About the characters in the parks

[butterfly18237]

Can anyone tell me if the characters are out more now than 2002? I went to Disney in Aug of 2002 and the characters were very scarce. There was a couple of places for meet and greet lines but I remember in 1992 the characters just walked around and you could find almost any of them.

And another question are the characters out more during the extra magical hours morning and evening?
I want my son to get to see some of the characters without rushing into a line and waiting for a meet and greet. Thanks for all your help.

[GINNY69]

To answer your question , yes I think the characters are out alot more than previous years. We lucked out last year as far as the most popular characters go. My son managed to meet all his favorite characters which made him very happy, and I find that they do have a lot more places for character meet and greets. There were times when we could walk right up to a character with no lines at all.. I think during Character meals , the characters may be less scarce but to be honest I never noticed.. Maybe someone else will leave a post will have a better answer.. I hope what I said helps..

Have a magical day !!!

[AuntDJ]

For the most part, characters all of lines. Occasionally smaller characters, like the green army men, will wander around, but eventually they get the line as well.

Most of the lines go really fast, but you do have to choose the character and get in it's line.
DJ

[DisneyGRL7]

In regards to EMHs, I have seen characters out during the evening ones, but I'm not sure about morning. In fact, on my last night in january, we did the MK EMH and as we were walking out I saw Mickey and Minnie finish signing autographs then walk off together hand-in-hand. They might always do this, but I thought it was a very cute end to the night.

[joanna71985]

Yes, at MK evening EMH Mickey and Minnie usually meet together.

[flying carpet]

The characters are in a lot of buildings now however there are key places to look. The back of toon town is a great place to find some of the characters as well as near adventure land. Also MGM has a HUGE group of characters that go and sign in the middle of the park. When I say huge I mean huge. Some great one like Mary Poppins, the dragon from mulan (cant remember his name) Jafar (cant spell either) Yikes, Pinoccio, its awsome.

[like2workout]

i agree about the mgm characters. i was there 2 weeks ago and at one point late in the evening (5:30 or 6?) there were 20 characters out in the middle in front of the hat. some were by themselves, some were in groups of 2. i saw alice and white rabbit, queen of hearts, aladdin and jasmine, jafar, cruella, mary poppins, donald and daisy, mulan, brer bear, chicken little and abby mallard, snow white, and several more. i can't remember them all now, but i counted 20 at one time. they were everywhere!!!

[AliceinDisney]

When I went back in 2003 there were a bunch. I saw the following, and trust me I never saw half of these when I was a kid, even my Dad was impressed, hehe:

I saw in one trip:

Alice and the Mad Hatter together
Wendy from Peter Pan
Peter Pan
Cinderella
Aurora
Govenor Ratcliffe from Pocahontas
Robin Hood and Friar Tuck together
Donald
Chip and Dale together
Minnie
Pluto
Mickey
Goofy
Daisy
Pinocchio
The Country Bears
Snow White by herself
and then with Dopey
Captain Hook and Smee together
Aladdin
Jafar
Rafiki
Genie
Belle (in peasant dress)
Cruella Deville
Queen of Hearts
Pooh
Tigger
Eeyore
Timon
Mary Poppins and Bert
Mary Poppins in her Nanny outfit in EPCOT
Mary Poppins in her white afternoon dress in MK near Village Haus
Prince John (Robin Hood)
Clopin (Hunchback)
Cinderella
The Fairy Godmother
Her Prince
Suzy and Perla Cinderella's mice

I've seen more, but can't recall off the top of my head. Those are just the characters I can remember getting my pics taken with! so you can imagine how many you can find in one trip!

[GrmGrninGost]

We have quite an autograph/photograph collection. I completely agree the characters are out more these days. But, regardless of where they show up, there will soon be a line. Also, at times, you will get in line for one character and by the time you get to the front, another character has replaced the original.

