What age did your child stop believing the characters are real?

[tluvstink]

My DDs have always known they were people in costumes but it didn't take away from the fun

 

[Honeyglow]

Yes I know many adults here will say they are real lol. Curious what your families experiences have been? My dd believed it all at 5.5 even the fairy shrinking room...but as time goes on I wonder what will happen..I see some questioning questions starting to crop up. I think she will be be of those.."the fur ones are fake but the princesses are real" kids for awhile. She knows costumed characters in things like disney on ice are not the actual ones, because they live in disney world and don't ice skate professionally. Her words.

Speaking for myself, I never believed in anything. Santa, Easter Bunny, characters in the park...forget about it.

ETA: Okay, I believed in the Tooth Fairy......

 

[BlueStarryHat]

For crying out loud-*Santa's* not real???!!!

Seriously though-I personally stopped believing in costumed characters when I watched the Brady Bunch where they went to King's Island and Greg wound up in one of the costumes. I was about six. That show has a lot to answer for.

 

[Jeannegirl326]

I have a 21 year old son and our philosophy echoes and earlier poster, we know they are costumes, but while we are in WDW they are real!

 

[DisCopper]

As a child, I never believed they were real. We made our first trip to DisneyLand when I was about 4-5. I remember really wanting to see Pooh... but I knew it was just a person in a costume.

I didn't start believing they were real until I hit 21.

 

[chartle]

I have a 21 year old son and our philosophy echoes and earlier poster, we know they are costumes, but while we are in WDW they are real!

of course, and all the kids in small world too

 

[Freezing Cold B]

I don't have kids, but from personal experience I always knew they were not real. But, the characters in full costumes (as opposed to the ones who were princesses or princes that I could see their face) freaked me out until I was maybe 13 or 14. There was something about not being able to see their face that just made me nervous. So, people assumed I thought they were real, but in fact I knew they weren't and I just felt uncomfortable not being able to see who was trying to hug me.

We took my cousins and their children (2 and 3 at the time) to WDW a few years ago. They thought they were all real. We are taking one back (the one who was 2 at the time is now 6), in September so we will see if she thinks they're real or not.

 

[hollygolitely93]

We took my son at 2.75 and thought he was all in...he LOVED the characters but turns out he loved finding the person in the fur...he liked trying to see them through the mout or feeling for a zipper. He told us as much. Yet, he believes the Mickey in stage is the real Mickey and the face characters are real...he is now 6.5 and still believes Mickey is real with use of some magic.

Funny...he's an imaginative kid.

 

[bennifer]

IKR?! I still wonder why Alice can't live with us!

For crying out loud-*Santa's* not real???!!!

Seriously though-I personally stopped believing in costumed characters when I watched the Brady Bunch where they went to King's Island and Greg wound up in one of the costumes. I was about six. That show has a lot to answer for.

I don't think my older son ever really believed, and I honestly never even thought about trying to make him believe! He's always been pretty smart cookie, tho, and I could never get a lot passed him. Now, my younger son on the other hand...he's a believer.

 

[Lolsmum]

Last summer my just turned 5 year old DD believed. My nearly 7 year old DS did not.

 

[FortForever]

As a child, I never believed they were real. We made our first trip to DisneyLand when I was about 4-5. I remember really wanting to see Pooh... but I knew it was just a person in a costume.

I didn't start believing they were real until I hit 21.

This describes me perfectly. I remember bits and pieces of DL from when I was 2.5 and I most definitely knew. I was 7 when WDW opened, and, although I knew, I still enjoyed seeing them.

My kids always knew from the time they were old enough to communicate. I didn't tell them, they always pointed it out to me. I can remember questions about how to they breathe, see, feel, etc. in those costumes.

Now, as a grandmother, I KNOW they are all real.

 

[queenofmykingdom]

My youngest son was 4 on our last trip. We told him they were people in costumes because he was terrified. At our first character breakfast, Lilo walked out. I could hear him saying to himself "they're just people in costumes...they're just people in costumes..." And then he gave her a big hug. He was so proud of himself!!

 

[rccllap]

The key for my family is, it's all magic. Like Santa represents the Spirit of Christmas, so do the CM's at WDW. It doesn't matter if they are "real" or not. The MAGIC is REAL. My DS is almost 14 and as cynical as any typical teenager, but he still loves Disney and gets about as much out of the experience as anyone. My 68 year old mom lights up whenever she sees Chip & Dale.

I think the key is to believe in having a magical experience, and the age of the children and what they're willing to buy into can be fit into each family's experience.

 

[WDWNext]

My DS2 probably thinks they are real. While waiting for the parade at AK my DS6 announced impatiently "I know these characters are not real, but whats holding them up ?" Poor girl next to her started to cry.... we were so embarrassed.

 

[ktmo]

My girls are 6 and 8. They know that Mickey, Minnie, etc are just people in costumes. I am not sure what they think about the princesses. I think that they might think they are "real".

 

[Magpie]

What!!!!

I'm confused. Are you upset about something?

Anyway, with regards to PLANNING for your child's TRIP and whether or not they'll still believe in the characters...

I don't think my kids ever believed. Kids are pretty smart. They know when someone's in a costume. But that doesn't diminish the magic one bit.

It's a giant game of make believe, and when you're in the moment, it feels totally real. No matter what age you are!

I never saw my son smile so wide, as when Pooh bear came by our table to wish him a happy fourteenth birthday.

 

[JustAKid]

I have never really stated one way or the other whether or not the characters (or santa, easter bunny, etc) are real. It's just a fact of life. This came from Santa. That's Mickey Mouse. The toothfairy left you money. There's Tinkerbell.

My 8 year old is really the only one who has questioned it, added up the inconsistencies, and came to me for answers. I reckon the others will follow in their own time.

I kept the magic alive by including DD8 into spreading the magic for others. Don't give away the secret. Help mom with the behind-the-scenes stuff. This year, she got to eat one of Santa's cookies. Different kind of magic, but one she treasures.

 

[carrie6466]

My almost-10 year old came up with this one on her own. The princesses in Florida are real, the other characters are like the Santa's at the mall. They help the real Mickey/Minnie/Donald, etc. who, as everyone, live in CA!

 

[Missytara]

We went with a six year old a few years ago; a very intelligent one at that. She had a telescope and knew she wanted to be an astronomer when she grew up.

Our first character greeting was right outside FOTLK and the first characters she spotted were Chip and Dale. She told her mom they did a pretty good job on the halloween costumes. Uh-oh.

But the minute she met them, she was a giggly little kid and never said another word about the costumes. Every time, we were at a parade, she was waving and telling us, see she waved right at me! Just me, no one else... it was great.

 

[Ariel on Land]

One of my sons (6) JUST this week said something about them being costumes. I didn't know how to respond-- I kinda spazzed and just said, "costumes??!?!? that's silly!!" Then I started to feel guilty for lying. I hope they still believe when we get there. *I* certainly believe!