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View Full Version : What age for autograph books? Do you like them?



mousemom
08-24-2010, 11:26 PM
At what age did you start doing autograph books with your kids? Do you enjoy doing them? Or do you choose to skip the whole autograph phenomenon?

klwa
08-25-2010, 01:45 PM
We gave DS an autograph book at 2. :) Plan to give DD one this time at 2, as well. Gave him a reason to go up to the characters until he got over being nervous. My parents took my nephew at the same time (a few months older) and didn't bring an autograph book. Even though he is normally less frightened of the world than DS is, he wouldn't go up to the characters on his own. DPs then decided that next time they took a little one, they'd bring a book. :)

egoldber
08-25-2010, 02:45 PM
My kids love them and it is an important part of the experience for them. And they are hard to avoid when virtually every family has one.

Momof3Labs
08-25-2010, 03:36 PM
Okay, I personally hate them - or at least the fact that everyone seems to have one. They make the character lines sooooo much longer, and really eat up (IMO) time when the characters could be having fun with the kids - goofing, taking pics, etc. You'll see how rushed some of the character lines are. You snap a pic, and get shooed away when your 2yo just wants an extra moment to have Mickey all to himself.

That said, we did do autograph photo mats on our last trip, when DS1 was 6yo, and he loved it. DS2 at almost 2yo didn't give a hoot about the autographs. They are still on display in our home, with pictures of the kids with some characters mounted inside them. But for our 3 trips when he was younger, he didn't have an autograph book and didn't seem to miss it at all.

clc053103
08-25-2010, 03:38 PM
DS is 5 and has shown no interest, neither has 7 and 11 year old nephews over the past three years.

However, they all have pin lanyards!!!! PErsonally, autographs are cheaper, I only wish that was their thing!

alien_host
08-25-2010, 05:29 PM
We got one for DD when and she was 5. She loved it! She still looks at it all the time, talking about each character and what they did etc. We got the one where you could slip a picture in the sleeve next to the autograph. I made sure I took a pic with each character.

mousemom
08-25-2010, 10:30 PM
Gave him a reason to go up to the characters until he got over being nervous. My parents took my nephew at the same time (a few months older) and didn't bring an autograph book. Even though he is normally less frightened of the world than DS is, he wouldn't go up to the characters on his own. DPs then decided that next time they took a little one, they'd bring a book. :)


They make the character lines sooooo much longer, and really eat up (IMO) time when the characters could be having fun with the kids - goofing, taking pics, etc. You'll see how rushed some of the character lines are. You snap a pic, and get shooed away when your 2yo just wants an extra moment to have Mickey all to himself.

Thanks for sharing your views. These are basically the two counter arguments that I've heard and why I'm debating about whether to do one for DS or not. On the one hand, it might help him interact with the characters. On the other hand, I've heard people say that the characters actually interact more with the kids if they don't have a book as opposed to just signing the book and moving on.

klwa
08-26-2010, 06:47 AM
Thanks for sharing your views. These are basically the two counter arguments that I've heard and why I'm debating about whether to do one for DS or not. On the one hand, it might help him interact with the characters. On the other hand, I've heard people say that the characters actually interact more with the kids if they don't have a book as opposed to just signing the book and moving on.

I'd say a lot of that will depend on the child & the character. I have several pictures of DS sitting on the characters lap, cuddling with them, watching them sign his book. There were other characters that, as you said, just signed the book, looked at the camera for a couple of pics, and were done.

egoldber
08-26-2010, 07:00 AM
I'd say a lot of that will depend on the child & the character.

I agree with this. It also depends on how long the lines are. If the lines are long, they do not linger as much. If lines are short, they will spend more time.

boolady
08-26-2010, 07:03 AM
My godsons, who were 5 and 2 at the time, took solid color, inexpensive baseball caps to wear and have the characters sign. They loved it, according to their mom.

alien_host
08-26-2010, 10:35 AM
I'd say a lot of that will depend on the child & the character.

This is very true. We were the last ones in line for Snow White at Town Hall and she spent a ton of time with DD. She had this whole discussion with her and even had to hold DD's autograph book behind her b/c DD was distracted by it. Although we had just bought the book and it was DD's first autograph. DD will never forget that moment, she was in awe!