[Mickey91]

Yes. I think the rotating of the characters is new thing. I get annoyed with it. Each character stays out 30 min. Then they switch and a different character comes out. If you are ever in a character line, it is rare that you get to a character before 30 min is up if you are in the last of the line when they show up. Be prepared to meet a different character. In our case, we were continually having a character we had never seen be replaced by one we saw often right before we got there. Luckily, they usually rotate the same 2 characters throughout the day in the same line so when you find out who they both are, you can get in the back of the line you don't want to meet and be first for the character you have been dying to see!

[joanna71985]

We have quite an autograph/photograph collection. I completely agree the characters are out more these days. But, regardless of where they show up, there will soon be a line. Also, at times, you will get in line for one character and by the time you get to the front, another character has replaced the original.

Actually, that rarely happens. In fact, the only place that I can think of that it happens is the Hat at MGM.

[Brer Robert]

the dragon from mulan (cant remember his name) Jafar (cant spell either)

The dragon's name is MUSHU, and you spelled Jafar's name correctly.

[DisneyNut2005]

Actually, that rarely happens. In fact, the only place that I can think of that it happens is the Hat at MGM.

I think that should be done more frequently and in other character locations as well.

That way, they'll be able to bring out a wider variety of characters than there are right now.

[DakotaDisney]

I saw several characters when I was there in Feb. '07 at all the parks.
But some of the characters I wanted to see and get a picture with were any of the Muppet characters, especially Kermit. But I only saw them in the parade at MGM.
Does anyone know if they are ever around to meet and greet people?

[joanna71985]

I think that should be done more frequently and in other character locations as well.

That way, they'll be able to bring out a wider variety of characters than there are right now.

I actually prefer it the way it is now. That way you know who you will get to see. At MGM, people get in line to see a character, and end up not seeing it sometimes. That can be very time consuming.

[joanna71985]

I saw several characters when I was there in Feb. '07 at all the parks.
But some of the characters I wanted to see and get a picture with were any of the Muppet characters, especially Kermit. But I only saw them in the parade at MGM.
Does anyone know if they are ever around to meet and greet people?

Unfortunately the Muppets don't come out anymore (or if they do, it is extremely rare).

[DisneyNut2005]

I actually prefer it the way it is now. That way you know who you will get to see. At MGM, people get in line to see a character, and end up not seeing it sometimes. That can be very time consuming.

I understand, but I still feel that the way things are now mostly prevents a wider variety of characters coming out for sets.

For instance, In Frontierland at the MK, I'd like to see all 3 Brers (Rabbit, Fox and Bear) trade off with the 4 Country Bears (Wendell, Shaker, Liver Lips and Big Al) every half hour instead of what they have now. That's one way to ensure that they keep the variety of characters in the parks mixed.

Things can stay as they are now in "set up" locations (Ariel's Grotto, Toontown Hall of Fame, Judge's Tent, Character Connection, Figment's Place, Camp Minnie-Mickey, various character meals, etc.), but give us more variety in the lesser-organized outdoor areas.

[septembergirl]

But some of the characters I wanted to see and get a picture with were any of the Muppet characters, especially Kermit. But I only saw them in the parade at MGM.
Does anyone know if they are ever around to meet and greet people?

We saw Kermit and Piggy at MGM right near the Muppet Theater. I can't remember exactly but I know it was behind that sign coming from Pizza Planet.
My DS got his pix with both.

[PirateLover]

We saw Kermit and Piggy at MGM right near the Muppet Theater. I can't remember exactly but I know it was behind that sign coming from Pizza Planet.
My DS got his pix with both.

I also met them in 2002, but I have read that they were discontinued because the costumes were very awkward.

I have been to WDW 4 times in the past 6 years and have definitely noticed an increase in characters over those years. In fact, on this most recent trip we were shocked to see the number of street performers in MGM, the constant running of the Main Street vehicles, and the number of characters out and about. Maybe it just has to do with timing but we have never seen so many "extras" before.

The only disappointing thing for me is that I did not get the opportunity to meet Clarice with Chip and Dale. Never saw them out.