Dumbo meet n greet

[DisneyParksFan1]

Yes that's how it used to be..

I think that characters should stand in the station to wave goodbye to leaving guests. During the nighttime of course. Although having the CMs do it is magical as well. Shows that they also contribute to the experience and that they are indeed dedicated to their work at WDW.

 

[Studios Fan]

This would be pretty good if true.

 

[BigThunderMatt]

You can have wondering without chaos, but at night when there are less crowds. The characters just roam and say hi to children and their families. It's a nice way to end the night when everyone is tired and don't want to wait in a line to meet whichever character. So instead, the character comes to you. I like how they are encouraged to go on rides with kids. That's how you create those Disney moments- those spontaneous situations.

This would only work on nights where the park closes 2-3 hours post Spectro/Wishes when you actually get the chance to wander around after dark and most people have left after the aforementioned shows. When the park closes as soon as Wishes ends it likely would not be popular to do beforehand simply because many people will stay in the park until the fireworks start.

 

[Laura]

Isn't this how it used to be done in WDW, back in the '70s-'80s? Maybe it was discontinued precisely because of the crowding problems, but from what I've heard, free-roaming characters used to be the norm.

I'm guessing it was discontinued due to the invention of the digital camera and the character autograph book...which are what initiated the character frenzy.

 

[_Scar]

This would only work on nights where the park closes 2-3 hours post Spectro/Wishes when you actually get the chance to wander around after dark and most people have left after the aforementioned shows. When the park closes as soon as Wishes ends it likely would not be popular to do beforehand simply because many people will stay in the park until the fireworks start.

I saw it happen at about 11-12 ish on my last trip in FLand. Goofy, Minnie, and Mickey all came around the corner and all the kids around me lit up. It was very cool

 

[Random Vids Inc]

I would love to see Dumbo roaming around the parks!

(Hopefully flying over the castle during wishes too!) :animwink:

 

[DisneyParksFan1]

I would love to see Dumbo roaming around the parks!

(Hopefully flying over the castle during wishes too!) :animwink:

Yes! I would love that!

I would love Mary Poppins too, and some Peter Pan with Wendy and the gang, and Winnie the Pooh on his balloon.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

The last time I was in DL, I seem to remember free-roaming characters. Is this no longer the case?

 

[Zummi Gummi]

If I were a friend of any character, I'd never want to be roaming around without an attendant by my side. I've seen the way people react when a character appears. I really think without the attendants to maintain order, the characters would get trampled.

 

[disney9752]

Would be nice to see Dumbo roam the parks once again & get an upgrade from his 1970s look:

That's an old WDW postcard, i have one somewhere. From what i've heard DLR still has free roaming characters, i guess the guests out west behave better. :wave:

 

[DisneyParksFan1]

That's an old WDW postcard, i have one somewhere. From what i've heard DLR still has free roaming characters, i guess the guests out west behave better. :wave:

Naw, they're just locals, see here in WDW we are so popular that we get millions of tourists a year, unlike in DL where much of the guests are locals.:wave:

 

[Crush Dude!]

Im just back from my 3rd trip to Disneyland Paris! At DLP they have both spontaneous meet and greets and controlled meet and greets and there were pros and cons for both

People really do crowd around them to the point that it can be hard to get your picture, as opposed to wdw where ur assured of ur own time with the character!

On the other hand when you come accross chip and dale playing with each other its great, king louie was with them and he was pulling their tails wen they turned away from him, tigger was out another day bouncing around the park, he cartwheeled in front of our DD and den we got a quick hug and pic it was great!

But, in reality wdw is just too big with too many people to do this, in my opininion alot of people are too rude and would make it hell for the shyer kids to get to see there characters, these days the controlled meet and greets are a neccessity in the world!

Also, id give anything to see Dumbo, one my fave characters of all time :sohappy:

 

[disnyfan89]

The audience really does have to do with free roaming characters. They are around at WDW but you have to be lucky to find them. Ak is usally a good bet. Camp MM in the morning or before closing tends to have the characters walking around but only if there are a few families out and about. You can also depending on the character find them roaming out in front of AK's main entrance. Over at MK during EMH in the evening the characters can sometimes break free for a ride or two but it usally only at the very end of the night before they go in for the night.

At DL during the slower parts of the year the characters in Town Square roam a lot. Most people visiting the park are locals so they walk in and see Mickey for the millionth time and don't really need a picture so they keep on walking by. Since they're there all the time characters arn't in such high demand.

In WDW the tourist base is the main proplem. Every culture has different customs so while one culture might be more patient another is going to shove their way through to the character because that's just how it works in their culture. Its easier in Florida to have those set meet and greets.

 

[Figment632]

I guess this is good news but do we really need more MG'S? Instead of building more rides and or shows we are getting a whole land basically dedicated to nothing bt meet and greets.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

I guess this is good news but do we really need more MG'S? Instead of building more rides and or shows we are getting a whole land basically dedicated to nothing bt meet and greets.

I agree to an extent, but both the new Mermaid ride and ESPECIALLY the new sit-down restaurant are both sorely needed in the MK.

 

[Figment632]

I agree to an extent, but both the new Mermaid ride and ESPECIALLY the new sit-down restaurant are both sorely needed in the MK.

There is that but the rest is nothing but meet and greets.

 

[drew81]

Again a rumor-

possibly other Dumbo characters could appear...not sure which ones though.

 

[EPCOTPluto]

Again a rumor-

Possibly other Dumbo characters could appear...not sure which ones though.

I would guess Timothy.

 

[drew81]

I would guess Timothy.

The Ringmaster did exist at one point. He was in parades. But I doubt they would put him out, but who knows????

 

[maelstrom]

Dumbo was closed for refurbishment a couple of years back and during the time that it was closed, Dumbo was doing meet & greets near the ride.