Any tips on when is the best time to do the Pixie Hollow meet and greet? It looks like its only im the middle of the day 11 -4, so not early. My granddaughter has a DAS, as a long wait is difficult with the sensory/anxiety issues, but really wants to do this. But I dont this there is any accommodations for DAS with the meet and greets, is that correct?
We just met Tinkerbell over Memorial Day weekend, and we went to pixie hollow around 2:30. She was taking a break and showed up again 3:15. We started lining up again around 2:45 and we were second in line, and we met her around 3:20.
I don’t have any experience with DAS so I can’t help with that, but if you have another pair of hands to help, you could have one person line up for the M&G and another adult could go with your granddaughter to get a snack or something. I took my kids for photo pass pictures nearby for 10min and asked the people in line after us if it was okay to rejoin afterwards, while my husband waited. They seemed okay, probably because we weren’t going to take up any extra time by joining back up (unlike a ride).
Btw, pixie hollow is amazing!!! If you can manage to swing it, I’d highly recommend. It is incredible attention to detail there!!
Thanks for the info. I wish it was open earlier, so we could maybe go at park open while everyone is rushig to a ride! I guess they cant get it staffed for longer. I know waiting 35- 40 min doesn’t sound like much these days, when many things take longer, but its really hard for my grandchild. Especially if she is doing something unfamilar, or in a loud crowded area… We watch ride videoes, especially ones that show with the vights on, so she knows its ok. the anxiety about stuff starts to build, and then emotions overwhelm , and we would have to leave to calm down. Which would upset her, or get her down on herself bc she wanted to it it.
DAS worked well for us last summer at WDW, we would request return time, and use that time that we waited to be in a calm area for a snack, or bathroom break, or a air conditioned shop, or a nearby walk on standy ride ,which kept her mind not thinking about it. Then we would return to the ride, and wait 5 to 10 minutes to go. But the now LL were not as full as they are right now either. With DAS if the standby line is 60 minutes, they give you a return time of 50 minutes later to use the LL, so you still wait, just not in the standby queue. But if the LL is 30 min, its going to be iffy for us, esp for the bigger rides like Space, which she wants to.
Last summer meet and greets were not happening, just the distanced stuff, which she actually liked, I excitedly told her that she could get a high 5 from Mickey, and she got real quiet and asked if she had to… But she saw a video of someone getting an autograph and that she
Is interested in. So I wasnt sure about DAS access; I guess I can ask the CM when we get there
Her getting older, medication, and therapy to get her coping strategies, have helped a lot. But I want to avoid getting to the meltdown stage because its just not good for her, and well we are on vacation and are having fun ! She is 9 and we are visiting DL with her cousins age 5 and 7.
Would a character meal work for your situation? We did the one at storytellers cafe in the grand Californian, which was fantastic. Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, chip and dale wander all around the tables. My youngest was in line to get food at the buffet and Minnie surprised her by coming up to her and giving her a kiss! They took time to take photos at the tables too, but if you didn’t get out of the booth to try to take a photo, they just walked by and waved.
They weren’t doing autographs when we had our meal, but we asked the server if the characters to sign our books in the back. The character manager came out to speak to us and we got crazy pixie dust when she came back to say yes! It’s not guaranteed that they’d do it again, but I wouldn’t hesitate to ask for your granddaughter.
The meal itself was tasty, fast (buffet) and the characters came by quickly but also engaged. Well worth it to us.
Hopefully someone else has experience with DAS and character meets at DL to respond if that’s possible for you too!
1 Like
Thanks, we are doing Goofys Kitchen and the Princess Adventure Breakfast. All of my granddaughters love the Tinkerbell movies, that’s why I was asking about Pixie Hollow. I will be there with my daughter’s child age 9 ( the one with the DAS) and my son’s children ages 5, and 7, and my son’s mother in law. I dont want to tell the other 2 we cant do it bc of their cousin’s issues, but if the other grandma takes the 2 younger girls, she will be upset that she didnt get to do it…
We do have a VIP tour scheduled, maybe the guide can work some magic. I dont want to cut the line, just wait outside it like with the other rides we do using DAS. Maybe the guide can wait the line and we join, we could do our bathroom break or a snack. After all the reports of fights recently, I dont want anything like that happening around my granddaughters. But if they see someone official maybe it would be ok. Ill ask if that is allowed.
Im ready to be there! I have a couple of other trips scheduled this summer, but this is the one Im most looking forward to. We will be there the first week in August.
.
I know that all kids have such unique sensory profiles that it is hard to predict these things but I have the absolute best memories of waiting in pixie hollow with my daughter (who had sensory processing issues and has since been diagnosed with General Anxiety Disorder).
I feel ridiculous for hyping a line but it really is just a lovely place to shuffle through with a snack while enjoying a beautiful day (and baby ducklings!). So if there is any chance you might consider giving it a try, I think you may both be pleasantly surprised 
Thanks, I’ll see how things are going, hopefully it will work out. A snack is a good idea; I guess I was thinking about WDW; as soon as you approach an under cover queue or waiting area you had to not have any food or drink in hand.
1 Like
The queue for Pixie Hollow (and the meet) is entirely outdoors. And in DL, even in indoor queues, now that masks are no longer required, they only ask that you finish or stow food before boarding the ride. Eating/drinking is allowed in all lines (it wasn’t when masks were required though so if your trip to WDW was when masks were required that makes sense that that was your experience).
I am seconding that the queue is a good one to give it a try, because that part just before Tink is very cute and immersive and even before you get to that part, it’s very relaxing with the water features and miniature statues of Tink’s friends that a Tinkerball fan will really love. And there’s a great view of the hub/Castle too in the outdoor part so it’s not an agonizing/no view/boring queue in any sense. So hopefully that helps.
AND I wanted to lastly state that if you do think that the queue still isn’t a great idea for her, ask if the DAS can be used for the character meets with established/more permanent locations (like the Royal Hall, Pixie Hollow). I’m not sure if they are, but it is worth asking because I have seen groups come up the side or exit for both Pixie Hollow and the Royal Hall so they do have a way to get some groups up to the front (maybe it’s only for VIP, but might be worth checking if DAS is able to use that as well).
2 Likes