What’s the polite amount of time to spend with characters?

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We always struggle with this. I feel like I fish my kids more than the cast members cause I get paranoid. As my kids get older the meets are quicker cause my kids are like take my pic. High five. Out.

one time I didn’t want to leave was when my daughter was 13 months old. First trip. We were in line for king Louie and baloo over in ak at camp Mickey. Kate was tired! I wanted the pic. King Louie got down to see Kate.Didn’t even realize he could get down on the ground. Kate crawled up inhis arms and lap like she was a baby monkey curled up and fell asleep in 15 secs. Didn’t even see hi literally like she thought he was a bed.It was pretty funny. No ones said a word. Everyone was just standing there. I’m sweating it cause I’m thinking everyone in line is flipping we are holding up the line. Lol. But man she looked comfortable. I have suck great pics of that. Actually all my pics with fur character meets were awesome that trip cause every character was a stuff normal to her. So many great close up head shots.

only trip it was like that. Such a great trip. Something you can never get back. So glad my parents were there to experience it all with Us.

Enjoy ur trip. Love every moment. People get it for the most part I believe.
 
I don't feel like we were ever rushed and I am ok waiting. I get the enjoyment of watching the interaction with the other families if it is a line that you can see the families in front of you. It can be just as magical as when you meet them. My kids are older now so I really like watching the magic with the younger kids in line.

Also, we have been behind some families that are a part of Make A Wish. They always take a lot of time. They have apologized to us for taking take up time. We are always like take as much time as you need. A CM once asked if it was ok if a family in this situation could go in front of us to see I think Snow White and Dopey. It was an absolute yes.
 
I really can't fathom getting annoyed because some group took their time instead of whatever someone else thinks is appropriate. Just who thinks their rules should apply to all? Really do not understand that concept, that the time YOU feel is appropriate is appropriate for all guests. Like that guest is going to seriously impact your day because they took longer than you allot for yourself. You aren't talking about 30 min or anything. It's 2, 3 min more, tops.
I don't feel like we were ever rushed and I am ok waiting. I get the enjoyment of watching the interaction with the other families if it is a line that you can see the families in front of you. It can be just as magical as when you meet them. My kids are older now so I really like watching the magic with the younger kids in line.

Also, we have been behind some families that are a part of Make A Wish. They always take a lot of time. They have apologized to us for taking take up time. We are always like take as much time as you need. A CM once asked if it was ok if a family in this situation could go in front of us to see I think Snow White and Dopey. It was an absolute yes.
I've encountered this situation a number of times myself. I can't fathom a situation where a family would say no, they can't go in front of us.

Like you, I enjoy watching other groups interact with the characters too.
 
One of our most magical moments at Disney happened when we were at a character meal. My 2-year-old was so excited he sped up while walking to our table and tripped HARD and face planted and got a big swollen lip. He started bawling and I picked him up and was trying comforting him but he was just too distressed, when Minnie came over and tapped my shoulder and pointed to him and to her. I set him down and she knelt down and gave him a bug hug and he went quiet right away, just in awe, hugging her tight. After a few moments i gently tried to retrieve him but she held up her land like "no, we're good", and he just kept hugging her and hugging her for probably 5 minutes, with me piping up ever 30 seconds or trying to say "okay now, we can go now" and Minnie just shaking her head and giving thumbs up. When we finally did leave, he had this dazed happy look that was just priceless--I could just tell he was thinking "Minnie loves me and made me all better."

For typical interactions, I feel like we're usually around 1-2 minutes, but I think the characters know when it is the right time for some extra "Disney Magic"
 


And after the family I was behind at AK to meet Mickey and Minnie last year, I don't feel so bad. Only 1 party in front of us when we got let in the room. But that party was about 15 people. They needed individual pictures for each kid, some of the adults, each family, the whole group, and smaller subsets of the group. It was at least 10 minutes or more that they monopolized the characters and by the time they were done, the entire small room was full of families waiting.

