You Either Get 'It' or You Don't!!

[SRT_GB]

I don't get why it's so special to get a character autograph. Most adults know the characters are just persons in costumes, but I guess they fail to make the connection that thousands of character CMs past and present must know how to sign Mickey Mouse's autograph.

I do have a friend who is fully cognizant of this fact and for that reason has a spiral notebook (NOT a Disney sold autograph book) filled with character autographs that she keeps up only to compare the different autographs she gets from the same characters.

[SorcererMickey]

I never minded autographs. Heck, I could sign a ripped napkin with a broken crayon. If I saw a favorite celebrity I would want one myself. I only felt bad when autographs took away from a child's experience. I've seen both sides - parents that push the autograph book and those that just want to see the smile. The only time I wanted to swing the book at a parent's head was when I was having a magical moment with the child and there was one parent on one side shoving a book at me and the other parent shoving a camera in my face.

Books could be extremely fun, too! Unless you were paying very close attention to Dopey, :dopey: , he would take a writing utensil and 'lose' it. Going down his line he would continue to 'borrow' pens. By the time he got back to the front of the line he would again ask for a pen. The line was usually laughing (or getting quite annoyed). Dopey would scratch his head, throw up his hands and then drop his arms to his sides. Do you know just how many pens you can fit in his jacket sleeve? There was usually laughter when 10 or so pens fell out of his jacket. You could make standing in line with book after book lots of fun!

[hhsrat]

I totally agree with another post I read (I forgot who, sorry) about pics. Why in the hell will guests ruin their kids fun to take pic after pic of fireworks or 'impossible to get a good pic' views.

Well, here's my perspective ... I have thousands of fireworks pictures on my computer. I've seen illuminations often enough that I know which pyro will be going off, where in the sky it'll be, and when it'll explode. (side note: i'm hating the humidity lately, it's screwing with the timing ... only a matter of half a second or less, but it's annoying me to no end). But, the difference is that I don't have kids, and I know the shows well enough that I can probably get what a lot of people consider an "impossible to get a good pic" view. I see the photography as a personal challenge to try and get the best pics I can, and to improve my shooting from an artistic point of view. Once I have kids, my strategy will probably change, but until then, i'll be clicking away with the camera.

[stefunierocks]

when i plan trips for friends and family one my biggest suggestions is to put down the camera during the shows/fireworks.

Most of them are so hard to photograph unless you know the shows by heart (and im one of those. Ive got some GREAT pics of the 'let me see thy face!' part of wishes. People always wonder how i get it.. )

As for shows, again, tough to photograph and not only are you missing the show yourself. But I dont even have kids, dont even like other peoples kids, but I cant for the life of me be around the Belles Storytime Show, seeing those kids faces.... man. They think its real. And its so amazing.

There was this little girl in front of us during wishes, telling her dad she wanted to conduct the fireworks like mickey did during fantasmickey (her word. lol) he told her to go for it. So the little girl took out her (overpriced $14.99 light up wand) and conducted the whole show. Without ever having saw it before. Priceless!!!

[darph nader]

Hi, Marie, and from and :wallaby: (The official Marsupial Welcoming Committee of SGT, in case you hadn't read that anywhere else)!!!

You sound like the kind of guest CM's love, and I know I'd love having a park full of guests like you when I'm there! Your list is wonderful. I wrote a similar list for a PassPorter News article some time ago -- wish I'd had your input then!

Have fun on SGT.com! Everyone here (with one or two notable exceptions) is wonderful!

(Just kidding about that "one or two exceptions" business. I just wanted to make everyone else go, "Wait -- is he talking about me???" :twisted: :D: )

You talking about me? You talking about me?
You must be talking about me,because there's nobody else here.
(too easy dude. unless you 'were' talking about me) :(

[MagicDream4Me]

By all means- if you can get the great shots go for it! I would love to see them! I was refering more to the Dad with a Kodak disposable screaming at his kids to sit down so he could get a pic. I DREAM of the day I can go to WDW without a kid! I've never been to Pleasure Island or done any tours or anything, well, adult. It would be a perfect day for me to go to WDW alone with a great camera and take 1000 pics! I love it when we take a break and I get a chance to just sit there and watch everything. :)

[Theme Park Where]

About the character autographs - I was a character at Sea World. Not being quite as popular as the Disney characters, we didn't have queue lines usually when I was there. I loved autographs, but only because I could make a whole comedy routine out of "accidentally" clicking the pen shut. Then the kid would take it away from the dumb sealion to re-click it. And I'd "accidentally" click it shut again. Eventually the kid would catch on (usually after all of the adults watching and laughing would) and I'd sign the autograph. Then we could have another few minutes of fun with me not being sure whether to hand back the book or the pen first. I LOVED kids who had time to play!

I worked part time at Disney while I was working full time as a Sea World character. I once had a little girl excitedly show me her autograph book while waiting for the parade to start. She had been to Sea World the previous day and most of her autographs were from me! I recognized my own autographs, since also unlike Disney we were free to sign however we wanted. My favorite was OP Otter. I signed, "You've received an official OP Otter-graph!"

Another time I was playing with a family at Sea World. I was Seamore Sealion. The daughter had one of those sets of Minnie Mouse ears that was a headband thingy. I kept putting it on my nose, then finally on the Dad. The daughter thought it was so funny seeing her dad with Minnie Mouse ears and a red bow on his head that Seamore kept putting it back on Dad every time he'd remove it for the family picture. The Dad was getting a kick out of his daughter's reaction too. The next day I was working at Disney at Muppets 3D. The same family came through my line as I was handing out 3D glasses and the daughter still had her Minnie ears on. Before I could stop myself, I commented "I still think the ears would look better on Dad." They laughed, started up the hallway, then the Dad stopped, turned around, looked back at me in shock, shook his head in puzzlement, then apparently determined that it was just a coincidence and headed in with his family. I've never laughed so hard in my life. He's STILL probably trying to figure out how that chick at Muppets knew he'd been wearing the Minnie ears the day before!

[Big Wallaby]

Before I could stop myself, I commented "I still think the ears would look better on Dad." They laughed, started up the hallway, then the Dad stopped, turned around, looked back at me in shock, shook his head in puzzlement, then apparently determined that it was just a coincidence and headed in with his family.

Now that is freaking hilarious. I would love to have been there for that.

[BRWombat]

Before I could stop myself, I commented "I still think the ears would look better on Dad." They laughed, started up the hallway, then the Dad stopped, turned around, looked back at me in shock, shook his head in puzzlement, then apparently determined that it was just a coincidence and headed in with his family.

Now that is freaking hilarious. I would love to have been there for that.

Agreed!!! You can almost hear the Twilight Zone music playing in the dad's head!!!

[ktulu]

The next day I was working at Disney at Muppets 3D. The same family came through my line as I was handing out 3D glasses and the daughter still had her Minnie ears on. Before I could stop myself, I commented "I still think the ears would look better on Dad." They laughed, started up the hallway, then the Dad stopped, turned around, looked back at me in shock, shook his head in puzzlement, then apparently determined that it was just a coincidence and headed in with his family. I've never laughed so hard in my life. He's STILL probably trying to figure out how that chick at Muppets knew he'd been wearing the Minnie ears the day before!

You should have looked back at him and then clapped like a sea lion :)