Suggestion to get DD 18 months interested in Mickey and the gang

[goofy4wdw2]

We're trying to get DD (18 months) excited about the Disney characters before our trip next month. Any suggestions for movies with the classic characters (Mickey, Minnie, Donald, etc.)? We have old cartoons, but they they don't talk, and she seems to have no interest, and the Disney planning video we have didn't show the characters much. I've also tried Nemo, Little Mermaid, and Lion King, but she's not ready for a long movie like that. She loves Elmo, but I'm hoping to get her a little more interested in Mickey and the gang...also so she hopefully won't be afraid of them. We also do have the stuffed animals/characters, so we keep showing them to her. Thanks in advance!

 

[beth_cam]

How about fantasia and cinderella. I know cinderella II is done in 3 segments kind of like cartoon episodes. You also might consider finding ways to expose her to characters in costume so she doesnt get freaked out by them. And what about books books books. Picture books. Read along books on tape/cd. My dd watched full length movies from 15 months while playing (I know gasp I'm a horrible mother). Took her to the theater for the first time at 23 months to watch the Emporers new groove and she sat through every minute of it without getting up. But My son even with his favorite charcters was maybe 15 minutes at a time then off to other rooms or full attention to toys till he was about 2 and 1/2 or 3...except Harry Potter...turned it on thinking he'd lose interest and he wouldnt leave the room .

 

[MommyBoo!]

Not a movie, but the little ones seem to love the Mcikey Mouse Clubhouse show. Also, the sing along song dvds with the actual characters (non animated) really helped prepare dd3 for her first trip to see the characters when she was 21 months.

 

[pezheadval]

Also, the sing along song dvds with the actual characters (non animated) really helped prepare dd3 for her first trip to see the characters when she was 21 months.

I agree! I highly recommend the Disney Sing Along Songs videos that show the actual characters as you see them in the parks. There is Disneyland Fun, Campout at Walt Disney World, Beach Party at Walt Disney World & Flik's Musical Adventure (Animal Kingdom). There is also a Halloween one, too. They are great and get the kids used to seeing the characters as you see them at the parks.

 

[northriver]

I was having the same problem - can you believe disney merchandise for toddlers is so hard to find? Here are some of the things I did, DD is now 20 months and knows many of the characters. She knew about Pooh before we started our Disney immersion, lol.

We got some Disney plush characters at Walgreens for 2/$10, Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Dumbo, Stitch. I'm sure there are more but I went to every Walgreens in my city and those were the ones I found.

We have the Sing Along videos - those are great. We have the planning video and some older planning videos from years ago that we watch. I have heard there are travel videos of WDW, but I couldn't find any.

I bought some vintage Disney toys off of eBay. Also some small things from the Dollar Store, like a Tinkerbell purse.

I bought some little plastic disney figures on eBay - came all the way from Hong Kong! But they arrived in 8 days and the price was great!

Bought some Disney sticker books.

Bought all the Disney books I could find - not many in the stores

I know there will be all kinds of great Disney toddler toys at WDW but I was totally surprised that most of the stuff on the market now is geared to older toddlers and school age kids. Good luck getting your little one used to the characters! The planning video is expecially good for showing them how BIG the characters at WDW will be.

 

[staci]

I would definitely second the Disney singalongs, especially the Disneyland Fun. It is a little dated, but the kids dont notice, and it shows a bit of the rides and characters they will be seeing. DS watched it a lot before our last trip, and he had hardly seen any full length disney movies (he was just too little). He had a blast!

HTH!

 

[Honeymooner04]

My daughter likes Mickey Mouse clubhouse. I think she's starting to get into the characters. She just turned a year but already gets excited when I pull out her Mickey Mouse plate - that's recognition at this age right? I might have to try the Sing Along songs dvd, she loves to watch our vacation video.

 

[Princess Roo]

I agree Mickey Mouse clubhouse is great. (If you don't have the Disney channel, you can download episodes for $2 from iTunes to watch on the computer.)

