One of our favorite things to do at Walt Disney World is meet characters. Well, mine and Mackenzie’s favorite thing to do is meet characters. Caroline and Daddy will join us if they must, but you can usually find them riding rides (over and over and over again at that) as opposed to standing in line for characters. To each their own.
Check YouTube Before You Go
If your child loves to meet characters or thinks they want to but might be a tad uneasy about the whole experience, may I suggest YouTube to you? YouTube is our friend when it comes to trying new experiences that we are unsure about. My kids LOVE to watch point-of-view (POV) ride videos and their favorite “stars” meeting characters (holla HobbyKidsTV and EvanTubeHD). When they’re not watching those infamous “unboxing videos” that all kids under 5 seem to be obsessed with, they’re watching videos about WDW or Disneyland.
Research, Research, Research!
Another great way to encourage your kids to enjoy character meetings is to find out how to interact with the characters. One of my favorite Disney bloggers (besides myself, obviously) is Kenny the Pirate. His website is full of interactive tips for meet and greets, and we used some of his tips on our last vacation! It just made it a lot more fun than the “stand here, take the picture, bye” routine that usually occurs because my kids are nervous and clam up when meeting their favorites. Have your kids experienced meeting a costumed character before? How did you prepare them to handle it? For more tips, check out my comprehensive video below.
I’d love to hear your tips on how to take it from an anxiety filled event to a fun one!
