Terrible Mickey Interaction at Animal Kingdom

[my3boys511]

I think the order is important because that is how the kids are used to doing it. A 2-year old can't rationalize why Mickey is holding his book behind his back and a cast member is telling him to turn around, when no other interaction - out of probably 30 on this trip - works that way.

All Mickey had to do was sign the book, and the whole scene could have been avoided. But he refused, held the book behind his back, and kept trying to turn my son around for pictures.

I think you have every reason to be upset I over this. Disney vacations are all about"the magic"... not a control-freak Mickey Mouse. I think all of you criticizing are very rude. You have your right to your opinion, of course, but keep in mind that this is a very small child. No reason Mickey couldn't have just signed first. I agree that some children are just very used to routines and when they are broken they get very stressed. Not every child could just go with the flow. Sorry you had this experience.

 

[North of Mouse]

I think you have every reason to be upset I over this. Disney vacations are all about"the magic"... not a control-freak Mickey Mouse. I think all of you criticizing are very rude. You have your right to your opinion, of course, but keep in mind that this is a very small child. No reason Mickey couldn't have just signed first. I agree that some children are just very used to routines and when they are broken they get very stressed. Not every child could just go with the flow. Sorry you had this experience.

Wow, now we have Mickey as a *control freak"! Poor Mickey

It's almost as if you and some others think that Mickey and his handler did this deliberately, when it was probably how every other child was approached

 

[my3boys511]

Wow, now we have Mickey as a *control freak"! Poor Mickey

It's almost as if you and some others think that Mickey and his handler did this deliberately, when it was probably how every other child was approached

Not saying he did it deliberately, just don't understand how someone can watch a toddler have a meltdown over something that could have easily been avoided. Toddlers can be set off by the slightest things (and NO, it is not the parents' fault). Reading some of the comments on here are making me wonder about the type of parents some of you are? Someone wrote something about "training" your kids so this wouldn't happen! Really? HE IS TWO YEARS OLD, PEOPLE!!! Get a grip!

 

[Stitch407]

Can't both parties be wrong? Why do we live in a world where only one side is wrong? Mickey should have been more flexible and accomodating towards the child, but the family could have reacted to the change better.

Sometimes dessert before dinner is awesome! I just had cookies before I ate my subway sandwhich, but it was also my choice to do so...

 

[bumbershoot]

All that needed to happen was a signature, just like every other character interaction. However, at that point, after I asked Mickey to sign his book, the handler said, Mickey only signs after pictures. By that time, my son is sobbing, asking for a signature. A picture is worthless.

A picture, just because he's crying, would be worthless?

At California Adventure, when DS was 4, he wanted to meet Santa. We waited in line, we were the last allowed in the line, got nice pix taken, but the photographer said that he actually hadn't gotten them. He said we would be first after the break for a re-do, he needed to get a new camera and Santa would be back. We played around in the little area they had there, and in the excitement, DS fell and bonked his head, and was crying pretty hard. He was calming down and still wanted to see Santa, so when he and the photographer came back, he got up there for pictures. He had tears on his face, he still looked a little bit in pain, and he was more interested in telling Santa how he fell down than doing much of anything else.

Those pictures tell the story of that moment. I love them.

I think you should have had the pictures taken. It could have been good for all of you.

Well I disagree with most posters. I think it is pretty pathetic that when a 2 year old was crying saying, "please sign my book" Mickey didn't just sign it!!

I think that Mickey simply couldn't hear or understand the kidlet.

I can't understand what any crying 2 year old says, and I don't have big huge black ears for the sound to travel through first.

Exactly. It's hard enough to understand your OWN 2 year old, let alone someone else's 2 year old. It's like trying to understand Crush's son.

I agree! Why does a 2 year old need a dozen "Mickey Mouse" autographs? Just get one, or one per autograph book, or one per trip. We are not character autograph people though so maybe I don't get it.

I'm not an autograph or meeting person, and I don't understand it. DH and DS however, love doing the whole thing (I knew we were doomed when DS was 3 and met his FIRST character, Buzz Lightyear*, and saw the autograph books and wanted to get one), and they will meet the same character over and over and over. For me I would just want to compare signatures and see who did it better, but that's not their reasoning.



*Buzz Lightyear at Disneyland/DCA SIGNS! Be aware of that if you go to Anaheim, OP. It's different there. And you can imagine that we talked about that with DS ahead of time when we were heading to Orlando the first time, that Buzz does NOT sign out there. He didn't care; he's never gotten into a "this is the way it happens" thing with meeting characters.

I actually like the idea of photos then autographs. It would make it flow much better, IMO.

