We Knew It Was Coming . . .

[SL6827]

Unfortunately for us, Disney has learned over the years that they can raise prices and reduce services, and though we will complain, we will still go. In this respect, Rusty's number 7 is spot on... we have no one to blame but ourselves.

Spot on!

 

[lovelymarshmallow]

i'm coming back to this one because i thought of something. the last time we were at WDW, we dined at chef mickey's for a TS. i am not kidding when i say i had to politely wave the characters along FOUR times because we had interacted with them twice. it was a full dinner reservation... it was more of an issue that they kept coming around out of sheer moving through (aka having time to do so) as we were trying to actually finish our meal. we weren't there for more than an hour. i guess there isn't a happy medium. bored characters or characters that can't make their way through a round of the restaurant in time?

 

[SL6827]

But for the price that Disney charges for the meals, the characters should dine with you. Just kidding, but like I said earlier, I will never pay for a character meal. I am almost to the point of being priced out for my favorite breakfast buffet there, Boma. It won't be long before it will be $30 a head, and that will be no longer an option for us.

 

[JerseyJanice]

i'm coming back to this one because i thought of something. the last time we were at WDW, we dined at chef mickey's for a TS. i am not kidding when i say i had to politely wave the characters along FOUR times because we had interacted with them twice. it was a full dinner reservation... it was more of an issue that they kept coming around out of sheer moving through (aka having time to do so) as we were trying to actually finish our meal. we weren't there for more than an hour. i guess there isn't a happy medium. bored characters or characters that can't make their way through a round of the restaurant in time?

The characters themselves have a certain amount of control over the amount of time they spend with guests.

Over the years, we've had some who pose for pictures, sign your book and hustle over to the next table. But we also had Tigger sit down and color with my then 2 year-old. Dale has arm wrestled with my nephew after showing off his muscles.

Point is that sometimes they take their time and play with the kids. Other times, they zoom through.

 

[Mdsleiman]

They need to just open up a meet and greet area that last all day!

 

[Bizzie71c]

We are coming up on our third trip and DS decided to just do pics and maybe autographs that we don't have from the last two trips.

My own opinion is that while it's great to get the autographs and the interactions and the memories. It does stink to be kept waiting while multiple things are being signed. Now I don't mean multiple books at a table bc each child or guest deserves that But having a book, then a shirt, hat or frame. Well it lengthens the wait time for the other kids.

My idea or suggestion would be at the meals. Maybe each character could have their own card, almost like a trading card that they change out every now and then. Like a collectors card. Then they could have trading card books/albums etc.

 

[gabriellewatson]

We traveled as a family of four to Disney in 2015, and I'm really glad we did it when we did. We brought the Encyclopedia of Disney Characters, and when a character was near our table we opened the book the book, pulled out a large sharpie, and they signed near their photograph and sometimes they circled things about themselves and they would "sign" or motion something about themselves. It was really a magical moment that both my children got to share. We took pictures of both kids with each character, so a quick snapshot (or two because it's quick) and signature... shot while signing and done. We kept is really easy and simple because we know how demanding it is to be a character at a meal. My kids love looking through their book now and seeing all the signatures and reading about the characters they meant on their first trip. I'm glad they had that experience, and sad for others that may not receive that same interaction.

 

[Nancyg56]

1) Crystal Palace has gone (almost fully) to handing out character cards, instead of character signatures.
2) Only a few people have complained!
3) Now, two other character meals have made provisions to just hand out cards.
. . . Tusker House (AK)
. . . Garden Grill (EP)
4) This is in place of characters stopping to sign autographs.
5) We "hear" the plan is to go property-wide with the process.
6) Stopping to sign autographs is talking too much time, as guest become more-and-more demanding.
. . . autographs for each person at the table
. . . autographs on hats, t-shirts, etc (not on paper, or in an autograph book)
7) Guests have no one to blame but themselves !!!

NOTE: As that famous comic strip character (POGO) says, " We have met the enemy, and it is us."

I cannot say I agree withthe reasoning. If Disney had wanted to place limitations on autographs they certainly could have done so. No, I believe this is about table turnover. No autographs means they can circle faster, bounce people out faster. At the cost of these meals, i think thie new policy may backfire.

Blame the guests?? Welcome to the new Disney. After all, a happy compromise would have just been to say "we only sign paper" and move on, but instead we decided to blame the guests for our cost saving move.

Yes

Yes. It's the norm for me. And GG, TH and CM are three restaurants that come to mind where we have met characters multiple times.

I've never seen a character take 30 seconds or more to sign one autograph.

I have been in these meals and also have waved the characters on.

 

[SL6827]

I do remember during one of our first few visits to Disney,(maybe 2007) which was during Free Dining, we did do breakfast at Ohana. And Pluto literally rolled around in the floor with my then four-year-old. It was priceless.

 

[GPC0321]

I've heard reports of people visiting Crystal Palace and still receiving autographs. Crisis averted.

Madam, kindly don't cloud the issue with facts! (LOL)

 

[GPC0321]

I've never understood the appeal of autographs in general. I don't care if it's a movie star, a professional athlete, or a college student dressed up as a cartoon character.

