5 year old said the "A" word...a pregnant, hormonal mama's saga

[javeyloveschelsi]

Last night, it happened...as we were driving home from me driving 30 minutes away solely because I was having a pregnancy craving, my DD (9) mentioned she was excited to see her little brother (DS who is 2) meet Mickey and Minnie this upcoming weekend since it's been over a year since our last DL trip and he loved Mickey last time. She made comment that we didn't get to meet Minnie last time though and it would be good to get her autograph. Then in the back of our van, I hear my sweet, innocent, fairy and princess loving DD (who is 5) and in her sweet little voice goes, "The actress playing Minnie was probably doing something else, that's why we didn't meet her". You guys, she said the "A" word--actor/actress . My perfect little Disney bubble just burst at that moment. I thought I had at least one more year before she were to say anything. DD 9 didn't tell me "the truth" until last year, but told me she knew for a while, but didn't want to crush me and told me she would never, ever say anything to her younger siblings. I asked DD 5 if she really thought it was an actress and she said, "well, isn't it?" All I told her is the DL is a magical place and I would let her decide and she said she would think on it. It's bad enough these kids vetoed a family costume for the Halloween party because we "did one together last year and they wanted to do their own thing", but this?!?! Ack! I thought I would be taking a 9 year old who loves the food and thrill rides and 2 littles who would be enamoured by the characters and I could see that magical sparkle in her eyes. So if you have a moment, say a prayer and sprinkle a little pixie dust my way that that sparkle is still there this weekend for her because no one can take away the magic from me!

Signed,
A pregnant mama who knows her hormones make this 1000x worse

 

[nicolispicoli]

Wait, Minnie's not real!?!?!

ETA: I don't look forward to this day with my little. I hope she's like me and keeps the magic alive! I wasn't planning on having more kids, but if she won't participate, I might need to.

 

[bcla]

By age 9 (probably 6) I was already clear on the concept of costumes. Part of it may have been from watching syndicated Brady Bunch reruns, and the episode where Greg Brady asks out a costumed employee at a theme park. I also understood that Disney World existed, so obviously there had to be some costume at one place.

Now my kid is six, so I have no idea if I'm being led on about believing that everything is real or make believe. Still, at Cars Land my kid was screaming at all the car characters by name, so maybe the fantasy is still intact. Those weren't necessarily actors, but I guess it was about the illusion.

 

[GatorChris]

What, I guess next you're gonna tell me that's not the real Donald Duck in my picture.

 

[javeyloveschelsi]

What, I guess next you're gonna tell me that's not the real Donald Duck in my picture.

NEVER...my DD is the dream crusher. That is the one and ONLY Donald Duck in your pic.

 

[javeyloveschelsi]

By age 9 (probably 6) I was already clear on the concept of costumes. Part of it may have been from watching syndicated Brady Bunch reruns, and the episode where Greg Brady asks out a costumed employee at a theme park. I also understood that Disney World existed, so obviously there had to be some costume at one place.

Now my kid is six, so I have no idea if I'm being led on about believing that everything is real or make believe. Still, at Cars Land my kid was screaming at all the car characters by name, so maybe the fantasy is still intact. Those weren't necessarily actors, but I guess it was about the illusion.

What?!?! The Brady Bunch did an episode of that nature?! I thought I had watched all of those episodes, but don't recall that one...but, maybe that's my selective memory coming through...

 

[agamble]

Our oldest decided at 5 they weren't real too. She hasn't realized the Santa you visit isn't real yet though. She doesn't care to meet Bugs, etc. at Six Flags, but I'm hoping she'll still be excited to meet characters when we make it back to Disneyland next year.

 

[bumbershoot]

and 2 littles who would be enamoured by the characters and I could see that magical sparkle in her eyes.

FYI the sparkle can still be there even when they know. (even when they've never been told that unreal things aren't real!) We NEVER told DS that anyone was real, and he worked it out, and STILL wanted to meet them.

There's no reason to be upset about this, or about them growing up. It's the whole point of kids, right? That they grow up?

 

[javeyloveschelsi]

FYI the sparkle can still be there even when they know. (even when they've never been told that unreal things aren't real!) We NEVER told DS that anyone was real, and he worked it out, and STILL wanted to meet them.

There's no reason to be upset about this, or about them growing up. It's the whole point of kids, right? That they grow up?

Oh I definitely know they grow up! Just did not expect it this quick from the DD who made the comment--with her personality, I would have never imagined HER saying it. She seems more interested in rides this time than characters, but I'm guessing it's because she *finally* hit 40" and can go on the rides her big sister got to go on last time --she's just a little bitty thing!

Oh well, I still have DS and #4 on the way to get my fill of baby/character meet sparkle in

 

[MinnieMouse84]

I'll be 32 next time I'm there and I'm still excited to meet the characters. Knowing that they're people in costumes doesn't ruin it for me.

