I don't think my daughter believes...

[IluvKingLouis]

...that the characters are real anymore.

She no longer believes in Santa or the Easter Bunny. She is 7.5. We are going back in Jan, and I don't want to plan dining around characters. But I think she might still believe in the Princesses and Peter Pan, etc...I think if there is a human face and they're talking, she might still be buying it.

I'm trying to make the magic last as long as possible. What are your suggestions for character meals, etc.

 

[woodkins]

my dd 8 has been asking alot of questions if I believe that the characters are "real" or just people in suits and makeup. We are heading to WDW in 3 weeks and I know once we are there whether she "believes" it or not she will be into getting autographs, photos etc. She has been more into planning character meals than I have! We are doing Princess storybook dining at Epcot, Garden Grill in Epcot, Donald's Tusker House breakfast at AK, Crystal Palace lunch in MK, Ohana's breakfast at the Poly and Chef Mickey at the Contempo. We have done all of the meals in the past and enjoy them all. Dh doesn't enjoy standing on line in the sun for autographs so character meals are a great solution for our family, he gets to sit and eat in a/c and we get the character meet & greets that we love.

 

[cemeb4dk]

My daughter is 4.5 and she knows costumed people are just people in costumes and not the real Mickey etc. But she does think the face characters are real, like the princesses and so on. For me thats fine, its not the same as Santa and what not in my opinion. Honestly I think my daughter would be more scared of the characters if she thought they were real.

So I guess it comes down to your own child, and the way they handle things and how you teach them, there is no correct way I think, but I do dread the day that the magic is lost in Santa and the princesses and what not. Because there is nothing like watching their faces light up as they see a favorite character

 

[Hannathy]

I can't believe your DD is almost 8 and doesn't KNOW they aren't real!

Really it is pretty obvious except to the very unobservant that they are costumes, something about the unmovable fingers and hard heads you know.....

My kids never believed they were anything but costumes but believe me that isn't what makes the magic, just being at Disney and being in that environment is magic. She will still be just as enthralled and happy at Disney.

If she likes to get autographs of the "characters" she may still want to do them why don't you just ask her? Or she may be past that and you can do the HDDR or Luau for a special dinner, or the tea party for a special afternoon. It still is magic Mom as they grow up it is just different magic.

 

[Mrs. Charming]

I can imagine how you feel about your babies growing up. I have to say this though-- how many of us adult DIS'ers have a blast with the characters and doing character meals, autographs etc and we're all fully aware that they're just costumed people. Just because she doesn't "believe" doesn't mean the fun is over, because its definitely not!

 

[Riviera510]

...that the characters are real anymore.

She no longer believes in Santa or the Easter Bunny. She is 7.5. We are going back in Jan, and I don't want to plan dining around characters. But I think she might still believe in the Princesses and Peter Pan, etc...I think if there is a human face and they're talking, she might still be buying it.

I'm trying to make the magic last as long as possible. What are your suggestions for character meals, etc.

Oh no dont tell me that. My daughter is going into the 2nd grade, will be turning 7 in about 3 weeks. She still believes and hopefully will for a few more years yet!

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

Interesting - my DD (7- 2nd grade) definitely believes in Santa and friends, but she has never believed that costumed characters were real, even when she was tiny.

 

[Tiger926]

My DD7 has known about adults in costumes since about 2 years old - figured it all out on her own, and it has not spoiled the magic at all. She's been to Disney 10 times, and loves it!

I wouldn't sweat it at all...magic is what you make of it, so just let her guide you in what she is feeling about the whole situation.

Character meals are fun, so why not try Akershus for Princesses, Crystal Palace for Pooh and friends or Chef Mickey's for Mickey and friends? We've done every character meal on property multiple times, and they are all fun, even if you know there is a person in the suit.

Good luck, Tiger

 

[Dorisk3]

Just because your daughter knows that the characters aren't real doesn't mean she doesn't still enjoy them!

Both my daughters know, and as previous posters stated, love getting autographs, hugs, and eating at character meals. My older daughter (almost 10) would never dress up in a princess dress anymore, but she still asks to eat with the princesses.

Also, if she knows the costumed characters aren't real, I'm sure she also knows the face characters are not real as well. It's unavoidable sometimes to not run into 2 different Snow Whites or Cinderellas.

