Welcome to Character Greetings!

• Greeting Character - As opposed to a show character. Greeting characters, or "walk-arounds", are those who are there to sign autographs, take pictures, give hugs, etc. Show characters, well, just perform in the shows.
• Character Greeters - The humans in normal clothes who look after the characters, and provide necessary information about the characters for guests. They used to be called 'escorts', and coordinators 'leads', but they are never 'handlers'. This is Disney World, not a zoo. ^.^
• Face Characters - Characters who show their faces, and are able to talk with guests.
• Fur Character - Characters who wear covering heads, and who don't talk. A fur character doesn't necessarily have fur (i.e., Jafar, Mr. Smee).
• Set - A block of time that character(s) are out interacting with the guests. Sets can range from 15-30 minutes outdoors, depending on the weather, and are usually 30-45 minutes indoors.

How do I find general areas where the characters will be?

All Disney parks have their character greeting locations listed on the guidemaps. The symbol for a greeting location on the guidemap is a red box with Mickey's hand inside. The guidemaps also list times for those greeting areas. Keep in mind, however, hours are subject to change. There are also character areas not listed on the maps; those are often temporary locations or unpredictable as to what characters will appear, but they do exist.

I'm looking for a certain character. Who should I ask?

Check your guidemap first to see if that character is scheduled to appear anywhere. If he/she isn't listed, or you are unsure, the best place to go is Guest Relations. Character Greeters are also knowledgeable about where the character might be appearing, so if you see one out with other characters, don't be afraid to ask.

Be prepared to change parks in order to see your chosen character. Some characters are only available in certain parks; others may appear in all parks, but not every day. Asking early in the day increases your chances of finding your character, as most character greeting locations close before evening. If your character isn't available that day, keep trying. Some characters appear infrequently, but they may be available tomorrow if they are not today.

I heard somewhere about a 'Chip' hotline for finding characters?

Okay, you're not supposed to know this, but, yes, Chip can tell you where the characters are. It only works for cast members, however, and it works best if you ask a cast member near a phone, of course! ^.^

Which characters sign autographs, and which don't?

All the characters sign autographs except for King Louie, some Star Wars characters, and the Beast. If Belle is around, she will sign for the Beast. The rest will sign autographs, unless under special circumstances.

What are special circumstances that a character won't sign?

When a character is leaving soon, he/she will sometime request "photos only" so that he/she can see more guests before time to go. There are also certain items that a character cannot sign.

What items won't a character sign?

• Currency from any country or, as of 11/2000, Disney Dollars
• Any country's national flag or emblems
• Items depicting profanity, alcohol, nudity, or other questionable content
• Items that may look like the character is endorsing some other company's product, even a company having deals with Disney
• Clothing or hats while being worn. If not being worn, it's fine

Will the characters sign non-Disney autograph books?

Yes. Even autograph books from Univeral Studios or Sea World. Their characters sign in far more of our books, so our characters don't mind signing in theirs. ^.^

What materials do you recommend for getting autographs?

I recommend thick pens so that the characters can hold them better. Sharpie markers work best for clothing. Bring your own pens, instead of buying the theme park pens. The $2.50 thick plastic pens the parks sell have a bad reputation for breaking easily and not writing well. Sharpies are not sold at the parks, although some greeters have them available for guests to use.

If you plan to keep what is being signed as a long-term momento, I recommend pens that say "archival quality" and "permanent" or "waterproof" somewhere on the packaging. Craft or art stores should sell such pens. Also, use paper that is "acid-free" to prevent yellowing of the page over time. Before anyone asks, I'm not sure if Disney autograph books use acid-free paper.

One other note: the stamps that the characters use for autographs do not contain waterproof ink, so stamped clothing should not be washed. If you need to wash the item, I recommend tracing over the design with a Sharpie after it has been stamped to make it permanent.

What are the most interesting autograph book ideas you've seen?

My favorite books were a couple of autograph books someone made by taking a photo album, placing Disney clipart all over it, then placing large labels at the bottom of each page for the characters to sign. They put a photo of each child on the front page so they could tell at a glance whose book it was. It initially took some time to make, but once they develop their pictures with the characters....instant scrapbook.

An interesting premade substitute for an autograph book is a WDW guidebook or an artbook. Try having the characters sign pictures of themselves in the book. As an alternative, buy a postcard or poster with the characters on it for them to sign.

I also enjoy seeing pictures drawn by kids either for characters to sign or to give as gifts for the characters. The characters appreciate drawings too; every break area in the character department has guest drawings on the walls.

What kind of pictures aren't allowed with the characters?

There are some things characters cannot take pictures with:

• Clothing that contains profanity, alcohol, nudity, or other questionable content
• Men without a shirt on, women with bikini tops, children without shirt
• Items that may look like the character is endorsing some other company's product, even a company having deals with Disney (popular logos on shirts and hats are okay, although not all characters agree on this)
• A person holding an alcoholic beverage or a cigarette

In the case of inappropriate clothing, characters are trained to cover the offensive items, but it's better not to wear anything that might be questionable.

