What age did they stop being scared??

[mcgrawfan]

We went to WDW in October and DD turned 1. I figured she would be scared of the costumed with heads characters but was surprised that she was scared of the Face characters. If she had a little time to spend with them and "get to know them" she was fine. (like the pic in my sig) She is very outgoing and friendly with people. We are going again next spring and she will be 2 1/2. At what age did you notice your children not being scared of the characters?

 

[ThreeMusketeers]

My dd is 3.5 and our most recent trip (December) she would run right up to everyone. Except for Mr. Incredable?? Not sure why..but everyone else she was fine. Even Mike and Sully! I was surprised at that one.

 

[SoccerDogWithEars]

I have a neighbor who was frightened of the characters until she was 8.......she swears she wasn't though.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

My kids did fine from the start. We never pressed the issue and it was fine.

My brother was scared for YEARS!!!

When he was around 6 or so...we convinced him it was okay. So he said--"This time I'm going to see Mickey"--kept saying this alot. Got to Mickey and it was "aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh". He didn't see Mickey (at least up close). Then he just got to an age where it was no big deal--so we don't know when he became not afraid of them since there was a huge gap in visiting.

All kids are different...don't make any character meal ressies for your first day. Have her approach a character on her own and if she does--then you know she's okay.

My girls have been going since 4 montsh and 11 months and it was a non-issue. So evidently the fear wasn't a genetic thing .

Good luck and have a great trip!

 

[jorodopo]

DD was fine at 18mths, unsure at 2 and really freaked out by Santa at 2 1/2. I think that in her case she didn't know to be scared early but has now "learned" that she can be frightened.

I'll let you know how it went when we get back next month.

 

[ImaDizneyNut]

We went to WDW in October and DD turned 1. I figured she would be scared of the costumed with heads characters but was surprised that she was scared of the Face characters.

my son was the same way the bigger the head you had the bigger the smile you got from him. The only non big headed character that he didn't mind touching him was Belle. He loved her. He didn't cry or scream with the other non-big headed characters just pushed into us. I figured it was because we always told him about strangers, well even though the characters are characters from the movies they are still strangers. I never warned my son to stay away from bigheaded mice LOL anyway he was 1 1/2 with that trip the next trip at 3 he was fine

 

[ImaDizneyNut]

I forgot my trick for the 1st trip duh lol

what we did was bring him to great adventure before we decided to go where he saw tweety, daffy and all those others so he would get use to being around big headed characters figuring he would be fine with non-headed characters lol. Worked like a charm but he was afraid of non big headed characters.. do you have some sort of place that have non-bigheaded characters where you can go? maybe it will help her out.

 

[mkutch]

My DS was scared at about 1 and continued to be until almost 3. He still wants to see them but is always a bit shy at first on the first day of the trip. By the 3rd character he runs right up for a hug and autograph. My second DS is now starting to be afraid of the characters (almost 2). When you are such a Disney family like we are it is a challenge for the perfect family shot with a favorite character (Like MM). Hang in there they grow out of it.

 

[belle&beast]

I was so worried about my kids being afraid of the characters, and they loved them! Both DD4 and DS2 were afraid of Santa and my DH thought maybe we should wait because they weren't ready. They showed him! I think you just have to present it carefully, don't push and kids will do what they are comfortable doing.

 

[SqueakyMouse]

DD was 2.5 when we visited WDW last May. Initially, she was a little scared of the characters. Within a day or two, she got over her fear. Of course, it helped to have her nearly 5 yo db to hold her hand at first.

 

[lewdyan1]

Mine is 9 and still cries at the characters!

 

[momto3gr8boys]

every child is so different. my first two were never scared and as young as a year, would run right up to the characters, let the charaters hold them, play with them, etc. my third...different story, much to my dismay. at 15 months he was terrified of them and only warmed up at the very end of that trip to the point we could hold him next to a character and get a picture. when he went back at just under 3, he did a little better, took a day to warm up and then finally let them interact with him. now he is five, and i don't think he'll have any trouble on our cruise, but i'm seriously hoping he doesn't freak out if capt. hook shows up in the kids' club!

 

[nin8jc]

My DD is 4.5 and has been to DW 3 times and cries everytime she gets close to a character doesn't even like Santa. She is well aware that they are only costumes but is still afraid. We're going in a couple of mos and she says she still doesn't want to see any characters, only princesses!