 

[goodeats]

My 7 and almost 5 yo DDs and I parkhopped between Disneyland and DCA a few weeks ago. When we left DL Daisy was there in her Diamond Celebration outfit. DD2 wanted a picture but her line was too long. When we got to DCA, Daisy was there in her 20's costume. To keep the magic alive for my kids I said "wow! Daisy changed fast!". My older daughter patiently explained to me that they had several Daisy costumes at the resort.

 

[bcla]

What?!?! The Brady Bunch did an episode of that nature?! I thought I had watched all of those episodes, but don't recall that one...but, maybe that's my selective memory coming through...

It was the episode filmed at Kings Island where Mike is on a work trip, but takes the family with him. The main plot was Mike presenting building plans for the theme park, but swapping the cardboard tube with one containing a poster that Jan bought. Greg meeting a girl who dressed in costume was a side plot.

http://bradybunch.wikia.com/wiki/Episode:The_Cincinnati_Kids

 

[crystal1313]

2 years ago my boys were 6 and 4. They had finally worked up the courage to do a meet n greet. As we are standing in line, my 4 year old says very loudly, "mom, isn't that just a person in a suit!" I quickly hushed him because I didn't want him to ruin it for anyone else! I told him that it sure looked like Pluto to me, and he was satisfied with that. My 6 year old at the time got so upset at his little brother saying, "of course it is Pluto!" LOL My youngest still asks me about the characters, but I always tell him they look real to me. We will see how long that lasts.

 

[DizMe]

I must have been terrible for my mom...I HATED the characters in 'suits'. I liked the princesses and other face characters but I really disliked the others. I never thought they were real, never. However--now that I'm an old lady, I love them, LOL!! And for what it's worth, Disneyland was always very, very magical to me. I just didn't care to be near the characters.

I do know what you mean, though. I remember my girls leaving behind the princess dresses and love for Ariel's Grotto character meal. It still gives me a pang to see them in pictures when they were little and in their princess phase (check my signature photos below, ages 4, 4 and 7). That is probably why I can't bring myself to change the pictures even though they are now 13 and 16.

 

[Iris1974]

My DN was about 6 years old when he looked at my sister(his Mom) and said "Mama tell me the truth, the real truth. Santa isn't real is he?" She had to tell him the real truth. A big kid at school told him the real truth. As to what the real truth is I won't say because I don't want to anger the big guy in red. LOL

I've never met a Disney Princess before. When I was a little girl the only princesses they had were Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella. I never saw them in WDW when I went in 85 and 87. So if I ever get to DL I am definitely going to want to meet them and get a pic and autograph and I'm 42. I guess I'm a kid at heart.

 

[lorijohnhill]

LOL When I meet the characters I tend to forget they are actually actors in costumes! I totally turn kid again! When we took my daughter for the first time, she was almost 4, and she told me that they were people inside. Now that she is nine, she won't hear anything about them not being real. Go figure!

 

[aluckyduck]

I blew it for my dd one day. I think she was 5 and I said, 'When you're grown up, you can be one of the princess too!" Her eyes got big and she said, "they aren't real?" I tried to fix it, I don't remember how, and she acted liked she believed me. . . but I don't think she did! I felt so bad!!

 

[KeKy4]

My kids (5 & 7) know it's a costume but that doesn't mean it kills the magic. They still love seeing and saying hi to Mickey and Minnie and the other characters. I don't think that's what they're thinking about when they see the characters, even though they know.
It's definitely still magical!!!

 

[KeKy4]

Oops, duplicate!

 

[Darkbeer1]

I have been lucky enough to know the original "Friend of Mickey" that Walt hired when opening Disneyland (Main Media character), an amazing guy away from work....

I also got to meet the voices of Mickey and Minnie multiple times, Wayne Allwine and Russi Taylor. Someone pranked me, and I came into a meeting room, and we were discussing business, when out of the blue, Mickey started talking, and then Minnie responded. talk about "What the Heck" moment..... Everyone else knew what was going on, and the laugh was on me. But WELL worth it. Got to meet them a few more times. Shame that Wayne has passed on.

But the BEST prank puled on me (Disney related) was that I was requested to head to Club 33 for a special event (I know, tough life...) and that I needed to be a "date" for one of the guests. (aka Host for an invited guest), so sure. So it was another set up, as my date was Margaret Kerry, the original Tinkerbell (the model that Walt used). So here I am at the head table sitting next to one of the most wonderful people I have ever met, we still are in contact with each other, and my wife isn't even jealous

A good SeaWorld story, the first time my wife went with me to SWSD, I arranged to get special access as a treat. Little did I know they had a character planned to give me grief, but treat my wife with love. I had to laugh when the "friend" sat down at lunch and said he got me good! Also, I got to know Mark Wenzel as a teen. (He was known as Lagniappe the Mime at New Orleans Square).

As for being on the other side, I have been Bud Man, a monster at Knott's Halloween Haunt, a St. Pauli Girl (don't ask, it was a very strange promo), a friend of the Famous Chicken, and even a friend of Woody....

But then again, how many folks can say that Snoopy was part of their wedding party.