Toy Story 3 questions

[PAfirsttimemom]

We're finally ready to use our free tickets from the DVD promotion earlier this year. We're planning to go as a family (even with my almost 2 yr old), since we have four tickets. This will be both kids' first experience at a movie theater, so I'm wondering if there's anything we need to do to prepare them for the experience. For example, my friend said she took cotton to put in her son's ears so the noise wouldn't bother him so much. I'm curious how others' kids fared in that regard: Were they scared?

Did anyone take a child as young 2? How did they do? Will my DS2 be too overwhelmed? Is this a mistake to take him? DH or I will leave with him if necessary.

Were you able to use your printed tickets at theaters other than the one you selected online at the time of ordering? (It is no longer playing at the theater I had selected.)

I've read that there are sad parts. How did your kids handle those?

Thanks!

[vonfirmath]

Good luck. I was not able to get a theater to accept my free TOy Story 3 tickets.

[calv]

Good luck. I was not able to get a theater to accept my free TOy Story 3 tickets.

REALLY? Why, what happened? :(

To the OP, thanks for the reminder. we've yet to use our tickets. Kids already saw it but it was a special/private screening w/family & work.

Our tickets expire @ the end of this month. I hope the theaters takes our tickets!

[vonfirmath]

They just said they were not participating in that promotion (although they had been in the list to choose from). And that I needed to contact Disney about getting the tickets changed. I ended up not doing that and we ended up not seeing Toy Story 3.

[Neatfreak]

DD2 came along when I took her older sister to see it (birthday celebration) as I ended up short a babysitter. She was about 20 months at the time, and she was actually quite happy to sit for the ninety minutes or so and watch along. She got restless a couple of time, but it was maybe for five minutes total.

Apparently, she's a fan of Woody.

[larig]

For example, my friend said she took cotton to put in her son's ears so the noise wouldn't bother him so much. I'm curious how others' kids fared in that regard: Were they scared?

Did anyone take a child as young 2? How did they do? Will my DS2 be too overwhelmed? Is this a mistake to take him? DH or I will leave with him if necessary.


we tried to take DS for his 2nd birthday. we didn't make it through the previews. it was too loud for him.

[PAfirsttimemom]

They just said they were not participating in that promotion (although they had been in the list to choose from). And that I needed to contact Disney about getting the tickets changed. I ended up not doing that and we ended up not seeing Toy Story 3.

That is a bummer! I am really hoping we are able to get in, as we'll be trying a different theater from the one I had chosen. Do you think there is a list of participating theaters somewhere? One of the theaters we can choose from is a small community theater. I wonder if they don't participate. Would the theaters know what I'm talking about it I call and ask about using
the free tickets?

[lil_acorn]

Unless your child is very patient, I think 2 is too young to expect him to sit through an almost 2 hour movie. My 3 year old got antsy after an hour. then you spend the time walking out in teh hallways with them...and miss out on a great movie!

[PAfirsttimemom]

http://hollywoodmoviemoney.com/theaters

I found this link. You can search for participating theaters in your area. Also, check out the FAQ section if you are one who has been turned away from theaters.

[PAfirsttimemom]

we tried to take DS for his 2nd birthday. we didn't make it through the previews. it was too loud for him.

This is one of the things I'm worried about. I wonder if the bit of cottonball in the ear might help?

[cono0507]

I brought my 3 yr old and 5 yr old. They both sat through it and liked it. I'm the only one who cried! :) (sad mommy moment at the end!)

[buddyleebaby]

We took our little one (a bit under two) along with his big sisters and he sat fine for about a quarter of it, and then fell asleep.
The girls liked it fine but my 3 year old got teary at one part and again when she recounted said part to my mother. They were not bothered by a few parts that I thought they would find scary.
I, otoh, cried several times. :waving4:

[infocrazy]

I brought my 3 yr old and 5 yr old. They both sat through it and liked it. I'm the only one who cried! :) (sad mommy moment at the end!)

We all went boys 3 and 5, DD 4 months, for DS1's birthday.

It was loud for ME in the theater. I almost went and complained. DD is seriously the best baby on the planet and it kept her up. I think I nursed her about an hour in the movie just to keep her from fussing. She did okay if I stood in the very back entry way where there was light.

DS2 did ok until he had to go potty. They had the autoflush and he thought it was AWESOME so from that point on he wanted to go every 10 minutes. I :heartbeat: PT! -- not

DS1 made it until the last 10-15 minutes when he realized I was in the back and came to join me, his brother, and sister on the floor in the very back.

