3 years old and fears

[moymo]

Our younger one has recently started to be hysterical about fireworks, lightening, alarm tones... Anyone have any suggestions for getting him through this phase (hopefully a phase). We are headed to Disney in 3 weeks. Thanks.

 

[robinb]

Oh no! I went to WDW with my 6 year old niece (DN) and she was afraid of everything. It was a terrible trip for everyone concerned.

One thing I can suggest (that I didn't know then) is a small flashlight that your DS can hold and use at any time. My 3 year old DD loves hers and uses it in the dark rides. You can usually find one of the Disney penlights in WDW so he can have his favorite character. I really don't have an answer for the loud noises. Things that I didn't think were loud or scary were too much for my DN. The Tiki room, the Little Mermaid show, the old Lion King show, etc. The worst was the Rainforest Cafe and the indoor thunderstorm. My SIL had to take her into the bathroom to calm her down.

Maybe you can watch the fireworks from the Poly beach or from the Boardwalk area the first time. That way he'll be able to dig the fireworks without all the noise.

Good luck!

 

[cart-mom]

Been there! DD-5 is still unsure about fireworks but she thinks she'll be okay this trip. Ever watch fireworks with a 3yo's head burried in your chest? Definately avoid the Rainforest Cafe - that rainstorm every 30 minutes can really kill your meal if your little one is afraid.

What about ear plugs? My DD never liked the sound of the fireworks but liked to watch them on TV. Also, you might want to watch from a distance because of the 'feeling' of the fireworks if you are close to them. I agree about the flashlight as well.

This may sound cruel but if you can expose your son to the situations he fears before you go you might lessen his fears.

Good luck!

 

[BevS97]

my dd was similiar on our first trip - she hated the Rainforest cafe, and I won't try it again for a while, it was just not a pleasant experience for her.
She wasn't keen on the Tiki Room or Little Mermaid either, but did ok with the fireworks at MK.

We bought a Pooh Bear flashlight in the parks - this was a brilliant purchase - we used it everytime we went into a dark ride, and it made going somewhere dark a treat as we could use Pooh, rather than a scary experience. My only problem with these lights is that they have often been left on for hours on the cart (you can't tell they are on in the bright sunshine), and so we had a lot of problems with the batterys dying in them. In the end, I took one back to a cart and they exchanged it no questions, so we just exchanged them each time the batterys died (none of them lasted very long, so I don't think we were being out of line, especially since they are not cheap), and the CMs seemed quite used to this complaint, so I think it must be a common one.

We found that if we asked before we boarded a ride - what exactly will happen, and make a point of telling the CM, you really do want to know everything, then they will usually explain things quite well, and when she knew what to expect she was a lot braver than when things took her by surprise.

Bev

 

[trayletha]

When we went last Oct DD was 3 and afraid of that whole list plus people dressed up like rodents (Chuckie Cheese). So I was VERY unsure how this vacation was going to go.

But - not one problem - loved the fireworks - loved the rides - even the dark one - favorite was the Jungle Cruise at night, and even liked the HM ( with a little hidding in mommy's shoulder) and ran right up to all the characters and wouldn't let go.

I did have the mini flashlite and earplugs at the ready and blankie came too - in case she needed something to hide under, but we started slow and told her generally what to expect on each ride and let her choose what and when she was ready.

PS - But DD still hates the RFC

 

[moymo]

Thank you all so much for your advice and consolation. We will be there a long time this trip and will have annual passes so I really like the idea of starting slow and working our way up. Am definitely going to get flashlights since that sounds like a hit with the kids. What is up with the Rainforest Cafe? LOL As always, you all are great!

 

[bartleby1]

Thanks for posting! I am in a similar situation. 3 year old DD has suddenly become afraid of her own shadow (won't walk past my bedroom door unless it is closed, etc.) and she has always been very sensitive to loud noises. Earplugs seem like they would help her tremendously. I've never bought earplugs before. What kind should I get for a 3 year old?? Any ideas where to buy them? Thanks for any suggestions!

Debbie

 

[disneymom3]

Two things--

Chuck E Cheese--boy can I relate to this. We just got back from WDW a week ago and yesterday we went to CEC. The three year old who does not greet the characters at WDW but is fine if we walk around them, was HYSTERICAL when Chuck E came out. And the 1.5 yo who adores the characters--he cried inconsolably when Mickey rode away on the bus in EPCOT--also was terrified of Chuck E. What is it about that mouse?

As for ear plugs, we used them this last trip with great success. I just got the earplanes ones at Wal Mart. They are sized for kids and technically meant to be used to deal with ear pressure on airplanes, but they block out noise too. I think the box said it reduced noise by 20 decibals. Enough that my 6 yo enjoyed Buzz for the first time ever.

 

[thumperjr9]

Wow I can really relate ! My DS-3 has alot of fears. I knew it was something we were going to have to work around during our last trip in late April. It didn' t surprise me when he wouldn't go up to the characters. He did enjoy seeing them from a distance and we did manage to get a pic of him with Buzz and Woody.

Also he got nervous going into anything in a dark theater like muppet 3D. Several times he changed his mind and wouldn't go in. When he saw the pic of Ursula on the wall outside the Mermaid show he wouldn't even go near it.

However, what did surprise me was his reaction to the fireworks (illuminations) He became upset and cried with his hands over his ears. He never seemed to have a problem with loud noises before, but the show was pretty intense. I wish I was prepared with earplugs.

You might want to road test them first to see if he will wear them. They also sell those things that look like headphones. My DH uses them when working with power tools and my DS loves playing with them. They look pretty silly but I wish I had brought them along.

Its funny how all kids are different. When my older DS was younger nothing at Disney scared him. Good Luck!!