Protocol for walking up to characters?? This is a foreign concept at WDW...

[GatorChris]

I does make everything very fun and spontaneous at DL to have characters just "appear" for no reason. It's magical, but it's harder to catch a photo with these types of M&Gs. There are areas that are designated M&G and that's a normal WDW way of getting pics. But if you've got kids, it can sometimes be frustrating to have characters arrive, then it's chaos as everyone is jumping in to take photos with no line or formal way of doing it. The polite way of standing in line goes out the window. You've got to be a bit aggressive if you want your kids to get in the shot.

 

[grnflash]

I does make everything very fun and spontaneous at DL to have characters just "appear" for no reason. It's magical, but it's harder to catch a photo with these types of M&Gs. There are areas that are designated M&G and that's a normal WDW way of getting pics. But if you've got kids, it can sometimes be frustrating to have characters arrive, then it's chaos as everyone is jumping in to take photos with no line or formal way of doing it. The polite way of standing in line goes out the window. You've got to be a bit aggressive if you want your kids to get in the shot.

Hmm, odd because we have never experienced any of this. And we've met MANY characters this way. Not saying it has never happened, but this is not typical.

 

[agamble]

When we visited in December DD got to meet Peter Pan and have her picture with him for the first time. We'd seen him many times, used to see him with Alice (think he had a crush), but never had him stop for a photo. He's quite the character and obviously tries to make his job fun. On our trip in May we were in Fantasyland in the morning, it was not too busy, and we saw Hook walking around. DD also got a picture with him. We had previously only seen Hook at Minnie's breakfast. DS was not interested in pictures with characters at that time. He was afraid of Hook and knows him to be the villain in Jake and the Neverland Pirates.

 

[CassieF]

I'll give you some recent happenings and insight. First, the official Disney App now has times of the "roaming" characters so it might ruin the "randomness" perceived before but in reality, they've always had scheduled times. Recently the roaming characters include Alice, Mad Hatter, and during Halloween time, the Queen of Hearts (often with them but sometimes on her on), Mary Poppins and Bert, Peter Pan and Hook, the Evil Queen, Fairy Godmother (afternoons only usually) and Frollo (Halloween time only). Most of these will walk to a location where they will stop and a line will form. Occasionally they will just stroll, you can usually figure it out by their pace, slow means they don't usually have a destination.

Also, Ariel and Aurora are taking turns at the wishing well, but the area usually has one or two hosts and a continuous line for both characters like the line for Rapunzel/Merida outside Fan Faire

 

[Tyggress]

My 4 year old son has had great character interactions at Disneyland...I remember last year during the holidays, we were hanging around the Jingle Jamboree @ the Ranch, decorating cookies and what-not. Well, what do you know, here comes Minnie Mouse, all done up in her holiday outfit. She was just strolling around, playing with the kids. I told my son to approach her and wait patiently. She noticed him, took his hand and started walking him around. I got tons of pictures of the two of them walking hand-in-hand. That was amazing....but THEN....TO TOP IT OFF, here came Mickey Mouse a few minutes later. Same thing...he was in his holiday garb, and just strolling. We were the first to really notice him arrive and my son walked up to him, and he did the same as Minnie....took my son's hand and started skipping through the area with him. I got tons of pics of the two of them skipping hand-in-hand.

I will treasure those pictures for forever...I literally cried to see my son so happy skipping along with them....it was amazing.

 

[agamble]

My 4 year old son has had great character interactions at Disneyland...I remember last year during the holidays, we were hanging around the Jingle Jamboree @ the Ranch, decorating cookies and what-not. Well, what do you know, here comes Minnie Mouse, all done up in her holiday outfit. She was just strolling around, playing with the kids. I told my son to approach her and wait patiently. She noticed him, took his hand and started walking him around. I got tons of pictures of the two of them walking hand-in-hand. That was amazing....but THEN....TO TOP IT OFF, here came Mickey Mouse a few minutes later. Same thing...he was in his holiday garb, and just strolling. We were the first to really notice him arrive and my son walked up to him, and he did the same as Minnie....took my son's hand and started skipping through the area with him. I got tons of pics of the two of them skipping hand-in-hand.

I will treasure those pictures for forever...I literally cried to see my son so happy skipping along with them....it was amazing.

