Pros & Cons to taking a toddler to Disney World

[ctcdisneymama]

Looking for real advice for taking a 2 year old to Disney World. My husband and I visit Disney World often so we know going with our daughter would change the dynamic of the trip, which we are totally fine with.

My husband wants to wait until she is older and I would go now (she's currently 8 months old) if I had the choice. I know she won't remember anything if we take her when she is 2 and that this would be an experience for myself and my husband.

So for those that have taken little ones, what are the pros and cons? Is it worth it?

 

[SAV]

We brought our daughter on her first trip when she was 2 and it was one of the best trips we have been on. She had a blast. She's 17 now and we still talk about that trip with her. She ran up to all of the characters and wasn't scared at all. She went on all of the age appropriate rides without hesitation. We got some fantastic pictures and memories from that trip. What was interesting was that we brought her to Sesame Place just a few months later and she was scared of the characters and we couldn't even get within range of her seeing a character or she would cry.

We also brought our son to WDW when he was at a similar age and once again, it was a great experience.

Both kids did sleep in their strollers, so we were able to keep touring. It did slow us down a little bit, but well worth going on the trips.

 

[danheaton]

We took my older daughter for the first time at 18 months, and that was a little too early. She went the next year and it was an amazing trip. However, we did the same thing with my younger daughter and she did fine the first time. So my point is that it really depends on the child. I would not worry about them not remembering it; my daughters still love looking at the pictures, and my wife and I still enjoyed it. The main thing is understanding how your child does in crowds (and how they sleep in strollers) and what you're looking for out of the trip.

 

[MotherofaPrincessLover]

I really can't stand the argument of the child won't remember. Just because the child won't remember doesn't mean he or she doesn't have fun at the time. Should people just sit home until their kids are at an age to remember everything? Heck, my 8 year old barely remembers yesterday half of the time.

 

[HoustonHorn]

If it is a once-in-a-lifetime trip, by all means, wait until your child is old enough to remember and big enough to ride everything. But if it is the first of (hopefully) several/many trips, I see nothing wrong laying the foundation early. I also think taking your cues from your toddler is the best way to make sure everyone has fun, even if that means sacrificing rides or activities you'd like to do. Remember, you're planning on more trips.

 

[TheGuyThatMakesSwords]

Welllll? You will do as you chose.

Father of 4 - when my children were young? Took 'em all to WDW. 14, 12, 11, and 3. So just what WE saw, and feedback now that the youngest is about 29.... Yup, Dad is now older than dirt . But Dear Wife and I still go, TWICE per year, from MI....

14,12,11 all remembered WDW in great detail . We have to work on the (then) 3 year old to convince him that he ever went . Poor little guy was too short for most rides .

Just OUR experience...

 

[mmnw]

I would never take an infant or a toddler to WDW.
And this is coming from a father who took his 3 year old there for her Make-a-wish trip.
While Mom and I remember everything, my daughter doesn't remember the trip or why we were there.

We always comment on families with small ones, especially infants.
Imagine being strapped to mom or dad"s chest when it's 93 degrees and humid.(Gee, I wonder why they are crying?)
Or the toddler being (literally) dragged everywhere on property because "mom and dad paid alot for this vacation and we have reservations with the princesses."

We took advantage of a Make-a-wish trip when my when my daughter was 3 because we didn't know if she would make it to 4.
We also made a promise to bring her back to WDW.
And we did, when she was 8.
And every year after that.

I’m glad to read your story.

 

[draybook]

I would never take an infant or a toddler to WDW.
And this is coming from a father who took his 3 year old there for her Make-a-wish trip.
While Mom and I remember everything, my daughter doesn't remember the trip or why we were there.

We always comment on families with small ones, especially infants.
Imagine being strapped to mom or dad"s chest when it's 93 degrees and humid.(Gee, I wonder why they are crying?)
Or the toddler being (literally) dragged everywhere on property because "mom and dad paid alot for this vacation and we have reservations with the princesses."

We took advantage of a Make-a-wish trip when my when my daughter was 3 because we didn't know if she would make it to 4.
We also made a promise to bring her back to WDW.
And we did, when she was 8.
And every year after that.

I don't know what kind of funked up parents you saw but that dang sure wasn't us. Both of our little ones (now 2 and 1) started going when they were 6 weeks old. The only time they cried was when they needed a bottle. The memories we have are priceless.

 

[wendysue]

Cons: IASW will be stuck in your head for weeks!

 

[HoustonHorn]

Cons: IASW will be stuck in your head for weeks!

Some would call that a feature, not a bug.

 

[ctcdisneymama]

Thanks! I showed my husband this tread and it convinced him that taking her in a few years would be awesome! Looking like an early Disney trip in 2020 is in our future!!

 

[ProfSlim]

Took my oldest son when he was 23 months...then went back when he was 4 and my twins were 2...both experiences were great. While there are probably dozens of things to consider, I think it comes down to a few ....1.) parents need to understand (and like) the Disney experience, 2.) time of year/weather, and 3.) patience.

It sounds like you and your husband are Disney fans, which is key. Folks that take toddlers as their first Disney experience may run into a whole host of aggravations, with a toddler in tow none-the-less (lines, eating, transportation, costs, etc.). If the weather is not cooperative or if you visit during peak times, it also will put a strain on the experience....and lastly, there's always a level of patience required with kids of any age !!

FWIW, my oldest is now 17, he's been to Disney 10 times and still always asks, "when are we going back to Disney ?"...he's got memories/experiences that will last his lifetime.

