My kids hate fireworks!!

[AngieWin]

We went to a baseball game Sunday and they set off 1 firework to start the game. Well that scared my 4 year old. Last night on the 4th, we had to sit in the car with the windows up and watch fireworks. We have 7 days in the park, starting tomorrow!! How can I make the fireworks easier on them? They love watching them and so do I, any suggestions?!?! Quickly?!?!

 

[dwaddict]

My oldest son was that way when he was little. At the MK try the back of Fantasy Land that way if it is to much you can hop on a ride, no lines at all!
We were worried about our DD(2) this May and we went back there, you don't get the full effect but maybe it well him get accustomed to them! Maybe also a special toy to help distract him! I know we spent a couple of times in the car with our oldest watching fireworks when he was little! Good luck and I hope this will pass!! Have a great trip!!!

 

[klinkprincesses]

Both my DD4 and DD2 are afraid of fireworks, too. For the fireworks show last night, I brought along DD4's FP3 player (Fisher Price's version of an MP3) and my IPod (for DD2) for them to listen to during the fireworks. It worked like a charm for DD4! She still sat in her daddy's lap, but she sang out loud during the entire 30 min show- and told me "this is fun!" and asked me if the next time she watched fireworks if she could bring the FP3 player again! It did not work for DD2, however. She curled up and went to sleep on my lap, with her hands on her ears and a blanket over her head. The music probably wasn't interesting for her. It was a last minute thought since we didn't have 2 FP3 players with kid's music. I'm thinking of getting another FP3 before Disney. It might be worth a try!

 

[smylie1]

You could stay for fireworks one night and if he's Ok then great! If he's still terrified, you can always leave the park before the fireworks. I know that's probably not what you would want to do, but better than havng him scared to death.

 

[JJ&JSMOM]

My niece used to love the fireworks but hate the noise so her uncle gave her a pair of headphones - I think they were stereo headphones that he plugged into his stereo equipment. They were old but did the trick-they fit completely over the ears and it muffled the noise.

 

[bzzymom]

My 3 year old hasn't been afraid of fireworks until this year. It wasn't the noise though. She thought they were going to fall and her and scratch her. I have a fisher price FP3 player as well and I would recommend that to anyone.

 

[PJinNYC]

Do not stand anywhere near where they are being fired off. If the kids like to watch them, then I am guessing it is the noise that bothers them?

My friend sent me a list of areas to avoid the loudest fireworks sounds. She said not to be in FantasyLand in the MK, and to stand back from the lake in World Showcase in EPCOT, and to just avoid Fantasmic in MGM because my DD hates the loud fireworks noises.

 

[LISAVWL]

DH and I were just at WDW in May and watched the Wishes show from the beach at the POLY. It was great! They have beach chairs all around -- get there early to snag one -- the music is piped in through speakers and the view is wonderful. My DS3.5 is terrified of the noise of fireworks too but loves to watch them. This was an adult only trip but we plan to bring him there in OCT b/c the noise was so much less. You can also go to the beach at the WL but I think the view is better from the POLY.

 

[Brook1099]

My son was deathly afraid of fireworks 2 years ago Right before they started we stood on the outside of MK right along the fence he had no problem with that its the noise that bothered him. Last year we brought ear plugs and ear phones but he didnt need them he said hes a big boy now!

 

[CampbellScot]

My step son is very noise sensitive too. He's five. Part of the problem though is that everyone around him feeds into it. They make all these elaborate strategies around his "fear". If everyone is telling him that he should be afraid, then he figures he has a reason to be. He's more anxiety ridden about everyone fussing over his "fear" than he is over fireworks.

last night he sat on my lap during the fireworks. he was getting a little worried about the noise. I told him he could cover his ears if he wanted to. He looked at me and said "I can? But then I can stay and watch?" He was amazed that he could fix the problem himself without there being a big fuss over getting him to a car or inside a house. We talked about the fact that a noise may be sort of loud, but it can't hurt you and the fireworks are way up in the sky and not close to him. So he covered his ears for a while...then he took them down and listened and said "That's not too loud is it?" Nope...not a bit. He watched with ears uncovered for the rest of the show and was totally fine.

We've talked A LOT about Wishes and the great music and how pretty it is. The music will be helpful in distracting him from worrying about the noise.

Sometimes giving the control to the munchkin is helpful. That's what worked for us!! That and he's a llittle older and able to understand what I'm telling him. When he was 3...different story!

 

[tweedlemom]

My 3 year old was terrified of the fireworks as well, but my 4 year old was not. We decided to leave the MK, and watch the fireworks from our resort bus queue (right in front of MK.) We could still see the fireworks fine, and if need be, I could have taken the three year old back to the resort quickly by hopping on the next bus and my husband could have stayed with the four year old then hopped right on the bus when they were done. It gave my little guy a sense of security, knowing he could just get right on the next bus and get out of there!

 

[familyfirsttimer]

Since you ar travelling to the world, I doubt you want to add more gear to carry around. I would suggest ear plugs. when my DD was 3 we asked the pharmacist for an earplug recommendation since some are not for sound protection. We put those in a few times and had absolutly no issues at all, she also sat on one of our laps or held a hand from the stroller. When we went the next year, we didn't bring them and she had no problem.
Earplugs are nice and small to pop in your backpack!
Good luck with whatever you decide