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Best age to start trips to Disney?
- Thread starter twinnstar
- Start date
mbtohill
Well-Known Member
We brought our daughters for the first time when they were 4 and 2. We've been every year since, going in May again and they will be 10 and 8.
I think it depends on the kids, ours are pretty easy going, didn't mind the stroller and LOVE Disney!!! With two girls it was all about the princesses for the first few years, now they enjoy rides with me like Soarin, GTMR, Space Mountain, Test Track and others.
My wife and I have enjoyed EVERY minute of EVERY trip with them. Now it's so easy for us, the girls know where every thing is, they know what they like to eat and where to get it. Our trips are actually getting better.
The best part is, there is still SO much we haven't done. After 6 straight years, the girls are looking forward to our 7th trip this May, just as much as the first.
I guess moral of our story is, taking a 4yr old and a 2yr old to Disney seemed to work out just fine!!!
I think it depends on the kids, ours are pretty easy going, didn't mind the stroller and LOVE Disney!!! With two girls it was all about the princesses for the first few years, now they enjoy rides with me like Soarin, GTMR, Space Mountain, Test Track and others.
My wife and I have enjoyed EVERY minute of EVERY trip with them. Now it's so easy for us, the girls know where every thing is, they know what they like to eat and where to get it. Our trips are actually getting better.
The best part is, there is still SO much we haven't done. After 6 straight years, the girls are looking forward to our 7th trip this May, just as much as the first.
I guess moral of our story is, taking a 4yr old and a 2yr old to Disney seemed to work out just fine!!!
mickeystoontown
Member
We've been taking our kids to Walt Disney World since they were 1 and 11, respectively. While our 1 year old doesn't remember the first trip, his father, sister and I do and they are great memories. He was clapping his hands, hugging the characters and oohing and aahing over the fireworks and parades. Our kids have been back to WDW 14 more times since that first visit and are looking forward to the next in May.
Edited to add ('cause I accidently hit reply before finishing): We made sure that we factored in time to rest through out the day so that nobody crashed and burned.
Edited to add ('cause I accidently hit reply before finishing): We made sure that we factored in time to rest through out the day so that nobody crashed and burned.
My youngest daughter's first trip was at 10 days old and we had a great time.
You really have the question backwards. It is not "What age should the kids be before they go?" It is really "I am I ready to do what I need to do to make sure that my X year old child and I have fun" You really need to modify the way you do WDW when kids of any age are put into the mix. Gone are the days of getting up at 6:00 AM and hitting the parks commando style until midnight. You need to slow things down a bit and take it at their pace. With kids you need to take time out for naps, swimming, bathroom breaks etc. When you are ready to do that then your kids are old enough regardless of their age.
You really have the question backwards. It is not "What age should the kids be before they go?" It is really "I am I ready to do what I need to do to make sure that my X year old child and I have fun" You really need to modify the way you do WDW when kids of any age are put into the mix. Gone are the days of getting up at 6:00 AM and hitting the parks commando style until midnight. You need to slow things down a bit and take it at their pace. With kids you need to take time out for naps, swimming, bathroom breaks etc. When you are ready to do that then your kids are old enough regardless of their age.
njDizFan
Well-Known Member
This is a thread I was going to start also:
I'm trying to decide when would be the best time to bring my newborn twins. Born just this December, I was thinking either 9 months in August or wait til next summer at a 1 1/2. Probobly going to have to wait till next summer, right now it's just too crazy to think about going on vacation. But spending 8 hours a day on a Disney website is fine.
I'm trying to decide when would be the best time to bring my newborn twins. Born just this December, I was thinking either 9 months in August or wait til next summer at a 1 1/2. Probobly going to have to wait till next summer, right now it's just too crazy to think about going on vacation. But spending 8 hours a day on a Disney website is fine.
Club Cooloholic
Well-Known Member
August with little babies could be TOUGH!This is a thread I was going to start also:
I'm trying to decide when would be the best time to bring my newborn twins. Born just this December, I was thinking either 9 months in August or wait til next summer at a 1 1/2. Probobly going to have to wait till next summer, right now it's just too crazy to think about going on vacation. But spending 8 hours a day on a Disney website is fine.
Club Cooloholic
Well-Known Member
I guess moral of our story is, taking a 4yr old and a 2yr old to Disney seemed to work out just fine!!!
We are bringing our daughter who will almost be two by the time we go. Anything that your 2 year old liked that you would suggest?
mbtohill
Well-Known Member
She LOVED anything Princess and meeting all the characters. The carousel, Small World, Pooh, Philarmagic was a big hit. Loved the Safari in AK. In Epcot, Nemo is great for the little ones and all the shows in World Showcase.
