Scared of Costumes!!!

[bowmandanielle]

We are planning our first trip to Disney for March of next year. Its a surprise for our kids!! Our son will be 9 and our daughter 7. Our son is scared of costumes/characters. I have shown him pictures trying to get him ok with it and he has no interest what so ever in DW. We will probably still go and take it slow with him and not push anything on him. But was wanting some input on ideas to help him, my daughter it doesn't bother as much but we want them to experience Disney without melt downs. Help please.

 

[msmama]

It's fairly easy to avoid meet and greet characters if you want to. It isn't that often that you run into them just walking around (and if you do, they're usually on their way somewhere and only interact with those who look like they want to - or like grumpy dads or something).

There is plenty to do without seeing characters. (Now, if he's afraid of seeing them from a distance, then that may be a problem).

I would say that a 9 year old is old enough to know that they aren't actually characters, they are people inside a suit. My now 5 year old figured that out early and if you think about it, it is weird. We're saying, here, go get your picture taken with a strange person!! Not something you'd do everyday!

 

[foxxxy83]

Does he have a fave character from a Disney movie?? Maybe go and see his fave character if poss and maybe yourself or your other half could queue up first and be "larger than life" about whichever character it is... at end of day, worst case scenario is you make a fool of yourself looking like a big kid who just wants to dance and mess about with Mickey Mouse or whoever and him still be scared but he may just surprise you and get you to go back with him to meet the character. Just a thought.. it worked with my son when there was a summer fete on the park at the back of our house

 

[bowmandanielle]

Thank you for the little boost of confidence that we could still do it. He gets anxious in new situations so I am hoping that by at least the second or third day there he will be relaxed enough to enjoy it more. I never even thought to remind him that they are just people. The more I think about it the more I am thinking surprising him with the trip is a bad idea.... I should be preparing him.

 

[AJKMOM]

Thank you for the little boost of confidence that we could still do it. He gets anxious in new situations so I am hoping that by at least the second or third day there he will be relaxed enough to enjoy it more. I never even thought to remind him that they are just people. The more I think about it the more I am thinking surprising him with the trip is a bad idea.... I should be preparing him.

There are lots of Disney videos on Youtube, so if you decide not to surprise them, you could search there.

 

[henry72]

My DS has never liked the characters. He was 7 last time we went and wouldn't even stand near any of the Star Wars characters at SWW. We went to the Storybook Princess breakfast and he sat away from the area where the characters came by. When he was younger he would duck under the table.

I would definitely not surprise him with a trip and I would not push having him meet any characters. But he does need to be able to admire them from a distance. It can be done.

 

[lindsey]

I have been with my son, who did not like characters, and my niece, who was afraid. Both had good times at Disney without any interaction with characters. But I agree to plan and not surprise.

 

[mm1971]

We are planning our first trip to Disney for March of next year. Its a surprise for our kids!! Our son will be 9 and our daughter 7. Our son is scared of costumes/characters. I have shown him pictures trying to get him ok with it and he has no interest what so ever in DW. We will probably still go and take it slow with him and not push anything on him. But was wanting some input on ideas to help him, my daughter it doesn't bother as much but we want them to experience Disney without melt downs. Help please.

My DD was scared of costumes (and the Disney characters) from age 5-8. She has no problems now. She would not meet them or take pictures with them at all. Preferred to be as far away as possible. Funny story is a friends daughter was under the table when the characters were visiting at a meal last time we were there. Wouldn't come out until they were gone.

It's pretty easy to avoid the characters. They are in specific locations and do not walk around the park. Each has a "handler". Maybe you can tell your son that the handler keeps them in a certain place to make him more comfortable. To be honest, unless you are looking for them you will only see a few easily avoidable characters.

Just don't plan any character meals and everything will be fine.

 

[bowmandanielle]

Thanks! I will tell him and maybe with videos and talking he will be ok. No surprises! Looking forward to our first trip!!

 

[wiigirl]

There are lots of Disney videos on Youtube, so if you decide not to surprise them, you could search there.

 

[Megkel]

My daughter was terrified of the costumes. She is socially shy and normally wary about things she can't explain. We had no issues at all when we went to Disney World. Like everyone said the characters stay in a spot and easily avoided. However after the first trip she enjoyed going to meet the characters. You never know how they are going to turn around lol

Also some of the rides we wanted to do were "scary". We were sure to show her the YouTube videos of the rides before we went. She felt a lot better knowing what was coming. Also for the dark rides glow sticks can work wonders. We also had a rule that she should try ever ride once and then she could decide if she didn't like it she never had to do it again.

 

[bumbershoot]

The more I think about it the more I am thinking surprising him with the trip is a bad idea.... I should be preparing him.

It's a wise choice to make. As someone who did not care for characters at all (not even Santa, so my mom raised us without the Santa story) I think it's lovely for a parent to get it, and to not force them on a child. Back when I was in that phase (though truth be told I still could seriously do without characters at all) the characters roamed the parks (Disneyland, at least), and that wasn't fun.

But now they are scheduled. This site might help: http://kennythepirate.com/disney-world-character-schedules/

 

[MSSANDRA]

I certainly would not surprise him. I would fully include him in the planning and assure him that he does not have to interact with the characters in any way. Let him know that characters are a small part of WDW and for the most part, you have to seek out the interaction from them. Let him know that they may wave to him from a distance but he never has to go up to one. I assume he knows they are not real, but on that off chance he does not...tell him. Assure him that if a character comes up to greet him, you will intervene with a simple, "Bobby does not care for a hug, or hand shake or whatever". Most characters are very good at reading body language. Do your homework and know where there are lot of character meet and greets and avoid those places, avoid character meals and the parades, or watch from a distance if he is ok with that.
Focus on what he does like; the rides, shows, fun meals and it will be a great trip!