Disney Character Question

[BarbaraK]

Hi:

My 6 year old niece just asked me "Is there a person insde the character costumes"? How do you answer this question. I just changed the subject but I'm sure the question will be raised again. What do I say!!!! Please help I don't want her to loose the magic that is Disney and especially the Disney characters.

Thanks,

Barbara

 

[rt2dz]

We haven't gotten there yet, but I've thought about it. My first response would be to ask "What do you think?" and then "How do you feel about that?", if necessary. My personal policy is not to lie to my kids. I would explain if they said it is a person in there about how it is magic and part of pretending, etc. I would let it go completely if they said they thought the characters were real. I may not lie, but I'm not going to burst any bubbles either.

NOTE--Make sure though you explain how not to ruin it for others who still believe--siblings or just other kids in the park.

PS--Santa IS real.

 

[Biscuitsmom31]

Tell the truth. Being lied to is not "magical". Just my opinion.

 

[F1Julie]

Don't worry about them losing the magic. My DD5 knew the characters were just people from her first trip at 3 1/2. I didn't tell her, she just always seemed to know. She still loves the characters and finds it fun to see the different face characters and compare them. She'll say, "I liked the Cinderella we saw the other night better. She was nicer."

 

[Dizneydaz]

I don't remember when my DD (almost 6) knew there were people inside-I think I may have told her when she was younger (maybe 2 or so) so she wouldn't be afraid of them. So basically she's known for as long as she can remember. She still gets excited, especially with the princesses!

I like what rt2dz said-maybe ask her first what she thinks and go from there.

32 days and counting!

 

[BarbaraK]

Thank you so much.

Barbara

 

[rt2dz]

Tell the truth. Being lied to is not "magical". Just my opinion.

Just in case what I said didn't come off clearly... I WOULD NOT lie to my children. I don't tell them they are real (not a person in a suit); I let them believe for as long as they want. When they ask, if they ask, I will let them make a decision and leave it there. IF they say it is a person, I most certainly would let them know they are correct. And that pretending that they are real is part of the fun, aka "magic". And they are not allowed to blow it for other people, that is just plain rude to make decisions for other parents/children. That to just go along with the characters being real is part of being around the characters. It's all about FUN.

 

[vacationsareamust]

[QUOTE=Biscuitsmom31]Tell the truth. Being lied to is not "magical". Just my opinion.[/QUOTE]

We were in WDW in July. Dh had asks several cm how long can they stay in those costumes. Their reply was What costumes. He couldn't get a straight answer. I guess they are sworn to secretcy(sp?)

 

[JenDaveBrendan]

My son (5 yrs. old) has always been afraid of charactors.... I told him that it was just a person in a costume, and it made him feel better.....don't know if this is terrible or not.......

Jen

 

[angiedora]

Tell the truth. Being lied to is not "magical". Just my opinion.

Off topic, sorry. You just triggered a memory......I remember when I found out about Santa at 6yrs. I was shocked and dismayed. I actually asked my parents, "How could you lie to me?" For some kids it's a big deal. So, I never played up Santa with my kids. We have presents waiting for them wrapped on Christmas morning and they love to 'pretend' about Santa, but I have never said Santa is real. When my DD was 5 she went on a search for info and learned all about Saint Nicholas. She taught her little bro. all about who the real Santa was. They are 8 and 10 and still enjoy Christmas just as much I'm sure. I would never tell anyone that they were doing harm by sharing Santa with their children. It's a personal choice. Sorry for going off topic, I just wanted to share my experience.

 

[AnaheimGirl]

My son (5 yrs. old) has always been afraid of charactors.... I told him that it was just a person in a costume, and it made him feel better.....don't know if this is terrible or not.......

It's not terrible. You know your own child best and only you can decide whether he should know or not. If it made him feel better, it was definitely the right decision.

My daughter was like your son. She enjoyed the characters much more after she learned they were just people wearing costumes. She was 4.

 

[marathonmommy]

Don't worry about them losing the magic. My DD5 knew the characters were just people from her first trip at 3 1/2.

I agree with F1Julie. My DD knows. I told her when she was 2 or 3 and never really thought whether or not it was the right thing to do - she was afraid with characters that did not have "human heads". Now she knows, but she hasn't lost any of the excitement. She is 5 now, and when she meets them she still acts as if they are real!

I know there are people in them, and I get excited to see them, so why shouldn't she?

 

[Zoesmama03]

I'd tell her.

I'm 26 and still feel the magic though I know someone is under the costume.

 

[3DisneyKids]

Agreed...we don't lie to our kids...about Santa or the Disney characters. But, we don't go out of our way to tell them it is just a person in a costume either...we let them figure it out and sort it out they way they want/need to. We are in the same boat though---they haven't asked yet and will eventually (though kids on my son's kindergarden class told him they were just people in costumes but he chose not to believe that).

We have a friend who "justifies" telling her kids that the characters are "real" because only the "real" Mickey is at Disney..everwhere else it is pretend. The justification comes in because in a way this is true...you can't rent a Mickey costume that looks anything like the "real" Mickey. And even in the town of Celebration, they have to call them "Karacters" because of copyright issues. Thus, the real Mickey is at Disney. This is a bit of a stretch for me, but it works for her.

 

[undertheseas]

I agree with the idea of asking the kids what they think. My kids asked me last year and I said "Oh I don't know, what do you think?" They decided the ones in costumes aren't real and the face characters are LOL! And they are still anxious to see Captain Hook, Pluto, Mickey and the rest of the gang. Heck, so am I!