told her to turn around, and when she saw him, her eyes got HUGE and she turned and RAN in the opposite direction, then turned and threw her arm out at him to "use the Force." Now, in real life, nothing happened. Everyone just laughed. But when SHE tells the story, she says that Vader flew up against the wall and was defeated. LOL. She sidled up to him, handed him the letter, and we took a few pictures. They also gave us an autographed light saber, which was pretty cool.

So, that's our story. Now that's some Disney magic right there. And they totally sucked us in...a week from now, we'll be on our 6th trip in 4 years.

 

[HopperFan]

My DS and I. I preface this that my DS is an adult (looks like teen) who is disabled so that at times comes into play with magical Cast Members.

When the characters were still back in Toontown we were in the line with Mickey's Pals. It was Pluto, Goofy, Donald and Daisy. They stopped the line behind us. As we approached our first character a manager walked up to us and asked if we had a few extra minutes after we were done. I said yes thinking it was a survey. After all the other guests had left and we were with the last character, all the other characters came over and teased with my DS and made him laugh and then they took a big group picture with us!!

BEST STORY though and will always be an incredible moment.

DS's favorite character is Quasimodo and has been since the movie came out in 1996. Among his collection he has a Quasi that has even gone into major surgeries with him and even come out with a matching apparatus once. He LOVED the Hunchback of Notre Dame show at MGM and being a legit theatrical show the actors took their bow and left. We had met a "head" Quasi at a character meal at Soundstage Restaurant but wasn't the same since he couldn't talk. Each trip we would go at least once to the show where my DS was be completely taken in by the show. One of the last times we saw it we went early and got in line. They let us in and we picked great aisle seats, half on either side. I got up and went to ask a CM if there was ANY way possible that Quasimodo would meet my DS after the show. I said he doesn't talk so it truly would last 5 minutes tops but it would mean everything to him to meet him and hear him talk to him, and take a picture. She was hesitant and really didn't know if he would agree to that, it's just not something they did. Awhile later she returned and said he would and just to sit tight after the show then find her.

The show was awesome as usual and at one point he always comes off the stage and hugs a young girl, similar to the movie. This time he comes off the stage straight for my DS (who was a teen) and gave him a huge hug. I was stunned and strangers around us started to cry. After we met him backstage and he talked with us about 20 minutes, took pictures with everyone and was so gracious. My DS was so excited and has a big blown up picture of the two of them in his room - some 14 years later. Afterwards I sent a copy of the picture with a thank you note. I don't know that he ever got it but I am sure he has no idea what a huge moment that was for my DS and us to watch. Major pixie dust!

 

[TXAKDisneyFan]

I'm not sure if you're specifically talking about experienced you pay for, or stumble upon.

Several times, we've happened upon characters in the WS with no one else around at all. I remember Marie (the cat) in France, Duffy, and Aurora (by the garden area in France), in particular. DD got to spend around 20 minutes with Aurora with absolutely no one around except for me and DH - they talked about her Duffy cardboard character with signatures and stamps from "around the world," DD's tiara (she's been to BBB), etc. It was adorable.

 

[ArielRae]

We got a private meet and greet with Darth Vader in the beginning of November. DS(4) is Autistic and loves Star Wars so we let him dress up as a Jedi for our DHS day. All the CMs assumed we were doing Jedi academy cause he was all dressed up but had to tell them no he isn't able to follow directions well enough to do the show. Well one CM (I don't recall her name) felt so bad that DS was all dressed up that she scheduled us the private meet n greet. She said disney offers this on special case bases and can't be requested for by a guest. Only a CM can make the request for you. She told us to be at the Jedi academy return area at a certain time and let them know we had a meet n greet. When we arrived for our time they looked up DS's name to confirm he was scheduled for a meet then told us to take a seat. DS got to participate with the other kids that were getting ready for the show. After the other kids left for their show we hung back and the CMs were great playing lightssabers with him. As the show was about to end we got escorted to the star tours ride where Darth Vader and two of his storm troopers met us and posed for a few pictures. They had a photopass photographer there and one of the Jedi handlers from the show helping DS pose for the pictures. It was great and DS was in heaven. I can post pictures and a short video from the meet if anyone is interested.

 

[rymahoney]

Last year I was walking down main street following the people at end of the parade and starting chatting with a cm as he followed the last float. We got talking and I said I was trying to get to my wife and kids it was our last hour there and my daughter wanted to see the genie in the parade. As we we're getting ready to go our separate ways he turned to me and said "hey meet me at the wooden doors right next to presidents hall with your daughter I have a surprise for you" I said okay. Grabbed my daughter and we stood outside the doors. A few minutes later the cm came out and said follow me. Well in the horse barn was the Geni. We got pictures and he played and dance with my daughter all to ourselves. Awesome moment. He does not do meet and greets except during holiday party's which we were not there during a party.

