One year old & characters

[tink20]

Please share your experiences with your one year old and seeing the characters.

We are taking a 12 month old in June, and thinking about doing a few character meals.

I don’t care if she’s not into it, just don’t want her to be terrified if they walk up to the table. Would love some 1st hand stories. The youngest I’ve ever taken to WDW, is 5.

 

[rpb718]

You'll get stories from both sides, but in the end it's totally up to the child whether they are terrified or not. There's no way to really judge now, but you could get a glimpse of what's to come if there are Easter Bunny characters in any malls next year that you could bring the child to see and possibly interact with. While 9 months is not a year old, I can only hope you'll be able to see if your child is at least receptive to looking at the characters without burying their head in your shoulder.

 

[KrazeeK120]

We took our son at 18 months in May. He loved the characters! We did character meals at Tusker House and Garden Grille, and met Mickey and Aladdin/Jasmine at MK.

His first character interaction was the meal at GG. I will never, ever forget the look on his sweet little face the first time Mickey came to our table. I almost cried. I waited a long time for the day I would have my own baby to take to Disney and his love of the characters made me so happy.

My sister was just there for a day earlier this week. They went to MK and did Crystal Palace and meet Mickey. Her sons are 3 and 16 months. She said she had the happiest kids in the restaurant. She sent some pictures. The 16 mont old in particular looked like he couldn’t contain his excitement about getting to meet Piglet!

We are going back next year shortly before our son turns 3 band I can’t wait to see the characters again!

 

[magrudersmakes3]

It will depend on your child. My daughter was 11 months and freaked out everytime she went near one, but at 18 months she loved almost all of them.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

We took DD around that age, absolutely loved the charachters in any setting (meet/greet, dining, etc).

 

[bigbabyblues]

It absolutely depends on the child and maybe even the day. The first time we took our kids, our then 15-month old was terrified and cried every time a character came to our table at Chef Mickey's the day we arrived. By the end of the trip 12 days later, he was fine with the characters, including our last day breakfast at Chef Mickey's.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

I second the Easter bunny idea. But even then, it can be situational. My son was 2 the first year we went and he had nothing but side eye for Mickey, princesses, Chip and Dale. He wouldn’t go up to any of them. Towards the end of our trip we went to CP for dinner and he flung himself at the Winnie the Pooh characters for hugs. They are so hard to judge at that age.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

You will know your child better than we do to know what they will and will not be able to handle at that age.

My one niece screamed and hit goofy in the face when she was that age and a few years later my other niece absolutely adored all the characters at that age.

 

[MNDisneyMommy]

My son was 13 months when we went. He had a little hesitation but soon wanted nothing more than to grab Mickey's nose. Mostly he just stared though - he was strangely most fond of Lilo and Pluto. /shrug

 

[3gr8boys]

If at all possible, gauge your little one's reaction to oversized characters before your go...just to get an idea. (Local kids' event, Easter bunny, ....) My oldest son was terrified of characters until he was three or four. If Elmo or a Teletubby was going to make a birthday party appearance, we had to leave the room. When he was 9 and my youngest was barely 1, we made our first trip to WDW. The little one could not get enough of the characters. Totally different. He would cry and reach out when Chip and Dale left our Garden Grill table....and Chip and Dale returned many times to keep him happy.

 

[CameoGrace]

We have taken both of my kids at that age (dd @11 months & ds for 1st birthday). My kids are totally different from each other, but they both loved characters. My daughter is much more cautious and hesitant. Crystal Palace was her first experience. It was great because she saw them from afar, could see them approaching, and got excited. By the time they were at the table she was thrilled. I think we might have had issues if her first meet was a different type of character or suddenly appeared at the end of a line. However, she was fine with everyone we met after. My son was fine with everything, met Town Square Mickey first, but not much bothers him. But the Pooh characters, Pluto, and Stitch were favorites (despite being a Mickey fanatic!). I think the more stuffed animal-like the better for that age! So while there are no guarantees, I think the first exposure is important (character, setting, kid's mood, etc) and can help set the tone.

 

[bebec22]

I took both my kids at 11-11.5 months and they both loved the characters.

 

[pjhootch]

Makes me think of Robin Williams talking about taking his son to Disneyland. “To a three year old Mickey Mouse is a six foot rat.”

That was how my kids reacted until they were late elementary school.

 

[jvz82]

One of our trips, my 3rd child was 12 months old and he seemed fine with characters. He didn't seem all that interested in them, but he didn't cry. He just kind of watched them with slight concern lol. He was pretty attached to me so as long as I held him around the characters he was fine.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

Took both of my kids as they were just turning one and both loved the characters.

 

[MamaJessie]

I have taken kids at a lot of different ages and I have to say not one of them has been afraid of Disney characters. I was a little nervous last trip when we took our then 17 month old since she does not like strangers talking to her. Our first character meal was Chef Mickey and when she saw Goofy across the restaurant she was a little unsure, but the characters are awesome and he gave me a hug seeing she was undecided. He sat next to me at the dinner table and put his arm around me. That like gave my daughter the all clear and she wanted to see him up close. From that point on she has been OBSESSED. When we went to Tusker a few days later she was actually shaking with excitement when she saw the characters come out <3

 

[JessicaW1234]

My 4 year old niece was scared at Chef Mickey's. Said the characters were "scary".
My DD & DS loved all of them at age 2.

 

[HopperFan]

Every kid is different but mine have grown up in a Halloween world with fully built monsters in the attic ... I digress? You never know, just like going to see Santa. They may be all excited in line and the minute they get up there freak out. I would go for it and if you see after one they are afraid, move their seating away from your other child closer to you.

 

[KenHutch]

When the 7 (almost 8) year old was a baby we took the time to watch a LOT of Disney shows and when she saw Donald for the 1st time she was ready to go home with him.

 

[JESSketeer]

We're taking our son on his first WDW vacation when he's 12 months. Can't wait! Hoping he loves all the characters at that age. No way to really tell yet since he's only 3 months, but daddy dressed up as Sulley for Halloween didn't phase him at all! Lol