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[AuntKat]

It is impossible to believe but my 5 year old niece does not want to go back to WDW. My sister, my niece and I went to Disney in August of this year. The adults loved loved LOVED it. The five year did not! She was afraid of everything. I mean absolutely everything (the self flushing toilets had her scared). She was frightened in the Living Seas (thought she really was going underwater in the Hydrolator). We told her over and over that it was pretend and that we were just inside a building with large fish tanks, etc. She simply would not allow herself to believe anything we told her. Neither my sister nor myself are daredevils so it is not as if we were trying to get her on scary rides etc. She had a near panic attack on the TTA. She didn't like anything that took place in the dark. She had a real panic attack when we wanted to walk around to the tower of terror to take some pictures. She knew we would not ride it so she certainly was not going to end up on it, but she was still in an absolute panic about even going near it. (No we did not even get to see it) Heck, we didn't see or do more than we did see and do. Anyway, my sister and I are dying to go back, but we don't want to take Meg if she is going to do the same thing again. We can't leave her with Grandmom and Granddad because she is really trying on the nerves of 70+ year olds. (her nickname is Hurricane Meg) She cannot go stay with her dad. What are we going to do? Neither of us can stand the thought of having to wait several years (waiting several months is too much) before we get to go again. Have any of you every experienced anything like this? Any suggestions? Is there a way to help her overcome these fears and actually want to go back? Right now she says no...she does not want to go back. The only things she really enjoyed were the Monorail and resort pool. Whaaaaaaa, whaaaaa, whaaaaaa (whining and crying 'cause I really really need some of that Disney Magic and want to be able to immerse myself in planning for it)

Kat

[nicki]

Unfortunately, I think that if you try to get your niece to go again before she is ready, you might just ruin it for her forever. I had alot of the same fears that she experienced when I first went at the age of 4. At least with me, there was alot I did like that kept me wanting to go back. But I have to say, I refused to ride Pirates of the Caribean again until I was in high school. I really think you should give your niece some time to get over these fears...which can be quite common for her age. I know that would mean that you and your sister would miss out on the world for some time, but I think it would be worth it for your neice's future enjoyment of WDW. Of course, this is only my opinion. You two know your niece better than I do. I just know what it is like to be scared to death of some of the things at WDW. Think about it...how real some of the attractions seem to us as adults. Now try to imagine them as a child would...without the rational adult thinking (this is only pretend). Whatever you decide, I hope all goes well!

Nicki

[DebiDebiDebi]

I don't find your neice's reaction a suprise, I have often told people that WDW is too big and overwhelming for the little ones. A gal I work with insited on taking her 5 year old, and since she was recently divorced, it would be just the 2 of them. Her reaction was the same as your neice, she wailed, cried, and panicked her way through what became a very long week. Her mother later said I was right, she should've waited until Lauren was older. As an adult, I am sometimes overwhelmed with the size and amount of things to do, so I am possitive it must seem very frightening to some (not all) small children. Obviously, you can't take her back until she is older, 8-10 years old. As for you and your sister, well, unless you can find someone to take care of "Hurricane Meg", you're just going to have to wait, or, risk ruining it for Meg forever. Good Luck, chin up, things always have a way of working out!

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DebiDebiDebi, Official card carrying member of the Mickey Mouse Club.

[Disnygirl]

Hey,
Confession time!!!!! I'm 33 and I STILL won't ride the Haunted Mansion!!!!!!!!!! So, don't take your niece back to WDW until she is ready. You wouldn't want to ruin it for her. Maybe once she gets a little older and more mature she'll be ready to visit again. Good luck!

Disnygirl

[This message has been edited by Disnygirl (edited 11-11-2000).]

[Cruella]

Hi AuntKat!
I'm so sorry to hear about her distress!
It's not worth making her more nervous than she is. However, there are some possible alternatives!
If she goes to child care at home she might do well with the Disney childcare services.
We have not used them, but have heard that they are very good. Only her Mom & you know her well enough to know how she would do with this. Do the few things she likes and then have some Adult time to do some of the things you like.
If she does not do well with childcare then you will just have to wait til she is ready!
Good luck! If not my SIL goes to Disney solo all the time! She likes it when she can do what she wants and not have to worry about what anyone else wants to do!

Ooops....This is WildForWD...didn't sign Cruella off!

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Cruella ºoº
"...where the young at heart, of all ages, can laugh and play and learn, together!"

Cruella

[This message has been edited by Cruella (edited 11-11-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Cruella (edited 11-11-2000).]

[HiddenMickey]

I got a surprise on Saturnday night when my 5 year old declared that she did not want to go back to WDW!! Now we have been twice in the past two years and it has been two months since we were there last and we talk abou WDW world all the time and how much fun it is....so for her to declare out of the blue that she didn't want to go was a shock. It turns out that she started thinking about all the attractions that had scary parts in them, and I was shocked to realize, that a lot of them do to some extent or other. I would mention one that I thought was Ok and she would point out what part was scary to her. For example... Winnie the Pooh ride (Heffalumps and Woozles) or Splash Mountain (the crows before the drop) or Beauty and the Beast show (dancing bats). But Pirates of the Caribbean was the number one thing she said she was scared of (I think she forgot about HM). Anyway, we do not have plans to go back for a while and I hope that she doesn't start to fixate on the scary stuff so that when we do go back we don't have avoid half the rides.

Also I'd like to relate the story of my nieces who have been to WDW many times since they were little and now as 10 and 13 year olds don't want to go back at all. All they like is the pool and the restaurants.

I'm sorry that you guys had such a hard trip last time, but I bet the next one would be even worse if you don't give her some time to mature.

HiddenMickey

[JiminyJim]

I would have to agree with the folks who said don't try to rush it. One thing I found that helped us with our daughter is the stuff before the trip. For example Disney Video's that feature the parks - "Disneyland Fun" is one of the best but there some others - there is one for Animal Kingdom and one for water parks and again others- anyway we watched them with our daughter and I belive it makes a differance, when they see areas that they regconize from the videos. She would even start singing the songs as we entered that area of the park. She was still scared of some of the "big heads" but as long as we held her, and they didn't try to touch her she was fine.

At one breakfast, we let Pluto know that she was kind of scared and he just knelt down and did't move, and after about 3 min she reached out and petted him.

It takes a little work but it's well worth it. We just have to be carefull not to allow our own expectations to stand in the way of the children having fun.

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Always let your conscience be your guide--JC