Tips about Characters and Mousecellaneous

Just a tip: one year, instead of using autograph books, we used the park maps to have autographed at the locations we saw the characters. The four park maps ended up being one of our favorite memories, and they were free, too! - Kim Camp

My daughter took a poster of all the princesses to Epcot. We unrolled it for each princess and the ladies said it was a good idea. We rolled it back up and kept it in a locker for the day. In the hotel we kept it in a frame. We drove so it was not an issue to take home. We just kept it in the frame. One of my daughter's favorite souvenirs of all of our trips. - Kim Peacock

I've read some great tips about bringing items (other than autograph books) for the characters to sign. We have also found that the books get forgotten once the vacation is over, so we've tried several different items. Here are a couple of additional thoughts: If you are bringing a shirt, they will not sign it if the child (or adult) is wearing it. Also if you are enjoying a character dinner, you will already know which characters you'll meet. Try to find a shirt that has those characters on it so each character can sign next to their image. When bringing an item (such as a t-shirt, hat, photo frame or ball) for the characters to sign, get the large chisel-tip markers. They are BIG so it's easier for the characters to grip and the signature shows up much better on the item. Don't be afraid to get creative! If you sew, bring fabric squares and make a quilt. How about buying the kids Disney backpacks or totes for the characters to sign? It will encourage them to carry their own stuff. Whatever you bring, just make sure it's something you don't mind hauling around the parks. So that Disney comforter is probably out of the question -- the pillowcase however... - Anne Cline Peterson

If you want any characters to sign clothing/pillowcases, you might want to invest in an embroidery hoop set (those two plastic or wooden rings that hold fabric taut). They're relatively cheap and come in all sizes. That, paired with a thicker marker will make it much easier for Mickey or Minnie to sign with their gloves. - Rachel L. Fridkin

I wanted to pass along that characters may not sign the shirt if a child is wearing it. Back in 2005 I did the same thing for my older daughter. She was 7 at the time. She wore a princess t-shirt that we'd purchased at the Disney Store to our breakfast at Cinderella's Royal Table. When we asked Snow White to sign the shirt, she said she couldn't if my daughter was wearing the shirt at the time. She said it was a rule that Disney has, I guess to protect the kids from inappropriate touching. So if you want a signed shirt, make sure you take the shirt instead of wearing it. - Beth McMeekin

When visiting a princess breakfast, bring along a Princess T-shirt from the Disney Store back home. Using a Sharpie, we asked the princesses to sign the shirt instead of an autograph book. (Our daughter is 3 and cannot read anyway.) Emma wore her Cinderella dress from home with shorts under to the breakfast. When the meal was over, we changed into the newly signed shirt and sent the Cinderella dress plus some new magnets back to the resort. She got compliments on the shirt all day long. Using a permanent Sharpie keeps the signatures looking like new. - Tracy Boylan

EDITOR'S NOTE: What really helps is if you have the shirt against something hard to write on, like the table or a clipboard. Also be sure to stretch out the fabric while it's being signed. Remember, not all characters may be able to sign T-shirts due to their "hands."

Recently, I have discovered that Disney offers recyclable shopping bags. They're very inexpensive and I find (as a teenager) that they function as great waterproof tote bags! - Jacquelyn

Every time we go to Disney I buy an autograph book so the girls can get their "needed" autographs and this can get quite expensive. I have tried in the past to buy a random book (not Disney) and that just would not do. I am also a scrapbooker (just a beginner) and after each visit I make a wonderful (in my opinion) scrapbook. Well, this year we are going to Disney and my youngest daughter is going to want to get autographs, so I decided to make a scrapbook page that the characters can sign. I will also have a place for my daughter's picture with the character. This will save me some money, plus it is a wonderful project for her and I to work on together, not to mention I will have the "whole" trip in one book autographs and all. - Teena Galatas

We were looking for something new and creative for acquiring autographs. My daughter is 9 and son is 10 and really into baseball. I went out and bought a pink baseball and a blue baseball. They took the balls to the character dinners and had them signed. When we got home I bought a protective baseball case and placed the balls in there. It was a great way to add their personality to the autographs. - Eric Berdan

This tip is a culmination of several great tips I have read on this site that worked out so perfectly for us last week at Disney. Before we left I bought each of my three kids a fanny pack. In it they carried a small plastic photo album filled with 4x6 index cards and a large Sharpie marker for autographs. The photo album ($1 each at Walmart) was a great alternative, as it allows you to put the photo in alongside of the autograph; a small zipper-top sandwich baggie filled with the appropriate ratio of coins to do pressed pennies (they cost 51 cents each); their Passports from Epcot; and a Visa gift card with dollars loaded on it for their own souvenirs -- that way if it got lost all we had to do would be to call and stop the card. They wore the packs every single day and barely complained once. This was a HUGE load off of my shoulders as usually I would be carrying all of these things around. I didn't even have to worry about them setting them down and losing them since they were snugly attached to their bodies at all times. It was an awesome solution to many different challenges -- thanks for sharing all the great ideas! - Marsha of Canton, Ohio

Just a comment on the sale of shuttle launch tickets. Any follower of the shuttle program knows that tickets can sell out quickly. NOT TO FRET! If you don't have a ticket to get onto the Cape Canaveral grounds, you can stop anywhere along the river at any parking area, or park and see the launch. You will see the shuttle as soon as it crosses your horizon and you will hear it. It is an amazing sight! You might even be better off not getting a ticket, because there is always a chance the launch will not happen for some reason. Go to a park, bring a blanket, some coffee (early morning launch) and enjoy the time. Go early and you will meet some interesting people along the way! - Geri Preisser

Be careful while driving on Disney property. We were there this past weekend and they had a speed trap set up right before the Contemporary resort. There were four or five sheriffs and one had a radar gun. They had a car pulled over and that person had a ticket in his hand and did not look too happy. The next day we saw two sheriffs over by Pop Century. Just drive the speed limit. - Suzy

In addition to free Wi-Fi at McDonald's, the Chik-Fil-A restaurant on Route 535 (Apopka Vineland Road), just south of I-4 also has free Wi-Fi. - JohnH

Since you're talking about the Character Experience, a true rare one to find is Jiminy Cricket. He only comes out once a year to meet and greet -- Earth Day, of course, at Rafiki's Planet Watch in Animal Kingdom. And to get my picture with him, I took a day off from work, drove a couple hours and made a day of it at the World --on my birthday, naturally. - Sergio Piedra

EDITOR'S NOTE: On Earth Day (April 22) Jiminy can also be spotted in the front of Animal Kingdom -- and sometimes over in the Magic Kingdom, too!

MAGIC KINGDOM - The little containers that the individual chocolate cakes come in at the Columbia Harbor House (and other places on property) make great little recycled "terrariums" to start seeds and tiny plants in. Just remember to poke little holes in the top for air to get in or the contents will get moldy! They can be reused several times and are a fun way for kids to remember thier Disney vacation later on in the year. - Lynn Quintieri