Anyone have experience with child's fear of characters?

[texasweather]

Actually, "fear" doesn't even begin to describe it. Terror/phobia is more like it. DD3 (almost 4) been afraid of mascots forever, but it has really ramped up in the last few months. While I was away on business this summer, DH took the girls to Chuck E Cheese and he said she flipped out when she saw Chuck E. I got to see it for myself on Friday night at DD6's Fall Carnival. The high school's Wildcat mascot was there. DD3 lost it. I'm talking full on panic attack. I've never seen her like that before. The rest of the time we were there she hung on to me for dear life, crying, saying she wanted to leave. Disney is going to be a DISASTER. It wasn't good enough that the Wildcat was leaving her alone - she was panicking making sure it wasn't in the same room as her, etc. I've heard and read that the Disney characters understand that not all kids are cool with them and are good about it, but she's so paranoid/ultra-aware of their presence that we can't just "ignore it as long as it isn't nearby." What do I do??! I've shown her pictures of mascots with their heads off, told her they were just dressed up for Halloween, and showed her a YouTube video of a Mickey & Minney M&G to show her how sweet they are, but she was still scared, saying she doesn't want to go, doesn't want to see them. FWIW we are only meeting princesses, but I know characters will be around. We do have an Ohana breakfast scheduled that I REALLY don't want to cancel, but she's going to be huddled in a corner rocking herself..

Help!! Is there anything I can do to help her?? We have 3 weeks until our trip.. Would some child counseling do any good?

 

[wilkeliza]

Actually, "fear" doesn't even begin to describe it. Terror/phobia is more like it. DD3 (almost 4) been afraid of mascots forever, but it has really ramped up in the last few months. While I was away on business this summer, DH took the girls to Chuck E Cheese and he said she flipped out when she saw Chuck E. I got to see it for myself on Friday night at DD6's Fall Carnival. The high school's Wildcat mascot was there. DD3 lost it. I'm talking full on panic attack. I've never seen her like that before. The rest of the time we were there she hung on to me for dear life, crying, saying she wanted to leave. Disney is going to be a DISASTER. It wasn't good enough that the Wildcat was leaving her alone - she was panicking making sure it wasn't in the same room as her, etc. I've heard and read that the Disney characters understand that not all kids are cool with them and are good about it, but she's so paranoid/ultra-aware of their presence that we can't just "ignore it as long as it isn't nearby." What do I do??! I've shown her pictures of mascots with their heads off, told her they were just dressed up for Halloween, and showed her a YouTube video of a Mickey & Minney M&G to show her how sweet they are, but she was still scared, saying she doesn't want to go, doesn't want to see them. FWIW we are only meeting princesses, but I know characters will be around. We do have an Ohana breakfast scheduled that I REALLY don't want to cancel, but she's going to be huddled in a corner rocking herself.. Help!! Is there anything I can do to help her?? We have 3 weeks until our trip.. Would some child counseling do any good?

She may just have a phobia of them. I worked with someone at Disney who had a phobia if people in costumes (furies not face characters) and it was rough. If she knew where they were suppose to be it was fine but if one was training and was randomly in a nee spot she couldn't handle it.

You could try child counseling just to see if there is something deeper there but I wouldn't let them medicate her or anything like that over something like this.

 

[mom2att]

My middle one was like this. We pretty much just made a wide berth around any character meet & greet areas. If we couldn't get out of the way I would let the handler know we didn't want to be approached. They are very good about reading kids' signals. We sometimes did watch parades anyway, because we have other kids who didn't want to miss out. Middle child would sit on my lap facing away from the parade with his hands on his ears and his eyes shut. No harm done, no therapy needed. And we saved a lot of time by not waiting for character autographs/photos like we did with my oldest!

 

[Marthasor]

IMHO, I wouldn't push this with her at all. My DS was terrified of face characters for years - his fear is that they would talk to him, which, of course, they would! He still doesn't like Crush. As much as you want to go to O'hana, I personally wouldn't do it. It sounds like she is terrified and she is only 3. This is something that can't be rationalized at that age. You actually can avoid the characters in the parks by not going to meet and greets, character meals and parades. There are characters out and about, but they go to pre-determined spots. I would walk right by them. If she's in a stroller, put the top up.

I have a friend who took her 5 year old daughter to WDW in July and, while she was fine with face characters, turns out was terrified of the costumed characters. She had no clue she would be afraid and only discovered this as they were eating dinner at Chef Mickey's. Her daughter couldn't eat because she was terrified and they had to leave, barely getting anything to eat. It was expensive and miserable.

Do you really want your daughter to be huddled in a corner rocking herself? I don't think she needs therapy. She will most likely outgrow this fear. I would concentrate on all the other things you can enjoy in WDW without triggering a panic attack.

