When Kids Ask If The Characters Are Real...

[DestinationDisney]

I have a friend who is taking her niece (age 5.5) and her nephew (age 3.5) with her and her husband to WDW this October for MNSSHP. She doesn't have any kids of her own so this is really going to be an experience for her with the two kids...I think it will give her and her husband a lot of practice!

The 5 year old has recently started to become very inquisitive. This will be her third trip to WDW, but she was too young to remember the first and she was only 3 on her second trip. She's VERY excited about the upcoming trip, but she has started to ask questions about Mickey and friends. She asked a question about how Mickey knows what park to go to each day and about the characters dining at the restaurants. She's also starting to question Santa.

My friend is very worried that while her niece is in WDW, she's going to ask more questions and she won't know how to respond. She doesn't want to ruin the "Disney magic" and she's worried about spoiling the trip or upsetting her niece.

Geez, it really is a shame how young kids are these days when they start to question "believing". I'm not sure if its kids in school ruining it, or what...but thats what the magic of Disney is all about! I just figured some of you with kids would be able to help out and I could give her some suggestions.

Thanks!!

 

[MINNIE OF TWO MICE]

I always tell my children its magic! I know at 9 and 10 they know they are in costumes but I dont let the tug at them etc. They still love the characters and the photos with them. They never really asked me. It would break my heart if they didnt fell the magic anymore. Saying that, I pay SC(the big man in the red suit)to visit my kids at midnight on Christmas Eve. I cant let go. They will argue with you because they have video!!!

 

[MSSANDRA]

If she does ask if they are real, ask her what she means by real. Now a five year old knows that MM is not a real animal like a mouse that lives in barn, but she might be asking if this is the "real" MM in relation to MM she has seen on TV etc. Most kids by five do know that MM is really just a suited character bur I would not confirm this to them unless you would have to really lie to get out of the question. It does not have to kill the magic. DS now 14 says he does not ever remember truly beliving that the characters were real but always LOVED them anyway.
I would talk to her mom before the trip as to what they want you to tell her.

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

My DD7 has known for the past few trips that the characters are people dressed up. It doesn't matter to her - she still gets excited to see them and hug them (and so do I!). Her DD3 does believe they are the "real" thing, which is fine by me!

Good idea to talk to the mom before the trip so the stories don't conflict.

BTW, when DD7 asks if I believe in SC or the Tooth Fairy (which she asked yesterday), I just say absolutely!

 

[DestinationDisney]

Thanks for your replies....

I think she meant that she asks if MM is real, as in "THE" Mickey Mouse from TV. I'll tell my friend to talk to her sister some more on this (although I'm sure she already figured to do that). I just thought I'd get some good tips and pointers on here...I'll be sure to forward your messages along to her.

Thanks!!

 

[ukwildcat]

No real suggestions here beyond what was already said. I just wanted to say that I'm going to be 30 this year, and I still "believe" in Disney and the characters. I know it's a costume, but it's state of mind to believe in the "magic." DS turns 1 year old this weekend. This hopefully won't be in front of me for a few years. Good luck.

 

[bedgraynexl]

My DS6 asked me this last year. I turned it around by asking him what he thought. He thought they were real and that he thought it was fun to meet them. I was actually surprised that he didn't ask me why they didn't talk. Truly pantomime comes through, doesn't it. DS got his answer (sort of) but still believed in the magic. I am sure for our next trip he'll know the "truth" but that is not all that important, that he experianced the magic is!

 

[maxtomsmom]

No real suggestions here beyond what was already said. I just wanted to say that I'm going to be 30 this year, and I still "believe" in Disney and the characters. I know it's a costume, but it's state of mind to believe in the "magic." DS turns 1 year old this weekend. This hopefully won't be in front of me for a few years. Good luck.

I hear you on that one!

Whatever your friend tells her neice, keep it simple and brief. That's the trick! It's when we give them some long explanation that I believe clues them in. Probably because we forget what exactly has been said before. My DS5 asked me the other day, where did they (meaning the characters) come from. A mommy I told him. Simple enough, yet believable because it was true for him.

 

[mickeyfan2]

Kids do think different. When we took my nephew to WDW for his first trip he was 5 years and 2 months old. He told us that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (big at the time that he went) were people in costumes but Mickey Mouse was the real deal. He even thought that Mickey was following him around. So not believing in Santa may not equal not believing in Mickey.