Most of all she loved being pushed around in the stroller and taking in all the sights, characters, sounds and smells.
ta2mama
New Member
My sister and her husband LOVE Disney, they had a Disneymoon even. And went when she was pg with their first child. That kid was in Disney when she was 6 weeks old, and has been at least twice a year now (she turned 5 in Oct.) Now, there is a baby brother in the family, who is 17 months old and has already been three times to WDW. So, as a PP stated, it's all about how well you can handle little ones there, and planning related to that. Both of the kids always have a great time, whether they will remember any of it or not, and in the case of my sis and her hubby, they are going to WDW for themselves anyway, lol, not the kids.
plaz10
Well-Known Member
Honestly...with the ride swap system...you can take a child of any age and still have fun yourself. With ride swap you don't have to miss out on any rides, one parent rides while the other watches the baby and then they swap baby and the other parent rides.
Taking too many youngsters can mean more than one stroller which can be a pain. But as for having fun...of COURSE you will have fun w/kids of any age, it's DISNEY WORLD!
Taking too many youngsters can mean more than one stroller which can be a pain. But as for having fun...of COURSE you will have fun w/kids of any age, it's DISNEY WORLD!
mpeters
Active Member
We took our twin boys at 1 1/2 yrs.....in september. Everyone thought we were crazy to do so. The truth was the boys had a great time and even though they dont remember it now (5yrs old) my wife and i do at it was a blast for us as well. There were some meltdowns but not a lot. You have to remember to go at their pace and not yours. Take advantage of stoller naps to do the rides you want to do. Children swap passes are the best to do the adult rides.
asa disney
New Member
We drove from Chicago to the World with a 4 month old and twin 18 month olds. We spent two days driving each way and four nights in a Family Suite at AsMu. We had a blast. Sure, we rode a lot fewer rides than we were used to but we loved every minute of that trip. We've been back twice since then with our now 3 and 4 year olds and each trip has presented some challenges but there's not a day of one of those trips that we would give up. This December it's the Poly, and the first time all five of us have shared one room. Maybe that experience will temper our enthusiasm, but for now, any age is fine if you tailor your pace to their needs and tolerances.:animwink:
sbkline
Well-Known Member
Our son was born May of 2006. On our April 2007 trip and our April 2008 trip, we left him home with the grandparents. Last April was his first trip ever to WDW. However, we didn't go in 2009 due to my wife being pregnant with our daughter, who was born in June of that year. So if we would have gone in 2009, we would have brought our son (who would have been almost 3 at that time). This year, we gave serious thought to actually bringing our daughter with us for our upcoming April trip, and she will be 2 in June. But we ended up deciding to leave her home again like we did last year, if the inlaws are still willing to keep her. We drive from Illinois, and our daughter is still at that age where she can't talk and can only express herself by crying, and she has a tendency to get something in her craw and cry all the way to church, all the way home, etc. And we don't relish the thought of listening to that all the way to WDW. She may get upset that her toy fell on the floor, or maybe that she can't get her shoe off, or whatever.
Last year, when we took our son, he was old enough that he is out of a crib, and he was able to sleep on a bed just fine, either in a seperate bed by himself, or in bed with us, and most importantly, he was old enough to walk on his own (although we pushed him in a stroller alot in the parks), and he was tall enough for all of the 36 inch height requirements. So basically, we felt like he was the perfect age.
Our daughter, on the other hand is 34 inches tall, so she doesn't meet most of the height requirements and we don't want to have to skip rides or do the rider swap thing. We don't want to have to worry about setting up a playpen for her in the room and hoping that she can sleep with the sounds of the rest of us in the room, the TV, etc. And now that I have the itinerary all planned based on being able to be out until midnight, get up for AM EMH, etc, I don't want to have to redo the plan to accomodate for a toddler. I'm just personally of the mindset that if someone else wants to take their infant/toddler to WDW, more power to them, but it's just not for me. I prefer for the child to at least be old enough to comprehend what's going on and to be able to take care of himself to some degree. Obviously, there were things we had to do differently and slow down on with our son last year, as opposed to the trips with just the two of us, but they were changes that I was able to live with, vs the kind of changes that would be required when travelling with an under two year old.
Last year, when we took our son, he was old enough that he is out of a crib, and he was able to sleep on a bed just fine, either in a seperate bed by himself, or in bed with us, and most importantly, he was old enough to walk on his own (although we pushed him in a stroller alot in the parks), and he was tall enough for all of the 36 inch height requirements. So basically, we felt like he was the perfect age.
Our daughter, on the other hand is 34 inches tall, so she doesn't meet most of the height requirements and we don't want to have to skip rides or do the rider swap thing. We don't want to have to worry about setting up a playpen for her in the room and hoping that she can sleep with the sounds of the rest of us in the room, the TV, etc. And now that I have the itinerary all planned based on being able to be out until midnight, get up for AM EMH, etc, I don't want to have to redo the plan to accomodate for a toddler. I'm just personally of the mindset that if someone else wants to take their infant/toddler to WDW, more power to them, but it's just not for me. I prefer for the child to at least be old enough to comprehend what's going on and to be able to take care of himself to some degree. Obviously, there were things we had to do differently and slow down on with our son last year, as opposed to the trips with just the two of us, but they were changes that I was able to live with, vs the kind of changes that would be required when travelling with an under two year old.
disneydaft
Member
Why would you have a family then vacation without them. Especially going to a family friendly place like wdw. If you don't want kids crying and spoiling your vacation then don't have any.
