Walt Disney World With Kids (Fodor's, 2012) - Fodor's [41]
Many children, even older ones, enjoy getting character autographs, and an autograph book can become a cherished souvenir. Before lining up, prepare the kids for the fact that the characters don’t talk. (With, that is, the exception of characters without masks.) As many as 30 young people in Mickey suits (mostly women, because the suits are pretty small) might be dispersed around Disney World on a busy day, and they can’t all be gifted with that familiar squeaky voice. So the characters communicate through body language.
Insider’s Tip
Disney’s “face” characters, such as Cinderella or Aladdin, are attractive young people cast because of their resemblance to the stars of Disney films. They can obviously talk to kids, easily pose for pictures, and deliver autographs. The “mask” characters, such as Mickey and Goofy, have a bit more of a challenge. They can’t talk and sometimes have trouble seeing out of their eyeholes or controlling ink pens to sign an autograph. You can make Mickey’s day a little easier if you provide a thick marker for him to grasp and hold the pen and autograph book right in front of his face.
Times and places for meeting the characters are listed on theme-park maps, tip boards, and entertainment schedules.
Our Top 10 Tips for Hanging With the Characters
1) Short on time? The character meals are a low-stress way to meet several characters at once. They’re popular, so make reservations in advance and if you can’t get a reservation at Cinderella Castle, don’t despair. There are princesses aplenty at the Restaurant Akerhaus in the Norway pavilion at Epcot and that’s much easier to book.
2) And what about the guys? In response to princess fever, Disney has done more to emphasize the pirates, especially at the Pirate League, where swashbuckling kids can get in face paint, eye patches, and costumes, and the Pirate Tutorial Session starring Captain Jack Sparrow. Both are located near the Pirates of the Caribbean ride in Adventureland.
3) If you’re scheduling a character breakfast, save it for the last day of your vacation. By this time kids have seen the characters plenty of times in parades and shows and even the most nervous toddler has usually relaxed enough to give Mickey a hug. If you choose a restaurant inside a resort you can see the characters without having to burn a day of your multiday ticket and it’s a great send-off for the trip home.
4) If you’re headed to a character meal, let the kids wear their costumes, especially little girls with their princess regalia. What could be cuter than a miniature Belle meeting the real thing?
5) If money is an issue, skip the character meals and use your entertainment schedule to find out where the characters will be inside the parks. The characters are usually available in greeting locations for about 20 minutes before they’re whisked away to another spot. There’s always a character escort close at hand, and if the line to meet a certain character is long, check with the escort before you line up. He or she can tell you approximately how much longer the character will be there and save you from waiting patiently only to have the heartbreaking experience of having the character leave just as your child makes it to the front of the line.
6) If your child is nervous about meeting the characters, start with the so-called “face” characters, like Aladdin or Cinderella, who don’t wear masks and who can talk. They’re far less intimidating to young children than “mask” characters like Goofy and Mickey.
7) If the kids are still freaked out, remember not to push them forward. The characters are good at gently urging shy children forward. That said, because of the construction of their costumes, the mask characters can’t always see what’s happening beneath them too clearly. Donald and Daisy, for example, have a hard time looking over their bills, and small children standing at their feet might be ignored. If this appears to be happening, lift your child to the character’s eye level.