Having been to Walt Disney World many times in the past few years I've noticed that getting a Disney Character's autograph in the streets of the Magic Kingdom can most likely be a stress free experience. But over in Disneyland, California, the very idea of getting a Disney Character's autograph could very well be the highlight of your anti-Disneyland trip stories that you will pass onto friends and/or family members.

Now when I was separated from my family during my recent trip I would seek out autographs from Disney Villains and/or any characters from Alice In Wonderland. And Suddenly, there they were, all sitting in Mr. Toad's golden vehicle in front of Fantasyland's Mr. Toad's Wild Ride attraction... Alice sitting uncomfortbally between the delightfully evil Queen of Hearts and the delightfully wacky Mad Hatter but all eagerly awaiting your autograph book.

I got out my vintage 40 year old autograph book and looked around at the crowd of about twenty standing in front of the characters. I didn't see a line anywhere. Over at Walt Disney World the employees make sure to have the people form a line so that there's some kind of order and control. Here at Disneyland, during my four day visit, lines just didn't happen with characters in the park.

So there I stood attempting to find my place in the crowd to be the next one to pose with Alice and her friends and parents were talking over each other. "No I was next." "My daughter was next." "You just cut in front of us." Just standing to the side was a female employee [also known as Cast Members] deciding who was next based on her own visual preference.

In the featured Micoofy.com "simply mad" photo posted above we see a helpless Alice holding up her hands in utter confusion as to an angry parent's finger pointing as to who is next. The Cast Member standing to the side just does exactly what she's doing in the photo... just standing to the side as the crowd grows a bit chaotic. The young girl in the orange shirt looks to her family member's approval that she's the next person to get Alice's autograph but at that point anyone could have been next.

Now here I am, a twenty something man, standing behind a handful of kids who all deserve to have their autograph first because I am the type of person to let other people step in front of me before the characters sneak away behind the scenes. But had there been a line I would stand proudly in place until it was my turn to get my autograph.

So here's how you get order to a crowd that's out of a Cast Member's control. Walk up to the Cast Member and demand that a line be formed so that there's order and fairness for the people awaiting on their autograph. Now the people who come up at the last minute can no longer "cut in line" or anger a park visitor who's already waited a lengthy amount of time. When the Cast Member asserts him/herself to the crowd in question the anxious people will in turn listen and allow other people to take their time in getting their desired signature.

Now here's what I did. I left the crowd to continue on my way to another area of the park. I thought to myself that I'll get their autographs tomorrow.. but I never got them. So please, if you see a character that you want to add to your book, wait it out in line because you may never see Alice or her friends again during remaining days of your trip!

What's this? You think I'm exaggurating? Take at look at the next Micoofy.com photograph that features another female Cast Member attempting to tell the crowd to step back because the crowd had surrounded Mickey Mouse, almost like a mob cornering their victim! I believe her words were "Please step back 3 giant steps". Just be careful of Disneyland's Character Meet & Greets on the streets of the Magic Kingdom.