classic disney

[palmickey420]

i remember when i was younger going to WDW was so magical characters would just be walking around and u would go up to them and get an autograph or a picture w/ them now they have escorts and specific times to meet them and that just takes away from the magic and now they have so many characters that r completely irrelevant to disney and they're not even in good spot, 1 time i say stitch signing autographs in frontierland. i remember seeing the genie and goofy trying to get the countrybears onto the aladdin ride and it was so cool seeing the characters trying to go on rides too. so watever happened to that?

 

[Since1976]

Breathe, dude, breathe. You'll find as you grow older that everything was better when you were younger. Whether that is true can be debated. Have you ever considered that you know more about the parks now than you did back then, and thus the magic you felt when you were younger is somewhat diluted?

 

[rsoxguy]

The parks have been changing since their beginnings. I'm sure that if you look for new "magic", you will not only find it, but also help to create it.

 

[klineski96]

i remember when i was younger going to WDW was so magical characters would just be walking around and u would go up to them and get an autograph or a picture w/ them now they have escorts and specific times to meet them and that just takes away from the magic and now they have so many characters that r completely irrelevant to disney and they're not even in good spot, 1 time i say stitch signing autographs in frontierland. i remember seeing the genie and goofy trying to get the countrybears onto the aladdin ride and it was so cool seeing the characters trying to go on rides too. so watever happened to that?

Are you really asking why the characters just don't freely walk around so people can walk up and take pictures? You're really asking why there are lines/designated areas for this?

:lookaroun Really?

 

[CaptainAshley]

Are you really asking why the characters just don't freely walk around so people can walk up and take pictures? You're really asking why there are lines/designated areas for this?

:lookaroun Really?

Well I see where Palmickey's coming from too, because I remember those days as well. I'm sure it was a lot more magical in my 4 yr old mind than it really was, but I remember being really bummed out when the queue line situation became necessary. It just wasn't so crowded in the old days I guess? Either that or guests were just a lot more relaxed and patient back then.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

Personally I think it is a lot better now, I rememer being about 12 and almost getting crushed in a mob around Mickey.

 

[BriLee]

My sister and I were just discussing the same thing the other day. When we were about 3 and 7 we took trips to Disneyland and we both remember just walking up to characters who were walking around the park, asking for autographs, and taking pictures. There didn't used to be any lines.
But more and more people are going to Disneyland & world, so the lines have become necessary.
I mean, look at how long the lines are. Now are imagine all those people just grouped around trying to all get autographs and pictures. It would be chaotic
And yes, the way it used to be was magical for us, but now this new way is magical for kids who are experiencing WDW for the first time!

 

[SeanC]

I don't think its the crowds, I think its common courtesy that society has lost. People used to dress up to go to Disneyland. Politeness was a trait that was actually taught to kids. Now parents egg there kids on to try and pull a character head off, or other nonsense. People beat each other up over getting on a ride. There more pushing and shoving and littering. Not everyone, just alot more than in times gone by.

 

[Bunni]

In DLP they don't have any queues to meet characters and over the busy halloween period this was causing physical violence, to the point where I just stopped character hunting that vaccation as I found it too upsetting and just not in the spirit of disney. One particular instance which was quite funny looking back was when Jack and Sally appearred for the first time and massive crush insued. The characters were being looked after by an english cast member and due to all the shoving with this help myself, Joe and 3 or 4 other english people started organising a queue.
Still got people trying to push in but he sent them back to the end of the queue which was easily 100+ . I think the CM who was playing Jack at least was american and was horrified at the crush that happened. But it all worked out in the end.

 

[donniedisney]

I think the current way they handle characters is much better than they way it was done in the 80's.

Almost every character picture I have there is some other random kid trying to get his picture taken too.