DH enjoyed the movie and never left his seat!

I thought it was a cute movie but missed the sad mommy moment and needed a recap for a few parts from DH due to the frequent PT trips!

[AnnieW625]

DD1 barely made it through the previews, was scared during parts of the movie and sat on DH's lap, but other than that she never had any nightmares about the movie. I kind of wish we would've waited to take her to see it; I think it's way more adult than the other movies and better for a kid aged 6 to 8.

FWIW: DD1's fave movies include Shrek, Cars, Cinderella, and Little Mermaid. She has also seen bits and pieces of all of the Star Wars movies and isn't too scared of those.

[Beckylove]

We took our almost 2 at the time DS. He just doesn't have the patience to sit there that long. He wandered the aisle during commercials and previews, sat in our laps for 45 min of the movie, then had to walk the halls and lobby for a while. DH and I switched off who was the designated hall-walker, and DS was ready to go back in during the last half hour.

He wasn't ready for the movies yet, but I wanted to see it so bad that we jumped the gun a bit. We will try again in a year or so (if there is something else that looks good to me). But every kid is different and yours may do great.

[Fairy]

If your 2yo is sensitive, this is not the movie for them, and I'd get a sitter. There are very scary parts for a 2yo.

[babyready]

My dd had just turned 2 and did very well. She wanted to sit in my lap the whole time but other than that, no problems. In general, she does not like loud noises but movies are not a problem at all.

I have no tricks or anything. Just try it and see how it goes. I'm trying to remember how old she was for her first theater movie. Probably just under 2. She did fine for that one too. It probably just depends on the kiddo.

I also had no problems redeeming the tickets. We had two from DVD purchases and some snack vouchers from Kellogg. No problems with either of them. Good luck!

[SheriRae]

We found this movie to be very loud as well. My DD who is 5 1/2 asked to leave the theater because she was scared. I really think the sound level had a lot to do with it.

[purpleeyes]

If your 2yo is sensitive, this is not the movie for them, and I'd get a sitter. There are very scary parts for a 2yo.

Exactly what I was going to say. I took DS, who is almost six and he wasn't thrilled with the sound (too loud) and some of the scarier parts. He preferred TS1.

[KrisM]

We went during nap time and DS2 was 23 months and slept through it on my lap. The other kids were 4 and 6 and did fine. It was not very loud in our theater.

[khalloc]

I brought my 2 year old. Because we were going with my MIL and nephews. He did great! He loved watching the movie and eating popcorn. He wore his 3D glasses for maybe 40 minutes and then took them off the rest of the time. I would have preferred a non-3D movie. Just because its blurry if they dont wear their glasses. But besides that it was great.

[PAfirsttimemom]

Thanks for all the replies. We're going to give it a try tonight--out for pizza and then 7:30 show in jammies (well, the boys in jammies). Wish us luck!

[WatchingThemGrow]

Glad you asked these questions. We just decided on the 2:15 show on Sat with MIL babysitting the 14mo during naptime. Wonder if we can ask them to turn the sound down ahead of time..

[Sillygirl]

The decibel level in many theatres is criminally loud and can cause hearing damage. I've been wearing soft earplugs to the movies for years with excellent results. They can be worn by children as well. It also has the added benefit of muffling the popcorn-chewing, soda-slurping, and general muttering, which used to irritate me greatly.

[WatchingThemGrow]

The decibel level in many theatres is criminally loud and can cause hearing damage. I've been wearing soft earplugs to the movies for years with excellent results. They can be worn by children as well. It also has the added benefit of muffling the popcorn-chewing, soda-slurping, and general muttering, which used to irritate me greatly.
do you mean the sleeping kind? I have a whole box b/c of DH's recent snoring.

[PAfirsttimemom]

Update:

The theater we went to didn't accept our free tix, despite the fact that it was listed as a participating theater. I'm not surprised, because it is a small community theater and tickets cost only $3 anyway. We decided to stay and follow through on our plans.

The kids did great. Our almost 2 yr old wanted to be on our laps most of the time, but that was fine. He didn't get ansty till the last 10 minutes or so, and he was fine just standing near us, which was ok since there was no one sitting around us.

The sound didn't seem to bother either kid, but I wonder whether the old-style theater we were in wasn't as loud as more modern ones. I wouldn't know, as this is maybe the second movie I've seen in the theater since having my first DS! :-) We had a really fun night!