What would you tell him?

[mickeyfanatic]

My inquisitive DS (5 years old) asked me if Mickey Mouse and the characters were real. A friend ( the little brat- only kidding) told him they were all make believe.

I told him I believed they were all real and that I had seen the magic there. I feel guilty about this one - I told him to remember how Tinkerbell's light almost went out when the little girl didn't believe. Oooohhhh, I feel bad about that one... Am I terrible, unfit??? I just want him to have a wonderful time when we go in May. I want it to be magical.

What would you do? What would Walt do? Am I a Mickeyfanatic gone too far?

 

[jaysue]

Tell him they are real because it is us who make them as real as we want them to be

For one I went from belief when I was young to sarcasm when I became a little older and then into teens to who could care less into my 20's and back to they are real now that I have taken DS to WDW

Tell him they are real even when he says "Aw, c'mon Mom/Dad they aren't real"

Thanks
Jason

 

[BounceyOne]

Of course they are real, you see them and touch them don't you? that makes them real!!

 

[perpetualplanner]

It's kind of like the santa thing - which you'll probably get soon too. We told our son that WE BELIEVE!! Some people choose not to and it's up to him but isn't it sad to think of no santa - or Mickey???!!! He has so far chosen to believe. BTW - he is also asking "isn't it just people dressed up??" I told him the same thing - I acted shocked and said "I thought it was really Mickey why don't you think so??" He'll "know" the truth but he'll also know mom and dad choose to believe and hopefully he'll choose so too and keep the magic. OH - he's 7 1/2

 

[Jordan's MOM]

I agree to keep up the magic. That means you are a good mom that wants your child to have wonderful childhood dreams. At five he will belive you over his friend though that will change soon. You will know when it is time to be honest though he will know the truth long before it is ever spoken. My DS is 10 and we felt like it was time to be completly honest about Santa as he has a friend that get a whole lot less at Christmas than our DS. We felt we need to talk with DS about some of his statements to his friend such as "why don't you just ask Santa for what you want". After the conversation DS told me he had known the truth for years, he just did not want me to say it out loud! He had never asked point blank about Santa. By the way, at 5 he did belive the characters were, with out a doubt, real. By 8 he did not but had no less of a magical trip and still wanted to do all the character stuff. This year he has only asked for one character meal and I doubt we will get near as many pictures with the characters as in the past. Keep the magic going for as long as possible.

Jordan's mom

 

[crisi]

We deal with degrees of "real." The problem being, if we present Mickey as real - Captian Hook becomes all TOO real.

I took my first trip to Disney at 17. I knew darn well there was a short woman in the Mickey costume - but it was still magical.

 

[cart-mom]

I feel like a bad mother after reading this post. My DS & DD were terrified when they saw the characters so I explained that they were real people like mommy & daddy in a costume like Halloween. My DD would go up to them but my older DS wouldn't. I would never want them to lose the magic. They see how I am still pumped at going to the parks and they just go crazy when we get close to the parks.

Look into your heart and do what you feel is right for your child.

 

[juliesue]

I also told my kids that there were people inside the costumes when they asked. MY DD was 5 and my DS was 2. It helped them be less afraid. We also told them how tall the characters are - that Mickey is as tall as a grown-up.

I also told them that we like to believe they are the characters and that makes it magical and fun. Then when we got to the park, we just acted normal (like they are real) and all of us had a great time. Kids are great at believing and I think it all depends on how you act. I know I am just a big kid when it comes to WDW and they see that and take cues from me.

My DD and DS are now 9 and 6 and they still believe and have a great time everytime we go!

 

[SueM in MN]

This thread brings back memories for me. When my oldest DD was 5, she thought the characters were for sure real - she was even worried that Minnie was working too hard at our character breakfast and would be too tired to be in the parade later.
A few years later she knew the truth about the characters, but she "chose" to believe they were real. Like the stuffed rabbit in the story of the Velveteen Rabbit, something becomes real if it is cared for and you believe in it. (very similar to what juliesue wrote).

 

[BrerMom]

My older two have always "known" they were people dressed up, but I don't think it has diminished the fantasy for them. In fact, my son decided as a seven year old that he really wants to be Mickey when he's in the college program (talk about planning ahead!!!). And if he stays one of the smallest in his class, he may just make the height requirement!

