When I was a toddler, I would almost always shy away from the characters at Walt Disney World. I was excited to see them, but they were intimidating, I have to admit. Now that I'm older, getting to hang out with some of my favorite characters is the best part of the trip. Everyone should have a fun experience when talking to characters and I feel like after dozens of visits to WDW, I have some tips to ensure just that!
First of all, the free roaming characters in Hollywood Studios are awesome. Storm Troopers walk up and down the launch bay and if you act fast, you can catch a selfie, but you'd better hurry! They won't slow down for anyone. The army men, however, wander around in front of Toy Story Mania. These guys are super charming and can make you laugh without saying a word! The key is to just walk right up and ask for an autograph or ask them to pose for a picture. But don't be like me and pose incorrectly. They will fix your mistake!
Also at Hollywood Studios is the slightly problematic, yet lovable, Kylo Ren.
When meeting Kylo Ren at the launch bay, the very in-character handlers will tell you not to touch him or to stand too close. Wearing something in support of the dark side may earn you more points, but black and white worked just enough for me to earn an awesome moment with him. If you can't tell, here I am beet red because this
Speaking of swooning, the ultimate Disney ladies-man is a sure-fire way to have a laugh at Magic Kingdom.
My, what a guy, that Gaston.
If you're a natural flirt like me, be prepared to be matched by Gaston's own wit. He greeted me with a sly, "Well hello..." and then proceeded to stare lovingly into my eyes. Gaston is definitely a face character worth standing in line for.
(If you want extra special photos with your character, have a friend take some on their phone or camera!)
Up next is Merida, and let me tell you, she is awesome.
If you're a curly girl like me, I 100% recommend stopping by her greeter spot. In this photo, she is saying verbatim: "Oh look at all those curls! You look just like me!". Merida is super sweet and will even teach you how to hold her bow. #GirlPower
After 18 years of going to Disney (19 if you count the time I went in the womb!) I FINALLY got to see Tarzan!
I heard so many 'awwww's and 'that's so cute's from others in line when I got this perfect shot. Put your Disney trivia to the test and recreate some iconic movie moments with their face character!
Now if you're bad at coming up with things to say to characters, wearing something that will spark conversation will help!
Here, I'm wearing a shirt from a marching band competition and Stitch was asking me what it was. I told him I played the trombone and he started to dance around and mime playing trombone! It was incredibly sweet and special to me because we didn't just chatter before we took a picture, we talked about me and my interests. (Even though fur characters don't actually talk) Giving a character something to talk about it the best way to enjoy your quick time with them.
All in all, Disney World is awesome, and so are its inhabitants. If you download the My Disney Experience app, you can see when and where your favorite characters will be for the day. So don't chicken out on talking to Tinker Bell because you'll get flustered or won't know what to say! They will always be happy to see you.
