Character autographs at dining to be cut

[WDWFREAK53]

This would be an annoying change.. we enjoyed comparing the autographs in my childhood book to my stepdaughters. It's just more personal.. like the messages in the Epcot passport. I have seen adults keeping autograph books, maybe if it would take less time if they limited it to kids.

It's funny you mention this...because I was at the August 25th MNSSHP and had a similar idea. The lines for the characters were incredibly long (and slow moving). Since the parties are more for the kids...and they run late, I thought they should have two lines...one line for families with children, and one line for just adults. 3 groups with kids for every 1 with adult. Limit the group size to 6. If there are more than 6 in the party, that party waits a turn. The kids would get through the lines faster...and most likely be out of the parks earlier and then the adults could have smaller lines later at night.

 

[ford91exploder]

This isn't on any office dwellers, squarely an ops team kerfuffle

Still it from an outside observers point of view it seems financially motivated. As in wanting to decrease the turn time for tables by 15 minutes which would allow 2-3 extra seatings per day or allow for shortening of operating hours while still accommodating same number of guests.

 

[BernardandBianca]

I have seen adults keeping autograph books, maybe if it would take less time if they limited it to kids.

From a contrary perspective - since the adults are paying at least as much as the kids (if not more), why should the adults get a lesser experience? (This is a pet peeve of mine, amongst other such as benches or the lack thereof.)

 

[HauntedPirate]

Which is a child more likely to remember:

"Mickey Mouse signed my autograph book!!!"

Or:

"Here you go, Johnny, your very own card that was stamped with the signature of Mickey Mouse!"

If this moves forward and rolls out to other character dining locations, it's a move in the wrong direction. Or, par for the course in the swamps.

 

[wannabeBelle]

For the price of a character meal, no perks should be cut. I don't care how long it takes a character to more from one table to another while taking photos and SIGNING autographs.

This is what guests are paying for. Not for the very average food they are served.

This, exactly this. This is a part of the magic, and what helps these meals to be so very popular. I hope this test goes away fairly quickly and rather permanently!! Marie

 

[JSchnitz]

I don't know why anyone would think it's a leap to say that all Meet & Greets wouldn't use these signed cards then? Most of the characters that appear in dining experiences do appear somewhere else in the parks. With that being the case, they'd almost have to just for consistency's sake.

 

[IanDLBZF]

Most of the characters that appear in dining experiences do appear somewhere else in the parks.

And some only come out during certain times of the year (ex. Prince Eric, Lilo, Flynn Rider, Piglet, Eeyore).
Bear in mind the autograph cards are a practice used by more popular characters during hard-ticketed events (e.g. Jack & Sally, Pooh and the gang, Nick & Judy (during MVMCP) and on those days when demand for a specific rare character (e.g. Timon & Rafiki, the Villains) would be particularly high (i.e. PhotoPass Day), so its not something new I believe they have been doing this since 2013.

 

[ford91exploder]

This, exactly this. This is a part of the magic, and what helps these meals to be so very popular. I hope this test goes away fairly quickly and rather permanently!! Marie

Whoever thouught of the idea should be permanently assigned to recycling sort since they have no idea what creates the 'Magic' at WDW perhaps they can use their brilliant intellect in improving the recycling process.

 

[ford91exploder]

And some only come out during certain times of the year (ex. Prince Eric, Lilo, Flynn Rider, Piglet, Eeyore).
Bear in mind the autograph cards are a practice used by more popular characters during hard-ticketed events (e.g. Jack & Sally, Pooh and the gang, Nick & Judy (during MVMCP) and on those days when demand for a specific rare character (e.g. Timon & Rafiki, the Villains) would be particularly high (i.e. PhotoPass Day), so its not something new I believe they have been doing this since 2013.

Still does not make it a good idea, especially since people pay for these events in some manner for high quality character interaction

 

[ford91exploder]

Which is a child more likely to remember:

"Mickey Mouse signed my autograph book!!!"

Or:

"Here you go, Johnny, your very own card that was stamped with the signature of Mickey Mouse!"

If this moves forward and rolls out to other character dining locations, it's a move in the wrong direction. Or, par for the course in the swamps.

This x1,000,000

Sadly this idea shows the utter contempt with which TDO views its guests its enough for the guest that a character simply shows up. The interaction the character has with the guests is seen to be valueless.

 

[doctornick]

Which is a child more likely to remember:

"Mickey Mouse signed my autograph book!!!"

Or:

"Here you go, Johnny, your very own card that was stamped with the signature of Mickey Mouse!"

If this moves forward and rolls out to other character dining locations, it's a move in the wrong direction. Or, par for the course in the swamps.

I would expect the picture you take of them with the character will be the thing they remember the most.

