Hi Tina,
Thank you so much for visiting the Disney Parks Moms Panel with your question. How exciting to be planning your little one's first trip to Walt Disney World! Let me offer you some planning suggestions.
You are not alone. There are many young children who are not comfortable with characters. There will still be plenty for your son to do at Walt Disney World! You will most likely want to avoid character meet and greets. One thing to consider is what particularly is making him uncomfortable with characters. Some children are uncomfortable with up-close interaction with characters, but may still enjoy seeing them in shows or parades from a distance. Other children are uncertain about meetings with characters such as Mickey Mouse or Daisy Duck, but are okay with meetings with characters such as Tinker Bell or the Disney Princesses, that is, characters where a human face is clearly visible.
Outside of character interactions, there are so many great experiences for toddlers at Walt Disney World! At Magic Kingdom, be sure to check out it's a small world, Peter Pan's Flight, and Dumbo the Flying Elephant. At Epcot, your little one may enjoy the boat rides Living with the Land and the Grand Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros. At Disney's Animal Kingdom, hop on Kilimanjaro Safaris to see exotic animals, or take a ride on TriceraTop Spin.
Do check out the
Walt Disney World planning for trips with preschoolers page. This page has many good ideas for attractions and experiences for little ones.
I hope that these thoughts are helpful for you, Tina. Have a wonderful time planning your magical vacation, and please do not hesitate to ask if you have any further questions!