And my guy just keeps the autograph book with him; he doesn't hand it back. That just adds more nonsense time to the interaction.


Also OP, please never meet Jack Sparrow, OK? At least not until they are much older.

 

[Bubbles331]

Have you ever worn a costume like that? I have, and you can barely see out of it let alone hear well. My handler hand to lean over & speak loudly directly into my ear sometimes because I couldn't tell what was going on.

I haven't been in a costume, but your post gave me a giggle. He probably didn't hear the kids crying and could only see the tops of their heads. Mickey didn't even know what happened...

I don't think you should get to upset when someone has no way of communicating with you. Like others have said, you have no idea what was going on with the person in the costume. I don't think Mickey meant to be a jerk.

 

[Stitch407]

Not saying he did it deliberately, just don't understand how someone can watch a toddler have a meltdown over something that could have easily been avoided. Toddlers can be set off by the slightest things (and NO, it is not the parents' fault). Reading some of the comments on here are making me wonder about the type of parents some of you are? Someone wrote something about "training" your kids so this wouldn't happen! Really? HE IS TWO YEARS OLD, PEOPLE!!! Get a grip!

Yes actually you can very easily! I have a degree in early childhood education and two year olds are very capable of learning and knowing better. If everyone who had children had to take parenting and early childhood education classes, then I wouldn't have so many uneducated parents letting their kids act (I will just say not the way they should behave.)...That's the polite way to say it! People should have to get a license to raise another human being.

 

[smitch425]

Here is the part I have a question about...

"The cast member handler kept saying "Mickey takes pictures and then signs!" but that has never been my experience."

So did the handler state this only while your 2 year old was having a meltdown, or was it stated beforehand? You mention that they "kept saying it", which sounds like it was repeated multiple times. I cannot imagine that the handler would have been saying that over and over while your kid was crying. I am not sure why you would have removed both children without letting them get autographs and photos. From your post, it sounds as though the 2 year old was the one having an issue. Why did the 5 year old have to leave with nothing? As mentioned, it is next to impossible for mascot characters to hear much in those suits. My kids interact with our college mascot on a regular basis and it is virtually all by hand movements. If a two year old is crying and saying the same three words, but Mickey can't understand them the first time, what would make anyone think that repeating them will yield a different result? I am sure it was a troubling experience for your two year old, and no one likes to see their kid cry. Is your two year old still lamenting over this or is it just the adults that are still upset? I could understand your 5 year old being upset because I am sure she left there wondering why she got nothing out of the meet and greet when it was her sibling who made a scene. The thing about little kids is that they move on from things like this pretty quickly. Just wait until they hit 10. You'll be begging for them to be 2 again.

 

[North of Mouse]

Not saying he did it deliberately, just don't understand how someone can watch a toddler have a meltdown over something that could have easily been avoided. Toddlers can be set off by the slightest things (and NO, it is not the parents' fault). Reading some of the comments on here are making me wonder about the type of parents some of you are? Someone wrote something about "training" your kids so this wouldn't happen! Really? HE IS TWO YEARS OLD, PEOPLE!!! Get a grip!

You don't have to scream - just chill

 

[Baliezer]

Not saying he did it deliberately, just don't understand how someone can watch a toddler have a meltdown over something that could have easily been avoided. Toddlers can be set off by the slightest things (and NO, it is not the parents' fault). Reading some of the comments on here are making me wonder about the type of parents some of you are? Someone wrote something about "training" your kids so this wouldn't happen! Really? HE IS TWO YEARS OLD, PEOPLE!!! Get a grip!

That is why my two year old has parents. So I can teach her that she cannot get her way all of the time.

 

[YankeePrincess]

First World problems.

 

[meowmarie]

DH loves the characters more than the rest of us combined. On our trip we did every available M&G along with character meals. We saw the princesses at Akershus, then had dinner at CRT for Cinderella , went to France for Aurora and Belle. We saw Tinkerbell in the garden by POC then in by Tonys. This time he gets one or two says, then the rest is sans characters. We spent more time in line for Tinkerbell in MK than we did for any of the rides that day combined.

That's what I'm saying. I would stand in line for each character once, and if I saw them again at a character meal great. But would you do what you described above every day? Cause that's what it sounds like the OP is talking about. They waited in line for Mickey 3 days in a row. And I'm assuming it probably wasn't just Mickey. Like I said just curious, maybe people do this. No wonder the lines are always so long lol.