But for those who cherish them, I guess I understand the disappointment at the possibility of not getting them any longer.

I also cannot imagine how frustrating it is for those furry characters with big paws and gigantic heads to sign autographs. I'm sure learning to do that at ALL is no picnic, much less learning to do it so that the signature is consistent with other "Tiggers" (etc), all while staying in character, attempting to act as though it's an enjoyable experience, and patiently doing it over and over and over and over and over and over......and over and over....etc.

I'll be experiencing my first character meal in December at 1900 Park Fare. I wasn't planning on getting autographs anyway, so whether this "no autographs" thing is legit or not doesn't really matter. I do look forward to the table-side visits from the characters, and interacting with them a little. I definitely foresee pics with Tigger (whom I have a horse named after), Pooh (whom I was nicknamed after as a child), and Mary Poppins (my idol, LOL). Might get pics with Alice and Mad Hatter too, but not a priority. I will definitely exchange pleasantries with them though.

The way I see it, the less time the characters spend signing everything in sight for everyone, the more time they can actually spend interacting with folks in the moment. So many people seem to have forgotten how to relish the moment while it's happening.

 

[mamamelody2]

Well, that's disappointing.

 

[keishashadow]

Who sez signing an autograph isn't a character interaction?

It easily can take far longer for families to take multiple pictures with the characters (ok one with kid #1, one with kid #2, one with ma & pa, one of whole family, etc) vs the signing of an autograph & one or two quick pictures.

Hmmmm....Why not just have the handler use a stop watch @ each table?

"Ta, ta for now table #5, your three minutes are up"

 

[wedowdw17]

1) Crystal Palace has gone (almost fully) to handing out character cards, instead of character signatures.
2) Only a few people have complained!
3) Now, two other character meals have made provisions to just hand out cards.
. . . Tusker House (AK)
. . . Garden Grill (EP)
4) This is in place of characters stopping to sign autographs.
5) We "hear" the plan is to go property-wide with the process.
6) Stopping to sign autographs is talking too much time, as guest become more-and-more demanding.
. . . autographs for each person at the table
. . . autographs on hats, t-shirts, etc (not on paper, or in an autograph book)
7) Guests have no one to blame but themselves !!!

NOTE: As that famous comic strip character (POGO) says, " We have met the enemy, and it is us."

When you say "property-wide", is this property wide at character meals or are all the meet & greets getting replaced with cards too?

 

[TheRustyScupper]

When you say "property-wide", is this property wide at character meals or are all the meet & greets getting replaced with cards too?

1) From what we hear, Character Meals.
2) But, if it passes at meals,
. . . can Meet & Greets be far behind.
. . . expediency and lower cost
. . . lower cost and higher profits

 

[Long Beach Mike]

I'm very thankful my girls, then ages 8 and 10, got to experience many signing interactions on our last trip December 2015. We did 1900 Park Fare breakfast at GF, Ohana breakfast at Poly, Crystal House lunch, and CRT dinner, and BoG dinner. Those signing books are filled with great memories.

On our next trip April 2018 they don't seam as crazed for the character interactions, we are likely doing just Ohana breakfast and CRT dinner, and possibly BoG dinner.

But it still makes me a bit sad the signings are gone

 

[akayf]

We were just at CP for breakfast on 8/22. Everyone signed my kids' photo mats(2 kids so 2 mats). We had our sharpies out and ready to go. An adult placed the pen in the character's hand since our kids tended to hand them over upside down(something we noticed at meet and greets the day before). No one tried the give us a presigned card.

and honestly, my 2 kids spent less time interacting and getting both a photo and autograph with the characters than the table next to us with 4 adults. First couple 1 needed pics. Then couple 2. Then individual pics for all 4. Then wait, just the ladies. Oh don't forget we need a group selfie!!!! It was amusing. My kids hugged and chatted while I snapped pics. Posed for a good pic, sign the 2 photo mats, both DH and I gave character a high 5 and done. Next table.

 

[ColoradoMom12]

But for the price that Disney charges for the meals, the characters should dine with you. Just kidding,

I think I actually said this once about dinner at CRT. Especially since if Cinderella herself were eating the dinner there, it might actually be palatable. LOL

 

[DisKaren]

We were at CP on Aug. 18th. We were told that in celebration of "Friendship Day," they were giving all guests an autographed souvenir card. It was signed by Pooh and friends. There was no mention of autographs not being allowed. We don't do autographs anymore, and I wasn't really paying attention to what anyone at other tables was doing, except for the adorable little boy next to us hugging Pooh. . . Maybe we were part of a test to see how these autographed souvenirs went over.

 

[yaya74]

This is a very disappointing news. I went to Universal Studio this summer and I will have to say US is doing a much better job with characters meet & greet. The lines were not crazily long and characters all spent a good time with each family. My kids, 9 and 5, said they like Universal more than Disney. If Disney keeps ripping us off and takes away little things like giving an autograph at the overpriced character meals, , I guess we will spend our precious money at Universal instead of at the Mouseland.