3 millionth guest welcomed at Epcot Character Spot

A great milestone for the Epcot Character Spot:

When the rope dropped at Epcot June 8 allowing guests to enter the park, a crowd rushed to Character Spot at Innoventions to have photos taken with their favorite Disney characters. Unbeknownst to those waiting to meet and greet the "Fab Five" characters (Mickey, Minnie, Donald Duck, Goofy and Pluto), the first person in line would be celebrated as the 3 millionth guest to visit the character meet and greet experience.   

There to celebrate their first wedding anniversary, Kevin and Jackie Fink from Cleveland, Ohio, received more than the typical picture and autograph expected at a character meet and greet. Guest Relations Host Elton Green welcomed the crowd and announced that the couple standing in the front of the line would be the 3 millionth guest to visit the spot.

"This is my first visit to Walt Disney World also, so this is a wonderful display of the Disney magic I've heard about, and it's totally unexpected," said Kevin Fink.

A "Where magic lives" certificate is delivered with the news that the Finks are the 3 millionth guest. 

The couple stepped into to first cartoonlike photo backdrop to be greeted by all of the Fab Five, complete with a blast of confetti and cheers from the crowd.

"Going above and beyond and wowing our guests is just a part of what we do at the Walt Disney World Resort," said Katrina Webster, Entertainment manager. "These special guests will have pictures and stories to tell for generations to come."

 This celebration wouldn't be complete without confetti and the "Fab Five". 

Then called Character Connection, Epcot Character Spot welcomed its first guest in May 2007. Just three years later, the 3 millionth guest has been able to experience an adventure with beloved Disney characters.

According to Entertainment manager Mario Trujillo, who helped plan a backstage celebration for the cast team, this magical moment was also an opportunity to recognize Character Spot cast members for the magic they create every day.

"We are all excited to welcome our 3 millionth guest," said Jack Feivou, general manager, Entertainment Operations, Epcot, Downtown Disney, Water Parks. " [Epcot] Character Spot is one of the premier character greeting locations on property with the highest volume of photos for Disney's Photo Imaging and the only place you can see all five VIPs (Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Pluto and Goofy) at the same time.   The cast goes above and beyond to make this an exceptional guest experience and to help make memories that will last a lifetime."

The Epcot Character Spot team celebrates the milestone.

Well, congratulations EPCOT!