Toddlers and Movie/3D experiences

[lighttech]

We'll be taking DS 2.5 in a few weeks for his first trip to WDW. DH and I loved doing the "movies" when we went together a few years ago. (Esp. nice for a break from heat or rain). DS likes watching "shows" on tv, but he doesn't watch all that much, and he's never been to a movie theater. Since these are movies in the extreme sense, esp. the ones that squirt water or have vibrating seats and 3D glasses, etc., I'm afraid they might really scare him and I'm not sure whether or not to try.

Any thoughts/experiences or suggestions?

Thanks.

 

[GoinToDisney]

My dd loved Muppets and Philharmagic. We did not take her in honey I shrunk the audience or It's tough to be a bug. She like little mermaid, but not as much as the other 2.

 

[lighttech]

Thanks GoinToDisney! How old was DD?

 

[GSDRescuer]

DGD was 2 1/2 when we went to WDW. She HATED Philharmagic and The Little Mermaid. After those two, we didn't even try anymore shows.

 

[MandM-Mom]

Just Becareful with the 3D attractions, make sure they are fully aware it may be loud and dark. Knowing ahead of time what to expect will help. Muppets and Philharmagic will be great but Tough to be a bug might be a bit scary with large spiders and some realistic effects. My DD's did fine but I did huddle them up close for some points of the show. I jumped my first time watching the show so I know it could be a little scary !!

 

[DisneyCrazyX5]

If you try them start with Muppets, not Bugs. We tried "It's tough to be a bug" first last time and the boys (age five) would not do Philharmagic, and had to be talked into trying Muppets. They had done Philharmagic when they were 3, when their mom and dad were smart enough to not take them to "It's tough to be a bug"

 

[holden]

We had to leave Little Mermaid and Mickey's Philharmagic right after they started when DD was 2.5. We didn't try any more "movies" or shows after that except the one outside the castle.

 

[dydo2424]

hated the 3D movies. I think we started with "bugs" which was a HUGE mistake. We missed Philharmagic after that because she could read which attractions were 3D type shows and she refused to get near them. She still won't go to a 3D movie a year later. Philharmagic might be a good start. I finally saw it on a second trip that she wasn't on and I think she would enjoy it. Of course their sense of what is real and what isn't at that age kind of messed with her mind and her brother's who was 6 at the time. They were constantly asking if things were real in all of the attractions. Fortunately, no nightmares....

 

[ehrn]

In Sept DS 2.5 saw Philharmagic 3 times! He loved it. We did Muppets and Little Mermaid but that's it for movie type things. He had been to a movie theater but we left early because of his short attention span, not because he was scared. The only things that really scared him were--Indiana Jones show which in retrospect he was really too young for anyway...and as one of the night parades was starting we were unknowingly standing near a speaker and he was very sleepy, the music was very loud and scared him.
Have fun!!

 

[js092097]

We took my nephew (6 yrs) to WDW for the 1st time. I don't think he had been to the movies. We took him to Honey I shrunk the Audience. He was OK until the movie started. They tell you when they give out the glasses that you are going to see an experiment. When the movie started and he was scared to death, we kept telling him to take his glasses off. He wouldn't, he said "it's an experiment". He was afraid he would be in trouble. It was hilarious and sad all at the same time!

 

[teresajoy]

We'll be taking DS 2.5 in a few weeks for his first trip to WDW. DH and I loved doing the "movies" when we went together a few years ago. (Esp. nice for a break from heat or rain). DS likes watching "shows" on tv, but he doesn't watch all that much, and he's never been to a movie theater. Since these are movies in the extreme sense, esp. the ones that squirt water or have vibrating seats and 3D glasses, etc., I'm afraid they might really scare him and I'm not sure whether or not to try.

Any thoughts/experiences or suggestions?

Thanks.

Stay Far Far away from It's Tough to be A Bug! My 9 year old STILL won't go into that one willingly!!! It's dark, loud, and there are things that poke you and spray you. It's fairly intense.

 

[brymolmom]

When dd was that age she hated all things 3d - Philharmagic, Tough to be a Bug, even Voyage of Mermaid (even tho not 3d - dark and you get wet). She still doesn't like Honey I shrunk the audience even at almost 4 years old, but the other ones she likes now. And when I say she hated them - we had to leave. She is not quiet when expressing her displeasure.

 

[SplashMountainMama]

Count me in as another one who took the kids to It's Tough to Be a Bug first and regretted it for the rest of the trip. As soon as the first bug came out my daughter (5 at the time) started screaming at the top of her lungs. What a welcome to the happiest place on earth After that, she wouldn't go near a 3D movie without asking if there were going to be bugs.

 

[tinkandpan]

My ds loved muppets, but hated Philharmonic. We never even tried mermaid, tough to be a bug or honey i shrunk

 

[nessz79]

We took the boys to see Philharmagic. One was 3.5 and the other nearly 2. The nearly 2 year old cried during some parts, but didn't do a full freak-out. He ended up being sick later that day so he coudl have already been getting sick and wasn't feeling well. It was very loud. The 3.5 year old loved it, on the other hand.

Proceed with caution w/ Philharmagic or Muppets.

 

[cigarboo]

depends on the child. My 4 yr old can take much more of the 3D stuff than my 7 yr old. I've been taking them to disney since they were tiny and it's only been recently that they really get it and can enjoy it. Try having them watch the show without the glasses at first. Then it's just like a blurry movie, but it's not so intense and you can still enjoy the show. Now my kids know to just take the glasses off when it gets too scary.

I would probably stay away from Bug's Life and Honey, I Shrunk the kids.

 

[fireworks fan]

My almost 2 year olds DS liked the muppets and philharmagic, but was scared of the dark and loud noises in the little mermaid show. We skipped bugs life and honey i shrunk the kids based on previously posted tips. Anyway, he enjoyed the shows even without the 3-D glasses.

 

[ljcrochet]

My girls loved the philharmagic at both 17 months and almost 2 1/2 years old. They enjoyed muppets. In both shows they refused to keep the glasses on.
They were both glued to the stage at the little mermaid show. They loved the Nemo show at animal kingdom (i know it is not a movie). We skipped the bug show, and honey i shrunk the audience. Now I'm glad we did.

 

[Skyw]

My son like the philharmonic but would have loved it if it wasn't soooo loud. This year we are bringing ear plugs to the world. Many of the attractions were crazy loud, even the stage show. I am bringing ear plugs too. ( I know, kinda geeky)

 

[littlelaura]

Stay Far Far away from It's Tough to be A Bug! My 9 year old STILL won't go into that one willingly!!! It's dark, loud, and there are things that poke you and spray you. It's fairly intense.

absoloutly. we went in Oct 05 when my DS was 4. Tough to be a bug was the first 3D we tried with him, and it scared him silly... My DH had to leave with him within the first couple of minutes.
He was fine with Mickeys PhilharMagic, Muppets he was a bit wary of and a little jumpy, although he still enjoyed it (hes a big san of the muppets)