I think it helps to remember these are actually several families just grouped together. If those 15 people didn’t know each other they would have been in what, 3, 4 or 5 different groups. Each group would still have taken individual & group photos. And would likely have take the same amount of time, or maybe longer. Example, say an average of 2 -3 minutes per group. If those 15 people were in 4 groups, that would have been 8 - 12 minutes. So pretty much what that 1 big group spent. And as each group went up, the others would still have been waiting in line, so there would have been more families in front of you when you entered. The line would just have been consistent & not gone down in the first place.
 
Take as long as you need. I try to be quick, but I usually have a Pluto stuffie with me and that gets major attention from a lot of the characters. One time at the character Spot, Mickey took my Pluto and was cradling him and showed it to Minnie and Goofy. And then each of those characters also made a fuss over my Pluto. Similar fun things have happened many other times.

And after the family I was behind at AK to meet Mickey and Minnie last year, I don't feel so bad. Only 1 party in front of us when we got let in the room. But that party was about 15 people. They needed individual pictures for each kid, some of the adults, each family, the whole group, and smaller subsets of the group. It was at least 10 minutes or more that they monopolized the characters and by the time they were done, the entire small room was full of families waiting.

I don’t see the issue in big families taking longer. Had they split up into 4 family units and taken 2-3 minutes each you would’ve been waiting the same amount of time. A group of 15 is going to take longer than a family of 4. Someone with 5 kids is going to take longer than someone with 1 kid. It all evens out.
 
I'm in the opinion to do what you just feel is right. everyone is paying to be there - why should I be rushed off? It's part of the vacation and experience. Some may see me as looking entitled but at the same time, I have no problem if the person in front of me takes awhile too. They paid to be there and enjoy just as well. Kids want to see their favorite characters and to me, part of the interaction with them is where the magic is.
As my kids get older (9 and 11) the experiences don't last as long always so I just live in the moments. This past trip we had my two nieces with us also - 10 and 11. One was on their first trip. I'm sure people were irritated with how long our group took at times but DN11 was just over the moon as never having experienced any of this. And now instead of autograph books - we do selfies. So yes, each of the 4 kids usually wanted a single picture and a selfie and we did group pictures .People may have looked at us as doing all individual and thinking it was crazy but since they were from different families, they each wanted their own with the characters to have at their house but then we also did the group pictures for the grandparents to have. Just looking people may have not known this (my DS and one DN are 10 months apart but same height and look the same and go by "the twins" so someone just seeing us wouldn't realize they are from separate families) Usually to help for the individual picture I put my 2 kids together unless it was their favorites (pluto, Daisy, Stich and Snow White all require their "own" pictures for my kids, otherwise they go together). Oh, and then when Papa would decide to jump into photos last minute... yeah, I apologize to any that were behind us! At least with photopass photographers at various other places we always warned the people behind us that we would be awhile.
 


I really can't fathom getting annoyed because some group took their time instead of whatever someone else thinks is appropriate. Just who thinks their rules should apply to all? Really do not understand that concept, that the time YOU feel is appropriate is appropriate for all guests. Like that guest is going to seriously impact your day because they took longer than you allot for yourself. You aren't talking about 30 min or anything. It's 2, 3 min more, tops.

I get slightly annoyed, but that's just more a nature of the waiting than the "time I feel appropriate". I'm pretty patient though & remind myself that people waited too and they get to have the time they want. And yes, watching other guests helps when I see that they're enjoying themselves.
 
I've never understood the multiple autograph books. What are you going to do with two copies of them? Why not just have one "family" one. Less time wasted and environmentally sound. Win-Win
Why 1 group has multiple books. There are countless reasons. Just a few off the top of my head
Different families?
2 kids there with Dad and go home to different houses
2 friends who are there together
Grandparents with multiple families of grandkids
Kids just want their own.
1 person with 2, that's different. But I assume that isn't what confuses you
I would be surprised to see 1 for a family. Especially since it's not unheard of for them to write a name in them. I have a few that are personalized when DGD still took one.
 
I've never understood the multiple autograph books. What are you going to do with two copies of them? Why not just have one "family" one. Less time wasted and environmentally sound. Win-Win

When we were doing autograph books after the first year, I was making photo albums on Shutterfly or snapfish and then the following year each would have their book of memories to be signed. They still have all of their books. Just a personal preference. Some only want one for the family and others like us don't mind each having their own.
 
