One of the things I have enjoyed the most at Walt Disney World has been watching my daughter interact with the different characters around the parks.  She likes going to visit her friends.  While these visits are typically only a couple minutes long, there is nothing quite like visiting with Disney royalty to make those memorable minutes! Here are my Top Five Tips for getting the most out of a character meet. :

5) Be willing to play – – these characters are doing quick hugs and handshakes all day long.  Be willing to play along and stand out a little.  It makes it more fun all the way around!

4) Bring a prop – – especially if your child is shy or if you are camera shy like me, then bringing a prop is a great way to break the ice.  A classic choice is the autograph book.  We have done a couple variations of that, including a Happy Birthday poster, which worked well.

3) Bring distractions for the wait. Yes, there will most likely be a wait.  Character meets generate lines at Walt Disney World.  Bring something to do with the time.  Bubbles, books, Legos and snacks are great choices for this.

2) Be nice to the handlers.  Well, in general, I advocate for kindness.  When meeting characters, the handlers and photographers are often overlooked.  Look them in the eye, smile and say thank you.  Often, this brightens spirits of everyone in line.

1) Children in costumes get more attention.  It may not be official, but it is certainly true.  If you would like your child to get extra time or conversation, a costume is the way to go.  The best place I know for costumes is MomApprovedCostumes (MAC).  After starting with the Disney store dresses, the MAC options are so much better my five year old has started recommending the dresses that “don’t hurt” whenever this comes up in conversation.

Meeting Characters at Walt Disney World 

Little Girl Tells Gaston “NO!”   My daughter enjoys the characters.  Gaston is a favorite now that she is a little older, as he will play along with her.

Princess Birthday Greetings And sometimes, it is a matter of asking for the magic.  For her third birthday, we surprised our daughter with this video of her Disney Princess friends wishing her a very happy birthday.  I visited all the princesses in one very motivated solo weekend trip to get the footage, then edited it for this video.  Happy Birthday!

Jingling with Jasmine Back in the days before we found MAC dresses, I would watch for sales at the Disney Outlet Store in St. Augustine on our trips down.  Sadly, this store has since closed.  However, this video reminds me that sometimes, there is nothing like the real thing!