Age of children on their 1st WDW trip

[tcb2317]

Hi everyone,
Question for all you w/ kids out there. How old were your kids when you first took them to WDW? We used to go at least once a year and then we welcomed our son to the world in 10/03. His arrival kind of threw off our vacation schedule for the time being. Our last visit was Dec. 02. We're in preliminary talks about planning our next trip, maybe sometime in the next 18 months or so. Do you guys think that 2 1/2 - 3 y.o. is too young for him to enjoy the trip? I'd appreciate any feedback or experiences you have regarding taking a young child to WDW. Thanks!

 

[matt&helen]

We are locals with a two and three year old and we have taken them for the last two years. They love it. Just take it easy and slow, and take breaks when needed.

 

[Slipknot]

I was 9-years-old when I first went to WDW with my family. Young enough to enjoy everything but able to understand (mostly) what was going on. Hope that helps.

 

[m star]

It is great to take them at that age, but DO NOT take them on scary rides right away. Start him out on something like Winnie the Pooh or It's a small world. Even though you might think Pirates is just good fun, he might not. (I was taken on that ride at the same age and was scared to death of it, although now I love it) Gradually work your way up to more thrilling rides, so you know what his limit is. I'm not saying he won't love the Tower of Terror, but just don't take him on it first.

 

[Atta83]

I was four and remebered most of the trip even though i have it on video from 1987.
My bro went when he was 6. Anything after 4 or 5 seems to be well.

 

[Gucci65]

The first time I took my daughter to MK, she was 20 months old. She loved it and rode everthing (except the mtns - of course).

 

[Laura]

My son went to MGM studios with my parents when he was a few months old. I was sick that day and stayed back at the vacation house throwing up, so I don't know how he handled it or anything.

Then this last July we took both the kids to Disney. It was extremely hot and crowded, but they did surprisingly well. My daughter had just turned 1 the week before and my son was a month short of 3 years old (we planned it that way so we wouldn't have to pay for him LOL). My 1 year old wasn't into it all that much, she mostly just slept because the heat made her tired. My nearly 3 year old just kinda had a blank stare the whole week, like he was overwhelmed or something. But when we got home he just talked about it nonstop and how much fun he had. Now 5 months later he still remembers every detail of every ride he went on...he even wanders around the house singing "Yo ho yo ho piyates ife a me". I told him we're going back after Christmas and he's very excited. He even watches the Disney vacation planning videos just for fun LOL. We took both kids on every attraction without a height restriction and the only one I remember that he didnt like was "It's Tough to Be a Bug". He was absolutely petrified through the whole thing. But he really enjoyed the other 3D movies like Philharmagic and Muppets.

I would say the most difficult part of bringing 2 little kids was the amount of stuff we had to lug around (carrying 2 kids and 2 backpacks through each line was not fun) and having to load and unload the stroller over and over and over again was a royal pain. Especially with the trams and monorails.

 

[cj2me]

My daughter was 10 months when she first went. It was much easier than i thought it was going to be. In fact it was so great we went again when she was a year.

 

[KaliSplash]

We're pretty serious disney folks at my house. Took my son the first time when he was about 18 months. He didn't get much out of it, and in fact, slept through Capt. Eo.
Came back when he was a little over 2 and he loved it. We went all day and he didn't go to sleep until the ferry boat ride back to TTC during fireworks.
Which apparently encouraged us to try his younger brother at the tender age of 4 months.
Trip from hell. (But it was free). the oldest was now afraid of anything in the dark (which an amazing number of rides are). Youngest one was bothered by being outside. So I took the outside child and my wife took the inside child and we occasionally saw each other.
Have gone back at least annually since. They loved it, for the most part. sometimes the only thing we used the strollers for was to hold the diaper bags, but it went pretty well.
Had one rough trip when they were about 8 and 5 because of conflicts over what to ride when, which was a failure on my wife and my part to just say we are going to do this, as opposed to asking what they wanted to do, which was always on the other side of the park.
Most important thing, my success with a 2-year-old notwithstanding, is to take breaks in middle of day.
If you do not do this, you will die. Or wish you did.

 

[taylorsmommy530]

We took our daughter for the first time at about 22 months old. She had an absolute ball!

 

[disgolfer]

Our son was born 10/03 also. We took him for his first birthday, and he loved it.

 

[MissM]

My first theme park experience was at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, VA when I was three. Know what I remember? Feeding ducks on a bridge. That's it. I don't even remember that it was record high teperatures for the day, though if you look at the pictures, I'm crying in all of them from heat fatigue.

I first went to Disney World when I was six or seven. And that I remember. All my love of the classic rides stems from that trip.

Personally, I find it absurd to take a 2 or three year old to the park. They simply don't know what it is, get cranky and don't remember it anyway. If I were ever to have kids, I'd wait to take them to WDW until they were at least 5 or 6.

