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[dazzle_v2003]

Today reported on numerous Disneyland Paris related twitter pages has come the big news that Character meets at the Disney hotels are to be dropped from November this year 2014. I'm shocked and saddened by this decision.


This was my initial reaction to the news which still stands.

Bad Bad bad!! This is the one decision I think they have made badly wrong. It was one of the perks of staying at a Disney hotel as well as enjoying the theme of the hotel. Plus it is a nice photo opportunity as it is quieter then in the parks to get a picture with the character of the day in at times special costumes. I just want to know why they have decided to do this. I bet hotel attendence will go down now because of this.

I understand in the American Parks they don't have Disney Characters in their hotels and I imagine the reasoning for this is so they are in line with the american parks but I just think it loses that extra bit of magic that Disneyland Paris had brought to the hotels. Do they really have to stay inline with the american resorts or can they have their own unique features? What are your thoughts?

[Rosy25]

Aw I think it's terrible. I haven't experienced it yet we are going in just over 3 weeks staying in the Cheyenne and I'm very excited about it as I'm sure my children will. It is a huge draw to the hotels to have this. I'd imagine it won't be the same at all without. So glad we will hopefully get to experience it before it ends.

[dazzle_v2003]

The Cheyenne is a great hotel so you and your family will love it. It's one of my favourites.

[ford prefect]

Personally, I approve of this. There are too many characters present.  Indeed it is possible to see Mickey in Sequoia Lodge at 7.30, Newport Bay at, er 7.30. Then in both parks between 10 and 2. And then later in the parade, in Cafe Mickey and Buffalo Bills Wild West Show at the same time as Cafe Mickey when he is also in Inventions.


Dilutes the magic somewhat.

[aquacat2]

I think you can't remove the characters totally but reduce their availability. For example I think the decent of the stairs, GFC etc should retain characters however everyday meet and greets removed and replaced with spontaneous appearances.
The reason I say this is because I don't remember having a photo taken with whatever character but on one occasion we were in the hotel store when goofy appeared and as we were the only people in the store we had a bit of experience with him trying to take items and then setting off the store alarm, to me that is more magical than a character just stood there.

[George Geef]

I find that very sad and surprising.


Meeting the characters at the hotels has always been something I've looked forward to when I've been.

[The Helmsman]

So the same people who decided to renovate the hotels by forcing disney characters into their designs (cars at Santa Fe, bambi and co at Sequoia Lodge and this atrocity that will take place at Newport) also decided to axe real character meetings inside the hotels  ? The French execs at DLP much be borderline bipolar  .

[aquacat2]

So the same people who decided to renovate the hotels by forcing disney characters into their designs (cars at Santa Fe, bambi and co at Sequoia Lodge and this atrocity that will take place at Newport) also decided to axe real character meetings inside the hotels

Maybe that is their solution by giving you characters in your room you wont need meet and greets to fill the disney void that was at the hotels

[captain rocket]

Can this really be a surprise?
Here we appear to have another decision made by the same genius management that have still not announced the Spring Festival that is rumoured to start in April!
This event must have been in the planning for some time, but they lose the advantage of early bookings because NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT IT and it starts in 7 weeks!
In order to facilitate the cavalcade they are rumoured to have taken the main character interaction from the Studios, Stars and Cars, genius!!!
And now no characters in the hotels, so the only advantage to staying in Disneys overpriced hotels will be location.
I really thought that this new management team were on the right track, but now I have my doubts!

[SVioletS]

I read that new exclusive character interaction will replace hotel meets and  greets.  We will have to wait and see what happens! But yes, they should officialy comunicaste and advertise this to people! It's like they don't know there s a bunch of us always wanting to plan our holidays!

[Rapunzel1]

That is really a bad decision. For shy and polite children the only possibility to meet and take a picture with characters is in a hotel. In the park people rush towards the characters and there is a lot of pushing.


Or maybe Paris will start with real line ups like the parks in Orlando. My daughter loved the characters over there.

[Poppy The Monkey]

Or maybe Paris will start with real line ups like the parks in Orlando. My daughter loved the characters over there.

