Rumor Character greet changes coming

[wdrive]

Don’t open any of the theme parks again??

That’s not what I was saying at all

 

[Giss Neric]

I will only consider this for Mickey Mouse. Everybody else goodbye meet and greets. Bunch of college kids playing characters even though I fall for it every time and thinks it's really the character they portray.

 

[Mickey5150]

The major change I see for meet and greets would be all characters being moved to a fastpass or reservation only system so that they can better control distancing. WDW this won't be much of a change but in Disneyland it would be a complete 180.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Bunch of college kids playing characters

Tell me about it... I went to see Hamilton and it was just a bunch of kids playing the parts and singing and dancing! The guy who played George Washington didn’t even look like guy on the quarter!

 

[sgtmgd]

I would only pay to see Bob Iger, and Chapek

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

Sounds good. After I pay for the extra leg room on the monorail, and after I shell out a few coins for the terlet, I'll hop in line with my money ready.

 

[mousedroid]

If this is true I’d be very sceptical. Having paid a lot of money to get in it’s not on that you should then be expected to pay to have a picture with a character.

I shudder to think how that would add up for a family with multiple kids all wanting pictures with multiple characters!

Surely can’t happen?!?!

I have attended dozens of comic book and pop culture conventions over the past 25 years. In addition to the cost of admission to the show, you had to pay for autographs from attending celebrities - movie and TV stars - but you could usually take a picture of them, or with them at their table for free.

Then someone realized that photos with celebrities was a revenue stream they were not taking advantage of. Now almost every major convention requires you to buy a "photo op" with celebrities if you want a picture with them. This is separate from the cost of an autograph, and selfies at the celebs tables are usually forbidden. Oh, and the photo op isn't a meet and greet by any stretch of the imagination - you walk in, stand beside the celeb, smile and walk out. They last 5-10 seconds at best.

So yeah, never think something like this can't happen at Disney.

And don't call me Shirley.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I have attended dozens of comic book and pop culture conventions over the past 25 years. In addition to the cost of admission to the show, you had to pay for autographs from attending celebrities - movie and TV stars - but you could usually take a picture of them, or with them at their table for free.

Then someone realized that photos with celebrities was a revenue stream they were not taking advantage of. Now almost every major convention requires you to buy a "photo op" with celebrities if you want a picture with them. This is separate from the cost of an autograph, and selfies at the celebs tables are usually forbidden. Oh, and the photo op isn't a meet and greet by any stretch of the imagination - you walk in, stand beside the celeb, smile and walk out. They last 5-10 seconds at best.

So yeah, never think something like this can't happen at Disney.

And don't call me Shirley.

At D23 you could get an autograph and a photo at the official D23 meet and greets. They even had little autograph cards if you didn’t have anything for them to sign.

 

[Doberge]

So in Disney math is it $15/each, 3 for $50, and $10 for each additional over 3?

 

[AndyS2992]

They could charge for M&Gs but given they already charge for Photpass packages and such which is mainly used for characters I don’t really see it. Plus it’s already incorporated in to the ticket price so if they did start charging then people are essentially paying three times for a photo.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

They could charge for M&Gs but given they already charge for Photpass packages and such which is mainly used for characters I don’t really see it. Plus it’s already incorporated in to the ticket price so if they did start charging then people are essentially paying three times for a photo.

That’s a good point... and photopass is included in annual passes. I suppose they could say you have to buy photopass to meet characters.

 

[bryanfze55]

What makes anyone think entertainment, especially character entertainment, is coming back?

We need to stop with this idea that people can never be in close quarters again.

 

[peter11435]

What makes anyone think entertainment, especially character entertainment, is coming back?

Because it will

 

[asianway]

We need to stop with this idea that people can never be in close quarters again.

Never? No. But there is going to be a transition period.

 

[havoc315]

When Disney reopens a change will come in what is considered a premium experience. Once character meets are reinstated, all guests will be required to purchase an experience option to meet characters. This would end regular meet times shared on MyDisneyExperience.

A reservation would be required similar to dining (specific times depending on party size). This would keep lines shorter and enforce social distancing (6 feet between guests). Disney leadership sees this is as a revenue source that is necessary.

1 -- Character meets, especially face characters, may not be coming back for a long time. You can't do them with social distancing. --- You can't ask an unmasked Princess to pose for photos with hundreds of guests in 1 day. Maybe masked characters will continued, but not face characters.

2-- When they do re-open, no, they won't be premium experiences. Already, some are premium. And more may become premium. But they will remain largely "Free" standby experiences. For a simple reason -- They are critical to line management.

 

[SteamboatJoe]

1 -- Character meets, especially face characters, may not be coming back for a long time. You can't do them with social distancing. --- You can't ask an unmasked Princess to pose for photos with hundreds of guests in 1 day. Maybe masked characters will continued, but not face characters.

2-- When they do re-open, no, they won't be premium experiences. Already, some are premium. And more may become premium. But they will remain largely "Free" standby experiences. For a simple reason -- They are critical to line management.

To make up for the lack of face characters, they should at least bust out some of the rare, old school non-face characters.

 

[AmishGuy91]

To make up for the lack of face characters, they should at least bust out some of the rare, old school non-face characters.

i think there’s a decent chance of this

 

[Disneyson]

Perhaps they will have tableaux scenes of the characters, kinda like flash mobs, where the characters will be able to walk to a spot, have a “moment”, and then walk away while not actually having any human contact. Kind of like the Kylo “moment”, but for each character (Jack and whomever sword fighting in Adventureland, royal couples dancing or whatever in Fantasyland, etc.). It would reduce the amount of actors and actresses portraying each character to one, allow for shorter work hours for the attendant roles, and avoid the “parade” mentality if done as a surprise.

 

[drew81]

Sounds plausible to me. I don’t doubt Disney is looking at any and all possibilities.

Charging a fee or using virtual queue to replace standby lines wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibilities.

 

[AndyS2992]

Perhaps they will have tableaux scenes of the characters, kinda like flash mobs, where the characters will be able to walk to a spot, have a “moment”, and then walk away while not actually having any human contact. Kind of like the Kylo “moment”, but for each character (Jack and whomever sword fighting in Adventureland, royal couples dancing or whatever in Fantasyland, etc.). It would reduce the amount of actors and actresses portraying each character to one, allow for shorter work hours for the attendant roles, and avoid the “parade” mentality if done as a surprise.

They kinda did this in Paris. They shut the Princess Pavilion and replaced it with this weird mini parade and show.