[LittleMissMagic]

As a young kid, I was always a little beyond my years in wisdom (or rejection of make-believe, more of), for I never remember being "fooled" by AudioAnimatronics or Mickey Mouse costumes (however, I do remember, at the mere age of two-and-a-half, screaming my head of while riding E.T. at Universal, in fear that the alien would grab me, lol).

I was at Ariel's Grotto, the princess character dining restaurant in California Adventure, when I overheard a girl (appeared to be around 6 or 7) at a neighboring table exclaim, "Look, Mom! It's Belle!" as the princess entered the room. "No, honey," her mother quickly corrected, "that's just an emplyee dressed up like Belle." I was immediately shocked that the mother would take that sort of "magic" away from her daughter, especially when the girl hadn't actually said that she believed Belle to be the "real" Belle.

However, there is also the time when a child, in fear (such as my E.T. experience...), may need to be told that the alien isn't really an alien coming to take you away (I, obviously hadn't seen the movie), that it's just a robotic figure that looks like an alien.

And then, I suppose, there is the scenerio when one's child may ask if the character or AA is real. What does one say to that kind of question? Do you ruin the magic, or tell your child the truth?

So, parents, when do you feel it is right to inform your child that there is a person inside of Goofy or that Figment is actually a robot? That you haven't traveled back-in-time to visit the Dinosaurs, or traveled to tomorrow? Do most children just understand these things, or are some really fooled by Disney's unbelievably realistic approach?

[emamasa]

well, it depends on the child! DD3 will always want to believe & I'm not sure I want to tell her anything else. DD6 on the other hand, has been "in the know" for a while - but plays along - eitehr because her sister believes and she's a good big sis, or cuz its fun, who know which!

I'd say if its a fear issue, tell them the truth. If its just to tell for no other reason, I say let the kids figure it out, and be honest when they ask questions. I mean, how many 17 year olds still believe in the tooth fairy? Sometime, they are gonna out grow the belief. why push it? enjoy the magic as long as possible! DD6 has doubts about the Easter Bunny, but unless she asks, my lips are sealed!

[PrincessPooh]

I agree with Sarah. My DD is 3 1/2 and is a true believer. I encourage her to believe in her dreams/fantasies. Isn't that the magic of childhood?. I want her to believe it's real as long as I can. But on the opposite, there are those times of fear when I do tell her it's make believe, or just in the movies.

[Monique]

I agree with the fear issue. I've had to explain certain things (Haunted Mansion) to DD6 so that she would be able to enjoy the ride a lot more knowing that the ghosts are not real. But as for the other circumstances I feel that when they ask questions it's my responsibility to be truthful.

Enjoy that when they are young WDW is truly a magical place and their innocence is priceless.

[LURK]

Employee dressed up like Belle? Person inside of Goofy? Where do people come up with this stuff?

RowdyRAider could explain how Disney works far better than me. I looked for one of his classic posts. Found a few, but not the one I was looking for. But I believe.

[chastmastr]

I think Lurk says it best for me.

I would (in all seriousness) always be very, very careful about words like only and just. For example, as Lewis says in one of the Narnia books when the characters meet a "retired" star in human form, one of them says "In our world a star is a huge ball of flaming gas" and he replies, "Even in your world, young one, that is not what as star is, only what it is made of." I agree with that. To me part of the reality behind what people often call "the magic of childhood" is not that children believe false things more easily than adults do (and many adults, certainly, in my view, believe far more, and far nastier, false things than children do, and (to me worse) disbelieve in many good and true ones), but that children are more open to believing in unusual but true things than most adults are. One could even argue that the Disney CMs and AAs embody a kind of non-literal truth (!) such that it doesn't matter that someone is wearing a costume or a machine is involved; and in some cases, too (for example the Haunted Mansion), it might be one thing to say "those are not real ghosts, honey" and another entirely to say "there's no such thing as ghosts." As I believe in ghosts, I think that would be a terrible mistake. Another danger, depending on how these things are approached, would be that some children might be, once they have understood that there are ordinary people just like them in costumes walking around, or machines involved, likely to assume that all fanciful or supernatural things they have believed in are just or only pretend. I myself know there are some people who once they stopped believing in Santa Claus, ended up seeing God the same way (as a let's-pretend kind of thing), and I'd want to be very careful how one deals with such things if I had children of my own.