 

[smitch425]

Hahahaha!!!! You're funny!!! There is nothing "polite" about your post. Trust me I don't need a degree in early childhood education to be a good parent. Here's a tip for you...you can't learn common sense from a book. You think people should need a license to raise a child? Well I think ignorant people shouldn't be entitled to an opionion!!! Thanks for laugh though!!!! Lol. :-D

I see that you are new here, so there are some things you may not know about this site. First, EVERYONE is entitled to share their opinion here. Second, it is against board policy to call someone names. It can get you points which can prohibit you from posting.

to the boards.

 

[vcgirl925]

Can't both parties be wrong? Why do we live in a world where only one side is wrong? Mickey should have been more flexible and accomodating towards the child, but the family could have reacted to the change better.

Sometimes dessert before dinner is awesome! I just had cookies before I ate my subway sandwhich, but it was also my choice to do so...

This. 100%.

IRL, I teach my kids to go with the flow and that sometimes stuff happens. However, If I feel that service was not as I expected i would voice my concerns.

 

[meowmarie]

....you can't learn common sense from a book....

Sure you can!

Sorry couldn't resist lol

 

[Stitch407]

Sure you can!

Sorry couldn't resist lol

The post just made me laugh actually. You know the more exclamation points you use the more accurate your statement is.

 

[meowmarie]

The post just made me laugh actually. You know the more exclamation points you use the more accurate your statement is.

I know right?!!!!!!!

 

[Mom2six]

I agree! Why does a 2 year old need a dozen "Mickey Mouse" autographs? Just get one, or one per autograph book, or one per trip. We are not character autograph people though so maybe I don't get it.

Sort of a silly question...nobody "needs" even one autograph. But if the 2 year old wants one autograph a day, good for him, enjoy.

The characters were met always signed first and then took pictures. It would seem they do the autographs first, then the pictures for a reason - who wants everyone holding those books in a picture, or a character just holding his hands behind his back!

I don't see why Mickey wouldn't just sign the book - he did hide it behind his back, so he was aware there was an issue with the 2 year old wanting him to sign it. I don't see how it would have affected Mickey either way, really.

 

[rlilly79]

I'm sorry. Maybe I'm a bad parent as all of you are making me out to be.

My two year old son took his autograph book to Mickey, just like he has done dozens of times, including at Epcot the previous day and at Magic Kingdom the day before. The handler asked everyone to have their books out for signatures. Mickey took the book, and when my son asked for his autograph, Mickey shook his head no and put the book behind his back.

That will make a 2 year old cry. I intervened within 10 seconds, but the damage was done.

All that needed to happen was a signature, just like every other character interaction. However, at that point, after I asked Mickey to sign his book, the handler said, Mickey only signs after pictures. By that time, my son is sobbing, asking for a signature. A picture is worthless.

I didn't set these expectations. They were set by the hundreds of character interactions that my kids experienced before this one. My kids don't cry when King Louie can't sign their book. They don't cry when the characters stop at a table next to us at Chef Mickey's then leave for the dancing. They get that. This was different. Maybe I did a bad job of explaining. Maybe it was something you had to experience. But it was jarring enough for me to post because it was so out of the ordinary and affected my trip.

I get that you and your son were disappointed with the order of signature vs. Picture but really I would have to tell my kids to calm down or you get nothing based on YOUR (my childs) behavior, not Mickeys. I teach my kids that things dont always go as planned plus I don't allow them to feel that everything will have order. My youngest child is 2 and oldest is 13. We actually had an issue with Mickey at Epcot last month...he signed their books and took a picture, no interaction with my kids at all...I personally wish Mickey was "nicer" but my kids didn't even care, they were just happy to be at Disney. By the way your not a bad parent, which by the way just sounds even more like you wearing you feelings on your sleeve....who cares what people think and who cares what comes first... signature or picture, just be happy your at Disney and teach your children the same...some kids will NEVER go to Disney, much less have a chance for a picture with Mickey!

 

[smitch425]

I get that yoy and your son were disappointed with the order of signature vs. Picture but really I would have to tell my kids to calm down or you get nothing based on YOUR (my childs) behavior, not Mickeys. I teach my kids that things dont always go as planned plus I don't allow them to feel that everything will have order. My youngest child is 2 and oldest is 13. We actually had an issue with Mickey at Epcot last month...he signed their books and toom a picture, no interaction with my kids at all...I personally wish Mickey was "nicer" but my kids didn't even care, they were just happy to be at Disney. By the way your not a bad parent, which by the way just sounds even more like you wearing you feelings on your sleeve....who cares what people rhink and who carw qhat comes first... signature or picture, just be happy your at Disney and teach your children the same...aomw kids will NEVER go to Disney, much less have a chance for a picture qirh Mickey!

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess that you were typing this on some type of mobile device with an itty bitty keyboard.