Question about kids and face characters...

[Kayla's Mom]

Ok, I am curious...I have a pretty observant 4 year old, what do you do when you see a character (say Cinderella for example) on one day of your trip, then the next day see Cinderella again, but it's a different person playing Cinderella. What do you tell your child when they tell you that Cinderella is different?

I am thinking even if this doesn't happen on our trip, when we get home and look at pictures from different trips, I know my DD will notice then. Not a huge deal, but just wondering what you guys tell your kids.

 

[Alex2kMommy]

We are taking our first trip in September, so I don't really know how others handle this. My DS5 seemed a little nervous about meeting the non-face characters, so I told him they were just people dressed in costume, like Halloween. Then I read all these posts where people do everything they can to "keep the magic alive" and let their kids believe they're real...Oops!

So my son will be fine, I think, and don't worry; I will caution him not to tell any other kids (including DS2) about the characters!

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

LOL Well thankfully I haven't had that exact problem because my son doesn't really want to see the Princesses. BUT he did notice two years ago that Pluto's tongue is plastic. Oh man! I didn't say too much about it, just "oh really? You really think it was plastic?"

BUT, a phone call from Mickey right before we left this year brought back the magic of believeing for him. Eventually they'll figure it all out. I'm pretty sure my son doesn't think they are real anymore. And more or less just pretends for my sake! LOL

 

[jmuccio]

I told my kids also - oops! - but this knowledge did not detract from their magic. Enjoy your trip!

 

[SamIAm21]

Yeah, that's problematic. It happened to us, but not with the princesses. We attended the Birthday Party that is held everyday at the Plaza in DL. The Master of Ceremonies is Pat E. Cake. Well, the next day we saw Mr. Pat E. Cake dressed as a Prince (or princess' escort) at Ariel's Grotto in DCA. My daughter said Hi Pat E. Cake! He just looked at me. He tried to come up with a story that Pat E. Cake is his twin, but my daughter (6 y/o) looked at him and said "nice try". That later prompted a question of well since all the characters were at Disneyland in California, were there no characters at WDW at that very moment???

I told her they must really rack up some serious frequent flyer miles. Now she wants to fly on the airline they use!

 

[minnietoo]

why not just be honest?

 

[hlbtimes2]

We've never had that problem. They do a pretty good job of making them up to all look pretty much the same.

My 4 year old exclaimed one day that they are just people in suits/ costumes. His big sister (then 7) said "you can't say that! Even grown ups aren't allowed to say that". In other words, they both know the truth- it just isnt talked about. I have a feeling many kids go along with us keeping up the magic just so they dont have to break it to us crazy adults that its not real. :lol

 

[Kayla's Mom]

why not just be honest?

It's not that I don't want to be honest, and if my daughter flat out asks me if they are just normal people dressed up---I would tell her the truth. But being that she is only 4, I just thought there might be a cute response to give her other than going into, well... the truth!

 

[SamIAm21]

I'm not telling my daughter the truth until she's 42!!

I just don't want the magic to end just now. My DD is really into Tinker Bell and we've been reading the Fairy Collection of books. It says in the book that Fairies die when people stop believing... Megan breathlessly said one evening while reading before bed, Mom, I'm never going to stop believing...


YES!!!

 

[Dis Ohana]

When my daughter was about 4, we took her to visit the Easter Bunny at the mall. He was dressed in a full bunny suit with a mesh space in the mouth area for him to talk and breathe. As I waited off to the side, I noticed that she was becoming increasingly distressed as she sat on E.B.'s lap. She came running over to me and said, "Mommy! I think the Easter Bunny ate someone! I could see a man's face in his mouth!" That pretty much ended the whole Easter Bunny experience for her!

 

[Alex2kMommy]

SamIAm21, that's so sweet!
Dis Ohana, that is hilarious!!!

Well, everyone has to do what is comfortable for them and theirs. DS5 does still believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, thank goodness. And I would love it if he suspends his disbelief in the characters while we're at DL. I just didn't want him to be afraid ~ I can just see the horror on Dis Ohana's DD's face when she thought the EB had eaten a full-grown man! Poor baby...(Sorry, can't stop laughing!)

 

[GoofieRuthie]

I've never told my kids the characters were "real" and never told them they weren't. Kids are pretty smart. It didn't take mine long to realize that there was a different Santa in every store. Not to mention that some of them had blue jeans and tennis shoes on under the outfit. I am an adult and know that they aren't real, but it doesn't keep me from squealing with delight when I see one of them. I think as long as it isn't made a big deal, they will always "feel" that they are real.

OP, you could always tell her that the "real" Cinderella is very busy or tired, and can't get out to see every single guest, so she has helpers. Kind of a spin on the "Why are there so many Santas?" question.

 

[Dale-n-Chip]

I like GoofieRuthie's response. I think I might follow that with, "If you got to be Cinderella for a day, how would you behave? What would you do with all the kids at Disneyland?" etc. Actually, that might be a fun conversation to have, after the initial shock wore off that my kid didn't believe any more. . .

mk

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

why not just be honest?

For us it isn't about being dishonest or honest. It's about fun, make believe, imagination...Just like Santa and the Easter Bunny. I realize a lot of people don't do these things with their kids these days. But we've greatly enjoyed having that extra magic with our son. Once they get old enough they figure it out, and no harm is done.

I believed it was Mickey Mouse when I was a kid, just as I believed Santa came to my house Christmas Eve. It was a lot of fun, and some of my best childhood memories. I certainly wasn't mad at my parents, I never felt like they were being dishonest. I'm thankful they gave me a wonderful childhood, full of imagination and magic. Which is what Disneyland is to us. Otherwise it would just be another park with rides. To each their own there, but I don't agree that it's being "dishonest" at all.

 

[Alex2kMommy]

When I was four, an older friend told me that there was no real Santa, and that her dad was going to play Santa at the company Christmas party. I was crushed, and asked my mom if it was true. She said, "What do you think? I don't know for sure, but I would like to believe he's real." I wasn't too sure after that, and I do remember this clearly: I went to that company Christmas party with my friend and her family, and in front of The Big Man himself, I completely believed.

And I still believe in the spirit of Santa Claus, the wonder of make-believe, and the magic of Disney. Allowing children to believe, or even pretend, is not lying, it is part of the beauty of childhood.

 

[Dis Ohana]

Every Christmas I go out of my way to make it seem as though Santa has visited our house the night before. We sprinkle homemade reindeer food outside, bake cookies for Santa and leave it with a glass of milk. My DS (13) and DD (11) still write a note to Santa telling him all that they are grateful for. After they are in bed, I run around like a nut to make things ready. When they wake up there are presents from Santa and a special letter for each child. Do they still believe in Santa? Of course not. But they do believe in the magic of Christmas!

 

[Kayla's Mom]

Thanks so much everyone, for the replies and cute stories! I am glad there are other people out there like us that still like to keep the magic alive!