UPDATE: Recommendations for guest with character phobia

[JustTinking]

Phobias, such as what you are describing, cause a high level of distress and interference. I highly doubt that your son's girlfriend will enjoy the trip if her anxiety about this issue resulted in it taking her 3 years to acquiesce.

Having said that, the treatment for specific phobias is relatively brief. She should seek treatment with a cognitive behavioral therapist immediately, prior to going on a trip that would increase her distress and potentially cause greater interference in her life more generally. There are many therapists trained in cognitive behavioral therapy in the UK. Even with a few sessions, she would see some improvement in her anxiety.

Thanks for the suggestion. Not sure I know her well enough to suggest therapy, but I will talk to my stepson.

 

[JustTinking]

What a good mom you are. It's so nice of you to actually try to figure this out for her. I know my in laws wouldn't be looking up stuff for me

I would also avoid the stage shows and even Fantasmic. Don't do Be Our Guest. I think you're safe if its ride focused.

In Epcot the face characters do linger in the lands for pictures. So don't be surprised if you run into the Beast. Daisy and Stitch are usually in the from. Of Epcot for pictures. I actually think she will be fine.

Thank you, I do want her to have a good time. I would be a shame to miss Fantasmic. I thought we would be safe with Be Our Guest until DH read that the Beast insists on greeting all his guests at the door and having his picture taken with them. YIKES!

 

[JustTinking]

I agree, I think she should see someone about her phobia.

But in lieu of that, most of the character meet and greets can be avoided.

Places to avoid

Avoid any character meals. (Except for Norway/Princesses - this would be okay for her).

Camp Minnie Mickey at AK, it's all characters. If you want to see the Lion King Show, just take her to the entrance and don't wander any further.

There are a few meet and greets at Epcot World Showcase; Duffy, located in a gazebo between the main straight entrance to WS and towards Mexico (i.e. left near the gift shop and coffee/danish kiosk). Then in Mexico, there is a small backdrop near the Margarita stand, that has Donald come out for meet and greets.

I believe Germany has Snow White (actress), and I think France has Beauty and The Beast (in costume). I've seen Jasmine and Aladdin (actors).

In Epcot, there are characters inside Innoventions, but it's hidden.

Sometimes they have characters up along the right before Spaceship Earth.

At MK, they have the Storybook Circus meet and greet. I've seen princesses and prices walking about.

You probably want to avoid ALL parades at any park, and Electrical Parade at MK, unless viewing from a distance.

I don't know if she is going to have any fun, I hate thinking pessimistically, but it is WDW, she is bound to run into one, at least from a distance. Maybe some therapy can help get her prepared. Best of luck to her, and you all and your upcoming trip.

Thank you for all the great advice! I'll take notes and stay away from these locations at the times suggested.

 

[tb1972]

A few years ago my 22 yo DD Was on her way to join her friends on Main St waiting for the parade at DL. Either Tweedle Dee (or Dum) decided to "shadow" closely behind her. She sensed someone behind her, looked back, and saw him towering right behind her. She started to walk quickly, then broke into a run. Tweedle followed her step for step. Her friends were wondering where she was when one of them said "Oh, here comes Jenn, and she's running for her life from Tweedle Dee!" LOL

She wasn't traumatized, but still said it was a little unnerving!

One day Stitch did a similar thing to dd at AK! Luckily, she loves Stitch.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[tmgandolph]

There is a talking mobile trash can in Tomorrow Land.
Not sure how she would do with that.

 

[Brian Noble]

I think if you avoid any character meals and the "fur" character meet-and-greets, you should be okay. As a prior poster mentioned, the days of the spontaneous characters-roaming-around-the-parks meet-n-greets are mostly over.

 

[Alexander]

I think her phobia needs to be clarified. Is it to contact with these characters or will just the sight of them make her feel stressed. If the fear is only a contact one, that can easily be avoided (my DS didn't like the characters for a long time when younger, but was okay to watch from a distance). If she is going to have issues by just the sight of the characters, I really don't think WDW is the place for her. It is almost impossible to not see a character in the parks.

 

[Countryrunner262]

Definetly find out how close she an get. Every parade will have some fully dressed characters as well.

 

[jennylyn_b]

Thank you, I do want her to have a good time. I would be a shame to miss Fantasmic. I thought we would be safe with Be Our Guest until DH read that the Beast insists on greeting all his guests at the door and having his picture taken with them. YIKES!

The beast does not do this! He makes a brief appearance in each room and waves. It is announced via a loud speaker so she could just not look. He is in a separate room that you can opt to go to after your meal an meet him and get a picture. Our dd is not okay with characters close up yet. She's 2.5 yrs old. We had no problems at BOG. Beast popped in for all of 5 seconds and we just distracted her. We did not go to the room to meet him after so it was just a lovely dinner in a great theme restaurant. He doesn't greet people at the door as far as I've seen or read.

 

[Alexander]

The beast does not do this! He makes a brief appearance in each room and waves. It is announced via a loud speaker so she could just not look. He is in a separate room that you can opt to go to after your meal an meet him and get a picture. Our dd is not okay with characters close up yet. She's 2.5 yrs old. We had no problems at BOG. Beast popped in for all of 5 seconds and we just distracted her. We did not go to the room to meet him after so it was just a lovely dinner in a great theme restaurant. He doesn't greet people at the door as far as I've seen or read.

