To autograph or not to autograph...?

[MissMagnolia]

I had fully planned on getting my DS6 and DD3 autograph books with fat pens, but now keep thinking about the "stress" of carrying the books with us ("us" meaning "me"), hunting and getting autographs from the characters, etc. What are your thoughts? Are they worth collecting?

 

[liamandcaili]

I had fully planned on getting my DS6 and DD3 autograph books with fat pens, but now keep thinking about the "stress" of carrying the books with us ("us" meaning "me"), hunting and getting autographs from the characters, etc. What are your thoughts? Are they worth collecting?

I originally was a complete non-autograph person. I really thought it was a waste of time. Take the picture, and move on. However, when my children expressed dismay over a character meal we had planned..."What will we say??"...I got the autograph books. It was the best purchase I have made at Disney. DD is pretty shy, but she had no problem asking for autographs...in fact, she loved it. She did ask to spend time meeting characters, but there are plenty of places with young children to meet characters without spending a whole lot of time in line. It's not like they are likely to ask to meet some of the rarer characters. The ToonTown Barn in MK is great because you wait in one line and meet several characters, the Character Connection in Epcot is the same. We also found plenty of characters in the countries in Epcot (Pooh and friends in the English Toy Shop, Belle and Aurora in France, Alladin and Jasmine in Morocco...). I imagine that you are probably bringing some sort of bag to the parks. Just stick the books and pens in your bag until they are needed. Good luck!

 

[indigoxtreme]

It was so worth it 25 and 19 years ago and was again this past year. We took our children at age 4 for their first trip thus the 25 and 19 years ago and then we took our DGD last Sept for her 4yrold 1st trip. This is such an ice breaker and they children are no longer afraid of the big characters. As above poster said the shyness melts away and the smiles and hugs are priceless.

 

[zippnby]

We have always gotten them(my kids are 6, 8 & 11), but we always try to go a character meal once a day. You have to eat sometime, by going to character meals you can enjoy your meal and let the characters come to you instead of waiting on line for them.​

They are also something that the kids can look at while they are waiting on line.​

 

[HockeyMomto2]

I know my son (10) loved it. I was shocked. Also, buy a small ribbon, and tie the pen to the ribbon and loop it through the book. It makes it easier to find in the purse. I carried his around with me.

 

[Blue62]

Depends on the kid I think. My 6 year old daughter loves to get the autographs... highlight of her trip. Waste of time to my 7year old son. Just follow the child's interest in it.

 

[Skroops]

I think getting the autographs are really fun for little kids. Don't stress over getting them and say that maybe next year (or next time) you can be on the look out for ones you didn't get this year.
I still have my autograph book from when I first went (1976) and I still cherish the memories it holds.

 

[HugsForEeyore]

I carry at least three autograph books with me at all times!

I actually paid no attention to autographs until 2002, when a cousin (a castmember) gave my nephew an autograph book in a pre-arranged gift basket that was delivered to our room at the Contemporary. My nephew was excited to get the book, so we started asking characters to fill it up. It was great, as he could flip through and try to figure out which character signed (he was just learning to read at the time). He just loved the book! So on the next trip, all we did was autographs!! I never thought of getting a book before our cousin got us one! Guess I have her to thank for getting my website started!

 

[texasthree]

When we were planning our trip I had no desire to do the autographs or buy a book. I didnt want to stand in line for an autograph. Well, we went to Chef Mickeys and he saw the kids with autograph books and wanted one. My husband ran out to the gift shop right outside CM's and bought a gold one with a pen with is held onto the book with a strap. On one side the charector signs and the other side you can put a pic of your child and the charector. My son loved it. Loved getting the autographs, loves looking at the book. He has a great time picking the pics and putting them in the album. Now, I didnt go crazy. I didnt hunt down every charector and wait in hour long lines but we got some great signatures and he cherishes them.

If you are planning on CM's its very easy to get the sigs since the come by our table too.

Wendy Darling and Peter Pan is his favorite page. Peter Pan sat on the ground with him and talked about his crocs shoes. He asked him if Captain Hook had seen them yet. It was priceless!

 

[nickeymouse]

I always get there autographs. I even will get them 2 times. One time I got Goofy 5 times, on 1 trip.

