What's your opinon on the Autograph books?

[tinkerbell of winter]

What's your opinion on the Autograph books? I think because of them the character greeting lines move much slower, what is wrong with a simple picture. I don't know who came up with them, and luckily my daughter is not into getting the characters autographs because that would surely take up a lot of extra time. She knows i'd rather pay for a character meal for her to see a character than stand in line while 100 kids in front of us have their picture taken/autograph book signed, etc.. Of course if those 100 kids are waiting for a character greeting, then they aren't in line for splash mountain, hehe! So maybe in some covert annoying way they are a good thing. So what's your opinion on the autograph books?

 

[oogieboogie]

They're OK. Sometimes my kids want a character's autograph, sometimes they just want a picture. My rule though is that I will not wait in line for a character. If there are only 1 or 2 people waiting, OK, but any more than that... well tough luck... they'll have to try to find another character.

I'm can't see myself waiting for a character especially if I can see that character thru a character meal. My kids know this and pretty much accept it. I just tell them, would you rather wait in line for a character or ride the rides? They always go for the rides.

 

[Disneyonmymind]

I think they're a great way for shy children to approach a character. When we were there with two 4-5 year olds, that's the only way they would have been able to do it. To just go up to Characters for a "greeting" and picture would have been too much.

Jackie

 

[polly p]

We did both. I don't think my kids cared either way as long as they got a picture with their favorites. I have to agree the lines would move faster without them.

 

[gigi1313]

we love 'em! have two from each trip! love reading thru them when we get home, matching up the photo w/the autograph, remembering the conversation (sometimes one-sided LOL) we had w/that particular character... they are a nice keepsake and walk down memory lane... i have no problem waiting in line to visit w/a character either and whether they are taking 30 seconds to sign a book or give a hug, they are worth waiting for! (and we do lots of character meals too... last year we did GG, Donald's, CRT, PSB, CP, 'ohana breakfast)

 

[AngieBelle]

I think they are great fun for a guest to look at for the memories but that seeking autographs shouldn't be the main focus of meeting the character- rather it's a souvineer of the experience. There are just too many pod children who seem trained to approach the characters like an assembly line...all they care about is the signature. It's sad.

I will tell you that many character performers dislike those books and would prefer to just have a moment to play with the guests and not sign.

 

[Jacksmom99]

I don't like them! I much rather have DS and DD taking pictures with the characters and playing with them. We also won't wait in a line that's more than two people. DS is really great about it. He knows that mom will always TRY to get him to see/do everything he wants, but that it's not the end of the world if we don't.

 

[nataliesdaddy]

What's your opinion on the Autograph books? I think because of them the character greeting lines move much slower, what is wrong with a simple picture. I don't know who came up with them, and luckily my daughter is not into getting the characters autographs because that would surely take up a lot of extra time. She knows i'd rather pay for a character meal for her to see a character than stand in line while 100 kids in front of us have their picture taken/autograph book signed, etc.. Of course if those 100 kids are waiting for a character greeting, then they aren't in line for splash mountain, hehe! So maybe in some covert annoying way they are a good thing. So what's your opinion on the autograph books?

autographs are great - if a person has young kids and the crowds are slammed the kids can be gleefully engaged in trying to get autographs. When crowds are heavy and lines to rides are long it is a great diversion. MY kid spent the majority of one of our trips just doing that. I can't believe Disney got me to spend 4 grand during xmas so my daughter could spend the entire time getting signatures from people in costumes - just how magical is that ????? hahahahahaha ....someone in marketing is laughing somewhere.

 

[shellybaxter]

I love the autograph books, and feel the complete opposite of oogieboogie. If the child is under 7 I will wait WAY longer for a character then I will for a ride. The little one's I've taken (niece and friends) have been kind of afraid of some of the rides. The characters were their favorite part. If you're not stopping to see the characters with little ones, you are missing some of the most touching moments you could have at disney. My Dniece and I still look through her book every time I visit her and think about all characters, when we got their autographs, which were her favs, etc.

 

[mbs]

Autograph books are great. However, I firmly believe that there should only be one book per family! I realized how much the signing slowed down when I had my 2 kids and 3 nieces with me visiting Mickey! Five books were a bit much. From them on we only have one per trip and the kids take turns asking for the autograph, though we are all in a picture.