Why 1 group has multiple books. There are countless reasons. Just a few off the top of my head
Different families?
2 kids there with Dad and go home to different houses
2 friends who are there together
Grandparents with multiple families of grandkids
Kids just want their own.
1 person with 2, that's different. But I assume that isn't what confuses you
I would be surprised to see 1 for a family. Especially since it's not unheard of for them to write a name in them. I have a few that are personalized when DGD still took one.
Again you could just have them write 'Thorn Family" and sign. It's not like the character is writing a heartfelt message.
 
I've never understood the multiple autograph books. What are you going to do with two copies of them? Why not just have one "family" one. Less time wasted and environmentally sound. Win-Win

Do you have more than one child?

Sometimes kids want their own. Especially a different themed book. Or a boy not wanting a princess book. Or two sisters wanting a princess and a star wars book. It can be all out war. The extra signature is worth not dealing with an all out meltdown.

My kids always had their own books and they still have them to this day.
 
Do you have more than one child?
Sometimes kids want their own. Especially a different themed book. Or a boy not wanting a princess book. Or two sisters wanting a princess and a star wars book. It can be all out war. The extra signature is worth not dealing with an all out meltdown.

I'm not the person who mentioned this but.... I have 3 kids, and 2 of them (ages 5 & 3) wanted their own autograph books for our upcoming trip. My answer was No, absolutely not. Yes, I told them that it takes up more time and that wasn't fair to all the people waiting behind us. They understood and that was the end of that. I told my 3 year old it was "his" book to have after the trip because his sister got the one from our last trip. But honestly? Its not like they re-read their autograph books- they sit on their bookshelf and take up space and maybe they occasionally glance through them.

If they chose to have a meltdown when they get there because I told them No and other kids have individual ones, that's no skin off my back... they are kids who need to know that sometimes (often) the answer is No.
 
Again you could just have them write 'Thorn Family" and sign. It's not like the character is writing a heartfelt message.
And how do you send that book home to multiple houses?
1 is great for those that one it but surely you realize that not everyone can have 1 and it is not unreasonable to not have 1
 
I'm not the person who mentioned this but.... I have 3 kids, and 2 of them (ages 5 & 3) wanted their own autograph books for our upcoming trip. My answer was No, absolutely not. Yes, I told them that it takes up more time and that wasn't fair to all the people waiting behind us. They understood and that was the end of that. I told my 3 year old it was "his" book to have after the trip because his sister got the one from our last trip. But honestly? Its not like they re-read their autograph books- they sit on their bookshelf and take up space and maybe they occasionally glance through them.

If they chose to have a meltdown when they get there because I told them No and other kids have individual ones, that's no skin off my back... they are kids who need to know that sometimes (often) the answer is No.
Which is perfectly a ok. Great even. For your family.
It is equally as ok for a family to want individual ones. And no, not because the kids throw a fit. Because the parent wants each kid to have one.
No is a wonderful word I use often, even as a grandparent.
 
My rule of thumb is that if there's a line, the adults do NOT need their own non-kid pictures. Don't wait in line by yourselves- do something else so the kids have a shorter wait. And if you're escorting your kids, by all means jump into a photo. But don't get one of just you and the character.
 
My rule of thumb is that if there's a line, the adults do NOT need their own non-kid pictures. Don't wait in line by yourselves- do something else so the kids have a shorter wait. And if you're escorting your kids, by all means jump into a photo. But don't get one of just you and the character.
And what if it's only adults and no kids? 🤨
 
My rule of thumb is that if there's a line, the adults do NOT need their own non-kid pictures. Don't wait in line by yourselves- do something else so the kids have a shorter wait. And if you're escorting your kids, by all means jump into a photo. But don't get one of just you and the character.

I think I need a clarification on if you mean adults in family groups or adults in general.
 
My rule of thumb is that if there's a line, the adults do NOT need their own non-kid pictures. Don't wait in line by yourselves- do something else so the kids have a shorter wait. And if you're escorting your kids, by all means jump into a photo. But don't get one of just you and the character.
Wow, ok. I break your rule of thumb a lot
There are a few characters I like to meet, and I want photos.
But, no kid. There are a lot at Disney, I bet I can borrow one for a minute or two, LOL
 
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