Help me make it magical for my kids...

[Excited1sttimer]

thank you so much for all the valuable information on this board. Im attemping to plan (im not a planer) for our trip to disney in April. In discussing our upcoming trip with my kids, ages 3 and 5 my 3 year old we were talking about the character breakfast we will be enjoying and i explain that the characters will walk around so everyone can meet them..my 3 year old said "yah!" stuck out his hand and shaking it said "and they will say HI NIce TO MEET YA!" and thats when i thought...Oh...how do i explain away the fact that the characters dont speak? obivously my kids are expecting them to speak...understandable since they speak in the movies/shows. So is there some little white lie or something to help with this situation? or do i just pray they ignore that fact? anyone dealt with that before? i just dont want to run into questions and be "duuuuhh....ummmm....well....." if you know what i mean. Thanks for any help to my some what trival problem

 

[candielips]

You could tell the kids that they are just shy or you could tell them to ask the characters themselves.

 

[AirGoofy]

The human characters will speak to them. As for Mickey and the other characters that don't speak, I'm not sure mine even were aware of that at those ages. And, my youngest (now 5) has to explain things to the 8 year old. I think they are just that mesmerized by the characters, and the characters will nod their head "yes" or "shrug" when asked questions. They will shake hands or give them a big hug.

 

[shutterbug3070]

I got this from the Mom's panel a while back and pasted it into my Disney notes so I would have it handy in case my ds asks. He will turn 4 the week before we go


WHY CHARACTERS DON’T SPEAK: HOW TO EXPLAIN TO YOUR CHILD IF ASKS
My favorite answer about why the characters don't speak is that the characters DO speak! They use hand gestures and body movements to speak so they have the ability to communicate with ALL children, regardless of what language the child speaks. Mickey doesn't want to upset a little one who maybe doesn't speak English by not being able to communicate, so a method of communicating is used so no one's feelings get hurt.

Another answer I have heard over the years is that the characters have to perform in a lot of parades and shows in their work at Walt Disney World, and when they aren't on stage or in a parade, they have to save their voices so they don't get laryngitis and are unable to perform in the shows. That would disappoint all the guests waiting to see them!

 

[momof1princess]

I got this from the Mom's panel a while back and pasted it into my Disney notes so I would have it handy in case my ds asks. He will turn 4 the week before we go


WHY CHARACTERS DON’T SPEAK: HOW TO EXPLAIN TO YOUR CHILD IF ASKS
My favorite answer about why the characters don't speak is that the characters DO speak! They use hand gestures and body movements to speak so they have the ability to communicate with ALL children, regardless of what language the child speaks. Mickey doesn't want to upset a little one who maybe doesn't speak English by not being able to communicate, so a method of communicating is used so no one's feelings get hurt.

Another answer I have heard over the years is that the characters have to perform in a lot of parades and shows in their work at Walt Disney World, and when they aren't on stage or in a parade, they have to save their voices so they don't get laryngitis and are unable to perform in the shows. That would disappoint all the guests waiting to see them!

this was my thought when i read the OP. I would simply explain that the characters meet hundreds of little boys and girls each day, and if they spoke to everyone, their voices would be SO tired after the first few kids, they wouldn't be able to talk to anyone the rest of the day, and that would be very unfair to those who didn't meet them early in the day, so they don't speak and use hand gestures instead, in order to be fair to everyone, and to make those who don't speak english more comfortable.

 

[katiebug86]

this was my thought when i read the OP. I would simply explain that the characters meet hundreds of little boys and girls each day, and if they spoke to everyone, their voices would be SO tired after the first few kids, they wouldn't be able to talk to anyone the rest of the day, and that would be very unfair to those who didn't meet them early in the day, so they don't speak and use hand gestures instead, in order to be fair to everyone, and to make those who don't speak english more comfortable.

That's a cute way of explaing it, but what if they come back with "Well Cinderella talks to me!"

 

[DisneyTravelers2008]

my kids never commented on the fact they dont talk and my daughter is the kind of inquisitive mind that would ask this kind of thing. Dont worry...the characters do a great job of communicating w/ body language....

 

[momof1princess]

That's a cute way of explaing it, but what if they come back with "Well Cinderella talks to me!"

that's a good point, lol, hmmm...i guess i would say that cinderella and the other princesses and their princes have the fairy godmother to make their voices better, lol. that soooooo sounds like something my DD12 would have asked!