Visa Card holders character meet and greet?

[surgefest]

Does anyone know first if they still do this and second any information on it would be great... Where, when... what you have to do as a cardholder??? What characters are usually there? Thanks!

 

[Jennifer03]

I'm not sure if they still do this because when I was there in November the meet and greet location was empty. It it supposed to run for the first 90 minutes after the park opens. It is located in the Hollywood Pictures Backlot area.

 

[CarrieQuiteContrary]

I have the Disney Rewards Visa and we met Chip and Dale by the Monsters Inc. ride for our meet and greet in September and again in January. We were there around 10:30 I think.

 

[colbybug]

They were doing it in Feb of this year. It is suppose to be the first hour and a half after CA opens. It is just up from the Monsters Inc. ride. There is usually a cast member standing outside of the area. I believe there is a Disney Visa sign posted nearby as well.

I have been told that the characters switch every half hour... i.e. Chip & Dale at 10:00, Mickey or Goofy at 10:30 and then it is usually Chip & Dale again at 11:00. We have two cards (two different account numbers) and we have gone for the first set of characters and then come back after riding a few rides, to get a different pair of characters....hey, it's a great freebie! If you're on a budget, it's a nifty perk! They also allow you to take your own pictures as well. Hope that helps.

Kathy

 

[fairykin]

I've always wanted to do this but i never know where to go or when???

 

[MichaelColey]

It's just past the Monster's Inc ride. It starts 30 minutes after DCA opens and runs for 90 minutes. No real lines (2-3 families max) when we were there (Spring Break!) so I doubt there are ever big lines. They take your picture with a PhotoPass and give you a voucher for a free 5x7 that's only good for the next 24 hours. You can use the voucher to get a free 5x7 of ANY character photo (I had several CM's tell me that). You can do it every day, and I think you can even do it once for each cardmember.

We had several other really great character pictures, so we went to the Meet & Greet every day (a couple times just one of us without the kids) and got 5x7s of the other pictures. By doing that, we ended up getting 5x7s of pretty much all of our favorite pictures from our PhotoPass, so we didn't need to buy the CD or other prints.

 

[Dizneydaz]

Just to clarify-the voucher they give you is good for more than 24 hours. There is an expiration date on the back (I think right now it's Sept. 2009) and you can use it until that time. I, personally, have used more than one voucher at a time. If I am doing a PP CD I don't use my voucher-I save it for a time when I won't be getting the CD. I think I have about 6-10 saved up at this point.

Yes you can do it once a day, and once per card holder. If you and your spouse have separate accounts, they'll give you 2 vouchers. (or you and your DM, etc.)

At this time you'll either see Chip and Dale or Goofy. Mickey and Goofy haven't been there for quite a while now. CMs suggest making a complaint at City Hall if we want to see more characters.

Yes, most CMs will let you use the voucher for any PP taken. However, last May, while they were training new PP people, they were very strict about it. I explained I didn't want another Chip and Dale pix and the Manager said he would let me, this time. That was how I ended up with Hitchhiking Ghosts and Darth last May.

Here's what's on the back of the voucher:

DISNEY'S VISA FREE CHARACTER PHOTO VOUCHER. Redeem this voucher and your number photo card for ONE 5x7 Disney Friends Portrait at Greetings from California in Disney's California Adventure Park. PHOTOS ARE ONLY AVAILABLE AT DISNEY'S CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE PARK 24 HOURS FROM DATE PHOTO IS TAKEN.
VALID THRU 9/28/09.

Now while it does say the photos are only available for 24 hours, they are actually available for 30 days since they are on your PP card and those pictures will be there for 30 days (to download) and then available on the website an additional 30 days from download date. This I know for a fact since I have many M&G pix on my CDs from Sept/Oct last year as well as Dec/Jan. this year.

 

[Mouse13]

I've heard that other characters are there but we always get Chip and Dale. Don't get me wrong, we love them but it would be nice to get some photos with other characters, too. Maybe we're just lucky like that!

 

[MichaelColey]

A couple CMs had told me that they were only valid for 24 hours, but I had my doubts. Good to hear that it's not true. I didn't see anything on it that would indicate when they gave it out, just the expiration date (I think mine were in September, too). That wording was a little confusing, which was why I asked them.

 

[Dizneydaz]

I've heard that other characters are there but we always get Chip and Dale. Don't get me wrong, we love them but it would be nice to get some photos with other characters, too. Maybe we're just lucky like that!

Chip and Dale are usually first and then Pluto. So if you want to get Pluto arrive about an hour and quarter after DCA opens.