How upset would you be over this?

[Erin1700]

My DD who just turned 9 yesterday and who is in 3rd grade, came home from school in tears. It seems the librarian told them that Cinderella and MIckey Mouse and all of the Disney people are not real!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know Rachael is old to still "believe" but she did! Our next trip is 21 days away and she just got a new Snow White dress to wear!

I told her that they were real and the librarian probably meant that we could go into the library and search Cinderella and find 10 different versions. I reminded Rachael that they are fake everything out there.

I am so mad, I thought we at least had another year of believing!Oh and Rachael said "does that mean Santa too?" she was sobbing. I told her "Of course not!"

 

[Mrs.Toad]

I wouldn't be upset at all. But then, my kids never thought the Disney characters were real.

 

[KAMLEM]

I wouldn't be upset at all. But then, my kids never thought the Disney characters were real.

Ditto here, my kids always knew that it was a person dressed up and they have been going to WDW since the age of 3.

 

[scrapquitler]

I don't think you should be upset. I'm shocked that your daughter at 9 hasn't already figured out that the characters aren't 'real'.

 

[palmtreegirl]

I'd be upset but I wouldn't have told her they were real afterwards, I would've consoled her and talked about how she can still pretend they real etc...

 

[CathrynRose]

Well, I'm going against the grain. I would be upset.

They only 'believe' (be it Santa, The Easter Bunny, or Disney characters) for so long. You sure don't need (or expect!) an adult to ruin it.

Yes - OP, I'd be upset.

 

[Tink888]

Would I be mad? Yes. Would I do anything about it? No. As you said, your DD is 9 and in 3rd grade. It's just part of school/life. Kind of like when some idiot 6th grader decides to tell the whole bus (including the little kids) the truth about Santa.

The best thing you can do is put a positive spin on it with your DD, and it sounds like that's exactly what you've done.

Enjoy your upcoming trip! Nothing like being in the most magical place on earth to make a person forget about the naysayers.

 

[NHdisneylover]

If the librarian was responding spefically to a child having said they still believed and activly trying to dispell the myth, then I can see being a little perturbed.
If she was just teaching about the difference between fiction and non fiction (for example) and use the Disney characters as examples I think that would be totally appropriate.

 

[Jennasis]

I wouldn't be upset at all. BE it the librarian, or the smart-hiney kid in class, she was going to find out eventually.

FWIW, at 33, I still think the characters are real.

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

I'm sorry this happened to you.

It's a hard call as to if I'd be mad or not. If a teacher/librarian told my DS in 3rd grade there isn't a Santa I'd be sad. I realize we have very little time with this tradition left.

But Disney characters? We always told DS's (first trip when they were 5 & 2) that the characters were not "real". How can a cartoon person be depicted as a "real" person?? We always said it was people dressed up like the characters they love. It helped us explain many times why Dora couldn't come over to DS's house to play .

Maybe she just liked to believe in the magic of it all. I bet she didn't really believe that a 4 foot mouse wasn't a person in a costume.

 

[princess momma]

I might be sad, but not upset. I don't think my kids ever thought WDW characters were real. They have always thought the characters were fun, but they knew. I don't think many kids believe Disney characters are real and I really wouldn't blame the librarian for saying they aren't.

In my experience the older they are when they learn the truth about Santa, the harder it is on them. If the librarian had told a class of kids that Santa isn't real - then I'd have a problem.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

I would be upset, but really there is not much you can do about it. The librarian is not there to "fib" to children. They were speaking of fictional characters. I would be more concerned that you are continuing to tell her that they are real, and this could cause some major teasing for your daughter. I would be honest with her.

 

[mtemm]

my kids have never thought they were real, they know the characters at disney are just that, and it doesn't ruin the magic for them at all. now, if she had brought up santa, I would have been upset.

 

[mjkacmom]

If she debunked myths like santa or the easter bunny, I'd be upset, but I don't think most people would think that 9 year olds believed the characters at WDW are real. I couldn't even convince my twins the characters were real when they were four!

 

[vettechick99]

Well you had to know this day was coming. The fact that she still believed up until this morning is amazing. Just brush it off and if she brings it up again tell her WDW is a magical place, etc. It doesn't have to ruin the magic of it all (or her day).

 

[NikitaZee]

I agree - I'd be upset if it were Santa, but not the princesses.

 

[FireDancer]

Well, they are real. Santa is real. Mickey Mouse is real. All of the characters are real.

Sure, Mickey Mouse isn't a talking mouse that is dating Minnie Mouse. He is a symbol of an idea. Same goes for Santa. He isn't a guy up in the north pole breaking trademark, patent, and copyright law but creating presents with a bunch of green midgets that are the property of toy companies. He is the idea of charity and gift giving and a symbol of Christmas.

I still go to Disney World all the time and know they are real because I can touch them. It is just a different kind of real. Everything that isn't a 100% accurate representation of reality is fake. Heck, the impression most people have of the founding fathers isn't actually accurate, does that mean they aren't real?

 

[Erin1700]

OP here...

she is not the only kid in her class that still belives in Disney characters and I know she is old, but I just dont think an adult should be telling them that.
Rachael knows that the lady at Perkins is pretending to be Cinderella. She gets that people pretend, BUT she truly still thinks that when you go to Disney, that the Cinderella you see is indeed the real one. I kind of thought she knew about Mickey, guess not.
But this has all made her doubt Santa now.
Like others have said...I am happy we are going so soon so she can get caught up in the magic! I should get Cinderella to sign an autograph for the librarian "I am REAL!!"

 

[Mermaid02]

This day was coming- and it even came late for you guys! No, I wouldn't be upset (I doubt the librarian even KNEW she was ruining a fantasy) I really never thought that anyone over the age of 3 thought the characters were "real". I'm not saying that to be nasty. That being said, when I'm in WDW- they are "real" to me and I'm over 40! You guys will still have a fabulous trip!!

 

[princess momma]

I think the majority of people are not Disney lovers and wouldn't bat an eye at saying Disney characters aren't real.