 

[MissMagnolia]

Sounds like my first thoughts about it were right - I guess we'll be getting the books! Do all the official WDW books have pens attached? I definitely want the one where I can put the photo next to the autograph.

 

[emma'smom]

The gold autographs books have a gold ink pen attached.However, the gold ink is hard for the characters to see. We had Mickey sign on top of Pluto once. This pen is also relatively thin. The pink princess autograph book does not come with a pen, nor does the small blue autograph book (which does not have picture slots either). We bought a fat ballpoint pen (blue with mickey ears) that seems to work just fine.

Also, I wanted to mention that my dd gets autographs of the same characters over and over (sometimes at the same place). We just go along with it (but did switch the cheaper books after our third expensive one) as she is a preschooler...and repetition is the name of the game. She is having fun...and we have fun watching her interact with the characters. It is a real ice breaker.

 

[MissMagnolia]

emma'smom:
I plan on getting a princess one, but need one for my DS. Do you happen to know which other one (more "boyish") has photo slots?

 

[brer rabbit 28]

mum and i collected autographs this trip,great fun!!!
We bought our autograph book at disney outlet at premium outlets-slighty cheaper there.
My only advice would be to make sure you leave a page between each autograph.I was collecting them to put in my scrapbook next to each photo,however Goofy signed on the back of Mickeys,then on my 2nd attempt he signed on the back of Brer Fox.So no Goofy from this trip

 

[makinorlando]

emma'smom:
I plan on getting a princess one, but need one for my DS. Do you happen to know which other one (more "boyish") has photo slots?

Right now the only other one with the picture slot - official WDW books - are the gold ones - but those are Happiest Celebration books - so it is very possible that they will phase those out for something different with the celebration coming to an end.

Those hold only 14-15 pics each - the gold and princess, so if you use those they can and will fill up quickly. You also need to be sure to take the pics horizontal not vertical (which I do many times to get more of a close up) or they don't fit well in the slots. DD has one of each filled, and we have once completed "basic" blue book - working on two others.

I love getting autographs - and the PICTURES - DD is not always in the mood, so I will just get the characters to sign and take the picture without her. I think when she is older, even though we live in Orlando, that she will appreciate all the pictures that we do have.

It is fun finding the characters in different clothes for example -
Sorcerer Mickey at MGM
Regular Mickey - MK and EPCOT
Chef Mickey - Chef Mickey
Explorerer Mickey -at AK
Palentologist Mickey at Donald's Breakfast at AK

I am still brainstorming something creative with the autographs and pics - I am sure it will be a scrapbook - but I am not a "scrapper" - although I have the tools.... it will be a project when she is a teen, and I am a "lonely" mom with lots of time on my hands!!

My quest is to have as many autographs as HugsforEeyore... she is the true guru!!!

 

[The Sweetness]

My DDs will likely pass this time. 14y old isnt going to be interested in autographs anymore, and DD2 will be too young to really appreciate it. It will be put off for future trips

 

[susykt4]

I bought a spiral-bound book of multi-colored index cards (under $2 at WalMart) for each of my kids. Both easily fit into my smallish hip pack. We had the characters sign the unlined side and then bought a 2006 Disney photo album with slots for 200 pictures. I put the pic in the upper slot and the autograph in the lower. The kids absolutely love the album.

DD5 and DS3 absolutely loved picking the color of card for each character to sign. (Pink for princesses, Orange for Tigger, etc.) DD would spend her entire wait in line choosing the perfect color. My kids absolutely love characters and we got around 50 unique autographs last trip. Not enough room in one of the Disney photo/autograph books and the index cards were so much easier to carry around. Have fun!!!!

 

[lorli]

It really depends on what your wants, interests, and likes are. As well as that of your children. I'm more into the autographs than dd(5). So I don't mind keeping the book and the pen, in fact I am getting my own autographs this trip. Just a kid a heart.

 

[dianemb]

We only let the charecters sign on one side of the book. We then take a picture of the charecters and put them in the book oposite of their signature. Works out great!!

 

[NCDisneyFanatic]

We took my 3 year old for her first Disney trip in January. We used an autograph mat (they sell them for weddings and baby showers). Came with the frame for about $15. We put cardboard on the back of the mat to make it strong and hung it in two grocery plastic bags on the back of the stroller. It was PERFECT - her picture is in the middle with Mickey and we see it every day. Not in a drawer like a book. The characters loved it.