They did this for Halloween, Christmas, and Easter/Springtime. It is a bit sad that those offerings are going away. They generally had Minnie, Mickey, and some friends who would come out and do dancing/walking with the kids in special holiday clothes. Then they also had staged M&Gs. Christmas was Santa of course, Halloween they had the Villains in the tent, and at Easter/Spring they had bunnies and their friends (We saw Rabbit, Roger Rabbit, Pluto with Rabbit ears, and Minnie in her Spring Dress).

 

[ktlm]

We got in a very short line for Pluto and Goofy, they were together. I thought that was funny, so I begged my 2 adult friends to wait with me. It was our turn, and CRUELLA came out, and started yelling "my PUPPIES! my PUPPIES! Where are they?? these are puppies, but not the right kind!" She was hilarious, and we ended up with photos of us with all 3, Pluto, Goofy, and Cruella!

We have seen Peter Pan, out goofing around,and even Malificent. Both over by the Snow White fountain, near the castle. No real line. Peter was showing kids how to flip their coins into the wishing well.

Love that Cruella story!!! I love that DLR has some villains out- WDW rarely has any out. (WDW does have the stepsisters and Lady Tremaine out regularly who are probably our favorites or all the characters. They are hilarious. DD rode the carousel with them last year. WDW has Gaston regularly too and he is funny, but that is pretty much it for villians there for meet and greet).

I love Cruella. We saw her in Town Square at DL two years ago for the first time, and much to my daughter's horror I'm sure, I took off running for her like I was 5 years old. My DH was laughing his head off. If she has not moved, the Evil Queen was meeting behind the castle this summer. WDW isn't even going to do a meet and greet with her at the Halloween party this year, so that was a pretty exciting one for us!

 

[Blondie Mom]

Mary Poppins and Bert typically "stroll" in the mornings. We have found them walking around town square, and also wandering around Fantasyland. They don't stop and let a line form, but they will let you walk with them, talk to them, sign autographs while they walk and slightly pause for a picture or to let you get in front of them and take your child's picture while the child walks with them. Typically it is fairly easy to walk to the side or behind and get a turn with them, but one year there was a big group of adults that was basically shoving in front of the kids who were walking waiting to see them. That time Mary Poppins and I had to get a little more aggressive to get DD to her. (Mary realized DD had been waiting and adults kept shoving in front of her and used her orderly personality to make others let DD have her turn as I slightly pummeled my way around the adults- as the others had done to us)

The Mad Hatter and Alice often stroll through Fantasyland and joke with guests and hold impromptu tea parties. Again, they don't often stand still for autographs and photos and let a line form, but they will sign autographs as they move and slightly pause for pictures. We have always gotten their autographs and photos.

Around the castle in the afternoons, characters will often pop up. You can also find random characters popping up in town square or right inside the park gates. Short lines will form for them. Our last trip, Captain Hook was strolling through Fantasyland. He took DD to a spot for photos, but then decided he didn't like that spot and moved somewhere else to play with her and take photos. There was no one around but he and DD. After we said goodby and left, a short line formed for him after people realized he was standing there waiting for people to come see him.

When you see a character, just follow. It is fine to approach them to talk or ask for an autograph or photograph- just be polite and follow their lead. If you follow them you will quickly figure out whether they are heading to a spot for photos, leaving, or strolling. Once the stepsisters and Cinderella walked past us (DD's favorites)- with the stepsisters bickering the whole way and Cinderella just walking and nodding to those as she passed. We followed them, and they stopped at wishing well by the castle and allowed a line to form for photos and autographs and we were first!

The big difference is that a lot of these characters, don't have handlers with them- so it feels like they are just out and about, which is nice.

We love that we never know who we might run into.

As far as the character meals, Minnie's breakfast is great. It is better than WDW characters meals. There are some characters that are almost always there, but you never know who else you might run into. I don't think we have ever seen less than 7 characters during that meal and once we saw 12. Goofy's used to be almost the same way, but in the last year they standardized that one, so now it is just like a WDW character meal.

Have a great trip! We think DLR/CA has a slightly more laid back feel, and we love that everything is so close together and quick walking distance. Be careful though-- we planned one trip to DLR and now we alternate coasts! I hope you love it as much as we do!

Thank you! So much great info here.