 

[heidi8]

On my 30th birthday - lo those many years ago, before Extra Magic Hours, but when they were opening Fantasyland an hour or so early for "toddler time" - my DH, DS (then 17 months old) and I celebrated my birthday with breakfast at Cinderella's Royal Table, then they escorted me to the Teacups, which are and always have been my favorite ride.
We asked the Cast Members running the ride if, as it was said Important Birthday, could I ride it 30 times?
They said that as long as the line didn't get too long, sure I could!
After about ride number 14, it started to get a little.... dull. I called DH and asked him to buy me a guide book so I'd have something to read for the next hour or so. But before he got the book over to me, one of the Cast Members asked if someone could join me on my next ride - of course, I said yes - and next thing I knew, they were escorting either Tweedledee or Tweedledum into the Cup with me - and we had a wonderful ride together!

(And while DH was DS were in line for Peter Pan at the other side of Fantasyland while I was somewhere around Ride Number Nineteen, people in line were asking each other if they'd seen that crazy girl who wouldn't get off the Teacups. So yes, of course, DH explained what I was doing and why. I think they still thought I was a little, well, all spun out. But at least they realized it was A Very Special Day.

 

[cheryl.UK]

In 2012 we took out 19 year old niece with us to Florida (we were getting married) It was her first time at WDW and she was desperate to meet Peter Pan. She tried over and over again but he was either cancelled or the line was just too long. Two days before the wedding she was a girl on a mission. She set off early, checked the times and sat at the meet and greet spot an hour before the allotted time. She got the photo she wanted and put it on the photo pass and all was well, until the next day when she had a few minutes to spare so checked the photo pass photos at the place on Main Street. NO PETER PAN!!! She was so upset she started crying and told the guy behind the desk the story. He said, "wait a minute", made a call and came back with a smile and a piece of paper with a time and location.

So... on the morning of our wedding day, she got up early and headed to the park. She sat waiting at the spot at 9.30am on a bench tucked away between Adventure land and Frontierland when Peter arrived with a Disney photographer. Peter spent 10 minutes chatting to her and having photos taken and then said he had to go. She invited him to the wedding as her quest but he said Wendy might not like that, gave her a wink and left.

A totally private session, just for her, and no charge. She has about 50 photographs from that meeting., some staged, some shots of them chatting. I'm just glad she got back for the ceremony!

 

[Lavitz]

They had a photopass photographer there and one of the Jedi handlers from the show helping DS pose for the pictures. It was great and DS was in heaven. I can post pictures and a short video from the meet if anyone is interested.

Pictures are always fun, post them if they're handy

 

[dkhillerud]

We did just last week!

On our trip we found out that our dog (14 years old) ran off from my sisters and was hit by a car and killed. Of course the kids were beyond upset. Shortly after finding out my husband was walking through the hotel desk area and a cast member asked him how his day was. He was honest and said not that great, told him the story about our dog. She felt terrible. She had balloons and a stuffed pluto sent up to the room later that day, along with autographed character pictures for each of the kids.

The following day my husband got a call from a lady at Animal Kingdom that manages the characters and she set up an meet and greet for us on our last day. We met Pluto and Goofy in a private location just before one of their sets in dinoland. Pluto gave the kids a present, a mickey and pluto christmas ornament. It was just amazing. Disney truely went above and beyond to help cheer up my kids. We will never forget it!!

On a side note, we were also upgraded from All star Sports to Art of Animation, little mermaid- 2 rooms with our free dining! When we went to check in at all star sports our rooms weren't connecting. They didn't even ask if we minded, just offered us the upgrade. We were very excited as we had been hoping to stay at AOA but choose the free dining at all star sports instead.

A very magical trip! We were very blessed!

 

[Aurora0427]

It happened to us in 2011 on our first trip. Totally unexpected, and I sent a huge complimentary email to the guest feedback inbox, and actually got a call from Disney about it, letting me know the CM in question would be recognized as a result of my email.


Here's our story:
We decided to take our kids to Disney for my daughter's 5th birthday. It was a surprise trip...the kids had no idea they were going until we woke them up that morning. Prior to the trip, we'd introduced our daughter to Star Wars, and she LOVED it from day 1. When she found out that Darth Vader is at Disney, she decided that she was going to write him a letter to give to him one day when she met him. She kept this letter for months, not knowing that we had our first trip to Disney coming up. In her mind, it was for some unspecified time in the future when she'd meet Vader at Disney. The morning that we left on the trip, her #1 concern was that she had her letter!

Anyway, so we go to DHS and we sign up for JTA. When she shows up for her show time, I tell the CM checking kids in (his name was Dustin, will never forget) that my daughter had a letter for Vader, and she handed it to him and asked him if he could give it to Vader. I expected him to take it and tell us that he gave it to Vader. Instead, he just told us to keep it and said that he'd see what he could do.

Next thing I know, he's pulling me aside telling me to hang out after the show, but not be obvious and not tell anyone else that we were asked to stay. After the show, he took us into the handicapped entrance of Star Tours, where we waited in the area overlooking the main queue. A Photopass photographer came out, and then a couple of minutes later, in comes Vader looking very...Vader-ish. My daughter had her back to him, so we told her to turn around, and when she saw him, her eyes got HUGE and she turned and RAN in the opposite direction, then turned and threw her arm out at him to "use the Force." Now, in real life, nothing happened. Everyone just laughed. But when SHE tells the story, she says that Vader flew up against the wall and was defeated. LOL. She sidled up to him, handed him the letter, and we took a few pictures. They also gave us an autographed light saber, which was pretty cool.

