Meeting the Disney characters is a fun experience for all the family! Whether you are a tot or an adult, the characters are experts in engaging you all in conversations and fun when you visit them.
Types of Characters
Disney have two types of characters that you can interact with:
“Human Characters” like your princesses, Mary Poppins and Jack Sparrow who look like real people with wigs and make up. These characters will usually engage in conversations with you during your experience.
“Mascot Characters” like Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, Pluto, The Incredibles, Chewbacca etc. These characters won’t speak to you but will often gesture, wave or give a hug. Quite often, the mascot-style characters can be intimidating for young children.
Introducing Children to the Meet and Greets
We all know that every child is different. Some will love the characters, some might be unsure and others night be downright terrified!
Some helpful tips for introducing your child(ren) to the characters could be:
- Get your child used to the characters – you could watch videos of other people meeting the characters so that your young one knows what to expect when they are there. It might also help to show your children the characters from a distance at first so they can see how the meet and greet experience works.
- Give your child the chance to settle into the park – look around and get used to the lines, crowds and atmosphere before heading straight for a character. It can be quite daunting being in a completely new place and having to face the unknown of a big character they’ve never met.
- Visit a favourite character or human character first – meeting a character that looks like an actual person might be a good way to introduce your child to the idea of a meet and greet. The fact that these characters can speak and look like adults can be less daunting than the mascot characters. Another way to introduce your children to a character is to find their favourite character. An experience to meet their hero might also help your little one to feel less anxious about the meet and greet experiences.
- Be an example – Going ahead of your child to meet the characters can put them at ease. If you or an older sibling goes forward and interacts with the characters first then you are showing your child that it’s safe for them to meet the character too. It might also help to carry your child until they feel comfortable enough to approach the characters themselves.
Where can we meet characters?
Simply Orlando 