Bringing the kids to Walt Disney World for the first time? No matter how well you know your children, you may be surprised during your first visit to a theme park to find there are some seemingly random things that will leave them frightened and confused. Even if the kids make it past a height requirement or their usual bedtime, some aspects of a theme park visit may not sit so well with them.
Meeting characters
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One of the most common childhood fears that many parents are not prepared for is the fear of meeting characters. Parents often wait for their children to be whatever they consider to be the perfect age so they can bring the family down to the parks to meet Mickey himself. Unfortunately, Mickey probably appears much larger than the kids would have expected, and some kids just aren’t ready for this kind of interaction. It is understandable why some kids may be frightened by character meet and greets. A child who knows Mickey from some of his Disney Junior shows probably wouldn’t expect him to be larger than life in person.
The most important thing for parents to know in case this does happen is to not force their children into any kind of uncomfortable situation when it comes to meet and greets if they seem frightened. While some families let small children walk towards the characters and interact with them on their own, this may not be the best method for a child who is thrown by the size of the character. If you sense a bit of apprehension, try picking up the child and holding him or her for a photo, or at least holding their hands. If you sense a meltdown ensuing and you need to get out of there quick, never fear—Mickey and his friends, along with character attendants have plenty of experience in dealing with this, so no one will be offended or phased.
Darkness
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Children being afraid of the dark may seem like an obvious point to be making, however there is actually more darkness in a theme park than you may realize. Space Mountain for instance, may be obviously dark, but some first-time guests do not realize that an attraction like the Peoplemover spends some time in the dark as well. Even some standard Fantasyland attractions, like the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh spend some time in the dark (and Heffalumps and Woozles can definitely be frightening for some kids!)
The easiest way to handle this problem is obviously to just avoid those attractions. But sometimes it isn’t that simple. You may have a child who begs to go on a certain attraction regardless of the dark moments. Use your best judgment when deciding if the attraction will be too spooky for the kids, and if they need reassurance in some cases just know in advance that this may happen at an unexpected time.
Small drops and scares
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For a small part of my childhood, Pirates of the Caribbean absolutely terrified me. Not because of the subject matter, or the dark scenes, but because of the very small drop in the beginning of the ride. My parents went from “it’s not scary at all” to “a huge storm is coming and we’re going to go down a giant drop!” in about the time it would take us to go through the line and be sitting in the boat right before the drop. Not exactly reassuring for a kid who didn’t like drops, but I guess I turned out okay and I actually do enjoy the drops today. My point though, is that even such a small drop that would barely phase and adult may really freak out a kid.
Other small or more subtle “scares” may cause problems for anxious kids in the parks. The Haunted Mansion for instance, although not all too scary for adults may scare kids. Even if they are okay with the darkness in the stretching room, the “dark” and spooky subject matter may make them more apprehensive.
Dinosaur
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Some rides in particular tend to scare kids more than others, and Dinosaur is definitely one of those rides. Many parents probably choose not to bring young children on Dinosaur, but plenty of other parents do so thinking their children will handle it okay. Even kids who meet the height requirement may not be quite ready to come face to face with a Carnotaurus.
The focus when deciphering whether or not Dinosaur is appropriate for children is all too often on the ride itself. If the kids feel comfortable with a bumpy, jerky, ride through the dark with a small drop, they must be ready to go on this ride. Unfortunately the dinosaurs are very realistic and it becomes a bit much for some kids. There is no simple answer here to determine if your kids are ready, as every kid is different and it is best to use your own judgement on this one.
It’s Tough to be a Bug!
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Another Animal Kingdom attraction may come with some surprising scares. It’s Tough to be a Bug! sounds like a harmless 3D show featuring some favorite characters from the Disney Pixar film, A Bug’s Life, how scary can it be? The scene that usually does it for some small children is when the spiders are dropped from the ceiling. Again, this one is difficult to determine as it isn’t as straightforward as “if your kids do not like the dark avoid Space Mountain.” Most of the show features loveable characters from the film and fun 3D effects, however if sensory overload in an unfamiliar place sounds like something that may upset the kids, this may be one to avoid.
Cast member interactions
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Do you have a shy child in your group? A Disney vacation may either help get them out of their shell or push them further into it. Aside from character interactions, there are a couple of instances where you may find cast members interacting with the kids. When looking for volunteers to be a part of a show, or dancing along a parade route, it’s all in good fun but some kids are not comfortable interacting with people they don’t know.
As with character interactions, a simple “he/she is really shy” will be enough to let the cast member know that the child isn’t having it, and they will absolutely not be offended by this. Another solution is to explain to the kids that cast members are alright to talk to even though they are technically strangers. (Some parents actually encourage their kids to get comfortable talking to cast members so they know who to go to in the event that they are separated while visiting the parks. One great way to do this is to show your child what a cast member name tag looks like at the beginning of the trip and explain that anyone wearing that is okay to talk to, especially if you are separated and need help).
Pyrotechnics
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In most cases, the whole family will love the fireworks but like some other larger than life theme park experiences some kids may find the bright lights and loud sounds frightening. Pyrotechnics can be extra scary for some kids depending on the context of the attraction or show as well. Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular for instance, while not often classified as “scary” can sometimes frighten young kids during the scenes that feature explosions.
Aside from avoiding these shows altogether, the best way to approach this with a child you think may be frightened is to explain to them beforehand that it is just for show and not actually dangerous. During the show you may find it best to sit a little ways back from the front. You may have a better fireworks viewing experience from a monorail resort or the front end of Main Street instead of right in front of the castle, and Indiana Jones may be better experienced from the back couple of rows of the theater.
