Is ds too young for an autograph book?

[jacobsmommy]

My ds will be barely three on our trip in late June (he turns 3 on May 12). Will he be too young for an autograph book? Anyone have any good ideas on one that I can put together beforehand?

I'd like to think that I'm somewhat crafty and I'd like to do something special for him to remember the trip.

 

[MATTERHORN]

It really depends on the kid! I know I wouldn't bother with one for my DD3 as she doesn't really care to ever stand in character lines but my DD6 may be getting one on one of our next few trips.


Andrea

 

[abby]

The first time we went my dd was 4 almost 5. I bought an autograph book, because my kid is shy. The first day she would approach the characters and ask me to give them the book, she didn't want hugs and stood three feet in front of them for a pic. By the end of the trip she was running up to characters and hugging all of them.

If you are doing a character meal, it is a great way for kids to interact.

 

[godalejunior]

I think it is a great idea. I purchased one for my son that is 5 and I think it is a great way for the children to interact with the characters, especially if they are a little skittish.

 

[amw]

The first time we went my dd was 4 almost 5. I bought an autograph book, because my kid is shy. The first day she would approach the characters and ask me to give them the book, she didn't want hugs and stood three feet in front of them for a pic. By the end of the trip she was running up to characters and hugging all of them.

If you are doing a character meal, it is a great way for kids to interact.

My exact feelings. My older DD never feared the characters. My younger one cowered at our local park. So, she had an autogrpah book when we last went. She was 3. She did exactly as described above. She started with handing the book over, and then she would say to the character "now say cheese" take her pic, and then walk away without a hug

We purchased small sketchbooks from the dollar stores. The girls decorated the covers with their favourite Disney stickers. The characters signed on one side, and the other side I left blank. When we got home, I stuck the photos of each girl with the character beside each autograph. A great souvenir and memory book

 

[AZMickeyfans]

Both my kids are really shy and dd was afraid of the characters until she was almost 5. It was funny, Tigger bumped into her and she said "ooohhhh he's soft and cuddily" From then she wanted to see the characters. She would go to the princesses because they showed their face. We bought autograph books for her when she was young but I had to go get the autograph while she was screaming 30 feet away with dh. Now she HAS to have one.

Ds3 won't go near characters. He freaks out still. We bought one for him one time because he said he wanted it but when it was time to go up and get the autograph he wouldn't do it so dd had to carry 2 up with her at a time. Now we wont buy him one since he is afraid.

If your son loves the characters and you are doing meals with them I would buy one just to see. You're only out what 7 bucks if he doesn't want to do it. Or one of you can get the autographs and show it to him when he's older. If he freaks out first walking into the park when he sees Pluto then skip the book!

 

[MATTERHORN]

Ds3 won't go near characters. He freaks out still. We bought one for him one time because he said he wanted it but when it was time to go up and get the autograph he wouldn't do it so dd had to carry 2 up with her at a time. Now we wont buy him one since he is afraid.

This would be my 3 year old all the way. She loves and admires them from afar!!! I think like everyone has posted that 5 or 6 seems to be a really great age, but it really depends on the kid. And like you said, if they don't want to do it, you just bring it back with you on a later trip in a few years and you aren't out anything really!

Andrea

 

[Dukland]

My ds was 19 months the first time he went. He was a little shy, but man, did he want Buzz Lightyear's autograph!! I chased Buzz Lightyear all over Tomorrowland! When we first saw him, he was only dancing, and not doing autographs. Ds kept getting his autograph book from the stroller and running up to him, holding it out. LOL It was so cute. He could barely talk, but he could say "Buzz!"

So, it depends on the kid, but no, I don't think your child is too young.

 

[dizzyami]

I definitely wouldn't get my hopes up - you will have to see how he reacts to the characters. When DD was 3 she loved the characters and filled up 2 autograph books - but DS who was three last trip did not want anything to do with them - like the others have said - it all depends on the kid!

 

[jacobsmommy]

We went to WDW last year when he was two and he loved the characters. So I think he'll be fine. We just watched our WDW home video and he got so excited to see the characters again.

 

[honeymom]

Our son loved getting autographs at that age (actually 2 1/2).

 

[Alex2kMommy]

My DS (at almost 2.5yo) loved meeting the characters so much! DS6 was very shy at first, and wouldn't go up to them, so DH and DS2 would go, and DH handled all the autograph stuff while DS2 just gazed in admiration at the character the whole time, it was so adorable.

Once DS6 saw that DS2 was having fun and wasn't afraid or shy (and a mention of all the autographs and photos that DS2 was going to have in his book), DS6 decided he would do it, too.

They both now LOVE to read through the albums with photos and autographs that I put together for them. I'm so glad I did it, and I think it's helping DS2 remember the trip, and anticipate the next one.

Last night DS2 was oooohing at a commercial for WDW came on TV, and I asked, "Would you like to go back to Disneyland?" He squealed, "Yes!", hopped out of DH's lap, and ran out of the room asking, "Shoes?"

I feel kinda bad for him, had to break it to him that we won't be going back until the fall, poor kid.

 

[julia & nicks mom]

I have always made my own autograph pages for my kids - and I put each individual character on the pages

When DD was 3 - she started out a little shy - but then it became her mission to make sure she got each character autograph - Genie scared her but she would not let anything stand between her and his autograph -

DS3 - can go either way on characters - he is fine with face characters but not so much with the costumed characters - although Mickey, Minne and Goofy are fine - but he still loves to get autographs on the ones he does like

I put my kids names on the pages too and if we are celebrating anything special - it is a great icebreaker - and my kids love when the face characters know their names!! The characters always make a big deal over the personalized pages

here is an example of my pages - and I have a whole gallery of them - they are for WDW but I have them for DL too

http://s45.photobucket.com/albums/f57/DisneyShirtGallery/Autograph Pages/

 

[Zoemakes5]

My DD went when she was 13 months, and had no issues at all with the characters. She also went Nov. 2005, when she was 3.5 and had no issues. She went crazy for them! Might be a good way to ease him in during a meal, or with "face characters" like peter pan, the princesses, etc. In fact, Mary Poppins is requently out on Main Street.

 

[tracer]

DS was 2 1/2 and loved getting the autographs and hugging the characters. He also loved signing his own autograph from time to time on different pages! He loved having something to hold and his own swinging Mickey pen. This trip in Mach DS1 will be 3 1/2 and DS2 19 months and they both are getting one.

 

[jacobsmommy]

Julia and Nicks mom-

those are awesome autograph pages. How did you make those?

 

[AZMickeyfans]

I have always made my own autograph pages for my kids - and I put each individual character on the pages

When DD was 3 - she started out a little shy - but then it became her mission to make sure she got each character autograph - Genie scared her but she would not let anything stand between her and his autograph -

DS3 - can go either way on characters - he is fine with face characters but not so much with the costumed characters - although Mickey, Minne and Goofy are fine - but he still loves to get autographs on the ones he does like

I put my kids names on the pages too and if we are celebrating anything special - it is a great icebreaker - and my kids love when the face characters know their names!! The characters always make a big deal over the personalized pages

here is an example of my pages - and I have a whole gallery of them - they are for WDW but I have them for DL too

http://s45.photobucket.com/albums/f57/DisneyShirtGallery/Autograph Pages/

Wow very creative. How cute are those!!!!!! I'm impressed.

 

[jacobsmommy]

I definately am not computer savvy enough to be able to create anything like that, but my ds woud love it if I was!