Have fun and I wouldn't worry about it too much!

 

[nessz79]

Both of my boys are aware that the characters are wearing costumes. DS 7.5 figured it out himself about 1.5-2 years ago and then it spread to my youngest (much to my disappointment!).

However, they both still believe in Santa and the Easter Bunny. I guess, in this case, not seeing is believing!

We still have a magical time at Disney, though! It's the whole atmosphere .

 

[luvmy3]

When we went my almost 5 year old knew they were people in costumes and still had a magical time and all we did was character meals
Look at it this way, there are thousands, probably millions of adults who are very much aware those characters are not real and yet they still spend millions of dollars every year for the magic of Disney, they still go to character meals without kids, they still get autographs and have their pics taken with them. I think almost 8 is old enough to know the truth and it not changing anything about their excitement of WDW.

 

[ktlm]

Last night my 4 year old DD informed me that all the characters in Disney on Ice and Pooh Live were just actors in costumes, even Mickey and Minnie. Then she told me that is because the real characters all have to stay at WDW to meet the little kids! (She may have been telling me that for my benefit though...probably didn't want to disappoint poor Mama that believes the WDW characters are real! The way her little mind works she might also worry that if she told us they weren't real that we wouldn't take her to WDW again) I knew it was coming pretty soon when we came home from an Easter party at a local museum where my daughter had been all excited about seeing a couple of characters and she called her grandma and said "I had a great time. I saw a guy dressed up in a dinosaur suit and a guy dressed up as the Easter bunny"

Honestly, I'm 40ish and I still halfway do believe in the characters. I still get excited to see them and I like the character meals! I'd just pick whatever character meals she likes. At that age, I actually believed the other characters more than the Princess characters, because the other characters always looked the same where everytime you saw a "face" character, they seemed to have a different face!

 

[tluvstink]

My DDs never believed the characters were real but they still love them! They will be 16 and 13 on our next trip and they can't wait to go to Crystal Palace

Terri

 

[DawnM]

Why does she have to believe they are real to enjoy the characters? My children haven't believed in years and years and possibly never did....but they still enjoy character meals and such.

Dawn

 

[polkadotsuitcase]

I can imagine how you feel about your babies growing up. I have to say this though-- how many of us adult DIS'ers have a blast with the characters and doing character meals, autographs etc and we're all fully aware that they're just costumed people. Just because she doesn't "believe" doesn't mean the fun is over, because its definitely not!

Yes, times 100.

 

[coneygoil]

I can imagine how you feel about your babies growing up. I have to say this though-- how many of us adult DIS'ers have a blast with the characters and doing character meals, autographs etc and we're all fully aware that they're just costumed people. Just because she doesn't "believe" doesn't mean the fun is over, because its definitely not!

I totally agree! I'm 28 and have known they were just people in costumes since I was a little kid. But that never stopped me from loving to get autographs, pics, and getting real excited about the characters. I'm hoping when my little one realizes the characters aren't "real", she'll take my lead and see the Disney magic, not the costumes.

 

[okeydokey]

Understanding that the characters are costumes does not mean there is no magic. My kids figured out well before 7 that they were not "real" but we still love the parks.

 

[bumbershoot]

DS has never really believed that they are really THE characters, and he's noticed zippers since he was about 4...but he still enjoys meeting them and being silly with them, and he still likes character meals.

Heck, DH definitely knows the truth, but I think he sometimes appreciates the characters more than DS does!

No reason to not have fun just b/c they now know the truth of the matter.

 

[ThePumpkinQueen]

LOL, imagine my surprise when last year my (then) 4yo daughter pointed out to me that Mike and Sulley were costumes because... "Their eyes aren't moving or blinking!" These kids are SO observant, it kills me! I *think* she still believes the Princesses and other face characters are real, but who knows how long that will last! It's all still so magical to her, though. I don't think the magic of Disney can wear off, if you just have the right attitude, no matter how old you get or how wise to the "tricks" of the magic-making.

 

[Ppufi]

I always knew the characters weren't real, because I knew the movies weren't real, and were animated on top of that. But that definately didn't ruin the magic. Meeting a favorite character played by a great actor is always magical.