 

[Blondie Mom]

We got in a very short line for Pluto and Goofy, they were together. I thought that was funny, so I begged my 2 adult friends to wait with me. It was our turn, and CRUELLA came out, and started yelling "my PUPPIES! my PUPPIES! Where are they?? these are puppies, but not the right kind!" She was hilarious, and we ended up with photos of us with all 3, Pluto, Goofy, and Cruella!

We have seen Peter Pan, out goofing around,and even Malificent. Both over by the Snow White fountain, near the castle. No real line. Peter was showing kids how to flip their coins into the wishing well.

Oh my gosh...love this Cruella story! My boys' favorite movies right now are "Alice in Wonderland" and "101 Dalmations" and it sounds like characters from both of those movies are likely to be seen. Woohoo!

 

[Blondie Mom]

Y'ALL. I am loving these stories. It sounds like there is so much magic to go around at Disneyland! The genuine character interaction alone will make for priceless memories....I don't even care if we get perfectly posed photos or not! I can't wait to see what happens!!

 

[AZMermaid]

The picture in my avatar.... we saw Peter Pan near Storybookland with a short line and hopped in. There was one little girl behind us. Peter asked my kids if they wanted to go on an adventure? They were a little shy/star struck but eventually figured out what he was asking and said yes. He met the girl behind us and then took my kids skipping/running from Storybookland to the planters near where the fairies are (a pretty far ways). Kids ran up but he just said, we are on an adventure and kept skipping along. When they got to the planters, he started digging through them looking for the "treasure." He dug out two pinecones and handed them to my kids. My son asked, "The treasure is a pinecone?" Peter said, "Yes, it is a treasure because we found it together." Best memory ever.

 

[Blondie Mom]

The picture in my avatar.... we saw Peter Pan near Storybookland with a short line and hopped in. There was one little girl behind us. Peter asked my kids if they wanted to go on an adventure? They were a little shy/star struck but eventually figured out what he was asking and said yes. He met the girl behind us and then took my kids skipping/running from Storybookland to the planters near where the fairies are (a pretty far ways). Kids ran up but he just said, we are on an adventure and kept skipping along. When they got to the planters, he started digging through them looking for the "treasure." He dug out two pinecones and handed them to my kids. My son asked, "The treasure is a pinecone?" Peter said, "Yes, it is a treasure because we found it together." Best memory ever.

What an amazing experience! I can't believe this stuff really happens!

 

[tiffjoy]

I say every time we are at DLR, especially right after a WDW trip, I love how I feel like the characters actually live at DLR. It's a huge thing to me, and if they ever change it, it will take away much of the magic for me. Probably would actually impact if I felt like going or not. It's this immersive experience to me where Disney actually feels alive.

Last time we were there, Mad Hatter and Alice came over to where we were sitting by the Casey Jr Train and invited DD6 to an unbirthday tea party. They sat with a few other guests and drank out of stuffed tea cups and then played a game, then pictures with each guest. So cute and magical!

Also, you should try going to Tokyo Disneyland. It is the polar opposite of WDW! There, you just run up and mob the character! It's so funny and completely different. No lines, no handlers, so order. Just mass love.

 

[tiffjoy]

My 4 year old son has had great character interactions at Disneyland...I remember last year during the holidays, we were hanging around the Jingle Jamboree @ the Ranch, decorating cookies and what-not. Well, what do you know, here comes Minnie Mouse, all done up in her holiday outfit. She was just strolling around, playing with the kids. I told my son to approach her and wait patiently. She noticed him, took his hand and started walking him around. I got tons of pictures of the two of them walking hand-in-hand. That was amazing....but THEN....TO TOP IT OFF, here came Mickey Mouse a few minutes later. Same thing...he was in his holiday garb, and just strolling. We were the first to really notice him arrive and my son walked up to him, and he did the same as Minnie....took my son's hand and started skipping through the area with him. I got tons of pics of the two of them skipping hand-in-hand.

I will treasure those pictures for forever...I literally cried to see my son so happy skipping along with them....it was amazing.

We have had those same experiences. The Country Bears one time hung out with DD6 and helped her make a pretend cake for a pretend party she was throwing- they sat with her for about 15 minutes, all of them! A CM spent several hours playing with her, and she met Minnie, Mickey, Santa, and Mrs Clause and they all played along. Then the CM got her in the back door to meet the princesses, and she invited them to her party.

