Your Autograph Book TIPS

[willis37862]

This will be my first time taking an autograph book. And I need all your tips. Lay them on me.........

Where did you get a big fat pen?
What kind of autograph book did you use? Spiral, traditional or homemade ?
How big was the book you used?
Can the characters sign things other than books? Totes, t-shirts?
Is it ok to use a marker instead of a pen?
What characters can't sign?

And anything else I forgot. Please give a first timer all your tips.

 

[TinaLala]

Where did you get a big fat pen? At any vendor where the books are sold
What kind of autograph book did you use? Spiral, traditional or homemade ?
We've done the Disney autograph book and we've downloaded pictures, made ironons and created an autograph shirt.
How big was the book you used?
Can the characters sign things other than books? Totes, t-shirts?
Is it ok to use a marker instead of a pen?I actually like to bring multicolor scripto markers because some of the CM are artists themselves and they enjoy the click scriptos better.
What characters can't sign?
Most of the characters will sign. Buzz and the Incredibles will stamp. If you are really fun with the characters they will sign fun things. Like Pluto will do I Heart bone. I've had Goofy draw himself. Alice make a picture of a teacup with a doormouse inside. Madhater draw himself. /COLOR]

I'm actually looking for a new idea this year for an autograph book, so thanks for the thread. I'll be interested in seeing what people do to enjoy the characters beside doing the autograph book.

 

[4shinystars]

We made our own autograph books for our DDs for our last trip way back in 1999. We bought blank books, spiral bound on sale. One was 5x7 rectangular and the other was round, about 6" in diameter.50-100 pages each.
For the first, we wrote Hanna's trip to Walt Disney World on the cover and put Disney stickers on it. The other had stars on it and put Devon's WDW autographs on it. We put address labels inside the cover in the slim chance they'd get lost. We had a cool fat pen that we bought at Claire's for 50 cents. It was a large barrel pen wrapped in chenille stems with a pompom ladybug on the tip. Chip and Dale fought over it at H&V, Timon tried to eat it at MGM, Tigger bounced away with it at CP-and so on. It was a big hit. I plan on making one or 2 for this trip. The books still have room in them, so we put 1999 next to all the autographs we already have, and will put 2006 for the new ones. I know Hanna will bring hers, don't know about other DD- she thinks she's too cool for it at 15, .
I'm sure a fat marker would be fine, be careful that it is permanent-if not and it gets wet..ruined.
I also attached the pen to one of the books with ribbon so it was always there ready to go.

Have a great trip!!

 

[willis37862]

great tips. Thanks

 

[Bunchkin]

We make our own signature book for every trip!! It's awesome and we get compliments on them all the time from CM's, characters and other guests.
We take blank, unlined 5x7 index cards and print pictures of characters on them. There are so many clip art sites that you could easily make a card for every character out there!!!
Then we 3 hole punch the cards and place them in a 5x7 binder.
We decorate the front and back covers by inserting a piece of card stock that we decorate with the title of our trip and stickers and scrapbook materials.
We use Sharpie markers in various colors.
The characters love signing on "their" page!!!!

 

[kj2mom]

I have a spiral bound book of 3x5 index cards. I am going to have them sign the unlined side of the card and take a pic with the character. When I get home I will get the pic printed and put them in a 3x5 Disney 2006 photo album I purchased. I am going to put the pic on one side and the autograph on the other.

 

[Samantha/NC]

I love the scrapbook idea with the 5 x 7 blank index cards!!!! I can't wait to make them!!
Thanks!!

 

[jayandstacey]

We just found a book at Target that had 5x7 cards for pages. Seems perfect:
- hard cover front and back
- the pages are bound, but can tear out on tiny perforations to make a separate scrapbook later.
- cards are lined on one side, blank on the other

the big sharpie was in the same isle.

 

[cherokeemamma]

If you choose to purchase instead of making your own.
The gold 50th anniversary books have a photo slot for each 2 page spread. Remember to take your photos horizontally and not vertically because the will not fit in the photo inserts.
Unfortunately, I did not realize this until we were home so alot of our pictures do not fit . Also this particular book comes with a gold gel pen...buy a sharpie or something else to use. The gold pen just does not show up well.

 

[makinorlando]

DD and I have a really great time collecting autographs (and my fav part the pics!!!)

We have several of the in park purchase autograph books - the smaller blue ones hold the most autographs - close to 50 pages. We also have the Pink Princess and gold Happiest Celebration books that have only 14 pages for autographs, but also have a place for a picture on the facing page.

We also have one spiral bound book that we bought at CVS that we take sometimes.

As others have mentioned if you are scrapbooking spriral bound or index cards would work great - we just keep ours in the books - since I never get around to doing anything creative with "stuff"!!!