So, that's our story. Now that's some Disney magic right there. And they totally sucked us in...a week from now, we'll be on our 6th trip in 4 years.

That is amazing. As a Star Wars lover, and a fan of Darth Vader's in particular, this is just incredible.

 

[Marthasor]

Awesome stories! Thanks for sharing!

 

[1stvisit0909]

We did, Christmas Day of 2012. We took a "wrong turn" coming from grabbing FP at Soarin bookin' it to Test Track. I was kicking myself when I saw Minnie, Mickey and Pluto with several pp photos. Minnie saw my youngest, she saw Minnie, and I got a GREAT series of shots of Minnie and my youngest running towards each other with Pluto right behind, Mickey bringing up the rear. They made a HUGE deal out of our matching shirts and jewlery, and led us around to a private area where we had tons of time with them and photos too. It was so awesome. Pics of us with all three of them. Its in my Christmas trip report.

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

We have lucked out a couple of times

Once when the princesses (Belle, Aurora, Cinderella) were in Town Square we were the last family before the parade. DD got to meet Cinderella - who then followed her over to Belle's area and then they all 3 gave her a big group hug and we got to take group photos (we were the only ones in the room by that point).

Before ToonTown closed we were regulars meeting the fairies. Each trip we would go to TT at rope drop to meet the fairies multiple days trying to meet them all. One trip it was our last day and we hadn't met Fawn yet. We told the CM (I believe his name was Bryan - we still see him at Character Meets sometimes) and he let me know discretely that Fawn would fly in to visit in about an hour so we got back in line (which had a posted wait of an hour). When we got up to the shrinking area we told the CM that we wanted to wait in line until Fawn flew in... she told us we couldn't. When Bryan saw us in the meet / greet room (just entering) we spoke and I told her that the other CM wouldn't let us wait. He talked to her and she let us wait - about 10 minutes later he called us up - we were the only ones and we had a one on one meeting with Fawn and Silvermist! We were the only family in there - it was so magical. DD and I were both tearing up. DH was busy taking pictures like mad.

 

[David The Prince]

Yes!! I have experienced these types of meet and greet with characters like Big Bad Wolf, Beauty and The Beast Cast, Pain & Panic, Foulfellow, Sebastian, among others! You just need to find the right person at the right time at the right place!

 

[ArielRae]

Pictures are always fun, post them if they're handy

Here is a video I made from his Private Meet. (give it a few to load up first)
http://vid200.photobucket.com/album...d Star Wars Darth Vader Video_zpskfcpahb3.mp4

Pictures from the meet:

Waiting to leave for meet

Learning how to open their style lightsaber / they gave him the robe to wear.

Meeting Vader

 

[Donald - my hero]

We just got back from an amazing 2 week trip to celebrate our 30th anniversary. A few M & G's stand out .. hubby's fav has to be Pluto and goodness what an experience he had when we spotted him tucked in behind the photography store at EPCOT (every time we went in he was "hiding" there with little or no line) The gem that my hubby is didn't want to take his "turn" until we found Donald but i insisted. Good grief he could barely stand still while he waited his turn and kept making sure i had the camera ready to go ...Pluto's handler noticed hubby's excitement bubbling over and told the family behind us that Pluto was almost ready to go chew on his bone for a bit ... Hubby got to spend close to 5 minutes with Pluto ... here's one shot



Best had to be when we saw Mickey & Minnie in Animation Studio in DHS ... Mickey saw our anniversary buttons and made a huge deal over the # of years written on them, I winked "but you've been with Minnie for more years than I've put up with him!" Then he broke character, leaned in really close and whispered "she can't talk back!" His handler told the crowd that Mickey needed to get ready for a date with Minnie and off they toddled. We went around the corner and ended up in Minnie's dressing room. OH MY GOODNESS! We spent a long time with her "discussing" the fact that Mickey had yet to "put a ring on it" so i told her that in Canada you only need to be together for 12 months to be considered "common-law" and recognized as married. She put her hands on her hips and as much as her face will let her showed her amazement. Went over to her handler and had me tell her the same thing and pulled us by our hands as she waved 'bye to both the photographer & the 2 handlers... out we went to the larger room and to a back room where she approached Mickey and waggled her finger at him, grabbed him by the hand and proceeded to march out into the main room again and head towards the park. So there we go, 2 50-ish adults , Mickey & Minnie with several handlers in our wake. Minnie stops mid-room, turns around to everyone and forces Mickey down on one knee. Unfortunately the photographers just couldn't keep up with us so we only have the pictures that led up to this "golden moment"Mickey realizing that 30 years is forever in his book.
Minnie discovering that if she was Canadian she would already be Mickey's wife!
If anyone's interested i have one more moment that gave me tingles and got my hubby in major trouble with a handler!