Disneyland is full of characters

Disneyland is in the business of creating memories, and business is good, especially if you measure success by the number of smiling faces on children and the gratefulness from parents.

My childhood recollections of Disneyland are strongest with memories of meeting Mickey Mouse, not the rides and other attractions. I hope this will be true with Niranjana, too.

We met plenty of Disney characters, all of whom seemed sincere in their efforts to create wonderful experiences for the children they encountered. Those in costume (Mickey, etc.) never spoke, while those who portrayed princesses and fairies (Jasmine, Tinker Bell, et al) spoke with the children. In nearly every case, we never felt rushed by the characters or their handlers, and each child usually received a special experience. It is difficult for me to tell how often the children believe this is the actual Mickey Mouse or Cinderella, but if enthusiasm is a measurement, then Niranjana did believe.

Disney uses characters to help entertain visitors while they wait in line (or to draw them away from the busy areas, as this article explains), but they also are targets for children to meet. We will admit to having our own character checklist, though it initially included just a couple of the classics (Mickey and Minnie) and Niranjana's favorite princesses (Jasmine and Tiana) and fairies (Tinker Bell).

We saw some characters more than once, especially Mickey and Minnie, though part of the reason for that was the "character breakfasts" we went to every morning. We attended a "Critter Breakfast" our first morning there, where we saw Chip & Dale and some of the Songs of the South characters, with which Niranjana was mostly unfamiliar, though still enthusiastic to meet. For Niranjana's birthday, we went to the California Adventure Park for breakfast at Ariel's Grotto and met the eponymous princess, as well as Snow White, Aurora, Belle and (I think) Cinderella. The "Surf's Up Breakfast with Mickey & Friends" was at an adjacent hotel and was a beach-themed meal with many classic characters. Perhaps the best was our last morning, when we had "Minnie & Friends Breakfast in the Park" on Main Street USA. There, we met Minnie, as well as characters from Cinderella, Pinocchio and Peter Pan.

Another aspect of meeting characters is getting their autographs. Cate gave Niranjana an autograph book for her birthday, and Niranjana filled it and a second one by the time we left Anaheim.

Here are photos of many of the characters Niranjana got to meet:

Goofy and Mickey Mouse

Pluto

Mary Poppins

Bert

Lilo (from Lilo & Stitch)

Chip

The "Green Army Man" and Jessie from Toy Story 2

Brother Bear (also known as Kenai)

Suzy (one of the Cinderella mice)

Mickey Mouse

Honest John (Pinocchio)

Tigger

Rafiki (from The Lion King)

The Mad Hatter and Alice

Belle (from Beauty and the Beast)

Capt. Hook (Niranjana scared him off by saying "Tick Tock!")

Geppetto

Chip (again)

Daisy Duck

Jasmine

Tinker Bell

Br'er Bear

Minnie Mouse

Fairy Godmother (Cinderella)

Ariel (Little Mermaid)

Geppetto (again)

Minnie Mouse

Minnie Mouse

Vidia (a rival of Tinker Bell)

Dale

Donald Duck

Eeyore

Perla (one of the Cinderella mice)

Cinderella

Silvermist (a friend of Tinker Bell)

Mr. Incredible

Br'er Fox (Songs of the South)

Jasmine and Aladdin