 

[tcp1005]

We took our dd, who was then 5, to Disneyland. She informed us that the "face" characters were real but all of the others were just people in costume. She said it so matter-of-factly that we didn't know what to say. Later that evening while watching the fireworks, she says "Mommy look, there is a string holding Tink up. The real Tink must be sick and this Tink must not know how to fly yet." It amazed me that she didn't put two and two together.

That said, she cannot wait to go to DisneyWorld next week and to give Pooh and Stitch a big hug (she's 6 now).

I don't know if she believes that they are "real" or not, but she certainly believes in the magic.

Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy are still real, too!

 

[maxtomsmom]

Don't you just hate it when someone else's kid ruins it for you. My son was talking with another child in his class last year and was very upset because he was told their was not Santa, Tooth Fairy or Easter Bunny. The child had issues with people in costumes including kids. He doesn't leave the house on Halloween. My son kept asking me are you sure they're real, are you sure over and over again. I felt so bad lying to him and I was upset. I understand the other boy's mom's point of view. I truly do, and I know she tried to tell him not to say anything to the other kids- they were three years old for Pete's sakes! Luckily that year, DH and I rang "Santa's bells" and he heard them. DH also talked in a very deep voice saying, "I'm at Max and Thomas' house, let me see if they've been good." We knew DS was still awake and thankfully heard Santa. It was all he could talk about for a week.

 

[ckoncurat]

Don't you just hate it when someone else's kid ruins it for you. My son was talking with another child in his class last year and was very upset because he was told their was not Santa, Tooth Fairy or Easter Bunny. The child had issues with people in costumes including kids. He doesn't leave the house on Halloween. My son kept asking me are you sure they're real, are you sure over and over again. I felt so bad lying to him and I was upset. I understand the other boy's mom's point of view. I truly do, and I know she tried to tell him not to say anything to the other kids- they were three years old for Pete's sakes! Luckily that year, DH and I rang "Santa's bells" and he heard them. DH also talked in a very deep voice saying, "I'm at Max and Thomas' house, let me see if they've been good." We knew DS was still awake and thankfully heard Santa. It was all he could talk about for a week.

My opinion on characters, santa, etc- allow your kids to beleive as much as they want. You don't really have to lie. If my kids ask these kind of questions, I just say "what do you think?" My 7 year old daughter best friend does not beleive in santa and will argue the point hard, but, i just tell my daughter- "Anna chooses not to beleive in santa. You can decide for yourself what to beleive." The same daughter has found hidden presents around our house, and I told her, honestly, that when mom and dad find special things for their kids they like to put them under the christmas tree too. My oldest daughter is nine and still "chooses" to beleive. She probably knows better, but thats her choice. Frankly, if I had to think too hard about charcters inside the costumes, I would never enjoy another breakfast at Chef Mickeys!!

BTW, we are not so casuel with our religious beliefs, which we emphasize as truth. But when it comes to magical thinking- we allow the kids to decide for themselves.

 

[maxtomsmom]

My opinion on characters, santa, etc- allow your kids to beleive as much as they want. You don't really have to lie. If my kids ask these kind of questions, I just say "what do you think?" My 7 year old daughter best friend does not beleive in santa and will argue the point hard, but, i just tell my daughter- "Anna chooses not to beleive in santa. You can decide for yourself what to beleive." The same daughter has found hidden presents around our house, and I told her, honestly, that when mom and dad find special things for their kids they like to put them under the christmas tree too. My oldest daughter is nine and still "chooses" to beleive. She probably knows better, but thats her choice. Frankly, if I had to think too hard about charcters inside the costumes, I would never enjoy another breakfast at Chef Mickeys!!

BTW, we are not so casuel with our religious beliefs, which we emphasize as truth. But when it comes to magical thinking- we allow the kids to decide for themselves.

That's a good point- having your children choose to believe. Kids are faced with so much information and an alarmingly younger age that they truly need, in my opinion, to believe in fantasy. I read somewhere that children believing in Santa reinforces the idea that most adults are there to help, protect and care for the young. I just hope now that he is in Kindergarten, he doesn't hear too many varying opinions. He's in a multicultural semi-urban community and we want him to be exposed to different beliefs and cultures. I know that there are many kids in his class who are not Christian and understandably do not believe in Santa.

 

[FairlyOddFairy]

My D Sis worked at MK and the first time she saw MM withought the head on a small part of her sank She said the magic faded in a way. Even though they are people just dressed up and we know that they are still special to us no matter how old you are. My mom always told us that the diferent characters and santas we saw were 'helpers" that the real character had hired and trained because they were way too busy the real MM was at MK and everywhere else was his helpers!----Good luck!

 

[js]

?????
What do you mean????
I thought they were all real???