Going to WDW with small children?

[Figment632]

Ok so I dont have any children yet :sohappy:but plan to have a few. My question is about people who go to WDW with infants or very small children. I dont want to offend anyone Im just curious. Why dont you wait till the children are older? My cousin just went with a one year old and said it was a terrible experience. With having to ride swap to rided the rides and it was just an over all hastle. I proball wont take a child to WDW till tey are at least 4 or 5 so is it reall worth going to WDW with such smaal children or should you wait till they are older?

 

[Master Yoda]

As I have said many times my youngest daughters first trip was at the ripe old age of 10 days old and we had a great time. The people that have a terrible time are taking an infant or a small child to the parks and are trying to do exactly what they did before they kids. When you have a little one you can not run from one attraction to attraction from sun up to sun down. You have to take things at your child's pace. When they want to eat you eat, When they want to rest you rest. This is a sacrifice as a parent that you simply have to make. If you can't or won't make that sacrifice then don't bring a kid to WDW...simple as that.

On the plus side by being forced to slow things down a few notches we have enjoyed that parks even more. When you are not hitting WDW like storming the beaches on D-Day you notice all the details and begin to appreciate the parks on a much higher level.

 

[maggiegrace1]

Well..because for us it made our amazing Disney vacations even better...and why stop going somewhere you have been every year just because you have a child?

We do not have to do ride swap because we do not care if we can not ride the mountains or whatever..if we want to watch a show and she does not want to then we leave or one stays and the other brings her out and lets her play...not a problem for us..

It has never been a hassle or problem bringing Maggie and she has been 3 times already and was tube fed for all those times also..which means extra things to bring and so on but it was all okay.

We take a break now during the day to let her rest or run around but thats fine with us.

We do not let having a child change anything we did before we had her..we still go to restaurants, still go out shopping, and still go to WDW..we just have someone else with us who makes everything better..

I can not imagine going to WDW without her now...it is not a hassle at all having her along..maybe for others but not for my husband and I...it just makes it better..

 

[Figment632]

As I have said many times my youngest daughters first trip was at the ripe old age of 10 days old and we had a great time. The people that have a terrible time are taking an infant or a small child to the parks and are trying to do exactly what they did before they kids. When you have a little one you can not run from one attraction to attraction from sun up to sun down. You have to take things at your child's pace. When they want to eat you eat, When they want to rest you rest. This is a sacrifice as a parent that you simply have to make. If you can't or won't make that sacrifice then don't bring a kid to WDW...simple as that.

On the plus side by being forced to slow things down a few notches we have enjoyed that parks even more. When you are not hitting WDW like storming the beaches on D-Day you notice all the details and begin to appreciate the parks on a much higher level.

Well..because for us it made our amazing Disney vacations even better...and why stop going somewhere you have been every year just because you have a child?

We do not have to do ride swap because we do not care if we can not ride the mountains or whatever..if we want to watch a show and she does not want to then we leave or one stays and the other brings her out and lets her play...not a problem for us..

It has never been a hassle or problem bringing Maggie and she has been 3 times already and was tube fed for all those times also..which means extra things to bring and so on but it was all okay.

We take a break now during the day to let her rest or run around but thats fine with us.

We do not let having a child change anything we did before we had her..we still go to restaurants, still go out shopping, and still go to WDW..we just have someone else with us who makes everything better..

I can not imagine going to WDW without her now...it is not a hassle at all having her along..maybe for others but not for my husband and I...it just makes it better..

This is all encouraging because the people I talked to said they had a terrible time not that im planning on kids anytime soon but I was bored at work and started to think about it.

 

[yankspy]

Well..because for us it made our amazing Disney vacations even better...and why stop going somewhere you have been every year just because you have a child?

We do not have to do ride swap because we do not care if we can not ride the mountains or whatever..if we want to watch a show and she does not want to then we leave or one stays and the other brings her out and lets her play...not a problem for us..

It has never been a hassle or problem bringing Maggie and she has been 3 times already and was tube fed for all those times also..which means extra things to bring and so on but it was all okay.

We take a break now during the day to let her rest or run around but thats fine with us.

We do not let having a child change anything we did before we had her..we still go to restaurants, still go out shopping, and still go to WDW..we just have someone else with us who makes everything better..

I can not imagine going to WDW without her now...it is not a hassle at all having her along..maybe for others but not for my husband and I...it just makes it better..

That's pretty much how I see our trip in October going. I am actually lucky because my wife does not like rides as much so she is perfectly happy relaxing on a bench with Thomas while I sneak in a ride on HM or Pirates. I am curious as to what rides he will actually be able to go on at the ripe old age of seven months.

