Part of the fun of a theme park vacation involves meeting walking (and sometimes talking) characters and posing for pictures with them. Though some people relish the opportunity just to see their favorite characters in person, some may feel like a typical stand-next-to-Mickey-and-smile photo might not seem that exciting. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to add more fun to your character meet-and-greet experiences and take your pictures from forgettable to frameable. Here are five tips on how to get awesome character photos:
1. Get your camera ready
Even if you plan to take advantage of Disney’s PhotoPass Service, you’re likely still going to bring your own camera or phone. It’s especially important to bring one or both of these items to the parks because some character meet-and-greets don’t have photographers on hand at them. To avoid blurry photos and ones that are too light or too dark, try taking a few pictures before your turn with a character comes up. Since characters can be visited in many different settings, inside buildings and outside in the daylight, different settings will be needed. Reading up before your trip about things like white balance, ISO sensitivity and apertures will pay off in better photos.
2. Capture the entire experience
The typical look-at-camera-and-smile character photos don’t show the anticipation of meeting your favorites, but pictures that are taken while you’re in line or walking up to meet them tell a bigger story that will be fun to look back on and remember. These types of photos are also fun to surprise your friends and family with.
You can also add more atmosphere to your photos by zooming out on the character and getting a part of the park in the background, or by capturing the moments when the character is walking out to meet his or her fans or waving goodbye.
3. Bring props
Another way to ensure great candid photos is to bring props. Disney characters love to interact with their fans, and props are a good way to spark some memorable encounters. Find out what happens when you bring a Mickey Mouse doll with you when you meet Donald Duck, when you wear a silly hat to meet Goofy, and when you wear a pretty bracelet to meet Daisy Duck. There are all kinds of possibilities for good props and great photos.
4. Try prompts and poses
While it’s not longer true that if you yell “Andy’s coming!” at Woody or Jessie from “Toy Story” the characters will drop to the ground, there are many other prompts you can give characters that will provoke a reaction, and both “face” characters like Cinderella and Mary Poppins and costumed characters like Minnie Mouse and Pluto can participate in the fun. You can ask Cinderella to demonstrate her Royal Ball dance, tell Cruella de Vil that her fur is very out-of-fashion and ask Eeyore about the whereabouts of his tail. You can also compare your muscles with Gaston’s, ask Stitch about his badness level and try to scare Sulley. Ever wonder why they let Pooh out in public with only a half-shirt on? Ask him! You can also greet Mike Wazowski with “Hello, Googley Bear” and question Mary Poppins on why your rooms don’t clean themselves when you snap your fingers.
Need more ideas for prompts? Try asking Ariel if she’s ever challenged Nemo to a race, try intentionally “confusing” a character for another (say “Hi, Goofy!” when you meet Pluto) and literally press Buzz Lightyear’s buttons. Just don’t forget that costumed characters can’t verbally respond, so don’t go in with an idea that’s too complex. And don’t be hostile or go in with an idea of exactly how you expect the character to respond, since the fun lies in finding out just what will take place. A good way to get memorable photos is by asking the characters to teach you their signature poses.
Next time you go to the parks, try and see how many different character reactions you can get!
5. Don’t rush
Flying around the theme parks, from ride to restaurant to shop to show, just to make sure you get every possible experience in, is a very typical part of a theme-park day. But when it comes to memorable character photos, relaxation is the key. If it takes a little longer to get the shots you want, don’t worry — you won’t get kicked out of the parks. And since you probably can’t go up and talk to Mary Poppins or Cinderella every day, you’ll want to make the most of your time with the characters. Find out where they’re hanging out by looking in the parks’ Times Guides for times and locations. If you’re looking for specific characters, you can visit Guest Relations or ask cast members at any park. My Disney Experience also allows you to locate characters on your phone! Then, go jump in the character’s line, make sure you take a deep breath, have fun and don’t forget to smile!
What have your favorite character interactions been like? And what makes your character photos memorable? Share your thoughts below!
