Horrible start to our WDW vacation. 7rd old heart broken, DTD magic store closed

[ScarletFire]

I have a magic obsessed kid too. We were also frequent visitors to the DTD magic shop; loved it!! He's a senior in high school now; camp counselor in SC last summer. The magic tricks and more went to camp too. I understand your son's disappointment! It was a fantastic store!! Continue to encourage the showmanship; it blossoms into coolness.

You should take your son to the Boardwalk in the evening. The street performers are loaded with tricks; quite entertaining.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[Lynn57]

Live and learn. Looks like DTD isn't the best way to start your trip when your son really wants to be in the parks. I can relate, I need to be in one of the parks to really feel like I'm at WDW!

 

[Magpie]

When my son was nine, MVMCP was disappointingly un-fun, and afterward he bawled like a baby over not being able to find a Winnie the Pooh lunchbox at the Magic Kingdom, after seeing it earlier in the the week (it had sold out). Sometimes odd little things are really important to kids, and I felt terrible for him, just as you feel terrible for your son now.

Don't let anyone tell you there's anything wrong with the way you or your child feels.

On the plus side Disney CMs were able to save our vacation by tracking down a lunch box in a different park.

And you're absolutely right to head to Universal. If magic is your son's passion, that's the place to go! Make sure you take part in one of the many daily magic demonstrations, and budget for some pre-packaged magic tricks. They run about 30 dollars each (or more!), but they're awesome.

If it's not too busy, try hitting Olivander's a few times, too. If you stick your son near the front of the crowd and make smiling eye contact with Olli as he comes down the stairs, you've got a good shot at getting picked. And if you've been through a half dozen times without success, one of the staff at the entrance *may* be able to help you, if you ask very nicely.

 

[labattblue]

I'll take this opportunity to say how I wish they didn't remove the magic shop and penny arcade from Main St.

 

[CampbellScot]

my step son was also disappointed that the magic shop was gone. I think it's a great time to teach kids about perspective. Yes life can be disappointing but is a magic shop being gone worth more than say...ten minutes of being upset? No. probably not...especially when you are at Disney World on vacation!!! That being said, he has a right to his feelings. It just letting those feelings spoil all the other wonderful things he can experience while on vacation would be a shame.

I could say that your son's horrible start was ten times better than MY horrible start in which I was violently ill and spent several hours at the ER in celebration hooked up to an IV. At which point someone else could come up with something even more horrible than MY horrible start. It's all about perspective and learning to roll with those punches.

I do hope that your son does not give up magic and take up smoking cigars because THAT would truly be horrible.

 

[POOHsie]

I'll take this opportunity to say how I wish they didn't remove the magic shop and penny arcade from Main St.

I couldn't agree with you more. Did every square inch of Main Street have to be transformed into souvenir outlets? How about that little outdoor space that had the flowers? Now it's indoor space and part of the Emporium shop. Somehow, I don't think Walt would have agreed with "New Main Street."

 

[cfw213]

When my son was nine, MVMCP was disappointingly un-fun, and afterward he bawled like a baby over not being able to find a Winnie the Pooh lunchbox at the Magic Kingdom, after seeing it earlier in the the week (it had sold out). Sometimes odd little things are really important to kids, and I felt terrible for him, just as you feel terrible for your son now.

Don't let anyone tell you there's anything wrong with the way you or your child feels.

On the plus side Disney CMs were able to save our vacation by tracking down a lunch box in a different park.

And you're absolutely right to head to Universal. If magic is your son's passion, that's the place to go! Make sure you take part in one of the many daily magic demonstrations, and budget for some pre-packaged magic tricks. They run about 30 dollars each (or more!), but they're awesome.

If it's not too busy, try hitting Olivander's a few times, too. If you stick your son near the front of the crowd and make smiling eye contact with Olli as he comes down the stairs, you've got a good shot at getting picked. And if you've been through a half dozen times without success, one of the staff at the entrance *may* be able to help you, if you ask very nicely.

I didn't say there was anything wrong with the way her son feels at all, I'm sure he's very disappointed. But her post made it sound like it was Disney's fault that the magic shop was closed and their whole family vacation was completely ruined before they even entered a park. With an attitude like that and being angry enough about to post on the DIS, her whole vacation is going to be terrible!

I'm just tired of every other post on her being about how awful Disney is.

 

[eliza61]

Just need to vent. So we arrived and did DTD first. We were here last May 2011 and i think one highlight of the trip was the DTD magic store for my magic trick obessed son. Well today he was already mad that at DTD there were no rides ( he forgot its no theme park) and hot air ballon was gone( boy was I happy $$$). So I said we will go to the magic store and you can pick something out. We walked back and forth like 3 times looking for it, finally i noticed it's now a cigar shop. Poor guy was then done and balled like a baby.

Guess its time to buy his Harry Potter book and get to universal next.

Op, I wouldn't worry about it. Little kids emotions tend to run amok. throw in the super stimulation of disney and you've got uber potential for meltdowns.

 

[eliza61]

I didn't say there was anything wrong with the way her son feels at all, I'm sure he's very disappointed. But her post made it sound like it was Disney's fault that the magic shop was closed and their whole family vacation was completely ruined before they even entered a park. With an attitude like that and being angry enough about to post on the DIS, her whole vacation is going to be terrible!

I'm just tired of every other post on her being about how awful Disney is.

Very easy remedy for that. close the thread and don't read anymore or put person on ignore.

I think if you reread the first 4 words reminded us that this was a vent.

Usually vents are simply that, a vent or avenue to blow off steam. some thing didn't go right. I don't believe she said any thing about any thing being "Disneys" fault and I didn;t read that into the post.

I read a little boy had a meltdown because he was disappointed. which is perfectly normal.