 

[maggiegrace1]

Jimmy..He can go on everything but the mountains and the rides with height requirements..

Maggie went at 7 months the first time but her adjusted age because she was a preemie was 4 months and she went on everything..HM, Pirates, everything but the height required rides..we held her on our laps..

It was great!

 

[cblodg]

As I have said many times my youngest daughters first trip was at the ripe old age of 10 days old and we had a great time. The people that have a terrible time are taking an infant or a small child to the parks and are trying to do exactly what they did before they kids. When you have a little one you can not run from one attraction to attraction from sun up to sun down. You have to take things at your child's pace. When they want to eat you eat, When they want to rest you rest. This is a sacrifice as a parent that you simply have to make. If you can't or won't make that sacrifice then don't bring a kid to WDW...simple as that.

On the plus side by being forced to slow things down a few notches we have enjoyed that parks even more. When you are not hitting WDW like storming the beaches on D-Day you notice all the details and begin to appreciate the parks on a much higher level.

Agree completely. This is advice that many, many young parents don't take to heart and I've seen the screaming kids to prove it.

 

[yankspy]

Jimmy..He can go on everything but the mountains and the rides with height requirements..

Maggie went at 7 months the first time but her adjusted age because she was a preemie was 4 months and she went on everything..HM, Pirates, everything but the height required rides..we held her on our laps..

It was great!

Yeah, I kind of figured that. I am just curious as to how he would react on something like HM? I am thinking that at that age he will have no comprehension of scary things. If anything, I think the noise level might bother him on certain things. However, he seems to be oblivious to noise at times. All I know is that I am looking forward to relaxing on the TTA with him.:sohappy:

How did Maggie react to those rides?

 

[KristieLC]

We didn't take Christopher until he was 4 and a half, although it had nothing to do with him being what some would consider too young before. We would have loved to take him earlier, but our vacations are normally spent visiting our families or doing other things that were not so far away. This was really just the right time for us regardless of his age. That being said, we have never been the types to not do something just because of the age of our son - he went to zoo's and aquariums as a very young infant and while he may not remember that, we do, and he has the pictures to look at. Like Dana's little Maggie (posted above) my Christopher was was born 4 months early too and if that taught me anything it was that life is too precious to wait to do things just for something as trivial as age. Unfortunately, "tomorrow" doesn't always come. Some things just have to be about the moment and as long as you have realistic expectations, you will have a wonderful time.

 

[pacochran]

We waited till my youngest was 5 before we went, and there were a few issues, but we were glad we waited. Knowing the kids and us, I don't think it would have been an enjoyable experience if we had gone any earlier.

 

[DisneyPrincess5]

:wave:
I have no children, but I was once a child and have observed many families with children at Disney (oy).
I would definitely recommend taking them when they are potty trained well, and tall enough to ride some basic things with low height requirements. Plus, when they're a little older, they remember more and those are wonderful memories to have!

 

[Figment632]

:wave:
I have no children, but I was once a child and have observed many families with children at Disney (oy).
I would definitely recommend taking them when they are potty trained well, and tall enough to ride some basic things with low height requirements. Plus, when they're a little older, they remember more and those are wonderful memories to have!

This is what I was thinking plus I would want them to remeber the trip, an infint will have 0 recignition that they were even there.

 

[Master Yoda]

This is what I was thinking plus I would want them to remeber the trip, an infint will have 0 recignition that they were even there.

Are you sure about that? We begin learning the second we hit air. Our lives are shaped by each and every event we experience regardless of our age. And regardless if a child remembers a trip as an infant or not is irrelevant. The parents do remember. I remember her first picture with Mickey. I remember her smiling on her first attraction. I remember her putting her hands in the air an giggling on the drop on PotC. I remember her hugging Pooh and not wanting to let go and I would not trade those memories for gold. I also would not have had those memories if I waited until she was 5 or what ever age someone deems an appropriate "Disney age".

 

[yankspy]

This is what I was thinking plus I would want them to remeber the trip, an infint will have 0 recignition that they were even there.

True. They will have some cute pictures to look at when they get older though. You will remember the trip.

I think it comes down to what Richard said. You just have to adjust your pace. It seems to me if you are the type of Disney person who likes to have everything planned out, then it might be tough. I think we will enjoy our trip in October because we do not mind changing plans, leaving early, skipping an ADR and just grabbing a burger, etc.

