Creative ways to collect character autographs?

[Fleur de Frost]

Hi! We'll be in DW this December, and I would loooove to hear any creative ways of collecting autographs. I adore meeting everybody - think it's super fun and would never pass up an opportunity to converse with animated characters - but at 19, I still feel strange walking up and expecting the typical experience someone ten years younger than me would.

Is there anything unique I could do about this? I love the idea of taking a Polaroid shot and having the characters sign the bottom, for instance, but I'm definitely not interested in holding up the line longer than necessary.

Thank you so much for any ideas! Hope everyone is having a magical week

 

[PrincessRachelT]

I've seen parasol umbrellas (with signitures on the inside) and canvas tote bags!

 

[Rob562]

Some people do T-shirts with a laundry marker that won't wash out, but be aware that the characters will not sign clothing that you are currently wearing. If you go with a T-shirt or other cloth, look into a needlepoint hoop to keep the fabric taut.

-Rob

 

[DisneyFans4Life]

I've seen people with matting for a picture frame as well as hats.

 

[Tinkerfan4ever]

I have also seen people use a pillowcase to get signatures.

 

[glvsav37]

My daughter draws all the characters in a sketch book. She starts a few weeks before we go and has a full book to take with her for everyone to sign their illustration. It always causes great reactions from the characters, especially the face characters who can flip though it and talk to her about them. She has an amazing sense of pride showing it off. She is 9 now and we keep each book and refer back to older ones to see how she has grown artistically.

One of our favorite memories was with Aladdin and Jasmine. We were the last in line and they knelt down and went though every page with her commenting on each one. They were a fun group—and were probably breaking character rules—but they both had a blast making off hand remarks about other characters in the book (about the different character personalities, not her drawing skills). They were cracking her—and us—up.

 

[GoTheDistance]

I've seen people with the blank canvas Viynlmations that are maybe 8-10 inches tall which I thought was pretty cool even though I'm not into Viynls. My hubby & I Have a self made Adventure Book (from Up) that we bring with us to get signed.

 

[Fleur de Frost]

These are all such fantastic ideas and I cannot thank you guys enough. I'm loving the idea of sketching the characters out and having them sign the page - and the Adventure Book, ah! Too cute! The pillows, frames, parisols, etc. are all super creative, too. Might have a hard time choosing just one Thank you all so so so much!

 

[everado]

My wife bought a canvas bag (we live in Maine so she got it from LL Bean) and uses a fabric marker for the autographs , then we can use it occasionally when we are not at the world and enjoy the memories .

 

[WhatJaneSays]

I’ve seen folks with storybooks or character "encyclopedia" type books.

There was one gal that had this beautiful print of a had drawn retro looking WDW map of all the parks and she has the characters sign where she met them. (I’m guessing she got it framed when she got home, it was GIANT probably 30x40 inches at least.)

 

[DManRightHere]

Hi! We'll be in DW this December, and I would loooove to hear any creative ways of collecting autographs. I adore meeting everybody - think it's super fun and would never pass up an opportunity to converse with animated characters - but at 19, I still feel strange walking up and expecting the typical experience someone ten years younger than me would.

Is there anything unique I could do about this? I love the idea of taking a Polaroid shot and having the characters sign the bottom, for instance, but I'm definitely not interested in holding up the line longer than necessary.

Thank you so much for any ideas! Hope everyone is having a magical week

You're not too old! We're in our 30's and I feel the same way about certain situations but the characters are always so welcoming!

I like the polaroid idea, I didn't know they still had old school polaroids, but it may be small for characters to sign on the bottom. You could flip side it and take 4x6 printable photo paper and have the character sign the back and print your photo from the meet and greet on the front. Or have them sign a 4x6 and put the autograph below your meet and greet photo on a seperate 4x6 in an album.

 

[MalMeansBad]

When I was visiting a few weeks ago I encountered a woman with a nearly full picture matte frame. I have to say that it was one of the coolest that I've seen. I like your polaroid idea, though it could be a bit time consuming!

 

[thomas998]

Not to be the voice of reason... But you people do realize that you aren't actually getting Snow White's autograph, just the autograph of a college student wearing a costume... I think that's the reason these meet and greet are really intended for little kids... If you are doing something like getting picture frames or shirt autographed by X, Y or Z you might as well just sign it yourself it isn't like it will be any different.

 

[MississippiBelle]

Not to be the voice of reason... But you people do realize that you aren't actually getting Snow White's autograph, just the autograph of a college student wearing a costume... I think that's the reason these meet and greet are really intended for little kids... If you are doing something like getting picture frames or shirt autographed by X, Y or Z you might as well just sign it yourself it isn't like it will be any different.

HA! Next you'll be telling me Santa isn't real.

 

[Ms.Sunshine]

HA! Next you'll be telling me Santa isn't real.

I met Santa at the mall last year. Anyone with cheeks that rosy has to be real.

 

[EOD K9]

Many years ago, Chip informed my father that the front of a Polaroid doesn't hold ink well. You may need to use the rear.

 

[habuma]

I've seen people with matting for a picture frame as well as hats.

We did this on our last trip, one photo mat for each of our two daughters, and had every character we could find sign it in different color markers. (Tip: Don't let them sign in yellow or else another character may not see it and sign over it. Goofy signed over Snow White on one of the mats.)

Anyhow, when we got home we framed the picture we got at the Disney Visa card meet-n-greet with the signed mats. Whenever I see them, I still think that was one of the most awesome things we've ever done.

 

[habuma]

Not to be the voice of reason... But you people do realize that you aren't actually getting Snow White's autograph, just the autograph of a college student wearing a costume... I think that's the reason these meet and greet are really intended for little kids... If you are doing something like getting picture frames or shirt autographed by X, Y or Z you might as well just sign it yourself it isn't like it will be any different.

Certainly, M&Gs are awesome for the kiddos, but I've never believed that they're for kids only. Sure, deep down, my grown-up brain tells me that there's a college student underneath. But in that moment...when you're standing there interacting with the characters...they're as real to me as they are to my kids.

So you keep your voice of reason if you want. I'll keep suspending reality while I'm at Disney, though; Indeed, that's why we go to Disney. Oh yeah, parrots really sing in tiki rooms, pirates really burn up the city, ghosts really assemble for a swinging wake, and I've explored space a time or two on Space Mountain, Star Tours, and Mission Space.

 

[msbuzzlightyear]

We made a photo book with previous photos of my daughter and the characters and had them sign their photo
We went at Christmas and had them sign wooden snowflakes and added the photo on returning home, great tree ornaments
We went Star Wars weekend and made a poster of Jedi Mickey and had the characters sign the poster
And my daughter is 31 and she still enjoys the reactions from the characters, it's called Disney Magic

 

[blueboxdoctor]

Not to be the voice of reason... But you people do realize that you aren't actually getting Snow White's autograph, just the autograph of a college student wearing a costume... I think that's the reason these meet and greet are really intended for little kids... If you are doing something like getting picture frames or shirt autographed by X, Y or Z you might as well just sign it yourself it isn't like it will be any different.

Life of the party right here. It's part of the fun, especially when the characters are able to talk, which they've become noticeably more talkative over the past few years. But I guess it depends what you are into. I don't get the actual autographs but it's still fun meeting the characters/actors. Much like it's fun to do things like Comic-Con and the Renaissance Faire and dress up in character for those events.