Terrible Mickey Interaction at Animal Kingdom

[MikeOhio]

I'm so sorry for your trouble. It is tragic when something doesn't go 100% the way a small child expects. Society should set up all rules to cater to the whims of small children.

This should be a teachable moment instead of you acting as irrationally as your kids.

[Golf4283]

Can we lock this thread and bury it? This is turning into a peeing match now and I feel bad for the OP.

[Granny square]

Originally Posted by lililoo12

This is the best post in this whole thread kudos

No kidding!

[meowmarie]

Originally Posted by smitch425

The OP is a he, not a she.

[mm1971]

Originally Posted by meuseman

I just wanted to share this experience with you all. I'll send an e-mail to guest satisfaction, but I was pretty shocked when it happened.

I have a DD(5) and a DS(2) who are both experienced Disney Fans. Both have grown up, knowing from before they could talk, how Disney character interactions work. They ask the character for an autograph, wait patiently while the character signs, the character will hand the book back to the kid, who hands it back to the parent and when the books are in parent's hands you turn and smile for picture. With the exception of those characters that cannot sign, this is always the routine. Sometime there is banter, and kisses and hugs, but without fail, it's autographs then picture.

On Friday, we went to AK for rope drop and were second in line for Mickey when Camp Minnie Mickey opened. Mickey took the books, then refused to sign them until pictures were taken. My son started crying, saying "Please sign book, please sign book" but Mickey would not sign. My kids wouldn't turn around, because they know they need to give their books back to us. At one point, Mickey put the books behind his back, causing my son to cry more.

The cast member handler kept saying "Mickey takes pictures and then signs!" but that has never been my experience.

Finally, I picked up my son, took my daughters hand, DW asked Mickey for the books which were without signatures and we got no pictures.

Has anyone else experienced something like this? The event left a very sour taste for the rest of the day.

I think that since the handler stated that the pic would be first and then Mickey would sign, it would not be a problem for us. We always enjoyed the interaction better as the books always just end up in a drawer somewhere later.

With that said, I can certainly understand the regimented expectations of a child. My DS always had to have his toys lined up correctly and change was not an easy thing. In the future, you could try to use it as a teaching moment and explain that Mickey is excited to take a picture first or something like that. DS is older now and change can still cause anxiety, but he has learned it is part of life. Sorry this happened to you and it was a bad experience.

I do agree that it could have been handled a little better. Some days all of us are off our game a little.

[smitch425]

Originally Posted by meowmarie

Why are you so shocked? It was right there in the first post. He picked up his kid and his wife took the books from Mickey.

[mousermerf]

Originally Posted by starjazz

I see a couple of things going on in this thread.

One - I see a parent of a 2 yo that had a fit at Disney. Thats gotta be disappointing, no matter the reason. The parent blames the experience on the CMs, right or wrong, because that is how she perceived the situation. She decides to share - either to gain sympathy, or help other parents prepare, or just vent.

Two - Until this thread, I was not aware of how deep the Disney apologists have their mentality ingrained in their heads. Automatically, this parent is a terrible parent. All of the apologists are far better parents that would NEVER allow this event to happen with their 2 yo. And there is NO way that any blame could be placed on the beloved Mickey.

My reaction is this -

1. I think the OP is slightly off - I mean, the first post talks about how "grown up" the 5 and 2 yo are, and how "experienced" they are with character m&g's. Later she explaines how the 2 yo has "dozens" of Mickey autographs (that equates to Mickey signing his book once per month for the 2 yo's entire life, btw). Okay, so that stuff isn't quite normal, but it could be lost in translation. I'm giving the OP a bit of benefit of the doubt here. It does seem as thought the CM handler could have asked Mickey to sign the book once the CM observed the trouble. I mean, did OP explain to CM that this is what the 2 yo wanted/needed? Probably it all happened so fast that its hard to recall exactly. But I do understand leaving the scene the way OP did. If my 2 yo is throwing a fit, I try to remove her from the situation and calm her down. I doubt I'd make everyone else there gaze on our show and wait while I try to get the 2 yo "picture ready".