Before our first visit with DS (15mos), we weren't letting him watch TV (mean parents - LOL!) so he hadn't seen much of the characters before, but he still liked them. Then, for the 2nd trip (21 mos), we had started letting him watch MMC sometimes, but he had entered his "shyness" phase and wanted nothing to do with them! Both trips he still had a BLAST!

 

[tadamom]

I recommend any movies with characters they will see in the parks and the Classic Cartoon Favorites movie collection. These movies are done in cartoon format (about 5 minutes for each one). There are about 10 of these and they have Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Daisy, Pluto, Chip & Dale. My kids love these!!! Here's a link to them: http://disneyvideos.disney.go.com/moviefinder/titlesaz/a-d.html Just look under "C" for Classic Cartoon Favorites.

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is great too!!

 

[MickeyMouseMomofSix]

My 4yr old and 2yr old sons have been watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse for a few weeks now and they LOVE it and have really been getting to know the characters that way. I highly recommend that show!

 

[tjmw2727]

I will second (or third!) the recommendation for the singalong songs on video or dvd. The Disneyland Singalong Fun really gets them ready for MK, my dd's even loved the Haunted Mansion due to this tape. We also had the one at animal kingdom and the beach party one. I think they would still watch them if we hadn't given them away to my neice and nephew

Here is the one we had:
http://www.amazon.com/Sing-Along-So...3-8627239?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1173714906&sr=8-1

TJ

 

[jjj444]

Another vote for Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. My son(2) loves that show and knows all the characters from it. I go to the local library everyweek or so and rent out the sing a long and any Disney movies they have. they also have books with the characters and there free.

 

[betsywdw]

Another vote for Mickey Mouse Clubhouse! DD was 11mos when we went last month and I started putting on MMCH every morning and when she saw Mickey she went crazy. I was shocked because I didn't know that she would really recognize them but she really did! Now she goes crazy anytime she she's one of the gang!

 

[disneymom2twins]

More votes for Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and the sing-a-long videos!! My DDs LOVE LOVE LOVE Disneyland Fun!!!! I just wish they were a little longer (and it was updated!)

I even bought the MMCH cd for the car. They dance and clap EVERY time they hear the beginning and ending theme songs.

 

[MyGirlLovesMickey]

Yup, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse did it for my DD. We did our first WDW trip when she was 20 months old, and starting a few days ahead of time, we kept asking her who lives at Disneyworld, and teaching her to say "Mickey Mouse" (sounded more like "Me-me Mouse" out of her mouth). By the time we got there, she was going crazy for every little Mickey symbol she saw there, and she has never been the same kid since. She LIVES for Mickey and Minnie now, and is super attached to her stuffed Mickey and Minnie.

 

[jenseib]

I vote Mickey Mouse clubhosue too. My DD 2 YO started watchng it a few motnhs ago, and just loves it. She was crying to see Mickey when we were there. She couldn't wait. She is a big Goofy fan too now.

 

[3mickeymom]

If I put this video on the television right now, my now ten year old can remember every word to every song. He even remembers the kids names from the videos. They are great. My kids loved them.

 

[akamom]

When my son was 18 months old, he was more interested in Lilo and Stitch, Buzz, and Winnie the Pooh than in Mickey and Mini. Now that he's 5, he's all about Goofy.

 

[goofy4wdw2]

Thank you everyone for all of your wonderful suggestions!! I started reading some Disney books to DD yesterday...I was thinking she was too young for them since they're pretty detailed, but she seemed to enjoy them.

Also wondering where you've bought the Disney Sing Along DVDs. Our Target doesn't have them, and Babies R Us only had the AK and Beach one. I really want the Disneyland one to start. I can order on Amazon, but I was hoping to buy one to use right away. Thanks!

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

The singalongs and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse work over here

We also show them footage of the year befores trip with the characters