Disneyland Paris is currently introducing lined systems for all their character offerings, it is currently on a trial basis, but you will find that the majority of meet and greets now have a lined system in place.

And regarding the Hotel Character Removal, think about it from a business point of view: can you imagine how many locals and non-park visitors walk from the RER etc. decide to look around the hotels and then just stumble across Mickey or Minnie in the lobby or on their photo locations, these people enjoy a full character experience without paying a cent! And it happens everyday! Especially on weekends when there are "regulars" who bring their friends and family to the hotels to just to meet the Characters for FREE.

So from a business point of view the re-locating of the characters makes perfect sense... and Hotel Guests are not going to lose out too much, ALL the Characters you could of met in your hotel will now be ready to welcome you exclusively in the Disneyland Park during the Extra Magic Hours.  So instead of just having 2 or 3 Characters to meet in your lobby in the morning, you will most likely be able to meet alot more throughout the park - imagine all the Characters usually hanging out at the 6 hotels (Disneyland Hotel will not be affected) will now converge on the park to prepare for the day, before all the regular Guests even arrive.

So at first glace this looks like another standard cost-cutting proposal, but in reality it makes perfect sense and makes, in my opinion, the actual park even more "magical"...   I always thought seeing Mickey hanging around in a hotel lobby "cheapened" him and the brand, so now you'll have to wait to get to the park to get to see him! Which I believe is even more special and magical!

[pialykke]

Or maybe Paris will start with real line ups like the parks in Orlando. My daughter loved the characters over there.

Disneyland Paris is currently introducing lined systems for all their character offerings, it is currently on a trial basis, but you will find that the majority of meet and greets now have a lined system in place.

And regarding the Hotel Character Removal, think about it from a business point of view: can you imagine how many locals and non-park visitors walk from the RER etc. decide to look around the hotels and then just stumble across Mickey or Minnie in the lobby or on their photo locations, these people enjoy a full character experience without paying a cent! And it happens everyday! Especially on weekends when there are "regulars" who bring their friends and family to the hotels to just to meet the Characters for FREE.

So from a business point of view the re-locating of the characters makes perfect sense... and Hotel Guests are not going to lose out too much, ALL the Characters you could of met in your hotel will now be ready to welcome you exclusively in the Disneyland Park during the Extra Magic Hours.  So instead of just having 2 or 3 Characters to meet in your lobby in the morning, you will most likely be able to meet alot more throughout the park - imagine all the Characters usually hanging out at the 6 hotels (Disneyland Hotel will not be affected) will now converge on the park to prepare for the day, before all the regular Guests even arrive.

So at first glace this looks like another standard cost-cutting proposal, but in reality it makes perfect sense and makes, in my opinion, the actual park even more "magical"...   I always thought seeing Mickey hanging around in a hotel lobby "cheapened" him and the brand, so now you'll have to wait to get to the park to get to see him! Which I believe is even more special and magical!

Oh that sounds excellent! If they move the characters to the park for EMH, that would be brilliant! I hadn't thought of it that way - about the locals taking advantage of the characters, meeting them free of charge...
I hope they make an official announcement, so we don't have to go through this guesswork... But I suppose that wont be for another 6 months or so - given the proximity of the Spring Festival - and noone really knows about that....! 

[Rosy25]

Yeah that sounds great with the EMH's

[The Helmsman]

So the same people who decided to renovate the hotels by forcing disney characters into their designs (cars at Santa Fe, bambi and co at Sequoia Lodge and this atrocity that will take place at Newport) also decided to axe real character meetings inside the hotels

Maybe that is their solution by giving you characters in your room you wont need meet and greets to fill the disney void that was at the hotels

Well that's my problem...I don't want any characters in my room. I am not in favor of the disney touches in the renovation procedures. When I am in the hotel I want my disney (characters) void. Tell you the truth, I don't care about the real ones as well (in the hotels that is), but they don't bother me, nor they spoil the fun of meeting them at the park. It turned out to be a nice touch, because as I can recall from my visits in 92, 93, 94 etc (in general during the 90s), there were no characters inside the hotels (with the exception of DH).