Your input on little ones that are scared of disney characters (on the cruise) needed

[Jan2007]

We are trying to book a disney cruise in a very rare time span where we can actually do it. I was dismayed today when my preschooler watched a presentation video for the cruise and firmly told me, mommy I don't want to go there. I want to stay home with grandma.

 

:eek:

 

I've been waiting to take this cruise forever and now I am a little deflated. I know that at the root of this, the issue is that she is scared of the larger-than-life characters. My hope is that she will grow out of this stage by the time the cruise actually rolls around, but I admit, this has me a little nervous.

 

Looking for some tips here from veteran Disney cruisers (or anyone who has sailed disney with kids who were scared of the characters) to share their tips and opinions

 

Do the kids warm up to the characters quickly?

Or if not, will the kids be able to have fun without getting too close during the trip?

At what age do kids usually pass this stage?

Is there anything one can do before hand to help kids get comfortable?

Is it better to simply not take a chance and book another cruise?

 

My preschooler does love the characters (and all mascot type characters in general), but just not so much when they are up close and personal.

[GTO-Girl]

We are trying to book a disney cruise in a very rare time span where we can actually do it. I was dismayed today when my preschooler watched a presentation video for the cruise and firmly told me, mommy I don't want to go there. I want to stay home with grandma.

 

:eek:

 

I've been waiting to take this cruise forever and now I am a little deflated. I know that at the root of this, the issue is that she is scared of the larger-than-life characters. My hope is that she will grow out of this stage by the time the cruise actually rolls around, but I admit, this has me a little nervous.

 

Looking for some tips here from veteran Disney cruisers (or anyone who has sailed disney with kids who were scared of the characters) to share their tips and opinions

 

Do the kids warm up to the characters quickly?

Or if not, will the kids be able to have fun without getting too close during the trip?

At what age do kids usually pass this stage?

Is there anything one can do before hand to help kids get comfortable?

Is it better to simply not take a chance and book another cruise?

 

My preschooler does love the characters (and all mascot type characters in general), but just not so much when they are up close and personal.

 

I wouldn't worry too much about this because from our experience on the Wonder the characters seemed to always be at a distance and waiting for the kids to approach them. Also they will have listed in your in-room events paper where and when the characters will be, so you will know ahead of time of their locations. But they do sometimes appear at other times but I have never seen them approach a child first unless the child initiates it.

 

My 4 yr old granddaughter has made it plain for our upcoming Dream cruise she doesn't want to see Captain Hook or Goofy, so we told her that she didn't have to and she seems fine with that.

 

Once your 4 yr old sees all the other kids having such a wonderful time she may just "warm up" a little........go have fun!!!!

[Jan2007]

Do they come to the kid's programs? Like while the parent is not there and the children are on their own?

There was a mascot that came to entertain the children in the youth club on a previous sailing and it terrified my little one. Especially since we were not around.

[GTO-Girl]

Do they come to the kid's programs? Like while the parent is not there and the children are on their own?

There was a mascot that came to entertain the children in the youth club on a previous sailing and it terrified my little one. Especially since we were not around.

 

I believe they do........but just ask someone who works in there. Maybe they only come at certain times......

[karpela]

Believe me, they don't always grow out of it :D:D.

My daughter was 14 when we were in Disney World and Goofey tried to give her a muffin at a Charactor breakfast and she burst into tears!

She has always been scared of dressed up charactors and keeps a wide berth if she is near any - even now!

So please tell me why her 21st birthday party was Disney themed and everyone was asked to dress up (she was Cinderella).

And she is about to start her dream job as a Youth Activities Counselor aboard Disney Wonder!! :)

[graphicguy]

Or, it's a free pass for you. Accommodate your little one with Grandma and you can go. Everybody's happy (well, maybe with the exception of Grandma).

[Host Mick]

Then you don't want to go on a Carnival cruise. That Funship Freddie scares the heck out of even me and I can go through the Haunted Mansion with my eyes open. :eek:

[spicycrab]

Not sure when your cruise is, but is there any type of amusement park or similiar that you can take her to before the cruise to get her not so scared?

 

DD is currently scared of these too, but my tactic currently is to keep exposing her to them so she gets over it.

[Jan2007]

Then you don't want to go on a Carnival cruise. That Funship Freddie scares the heck out of even me and I can go through the Haunted Mansion with my eyes open. :eek:

 

 

that's hilarious - I believe that's the exact guy that instilled this fear in my LO in the first place :D lol

[SuiteTraveler]

Yikes! I had not seen Fun Ship Freddie until I looked up a photo on the internet just now - he even scares me! What was Carnival thinking making this character with a bright red head and a huge open mouth? At first glance, I mistook it for a devil! LOL! Does Carnival NOT realize how intimidating something like that looks to a little one??? IMO, this is NOT a good design for a mascot character.

 

To the original poster: It might be kinder to wait until your little one is not so frightened of these large characters. There is a big difference between a pre-schooler and a grade school child who has been to amusement parks and seen other kids interacting with these characters. I wouldn't force my child into this situation at this time. You have many years ahead of you to enjoy Disney. Don't make the first experience a potentially scary one. The cruises will always be around and they will only get better and better! In the meantime, enjoy your precious, innocent little one for who he/she is right now. They grow up too fast as it is.

[alsotraveler]

Step One: Find a local costume store in your area and rent one the larger than life costumes.

 

Step Two: Wait until your child has fallen asleep, then put on the costume.

 

Step Three: Sneek into your child's room while it's very dark. Stand at the foot of the bed and breathe heavily.

 

Step Four: Have an accomplice turn on the lights and do everything you can think of to wake your child up and scare the bejeezus out of him/her

 

Step Five: Once the child is truly terrified, remove the head from the costume - point your finger at the child and say "Nothing on the Disney Cruise will be as scary as this was! See! You CAN handle it! We're booked for July! Can't wait to go!"

 

Step Six: Leave the room, shut the lights off, and warn your child not to get out of the bed or else the boogie man in the closet, and the monster under the bed will snatch him/her.

 

Step Seven: Start packing, problem solved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry. I can't help myself...... I kid, I kid.

[dexddd]

That is a hard question to answer, but watching the little kids the past week while our older kids were waiting, some will cry and run away, others hesitant, some go right up. As a PP said, the characters do a great job just staying back and letting the parents try to get kids to go up.