Meeting Characters without Kids

[dayvewc]

I started doing meets last summer. I love it. The characters are great, and once you're meeting with them nothing else matters.

 

[BudgieMama]

Thanks all!

I feel a lot more settled, and hopefully DH will enjoy the experience too!

 

[bigskip]

Generally don't do character meets, but if Tink was about i may have to change my mind

 

[SpaceCadet]

I love meeting Characters and maybe on the next vacation to WDW I might get an autograph book for characters signatures.

 

[LILJAN59]

So, we're planning our first trip, something I've dreamed of for as long as I can remember. One thing I really want to do is meet some characters- there are a few must meet, and I'd like to get some autographs and photos (and hopefully a hug from Mickey)...

Are they OK about meeting adult only groups? They're not funny about it, are they? I know DH will fell in I uncomfortable if we get funny looks or something for queuing up without children in tow.

I am 68 and my hubby is 73. Almost two weeks ago, we went to the Studios. Our whole Christmas trip was ruined when our grandson had a serious injury, but we came down anyhow with our other daughter, and had a good time doing adult stuff. We are staying until tomorrow. We went to have our pictures taken with Sophia, Jake, and Wreck it Ralph, his favorites. We emailed him the Photopass pics and told him they willbe waiting to see him when he is all better and can come down to see them. Sophis kissed my hubby a couple of times, it was great!

 

[streetlight]

I took my boyfriend for his first trip to Disney when he turned 24. And we were a little worried characters wouldn't want to talk to us and hug us but that wasn't the case. They were all really nice, he showed winnie the pooh his tattoo of him and he went crazy.
I was especially nervous about the face characters (princesses) but they were sweet and Cinderella even recognized us. We saw her one day at Royal Table and then again at 1900 park.
The white rabbit ran up to hug me one day.
We also saw plenty of other adults taking pics with characters.

We actually work as costume characters for trade shows in NYC and there's only adults at those things. So I can say first hand it's perfectly fine. Just be polite and don't lean on the costumes! They are ridiculously heavy.

 

[SnowWhite2]

Thank you for starting this thread. Later in the month DH and I are going to have lunch at Crystal Palace. I've never been there and wanted to try it once. I'd love to see the Winnie the Pooh characters but thought it might be awkward. I feel so much better after reading this thread. I'm going to go and have fun with the characters and not worry about what everyone else thinks.

 

[GrownUpLilo]

I went on a spontaneous character spree as a solo last trip, and the only odd thing that happened to me, was I was in Pete's in MK waiting for Minnie, etc and little kids kept running around and people kept thinking they were mine. But I had a great time with the characters. I even ended up making myself a calendar with the PP pics.

 

[NEDisneyFans]

Thank you for starting this thread. Later in the month DH and I are going to have lunch at Crystal Palace. I've never been there and wanted to try it once. I'd love to see the Winnie the Pooh characters but thought it might be awkward. I feel so much better after reading this thread. I'm going to go and have fun with the characters and not worry about what everyone else thinks.

Crystal Palace is my favorite Character Meal location! The food is good and the characters each stop at every table, so you get to visit, take photos, and (if you want) collect autographs.

The characters even gave me a birthday card when I turned 50!

 

[MERMAIDchar]

I visited Disneyland with my family in summer of 2012 and the first day we were there we went to visit Mickey! It was so fun and getting a hug from any Disney character can make your day better!

 

[KateB]

Last June my mom and I did a grown up mother/daughter trip. We had so much fun & met a lot of characters. My DH is quiet & I have never made him get in line to meet characters.

My first meeting was with Pooh and Tigger. Tigger has always been a favorite of mine. When we met them, they noticed my birthday button and my mom proceeded to say that I was 30. We have the best picture of Pooh covering my mom's mouth and Tigger covering his ears. Not to mention my pretty upset expression (she told EVERYONE we met that I was 30).

On our last day we went to meet Mickey. We had shirts made for our trip with a checklist of things to do on our trip. When we went to leave Mickey saw the back of my shirt. I was all the way around the corner and he came after me to get more pics with our shirts. It was awesome! We met other characters as well, but these definitely the best experiences.

I am planning on doing something on our anniversary trip (5 years) in August. Even if I only get my DH to meet Mickey. He will do Crystal Palace and Tigger always goofs around taking my DH silverware, table confetti, ect. Have fun! You're at Disney! Be a kid! It's totally acceptable!

 

[Goofy'sPal]

Im 31m I went to WDW when I was 25 and I got pics with every character I could, even all the princesses. No one gave me any problems. Anymore questions just ask.

 

[dayvewc]

Last June my mom and I did a grown up mother/daughter trip. We had so much fun & met a lot of characters. My DH is quiet & I have never made him get in line to meet characters.

My first meeting was with Pooh and Tigger. Tigger has always been a favorite of mine. When we met them, they noticed my birthday button and my mom proceeded to say that I was 30. We have the best picture of Pooh covering my mom's mouth and Tigger covering his ears. Not to mention my pretty upset expression (she told EVERYONE we met that I was 30).

On our last day we went to meet Mickey. We had shirts made for our trip with a checklist of things to do on our trip. When we went to leave Mickey saw the back of my shirt. I was all the way around the corner and he came after me to get more pics with our shirts. It was awesome! We met other characters as well, but these definitely the best experiences.

