What is the big deal with character autographs?

[SmithGett]

i admit i get my picture taken with the characters, but what i dont get are the parents and non parent adults who stand in line either by themselves or with fellow adults just to get an autograph.

while i understand and more than appreciate the magic of disney et al., i do not understand what these people are thinking. do they think when they go home after their vacation and show their friends these autographs that the other more sane adults will reply with congratulatory hugs and admiration?

once again, i get my pictures taken with characters. in fact, my girlfriend and i stayed for all of belles story time just so we could get our picture with her afterwards. i have no shame in this.

but come on people, you dont need this persons autographs. if there are any CMs reading, past or present, what do y'all think when you get an adult wanting a picture and/or autograph. id love to know!

 

[xfkirsten]

Well, characters have always been my favorite part of the parks. I have a blast trying to see how many characters I can find, and autographs are like a written record of that - and it's cheaper than film/developing. I don't have my autograph books (yes, plural, I filled one completely) here with me, but I'd guess I have around different 110 autographs, and met another 3 or 4 at least that weren't signing.

-Kirsten

 

[Brian_B]

When I was a kid it was the greatest thing - of course I thought they were real...didn't we all at that age? :lol:

 

[all41]

When we go to the parks, we "character" hunt, trying to find difficult and rare characters. We even have a list of those we've seen and those we're seeking, depending on the park. Kids enjoy it and gives them something to watch for around the parks. A pictures is usually our record of "capture", instead of a signature.

 

[TURKEY]

Originally posted by all41
When we go to the parks, we "character" hunt, trying to find difficult and rare characters. We even have a list of those we've seen and those we're seeking, depending on the park. Kids enjoy it and gives them something to watch for around the parks. A pictures is usually our record of "capture", instead of a signature.

It's kind of what I do. I've got most of the major characters. I won't stand in line to get my picture with them again, unless there's a group of us.


It's a lot easier to get signatures, when you know them personally.

 

[DisneyJukebox]

I guess I can see the potential for pictures taking a long time, but I think for the most part it would be a less than a 10 or 20 second thing. Getting autographs and pictures I think easily triples the time.

I read people saying how they remember the autograph thing from when they were kids but my wife went to the Magic Kingdom in 1982 and she says the characters just roamed around the park then.

And, not to be a stick in the mud but, does any child except perhaps the very young really think that these characters are the real thing?

Even my 4 year old daughter was worried about the possibility that the person inside couldn't breathe.

 

[xfkirsten]

Originally posted by DisneyJukebox
And, not to be a stick in the mud but, does any child except perhaps the very young really think that these characters are the real thing?

Of course the characters are real!! Poor Pluto getes his feelings hurt when people think otherwise.

-Kirsten

 

[xfkirsten]

Originally posted by turkey leg boy
It's kind of what I do. I've got most of the major characters. I won't stand in line to get my picture with them again, unless there's a group of us.


It's a lot easier to get signatures, when you know them personally.

Yup, I'm the same way. I don't think there's a common character in the parks that I haven't met, and I usually won't go back again for a photo unless they're in a really cute overlay.

And it is much easier to get autographs that way, especially some of the harder-to-find characters. I got a book full of signatures for my best friend for her birthday that way. But in my own autograph book, I made a no-cheating rule. All 100+ autographs I have were collected on stage, during a character's regular set. It's more fun that way!

-Kirsten

 

[Defend10]

Originally posted by DisneyJukebox
And, not to be a stick in the mud but, does any child except perhaps the very young really think that these characters are the real thing?

What are you talking about? not real? When I see Buzz, I see Buzz, there's no way around it.

 

[mkt]

Originally posted by Lee
Just my 2 cents....

The autograph books are the worst idea since...well....since closing 20K.

don't you mean... the closing of 20k was the worst idea since the autograph books I have autograph books that predate the closing of 20k by probably a decade...

Originally posted by Lee
As an adult, forget getting a photo with a character. You can't get within 6 feet of one with all the kids and their autograph books.

you're just not doing it right

 

[nicholas]

Originally posted by SmithGett

while i understand and more than appreciate the magic of disney et al., i do not understand what these people are thinking. do they think when they go home after their vacation and show their friends these autographs that the other more sane adults will reply with congratulatory hugs and admiration?

The same way I give my friend congratulatory hugs and admiration everytime she finds a new ceramic clown for her collection.

It's different strokes for different folks.

but come on people, you dont need this persons autographs.

Who are you to tell someone what they do or don't need? Perhaps autographs aren't the thing for you. And that's fine. but maybe someone else really likes them and instead of spending money on shirts and other forms of souvenirs, they want to get a book of autographs to remember their trip by.

I started my autograph book back in 1995 and had my mother dig it out of a chest and mail it to me a month ago so I could take it back and continue filling it up with new characters. To me, the book is a better way to remember the park as opposed to buying something from the shelves. Everyone who buys a ToT shirt will have the SAME ToT shirt. Nobody else is going to have the exact same autograph book as me. And that makes it one a million. And worth a million memories.