 

[Lizzybee]

Usually I will let the kids wait in line to see a character, especially if it's a fav...ie Mickey, Minnie, a princess, Stitch. I pretty much consider the trip as for the kids and they don't ride Splash Mountain or any other "big" ride, so if they want to wait a few mins for a character, why not. The only time I've kind of gotten annoyed is when a family with 2 kids walked up to 2 characters with 6 autograph books after they announced they would be going on break in 5 minutes and one character would not return. My kids didn't care about the one that wouldn't be back but the little boy behind them did, I let him go in front of us because "our" character would be coming back in 5 mins. We all ended up being able to see both characters before the break, but I think 6 autograph books with just 2 kids there is a bit much. I always open the books up for the kids and hold the pens until they get up there, trying to help save time for others waiting.

 

[zdad]

Best idea I've heard (and we're going to do it) is have postcards of the characters ready. Have them sign it and then sent it to friends and family. I figured that would be a totally cool post card to get from WDW, especially if you know eveyone's favorites !!!
You can take a pick while he's doing that too.

 

[HugsForEeyore]

I love autograph books! I carry about four with me at all times (and carry them in sealed plastic bags so they don't get ruined or bent!) at Disney World, since you never know who you may run into! I went recently with three kids I babysit, and the kids loved the autographs books since then they could flip through them and remember happily who they met.

 

[Evil Queen]

My son is not a big fan of meeting characters, but did manage a few last year, that weren't crowded. He seems to have little desire to stand long enough for a pic, more or less an autograph. Plus, him and I both hate carrying more than we really have to. When he does his daily sovuenir shopping at the World, he makes sure it can be sent up to the front for us to pick up on our way out, and this is from a kid who won't do that at home (if we have several stores to shop at, he has to carry his purchase from the previous store into the next. I am fine with that as long as he keeps his receipt in his pocket).

He knows other kids do iautographs, but has no interest. Could be he's 9 (8 on last trip) and knows the characters aren't real either.

 

[ms.ojo]

DH and I have said several times how GLAD we are ds never got into autographs. (And we're hoping dd won't be interested either) I'm not saying he wasn't THRILLED to meet Buzz & Woody (and yes, get their autograph) when he was 2.5...but it didn't turn into having to meet ALL of the chars and wait in long lines. We have friends who basically take 1 day at the parks simply for autographs each trip!!! I can't imagine paying so much to get into the park...and just collecting autographs??? But if it makes them and the kids happy, who I am to say anything. I just know it isn't for us. We like to meet the chars ina more casual char dining experience! And enjoy the parks for rides, and perhaps an impromptu char meeting that isn't overly crowded.

Flip side...ds LOVES pin trading! He loves going up to a CM and asking to see their pins and it's something we can do easily while we wait in lines. I buy a bunch of cheap pins on ebay for traders before we go and we have a blast.

 

[HollyJoy]

We love them too! My girls were so thrilled to get the characters autograph. What a simple and memorable souvenier!

 

[My2PrincessesMom]

I too , believe it slows down the lines a bit, but I have a shy little one who really is quite anxious to take a picture, but is thrilled with an autograph. I think it should be limited to 1 or 2 in a group but I will have to save that full opinion for when my littles DD is more into the autographs. I do take a simple pic of the character for the princess book that takes pics and that has made a great scrapbook for DD4.

 

[KatelynnsAuntie]

I like the idea of autograph books, but I think the autograph books themselves are not well made. My 2 nieces have 4 between them, and each book has pages that are falling out. When we go back in June, I think I'm going to bring a 4"x6" spiral index card thing for autographs instead of getting a book. We also bring Disney storybooks (the ones that are about $3) for the characters to sign too. That's a lot of fun

 

[THE HAT]

ds loved getting the autographs, and bringing the book to school to show all his friends when we got home. just yesterday he was looking through the names, and today he was pouring over the maps of the parks. (it is 30 degrees here and raining for 2 days too,lol)

i can't say how i would feel if we had long lines to wait in for any of them though. ds got around 25, and we never waited more then 8-10 min in any one line. ( we were there the second week of jan)

 

[Puffy2]

The kid's love the character books and autographs. And the best way to get them (and pictures) is through character meals. The "lines" are a pain.