Sell me on Sharpies

[Tnkrbelle565]

Okay I have to admit that I don't "get" the Sharpie thing. We have always just brought "fat" pens with us (easier for characters with gloves to hold) and they have worked fine. But after seeing everyone advocating the Sharpies on here...I'm wondering what the benefits are. I'm so afraid of DD getting them all over herself.

 

[DW-Admin]

From my experience, the characters dont always press the hardest and when i was a kid, i got a lot of autographs that were half a name, because when in costume, the characters didnt press hard enough to make the pen work. Sharpie marker: as long as you hit the paper at all you're good to go

just my $0.02

 

[5 for WDW]

We used the clickable Sharpies during our trip in September and they were great. No issue with getting it to write, like you can have with pens. The characters seemed to like them.

I made sure that my kids did not click them open until they were walking up to the characters to avoid getting them on their clothes, etc.

They just seemed to be less hassle then pens. We will be using them from now on.

 

[Mocharilla]

Like the previous people said, it's easier to deal with than pens. Writes much better and darker and thicker.

Plus, they write on any surface pretty much, way better than pens. Like, if you're doing a t-shirt, pants, pillowcase, etc, a pen just won't work where a Sharpie will.

As for your kids getting it on themselves, you just hold on to it, give it to them right before, and take it back. Also, it does come off, so if they get a small mark, you can scrub it a lot and it will come off.

 

[sumrmist]

I used the clickable ones on our last trip and they worked wonderfully. They also dont have a cap to come off and get lost.

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

Okay, I'm getting it now I looked at Target and they have packs of the retractable ones in various colors...do people do colors or just black?

 

[ChristaDeVil]

I love Sharpies, but I've never used them for Autographs--though I could totally see why everyone does use them for that. I'm a self-proclaimed Sharpieaholic, and have TONS of them. They are the handiest things ever. And...they will come out of clothing. Trust me. A little Spray and Wash or pre-treat...no problem.

 

[HonnyDipp]

I'm sold on them, thanks to this board, I have already added them to my "To Buy" list!

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

I actually thought the little ones with the clips were cute but I don't know if they are "Disney practical" since they don't retract. Anyone have thoughts on those?

 

[Cinderumbrella]

We get a whole bunch of different colors. I don't buy a pack(unless it is a great sale). My Office Depot has a big bin of them and you can pick and choose.

I keep the sharpies (retractables only ) and the autograph book in a gallon size ziploc. When I reach into my bag to get it, it is easy to find and all the pens and the book are together. Not to mention the extra protection from wetness due to rain or a water ride!

 

[jckc8155]

Great idea, never thought of the retractable sharpies...

were they the fine point or larger point?

 

[paula70]

We used them on our last trip and loved them! I bought the multi-colored pack of the retractable ones and my DD's autograph books are so colorful! We did have one problem w/ my DD5 clicking it while waiting in line and she got it on her white sweatshirt....of all the days to wear white! Now when she wears it, we just consider it a souveneir

 

[ninety-seven]

Sharpie also makes a silver metallic pen that you can use for dark surfaces. This year, for our 2 DSs, we are going to come up with something they can have signed that they can display. I was thinking about something dark for the bad guys and something a little lighter for the good guys. I think a silver sharpie would be great for this.

They also have several pink colors that my DD loves.

97

 

[Happyathome]

We get a whole bunch of different colors. I don't buy a pack(unless it is a great sale). My Office Depot has a big bin of them and you can pick and choose.

I keep the sharpies (retractables only ) and the autograph book in a gallon size ziploc. When I reach into my bag to get it, it is easy to find and all the pens and the book are together. Not to mention the extra protection from wetness due to rain or a water ride!

my thoughts exactly!!

another Sharpie lover here!! (just make sure your autograph book has thick pages (like cardstock) so the markers don't bleed through)

 

[PiratesRock]

I went to a (non-Disney) function where I got to meet a group of people from a tv show I like. I bought a cloth jacket with their logo and had everybody sign the back with red, blue, and black sharpies. It looks great and I wear it pretty often. Being a jacket it doesn't have to be washed as often as a shirt, which helps.

 

[ProfJenn]

We've always taken shirts to sign (characters, great CMs, even our family) and our kids love it...but we've always done the fabric pens.
Do the sharpies wash well - I don't want the character names coming out in the laundry!

 

[MichelleinMaine]

We've always taken shirts to sign (characters, great CMs, even our family) and our kids love it...but we've always done the fabric pens.
Do the sharpies wash well - I don't want the character names coming out in the laundry!

I haven't used them for WDW, but my daycamp kids sign each others' shirts with Sharpies and no problems.

 

[PiratesRock]

The jacket and some t-shirts from school functions have held up well but we don't use or wash the signed stuff as often as nonsigned stuff and never any bleach (obviously). But they have been washed and all the sharpie sigs are still there.

 

[Millie12591]

Okay, I'm getting it now I looked at Target and they have packs of the retractable ones in various colors...do people do colors or just black?

When we went last year, I wanted something that would be fun and easy for my daughter to use as well as the characters. I ended up getting the little sharpies that you could put on the end of a lanyard, they have the little metal thing at the end of it to put on a key ring. She loved it! She ended up wanting the colors from the pastels instead of primary colors, she used the violet, magenta-lite, and the aqua, they aren't the clicking kind but she loved being able to pull it right off the end of her lanyard (they have little caps that attach/click to the lid of the sharpie) instead of having to fish it out of her bag every time she wanted it. My son however did use a click-it sharpie and he loved it, but then again he was fourteen and could fish it out of his pocket (you know how they like to wear those baggy shorts with all the pockets) with ease. I think he used the lime green, that's my boy!

 

[grumpalina]

i've heard good things about the crayola twistable markers too. WAY cheaper than the Sharpies. I'm not sure how well they hold up though.