 

[Magpie]

I didn't say there was anything wrong with the way her son feels at all, I'm sure he's very disappointed. But her post made it sound like it was Disney's fault that the magic shop was closed and their whole family vacation was completely ruined before they even entered a park. With an attitude like that and being angry enough about to post on the DIS, her whole vacation is going to be terrible!

I'm just tired of every other post on her being about how awful Disney is.

Funny, I didn't get that from her post at all, but then I don't recognize the user name and I wouldn't know if she's a habitual complainer.

I just know I can completely sympathize with having a sad child at Disney. Emotions aren't so easy to turn off in ten minutes and sometimes the only thing that helps is a good night's sleep. Not every day is going to be magical.

I'm sure they're having a wonderful time today - it was just a rough start. Me, I don't see myself ever going back to MVMCP after the time we had there. And I'm the first to tell people I don't think it's worth the money or time. But it didn't ruin my whole vacation, nor did it keep me from going back to Disney.

 

[andyman8]

Yes, what a horrible start. How will he ever recover.

Geeze, he's seven years old...

 

[JimS4210]

I'll take this opportunity to say how I wish they didn't remove the magic shop and penny arcade from Main St.

Agreed. I remember when I was a kid they had all of the old baseball arcade games and flip card viewers (not sure what you'd call them) right next to Casey's. They cost like a penny or a nickel.

Guess they had to take all of that stuff out to sell more t shirts and stuffed animals...

Jim

 

[natfrac]

I think it's about perspective. The thread title says "horrible start, 7 year old heartbroken". Not to sound cranky, but really, "horrible" "heartbroken"?

I recently asked my now adult kids why they never cried or complained on our Disney trips. Their reply was "becasue, we were at Disney". My kids so appreciated just being able to go to DL and WDW.

 

[eliza61]

I think it's about perspective. The thread title says "horrible start, 7 year old heartbroken". Not to sound cranky, but really, "horrible" "heartbroken"?

I recently asked my now adult kids why they never cried or complained on our Disney trips. Their reply was "becasue, we were at Disney". My kids so appreciated just being able to go to DL and WDW.

Sure they would say that. they are adults now. I guess my kids were abnormal, when we left the rides and they couldn't buy junk out of the souvenieer shops, they some times cried. At the end of the night if they could not get some toy or ice cream, they had melt downs. If you ask them today at 21 they remember fantastic vacations but when I want to embarras them I've got plenty of pictures of them screaming and kicking because some thing did not go their way.

I guess when they were young my kids did not know they were supposed to be appreciative. After a few arguments at the lego store, they diffently do not say "you know mom and dad, its ok that I can't get that lego, I'm just happy to be here". LOL. nope my 7 year old was definitely a "now" kid. all he knew was his every dream had come true when he walked into the lego store and the evil mom lady was putting a damper on his life.

 

[Magpie]

I recently asked my now adult kids why they never cried or complained on our Disney trips. Their reply was "becasue, we were at Disney". My kids so appreciated just being able to go to DL and WDW.

Are you sure you're remembering that correctly? My mom claimed for years that I was a "perfect baby" who "never cried" and she attributed it all to her stellar parenting. Then I dug up some pictures of me bawling my head off and showed them to her. She looked at them and said, "That was your father's fault."

And anyway, even if you actually had mellow, easy going kids who didn't cry or complain at Disney, that doesn't mean that children who do have substandard parents. It just means you got lucky.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Drama appears to be a speciality here

Closure of a shop is "horrible start" creating heartbreak. What happens when a ride breaks down? I assume the entire vacation will be ruined

 

[Leigha]

I can't tell. Is the OP still there? If so, I think this is a lesson in preparation and expectations. If something wasn't going to be as my kids might expect (in your case -the place we're going first has no rides, the balloon is gone, the magic shop you loved is closed), I reminded them before we left, before we got to the area and then pointed out all the great stuff and alternatives. Preparation and keeping expecatations in check are important to me. I still do it and my kids are 22 and 18! Have a better trip!

 

[ExpatDisneyLover]

I'm so sorry for your son and hope some magical memories for your holiday. Hugs and wishing you lots of !

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I can't tell. Is the OP still there? If so, I think this is a lesson in preparation and expectations. If something wasn't going to be as my kids might expect (in your case -the place we're going first has no rides, the balloon is gone, the magic shop you loved is closed), I reminded them before we left, before we got to the area and then pointed out all the great stuff and alternatives. Preparation and keeping expecatations in check are important to me. I still do it and my kids are 22 and 18! Have a better trip!

I can understand a 7yo getting upset at something like this. DH almost lost it once when he wanted popcorn in MK before 11am and couldn't get any!

But seriously.. he really did! I had to point out to DH that there were plenty of other great snacks to be had in WDW, and that he would most assuredly survive (ok... maybe I got a tad sarcastic)... But goodness knows that if I had joined him in acting like the lack of popcorn meant that the day/trip was ruined, DH would have COMPLETELY lost it!!

In all seriousness, I do think it's a matter of how we deal with the little/big disappointments whether on a WDW trip or any day. And I've personally found setting expectations - like Leigha said - to be absolutely invaluable... with our kids and with DH!!

 

[LockShockBarrel]

It sucks yeah...but I suppose I don't understand why there are so many people that get so upset when something goes away and they didn't know when it's so easy to look it up first. If something is that important to you, and knowing how Disney changes things all the time, wouldn't it be logical to check to avoid the disappointment when you get there? I'm not saying every single Disney guest would think to do this but if you're smart enough to join a Disney message board, you're probably smart enough to figure out how to find the rehabs and closures, or start a thread asking if something is still around. I will grant you that I didn't know about the magic shop and magnet shop until a few months ago, I don't think it was widely know, but the information was there for those who chose to look for it.