Encouraging Character Interactions?

[itbesjaime]

Come December, I'll be going to WDW for the 16th time or so. I've been going ever since I was 8, and this is the first year that I'll be bringing my niece (9) and nephew (12). It's going to be their first trip so it's going to be extra magical. However, I remember as a kid being a little weary of the characters, in the back of my mind knowing that they were just people dressed up & pretending.

But my niece is very excited to meet all the different characters, and her brother wants nothing to do with them at all. How can we encourage him to meet all the characters, or at least go along with the facade so it doesn't ruin her experience?

 

[HopperFan]

I would tell him much of what you wrote here. Talk to him like an adult. Tell him many folks young and old love to meet the characters and he will see when he gets there. Young adults love doing selfies with them. Explain that it is important to his sister so will he help you make it a great experience/memory for her and play along. I think once he sees all the adults he will join in and if not, he is prepared to be an adult and help out. I'd also ask him about something he'd love to do and make that happen so he can see it's his trip too.

 

[Alesia]

Don't try to manipulate him - it will backfire every time. If he doesn't want to meet them, then leave it be.

It's completely normal for a 12-year-old boy to think that meeting Disney characters is the lamest thing imaginable. He may change his mind when he gets there, he may not.

 

[itbesjaime]

When he expressed disinterest in meeting the characters, he first did so in front of his sister. She's just excited to meet them.
In effort to prevent the whole thing from blowing up right there, I explained to him that we would have to get the characters autographs to come bring back and show his parents!

He responded with "Oh yeah, I guess I should get those."

I just don't want him to kind of groan while we're waiting in line to see characters. I'm sure he'll think there are better things to do with that time (like waiting in line for a ride!). I'm hoping once he gets there, he gets caught up in the magic of it all.

 

[Disney Khaleesi]

When he expressed disinterest in meeting the characters, he first did so in front of his sister. She's just excited to meet them.
In effort to prevent the whole thing from blowing up right there, I explained to him that we would have to get the characters autographs to come bring back and show his parents!

He responded with "Oh yeah, I guess I should get those."

I just don't want him to kind of groan while we're waiting in line to see characters. I'm sure he'll think there are better things to do with that time (like waiting in line for a ride!). I'm hoping once he gets there, he gets caught up in the magic of it all.

Does he have a phone? At 12 if he's given a park map I don't see why he can't ride something that's nearby why you two are in line for a character meet. I'm not saying you have to do that every time, but it might be a nice alternative. To me, it sounds like you're focusing a lot on character meets and I can understand why he might not be super excited about that, especially if you haven't asked him what he's excited to do.

 

[Disneylover99]

When he expressed disinterest in meeting the characters, he first did so in front of his sister. She's just excited to meet them.
In effort to prevent the whole thing from blowing up right there, I explained to him that we would have to get the characters autographs to come bring back and show his parents!

He responded with "Oh yeah, I guess I should get those."

I just don't want him to kind of groan while we're waiting in line to see characters. I'm sure he'll think there are better things to do with that time (like waiting in line for a ride!). I'm hoping once he gets there, he gets caught up in the magic of it all.

Meeting characters is magical to some, but not to others, especially if you have to wait in line. I would try to offer him alternatives like a nearby ride.

 

[MrsJamesPSullivan]

Just tell him what is expected.
I expect you to wait in line to meet characters with a good attitude. If you don't we'll have to go back to the room and miss a half day of fun.
A 12 year old is more than capable of understanding that.

 

[Alesia]

I'm sure he'll think there are better things to do with that time (like waiting in line for a ride!).

Honestly, I'm with him. I can think of a million things I'd rather do than spend my day waiting to meet college kids dressed in costumes. We will typically do a few character meet and greets over the course of a 9 or 10 day trip, but that's it. If I had someone insisting that I do tons of them, I think I would hate WDW. I just don't think they're all that much fun.

 

[Disneylover99]

Also, don't be disappointed if your niece isn't that into it either. Sometimes kids are gung ho about meeting characters and then after meeting a few, they start to lose interest. It may not happen, but it could.
Just go with the flow.

 

[Accident]

He's probably already had that type of talk with his parents when it was the age to know more about certain holidays. Is asking his parents to help prepare him not an option?

 

[DisneyWishes14]

When he expressed disinterest in meeting the characters, he first did so in front of his sister. She's just excited to meet them.
In effort to prevent the whole thing from blowing up right there, I explained to him that we would have to get the characters autographs to come bring back and show his parents!

He responded with "Oh yeah, I guess I should get those."

I just don't want him to kind of groan while we're waiting in line to see characters. I'm sure he'll think there are better things to do with that time (like waiting in line for a ride!). I'm hoping once he gets there, he gets caught up in the magic of it all.

