Very nervous about how 4 yr old DD will be in Disney

[kldmom2000]

I posted a few weeks ago re: her fear of characters.... I used some of the suggestions (ie. rented the Sing Along character tapes and 1/2 way through she was screaming to shut it off). I took out a WDW soundtrack that I had gotten on our last trip 5 yrs ago and stuck it in the CD player in the car and she was crying hysterically that she doesn't want to go to Disneyworld (I also have a 2 yr old DD that DOES want to go).Argh. Wondering if this trip is worth it or not....(Oh, and the 2 yr old is afraid of fireworks or anything that "sounds" like a firework)..... ay-yi-yi! Am I just setting us up for a failed trip?????

 

[poohkinandpiglet]

We went in August and my 4 year old son was afraid of everything for the first day. After that, he warmed up to it.

He loved trying to find the characters all over the park but got very nervous and afraid when he got close to them. We did a character dinner with Pooh and Friends the first night. By the end of dinner, he was hugging Tigger and laughing.

He was also afraid of the rides until we drug him on a few. He realized they were really fun and didn't worry too much about it after that. It's that fear of the unknown that got to my son. He just didn't know what to expect.

Maybe you should try a character meal the first day or night of your arrival to help her get used to seeing the big characters.

Bring earplugs for your children. Some of the shows (and the fireworks) are a lot less scary when they aren't so LOUD.

 

[Mellie0119]

My son's first trip was when he was 2 years old, he did pretty well. The first day we did AK, Epcot the next day then on to MK and MGM. The characters unnerved him, first time we got near Mickey, he was okay until Mickey tried to touch him. After that, we learned our lesson, as we came up to the characters we'd say "hello (who ever), this is Jacob, he's a little nervous, so we'll just stand next to you and take our picture" Basically saying please don't try to shake hands/touch him. All of the characters got the clue pretty fast. We're going again in 9 days, taking DS (now 3.5) and DD (11 months). Our plan is to start out at Epcot, one of the least intimidating parks (at least that's my opinion) and work our way up to MK. We are also doing a character dinner the night before we start in the parks. DS has some developemental delays, and one thing that we've found works wonders is preparation- give kids as much info on what's going to happen as possible- get the planning video from Disney and watch that (my son loves this :lol: ), play the music in the car, talk about the trip, read books featuring the characters, watch the Disney movies. Any advance info on what to expect really helps kids get in the groove faster.

Hope you have a great trip!

 

[opus_00]

There is so much for the kids to see and enjoy without getting close to the characters. They will probably enjoy just seeing them from afar, and then you can let them decide whether or not they want to see them up close.

As for the fireworks, we had the opposite problem. Both of my kids (ages 1 and 3 at the time) loved fireworks, but we didn't get to see them because they were so worn out by the end of the day. We thought it was better to get them back to the hotel and in bed so that they could get up early enough for us to get to the parks at a decent time the next morning. So you might find that the fireworks are not an issue.

Paula

 

[Kimmielee]

Last year, my DS just turned 4 about a week before we went to WDW. He was scared to death of Santa so I was unsure how he'd be with the characters.

Good news, the characters aren't out in huge numbers and you typically have to go looking for them. My worries, however, were put to rest during the Donald Duck character breakfast in AK.

He went up to Donald and asked him "Where's Mickey?". In true character.... Donald stomped his foot, turned on his heels and left!

Then, he turned back around, came up to my little one and gave him a very loud raspberry which made him giggle.... he KNEW he had made Donald mad and tells everyone (even almost a year later) what happened.

I think the characters then came to "life" for him and he saw that the personality was the same as the cartoons and he LOVED them. The only one's he wouldn't go near were the bears from "Brother Bear" because he wasn't familiar with them and Stitch. Stitch was giving Lilo a hard time and he wanted to protect Lilo!

You will be fine... just judge by the reactions and by an autograph book before you go and see how quickly it will fill up!

 

[Montana Disney Fan]

We just avoided the characters. One time Goofy came up and hugged my son (who liked it) and my daughter (2 yo) just hung back behind mom's leg and peeked around.

After Goofy left, we went about our business.

 

[HenDuck]

Let them feel their way around the first day. They might like the shows, they might like the train, the carousel (something familiar). They might like the horses on main street.

I would tell your DD that she is a princess like Cinderella (or whoever she likes). Tell her she will get to meet them in person. It might help if she has her name on her shirt or a name tag, then the character/princess will call her by name. It will be like they know her and she may feel so special that she will forget that she doesn't "like" WDW.

She may like AK because it's less Disney and more zoo-like, and again, more familiar.

Does she like PlayHouse Disney? That's a great non-threatening show for little ones.

I think you will find that there will be so many things that both kids will like that you will have a great time.

Just don't push them to do anything they don't want to do.

Good luck and have a great time!

 

[roserae]

Originally posted by kldmom2000
I took out a WDW soundtrack that I had gotten on our last trip 5 yrs ago and stuck it in the CD player in the car and she was crying hysterically that she doesn't want to go to Disneyworld (I also have a 2 yr old DD that DOES want to go).

Well, as far as the 2 yr old is concerned...I don't think she's old enough to realize that you aren't going when you said you were. They don't have too strong a hold on time or distance. At least that is my experience with my 2 almost 3 year old. She talks about going to WDW all the time, and I tell her we are going in January (which of course means nothing to her). As far as she's concerned we could just drive right over there for the day, but it's not like she's pining away for it (as I am ). I really don't think that should have any bearing on whether you go or not.

