SG Dad in adventureland. Peter Pan saves the day

[delsdad]

On Monday or Tuesday, in Adventureland, at the Peter Pan & Wendy meet n greet beside Pirates.
Next family in line has a toddler, who is terrified to meet Peter and Wendy. Toddler is busy working on a giant lollipop, one as big as his head.
Dad insists the child join his sibling for a photo. Tears. Screaming. Toddler moves away. Dad grabs toddler by the arm. pulls him back. Child drops lollipop. It shatters into a million pieces. Major crying and screaming from a terrified and upset child. Dad still insisting that the kid get in to the photo!
Peter and Wendy are shocked, in fact Wendy appears near tears. Peter picks up the remains of the lollipop and runs off in the direction of the pirate store. A handler has appeared by this time, and calls for cleanup crew to deal with the shattered candy bits.
Peter Pan reappears with a new Lollipop for the upset kid, now in moms arms. Child still to scared to take the candy, but Peter and Wendy settle him enough to hand him a new lollipop. No photo for scared child. Thank goodness. The family go on their way, probably to frighten the little one somewhere else.

Yay for Peter Pan ! His attempt to appease the frightened toddler was so very gentle and thoughtfull.

Too bad he could not have given the Dad a slap in the head tho !

[Malpass93]

How is it that the boy who couldn't grow up acted the most mature in the event?

[Purpura]

It's because of the candy... Boys love candy. and YAY For PETER! COCKADOODLEDOO!!!!!

[turkeyham]

If any kid is scared of the characters, let the child view the character from a distance.

[ktulu]

I took a screaming Abby to meet Rafiki and Timon on our last trip to WDW. Well, she was in a stroller and crying a bit about it. Two days later she ran up to Minnie Mouse and Chip and Dale. That signaled the end of her fear of the characters. She was only weary of Captain Hook and the Mad Hatter. She did inform me the other night that when we visit WDW she will not be scared of the Mad Hatter this time :D:

She didn't want her picture with Mary Poppins either, but the 2nd time we saw her she did. I think she out grew her fears, but wanted to hit the rides instead.

[scpergj]

Our daughter's first exposure to life sized Disney characters (you know, the real characters, not just the ones in the movies...) :) was just after her second birthday. We went to breakfast at 'Ohana, and she was TERRIFIED of Mickey and Minnie...so she just sat on my lap with her head burried on my shoulder when the characters were out. I did get her to smile and wave at Minnie, but that was all she would do. Our son, on the other hand, had his first exposure to Mickey when he was three (about two years before the above), walked up to Mickey (with Mom right next to him - didn't want Mom to be too far away!), hugged mickey, and proceded to tell him all about what we had seen at WDW that day.

I think the father that was wanting his kid to have that picture soooo bad should be made to do something he is horribly frightened of for an hour or so as punishment....

edit...oops - I forgot the whens for the above...'Ohana was in December of 2003, and the other was in March of 2000.

[DDuckLover]

Some parents will do anything for pictures...ugh.

My daughter is afraid of face characters, so I don't even try it. I approached Alice with her in tow once, she started to cry and we left! I think it just has to do with it being a stranger. Mickey and Minnie she can handle, they look like life sized toys to her.

[joanna71985]

Ugh! I hate it when adults force their kids to see the characters! It makes for a difficult situation for everyone. And why would you want a picture of your child all upset and crying? For the sake of everyone around (and especially your child), PLEASE don't make your kids go up to a character if they are terrified.

[ktulu]

Ugh! I hate it when adults force their kids to see the characters! It makes for a difficult situation for everyone. And why would you want a picture of your child all upset and crying? For the sake of everyone around (and especially your child), PLEASE don't make your kids go up to a character if they are terrified.

Now I need to dig up the picture of Abby from her first trip to Disneyland. She is screaming in her high chair at Plaza Inn, Tigger next to her with hands on the sides of his face. Priceless!

You can ask Susi, DisneyMom or glendalis how traumatized she is now :D:

[turkeyham]

On Tuesday I was walking down the hallway and I came across Mary Poppins. I asked "Where is Bert?" She said "He just blew off."
The way she said it had me laughing.