Character and Show Discussion Thread

[Mags2002]

I love this. Addition not subtraction was absolutely the best way to go. People can have the chance to meet whichever version they love or respond to or have a connection with.

Absolutely! Disney got it right with this one

 

[DodgerGirl]

I have previously seen Tinker Bell onboard. She is not on the ship I am currently on.
Yes you can write a letter to Disney and request certain autographs. Unfortunately, there is no way to contact characters via email

Why can't characters answer emails for autograph requests? Because that does seem odd that people cannot request autographs from the characters via email. Would you be able to get character autographs from ShopDisney? Because I know that they sell autograph books but never character autographs. I do know for a true fact that people have gotten get-well cards and birthday cards and sometimes Christmas cards from Disney characters when they can't visit the parks due to cancelled vacations. My mom has tried emailing Disney for autographs but hasn't heard a response from them. I love character autographs and want to get some by mail

 

[FastPasser.]

Why can't characters answer emails for autograph requests?

Just wondering if there’s enough demand to justify that service? Would it be worthwhile for Disney to hire, train and maintain a staff to read emails and send out autographs? Are people willing to pay Disney prices for that service?

 

[iloveeeyore]

Do friends of the face characters perform in the Sailaway and Pirate parties? I have been wondering.

Thank you!

 

[Mags2002]

Why can't characters answer emails for autograph requests? Because that does seem odd that people cannot request autographs from the characters via email. Would you be able to get character autographs from ShopDisney? Because I know that they sell autograph books but never character autographs. I do know for a true fact that people have gotten get-well cards and birthday cards and sometimes Christmas cards from Disney characters when they can't visit the parks due to cancelled vacations. My mom has tried emailing Disney for autographs but hasn't heard a response from them. I love character autographs and want to get some by mail

While I understand people love collecting autographs, part of the magic of having the autograph is the memory that goes along with meeting the character and the interaction you had with them. I don’t see Disney simply sending out autographs via email any time soon

 

[Mags2002]

Do friends of the face characters perform in the Sailaway and Pirate parties? I have been wondering.

Thank you!

It depends on their contract! I am in some of the shows as a dancer as well as being a face and fur character performer

 

[iloveeeyore]

It depends on their contract! I am in some of the shows as a dancer as well as being a face and fur character performer

Thanks for your response!

Are fur characters paid at the same rate as face?

Are any of the gigs Equity? Is that a corporate swear word?

My DH is an actor, these are burning questions for him.

Thanks again!

 

[FastPasser.]

My DH is an actor, these are burning questions for him.

Has he expressed an interest in working for Disney?

 

[DisneyKatie1]

While I understand people love collecting autographs, part of the magic of having the autograph is the memory that goes along with meeting the character and the interaction you had with them. I don’t see Disney simply sending out autographs via email any time soon

Do people who are characters ever just do it when people ask them to?

 

[iloveeeyore]

Has he expressed an interest in working for Disney?

Yes and no. We live in New York and are not ready to relocate.

 

[WDWJonasGirl]

Do they still make you take out your room key to give to the photographers? They made me do it on my last cruise in 2019

 

[CrewsMom]

Thanks for your response!

Are fur characters paid at the same rate as face?

Are any of the gigs Equity? Is that a corporate swear word?

My DH is an actor, these are burning questions for him.

Thanks again!

My DD is currently a MainStage performer with DCL. Though she is a member of Actor’s Equity, DCL does not follow Equity guidelines and all AEA members are made aware accordingly.
As a former character for DCL myself, I can confirm that fur characters receive a negotiated base pay with premium pay for face, and/or dancing in the MainStage shows. There is also a special rate for any face character that sings in the restaurants.

Hope this helps

 

[Chipmunkmaniac]

Any recent (Halloween/Christmas) cruisers that do a lot of the character lines that want to share their experience? One of my friends that cruises a lot is currently on the Dream and though she loooves characters she only does a few official lines a day and search for strolls. Lines are an hour long. She sent me a pic of Belles line. She was greeting at Preludes and the line wrapped all atound up to the vault (so even passed guest relations.
As for the deck parties the entire middle section is kids zone. For Christmas everyone had to sit down so it was still kibda ok but for ourates the adults had to sit down behind the kids who were told to stand up to join the pirate lessons.
Its her worst cruise (she s platinum) and from what she has been telling me I would have hated it too if I were there with her…

 

[FastPasser.]

My DD is currently a MainStage performer with DCL.

As a former character for DCL myself,

Now that’s really interesting. I’m a former long time CM at WDW and I’ve haven’t run into a two generation CM situation. I’d be interested in hearing more about you and your daughter’s Disney careers.

 

[Cfabar1]

Any recent (Halloween/Christmas) cruisers that do a lot of the character lines that want to share their experience? One of my friends that cruises a lot is currently on the Dream and though she loooves characters she only does a few official lines a day and search for strolls. Lines are an hour long. She sent me a pic of Belles line. She was greeting at Preludes and the line wrapped all atound up to the vault (so even passed guest relations.
As for the deck parties the entire middle section is kids zone. For Christmas everyone had to sit down so it was still kibda ok but for ourates the adults had to sit down behind the kids who were told to stand up to join the pirate lessons.
Its her worst cruise (she s platinum) and from what she has been telling me I would have hated it too if I were there with her…

We experienced a lot of issues on our recent cruises on the Wish....

Huge lines for the characters.
Snippy agents who would inform you that the line was full and your picture wouldn't be able to happen.

My advice would be try to get the pictures for impromptu walking visits (that worked for us a few times) or for the final night when crowds are lower.

