Hi there, Shaina! Thanks for sending your question our way.
I like to think of planDisney as our own cozy cone of vacation planning information! Whether you're a theme park Piston Cup Champion like Doc Hudson or you're completely lost in Radiator Springs on your way to the big race.. eh, I mean, Walt Disney World Resort.. we'll have you zooming around the parks like Lightning McQueen in no time!
At this time, Walt Disney World is operating under a
phased reopening, bringing back the magic one dream come true at a time for the safety of all Guests and Cast Members. Although character meet-and-greets have returned to the parks, they are modified to implement social-distancing protocols. Unfortunately, this means that autographs are unavailable at this time. However, your children can still smile for a socially-distanced photo with characters throughout the parks, including
Donald Duck in Mexico and
Minnie at Red Carpet Dreams or during character dining meals at
Tusker House,
Chef Mickey's and more. Though it isn't the way it once was, it does speed up the meet-and-greet process, giving you more time to "float like a Cadillac, sting like a Beemer" during your stay!
Shaina, we have a trip coming up next month and my kids were admittedly a little disappointed that they cannot collect autographs from their favorite characters. However, we came up with a fun alternative that I thought I'd share with you. We're bringing along an inexpensive, instant-print camera. We purchased a small photo book for each of our kids to pack, too. Any album will do, but this
Disney Princess Memory Book is a nice option available through shopDisney! The plan is for them to snap photos with their favorite characters and immediately add them to their photo album. It might not be an autograph, but it really helps with the instant gratification that my kids are always so revved up about! They're so excited to try out this new idea that they forgot all about autographs (for now)! Ka-Chow!
I do hope I've helped pave the way for you to have a magical vacation at the Walt Disney World Resort. I know this may not be the answer you were hoping for, but remember, life is a highway! One day, this could all be in our rearview mirror, but for now, we just have to roll with it!
See you at the finish line!
Ashley