David

[Amelia's Man]

Very well put chastmastr, VERY well put!

[mickeymommy]

As a child I never really bought into the Santa thing, he was just always scary to me. As a result, Santa has never been a big part of Christmas for me, I was always way more into Rudolf and Frosty (even though I grew up in the South and never had snow on Christmas!). But now that Ty is big enough to start getting into it and believing in Santa, I go along with it. I don't want to spoil the "magic" of it for him. I feel the same way about Disney, etc. If there was a fear issue, I would have no problem explaining to him that it's "magic" and "not real", therefore not going to hurt him, but I love the magic I feel at Disney and the possibility of it all, I would never want to ruin that for him. My hope for our children is that they can always see the magic and carry it forward.

[timkelmom]

David you truly amaze me! So eloquently put.

I understand the issue of fear, but other than that, it is something you feel in your heart. How big is your imagination? Believing is not necessarily seeing.

Let them feel the magic as long as they care to.

I still believe! Clap if you believe.

[emamasa]

clap clap clap clap clap clap clap

[DayDreamer]

Very well put Dave!

I faced the "is that real question" a lot from my 5yo on our first trip. When she asked I often said no its not real but kept my enthusiasm up about it. I think a parents attitude about it keeps the magic alive. When seeing a character my wife and I would say "there's Mickey!!!" even though they knew its wasn't "real" in the real kinda sense they were still excited about seeing him. I just think if a parent acts bored about an attraction or character and combine that with saying its not real can spoil the magic for some kids.

[RowdyRAider]

(Pauses, takes a deep breath)

OK, I know my thoughts and feelings might sound a little biased on this subject as I am a CM and a defender of the Disney Magic here at WDW, but no matter what you think or believe, the bottom line is the power of faith and trust is as powerful as love.

I'm in Entertainment. I don't just entertain children, but everyone who comes and sees me. I help out the Characters. Though it's through me the Characters are brought to life, I'll never admit I am one, because if I did, it ruins the illusion I help create every day and there is no reason to continue to do so.

It really bothers me when parents and others ruin their children's fantasies. Deep down children know the truth, but they also realize it's so much more fun to pretend and have a good time, so they choose to believe what they believe in. Let reality set in later, but for now, what's more important? A child being bored with real life? Or having the time of their life in "their" world?

Now there are things even I do that some would say prolly hurts the illusion. I myself tell children, when I'm not working, that audioanimatronics are just that, but the characters are real. When they question the reality of characters and ask questions that would otherwise prove they don't exist, that's when I spin my stories. Not just to keep them believing, but for my sake. In the 3 years I've seen real magic happen on a weekly basis, and a lot of it comes from the belief and faith of the innocent children. Without that I'm suffering 120 degree heat for nothing.

This place is becoming more magical everyday. Look at Dream Along with Mickey. It's getting a lot harder to disbelieve in the characters anymore, now they they're actually blinking, talking and doing everything a real being can do. Kids are gonna believe what they wanna believe. Ever notice when you tell a kid they're not gonna hurt you, they still cower? It's because they still believe what they choose to.

I say do not ruin your kids time and fun. If they ask if this or that's real, just ask them what do they think? Then just say it's as real as you make it. That way their imagination is secure and you don't have to feel "guilty" about "lying." There's a lotta magic in faith and trust. Look into it.

[Cincy]

Thanks Matt. I was hoping you were lurking. Thanks Lurk!

[timkelmom]

Thanks Matt, I knew your perspective would clear it all up for us.

Thanks for keeping the magic real.

[dznygrl]

I feel there is absolutely nothing wrong with letting a child go on believing that these characters are real.

There are too many awful things in the world that your child will have to deal with growing up - we all know, because we've all been there. Believing in dreams and fantasies is one of the ways that we all survive these tribulations. It helps us believe that nothing is in vain, and that there is still a special magic left in the world.

Obviously as adults, we still long to hold onto the simplicity of childhood. Why else would we continue to go back to Disney?

Even to me - after having helped a few Disney characters for a short time -when I go to Disney, those characters are REAL. I would never look at them any other way, because thinking/dreaming/believing like a child is the only way I stay sane in this world.