18 months or 2 yr old?? Wait or not to wait.....

[jenluvswdw]

We were going to plan a trip for 2016, however I have the Disney bug real bad. My DH gave me the go ahead to plan a visit this year as long as I keep in everything close to 5k. We have 3 children: 15 yr., 6 yr and our baby girl will be 18 months at time of trip. Should I just wait till next year for her to be a little older??? Or is it easier at this age? I took my middle son at 17 months and it was fairly easy... I just need some input to help me make an informed decision. Oh, we cannot afford 2 years in a row. Otherwise I would not have to post this question. Thanks

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

Personally, 18mths is too young. Wait until she's nearly 2yrs

 

[Disneydreamer23]

We went when my dad was 17 months we stayed for two weeks at Caribbean Beach resort went to Universal went to all the parks she was so good she had a blast I wouldn't change it for the world I'll upload a couple pics!

 

[stevehousse]

Both ages are good for Disney! You will tour s little slower at the younger age, but it's not hard at all! I am going in 10 days with a 7m old, 4, 6 1/2, and 15 year old along with my wife! Both my kids went when they were just under a year old.

 

[DizneyPryncess]

We took our daughter at 19 months and again at 2.5 years. Both trips were awesome, she was great for both. However the trip at 2.5 years was the most fun I've ever had on vacation. She was running up and hugging characters, and cheering for fireworks, could smile for pictures, etc. She definitely understood more. If I had to pick one, I would have picked the 2 year trip as the better of the two. But like I said, both were great!

 

[BuzzKillington]

When was the last time you went to Disney? If it has been a while, then the one you need to be thinking about is the 6 year old as that is the perfect age to visit Disney (4 to 6). Why don't you go now and then go again when the youngest is 4 or 5?

 

[Ironace]

Never too early to start, at that age begins the foundation of all the other visits. Every visit she has will be a different experience that builds on the previous. as she gets older and assuming there will be multiple visits she will get to do more and that glimmer in her eye, as a parent, will be everything. My DW and I have two boys, 6 and 4. Our oldest was 18 months the first time he was there and loved it. The next visit was 5 and 2 and we had a blast. At 6 and 3 our oldest was able to do most and seeing what excitement he had being able to do things he could not do the year before. Our youngest was able to ride the barnstormer for the first time and all he could say was this is my first rollercoaster. We happened to be there for EMH and MK did not close till 1 and he rode barnstormer 8 times without getting off unless he wanted to change seats. IMO it is never too early to start and build the building blocks of memories she will have as well as new experiences with future trips.

 

[jenluvswdw]

When was the last time you went to Disney? If it has been a while, then the one you need to be thinking about is the 6 year old as that is the perfect age to visit Disney (4 to 6). Why don't you go now and then go again when the youngest is 4 or 5?

We went 2 years ago when I was pregnant with the 18 month old. So, at least the 6 yr old has been. Thank for your sound advise!!

 

[jenluvswdw]

We took our daughter at 19 months and again at 2.5 years. Both trips were awesome, she was great for both. However the trip at 2.5 years was the most fun I've ever had on vacation. She was running up and hugging characters, and cheering for fireworks, could smile for pictures, etc. She definitely understood more. If I had to pick one, I would have picked the 2 year trip as the better of the two. But like I said, both were great!

This is exactly what I needed to read. Thank you for your advice!!

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I just went with a five month old and it was brilliant. She won't remember a thing but absolutely had a blast. It'll be a fun story that one of her first ever solid foods was a teeny taste of Dole Whip.

 

[Emyli Mouse]

We returned from WDW at the beginning of April (Spring break/Easter Week) with our daughter who was 19 months at the time. We had an absolute blast. She loved the characters from afar and was very excited to see them, but was very hesitant to get close or touch them without being with me or my husband. She is just learning how to smile for pictures, so most of them are her CHEESE face and although the pictures aren't great, they make great memories. We were there seven days, but were very laid back and only went to the MK one day and TL for a half day. She's a good sleeper and napped every day in our tent at FW and in her stroller the day we went to MK. Because we had such a wonderful time, we are planning a trip in June 2016 with her and our newest addition who will be coming in August 2015 and will be 10 months old then. We are looking forward to that trip too!

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Hmm...18 months or terrible twos???

I was five months old when I first went. My brother was also 5 months old.

I would go now. Your 15 year old is growing up. Is he/she going to be able to go or want to go when you've got a two year old? How many trips do you really have left with your oldest?

Now your oldest might be like me and still be able to travel with you at 20. Or he/she may be away at college, have a job, or otherwise not be able to go with you.

Go now while your older two can still enjoy it.

Quite an age difference you have there between your eldest and your middle child. Nine years. And I thought 6 1/2 between me and my brother was a lot.