My Love's first trip to WDW was when he was 2 1/2. He doesn't remember anything either. If it weren't for dated photos, as far as he's concerned, he never went.

Instead of spending that much money, and that much of a large-scale trip at that age, I'd wait. There's a big difference between taking a 2 year old to the zoo or a park, versus to Disney World. I'll never understand it and just won't be convinced by the arguments that the kids have a great time. Yeah, kids have a great time playing in dirt too.

*shrugs*

I'd wait. But that's me. Most people are selfish and take their kids way too early because THEY want to go and take their kids. They don't do it for the kids, they do it for themselves. Waiting until everyone can have a good time makes much more sense to me.
-m

 

[mhcueball2]

Agree with some of the above. I went when I was 8, and then again in 14, and then just recently (24). I remember a little from pics and videos from when I was 8, but not much. Then when I was 14, of cource I knew alittle more and I fell in love it with.

I see others with kids there, and they are just too young. I have a niece that is about 5 and she would love it...but don't expect to get all everything you want done...but it will still be magical.

 

[DisneySoccerFan]

I am taking my daughter for her first trip next week to celebrate her second birthday.

 

[bhg469]

i am told i went when i was 2 i have no idea about that. then when i was 5, from there i have more memories of looking at the pictures of the trip. i jsut dont think anything will stick. i dont think they will have a bad time they just wont really have any lasting memories.

 

[DisneyPhD]

We took DD for the 1st time when she was almost 9 months old. It was Dec 2001 before Christmas rush and it was a great time. We bought DVC that trip so it was her 1st but not her last. We took her again 3 more times before she turned 3 years old. (23 months, 28 months, and 33 months old, we had annual passes :animwink: )

We also took her to Vero Beach DVC resort when she was a little over 3 years old. She calls it Disney Beach and loves it.

She still remembers things from the trip when she was 23 months old. WDW is her very favorite place in the whole world. She talks about it all the time, every imagairy trip is to WDW. :lol:

She was a rather easy baby and travel well (and we know how to travel with her.) In a few months her little sister is taking her 1st trip to WDW and she will be 7 months old, 1st DD will be one month shy of 4 years old. I am prepared that 2 kids will be more work, but we are really looking forward to it. We have a system down and that really helps.

Before I had kids I too wondered why people would take a baby to WDW. I didn't realize that once you have a baby you don't just stay home until they are old enough to remember things. Espcailly when you are nursing the baby and can't be away from them for long. For many children it is more tramatic to be away from mom and dad for a week, then to go on vaction. I wouldn't want to go to place full of kids with out mine, I would miss them too much. Taking your children with you on vaction is not selfish. :veryconfu I don't mind going at the kids pace at all, but that is what being a parent is.

It seems that for the most part, people who think they wouldn't take young kids, don't have them yet. (or have kids that won't travel or deal with changes well, or don't travel well themselves.)

So I think when you and your kid goes really depends on you and family, what kind of a person you are. If you are going just for the child only, wait until they are older. If it is a one time trip, wait until they are older. If you love WDW and want to go, bring your kid with you, it is great for families. Personaly I think waiting until they are at least 3 months old is good, but part of that is having the mother heal from childbirth and feeling settled in as a family.

BTW my 1st trip to WDW I was 3 years old. DH was 9 months old, they stayed at the contempory. He always wants to go back there, but we haven't yet. Beware, very yound children may not remember it, but it does someone manage to make them into Disney lovers when they get older. :sohappy:

 

[cru5h]

I took my older son when he was 3 and had to drag the younger one who wasn't quite 1 year old yet. Waste of time. I mean, dont get me wrong, we had a great time but it was SO much work. I took them again at 6 and 4, that was better but still a lot of work. So I presume the next time we go it'll be their best trip yet. They do remember their last trip since it was extraordinarily good. But I doubt they'll remember every detail of it.

It really depends on your level of patience I think and how much it would take to make it a satisfying trip. If seeing their faces light up for the day is enough, you'll get that. If you're tolerant to tantrums, you'll be ok. But if you want long-lasting memories, it's probably not going to happen.

 

[HauntedPirate]

My older son was 11 months on his first trip, our younger son was 7 months. My older one has been there 5 times, and he's not even 4 yet..... we're setting a baaaaad precedent here. :brick:

 

[NemoRocks78]

I was six months old when I first visited....

 

[waltdisny]

My 4 all went before their first birthday. Granted, they don't remember details, but it did make an impression. For example, my second oldest still has her stuffed-Dumbo she got on that trip, and my youngest sings Small World.

The key, I think, is to 1.) get them used to the idea before hand; we played the "Disneyland Fun" Sing-a-Long a lot since they were first born. And 2.), go at their pace, avoid the scary stuff, and don't do too much. If that means riding Small World 12 times, so be it!