 

[Lee]

Originally posted by mkt
you're just not doing it right

Well Rob, I tried swinging elbows, but the parents keep getting ticked off. :lookaroun

And I know that the books predate 20K closing, but I don't remember the autograph mania being so bad 6-8 years ago. Maybe I just wasn't noticing it.

 

[mkt]

Originally posted by Lee
And I know that the books predate 20K closing, but I don't remember the autograph mania being so bad 6-8 years ago. Maybe I just wasn't noticing it.

i don't think you were noticing it... lol. Since day 1 at WDW, Characters=Crowds... now it just happens the parks are crowded more often, and management has little issue with shoehorning a few more people into the park on busy days... as well as a shortstaffing of character greeters. Not to mention, the first generation of WDW visitors are now taking their kids to WDW, and the opening of many international markets to WDW that weren't previously as accesible all account to an increase of guests.

 

[Lil'mermaid]

I have 2 books full from 5 or 6 trips. As my mom said before, Belle was it for me and at 4 years old it was enough to keep me happy for a long time. I still love that picture and autograph. Im 15 now and I'll be 16 on my next trip, as much as I love meeting the characters the autographs aren't as big a deal for me anymore. But I do love to watch my little sister get them.

This isn't for everyone, this is just me.

 

[DarkImage4]

Let's see...Me - 28y/o....my wife - 25y/o...

Last trip to WDW last June -

We started an autograph book and filled 3 rolls of film with pics of us with characters....

Last time I checked, WDW is for EVERYONE not just kids. It's a place where anyone can act like a child and re-live the innocence of being a kid. It's a place where anyone can believe that that character in the picture with you IS Mickey Mouse or Goofy or whoever you wish to believe it is, and when we look at them, it IS Pluto and Chip & Dale, not someone playing the part.

<-----See my avatar? It's me and Rafiki. I had fun taking that picture and enjoy showing it off to everyone. It's one of many great memories from my honeymoon.

Our friends are jealous when we show them our photos and autographs. They don't look at us as if we're weird, they wish they were the ones in the pictures.

Your opinion is just that, your opinion, and I don't take issue with that. However, I personally take offense to the way you group those of us who go against that opinion as "less than sane" than our friends at home and tell us what we "really do/don't need".

For us it is part of the MAGIC of WDW to get those pictures and autographs, and I will continue to wait in line to get them, as I'm sure many will.

We are all on this board because we love Disney, and we all have our own ways to live the magic. Everyone has the right to their way, but think twice about how what you say may be taken by those who you don't "understand".

I am no less sane than anyone else who walks through those gates just because of what I choose to do once I'm inside them.

Thank you....

 

[Punkss]

Our friends are jealous when we show them our photos and autographs. They don't look at us as if we're weird, they wish they were the ones in the pictures.

Thats so true, my boss is loving helping me organise mine and so is another girl at work. "You gotta go here!" "and here" "you just HAVE to see Mickey". Great converstions and so they soooo wish they were going, and this is from a 27 yer old guy and a 23 year old girl. Everyone loves the characters, they add fun, even if you are past the believing stage just their antics are funny!

 

[NashvilleMouse]

I wouldn't wait in line for any autographs right now. I would definitly want pictures. However, when I have kids I am sure I will be spending A LOT of time in line waiting for autographs because they will probably love to get them from their favorite characters. Maybe I will have the wife wait in line with the kids while I go on Space Mountain 6 times. :animwink:

 

[Atta83]

YAY characters.....the joy of my life........so many picuteres so many autographs......me want more.........LOL

Atta

 

[TIGGER-FAN]

I agree it is for adults and children alike. On our last trip, my wife wanted to have her picture taken with The Beast in the worst way. I went so far as to find out where and when he would be appearing. When Beast and Belle came from backstage, my wife's eyes lit up and she seemed to be acting like a kid again. She had the bigest smile on her face in the picture and was smiling the rest of the day. Look at it this way if meeting a favorite character brings a little joy into some ones life, than more power to it. As far as the autograph issue, most of us would love to get the autograph of our favorite celebrities, well to our children these characters are celebrities.

 

[surfsupdon]

I think what's been said on both sides of the discussion are very valid points for the side of the fence you are on.

Me, I just do pictures. No autographs. I don't wait in line for pictures tho, the characters just sorta have to pop out and I am at the right place at the right time. I learned too many times the hard way that it is not fun waiting in line and then have the character walk away--that isn't magical. (They should do an E! exclusive..."Disney Characters, Uncensored"--we'd see them completely avoiding children and denying autgraphs and turning around as they run back to their secret doors ala Hollywood celebs.)

Autographs and pictures are fun. And I enjoy the abundance of characters in recent months.