I am planning on doing something on our anniversary trip (5 years) in August. Even if I only get my DH to meet Mickey. He will do Crystal Palace and Tigger always goofs around taking my DH silverware, table confetti, ect. Have fun! You're at Disney! Be a kid! It's totally acceptable!

Off topic, but I LOVE this idea!!

Did you have the items pre-checked off on the shirts? Or did you check them off with permanent marker after you did them?

ETA: The only down-side to meeting characters as an adult without kids is that the other people in line tend to assume you are with someone else, (including the photographers), and will expect you to get in with "your" group at some point (or have "your group" join you for the pictures).

 

[NEDisneyFans]

The only down-side to meeting characters as an adult without kids is that the other people in line tend to assume you are with someone else, (including the photographers), and will expect you to get in with "your" group at some point (or have "your group" join you for the pictures).

Haven't had this be an issue with the photographer, but occasionally with a parent (usually a mom) behind us in line who is sure "these nice ladies won't mind if you go first" before trying to push one or more kids past us -- so I smile sweetly at said child and then tell the mom that "these nice ladies have patiently waited for their turn and are sure that your child can wait for her (or his) turn as well."

I love kids, and will usually give up my place in line if it looked like I'd be the "cut-off" person and there was a kid behind me (I know I'll be back next year, who knows if the child will?). TBH, the only times I haven't is if the adult with the child tried to bully their way past me. Can't reward bad behavior, can I?

 

[FgmtOfReality]

I am a 33 year old guy who travels to Orlando solo quite a bit for business. When in the parks I have no guilt about getting pics with characters solo. I don't care what others think. I pay for my A.P. and I get my money's worth. To date I have a facebook album with over 130 characters I have met over the last 3 years be it in the parks or durring Run Disney events. Life is too short.

 

[dayvewc]

Haven't had this be an issue with the photographer, but occasionally with a parent (usually a mom) behind us in line who is sure "these nice ladies won't mind if you go first" before trying to push one or more kids past us -- so I smile sweetly at said child and then tell the mom that "these nice ladies have patiently waited for their turn and are sure that your child can wait for her (or his) turn as well."

It doesn't happen often, and definitely less with photographers than with other families, but I have had a couple of photogs wave for me to join in with my "family". For some reason whenever it happens, they always assume I'm with the group in front of me.

Haven't had this be an issue with the photographer, but occasionally with a parent (usually a mom) behind us in line who is sure "these nice ladies won't mind if you go first" before trying to push one or more kids past us -- so I smile sweetly at said child and then tell the mom that "these nice ladies have patiently waited for their turn and are sure that your child can wait for her (or his) turn as well."

I've never had a parent do this to me, but I have had several children ask if I am in the line. I will say that in every line it has happened in, the kids have always been polite. In fact, there was the day I was trying to get the photo with Pluto in Hollywood Studios, (he was tag-teaming the area with Minnie) and me and a couple of kids kept switching places b/c I was in the line with Minnie being out but was waiting for Pluto, and they wanted pictures with any of the characters. I let them ahead of me, but when she left and Pluto came out they thanked me and said that I should go ahead of them. Good kids.

I love kids, and will usually give up my place in line if it looked like I'd be the "cut-off" person and there was a kid behind me (I know I'll be back next year, who knows if the child will?). TBH, the only times I haven't is if the adult with the child tried to bully their way past me. Can't reward bad behavior, can I?

Absolutely!!! I totally agree, but as I said, I've never had it happen to me (yet, knock on wood). Of course, having said this, you just know it's gonna happen when I go in March.

 

[aVASTGrl]

I travel to the World exclusively with adults and have never had a problem doing the Character meets. Having said that, we are always conscious of what's happening in line around us....nobody is getting past us in any line ever unless we're feeling nice and let them of course If we sense someone trying to edge their way around us, we subtly spread out and block them

As for the characters themselves, I've always felt like they are just as enthusiastic and friendly to us as they are with kids! We've gotten some great pictures and memories from the Character meets!

 

[sherlockmiles]

Have never had any issues with any characters. If you have a fondness or admiration for a character you should ABSOLUTELY go and meet them. (Why would they be any different than a 'human' movie or tv actor you want and have a chance to meet?) I cherish every one of my encounters and pictures. I don't do the autograph thing but a college aged friend of mine went around epcot and collected all of the princess autographs for her niece and had no negative issues. True there can be those parents who think their child/children should go in front of adults. I really like the earlier post about telling the family that the adults have 'waited patiently so the kids can wait patiently (paraphrased)'

Go for it - YOU ARE WORTH IT and DESERVE IT.

Remember - without adults, the kids wouldn't be there....

 

[Trisity]

Possibly doing a 26th birthday, first time trip at the end of July and was wanting to get pictures as well as autographs for myself.

Would using a child Autograph book be the best or are there bigger, adult sized/styled ones?

I can always make my own with tips from the boards but keeping options open

 

[Disneyaddictz]

Possibly doing a 26th birthday, first time trip at the end of July and was wanting to get pictures as well as autographs for myself. Would using a child Autograph book be the best or are there bigger, adult sized/styled ones? I can always make my own with tips from the boards but keeping options open

For me And my husband first trip without the kiddos we got the larger 2013 autograph book, each page has a photo side and autograph side! Great souvenir, just remember to take all horizontal photos