Welcome aboard, Rebecca! I'm glad you're already beginning to plan details for your magical voyage at sea with Disney Cruise Line! One of my favorite things about sailing with Disney is meeting with the characters.
Disney used to allow guests to leave a couple of items at Guest Services to be signed by characters and then returned to their stateroom. However, this is no longer the case. Instead, and even better, they encourage guests to attend the
Character Greetings to meet their favorite Disney friends in person so they can have items signed, photos taken, and enjoy some interaction with the characters! I'll admit that we did use the signing service years ago when it was allowed, but honestly, it's not quite as magical to have a photo mat or autograph book signed when you're not there. When we take the time to visit with our favorite Disney characters, there are memories tied to those autographs and we can relive them when we look at the signed items later. For example, when my son was younger, he loved tagging along with his big sister to visit all the princesses. (He may not admit that now!) But, the autograph book and photos that we put in the book from that trip are such wonderful memories! There is my tiny little guy sitting down on Ariel's dress, as the two of them chat on the floor of the atrium lobby. A more recent signature from Captain Jack includes a personal note to my son that he was so proud to show friends back home! Captain Jack even instructed him on the best way to talk like a pirate. These are experiences that an autograph left back in our stateroom cannot contain! Check out the
Disney Cruise Line Navigator App once onboard for times and locations to meet the characters.
Have fun planning, and let us know if we can help with anything else before you sail, Rebecca!
Marcy