 

[jkburns]

Any recent (Halloween/Christmas) cruisers that do a lot of the character lines that want to share their experience? One of my friends that cruises a lot is currently on the Dream and though she loooves characters she only does a few official lines a day and search for strolls. Lines are an hour long. She sent me a pic of Belles line. She was greeting at Preludes and the line wrapped all atound up to the vault (so even passed guest relations.
As for the deck parties the entire middle section is kids zone. For Christmas everyone had to sit down so it was still kibda ok but for ourates the adults had to sit down behind the kids who were told to stand up to join the pirate lessons.
Its her worst cruise (she s platinum) and from what she has been telling me I would have hated it too if I were there with her…

I was on the Dream Nov 25-30 and yes, the lines for Belle were a bit long, but she handled it like a real pro. The wait didn't seem that long at all and things kept moving quite well.
She seemed like the most popular character during the whole cruise, but I suppose the holiday dress is partially responsible for that.

 

[Mags2002]

I was on the Dream Nov 25-30 and yes, the lines for Belle were a bit long, but she handled it like a real pro. The wait didn't seem that long at all and things kept moving quite well.View attachment 816407
She seemed like the most popular character during the whole cruise, but I suppose the holiday dress is partially responsible for that.

Belle is so brave and kind, she can handle anything!! And she does look so beautiful
Belle and Cindy have a friendly competition on who is the most popular (don’t tell her I said so, but it’s usually her!!)

 

[motherdaughtercruisers]

Belle is so brave and kind, she can handle anything!! And she does look so beautiful
Belle and Cindy have a friendly competition on who is the most popular (don’t tell her I said so, but it’s usually her!!)

That dress is hard to beat though!! I bet it’s pretty heavy too! But good for those cold French nights in the Alps!

 

[Chipmunkmaniac]

I was on the Dream Nov 25-30 and yes, the lines for Belle were a bit long, but she handled it like a real pro. The wait didn't seem that long at all and things kept moving quite well.View attachment 816407
She seemed like the most popular character during the whole cruise, but I suppose the holiday dress is partially responsible for that.

Yeah her dress is gorgeous but last year on the Fantasy the waits were never that insane to meet her. The Belle line was just an example but my friend experienced madness at a lot of the meets thats why she ended up focussing on the strolls and try to catch as many of those as possible. It scares me that this was her experience cause to me I cruise for characters and for the easy access and

We experienced a lot of issues on our recent cruises on the Wish....

Huge lines for the characters.
Snippy agents who would inform you that the line was full and your picture wouldn't be able to happen.

My advice would be try to get the pictures for impromptu walking visits (that worked for us a few times) or for the final night when crowds are lower.

damn… yeah strolls are great but bot a guarantee. The reason Im trying to gather recent experiences is cause I cruise for characters and if hourlong waits are becoming the new standard it beats the thing that I loved about dcl: easy access to quality meets.
I was in DL for two weeks last month at the start of their Christmas season with sold out park most days and characterlines were way shorter than what I ve experienced on my Fantasy cruises last winter and mdas. Now Im in dubio; I ve been having major health issues the past months and got a diagnosis yesterday confirming it is not cureable and lifelong. The appealing thing about DCL is having to cover a small area, havibg your room or other restaread closeby but if the lines are consistently long I just wont ve able to do what I like most: characters. DL I used a walker and built in sleepin mornings, early nights, charactervrubches to split the day etc. Where towards the end I was broken the lines were always very short and easy to cover so Id do a few characters go geab Starbucks and sot on a bench, do some more…
I wanna do a trip eerly in the uear so now my two options are a two week DL trip for lunar ny and sweethearts nights or the 10n repo Hawaii-Vancouver

 

[HyperspaceMountainPilot]

Yeah her dress is gorgeous but last year on the Fantasy the waits were never that insane to meet her. The Belle line was just an example but my friend experienced madness at a lot of the meets thats why she ended up focussing on the strolls and try to catch as many of those as possible. It scares me that this was her experience cause to me I cruise for characters and for the easy access and

damn… yeah strolls are great but bot a guarantee. The reason Im trying to gather recent experiences is cause I cruise for characters and if hourlong waits are becoming the new standard it beats the thing that I loved about dcl: easy access to quality meets.
I was in DL for two weeks last month at the start of their Christmas season with sold out park most days and characterlines were way shorter than what I ve experienced on my Fantasy cruises last winter and mdas. Now Im in dubio; I ve been having major health issues the past months and got a diagnosis yesterday confirming it is not cureable and lifelong. The appealing thing about DCL is having to cover a small area, havibg your room or other restaread closeby but if the lines are consistently long I just wont ve able to do what I like most: characters. DL I used a walker and built in sleepin mornings, early nights, charactervrubches to split the day etc. Where towards the end I was broken the lines were always very short and easy to cover so Id do a few characters go geab Starbucks and sot on a bench, do some more…
I wanna do a trip eerly in the uear so now my two options are a two week DL trip for lunar ny and sweethearts nights or the 10n repo Hawaii-Vancouver

I’m sorry to hear about your health issues. When I had an injury that made it hard to stand, I showed up for a few meet and greets 30m ahead of schedule and just sat down wherever I was in the line on the floor. Usually I was less than 5-10m back when the line actually started moving and so I wasn’t on my feet too much. I don’t care about character greetings enough to do that many times on a cruise, just a few my kids really loved—but I thought I’d throw it out in case that strategy helps anyone else.

I am generally concerned about the length of the lines though. Not sure if they can do more greetings or virtual queues or ideally more royal greeting type experiences?