Hi Michelle, and welcome back to the Disney Parks Moms Panel!
Some of my most magical Walt Disney World moments have been during
character experiences. I get all the Disney feels watching my Mouseketeers interact with their favorite characters, whether it's laughing when my son compliments Daisy Duck on her eyelashes, or crying happy tears when he gets a warm hug from his own personal superhero, Elsa. Those are the moments and memories I treasure.
I always get a kick out of seeing all the creative souvenirs Guests bring for collecting character autographs, and I've seen lots of photo mats over the years. I think the confusion stems from a policy change over at Disney Cruise Line, as I haven’t heard about a change at Walt Disney World.
Whether the character can or will sign is at the discretion of the character and their attendant, so the best thing to do is politely ask. Remember that not all characters are able to sign – for example, Olaf knows that a pen would just "go right through him" like his neighbor's fruitcake. My advice is to be prepared that you won't be able to collect every character's signature, bring fresh clickable Sharpies, and remember to have fun and be in the moment with each character. That's when the real magic happens.
Did you know that you can easily locate characters in real time using your
My Disney Experience mobile app? Click on the map, and then, from the dropdown at the top, select "Characters." You'll be able to see, on each park map, which character is where, and even click on the character for details about their schedule. My daughter loves putting on her #resEARch hat and combing the map to see who's out meeting Guests when we're on the way to the parks.
Wishing you a magical vacation,
Robyn