Tips for seeing characters without standing in a long line

[Blaze12]

Does anyone have any tips of where they have seen characters where there were not long lines to get a photo taken. We are going to be in MK with a 2.5 year old and 8 month old, and lines are going to be tough with them. I will have to lasso them back from running up to the characters to see them (they are not very shy with characters for some reason).

 

[TerryU.]

The best way I know, is to do Character breakfasts. They come to your table and you can get autographs and pictures. They are a lot of fun.

 

[rascalmom]

Have you considered a character meal? There are several - at the parks and the resorts. This is a great way to see characters.

 

[eeyore0062]

hmmmm,
go at a slow time of the year
do a character meal
go to Guest Relations on the way into the park to find out where your little one's favorites are scheduled to be, and when. Then you can go there a bit early and be one of the 1st in line...maybe
Just remember, even though a character is scheduled for a certain time and place, they may not always be there for reasons such as: Buzz has to save the universe, Pooh got stuck in the tree hole again--Silly Ol Bear!, the Prince forgot to kiss Snow White, or Cinderella couldn't find her other shoe, and a lady doesn't go barefoot. It rarely happens, but if it does, I have armed you with a few good excuses!

 

[cruise-o-matic]

I would recommend dinner at the Chrystal Palace. It's a buffett and your kids wil love Pooh, Tigger, piglet and Eeyore.

 

[jl3614]

The lines to see characters are generally shortest at Animal Kingdom. Pooh and friends is tucked in an out of the way spot. Mickey and friends is near the Lion King show.

Go to the parks at slow times of the year.

Go to the character greeting area in Toon Town as soon as it opens while everyone else is still in Fantasyland.

The other option all ready mentioned (the expensive option), book a character meal or two.

 

[JenniferW]

We had the BEST interaction at Epcot around Christmas time they had a bus that drove and dropped off the characters, A BUNCH of them for around 15 minutes then they all boarded and left. Not sure if it is Christmas thing, but it was fabulous.

Jenn

 

[riggins]

We've had great luck in Toon Town when we've gone fairly late- like the last hour before the park closes. It seems to work better when the park is open later - - I guess all the kiddies are sleeping!

 

[eeyore45]

We did the character breakfast in Epcot, and then we did the late emh night, so the lines to the characters were really short!! Oh, and we did the shows in AK - Pocohantas, and she was also in Rafiki's train ride, with a short line... Mary Poppins in Epcot also had a short line... (this was in early August!)

 

[dis-happy]

Just a note---if your 2.5 year old is anything like mine, you won't need to stand in line because your child will be terrified of the characters!!! Something to keep in mind.....

 

[the kabuki]

Do Toon Town later in the evening, we went around 8pm right before the fireworks on a EMH night and waited maybe 5 minutes to see the Princesses. It was the best place for good interaction. We did the princess breakfast at Norway, but it was very rushed, just an autograph, pic and away they went. My princess, 3 ,was able to have quite a long conversation with each one at Toon town. BTW, I had thought that mine would be terrified of the characters, but she rushed up to every one she saw. Just depends on the child.
Crystal Palace is also nice, doesn't feel too rushed and the buffet has really great food.

 

[slp87]

Everytime that we've been to Toontown at night, we've had non existent lines. In fact my DD was the only one seeing Pooh, Eeyore & Tigger so I got a great picture of her with all 3. One strategy we used in the past, is when seeing a lot of characters in one area. Have 1 person stand in line with the child while the other adult stands in line for another character. Then when you're through with the 1st, you're that much closer for the next.

 

[angel's momma]

One strategy we used in the past, is when seeing a lot of characters in one area. Have 1 person stand in line with the child while the other adult stands in line for another character. Then when you're through with the 1st, you're that much closer for the next.

Just make sure you count off approximately how many are in front of you at the first line, then have the other adult make sure there's about that many in front of them in the second line. DH got too close to the front of his line before we were done in the first, so he has letting people go ahead of him. The CM noticed, and made him leave the line.

 

[ssdeverell]

Is 2:00-3:30 a good time to go to Toon Town? I had planned on going at 10:00, when they open, but there is no way we will be done with Fantasyland by then.

Stephanie