 

[Evil Princess]

First time I went to Disney, I was around 3.

My question during the parade, "Mommy, why does Tigger have a zipper on his back"

My parents response "Oh, well, you see, Tigger got sick this afternoon, and rather than cancel the parade, they had to find someone to replace him."

I bought it, I don't remember for how much longer. Over our last WDW vacay in September I dragged my brother and sister to get Mickey's autograph. I'm going to be 18, my brother is 15, and my sister will be 12. Go figure, lol.

Disney is always magical to me, even if I know that Stitch kissing my hand is really a girl about my size.

 

[lenshanem]

My oldest was 4 on our last trip. She thought the face characters were real, but the others were not. Just dressed in costume she told me. I have told her they are like Santa, if you truely believe magical things will happen. I really hate when people tell me they are waiting to go to WDW when their kids are older. It is when they are toddlers I think that it is so fun! My youngest was not quite 2 and she got so excited about all the characters. Jumping up and down whenever she saw any of them. This precious time goes by too fast. What is going on in their little heads?

 

[Synonymous]

My wife's mother very thoughtfully told my DD at age 3 that she shouldn't be excited about the characters because they're just people in suits. Luckily, she forgot that pretty quickly.

But now, she's 5, and doubting everything. She still WANTS to believe, though. Whenever she asks me, I ask her what she thinks, and she usually says she thinks they're real.

I think I like the Cast Member approach, like somebody described above. They are absolutely real, no question about, why would you even ask? She'll figure it out soon enough on her own.

Does anybody know what CMs say if you ask them why the characters don't talk? That's always been a tough one for me to handle.

 

[merryweather's twin]

We have told our kids the truth about the char. and even the rides but no magic is lost on them. We act like everything is real while there. They love knowing how it all works and our 6 yo DD who looks like Aroria (she even has the hair) wants to be one some day.
It is funny but our soon to be 8 yo DS is a Santa- tooth fary- and Bunny die hard.... When our 6 yo DD began to question it about a month ago he said Mom and Dad have allways been honest with us about WDW why would they lie about this? The matter was settled after that..... I have a feeling I will pay for that someday.....
Does any one elses son set up boobie traps for the Bunny? He has a big plan going!
I am glad about the path I chose and know it helped my very shy 3yo to have fun last time!

 

[sanilacjack]

You mean their NOT REAL!

 

[Synonymous]

Shhhhh!!! Nobody tell sanilacjack that Disney's in it for the money, either!

 

[Baloo]

Synonymous.....WHAAAAAAAAAT?!?!?!?

LOL!!!

 

[Kallison]

I still argue with my kids and they are 12, 10 and 8. Last trip dD was 7 and kept inisisting they were people in costumes. As soon as she got around them she was so excited laughing at Goofy, Chip and Dale. At one point during the parade I looked over and she was holding her Chip and Dale pin that she had just traded a CM for, her eyes were glowing and I know she was dying for C&D to come over so she could show them her pin. So whether they believe or not, they will once they get there.

 

[strawberryblonde]

My DS met Mickey for the first time at just 1 yrs old. He loved him, laughed and smiled. He met him again at 2, then 3, then nearly 5. We went the week he turned 6 and he asked Alice if she was wearing a costume. She replied how would he feel if she said he was wearing a costume, that it was her dress and her mother dressed her in it every day. We just went for 2 days to show MIL around and DS saw/hugged Sully and Mike for the first time. He was very excited and looked as though he believed they were real. As we were walking away he asked me " How did they find a man big enough to be in Sully's costume and a man small enough to be in Mike's?". The next day we ate at Chef Mickey's. DS was all over the characters, loving on them ect. He asked me " how can they see?" I am sad to have him growing up and figuring it all out and yet I can see that even though he knows the truth he still feels "magic" around the characters.

Oh, and when he asked about how they see I asked him if he really wanted to know. He said yes so I told him I thought through the mouth. I didn't think of any clever come backs

 

[phyllis1966]

I'm not really sure what I would tell a child who asked in such a way. When we took our 3 1/2 year old DD in October, she was afraid of the characters, so we told her they were just nice girls in costumes, which helped a bit.. As the vacation progressed, she became less afraid and more excited at the sight of certain characters, and seemed to magically forget what we had told her! Listen, I'm an adult and even I sometimes forget that they're not real - when you're there, the magic just takes over!