What do you say to kids re: face characters looking different?

A

Audrey9505

Member
We went to Disney last December for the first time when my DD was 3 and we're going again this December. My daughter looks at the pictures from the last trip often, especially the ones with the characters. My question is about the face characters like the princesses. Do your kids notice that they are different from year to year, and even could be different from day to day on your trip? I can really see my daughter saying "that's not the same Snow White I saw last time" and I'm not sure how I would answer that? Any advice? Thanks!
 
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sweetpee_1993

sweetpee_1993

Well-Known Member
My boys were 7 & 8 the 1st time we brought them to WDW so the face character differences wasn't such a big issue. I have had questions similar to this in the past when it comes to Santa, Easter Bunny, etc. My advice is just get creative. We always made elaborate stories to explain nuances they noticed. With the princesses you might whisper in your daughter's ear: "Well, what happened was that Cinderella had some Princess duties in (name another park) but she really didn't want you or all the other little girls to be sad if she wasn't here to see you. So she sent her royal bff to meet with you and play pretend. We don't want to hurt the other little girls' feelings so we have to keep it a secret. Can you help? Playing pretend is fun." Or, if that would be too complicated just tell her you heard she's trying out a new Princess make-up that made her look a little different today. :king:

Personally, I loved telling my boys little things so they felt like they were "in" on some secret grown-up detail and they were being extra sweet to other kids by playing along and not ruining any magic for them. I think that worked best for us when they get a little older like around 6-8 years old. It also taught them the importance and joy of giving the magic to others and creating what we all hold so dear. Now that they're 11 & 13 we can sit in restaurants like Crystal Palace and they actively notice, enjoy, and comment about little babies or small children when they meet characters. The expressions of discovery, wonder, and joy are noticed and mean something to them even tho they have no connection with the other children other than being in the same place at that given moment. It's really sweet!
 
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minnie2000

minnie2000

Well-Known Member
My daughters asked this about the princesses, and I told them that it was because they must have had a different lady in waiting to do their make-up, and that was why they looked different. It worked at the time!

Once, in Epcot, we had breakfast at Akershus, and the girls met the princesses. Later on that day, we met Belle in France, who said to my girls, "Didn't I see you at breakfast-time?" The girls were amazed that she recognised them!
 
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F

fraumaus

New Member
Yes, maybe just saying that perhaps the royal assistants did her hair/makeup different that day. Just like when Mommy goes to the beauty shop and gets a "new do" sometimes! ;)
Or just play dumb and redirect, "Really? Hm. Which princess do you think has the prettiest dress?"
In any case, I wouldn't over-complicate things.
 
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DizneyPryncess

DizneyPryncess

Well-Known Member
sweetpee_1993 said:
My boys were 7 & 8 the 1st time we brought them to WDW so the face character differences wasn't such a big issue. I have had questions similar to this in the past when it comes to Santa, Easter Bunny, etc. My advice is just get creative. We always made elaborate stories to explain nuances they noticed. With the princesses you might whisper in your daughter's ear: "Well, what happened was that Cinderella had some Princess duties in (name another park) but she really didn't want you or all the other little girls to be sad if she wasn't here to see you. So she sent her royal bff to meet with you and play pretend. We don't want to hurt the other little girls' feelings so we have to keep it a secret. Can you help? Playing pretend is fun." Or, if that would be too complicated just tell her you heard she's trying out a new Princess make-up that made her look a little different today. :king:

Personally, I loved telling my boys little things so they felt like they were "in" on some secret grown-up detail and they were being extra sweet to other kids by playing along and not ruining any magic for them. I think that worked best for us when they get a little older like around 6-8 years old. It also taught them the importance and joy of giving the magic to others and creating what we all hold so dear. Now that they're 11 & 13 we can sit in restaurants like Crystal Palace and they actively notice, enjoy, and comment about little babies or small children when they meet characters. The expressions of discovery, wonder, and joy are noticed and mean something to them even tho they have no connection with the other children other than being in the same place at that given moment. It's really sweet!
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That's a really great thing to tell them! The first thing that popped into my head was to say that they had Princess duties and had to have a friend stand in for them. I like how you elaborated on it to make it like a secret for the kids. When I have kids (hopefully soon!), I will have to remember that.

I also like the idea of telling them different ladies did their make up! Great ideas. :)
 
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docnabox

docnabox

Active Member
I think you should tell them that, for instance, in the case of Snow White, she is 80 years old. It takes a lot of plastic surgery and botox to keep her looking good and so she might look a little different because she just had a facelift. I mean, think about it, she didn't shack up with a guy named Doc just so she could do his laundry and make him soup. Sure, she did those things but it was just part of earning her keep for all her cosmetic work.:lol:

Honestly though, not having kids I would not know for sure what to say other than that if they are old enough to notice that from year to year the facial features of a princess are different, they are probably old enough to understand that they aren't really princesses.:lookaroun (had to put this emoticon here because I LOVE this one)

Break it to them gently and if you want to save yourself trouble down the line, you can segue into "and while we are at it, about Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny...." :ROFLOL:

Good luck to you though, not making fun of your question, just injecting some fun into the discussion! :wave:
 
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Atomicmickey

Atomicmickey

Well-Known Member
How about "all the other Snow Whites you have seen were just standins/friends etc. and THIS ONE is the real one!"

Why not maximize the present magic?

Or just say that Snow White is a shape-shifter from the planet Xyrgon
and that IT sometimes doesn't get the face shape right, and that
Xyrgonites can sometimes flawlessly impersonate even close family
members and that you never know about anyone around you, ever.

Yeah, that's the ticket, right there.
 
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KC82271

KC82271

Active Member
My 4 year old is really smart and picks things up that you would never expect. Luckily, to date, after 6 trips, she has never questioned it. I was concerned in April when we did 1900 Park Fare (she was escorted in by Cinderella to dinner) and then we went to the Princess Tent 2 hours later in the MK. I said outloud, by one of the cast members, the isn't it funny how fast Cinderella got here from dinner. The cast member looked and me and I mouthed to him what had happened. He said to Cinderella as we got up there - "Look who it is from the 1900 Park Fare dinner." and she asked my daughter how the rest of her dinner was since she last saw her - this blew my daughter away that Cinderella remembered her. Worked like a charm!
 
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