 

[Master Yoda]

True. They will have some cute pictures to look at when they get older though. You will remember the trip.

I think it comes down to what Richard said. You just have to adjust your pace. It seems to me if you are the type of Disney person who likes to have everything planned out, then it might be tough. I think we will enjoy our trip in October because we do not mind changing plans, leaving early, skipping an ADR and just grabbing a burger, etc.

I think the real question is not "How old should a kid be on his/her first trip" but "Are you willing to do what it takes to let a child that is X enjoy a trip to WDW."

 

[maggiegrace1]

Yeah, I kind of figured that. I am just curious as to how he would react on something like HM? I am thinking that at that age he will have no comprehension of scary things. If anything, I think the noise level might bother him on certain things. However, he seems to be oblivious to noise at times. All I know is that I am looking forward to relaxing on the TTA with him.:sohappy:

How did Maggie react to those rides?

She did fine..just looked at everything..

:wave:
I have no children, but I was once a child and have observed many families with children at Disney (oy).
I would definitely recommend taking them when they are potty trained well, and tall enough to ride some basic things with low height requirements. Plus, when they're a little older, they remember more and those are wonderful memories to have!

I have the memories though..and we show Maggie the pictures and even at 3 she remembers Dumbo and Small World...she always tells me she wants to see the birds sing when she goes to Disney World..

As for being potty trained..never bothered me to go and change a diaper..and we rode and did everything we wanted to do with no problems at all..

True. They will have some cute pictures to look at when they get older though. You will remember the trip.

I think it comes down to what Richard said. You just have to adjust your pace. It seems to me if you are the type of Disney person who likes to have everything planned out, then it might be tough. I think we will enjoy our trip in October because we do not mind changing plans, leaving early, skipping an ADR and just grabbing a burger, etc.

Thats the thing..YOU have to WANT to change the way you do Disney..as for Drew and I..we alwyas did Fantasyland first thing anyway by ourselves....we would ride the mountains once or twice but thats it..we still sit and people watch..we still do everything we ant to do but it it just a bit more relaxed now even..we take breaks so that means we get one and get to watch her swim or run around at the campgrounds...make more memories for us..

Also..if you can take your children to a restaurant at home you can bring them to a restaurant at Disney..kids talk, sing, cry make noise...and not just in WDW..

Jimmy...it will be a wonderful trip!..

 

[maggiegrace1]

I think the real question is not "How old should a kid be on his/her first trip" but "Are you willing to do what it takes to let a child that is X enjoy a trip to WDW."

EXACTLY!..

We were willing to do what it takes....take breaks..give up some rides..go slower..if you can not or are not willing to do that yet then no..do not take the kids

 

[DisneyPrincess5]

This is what I was thinking plus I would want them to remeber the trip, an infint will have 0 recignition that they were even there.

I agree. I know we learn at a very young age, but the reality is, the likelihood of an infant remembering is microscopic.
I first went when I was 3, almost 4 (potty trained, too!) and while I remember some, it's minimal.
To be honest, I think most of what I remember is aided by what we recorded on the 20 lb. camcorder my dad lugged around the parks :lol:
If I say I remember something, most likely it's because I watched it and thought I remembered.

 

[nolatron]

I think the real question is not "How old should a kid be on his/her first trip" but "Are you willing to do what it takes to let a child that is X enjoy a trip to WDW."

Exactly. I think many parents miss the shift from "You're going to WDW for yourself" to "You're going to WDW for your child".

My wife and I are planning out first trip with our daughter in October, who will be 20 months. We already know our planning will be drastically different. We need to plan a trip that'll cater to her more than us now. They'll be more feeding stops, more nap times back at the room, an earlier "head back to the room for the night time", etc.. but we're looking forward to spending that time with her in WDW.

And like Master Yoda said earlier, we're also expecting to have a more enjoyable "slow" trip than the usual hustle and bustle we're used too. I always plan on just "relaxing" in the parks, but end up getting caught up with getting to the next ride. I think we'll finally be able to do that since riding the rides isn't the main priority anymore.

It'll be fun. Different... but fun.

 

[nolatron]

To be honest, I think most of what I remember is aided by what we recorded on the 20 lb. camcorder my dad lugged around the parks :lol:
If I say I remember something, most likely it's because I watched it and thought I remembered.

I know what you mean! I have this memory of me dancing as a little kid outside of what used to be a toy shop maybe behind the castle in the early 80's with some guy playing an accordion. But I honestly have no idea if I remember that because I *remember* it, or because I saw it on an old home video at some point, heh.