 

[incorrigible]

We took our twins a month before they turned 3. Like so many others said, it was an awesome experience and we got some really special pictures and videos; I would totally do it again. There was no stranger danger; they were actually surprisingly outgoing with the characters and many of the characters responded to it, so we captured some really cute interactions. As for their memories, they'll be 5 in January and they do still remember some parts of the trip. We were able to keep our typical Disney schedule, but we are usually rope drop / afternoon siesta / in bed by 10p people

As for cons, our two were just way off while we were there. We've always kept a fairly rigid schedule and they do well with that. The early flight out combined with a different schedule got them off. They acted tired throughout the entire trip despite how much sleep they got (and we tried to maximize that given their behavior). Their mood seemed to fluctuate wildly. One minute they'd be smiling and having fun and the next they'd be crying on the ground. It was a lot of work to manage that with 2 of them, but totally worth it. Also, no matter how good of a walker your child is, always bring a stroller. Our 2 walked about 6-7 miles at our local zoo a couple of weeks before our trip with no problem, but couldn't handle more than 2h at Disney; we ended up doing a lot of carrying the first day.

 

[Crazyredheads]

Tottaly worth it. I actually cherish those memories more than any others. Just work around your kid's schedule and you will be fine.
Make dinner reservation to ensure you eat at decent times. Take breaks in the afternoon if needed. Visit at a slower pace if need be and you'll have a blast.
If you want tips on What to bring to the Disney Park for Babies and Toddlers, you can check out my YouTube video: .
Hope that helps.

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

In my mind, the real question about bringing a toddler, is twofold. 1) Do you plan for this to be your only ever trip to Disney?; and 2) Would the two of you go to Disney, even if you did not have your toddler.

As everyone on these boards can likely attest, Disney is not exactly a cheap vacation. For some families, a trip to WDW is a once in a lifetime experience, that has to be planned and budgeted for years in advance. If your family is in that category, my advise would be to wait until such time as your young ones will remember some, if not all, of their time in Disney. What is the point of a once in a lifetime trip, if they are not going to remember it.

So, assuming the answer to question 1 is No, the next question is, would you still go to Disney on this trip, even if you didn't have a toddler. Lets face it, if we know that for the most part our young child is not going to remember the trip, that means it the vacation is going to be in large part for yourselves. That isn't to say that a toddler can't/won't have a great time, but for the most part at that age, the parents are the ones that really have to WANT to be at Disney.

If the answer to that question is yet, than I say go for it. In this time of video camera's on every phone, being able to capture those amazing moments of the first time your toddler see's Mickey, or gets a hug from Tinkerbell, that you can re-live over an over again are worth the trip. Yes you will be slower paced, with naps and more down time built in, but it lets you experience Disney through different eyes, and as others have said, helps you build family traditions that will hopefully continue for years to come.

 

[ctcdisneymama]

Tottaly worth it. I actually cherish those memories more than any others. Just work around your kid's schedule and you will be fine.
Make dinner reservation to ensure you eat at decent times. Take breaks in the afternoon if needed. Visit at a slower pace if need be and you'll have a blast.
If you want tips on What to bring to the Disney Park for Babies and Toddlers, you can check out my YouTube video: .
Hope that helps.

Awesome thank you!!!

 

[Crazyredheads]

Awesome thank you!!!

My pleasure! Have fun!

 

[Crazyredheads]

Took my oldest son when he was 23 months...then went back when he was 4 and my twins were 2...both experiences were great. While there are probably dozens of things to consider, I think it comes down to a few ....1.) parents need to understand (and like) the Disney experience, 2.) time of year/weather, and 3.) patience.

It sounds like you and your husband are Disney fans, which is key. Folks that take toddlers as their first Disney experience may run into a whole host of aggravations, with a toddler in tow none-the-less (lines, eating, transportation, costs, etc.). If the weather is not cooperative or if you visit during peak times, it also will put a strain on the experience....and lastly, there's always a level of patience required with kids of any age !!

FWIW, my oldest is now 17, he's been to Disney 10 times and still always asks, "when are we going back to Disney ?"...he's got memories/experiences that will last his lifetime.

Same here. My kids have been going when they were 8 months old and 4 year old and every year or so since. They are 8 and 11 now and beg me to go back every time. It is a home away from home for them.

 

[Buffalo Tom]

We started taking our kids (we now have two) when they were eight months old. Of course they will not remember their time there from that age, but the look at their faces when they see a character or on a ride (my kids love It's a Small World) more than makes it worth it for us. You just have to lower your expectations. Naps, feedings, changings take time out of your day. We plan for three to four hours early each day and then naps either in the stroller or back at the hotel and then two to three more hours at the park. The best thing about Disney is that you can take your infant or toddler, still enjoy the attractions yourself, and still have a really nice meal somewhere on property or in the parks and if your kid screams or acts up, no one really cares as their kid is probably doing the same thing. It is a theme park after all...

 

[aliceismad]

I sweet-talked the hubby into 2 days at WDW before a (non-Disney) cruise when my daughter was 2. Mostly because we got our airfare using miles, so the extra cost was already in our budget. She got in free of course.

It was magical, and the photos and memories I have are priceless. Yes, we moved slowly, but it was great. Experiencing MK through her tiny lens was remarkable and made me wish we could go every year. My daughter napped in MK and AK during shows or in stroller. (Since we went in January when there were fewer park hours and stayed at AKL we didn't take the standard advice to leave the park mid-day, but we also didn't rope drop or stay until close either.)

I think, for us, it worked well because (out side of some late-morning FPs and 1 ADR) we had no plans and just went with the flow. We let kiddo take the lead when we needed. Skip scouting out great seats for Wishes because kiddo really wants to meet Pooh and ride teacups? Absolutely! She ended up covering her ears for the fireworks we could see anyway, and the memory of her running up to Pooh and Tiger and giving them kisses is the best thing ever.