Best Character Interaction Experience

Those guys are really good at their jobs. The people I visit with usually want to get their pictures taken with the characters. I personally don't really feel compelled to join in, but usually the characters manage to convince me that I need to be in there too.

If you have a Disney Visa card, the special (and private) character Meet and Greet is not to be missed. You are ushered one group at a time into this room, and you get the characters all to yourself. I've done this when there's just 2 of us, and I've done this when there were 12 of us. Each experience is different, and even the number of characters is different. I've had when it was just Mickey, Mickey and Pluto, and Mickey, Minnie, Pluto or Mickey, Minnie, Goofy. Having 3 characters in one picture is a luxury. The characters will interact with you a lot more, but with the CM handlers making sure people don't take too long if there's a long line outside.

In addition, you get a photopass person taking your picture, another cast member will take your picture with your camera/s, and you also get a complimentary 5x7 picture that you pick up at the photo pick-up place.

I try not to miss this opportunity each time I go. I some time do this a few times during the whole trip (but only once each day).

Zz.

I've never heard about this. Is it a daily event? Do you just flash your card? Where is it? Details!

It started during the Happiest Celebration on Earth, and it was such a big hit that Disney and Chase decided to continue with it. So it has been around since 2005.

Here's the info from the Disney Rewards website:

If you have a Disney Visa, you should have received the info in your Disney Rewards mailings.

Zz.

I've had a Disney Visa for years and never knew about this! I've GOT to start reading my statements...

I think my best character interaction was when Tigger came over to see us and started play-massaging my shoulders ( ). When DH asked for his turn, Tigger borrowed our pen and a napkin and wrote "Massage--$5!"

(Hey, I didn't say it was APPROPRIATE. I just said it was the best.)

Thanks for the info. I honestly didn't know about this either. Maybe I should read some of that junk mail I get occasionally.

Depends on the time of the year. I've gotten there very early and the lines were long, and I've gotten there late and the lines were long. So it depends.

Often, the line isn't long, but you still wait quite a bit because it depends on how large a group that is in the room at any given time. They tend to give larger groups a little longer time to be in there.

Maybe you guys should go to the Disney Visa Rewards website and see what ELSE have you been missing! You do know that you get to buy Disney Visa pins, don't you?

Zz.

I was having my picture taken with a few of the seven dwarves once and Sleepy kept falling asleep on me! Grumpy was very upset about it

Yeah, we've all got the card and we're not using the perks. Kind of like having an Annual Pass and still paying for parking.

We were at Hollywood and Vine's Play and Dine this past December with our 3 kids- our youngest at the time was 18 months and he LOVES the Little Einstiens. Leo comes by and my son (18 month old) was happy but more stunned than anything. June comes by and he goes NUTS! Hugging, Kissing, everything. She knelt down to him he sat down on her dress so she couldn't stand up! It was so cute! Even her handlers were laughing and saying they had never seen a little one react like that!

Same trip we had dinner in 1900 Park Fare. My middle child (daughter who is 6 years old) and her sister had been to the BBBoutique earlier in the day and were all "princessed" up. The waltz starts ad Prince Charming comes over and asks my 6 year old to dance! She was so happy! Then Drizella kept trying to cut in my my daughter would have NONE of that! She danced that entire song with him.

Earlier that same day, both daughters (like I said) went to the BBBoutique- my oldest is terrbily shy. The FGIT were so good with her, but she would barely crack more then a closed mouth grin... until her FGIT spun her around at the end and let her see herself in the mirror. Jacqueline (my oldest) BEEMED from ear to ear, teeth and all- and her FGIT sprinkled her with fairy dust and proclaimed she was a princess and Jacqueline thanked her so loud all of the FGITs could hear it!

I'm guessing Fairy Godmother in Training?

Favorable Ghost In Trumpet?

I've had a few good ones! At Cape May character breakfast, Minnie was joking around with my friend. He asked her if she would leave Mickey and run off with him....He told her he would buy her dinner. At Cape May, they have paper on the tables and crayons.....Minnie wrote "Victoria and Alberts".....

Another time, I wanted to meet Dopey (no surprise). I wore my Dopey T-shirt and I went to Guest Services, asked when/where he would be and arrived a few minutes early. When Dopey arrived, I was already there. There was not a line yet, and Dopey was very impressed with my shirt! He looked from shirt to my face and then he hugged me and we danced together....it was so much fun! Then some kids came along so I had to move along......we got some great pictures.

She seems to be quite the joker!

That's adorable Where did you find him? Was he all alone?

I saw Dopey in Epcot, at Germany. Sometimes he is there with that slut Snow White , sometimes alone. (I think she sometimes appears without him, too).

I am often amazed at how expressive the costumed characters are without talking....

My other favorite area for character interaction is Camp Mickey Minnie at DAK. During the holidays, all the characters were in full holiday outfits, and they all have decorated trees with their names at each of their stations.

Zz.

Oh, you are going to make me dig for a picture of that, aren't you?

Zz.

Dig, dig dig!

I have a great picture with Dopey, but my favorite memory wasn't with a 'character' per se. It was a cast member in the Haunted Mansion. When we were walking up to board (not very crowded), my exgirlfriend asked "Do we get on any one of these?" Apparently she thought the CM would direct us which one to get on. Without hesitation the CM stared blankly in our direction and said "I like pandas..." as she turned her head to the side and slightly upward, then proceeded to shuffle away from us. Apparently the CM just spouted the first random thing that popped into her head (or perhaps that was always her response). Either way, it was PRICELESS and so fitting given the theme. It cracks me up to this day. In fact, that has become a family catch phrase. Use it all the time!

Don't know if that translates well to text, but trust me it was awesome.

Sorry if not quite on topic, just wanted to share.

Ha! I imagine I would get pretty bored working Haunted Mansion, too! At least I'm guessing that's why she did that...

Isn't that hilarious what little interactions make a lasting impression??

I know, right? Off the wall, nonsensical, but I'll remember that long as I live. I'll tell my grandkids about that. I got the impression she was trying to be somewhat maniacal as is fitting in the HM.

I feel like Haunted Mansion CMs are some of the most "in character" of the attractions. Usually much more so than ToT CMs.

For me, those are two of the best, but both are hit or miss. That's one thing I wish they would improve upon. Some attractions you seldom, if ever, get a CM that's REALLY in character. Often the ones that even try, are just going through the motions.

I wonder if you're more likely to get someone in character if you go earlier in the day before they're worn out.

Could be. I'll have to pay more attention to the time of day this time. I usually go from open to close, when possible, but a few minutes in until we leave I'm in sensory overload