What is good for your family as a whole is what is important. It sounds to me like DD4 thinks that WDW is just a big character greeting house. Personally, I would lay off trying to get her comfortable with the characters before the trip. It doesn't look like that is going to happen. In fact, I wouldn't talk about the trip at all for a long while and then when you do talk about it, I wouldn't mention the characters at all. Or at least downplay them. Talk about all the other things WDW has to offer and let her know that the characters are just a small part of it and she doesn't even have to see them. I also agree that you should save MK for later in your trip and I would definitely NOT schedule a character meal on the first day...that just may push her over the edge!

I do think you should go, though, for sure! I think if you take it slow and respect your DD4's feelings, not trying to push her into anything, then you guys will have a great trip and your DD4 may come away from it with a new confidence in herself and a sense of pride and greater self esteem. It's a chance for you to show her that just because she is afraid of something that doesn't mean she can't do it. I know I always feel better about myself when I face my fears. And she can do this in a safe environment with her parents there to help her. Anyway, it's obviously getting late and past my bedtime as I'm getting philosophical now! Go with your gut! and good luck with your decision!

 

[Tigge50447]

I'm sort of in the same boat. My son who is 4 is really sensitive to loud noises and alot of movement. We went to a small and I mean small fair in our town I think it had like 3 kiddie rides we walked by them and he had a melt down. He told me he wanted to ride the train and when he got on he started crying.

I have shown him the planning video and now when we watch disney movies when the castle icon come up in the beginning of the movie he says "we're going there" I am also bringing his ear muffs (not the winter ones but the ones for sound, lol) I notice when he wears these he is much braver. I think he feels more secure with them on.

Oh I also showed him a picture of me and Tigger taken several years ago at crystal palace. I wanted him to see that Tigger is big but I had my picture taken with him and I was happy.

Maybe a pair of sunglasses will help in her case. Maybe she will be braver if she is able to "hide" behind sunglasses. ???

Good Luck

 

[BevS97]

roserae makes a lot of sense to me. I would just stop talking about the trip for a while and let her calm down a bit. I am going through a similair thing with my dd and an ice skating competition (her first comeptition) she is getting in such a state every time we mention it, and I have just realised that I am winding her up, and I just need to leave it for a while and let her forget her anxieties about it, and we will start afresh later.

There really is plenty for them to do without seeing characters or going on rides. I woudl definitely start with Epcot - it is my dd's favorite park because it is low-key and 'easy' - the rides there are very safe too - try something like the land for a very safe (if a bit boring) ride -nothing scary there. once they have had a few positive experiences then the confidence grows.

AK is also very nice - the pocahontas show is very nice and safe - and the safari is pretty good (they do a bit about poachers but to be honest it goes right over dds head)

DD is not a huge fan of MGM but she does LOVE the playhouse disney show and the parade there

and MK she loves nearly everything, but she has had to work up to that - she started only really liking its a small world and we have built up slowly - she still loves iasw though so we go on that lots.
If you think of this as a more relaxing vacation rather than a 'lets' do all the rides' trip, then you should do fine

 

[HappySpirit]

There won't be a problem with the characters because they only come out every once in a while and sometimes you have to look to find them. There are none that wander around the park. They are only in certain places at certain times. I don't see a problem at all for the one that doesn't want to see them. Hopefully you will have someone around so the younger one can get pictures and autographs if she so wishes. Have fun.

 

[CarnotaurDad]

We used the WDW Guide for Kids (the Birnbaum) - it lays everything out with pictures. Classifies things (loud, dark, scary or not). It really helped my dd look forward and pick her activities.

Additionally, ear plugs, ear plugs, ear plugs. Not only are thing too loud for regular people but way too loud for kids. Gives them a measure of confidence.

I would recommend starting the beginning of your trip at the pools and playgrounds - go to DTD and enjoy Lego Land and the atmosphere before you head straight on in.

The other thing that built my daughter's interest and interaction was pin trading.

We got a bunch on 'crappy' pins on ebay -there are several people that sell in bulk at a great deal compared to park prices- and let her pick a lanyard and now at 4 1/2 she is Miss Pin Trader USA.

I definitely recommend pre-buying pins, it will save you a lot of money - if you think that might interest them.

The characters are there but they really don't have to be part of your trip.

Good Luck,
Karen

Eagerly waiting for my MVMCP trip!

 

[Beast fan]

Good luck with your DD! We were at WDW over this past New Year's celebration, taking DS's (now) 4 & 6. DS4 only liked one character, Mickey. He was so terrified when we ate at the Crystal Palace that he actually ate UNDER the dinner table. He still insists that the characters (Pooh, Tigger, Piglet and Eeyore) did not like him!

We even told him the "truth" about the characters (CM's dressed up as "characters"), but nothing really worked.

Luckily, there is more to WDW than the characters.

Have a great trip!

Dave

 

[ahutton]

My best advice is to let her be your guide. Go into the park, if she stops to look at something then stop, if she doesn't want to go on a ride then don't.

Funny thing - my DD is now 4, getting close to 5. She WILL NOT under any circumstances ride Its a Small World. But she is totally interested in Haunted Mansion and Pirates. She begged to ride Star Tours, more than once. She cried in line for Winnie the Pooh and didn't want to go. The only one we pressed a bit was Pooh, knowing that she was mostly just trying to tell us she wanted to go ride the Grand Prix cars again and we didn't want to.

We press when we figure we can, when they don't want to, we don't. It was a little harder at a character meal, DD4 wanted to meet and hug them, DD2 wanted no part of it. We explained to the character approaching that DD2 just wanted to look but not touch, and they were wonderful.

For the fireworks, we watched from really far away. The first night we watched the Illuminations fireworks from the Swan/Dolphin area on the bridge. We said of lot of "Wow, pretty" and the kids echoed us. Then we got a little closer, until we were there. Don't know they loved every minute, but they never cried.