Okay, I know this sounds crazy, but my 4 year old has always been scared of mascots at ballgames etc. So why are we spending money to go to Disney? Anyway, I showed him several of the characters on the Disney World website. We have dinner reservations at Chef Mickeys and breakfast one morning with Donald Duck. Now he tells me that he doesn't want to get near any of the characters. It's okay to see them as long as they are not close enough to touch him. Any suggestions (besides staying home). I know I can change our dining plans, but I'm more concerned about the parks. He knows he will see parades and such and is okay as long as we are far enough away the can't get to him. But what about just walking around the parks. How common is it to just "happen" upon characters if you are not trying to get autographs and pictures with them?

Okay, I know this sounds crazy, but my 4 year old has always been scared of mascots at ballgames etc. So why are we spending money to go to Disney? Anyway, I showed him several of the characters on the Disney World website. We have dinner reservations at Chef Mickeys and breakfast one morning with Donald Duck. Now he tells me that he doesn't want to get near any of the characters. It's okay to see them as long as they are not close enough to touch him. Any suggestions (besides staying home). I know I can change our dining plans, but I'm more concerned about the parks. He knows he will see parades and such and is okay as long as we are far enough away the can't get to him. But what about just walking around the parks. How common is it to just "happen" upon characters if you are not trying to get autographs and pictures with them?

My younger daughter also was upset by any non-human characters. She was OK seeing one from a distance, but not for close contact. She was fine with human characters in costume, and loved the princesses. Part of the issue was that the animal or non-human "sidekicks," often appeared out of context from the story. We were having dinner at the LTT, when she was 2, and Meeko appeared without Pocohantas. The poor kid thought that she was being attacked by a giant raccoon. A couple of years later, we had the Cinderella dinner at 1900 Park Faire. She was not happy when the mice showed up. I would not force the character interaction or insist that he pose with them for pictures, but try him with the humans in character. I think the oversized characters may be intimidating to a little person. He may also actually like to see them, from a "safe" distance. You also might try kid-friendly meals, such as the Whispering Canyon Cafe, where the kids get entertained, without characters.

As far as 'running into them' in the parks. It'll be from a distance, and you shouldn't have any troubles staying 'watching' distance away.

I visited my brother and his family when they lived in Orlando when my oldest nephew was just about 3. He was a very very cautious kid at that age, and so when we went to the MK and Epcot, we just 'stayed away' from the characters. But we went to Sea World, and they had a walk-around Shamu, and he ran right up to the character and gave it a hug around the middle. We were SHOCKED. If he'd been a tad bigger, he might have knocked Shamu over, he was so enthusiastic. BUT, he hadn't expressed any desire to stay away from them, we were just trying to be a good aunt and parents!

I have heard that the characters in the restaurants CAN be really patient and try to get ones to get better used to them, but it really depends on the time they have. Just position your son so he's inside the table from where the characters will be approaching (ask your server), so you can 'intercept' them before they get to close and say your son just wants to wave hi to them (or whatever he's comfortable with at the time).

I don't remember if the planning DVD has kids interacting with the characters in a little bit longer segments than are on the website or not. If you have that, you might want to check it out with him and it might be helpful in getting him where he would be able to enjoy his meals a little more (even if 'from a distance')

Don't cancel your vacation! You will see characters in the parks but they very seldom will be just walking around. Almost all of the time, they will be in a controlled environment with a handler and a line to get autographs and pictures. About the only times you might just "run into a character" would be if they are just coming out for a session or are just going in after a session. Your child can be as far away as he watns to be. Who knows? Once he sees a character or two from a distance and sees how the kids get autographs and pictures, he just might want to be bolder.

And don't worry about the dining reservations. We took a then one year old girl (not ours and her parents were there) to Chef Mickey's because the mom wanted to get all these great photos of her daughter with the characters. Would have worked if the baby didn't start wailing every time she saw a character. But it worked out just fine. The characters must have talked to each other because after the first not so great reaction, the rest of them stayed away from the table and just waved. The mom got her pictures - with her daughter in the foreground and the characters way behind the highchair. And by the end of the breakfast, Chip had charmed the baby so much that she ended up having about five full minutes of one on one time with him.

As two adults, we don't "do" the characters. And we are never tripping over them in the parks at all. They are there but in the background because that's how we want them to be.

If your child decides to maybe, just maybe, try to visit one of the characters, it might be helpful to have an autograph book and a sharpie ready. Sometimes it helps when they have something to hand to them and "break the ice" so to speak. If you want to try it out, I'd suggest visiting Winnie the Pooh or Eyore first - they seem pretty tame and most friendly looking - not bouncy and eager like Tigger or Goofy. Keep away from the Queen of Hearts . . . even my character-loving three-year-old is afraid of her. She looks angry. If anything, you can just stick to the face characters like Alice, Peter Pan, Cinderella, Mary Poppins, etc. And everyone else here is right, they are usually off in the distance and you have to make a real effort to go visit them. Shouldn't be a big deal. Good luck!

When my son was 3 we went to Sesame Place in PA and he wanted nothing to do with characters even though his older sister was there trying to encourage him. He enjoyed them on stage at the show and from a safe distance. When he was 4 we went to WDW for his first time and he shocked us by running up to all the characters and giving them huge hugs. This was in 1991, so the characters would be walking around without being stationary like now where the kids line up to greet them. You should not have any problem "staying away" from them at the parks. Tough call on the meals. You could leave the reservations and see how he reacts to them from a distance and see if he will get closer, or panics. Then if you decide to go, fine, but if not PLEASE cancel them ASAP so another can have that meal time.

There are so many good places to eat that don't have plushies walking around! Really, they're the appeal of those meals. If your little one doesn't care for them,(My son never really did, still doesn't, but loooves Disney World) Just change your plans to restaurants that don't have them, and if he becomes interested, there are opportunities to see them other places. Whispering canyon, Ohana, Sci-Fi drive in, all have a fun and appealing atmosphere for little guys minus the characters! and you can have a great time w/o the anxiety. I know when ds was little, we went to Crystal Palace and he hardly ate because he was trying to keep a close eye on where those plushies were!

I have a 3 little ones. For the longest time my son wanted nothing to do with the characters while I couldn't peel his little sisters away. They have certain "greeting" times at the park to meet the characters. I don't think I have ever seen them wandering around. The same with the shows and parades. You will be able to keep your little one at a "safe" distance for his/her comfort. I wouldn't suggest the character breakfasts however. They come and greet every table, kiss the kids on the head, take pictures, give high fives... which is great for some, but not pleasant if you child is fearful. You can go to kgstickets.com or call. They always have great advice about the parks and other destinations to plan your trip according to your families needs. Plus, they have a low price guarantee and free one hour delivery!!!