Who do your kids think the Disney characters REALLY are?

[BellaRose08]

This is our first time to Disney. My 6 year old DD knows there will be princesses there, but casually mentioned that "the real princesses were all dead, and so they were just regular people dressed up".

I don't know where she got that idea, but I didn't tell her she was wrong. It caught me off guard and I didn't know what to say. I figured I'd just let her believe whatever she wants to think.

Anyway, just curious what your kids have thought or what you have told your kids when they have questions about the characters authenticity. I'm hoping I can be a little better prepared if she has questions after she meets them!

Thanks!

 

[4littleones]

My just turned 6 year old told us that the "real" princesses were extinct so very similar. I'm not ever sure what my kids think anymore at 6 and 7. They enjoy it and that's all that matters.

 

[O2H O2H]

We got AP's when my boys were 3 and 5. They never believed that any of the characters were REAL, but then again we don't do Santa or the Easter Bunny as real, either. We do fun things surrounding those characters, but they don't believe that they are really REAL.

 

[quakechicago]

We first took our DD at 2 (almost 3) and told her they were all just awesome actors in costumes. It seemed to make her feel better about the ones she thought were scarier (Villains). And we told her the truth that many apply but very few are chosen to play these parts. It's quite an honor.

The magic took her over though and she adored it. We did the animation book for autographs and she loved having her book signed. This will be her second trip and she can't wait!

The only thing we did was mention to characters "How nice it is to see you again after last night!" It really kept the magic going.

So depending on the kid, I think knowing doesn't spoil the fun and can even enhance it.

 

[lcj19]

My DD is 4. I have never said one way or another about the characters, she has never asked. She informed me a couple of days ago that the costumed characters are not real, just people in suits, the face characters however she whole heartedly believes in.

 

[leahlefler]

I have one child who is a natural-born skeptic, so he has always known/maintained that the characters are not "real." He's going to be 9 this year, so he's old enough to figure it out in any case, but he's never bought into the characters-being-real thing. On the other hand, he still really enjoys them for what they are.

My 7 year old, on the other hand, still wholeheartedly believes in magic. He really did think the characters were real and was (and is) afraid of them. He used to run and scream - now he just gets skittish and walks away from them. He "knows" they aren't real, but I think there is a part of him that still believes (and is afraid). He is not afraid of face characters, just the big animal style characters. This is a child who will ride Tower of Terror/Space Mountain/huge roller coasters over and over again. It cracks us up - Tower of Terror is OK, but Mickey Mouse = panic attack!

Since neither one is really into the characters (one due to getting older and the other due to fear), we don't really do many character encounters. More time for rides and shows, I suppose!

 

[Sparkly]

I can't remember if I thought the characters were real or not on our first trip, bearing in mind I was 9 already.

I always hated the mascots that would always come up to me and ask for a hug, but Disney characters were different!

 

[Raenstoirm]

The best advice I have heard on here about this topic is to deflect the child's questions back to them. "Why doesn't Minnie talk?" "Why do you think she doesn't?" Children tend to come up with some interesting answers on their own.

This is actually a topic I have considered with my twins on the way. I think my response will be something along the lines of "once you pass through those gates you are entering Uncle Walt's imagination. Everything in here is as real as you want it to be." Which is completely true. Combine that with the deflection technique I mentioned and I hope that can keep the magic going for my twins until college.

 

[DISNEYD14]

My DS (7) is skeptical now, my DD (4) totally believes it's all real except she just asked why Minnie's mouth is always open.

My DD (10) hasn't believed they were real in years but won't dare tell me

 

[luvdisney87]

I think my 9 year old is wondering about me. She turned to me one day and said," you know it's not really Anna and Elsa". What can I say...I'm a kid at heart.