Seeing characters

[jen7233]

I haven't been to Disney since 2012. Back then and before, we'd be in a park and just happen to see a character, and wait in line, or see people rush over and start a line. I'm sure the characters had a set schedule where and when they'd be somewhere, but I don't think most people visiting parks knew what it was. Now with fast passes, it seems like it's published or not so? It seems that way to me when I'm booking online fastpasses, as if it's all available. So, my bigger question is: are the lines very long if you don't have a fastpass? I'm thinking Mickey, Donald, Goofy, not for the Frozen characters (I have boys and they won't care to meet the princesses).

 

[mesaboy2]

Character meets are included in my suggested best use of FP, found in the green link in my signature. Donald and Goofy are usually shortish waits (but don't offer FP), while Mickey in MK especially can be a bit longer and Frozen the worst.

The best WDW character info I know of is not on a Disney site but kennythepirate.com.

 

[MattsPrincess]

There are still a lot of characters that don't have FP. This past saturday I saw/met Alice and the White Rabbit, Mary Poppins and a Penguin, Marie, and Pluto just out with no FP area.

Minnie and Daisy, and Donald and Goofy, meet in the same building (two separate lines though) and both had 20-30 minute waits throughout the day but I don't remember seeing anything about FP there either.

Mickey and Tink are in the same building, and both DO have FP, but I saw standby waits posted as low as 10 minutes at different times of day. We had FP for Mickey, but not for Tink. Her wait was posted as 30 minutes but I'd say we waited less than 10.

Cinderella and Rapunzel had standby times as low as 10 minutes also. Anna and Elsa got down to 30 minutes posted, but the line looked a lot longer than that.

Merida standby when I waited was about 10 minutes.

We did standby for Ariel as well, and while we basically walked right through, it was also a little after midnight.

 

[jen7233]

There are still a lot of characters that don't have FP. This past saturday I saw/met Alice and the White Rabbit, Mary Poppins and a Penguin, Marie, and Pluto just out with no FP area.

Minnie and Daisy, and Donald and Goofy, meet in the same building (two separate lines though) and both had 20-30 minute waits throughout the day but I don't remember seeing anything about FP there either.

Mickey and Tink are in the same building, and both DO have FP, but I saw standby waits posted as low as 10 minutes at different times of day. We had FP for Mickey, but not for Tink. Her wait was posted as 30 minutes but I'd say we waited less than 10.

Cinderella and Rapunzel had standby times as low as 10 minutes also. Anna and Elsa got down to 30 minutes posted, but the line looked a lot longer than that.

Merida standby when I waited was about 10 minutes.

We did standby for Ariel as well, and while we basically walked right through, it was also a little after midnight.

This is good to hear! I figured Mickey might be longer to see. I'll have to look on the MK map and see where he is. Where were Alice and the white rabbit, in MK? I wasn't even thinking of them or Mary Poppins characters, but that would be a big plus to me!

 

[mesaboy2]

I do recommend checking out kennythepirate.com. He keeps his character info pretty up-to-date and is very thorough.

 

[brb1006]

I do recommend checking out kennythepirate.com. He keeps his character info pretty up-to-date and is very thorough.

I recently subscribed to this guy, to keep me up to date about future characters meet and greet info at Walt Disney World and Disneyland.

 

[SaintsManiac]

AK and Epcot were my favorite places to meet characters back in the old days in 2009! Ha!

 

[brb1006]

AK and Epcot were my favorite places to meet characters back in the old days in 2009! Ha!

I heard Launchpad shows up at Epcot during special events.

 

[MattsPrincess]

Alice & Rabbit were over next to the Teacups early in the morning.

Mary & Penguin were in the Town Square area, next to the candy shop/hat store.

Mickey is in the theater right inside the gates on the right side, where the photo pass preview area is.

 

[Doctor10]

I have a question and I hope this is the place to ask it, my apologies if its not. I'm a "mature" adult who loves meeting the characters for photo opps. I'm usually not in to autographs but I would love to have Chip and Dale sign a tee shirt for me. My question is, should I do this at a character meal or in line at one of the parks? (I do know not to be wearing it at the time). My hubby and I are leaving for WDW Thursday for a short notice trip and couldn't get a character meal reservation. Any suggestions? TIA.

 

[brb1006]

Marie and Pluto can be found at the Flag Pole near the main entrance to the Magic Kingdom