 

[Ladygoldenhair]

Oh yea, 2001 trip, not only characters, terrors at the thought of the Hall of President, no way for Pirates or Haunted Mansion....dh was about as big a baby as her. I told him go in the Hall of Pres while we did the tree house. He pouted as bad as her.

When we got back our friends told us their two kids about 4-6 did the same thing.

Just some kids, some times, you vacant predict it, or prevent it. Bound to happen to some kids.
Oh the positive side , they out grow it.

 

[Nztara]

I would suggest not doing the character meal, or splitting up,if it's something you really want to do but DH can live without.

I went as a nanny for two three year old cousins when I was a teenager. One child let characters take his harness and lead him around in silly activities. The other one got so scared when Chip and Dale approached her (they were wandering in the park in the mid '90's) that she leapt into my arms and bit a chunk of skin out of my shoulder. She was beyond terrified.

 

[Lynne G]

If she really is that scared, I'd cancel the breakfast. My DS was very afraid of even Santa and the Easter Bunny at the mall and full out ran from the pool area when Sargent Pickle arrived.

Stay far way from the characters, and comfort her if she starts to panic. I agree. My DS outgrew it. But we waved from afar, got held so couldn't see, and just avoided where I knew the characters were. I didn't do character meals until he had fun with the characters a few years later.

 

[cruisingtwins]

Yeah it's not that hard to avoid characters. Don't push this on her she is only 3. My kids were ok watching form a distance but did not want to get close to them. It went fine.

 

[ktlm]

Just keep a wide berth from the characters. I know 2 kids like this. DD's friend is 8. She has been terrified of the characters since she was small. At age 5, they took her to see Mickey's Magic Show Live at our local area, and she hid under the seat shaking most of the show. The characters were on stage and she was rows and rows back from them, but she was still terrified. DD had a birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese and she came because they were best friends, but she hid under the table when the mouse came out. She is age 8 now, and she still will not get anywhere near any type of character. She does not flip out as much when they are in the same room, but she does not want to be anywhere near them. I also have a friend who has a 14 year old boy that is the same way. This year, they went to WDW because his brother was part of a group that was going there, and he actually finally agreed to take a photo with Mickey- as long as another family member was standing between him and Mickey. Some kids just are never going to be character fans.

You can avoid the characters at WDW fairly easily, since they have designated meet and greet areas. I would also avoid the MK parades with her. I know DD's friend would have been absolutely terrified of those.

 

[Mrs Lapo]

My oldest is this way. She will be 10 in January and still hasn't gotten "over it" as most people said she would. The first time we went to a party at Chuck E Cheese she literally spent the entire time under the table. Even silly things like someone dressed in a lobster suite handing out coupons for the Lobster House down the shore.. she was petrified. We rented a suit from a costume shop so we could show her. We dressed up in it and danced around silly. And then we had her get dressed up in it & she made her sister & brother giggle like crazy. So we told her see, those people are dressing up to bring happiness and smiles to others faces. They're not trying to be scary. She FINALLY got it! Maybe that would help you out. If you or your husband dressed up.

Don't get me wrong, it did not cure her.. she still gets a little creeped out by certain things. Anything having to do with Halloween for example... forget about it! Can't even take her into a Halloween store! I'm working at a Haunted Hayride right now & she won't even look at me with makeup on. My 5 year old can't get enough of it.. but my oldest won't even facetime with me. Hahaha.

We have a princess dinner booked which she'll be fine with because their face characters. But we also have breakfast at Crystal Palace booked. I told her she needs to be on her best behavior because her brother & sister are really looking forward to it. We shall see...

I wouldn't cancel O'Hana. See how she is with the characters once you get there. Chuck E Cheese is kind of scary. The Disney Characters are all beloved, friendly & familiar faces. Hopefully she will be ok. You will know if you can go or not. Best of luck!!

 

[fawra]

My nephew (4) had trouble with being afraid. It helped to sit and watch the characters interact with the other children for a couple of minutes. Sometimes he would want to go meet them. Sometimes, even after seeing they weren't anything to be afraid of, he would still be scared and we would have to skip those characters.

 

[MandiC]

I'd skip the Ohana breakfast, if she does okay with princesses you could try a princess meal? It might be possible to get a cancellation at CRT or Akershus right now.
I'd also suggest really looking at where characters will be, for the most part the fully costumed characters aren't walking out and about. We saw Buzz from a distance but he was kind of out of the way, we saw Venelope and Ralph (are those their names? Wreck It Ralph characters) and we saw Duffy (also out of the way as you walk into the World Showcase). I think those are the only non-meal characters we saw out and about and they were pretty easy to avoid.