 

[Raineman]

My response is probably going to go against what most people's opinions lie, but here it is: with my daughter, who is 9, my wife and I both thought that we should wait until she was old enough to be able to experience any ride she wanted, and to have vivid memories of the trip for the rest of her life. Obviously, any child under the age of 4 is probly not going to remember some of what they experienced at WDW later in life, but I can still understand how it can be a great experience for them. We took our daughter to WDW for her first time when she was 8-she was tall enough to go on every ride, and she loved every moment of the trip, but even at 8, there were still a few times when she started to get tired, hot, etc., which I'm sure is something that happens much more frequently with babies/toddlers/younger kids. I think if you are taking a young child to WDW, it's definitely good for both of you to plan to bring them back when they get a bit older, for a different experience than the first time, for both of you.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

My response is probably going to go against what most people's opinions lie, but here it is: with my daughter, who is 9, my wife and I both thought that we should wait until she was old enough to be able to experience any ride she wanted, and to have vivid memories of the trip for the rest of her life. Obviously, any child under the age of 4 is probly not going to remember some of what they experienced at WDW later in life, but I can still understand how it can be a great experience for them. We took our daughter to WDW for her first time when she was 8-she was tall enough to go on every ride, and she loved every moment of the trip, but even at 8, there were still a few times when she started to get tired, hot, etc., which I'm sure is something that happens much more frequently with babies/toddlers/younger kids. I think if you are taking a young child to WDW, it's definitely good for both of you to plan to bring them back when they get a bit older, for a different experience than the first time, for both of you.

That's an important distinction. Is a baby too young to bring to Disney World? No. But is a baby too young to bring to Disney World for her one and only trip? Probably. We brought my six month old without hesitation but we know we'll probably be back every year or two as she grows up.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Every kid is different. Some kids are great at 18 mos, but take a personality turn right around 2...others, it's no an issue...and some do sort of a Jekyll & Hyde in certain setting changes. My youngest had her first trip a month after her 2nd bday and while it was fun, she was definitely more prone to sensory overload. We returned several mos later when she was 2 yrs 8 mos and there was a big difference in things. She still had some sensory overload issues, but not nearly as much and it was a far more enjoyable trip. Still, this was her. At home, she's my easygoing kid and I never expected the meltdowns. Her big sis is the one who is meltdown prone at home, but was completely chilled out at WDW.

 

[BigRedDad]

We took our daughter for her first trip at 2. Thankfully we did because it was the last trip she took with her grandfather. My dad passed later that year.

 

[AnCsMommy]

We've been doing Disneyland since the boys were newborns, but we did out first Disney World trip when my youngest had just turned 2 and it was wonderful. He was so excited and actually started talking there, it was great. I'm not sure he remembers that trip, but who cares? I certainly do! We went again at 3, six months ago, and he DEFINITELY remembers that one, talks about it all the time.

 

[BrerWayne]

Just my perspective: My daughter's first trip was when she was 29 months. It was magic. We took my son for the first time when he was 17 months. He liked seeing the characters, ran right up to them. My daughter was scared of them at first but then ran up and hugged them. My son really did not appreciate the rides though. I think that they grow and learn so fast at that age. I really wish that we would have waited a little bit longer (6 months?) to have gone.

 

[Mouse_Trap]

Assuming from what you posted it will not be their only ever trip, I don't think I would worry about waiting.
Either way, they aren't going to remember anything about the trip in years to come. The extra 6 months would probably see the child get more enjoyment from the trip, but if you intend going back in a couple of years time I don't see that being an issue.

The mentality when I was growing up was different, such a trip would have been viewed as a 'once in a lifetime' holiday thus you would have wanted to ensure as best as possible that your kids could enjoy and remember as much as possible. Travelling from the UK back then was significantly more expensive and by the age of 16 (talking about around the millennium time) was the type of trip you would only know a handful of kids you knew in school had been on. I probably knew no more than 3 kids who had been multiple times by this age (myself being one of them).

 

[Squigglove]

I'm taking my son for his 2nd Birthday this year.
Everyone wants to yammer at me that he won't remember it so therefore it's a wasted trip... I'm sorry, but what about ME???!!! It's MY trip also, and it's MY child's first trip and those are MY memories! "I" will remember it and "I" will cherish it! And when he gets older I will take him back and create even more memories for his Photo Albums and Scrapbooks! It's NEVER too early to start giving a child quality of life!!!!!

So, if you have the Disney Bug - GO! You'll make it back later.

I have season passes to a child theme park close to home. We started going when baby was 11mos. He couldn't do or understand much last year, but this year it's a very different story. He's now 20mos and he gets so much more out of it.
We originally planned a trip to Disney for this month, we'd be leaving next week. But that was thwarted and instead we're going in August. It worked out for me because it was planned better and we'll be getting so much more out of the trip.