I am going to miss that area very, very much.

 

[grnflash]

I am going to miss that area very, very much.

Me too, sobs. Goofy sat down and colored with us at the Jamboree last year. Then he signed his coloring and gave it to our son.

 

[ktlm]

I don't know where you are staying, but if you happen to be at the DLH, Goofy shows up in the lobby a lot typically in the afternoon, but we have seen him there in the late morning. We are usually there in the summer, but I would assume he pops in the rest of the year too. I can recall a check out day where DD was over in the corner laying stomach down on a piece of furniture watching the cartoon tv. I turned around and Goofy was laying beside her watching TV with her. It was so cute!


Just don't go in with your expectations too high. We have had days where we just didn't run into anyone other than the ones that had your typical WDW type meet and greets (although Mary and Bert are almost always out strolling in the morning). Even if that happens, you can still have the joy you can't have at WDW of seeing Oswald and Olaf at CA, Mickey and Minnie in their 60th anniversary clothes in town square in the afternoon at DL; and when you go to toontown to see Mickey in his house, you might find him in his bandleader costume, or you might even run into Steamboat Willie! We have never been lucky enough to see Steamboat Willie, but we have seen bandleader Mickey. I don't know if you are into Princesses or eating at Ariel's Grotto- but you know that WDW rumor that Belle never goes table to table at character meals at WDW because the gold dress is too big to do so-- you will see at Ariel's that is garbage. Also, you never can be sure who will show up there- we have seen Tiana, Rapunzel, Mulan and once we even saw Pochahontas (although I hear she is really rare there).

 

[bellanapoli]

You might see them at rope drop too if you go early.

Took my son for his birthday this year and got to the park crazy early. DL will let you through the turnstiles so you can walk up Main Street until the park officially opens. We were waiting at the rope on the Tomorrowland side (kid wanted to ride Space Mountain first) and waited until opening. I turn around and see Peter Pan and Captain Hook working their way through the crowd. It was pretty hilarious. They came up to the rope and were talking to people while we waited.

 

[bellanapoli]

Oh my gosh...love this Cruella story! My boys' favorite movies right now are "Alice in Wonderland" and "101 Dalmations" and it sounds like characters from both of those movies are likely to be seen. Woohoo!

You will probably see Cruella by the fire station on Main street. That's where we've seen her. She comes out when the band is performing.

 

[bellazachmom]

Just returned from DL and had a wonderful time (though we melted and got lost in a few crowds )and had many impromptu meetings with plenty of characters who were roaming in Fantasyland, as usual. It's one of our favorite things about DL!

We saw Mary & Bert strolling each day and they were never going to a designated spot. I even asked Mary if they were "coming or going" thinking we coud follow them if they were headed to a spot and she just smiled at me and said, "neither, we are just out for a stroll". When I asked if we could take a picture with her, she and Bert paused, we all made a "practically perfect" pose and snapped a shot and then strolled with them for a while -- such fun!

One thing that I have found interesting as a WDW vet ~ when the characters don't have a CM handler or a photopass photographer but do decide to find a "spot" and let a line form they (the characters) will actually tell a guest in line that they will be the last person they are meeting and to please let other guests know if they start to line up! Can you imagine that happening at WDW?!?!? I certainly can't! and the amazing thing is that it actually works, guests understand and actually refrain from trying to grow the line.

 

[Mousequake]

What an amazing experience! I can't believe this stuff really happens!

My daughter had a great Peter Pan experience once too when she was 5-- we were starting up the path by Snow White's Wishing Well, and Peter came up behind my daughter urging her to be quiet. They hunkered down behind a bush and pretended to spy on Snow White and hatched an elaborate plot to throw her into the well, sneaking up on her closer and closer. Snow White, of course, pretended not to see him or my daughter and played along with the gag perfectly. My daughter felt like she was on SUCH an adventure.

Also, you should try going to Tokyo Disneyland. It is the polar opposite of WDW! There, you just run up and mob the character! It's so funny and completely different. No lines, no handlers, so order. Just mass love.

When we visited Tokyo Disneyland, that took a LOT of getting used to! We kept asking the handler where the lines were and they looked at us like we were crazy. Even though it's a total mob scene, everyone is completely respectful of each other and the characters, and the characters seem to do a really good job of making sure the kids get preference over the screaming teenagers and adults.