2. As mentioned above, I certainly think there is blame to go around, but holy cow, some of you defending Mickey here like he's family or something....some of y'all are just as kooky if not more than the OP appeared to be. We're talking about a parent here, a real person, who had a rough go. And some of you are berating her like she shot Mickey in the face or something. This Mickey was a kid in a costume. No chance he did anything wrong here? Or at least the CM handler did? I think a little empathy would be expected here. I too, think OP has responsibility, but I feel for her, and wonder if it couldn't have been handled better by the CMs. They make concessions for our parenting faults all the time.

Parenting, especially a 2 yo and 5 yo, is difficult enough, much less in the chaos that often is Disney. Even the most skilled, trained, schooled parent is gonna have some slip ups in those moments. I think the CMs had the ability to help this situation out, if not quell it all together. And maybe the parent didn't do all she could, but the CMs don't appear to have either.

Previously someone made a comment to me - not on the DIS, just in life - that people in the theme park fandom suffered from mental illness. I thought this was a very nasty blanket statement and didn't give it much thought or credence.

I have since spent more time reading this forum. The way people react to things boggles the mind. It's not healthy.

[MrRomance]

I genuinely don't see the validity in the complaint here. I'm not aware of any "hard and fast" rules about character M&Gs! A 5 year old and 2 year old can not be considered "experienced" at anything. They may have gone through the process several times, but that doesn't make them experienced and it doesn't mean that this particular M&G has to go the same way as others they have experienced.

Whether or not Mickey was having an off day is really not the issue here. The issue for me is that the OP was told that Mickey would comply with their expectation just in a different order. In this circumstance, I would have explained that to my children, completed the process and moved on.

Maybe I'm missing something here, but I'm left here. I don't see the problem and I don't see any real reason to complain.

[minnie mum]

Originally Posted by starjazz

ITwo - Until this thread, I was not aware of how deep the Disney apologists have their mentality ingrained in their heads. Automatically, this parent is a terrible parent. All of the apologists are far better parents that would NEVER allow this event to happen with their 2 yo. And there is NO way that any blame could be placed on the beloved Mickey.
.

So let me see if I've got this straight.... Anyone who happens to disagree with the OP is a Disney Apologist. This is what you are saying? Kind of a narrow view, wouldn't you say? And because we have voiced a contrary opinion to the OP's actions and opinion, then we must be automatically branding the OP as a terrible parent? Again, a rather sweeping and baseless generalization. Over-exaggerated and taken to an extreme.

I don't really care if it was Mickey Mouse or the Easter bunny. I don't care if this happened at WDW or at the local mall. I don't agree with what the OP did and I don't think any blame for this incident falls on Mickey's shoulders. I don't think, in this instance, that the parents handled the situation well. This does not mean that I think the OP is a bad parent. It means that I think the OP was human and perhaps had an unfortunate moment. The fact that I am a WDW fan is immaterial- that does not make me, automatically a Disney apologist. I can find plenty about WDW to criticise- feel free to read some of my posts on other threads.

It really burns my bacon when I see posts like this that sees any opposing views as coming from a so called "Disney Apologist". A meaningless term that is bandied about with too little thought.

[mousermerf]

Originally Posted by MrRomance

I genuinely don't see the validity in the complaint here. I'm not aware of any "hard and fast" rules about character M&Gs! A 5 year old and 2 year old can not be considered "experienced" at anything. They may have gone through the process several times, but that doesn't make them experienced and it doesn't mean that this particular M&G has to go the same way as others they have experienced.

Whether or not Mickey was having an off day is really not the issue here. The issue for me is that the OP was told that Mickey would comply with their expectation just in a different order. In this circumstance, I would have explained that to my children, completed the process and moved on.

Maybe I'm missing something here, but I'm left here. I don't see the problem and I don't see any real reason to complain.

I believe the term you need to remember is "snowflake." It'll all make sense once you process that tidbit.

