OK folks...seriously

[FlowersChild]

I don't do it, but it wouldn't bother me to see it happening. I mean, who cares! If it makes the person happy then who the heck am I to disapprove. I would just figure they have their reasons and it's really none of my business. Everyone has their oddities.

That was VERY VERY VERY well said

 

[barbeml]

Well...we have a small stuffed Gossamer (from the Warner Bros. cartoons) who is our travel mascot. We have never taken him into a theme park, but we do photograph him at landmarks and hotels, sort of like a "Where's Gossamer" thing. My nephew gets a kick out of looking at the pictures and trying to figure out where he is.

Gossamer also comes in handy when unhappy kids are seated behind us on planes. We just make Gossamer peek over the seat and that usually diverts the kid(s).

But I know he's not real.

 

[Liberty Belle]

Yes, apparently they do. I never have, but think it would be fun to have a little mascot to take pictures of (a la the stuffed crocs/alligators on this board).

I've heard of more than one person who takes stuffed animals and / or dolls into the parks. One person does it just to have fun (sort of as a companion), another treats it very much like an infant and might possibly not realize it's not a living thing.

The way I look at it, as long as you're not hurting anyone, whatever gets you through the night.

 

[wendy46001]

We take pal mickey drinking around the world....he tells lame jokes and giggles so he fits right in with the group...

But no basically if we win something at AK...that is the only time we carry something around

 

[wvjules]

I'm not referring to Pal Mickey or someone carrying their childs toy. When someone treats their stuffed animals/dolls like a real live person all the time, I see it as an odd behavior. I know it doesn't bother me or prevent me from having a good time, but still....

 

[Fitswimmer]

I have the Pal Mickey and some days he comes to the parks with me and some days he doesn't. I usually like to have him around in AK and Epcot because I've actually learned something from what he says there. He's been a help with lines in MK on occasion as well.

To each his own-if taking pictures of stuffies and dolls on vacation makes you happy, fine. It's not hurting anyone else.

 

[FlowersChild]

Dolly has been to WDW with us twice now. I'd bring her again but she won't go unless we find her Mickey ears and dang if I haven't lost 'em!!

Tarzan came with us once and NEVER AGAIN. He wouldn't sit still for pics....what a PITA he was!

I've also brought a little blue plastic cow but he kept trying dangerous stunts so I decided he'd have to spend the rest of the trip in the room. Bad moo! Bad cow!!

DisMN you are Awesome and you know how to have fun in life

 

[Crankyshank]

I think it depends on the situation. My friend was bummed out she couldn't go to WDW with us so I brought her favorite Stitch beanie and carried it in my backpack and posed him in a few places to make my friend laugh. He stayed in my bag pretty much the whole time. I'm not very good with carrying stuff

I think carting around something non Disney related to the parks is odd, especially when you actually are holding it the entire time. But like I said- it depends on the situation. It can be cute, funny, or even creepy.

 

[WINTER]

I'm not referring to Pal Mickey or someone carrying their childs toy. When someone treats their stuffed animals/dolls like a real live person all the time, I see it as an odd behavior. I know it doesn't bother me or prevent me from having a good time, but still....

I'm with you; it just ain't right!

 

[JunieJay]

I met a couple from another board who took a doll around with them to all the parks (and maybe they took the doll around when they were at home, too). They seemed like perfectly normal people, but I did find it a bit odd because the doll was like their daughter. They always got a separate seat for her and treated her like she was a person. I never did get past my initial confusion over this doll, I have to admit.......

 

[Blondy876]

Seems to me like a very odd thing to do unless you are 5 but to each his own I guess.

 

[mickeyfan2]

I met a couple from another board who took a doll around with them to all the parks (and maybe they took the doll around when they were at home, too). They seemed like perfectly normal people, but I did find it a bit odd because the doll was like their daughter. They always got a separate seat for her and treated her like she was a person. I never did get past my initial confusion over this doll, I have to admit.......

