At What Age Does Disney World Lose It's Appeal To Children?

JBAAR Family

New Member
My husband and I are planning a trip to Disney for our family. We are having a hard time deciding when it's a good time to go. I was thinking when our children are 5, 7, and 11. Will my 11 year old daughter still enjoy the trip at that age? If we do it earlier, will the youngest remember the trip? I think with him being 5, we'll get more enjoyment out of it because we wont be heading back to the hotel for naps in the middle of the day.
 

real mad hatter

Well-Known Member
I was a thirty eight year old when I first hit WDW with my husband and five year old daughter in tow. It made me feel like a big kid again and brought a level of excitement out in me that I had not experienced in years. I'll be sixty next year and returning in October for my nineteenth visit with my daughter who is now twenty six years old. It takes a certain amount of commitment and expense to undertake that many trips from the UK but we're hooked. It's the best holiday in the world. It will never lose it appeal for us, ever....
Hope you do a trip report,as we are hoping to go in October 2015. It's always been July for us so his will be something new..Had my 60th birthday bash last year at WDW.Cant wait or my 63rd..:happy:
 
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Mot

Active Member
We have been going since my DD was 3. She is now 23 and planning her college graduation trip for next May. She has not lost her interest in Disney. My DW's first trip was in '72 at 13 and she can't wait for our next trip. Don't worry about losing interest in WDW there's something for everyone.
 
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MattFrees71

Well-Known Member
I noticed a loss of childlike excitement (with everything seeming so much bigger and more immersive) going to Disney World around when I turned 13, but not in the sense that I still don't enjoy it and get excited going now in my mid 20's!
 
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Da Bird is Da Word

Active Member
I think Disney World appeals to all ages, but I’d say toddler to 5-6 years old is the sweet spot for certain experiences at Walt Disney, like character dining and meet & greets and so forth. I remember thinking the ghosts on Haunted Mansion were real the first time I visited Disney when I was 4 or 5 years old. I think most kids will still love Disney well beyond those ages, but their attention will probably shift more towards the big rides and whatnot. I think 5-7 years old is a great age for kids to go to Disney because most kids that age are still excited to meet characters and enjoy the kid stuff, and many kids this age will be just tall enough to enjoy almost all the attractions WDW has to offer.
 
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correcaminos

Well-Known Member
Depends on the kids. My 11yo loves it still. Some don't. Some like Universal more. Some Busch Gardens and others just beach vacations. I never lost my love for it. Went when I was 5, 6, 9, 13, and 18 with DL at 11. So I never stopped loving it. What rides I liked changed a little. We tour differently too as the offspring get older. The love hasn't changed.
 
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Disney.Mike

Well-Known Member
My husband and I are planning a trip to Disney for our family. We are having a hard time deciding when it's a good time to go. I was thinking when our children are 5, 7, and 11. Will my 11 year old daughter still enjoy the trip at that age? If we do it earlier, will the youngest remember the trip? I think with him being 5, we'll get more enjoyment out of it because we wont be heading back to the hotel for naps in the middle of the day.

Those are the same ages of my children when we went last trip. The 11 year old wants some more independence but still loves WDW
 
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dontknow

Member
My husband and I are planning a trip to Disney for our family. We are having a hard time deciding when it's a good time to go. I was thinking when our children are 5, 7, and 11. Will my 11 year old daughter still enjoy the trip at that age? If we do it earlier, will the youngest remember the trip? I think with him being 5, we'll get more enjoyment out of it because we wont be heading back to the hotel for naps in the middle of the day.

We brought our daughter for the first time to WDW about 8 weeks short of turning 6. By then she was already attached to all of the princesses, etc.. It was totally magical for her in any and every way.

We took her back for the 2 subsequent years as well and each year was different but still 'magical' as she was still a total princess freak. A couple years ago we took to DisneyLand, and she still loved it. She has outgrown the princess phase but remains a total Disney World fan.

After a year off, we are taking her once again to WDW (about 8 weeks short of 11) and she couldn't be MORE excited.

I will also say I personally think it was/is criticial that we 'documented' the trips very, very, very well. Not only through pictures, but we have about 3 hours of video footage we've taken on a HD Camcorder for all of those trips which are still watched to this very day. I think this has helped her to remember the many experiences she's had.

I do not think 5 is too young for much of it, assuming the activities you do are targeted for that age. Each age brings a different expectation which brings meaning to each experience.
 
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JillC LI

Well-Known Member
I don't understand the question. ;)

Seriously, though, we took our kids for the first time when they were 5 and 7, and the magic was completely real for them which was wonderful. We wanted to wait until they were both out of strollers. (Some people still suggest strollers for 5 and 7 year olds, but ours were great walkers, so it was the perfect time.) As for your 11 year old, while she may no longer "believe" everything is "real," I cannot imagine most 11 year olds not enjoying WDW. Our kids are 11 and 14 now and have been to WDW 4 times, and they cannot wait to go back.
I see this is an old post that was revived. By way of update to my earlier comment, my kids are now 17 and 19, and we have been to Disney parks 10 times, and we all still love it!
 
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KaliSplash

Well-Known Member
I am 66 and it hasn't lost its appeal. My wife is 62. ditto. We took son No. 1 before he was 1. We took son No.2 at 4 months. Do they remember those particular trips? Of course not. But they don't know when they began to absorb everything. I can tell you before No. 1 son was 3, he knew the difference between the Red Train (WDW Railroad) the Blue Train (Peoplemover), the Yellow Train, (Big Thunder) and the Orange train (Parking lot tram. Realistically, I think anytime after 3 works. And yes, we are all planning a fall trip. No.1 is now 33 and No.2 is 31. :)
 
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Kingdom Konsultant

WDWMAGIC Board Sponsor
Premium Member
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My girls went when they were 18 months and 3 for their first trips and the youngest actually still loves it and even worked there for years while my oldest doesn't care. It depends on the child and their personality in my opinion.

Pam
 
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Minnesota disney fan

Well-Known Member
My husband and I are planning a trip to Disney for our family. We are having a hard time deciding when it's a good time to go. I was thinking when our children are 5, 7, and 11. Will my 11 year old daughter still enjoy the trip at that age? If we do it earlier, will the youngest remember the trip? I think with him being 5, we'll get more enjoyment out of it because we wont be heading back to the hotel for naps in the middle of the day.

OP, I think the 11 y/o will love it. There is so much to see and do, and not all of it is for little children.
Of course, the 5 and 7 y/o's will love it too.
My husband and I are in our 70's and we never get tired of it.:)
I do think some teenagers lose interest but then it comes back when they are adults.
 
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