There is a professional photographer in the area. Can I take my own personal pictures?

Yes. The professionals are only there for those who may want to buy photos, but guests can take as many of their own photos as they like.

Will greeters take a picture for me?

Yes, greeters will be glad to take a picture if you ask.

Can I/my kids pull on the character's tail?

Okay, no one is going to ask if they can hit Meeko on the head, but such incidents happen. And parents can't always predict what their children will do. Before you see the characters, be sure to talk to your children about how the characters are real and can get hurt. As for grownups and teenagers, behave yourself. Greeters can take characters off stage if they are being mistreated, leaving an offender to face angry guests. Even worse, you can be escorted out of the park by security for assaulting a character.

My child is afraid of a character. What should I do?

First of all, forcing your child to approach the character will not help. Try talking to the child or offering for him/her to reach out and touch the soft fur/glove. If it is a villain, explain that the villain isn't mean but just wants a friend (it does work). If the child is small, you can try carrying them to the character on your shoulder. Finally, if nothing else will do it, forcing your child to approach the character will not help. Their perception of a 5'2" mouse will probably change when they are older. You were probably just as terrified of Santa when you were little; I know I was.

I know the character has to go, but can he/she please see us first?

This is a difficult question since no one likes to turn guests away, but the characters need to be in by a certain time, and if we allowed everyone who asked this to see the characters, they would never get off stage (it's kind of like in school; if you give out some candy, you have to have enough for everyone). Sometimes a character will choose to take one more photo or sign one more autograph, but it is their decision, not the greeter's. Most characters will be returning to that area later in the day, so find out when. If he/she will not be returning, the greeter can at least tell you where other characters can be found.

I had a problem with a character who did/didn't do something. Who should I talk to?

You are welcome to talk to a greeter, who will report the problem for you, but keep in mind they have little control over the character's behavior. They can suggest things the character might do, but ultimately they are the character's equals, not their superiors.

If it is something minor (i.e., Eeyore won't sign for me, Timon walked off when he had a few minutes left), just find out when and where else you can possibly see that character. If it is a problem with a character refusing to do something allowed by Disney policy, and that character will be returning to that area in around 5 minutes, wait until he/she returns. You may be surprised in his/her change of attitude. If the return is scheduled any longer than 5 minutes, try asking where you can find the character elsewhere.

If it is something major (i.e., Jafar threw my book down and ruined it, Snow White spoke harshly to my kids, Pluto hit me in the head), please talk to a greeter, or better yet, his/her coordinator. You can also speak to guest relations about it, but be sure to give the exact place and time the incident occurred, so they can know who to speak with about it.

I had a problem with a greeter. Who should I talk to?

Once again, you can talk to another greeter, but they can't do much other than report it. You can also talk to guest relations or his/her coordinator if the coordinator is on stage.

I looked for characters in the area and during the time stated in the guidemap, and couldn't find any. What happened?

There could be several reasons. First of all try waiting at least 5 minutes to see if they appear. Scheduled areas are broken down into smaller sets, and it takes a short while between sets for the characters to return to the stage. If it is raining in the area, the characters won't be returning until the rain stops.

Also, from time to time, sets have to be canceled because the characters are needed to do shows or the parade. Keep in mind what the guidemap says about times and locations being subject to change without notice.

Is it hot in there? Do they have air conditioners in those suits?

I'm not exaggerating to say someone asks this question every day. It is asked by guests many times a day, in fact. If you really want to show a character or greeter how much you dislike him/her, ask him/her this question in jest, with lots of nudging. ^.^

The only answer you'll get in the park: "What costumes are you talking about?"

As for the real answer, think about it. If you are dripping sweat in a tank top and shorts, imagine three inches of fur and stuffing. And when was the last time you saw A/C vents sticking out the back of Mickey's head?

Is that Chip or Dale?

Chip and Dale look almost identical, but the easiest way to tell is by looking at the chipmunk's teeth and nose. Dale's two teeth have a large gap between them, and he has a large brown nose. Chip's two teeth have no gap, and his nose is small and black. Sometimes even the characters forget which one they are. If you see a chipmunk touching his nose, he's probably trying to remember who he is. ^.^

What other characters get confused by guests the most?

I've heard quite a few of them. Governor Ratcliffe from Pocahontas gets mistaken as Captain Hook quite often. Mr. Smee is often confused for Happy or Doc when Hook isn't around. Shang from Mulan is sometimes mistaken for an Indian from Pocahontas, called "Mulan's boyfriend", "Mulan" herself, or "Ping" quite often, but most people don't remember him by name. And guests are always asking if Mickey in his director's outfit at Disney/MGM Studios is Minnie Mouse.

Why do the Toy Story characters use stamps?

Simple matter: Although technology is what it is these days, toys still aren't able to write. ^.^

Why don't the characters talk?

We often forget to turn on their volume switch before bring the characters out. I'll try to remember next time.... ^.^