What do you tell your child about the characters?

[Brika]

My daughter who is 5 keeps saying, they are just people in costumes right mom?


How do YOU answer this?


I don't think she applies it to the princesses... which are her favorite... but any suited character she does.


THANKS!

 

[snoodledoo]

I'd be honest and say yes. After all, a 5 foot mouse is a scary thought!

 

[Brika]

I told her it's what she wants to believe. I just don't want to take the magic out of it for her OR someone else's child if she spits it out while in line to see Goofy or something! BTW, I have told her others believe that they are real, so she can choose to believe what she wishes... and let others choose for themselves.

It's sad to see your kids grow up. And happy too... all at the same time.

 

[Shelebeen]

My daughter knows there are "face characters" and others.. she knows they are people playing the part.. that doesn't make them any less appealing to her.

I wouldn't lie, but you could say some people believe....

 

[Albort]

My daughter who is 5 keeps saying, they are just people in costumes right mom?


How do YOU answer this?


I don't think she applies it to the princesses... which are her favorite... but any suited character she does.


THANKS!

Tell your daughter to prove it ^_^ She has no way to prove it.

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

I told him they were real until he got old enough to figure it out for himself. I believed they were real when I was a kid, it was a huge part of what made Disneyland so magical for me. So I wanted my son to have that too. He's 8 now, and no he doesn't believe anymore. I think it was two years ago that he told me mice don't ever get that big. It was great while it lasted!

 

[disneyluvbug]

I agree about the "magic"...DD is now 4..and she is still terrified of the "creatures"..she loves the princesses..she knows that Cinderella lives in DL..I have pictures of her "near" them, but she told me that she still does not want to go near them..SHe said she would hug Mickey..we shall see..I have tried to tell her that they had feelings..she did not care...I figured out when I was old enough that they were people...not real..I still think they are will (hey I need the magic) so I am stuck as you on how to explain it...but she loves the princesses

 

[XTinabell]

I'd be honest and say yes. After all, a 5 foot mouse is a scary thought!

LOL! I never thought of it like that but yes a 5 foot mouse is a scary thought.

I like Alborts idea though, tell her to prove it. That way you're not lying or spoiling the magic.

 

[Albort]

LOL! I never thought of it like that but yes a 5 foot mouse is a scary thought.

I like Alborts idea though, tell her to prove it. That way you're not lying or spoiling the magic.

yea, i have videos of me getting a picture with a walrus mascot at Seaworld. Right when the picture is done, i ran as fast as i can and hide. I was scared of them ^_^

I dont know if Lynn told people this but i thought it was pretty funny. Her God Daughter(i think) freaked out when Beast(from Beauty and the Beast) was signing signature book. She freaked out and was like "Mommy, when Beast signed my book, he didnt even look at the book!"

haha!

 

[Alex2kMommy]

When we were in the beginning stages of planning our first trip (a year ago), DS(then 5) was really worried about meeting the characters. I told him that there was no reason to be worried, because they were just fun people in costumes, just like at Halloween. He felt much better, but then I joined the DIS and read a post by someone who was horrified that anyone would tell their child such a thing! (Oooooops!)

So right before our trip DS6 was worrying about the characters again, asking me, "They're really just people, right?" I said yes, but explained that I did not want him to mention this to anyone else, even DS2, because everyone likes to believe they're real characters. He promised he wouldn't ever say anything, and he never did.

He took awhile to warm up to the whole meet and greet and autograph thing, at first refusing to meet any characters. After DS2 had a few under his belt (and in his autograph repository!), I told DS6, "Gee, it's too bad you don't want to meet the characters. DS2 is going to have so many photos and autographs in his book, but I'm really not sure what we'll put in yours..."

Suddenly he was eager to meet the characters, and also seemed to really believe! He was so thrilled to meet Buzz, and positively star-struck with Captain Jack. And he blushed and made googly eyes at the princesses.

At least for DS6, I'm glad I told him. I think he would not have had fun if I hadn't. And that he is able to suspend his disbelief a few minutes in their presence. I'm also glad DS2 just accepts these characters as normal, because it is sooo much fun to see both of them with the characters!

 

[Warlock128]

Im pretty sure i myself as a kid believed at a point, but caught on pretty quick as i noticed no costumed characters ever speak.
im sure thats how most kids find out, when you might ask a character a question or say something and none of them answer back.

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

I found out by touching Plutos tongue. Instead of a wet sloppy tongue I was very surprised to find a big slippery plastic tounge! LOL Gonna say I was around 6 yrs old? I wasn't scarred or anything for life though. I wasn't even mad at my parents for saying they were real. Infact I remember being just bummed that I couldn't believe anymore!

I never even thought about why the characters didn't talk. It takes a clever kid I think to really look at those things. Or maybe my son and I were just always in awe of meeting the characters that just went over our heads. LOL He's never questioned that. Instead as he gets older the real world facts just start to make more sense to him then fantasy. Very sad for me!

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

You know thinking about the whole talking thing. Wouldn't it be cool if the CM's had something in their costumes that when they talked in to it, it sounded like the character they were dressed up as?

 

[melmacd]

You mean they aren't real????

~mel

 

[Warlock128]

If they can do it for darth vader, it shouldnt be too hard for disney characters. a pluto bark button, a couple of donalds and mickeys catchphrases preloaded and such as examples. they could if they wanted to, but probably too cheap.

 

[PrincessSitka]

Albort you got tagged

 

[abby]

We have been to DL three times in the last two years. Our last trip was in October. A few weeks ago, my DD (who is now 6 and 1/2) was asking me about the tooth fairy, she then goes on to tell me that the characters at DL are just people dressed up. When I asked if she thought the same about the princesses she said "of course."
I had to ask if she thought that when we were there last as she loved seeing characters and getting autographs, of course she says, but she loves them anyway.

I almost asked if she thought the same for Santa and the Easter Bunny, but that was simply too much reality for me, I didn't want to hear the answers........

 

[Albort]

just tell your kids that the characters are guest shy. Just like you!

and yes, i got tagged.

 

[AZMickeyfans]

My dd6 and ds3 still believe they are real. Dd6 still believes in Santa, the tooth fairy and the easter bunny. I feel they grow up so fast I like for them to have that innocence and imagination for as long as possible. Soon enough she will learn. Well, she already has a little. There is a kids club in the mall and they have a gopher as a mascot. The other day we were in the mall not at kids club but shopping and she saw it and pointed out that she could see his neck and that he was a person inside. She also believes this for Chuck E Cheese! She says that the only real characters are at DL! This is an idea she has on her own and I dont want to bust that bubble just yet. In time she'll figure it out. For now it's her magical world where Princesses live and pixie dust really does make things fly!