We personally use whatever pen is in my bag on a given day at the parks, but I do try to keep those that are thicker - I have one from AK that we use, and we also have the blue one with the Mickey head on top! We have had some light up pens with characters on them that we got at Wal-Mart - Peter Pan particular had fun with the one that was him - he was "flying" all over the place!! I don't recommend markers, unless you know they won't bleed through the pages!

Characters will sign other things - but if it is a shirt for instance - it must not be worn at the time.

The characters I can think of off hand that don't sign are:
Beast
Mike and Sully (MGM)
King Louie
Bulls Eye - (but we have not seen him in a long time!)
(I will edit if I think of others)
as well as already mentioned those that stamp - Buzz and The Incredibles -

 

[UP Disney]

This will be my first time taking an autograph book. And I need all your tips. Lay them on me.........

Where did you get a big fat pen?
What kind of autograph book did you use? Spiral, traditional or homemade ?
How big was the book you used?
Can the characters sign things other than books? Totes, t-shirts?
Is it ok to use a marker instead of a pen?
What characters can't sign?

And anything else I forgot. Please give a first timer all your tips.

Characters can't sign anything that you are wearing. You can have t-shirts, hats, sweatshirts signed as long as you aren't wearing them. I saw a really cool thread where someone had a picture border signed. I've heard of people having both totes & pillowcases signed. You want fabric markers for the clothes as regular permanent markers will definitely fade after a couple of washes. I have heard concern about permanent markers because of them ruining the hands of the characters (ie. Mickey's white gloves). However, I've heard lots of people have done this.

 

[curiouser]

The best tip I have is to get a big binder clip and clip down all the unused pages. Then when you are in line you just open to where the binder clip is clipped down and there's a fresh page for the character to sign. Once the character signs, turn to a new page and clip the clip back down.

 

[TinaLala]

One of the last times we went we did the t-shirt thing. It was great. I downloaded some clip art used iron on sheets and put the characters' pictures on the shirt and then had the characters sign by their pictures.

I got a crochet hoop so that when the chracter signed they had a nice flat surface. It really helped.

 

[bbangel]

The best tip I have is to get a big binder clip and clip down all the unused pages. Then when you are in line you just open to where the binder clip is clipped down and there's a fresh page for the character to sign. Once the character signs, turn to a new page and clip the clip back down.

Love this tip! I was wondering how to decrease the fumble time.

Do characters sign things at the meals or only when you catch them in the parks?

 

[willis37862]

Characters can't sign anything that you are wearing. You can have t-shirts, hats, sweatshirts signed as long as you aren't wearing them. I saw a really cool thread where someone had a picture border signed. I've heard of people having both totes & pillowcases signed. You want fabric markers for the clothes as regular permanent markers will definitely fade after a couple of washes. I have heard concern about permanent markers because of them ruining the hands of the characters (ie. Mickey's white gloves). However, I've heard lots of people have done this.

Yes, I was afraid that the markers would stain the characters and I don't want to do that.

Thank you so much for all the awesome tips. Keep them coming..............

 

[KMP]

What characters can't sign?

Jo Jo's lion Goliath doesn't sign.

 

[KinderTchr]

I am planning to use a blank 8 x 8 scrapbook and add the pictures later.

 

[kabbie]

I am wondering about the picture mat idea. Is it really hard to carry around parks?

I've also thought about buying a poster at Art of Disney (one that has characters on it) and having characters sign it. When I get home, I can frame and hang it on my wall as a constant reminder.

 

[makinorlando]

Love this tip! I was wondering how to decrease the fumble time.

Do characters sign things at the meals or only when you catch them in the parks?

I don't think I saw a response to your second question - yes the characters do sign at the meals as well! It's a great way to add to the collection!

Instead of a binder clip, I just have a big rubber band (actually one of the covered hair bands) around my DDs book - it just happened to be on my wrist the other weekend when we were at AK, and I stuck it around it! She likes the idea! I might pull a binder clip out tonight though and clip it on - we are headed to MK in the am for a nice Mommy and DD day off from work!

I am wondering about the picture mat idea. Is it really hard to carry around parks?

I've also thought about buying a poster at Art of Disney (one that has characters on it) and having characters sign it. When I get home, I can frame and hang it on my wall as a constant reminder.

I have seen families carrying prints around WDW in the cardboard tubes - The Princess breakfast in Norway there was a table of two families that had copies of a print that was sold as a special purchase with purchase at WOD - I have the print and it is neat - they had the princesses sign that.

For myself I would find it a nuisance to carry around all day, but I am one adult with my DD9, I take TONS of pictures so my camera is almost always in my hand! To have to worry about rolling and un rolling a print or worry about it getting wet, bent, etc.... I know I would come home at the end of the day with a mess!!!!

I am sure the end product once framed is a wonderful memory for the families though!

 

[yearbook50]

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