Our son is now 14 months old tomorrow. He has already been to Orlando twice. Once in September at 9 months and in January at 13 months old. He loved everything about the trips. He was able to ride loads and enjoyed all the shows / characters etc. He even loved all the attention he got on the flights from the UK.
Sure he won't remember it but we will and he still had loads of fun. Plus he will be back loads of times in the future.
Our son is now 14 months old tomorrow. He has already been to Orlando twice. Once in September at 9 months and in January at 13 months old. He loved everything about the trips. He was able to ride loads and enjoyed all the shows / characters etc. He even loved all the attention he got on the flights from the UK.
Sure he won't remember it but we will and he still had loads of fun. Plus he will be back loads of times in the future.
sbkline
Well-Known Member
It's only for a few years, until they are old enough, so it's not like we are having a lifetime of vacations without them. We just think there is too much at WDW that is not conducive for a child of that age and is best for everyone to leave them at home. Again, that's our personal preference. I don't look down on others who choose to take their kids, as that's their business. But as Master Yoda said, it's more a matter of "counting the cost" (my words not his, but that's the gist of what he said) and deciding if the "cost" (in this case, the slower paced schedule, missing certain attractions, not being able to be up as early, stay out as late, etc) is worth it. In our case, we have "counted the cost" so to speak and decided that it's better this time around to leave her at her grandparents so we can have one last trip with just our son, and then we'll bring her next year.
HoneyMnShawnee
Member
I have two children, DD 2.5yrs and DD 6mos. DH and I have been to WDW twice since they were born, and we are on our way to the World again this May. I think most parents will agree with me when I say, DH and I need some time away, to reconnect and enjoy each other. We choose to spend that time in WDW. I don't feel that I am ready to take my young children to WDW and I resent the judgement that I shouldn't have had any children in the first place. I don't judge those who choose to take their very young children (as evidenced here on the board). Those parents do what is right for them. Keeping our kids home for now is right for us.
sbkline
Well-Known Member
Unfortunately, I've encountered some pretty judgemental attitudes around here on this subject. Most of the time, it's people judging folks like us for leaving the kid(s) at home, but I've seen the other exteme, too, where people judge those who DO take their infants. I've seen people basically accuse others of being selfish and not thinking of their babies if they DO take them to WDW, and I've encountered plenty of people who almost accuse us of being unfit parents if we do NOT take the baby with us. My personal preference is to find someone to keep the baby unti he/she is old enough (around 3 or so, in my opinion), but I just think it would be nice if people could just respect those who don't share their opinion on the matter. I don't judge those who take their baby to WDW, and I wish others wouldn't judge us for feeling the opposite way.
HoneyMnShawnee
Member
It really is a shame that people feel this way. Judging people's decisions about when to take kids to WDW is a waste of time. I have my feelings on the subject but would never force those views on others. To each their own, but it's too bad it will never be as simple as that.
Monty
Brilliant...and Canadian
- In the Parks
- No
I took Morgan for the first time at five years old. My only regret is that I didn't think of it sooner.
I'm a firm believer that any time spent having fun with your children, whether they will remember the "facts" of the trip, is still bonding time that can be beneficial. Morgan remembers bits and pieces from that first trip, but even if he didn't he'd have been aware that we had fun. We are as close as a father and son can be and I believe that's because of the considerable amount of time I spent with him at home and on trips just having fun together.
Take your child. Enjoy yourself and the child will benefit from it. Take lots of pictures and use them to show the child when they're older.
But also, as Richard [Master Yoda] said, pace yourself to the child's pace. Take time out for naps. Take time to enjoy the parks through their eyes. It's amazing what you'll see! :king: If the child gets overloaded or overwhelmed, be happy to take a break and decompress. The great thing about WDW is that no matter what you do or how fast or slow you go you can have a marvellous experience and build some fantastic memories.
I'm a firm believer that any time spent having fun with your children, whether they will remember the "facts" of the trip, is still bonding time that can be beneficial. Morgan remembers bits and pieces from that first trip, but even if he didn't he'd have been aware that we had fun. We are as close as a father and son can be and I believe that's because of the considerable amount of time I spent with him at home and on trips just having fun together.
Take your child. Enjoy yourself and the child will benefit from it. Take lots of pictures and use them to show the child when they're older.
But also, as Richard [Master Yoda] said, pace yourself to the child's pace. Take time out for naps. Take time to enjoy the parks through their eyes. It's amazing what you'll see! :king: If the child gets overloaded or overwhelmed, be happy to take a break and decompress. The great thing about WDW is that no matter what you do or how fast or slow you go you can have a marvellous experience and build some fantastic memories.