I bought my friend, who has mental problems and others too, a BAB. She started to carry it with her when she went out. As a friend I pointed out that it was not the best idea. She was treating it like her child. Eventually she saw that is was best to leave Tinkerbell home. She was getting odd reactions from others, so she was not hurting nobody. She was hurting herself socially and possibly putting herself into a situation that could have resulted in a person doing something to her.

 

[FlowersChild]

Dolly has been to WDW with us twice now. I'd bring her again but she won't go unless we find her Mickey ears and dang if I haven't lost 'em!!

My little Norway doll wants to meet your little Dolly So when we meet in DisneyWorld we could take photos of our dolls meeting eachother

 

[U2_rocks!]

I've never taken a doll or stuffed animal, but I did take Paul the Penguin once! He was basically a flat Stanley type of thing (school project) - a penguin cut out of glossy paper that was supposed to travel around to different places and have pics taken of him and a trip report written. A friend from Virginia sent him to me, and when I received him I was about to go on a business trip to Orlando, so on the spur of the moment I took him with me! I did one day in 3 parks, and I took a pic of him in front of each park, and I got a pic of me holding him with Chip and Dale! The character handlers and Photopass people got a kick out of it!

I sent Paul back with 2 trip reports and cool pictures - one set from Barbados and one from Disney World!!

 

[Fitswimmer]

I bought my friend, who has mental problems and others too, a BAB. She started to carry it with her when she went out. As a friend I pointed out that it was not the best idea. She was treating it like her child. Eventually she saw that is was best to leave Tinkerbell home. She was getting odd reactions from others, so she was not hurting nobody. She was hurting herself socially and possibly putting herself into a situation that could have resulted in a person doing something to her.

Now, see I think that's sad. I don't think that it's anyone else's business and those people who were giving her "odd reactions" should have MYOB. If having the Tinkerbell with her made her feel better, then she should have it.

 

[JunieJay]

I bought my friend, who has mental problems and others too, a BAB. She started to carry it with her when she went out. As a friend I pointed out that it was not the best idea. She was treating it like her child. Eventually she saw that is was best to leave Tinkerbell home. She was getting odd reactions from others, so she was not hurting nobody. She was hurting herself socially and possibly putting herself into a situation that could have resulted in a person doing something to her.

Well these people weren't mentally ill or delayed or anything. They were a very normal couple who had a slew of grandchildren and a perfectly "normal" life, save the thing with this doll. I really didn't hold it against them or anything, I just found it very very odd. I also want to point out that this doll was much more to them than something funny to place in strategic places and take pictures of it, this was truly like their daughter.

 

[Liberty Belle]

Before anyone speculates, I'd like to say that the person who I mentioned bringing the stuffed animal / doll and treating it as if it were alive does not post on the DIS (or, rather, I'm not aware that they do and I've never seen a post that would imply it were this person).

 

[mickeyfan2]

Now, see I think that's sad. I don't think that it's anyone else's business and those people who were giving her "odd reactions" should have MYOB. If having the Tinkerbell with her made her feel better, then she should have it.

Nope not sad. My job as her friend is to protect her and help her fit in socially in situations that she hasn't been able to. She has a normal IQ but gets depressed and suicidal. She regresses into a little girl at the start of her depression. Keeping her acting as an adult helps her mentally not regress into the child/depression/suicide spiral. So yes it is the right thing to do. Encouraging her to do anti social activities is not in her best interest.

 

[DisneyPhD]

I bought my friend, who has mental problems and others too, a BAB. She started to carry it with her when she went out. As a friend I pointed out that it was not the best idea. She was treating it like her child. Eventually she saw that is was best to leave Tinkerbell home. She was getting odd reactions from others, so she was not hurting nobody. She was hurting herself socially and possibly putting herself into a situation that could have resulted in a person doing something to her.

Very good points and well said.

When I do see a group taking pictures at places with something like the penguin or another object like that I often think it is a project a long the same lines as U2rocks is talking about.

I know when I taught preschool the kids would take a bear home with them and take it places and tell us stories and pictures of what it had done.

 

[Philagoofy]

What's a BAB?