I have to think this must be the case. Too many children have fears of the friendly looking characters, Beast would scare the &$(/@ out of them. Not a magical way to start dinner! The time constraints of meeting with everyone would be an issue too! Autographs, multiple pictures, etc.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

The beast does not do this! He makes a brief appearance in each room and waves. It is announced via a loud speaker so she could just not look. He is in a separate room that you can opt to go to after your meal an meet him and get a picture.

True, we've eaten there twice and the 1st time I caught sight of him in the dining room for a nanno second only because I heard someone say The Beast" or else we would have missed him altogether, the second time in June, we didn't see him at all!

As far as characters wondering the parks, the lines are so long for the autograph and picture opps that you rarely see the characters just wondering around stalking guests! She definitvely needs to avoid parades of all kinds!

MK is where you're more apt to run into them at the entrance, and again Twiddle Dee and Dum I've seen numorous times there. Epcot not so much, just to the side where they do the scheduled autograph/photo opps!

How would she handlle such things as DHS, the Movie Ride where they recreate lifelike scenes of the Wizard of Oz or Alien! Monster's Inc., The furry Yeti or Dinosaur at the end of each ride, might be a problem too! Interesting phobia/dilema! Great consideration has to be given about any ride she may encounter such characters!


Good luck to you, and by all means report back, interested in seeing out it goes!

 

[JustTinking]

Thank you everyone for your thoughtful and helpful feedback. Glad to hear that Be Our Guest may be back on the itinerary, I so want to go!!

I don't think The Movie Ride will bother her - pictures of characters either - but more being face to face with a life size character in full costume. I'll ask stepson whether this is a close encounter phobia or not; would be a shame to miss all the parades.

Will report back.

 

[honeybunches]

My daughter is 9 years old and is still afraid of the characters. It's not a phobia exactly but she is terrified of them (yes, she knows they are really people.) even when the Chick Fil A cow was our youth minister at a fundraiser, it freaked her out. We still do character meals at Disney because she likes the food at Garden Grill and a few others. I just tell the server when we are ordering that we don't want characters to visit our table or even to wave at us. They are great about it.

 

[JustTinking]

Spoke with stepson last week. Amazingly, he reminded me that his last girlfriend also had a similar phobia and we took her to WDW 8 or 9 years ago. She got over it, to the point that she consented to have her pix taken with Eeyore, so there's hope yet. Stepson thinks this is just a 'close up' phobia, and parades shouldn't bother her.

Stepson thinks it may be a UK thing (?) having to do with the football mascots, who sometimes run at or after people (kids included), just for the fun of it. Guess it gets boring being in a costume all day!

All that said, we will avoid character dinners and meet & greets as much as possible!

Thanks everyone for all the great advice.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

True, we've eaten there twice and the 1st time I caught sight of him in the dining room for a nanno second only because I heard someone say The Beast" or else we would have missed him altogether, the second time in June, we didn't see him at all!

As far as characters wondering the parks, the lines are so long for the autograph and picture opps that you rarely see the characters just wondering around stalking guests! She definitvely needs to avoid parades of all kinds!

MK is where you're more apt to run into them at the entrance, and again Twiddle Dee and Dum I've seen numorous times there. Epcot not so much, just to the side where they do the scheduled autograph/photo opps!

How would she handlle such things as DHS, the Movie Ride where they recreate lifelike scenes of the Wizard of Oz or Alien! Monster's Inc., The furry Yeti or Dinosaur at the end of each ride, might be a problem too! Interesting phobia/dilema! Great consideration has to be given about any ride she may encounter such characters!


Good luck to you, and by all means report back, interested in seeing out it goes!

Beast only goes through one big corridor from one room into the next. IF you were to sit with your back to the Beast...you would never know he was there. Of course, knowing that everyone else is reacting something that you find scary is a bit unnerving as well.

 

[Alexander]

My daughter is 9 years old and is still afraid of the characters. It's not a phobia exactly but she is terrified of them (yes, she knows they are really people.) even when the Chick Fil A cow was our youth minister at a fundraiser, it freaked her out. We still do character meals at Disney because she likes the food at Garden Grill and a few others. I just tell the server when we are ordering that we don't want characters to visit our table or even to wave at us. They are great about it.

Chick Fil A has a cow?

Sorry back to topic!

 

[luv2sleep]

Chick Fil A has a cow?

Sorry back to topic!

Yes! The cows always say, "Eat Mor Chikin!" Lol. We have a whole series of comic books from there with the cows becoming various super heroes saving burgers from being eaten and cows from becoming beef. Really cute!

Omg. I wrote super herpes! Hana! Edited.

 

[RobynPrincess]

I had an ex boyfriend who had this fear, he would literally run as fast as he could in the opposite direction. Spider-Man jumped out on him once and we couldn't find him for half an hour :-/ It was quite funny though I'm so mean

 

[pklein09]

I would add one other thing: keep DS's girlfriend in the loop with everything you're doing. Let her know what's being said on this thread. I think when someone who has a fear is prepared for what could/might happen, it can help mitigate the overall situation.

Best of luck and have a great trip!