Characters no longer roaming freely

[VirginiaCreeper]

I haven't been to Disney in ages. I just like to come in here and catch up on it. From what I see it seems no characters at all roam the parks and pose for photos? Is everything meet and greet now? Why? If they could do it years ago why can't they do it now? I personally like the idea of having a photo in a random spot in the park rather than a back drop.

 

[stevehousse]

I haven't been to Disney in ages. I just like to come in here and catch up on it. From what I see it seems no characters at all roam the parks and pose for photos? Is everything meet and greet now? Why? If they could do it years ago why can't they do it now? I personally like the idea of having a photo in a random spot in the park rather than a back drop.

To many people swarming the characters, rude guests, kids walkin up and in your photo that shouldn't be...te meet n greets r better handled now then they used to be..

 

[Master Yoda]

They can not do it now because it is simply too popular. Nearly every person that comes into WDW want their picture with character A-Z. The only way to do that and keep guests happy is with the meet n greets.

You will however still see a few roaming character's at special events like Star Wars Weekends, the Halloween Parties, etc.

 

[DisneyJoe]

One word:

Safety.

 

[Bairstow]

I actually saw a couple semi-roaming characters earlier this month.
Right after rope drop the wicked stepmother and stepsisters from Cinderalla were cruising around Old Fantasyland and yucking it up with guests, then hopped on the carousel.
A couple days later we saw Alice from Alice in Wonderland in the U.K. pavilion kicking around a soccer ball with some kids in the street.
This may be a phenomenon limited to very low crowd days, but at least it's not a totally lost concept.

 

[Since1976]

Though it's not as spontaneous, I much prefer the M&Gs.

I have a photo from when I went to MK as a 1 year old, and it shows me in a stroller next to Mickey. My dad is next to me, his arm out, trying his best to shoo a swarm of kids away so my mom can snap a pic. It's the only shot we got.

 

[Mongomil]

Our last trip there was a couple roaming around. But they are few and far between. But here is my wife and Pluto:

A little Pluto love by Mongo mil, on Flickr

 

[AndyS2992]

Characters do not roam at WDW but they do at Disneyland.

 

[Disvillain63]

Jasmine was roaming a bit in Adventureland, just two weeks ago. She joined our KTTK tour group and then walked over to Magic Carpets and joined the guests already boarded and one lucky little girl for a spin.

 

[lunchbox1175]

It does still happen, I think mostly when they are training new CM's to be characters. We ran into Max Goof by the fountains at Epcot just randomly one day.

 

[FettFan]

Stitch, Pluto, Chip, Dale, and Goofy roam around Tomorrowland when Club 626 is in swing.

 

[Jimmy Thick]

The last time I saw a roaming character, Liverlips, was during a Christmas party.

Jimmy Thick- No handler even...

 

[RandomPrincess]

Roaming characters can be seen first thing in the morning for the most part.

 

[bethymouse]

I remember in 2007, there was a little known spot in EPCOT by the American Adventure where some characters were. They weren't exactly roaming though, but there were no lines.