Defiant toddler; trip in mid November.

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Jug34

Earning My Ears
Joined
Sep 18, 2020
Good morning from Pittsburgh,

My family has a trip planned for Disney World in mid November. I, like many parents, have a defiant 2 year old. Mask wearing is a task. A struggle to say the least.

We are so excited to get away for a few days. Even know things aren't normal, it still will help alleviate cabin fever.

Can anyone share an experience they had recently with 2-3 year olds in the parks? How was your trip overall? Were the cast members understanding if a toddler rips off his mask because he sees something sparkly?

Thank you kindly,
Go Steelers. ;)
Julia
 
From what I read on these boards, Disney World Cast Members are taking a very strict approach with absolutely no exceptions. Everyone 2 years old and up must wear a mask or leave the park. There are no exceptions for any reason unless taking a break in a very limited designated mask free break area or dining at a table.
 
Good morning from Pittsburgh,

My family has a trip planned for Disney World in mid November. I, like many parents, have a defiant 2 year old. Mask wearing is a task. A struggle to say the least.

We are so excited to get away for a few days. Even know things aren't normal, it still will help alleviate cabin fever.

Can anyone share an experience they had recently with 2-3 year olds in the parks? How was your trip overall? Were the cast members understanding if a toddler rips off his mask because he sees something sparkly?

Thank you kindly,
Go Steelers. ;)
Julia
find some masks that fit your 2 year old and start wearing to play or for screen time. make masks something fun to wear and you have to believe that too or they pick up on your feeling. yes be prepared to be reminded many times to replace child's mask even at your resort outside of your room. ps wear your mask around the house also
 
From my observations, they have only been militant at the front gate. I've taken three trips so far (July, August, September) and will be taking a 4th trip next weekend. At HS in August (after the "only when stationary" change), I saw a CM tell a youngster (5-ish) that he could slip his mask down while walking to take a bite of his ice cream bar, but to pull it right back up. At MK over Labor Day, two separate strollers were stopped in front of me, one right before temp check the other at the ticket gate, and told that their 2 year olds needed to wear a mask. They wouldn't let either pass without it. However, both had them off once inside the park. I happened to see the second family several times throughout the day and no mask on the baby. I've never seen a CM inside the park question a baby/toddler in a stroller. If they can be mistaken for a 1 year 355 day old,, the CMs tend to assume that. They seem to also give the benefit of the doubt on age if they are in a stroller. You may run into one over eager, but just have it pulled back up and don't sweat it if it comes down again 5 minutes later. At the 3 parks we visited that weekend, several little ones didn't have masks on, or had them pulled down as several had cups, water bottles, etc., keeping them hydrated.
 
I've been to WDW multiple times since the reopening. Mask compliance and social distancing is very strong - the guests and the Cast Members all know it's crucial to keeping the parks open. The Cast Members are very gentle but firm with their reminders, and often say something cute to remind the children to keep their masks on.

Maybe you want to get some of the cute Disney masks to encourage your child? On the shop Disney website they sell them in packs of 4 - your child can choose who they want to be that day. They come in different sizes with a chart for best fit.

Best wishes for a lovely trip!
 
Hi Jug34,in my experience the people who tell you it’s not a big deal if your child doesn’t wear a mask are people who think it shouldn’t be a big deal to not wear a mask. They are setting you up to fail.the truth is that CMs are constantly checking and constantly reminding so it would be better for your son if he can slowly get used to wearing at home.We have found positive reinforcement helps a lot. Good luck and hope you have a great trip.
 


What does he do with the mask when you go places at home?

My son is a little older (4), but we’ve been doing this for 6 months...its just part of our attire now. He doesn’t think anything of it any more.

I agree with those who have said you need to make sure he keeps the mask on. There may be some cast members who are more lenient than others, but I wouldn’t put all of my hopes in that.
 
He wears it for a few seconds. It's rough. Right now he is used to at least holding it. Small step. This will take a long time. Unfortunately, it looks like canceling our trip is a possibility.
 
Hi Jug34,in my experience the people who tell you it’s not a big deal if your child doesn’t wear a mask are people who think it shouldn’t be a big deal to not wear a mask. They are setting you up to fail.the truth is that CMs are constantly checking and constantly reminding so it would be better for your son if he can slowly get used to wearing at home.We have found positive reinforcement helps a lot. Good luck and hope you have a great trip.

You are correct that I think it shouldn't be a big deal, but my comments were strictly about what I witnessed. I've been a total of 10 days since re-opening. That's not every day, but a respectable number, I've hit all 4 parks, and it's been spread across each of the months they've been open. I have personally sat on a wall out of the way at AK waiting on hubby where multiple CMs, everything from janitorial to suits, walked past me (the path led to back of house - the side of Nemo building that has bathrooms tucked in the back), without a mask on with nothing being said to me other than several friendly hellos. Meanwhile, there were a good 50+ people sitting anywhere they could find outside of the Starbucks on the otherside of the park without masks, only about 25% "actively" drinking at best. I personally saw at least 50% of the kids young enough to be in strollers with masks either off, or on their chins. I did not see a single CM inside the park say anything to any of them. They might be more sticklers when boarding a ride, but out in the open, things are more lenient for the little ones.

With cooler weather in November, if they are still requiring them, they might be tougher than they are when it's 100 degrees out.
 