That said, depending on what the autograph card looks like, I think it could make a better keepsake than an autograph itself in a book or whatever one is using. I think the bookmark you get at ETWB is way cooler than an autograph. But personal preference and all.

 

[threvester]

They were still signing at Hollywood and Vine on Friday Sept 1

 

[rob0519]

Gotta boost throughout at character dining says the cost accountant who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.

Its a big deal for a kid to have Mickey etc PERSONALLY sign their autograph book.

Just when you think Disney has run out ways to cheapen the WDW experience they come up with stuff like this.

So disgusted at what Disney has become under Iger.

Yeah, unless the costume prevents the character from being able to sign, this is a pretty low moment, even for what Disney has become.

 

[seabreezept813]

It's funny you mention this...because I was at the August 25th MNSSHP and had a similar idea. The lines for the characters were incredibly long (and slow moving). Since the parties are more for the kids...and they run late, I thought they should have two lines...one line for families with children, and one line for just adults. 3 groups with kids for every 1 with adult. Limit the group size to 6. If there are more than 6 in the party, that party waits a turn. The kids would get through the lines faster...and most likely be out of the parks earlier and then the adults could have smaller lines later at night.

I've never been to the parties, but the theory makes sense. I think whoever waits in line should be able to get pictures..because a pic with Mickey is part of the Disney trip. I just think autograph books for adults is taking it a bit far..

 

[wannabeBelle]

Why?? I love being able to act like a kid with my favorite characters and if I want to get an autograph from them, why not?? I am sure that children of all ages get into meeting the characters, pictures, autographs etc. Again this is all part of the experience of the vacation. Marie

 

[AEfx]

Your right, not sure how I'll sleep tonight after this news

While I think there is a lot of hyperbole and false outrage about a lot of things, I do see why some see this as a really terrible thing.

We are talking about something with a 30+ year history at WDW, back when there was just a single character breakfast. It was charming and one of those neat "only at Disney" illusions since "Mickey's" autograph was always the same.

That said, I see why they might want to do away with it - for two reasons. One, in general, autographs are out and "selifes" are in, as much as I may detest that. Hell, you even hear celebrities complaining about it, LOL. Second, I have a feeling keeping them consistent isn't as easy as it once once (well, as easy as it ever was, I guess) - given how so few young people (the ones mostly cast as characters friends these days) can barely sign their own names*, learning the classic way of doing each character is probably a challenge, particularly fully costumed characters.

I still hope the test fails and they keep doing it - there is something to be said for tradition and charm, especially at WDW.



*before someone jumps in and say I'm calling millenials stupid - I'm not - at least here LOL - just the fact that unless they are artistic in nature, it's well documented that the "art" of handwriting is going the way of the dodo because 99% of everything is typed in some fashion or another.

 

[flynnibus]

Meanwhile, moving characters along during dining experiences not only makes those more pleasant for patrons -- who wants to just sit there after you are done eating waiting for a character to arrive when you could be out riding rides in the park? -- but also helps turn over tables quicker which benefits Disney.

Ask yourself.... why is this a problem now? Characters have been signing for decades. Is it disneys stuffing of the rotation?

 

[doctornick]

Ask yourself.... why is this a problem now? Characters have been signing for decades. Is it disneys stuffing of the rotation?

I don't know about "now", but I've been going to character meals a number of times over the past decade and feel it takes far too long for the characters to rotate. At least at some of the places (Crystal Palace being the worse offender). Sometimes a problem exists for a while, but doesn't get addressed right away.

But as I've said, others see it differently. I think the ideal solution would be to have more characters at each meal -- have it be 7-8 different characters like they do in DLR. If there were more characters rotating around, people wouldn't get so antsy to see all of them and they could spend more time at each table. But that would require spending more on entertainment and obviously the buffets don't make enough money to do that.

 

[doctornick]

That said, I see why they might want to do away with it - for two reasons. One, in general, autographs are out and "selifes" are in, as much as I may detest that. Hell, you even hear celebrities complaining about it, LOL.

Have character autographs been a "thing" for that long? I kinda feel like they're a relatively recent phenomena like in the past 15 years or so. From my youth, I just recall people taking photos with the characters.

 

[flynnibus]

I don't know about "now", but I've been going to character meals a number of times over the past decade and feel it takes far too long for the characters to rotate. At least at some of the places (Crystal Palace being the worse offender). Sometimes a problem exists for a while, but doesn't get addressed right away.

But as I've said, others see it differently. I think the ideal solution would be to have more characters at each meal -- have it be 7-8 different characters like they do in DLR. If there were more characters rotating around, people wouldn't get so antsy to see all of them and they could spend more time at each table. But that would require spending more on entertainment and obviously the buffets don't make enough money to do that.

It would introduce the problem of people trying to pick which get to their table... and complaints

Another solution would be to reduce the guest load per hour. Oh wait... that would hurt revenues...