Even as an adult, a trip to Disney isn’t complete without meeting Mickey Mouse. I still get excited and I always have butterflies in my stomach before hugging the Big Cheese, himself. For children, this feeling is only magnified. Whether you are meeting Mickey Mouse for the first time, or your children are getting ready to meet their favorite princess for the first or 100th time, follow these Do’s and Don’ts for a fun and enjoyable character interaction.
The Do’s
Do: Bring something for the character to sign. Whether it is an autograph book, photo matte, or postcard, collecting character signatures is a fun way to interact with all your favorite characters, and gather some FREE mementos from your trip. Get creative with them when you get home and make a collage or add them to your scrapbook.
Do: Remember your manners. Characters love to interact with guests, but please remember to be gentle with the characters and remind your little ones that it is not funny to punch Pluto. Along with this, keep your questions relevant. Definitely ask Anna and Elsa where Olaf is or if they miss Arendale, but don’t ask what time their shift ends or if they are a natural red head/blonde.
Do: Plan ahead. Make sure to check your Times Guide to see where and when your must see characters will be appearing, and make sure to get in line early. Many characters have long lines, so make sure to account for that in your day. You can also get a FastPass for many characters and that will cut your wait time down significantly.
Do: Get your picture taken. You can either use PhotoPass , or hand your camera or phone to one of the photographers to get a fun and FREE picture with all the characters. This is another great way to collect memories and mementos without spending any money.
The Don’ts
Don’t: be cranky with the character about the wait. It is not Cinderella’s fault that there was a long wait to meet her. Try not to take your frustrations out on the characters or their attendants. They are doing their best to make each interaction magical, while still trying to keep the line moving.
Don’t: monopolize the characters time too much. It’s great to have an autograph signed, a photo taken, and a small conversation. However, do not take up so much time by have individual photos taken, a group photo taken, a kids only photo, and then an adult only photo taken. Remember, there are a lot of people in line behind you, and you have a lot of other things to get to that day as well.
Don’t: ruin the magic for others. There is only ONE Mickey Mouse. Do not ruin the magic for guests behind you in line by suggesting otherwise to the characters or the attendants. Try to look at the situation from a child’s point of view and ask questions that keep the magic alive.
Don’t: ask the character to hold your child. It’s against the rules. I agree that it would make an adorable picture to have Goofy holding a small tot in his arms, but it’s just not possible for the characters to do this.
So, we’ve covered the basics of the Do’s and Don’ts of meeting characters. Most importantly, just remember to have fun! Character meet and greets are some of my favorite memories from Disney vacations.
Did we miss any Do’s or Don’ts? Let us know if the comments!
Monica is an Alumna of the Disney College Program. When she is not walking down the middle of Main Street USA you can find her wandering the World Showcase, or enjoying a Dole Whip while racing to her favorite attractions. When she is forced to endure life outside of Walt Disney World, you can find her in Ann Arbor, Michigan where she lives and works. You can visit her Disney lifestyle blog here.
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I would say Do engage with the character, ask them a question about something from their movie, or if you can’t find another character ask them where the other person is, for instance I always find myself asking Belle where the Beast is and Aladdin where the Genie is.
Bur a Don’t would be to not be inappropriate with the character, don’t get handsy with them, and don’t try to get the CM’s number or anything
thankfully I have not witnessed this in person at the parks (or anywhere else for that matter lol)
Can we add “don’t dubsmash” to the list? A) it takes an annoying amount of time B) It puts the characters in an uncomfortable position and C) “friends” of characters have been reprimanded for participating in these (breaking character, etc) but as they are usually ambushed with it, they can’t do much about it.
Former Character Attendant here, just tossing my two cents worth in…
DO: Be kind to your character attendant. The job might seem easy, but there’s a lot of things we’re responsible for and it can get kind of stressful. Yelling at us and throwing a fit because our character needs to leave for a little while isn’t going to change anything and it’s only going to make the attendant’s day all the more stressful.
DO: Make sure you have what you want signed ready to go when you get up there, and your camera ready. It’ll help move the line along faster.
DO: While you’re waiting in line for the character, why not make the attendant’s day and ask for their autograph and a picture with them. Believe me, that small gesture can sometimes turn the Worst Day Ever into a wonderful day, and a memory your attendant won’t ever forget.
DON’T: Let your over excitement get the better of you! PLEASE do NOT rush the character. Especially if they aren’t one of the “face” characters. We want everyone to have a safe and memorable experience, and that can’t happen if you rush the characters and accidentally bring bodily harm to them or make them feel unsafe in any way. Believe me, we attendants don’t want to call park security and have you escorted from the park, but if you endanger our character or hurt them in your over excitement, we will.