So, let me preface this with my opinion that I think the whole characters signing is silly and I really don't get it when adults have the characters do it. Yes, for kids who "believe", I can see and understand the value. YMMV and I'm not criticizing, just that it seems like an odd thing to me to do.
With that said, I love this change. We typically do 1 or 2 characters meals a trip as we need to eat anyway and its a good way to get our fill of meeting characters without waiting in significant lines. But I find it really annoying to be done eating and still waiting for the rotation of characters to hit our table -- especially when you can see the characters slowly creeping along as they spend valuable time signing autographs.
I wouldn't be surprised if they are making this change in response to guest complaints and in an effort to satisfy patrons. They've surely gotten a ton of complaints about how slow the characters get around and are trying to do what they can to speed up the process. Turning over tables quicker is certainly a bottom line plus, but it's probably what the majority of guests want too -- who wants to continue to sit in a restaurant at a busy theme park when there are rides to ride and you've already finished your meal?
However, I would also be a fan of having more characters at the meal. It seems like the WDW standard is 4, unlike the greater numbers at DLR. I wish it was more like DLR and each meal might have 7 or 8 or 9 characters. I know some would feel obligated to meet every one, but I think seeing 4 or 5 in a meal would feel like "enough" that I got my time/money's worth and I wouldn't feel like I'd "have to" sit there waiting for me. I mean, it would depend on the character, maybe there would be one I'd really want to meet and would wait but at least it would feel more satisfying with more characters. Even if they wanted to keep Crystal Palace as just Pooh, maybe they could add Rabbit and Owl (or Kanga/Roo).
