Sorry if old news - Epcot character bus

[ellyn2000]

I'm really going to miss the character bus on our holiday trips. We loved it.

 

[foxfire]

Guys! Good news- this Character Connection is in a test phase...if you want your bus back, write to Disney and let them know! (Most character performers just loved the bus and are very sad to see it go.)

Thanks for the heads up, AngieBelle! I love that bus and hope Disney gets enough positive feedback to keep it. I will certainly send them a note. What address do I use and will an email be as effective as a snail mail note?

 

[bwv4me]

Wait a minute! Let me get this straight...are we talking about the big red double decker bus that stops at a couple of locations around World Showcase? Some above are referring to a holiday bus? Is this something different for the holidays, or is "holiday" referring to "vacation"?

If this is the double decker bus that plays music, and you are able to get about 6 or so authographs/photos at a clip, then this is terrible news! Is this temporary for the holidays, or some awful permanent decision?

 

[Vickie46]

I am so sad! Thats a bummer!

 

[AngieBelle]

I'm unsure about an exact address, but go snoop around on the offical Disney website...it's got to be there somewhere.

Yes, Disney Characters on a Holiday is the double decker red bus.

 

[sunny04]

Do you think they will still have all the characters first thing in the morning around the fountain, or do think that will go away with the bus?

 

[momto2]

does anybody know what characters are in this character connection?

 

[AStamm]

I saw the signage last week as well. I'm sad to hear that it will be replacing the bus--I love seeing the bus pulling up with all those characters.

The Character Connection is on the right hand side of Club Cool for those of you looking for it.

 

[ReggieB]

I loved the bus too! Perhaps because it made a limited amount of stops per day Disney folks thought that wasn't enough. I agree that it was a great chance to see some less 'normal' characters. Plus I love seeing that red double decker bus, makes me homesick for London!!

My DS5 first met the White Rabbit there, DS (3 at the time) was feeling a bit grumpy and shy and bless his heart, the White Rabbit took my son by the hand and went and introduced him to every character on the bus personally. The White Rabbit is now his best friend, and we always have to find him each trip to say hello.

 

[katallo]

The Bus was so great. Why are they discontinuing it? It was always so much fun to watch it enter the area and see the excitement on everyone's face!

 

[pooh5594]

This was one of my favorite things too! Our daughter has a disability,so this was a great way to see everyone all at once without going all over the place. One of the most special memories that I have is seeing Goofy there with her, and just as they were ready to go and get on the bus, she yelled out"Goofy!!!!" God bless him, he heard her, jumped around with arms widw open and came running over to her and gave her a huge hug. I'm not an overly emotional person, but I do believe that there is a special place in heaven for that " Goofy "
I'll miss that bus.

 

[Glenn]

I will miss that bus not so much for seeing the characters but seeing what happens to the people when it comes driving by. I can still see kids and parents light up and get excited with the bus and music. It's something spontaneous and it is magical. And holiday photos by the epcot lagoon are special. Now it will be replaced with another bland meet and greet room with no real spontanaity. Why? Except during the the height of summer heat it has to be to save a buck or to sell "official" photo's with your favorite character. How very sad.

 

[Cinderella94]

Aww....I'll hate to see this bus go. That's so sad!

 

[heather31]

ugh.........I am very dissapointed to hear this! We have never been and I have been hyping this up to my family for months!!!! I was so excited to get to see it and I guess it won't be happening now.

 

[HugsForEeyore]

Just bumping this up, since I visited the new Character Connection place at Epcot. And unfortunately, it is exactly everything I feared it would be. It is basically another spot to meet the classic seven characters - Mickey, Minnie, Chip, Dale, Pluto, Goofy, and Donald!! I stopped by on two different days and those seven are all I seen. Like Disney doesn't already have spots to meet those characters over and over!! I have yet to see any other characters that used to be on the Epcot Bus at this new place. A greeter did tell me they thought they saw Rafiki once there, and maybe Mary Poppins was there in the morning before World Showcase opened, but not much else!

Well, since the place is new, maybe they are still working on it and will get some other characters out there!! But sadly, it looks like another character "cutback", since the Epcot Bus usually had 12 characters, and I never saw more than five out at the Character Connection. Sigh.

EDITED TO ADD: On Wednesday Nov 30, I did see some different characters there in the hallway after you exit the roped off area - Gideon, King Louie, and Prince John. So maybe it won't be so bad after all!

 

[MinnieM21]

I will miss that bus not so much for seeing the characters but seeing what happens to the people when it comes driving by. I can still see kids and parents light up and get excited with the bus and music. It's something spontaneous and it is magical. And holiday photos by the epcot lagoon are special. Now it will be replaced with another bland meet and greet room with no real spontanaity. Why? Except during the the height of summer heat it has to be to save a buck or to sell "official" photo's with your favorite character. How very sad.

I completely agree with you. Whenever the character bus goes by, everyone's faces light up, adults and kids. It was great to see how excited everyone got. The character bus was something so different. What's the point of replacing it with the regular meet and great??

 

[sunny04]

I'm sorry to repeat myself here, but does this mean they have stopped having characters at the entrance at park opening? They used to come out on the bus, but do they have none there now???