You can't berate or force anyone to get caught up in the "magic" of WDW. Most 12-year old boys have zero interest in meeting characters. My 8-year old lost interest last year. You have only discussed what your niece is interested in doing. What would your nephew like to do? I would suggest alternating between character meets and things he would like to do. I do this with my DS (and my DH!) all the time! If he wants to ride Space Mountain and she wants to meet Mickey, simply say something like, "first we'll meet Mickey and then it's (insert nephew's name here) turn to ride Space Mountain". I just did this with DS8 because I really wanted to see Royal Sommerhaus and he had zero interest. The promise of a trip to the Japan store after meeting Anna and Elsa did the trick. If this trip is only about standing in character lines and getting autographs, yeah, you'll probably have a whiny 12-year old on your hands. I might also suggest a character meal or two so you can get some of these character greets and autographs under your belt in an environment where your nephew has something else to do.

 

[Sargeant Tibbs]

12 is a tough age...desperately trying to fit in and look cool. Meeting a bunch of Disney characters with your parents and your aunt? When other teenagers (who are also at wdw with their families, though that fact never quite registers) might be looking? I guarantee you are going to get a lot of eye rolls, slumped, resigned shuffles, and general acts of non-participation.

The pictures will be hilarious, though. Trust me. I hope you're investing in Memory Maker.

 

[georgina]

Just tell him what is expected.
I expect you to wait in line to meet characters with a good attitude. If you don't we'll have to go back to the room and miss a half day of fun.
A 12 year old is more than capable of understanding that.

Seriously? Punishment from your aunt because you don't want to meet people dressed up as characters? He's 12, not 5. poor kid. That will make for a terrible rest of the trip. I think he is due a major bribe to pretend, not threats.

 

[cruisingtwins]

Let him do something else while you take your niece to meet the characters or find a balance in the trip a couple of characters a day. I agree that a trip meeting characters all the time sounds like a nightmare to me and I'm not 12.

 

[Cinderella94]

I would also suggest asking your niece who her "must meet" characters are....if you mean exactly what you wrote ("all the characters,") you could easily spend the entire trip just hunting them down.

 

[bumbershoot]

Just tell him what is expected.
I expect you to wait in line to meet characters with a good attitude. If you don't we'll have to go back to the room and miss a half day of fun.
A 12 year old is more than capable of understanding that.

And a 12 year old is old enough to comprehended that an aunt and uncle cool enough to take him to WDW is almost certainly NOT going to ruin their own trip to sit in a hotel room.

Honestly, I'm with him. I can think of a million things I'd rather do than spend my day waiting to meet college kids dressed in costumes. We will typically do a few character meet and greets over the course of a 9 or 10 day trip, but that's it. If I had someone insisting that I do tons of them, I think I would hate WDW. I just don't think they're all that much fun.

Yes yes yes and more yes.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

My kids have always had choices on Disney trips. One was scared of characters at first but grew to like them in his own time. One never warmed up to them. Both were a little slow to like scary or wild rides. They love them now, but one still doesn't like to go upside down (he's 21 now). Neither were ever forced, cajoled, coerced or required to do anything on a Disney trip. They made their own choices. It's a vacation and is supposed to be fun and relaxing. There are many times in life when kids do not have the freedom to choose. There are things they are required to do. Whether or not they spend their vacation meeting characters should not be one of those things.

 

[muenginerd]

Does your niece believe those characters are the real characters?

Honestly, for our family bribery worked best. My Aunt and Uncle promised my cousin the toy he wanted for Christmas if he didn't let on to his little sister that Santa wasn't real. He did an awesome job selling "Santa" for the next two years to his little sister. Basically, because he knew he would get the toy he wanted if he didn't ruin the magic. Almost like he was getting paid to play along

 

[AMusicLifeForMe]

I'm seeing people here saying that you should talk to your nephew and ask what he wants to do. This is very important. I hear a lot of stories about families not having a good time, because they can't find that "common ground" in deciding what to do. Some people will go off and meet for lunch and dinner. Others will go along with everyone, but everyone gets a say in what they want to do (like one thing per person). So, I would talk to your nephew and ask which rides he wants to go on. I would also have a conversation with your niece. I would look at the My Disney Experience app and look for all of the possible characters you can meet in the park you are going to that day. Then I would ask which characters she really wants to meet then have some other characters as backups incase you have time. A lot of the meet and greets can get to 45-60 minute waits. It's important that both get to do what they want to do. Some meet and greets also have fastpasses like Mickey, Minnie, and Goofy in EPCOT. Mickey has an AMAZING meet and greet in the Magic Kingdom (Don't miss this one), but you can get a fastpass for it. If your niece wants to meet Anna and Elsa in EPCOT, get there early and do that one first. That line can get long. Olaf is in Hollywood Studios, and I have never seen that wait longer than 20 minutes. Your nephew might like getting his picture with Chewbacca and Kylo Ren in Hollywood Studios. Not sure if he is a Star Wars fan or not. I hope this helps.

 

[Amelia :)]

My daughter was much more enthusiastic about meeting characters at DLP once she had her autograph book, once she had started collecting signatures she saw it as a challenge and was always hunting for characters. But him a book and make it a mission for him