You are correct that I think it shouldn't be a big deal, but my comments were strictly about what I witnessed. I've been a total of 10 days since re-opening. That's not every day, but a respectable number, I've hit all 4 parks, and it's been spread across each of the months they've been open. I have personally sat on a wall out of the way at AK waiting on hubby where multiple CMs, everything from janitorial to suits, walked past me (the path led to back of house - the side of Nemo building that has bathrooms tucked in the back), without a mask on with nothing being said to me other than several friendly hellos. Meanwhile, there were a good 50+ people sitting anywhere they could find outside of the Starbucks on the otherside of the park without masks, only about 25% "actively" drinking at best. I personally saw at least 50% of the kids young enough to be in strollers with masks either off, or on their chins. I did not see a single CM inside the park say anything to any of them. They might be more sticklers when boarding a ride, but out in the open, things are more lenient for the little ones.

With cooler weather in November, if they are still requiring them, they might be tougher than they are when it's 100 degrees out.

This was also our experience in August. I have a friend who took her 2.5 year old over Labor Day, and he only wore his mask entering the parks each day. He kept it off the rest of the day, even entering rides. (Not condoning this, just saying it happens.) She had tons of pics and videos of this on her Instagram stories - I asked her about it, and she said nobody ever said anything to them except at entrances to the parks.

Also, my two littlest ones frequently took theirs off in August, and nothing was said to them. And before anyone freaks out, they were in the double stroller with the hoods pulled down, so I had NO idea they had taken them off as I couldn’t see them. And of course I always made them put them right back on once I noticed.
 
This was also our experience in August. I have a friend who took her 2.5 year old over Labor Day, and he only wore his mask entering the parks each day. He kept it off the rest of the day, even entering rides. (Not condoning this, just saying it happens.) She had tons of pics and videos of this on her Instagram stories - I asked her about it, and she said nobody ever said anything to them except at entrances to the parks.

Also, my two littlest ones frequently took theirs off in August, and nothing was said to them. And before anyone freaks out, they were in the double stroller with the hoods pulled down, so I had NO idea they had taken them off as I couldn’t see them. And of course I always made them put them right back on once I noticed.
Thank you so much for responding. We will be trying every minute to keep his on. I still hope the magic is still around!
 
I would practice mask wearing in low stakes situations first. Ones that you can say if you don't wear your mask we will leave and then do so. I would make it somewhere that your child likes to go, but isn't a huge financial commitment, like a playground, big box store, zoo (if you have a membership.) Then praise the heck out of him when he does well and maybe reward him with a couple of m&ms.

Also, I'm not opposed to a little bribery in this situation if it's in your budget. I'm also a fan of unlimited screen time on flights for kids.
 
Hi Jug34,in my experience the people who tell you it’s not a big deal if your child doesn’t wear a mask are people who think it shouldn’t be a big deal to not wear a mask. They are setting you up to fail.the truth is that CMs are constantly checking and constantly reminding so it would be better for your son if he can slowly get used to wearing at home.We have found positive reinforcement helps a lot. Good luck and hope you have a great trip.
OR it’s ppl who have had personal experience in the parks with it recently.
 
I also think there isn’t a lot of confrontation b/c it’s difficult to tell exactly his old little kids are within reason. I have a 2 yr old & usually can’t tell exactly how old other similar kids ages kids are. A 23 month, 29 day yr old doesn’t look much different than a 26 month old.
 
The amount of childless individuals or people with adult children who love to comment and make angry or laughing faces on these threads is mind boggling. It’s quite easy to sit upon your childless perch and make judgments upon parents, and quite another to actually HAVE young children. Everyone is a perfect parent until they have children, or gets memory fog and claims, “My children would never do such a thing!” or “If I had kids, I would never let them do...”
The truth is, nobody knows what they would do until they are in a situation. You can have the best intentions, but you just don’t know until you have actually been through it.
 
Just spend time getting him used to it, make it a fun experience like pretending he is a scary monster when he has it on, or his favourite animal and react like you're scared because there is a scary monster in the room when he puts it on. Make sure you also wear a mask when you are trying to get him to wear his, he'll only wonder why he has to wear one while Mommy and Daddy don't, it'll normalise it for him. find any pictures of his favourite Disney/cartoon/TV characters wearing masks, they influence kids far more than parents do.
I have to admit, if I was a CM and saw a kid of around two without a mask I wouldn't lose my mind over it. Heck, when my daughter was two I had a heck of a job getting to keep her shoes and socks on.
 
Practice. Practice. Practice.

My 3 & 4 year old students, including those with special needs who are wearing masks every day in school had a lot of practice at home. Their parents tried different kind of masks to find the most tolerable ones. They're good role models and wearing masks themselves. Positive reinforcement. Make it normal. The kids that wear their masks know that they are super heroes, and by wearing a mask, they are saving the world.

We all have to get used to this. Trust me, I hate wearing my mask and face shield in my 92 degree classroom as a 55 year old asthmatic. It stinks. But we have no choice, and if you start teaching your child early, as in right now, it won't have to be a big deal.

Persist. You've got this!
 
Practice. Practice. Practice.

My 3 & 4 year old students, including those with special needs who are wearing masks every day in school had a lot of practice at home. Their parents tried different kind of masks to find the most tolerable ones. They're good role models and wearing masks themselves. Positive reinforcement. Make it normal. The kids that wear their masks know that they are super heroes, and by wearing a mask, they are saving the world.

We all have to get used to this. Trust me, I hate wearing my mask and face shield in my 92 degree classroom as a 55 year old asthmatic. It stinks. But we have no choice, and if you start teaching your child early, as in right now, it won't have to be a big deal.

Persist. You've got this!
I've been wearing a mask from the start, last week they have become mandatory in Wales in shops and indoor spaces. Many people are complaining, but, for me and all those who have worn them for the last 5 months it is second nature. It is just a case of practice, practice, practice.
 
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