[mousermerf]

Originally Posted by minnie mum

So let me see if I've got this straight.... Anyone who happens to disagree with the OP is a Disney Apologist. This is what you are saying? Kind of a narrow view, wouldn't you say? And because we have voiced a contrary opinion to the OP's actions and opinion, then we must be automatically branding the OP as a terrible parent? Again, a rather sweeping and baseless generalization. Over-exaggerated and taken to an extreme.

I don't really care if it was Mickey Mouse or the Easter bunny. I don't care if this happened at WDW or at the local mall. I don't agree with what the OP did and I don't think any blame for this incident falls on Mickey's shoulders. I don't think, in this instance, that the parents handled the situation well. This does not mean that I think the OP is a bad parent. It means that I think the OP was human and perhaps had an unfortunate moment. The fact that I am a WDW fan is immaterial- that does not make me, automatically a Disney apologist. I can find plenty about WDW to criticise- feel free to read some of my posts on other threads.

It really burns my bacon when I see posts like this that sees any opposing views as coming from a so called "Disney Apologist". A meaningless term that is bandied about with too little thought.

He's not talking about just your response/reaction. He (or she, i dunno) is talking about several posts combined and the general mentality.

[Iforgetmypassword]

Originally Posted by MrRomance

I genuinely don't see the validity in the complaint here. I'm not aware of any "hard and fast" rules about character M&Gs! A 5 year old and 2 year old can not be considered "experienced" at anything. They may have gone through the process several times, but that doesn't make them experienced and it doesn't mean that this particular M&G has to go the same way as others they have experienced.

Whether or not Mickey was having an off day is really not the issue here. The issue for me is that the OP was told that Mickey would comply with their expectation just in a different order. In this circumstance, I would have explained that to my children, completed the process and moved on.

Maybe I'm missing something here, but I'm left here. I don't see the problem and I don't see any real reason to complain.

Me too.

[michsig]

Honestly, what's the big deal? Just because the order in which you're used to didn't occur, I don't really see that as a problem?

[meredith1]

Originally Posted by mousermerf

Previously someone made a comment to me - not on the DIS, just in life - that people in the theme park fandom suffered from mental illness. I thought this was a very nasty blanket statement and didn't give it much thought or credence.

I have since spent more time reading this forum. The way people react to things boggles the mind. It's not healthy.

And with that, I am off with a giggle....you made my day.

[starjazz]

Originally Posted by minnie mum

So let me see if I've got this straight.... Anyone who happens to disagree with the OP is a Disney Apologist. This is what you are saying? Kind of a narrow view, wouldn't you say? And because we have voiced a contrary opinion to the OP's actions and opinion, then we must be automatically branding the OP as a terrible parent? Again, a rather sweeping and baseless generalization. Over-exaggerated and taken to an extreme.

I don't really care if it was Mickey Mouse or the Easter bunny. I don't care if this happened at WDW or at the local mall. I don't agree with what the OP did and I don't think any blame for this incident falls on Mickey's shoulders. I don't think, in this instance, that the parents handled the situation well. This does not mean that I think the OP is a bad parent. It means that I think the OP was human and perhaps had an unfortunate moment. The fact that I am a WDW fan is immaterial- that does not make me, automatically a Disney apologist. I can find plenty about WDW to criticise- feel free to read some of my posts on other threads.

It really burns my bacon when I see posts like this that sees any opposing views as coming from a so called "Disney Apologist". A meaningless term that is bandied about with too little thought.

I never called you specifically anything at all. You presuppose that this thread even called for "opposing views". The OP posted his experience, and asked if it had happened to anyone else. He didn't ask for an analysis of his or his wife's parenting abilities.

There are a whole lot of people in this thread and others that are SOOOOO in love with Disney that there is just NOOOOO way that any of their employees could do any wrong. Those are the apologists, whether you like the term or not. Its a description of a certain type of person.

I doubt the OP cares whether you personally think he did the right thing in the moment or not. If people only had 2 paragraph glimpses into my daily life, I doubt they'd paint an accurate picture of my parenting skills, or husband(ing) skills, or anything else.

And by the way, I love burned bacon - the crispier the better.