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The perfect age??

Goofyernmost

Goofyernmost

Premium Member
Britt said:
What do you feel is the perfect age (or nearly perfect) age to bring kiddos to WDW?

We've done both 8 months and 4 and 6, then 2, 6 and 7. I definitely think we're going to wait until my 2 year old is around 6! No strollers, NO diapers and can ride *most* of the rides! LOL
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I agree with this. Not because I think people shouldn't bring their children at whatever age they feel good about, but just on a personal level, it was the best for me. That is what I did, even back in the early 80's and nothing that I have seen has made me wish I had done it different. Whatever makes one happy should be the guideline for this. With my own kids I waited until they were 6 and 8 years old. It was instinctive because I knew nothing about WDW at the time and it worked out because they were that old before I could afford to take them. So Win - Win for me.

In 2008 I sponsored a family trip to WDW. I paid for everything for my two daughters, their husbands and my three grandkids. This time I did insist on waiting until they were at least 6 years old and it was for completely selfish reasons. I was giving them something that was not only expensive, but that I felt would have a lifelong affect on their thinking and remember that Grandpa brought them there first. In order to do that, they needed to be able to remember it and what they did. Four years later, that is exactly what has happened. We sit around and talk about that trip, what we did and when. They even remember more details than I do. It was kind of a legacy for me. Selfish, OK...so sue me! :p

I now have another grandchild that is presently 9 months old. The older kids have asked if I am going to do this again when she turns 6. Who knows, maybe I will.:D Sheeeeeeh! Don't let them know, I'll never hear the end of it.
 
Walt Disney1955

Walt Disney1955

Well-Known Member
We went to Disneyland last week for the first time and didn't take our 17 month old son. We could have because there were kids younger than him in line riding Peter Pan and stuff like that. In fact there was this boy who couldn't have been any more than 12 months riding the Carousel all by himself. His dad was right beside him but the kid was on the horse with just the strap around him. He was safe I guess but I was still a little surprised.

I so badly want to go to WDW in 2013 that I won't mind that my son is 2 years old. Heck we've only got the one child how bad could it be with just one?
 
luv

luv

Well-Known Member
Twelve. They're old enough to remember much of it and still young enough to have a good time. If I could only take a kid once, it would be when they were twelve.

I wouldn't make a trip with a kid under five years.
 
stevehousse

stevehousse

Well-Known Member
Any age ts good! No matter how old your kids are they will remember. We took our son on his first trip when he was 1 1/2 he remembered everything! We went again when he was three an remembers more! He asks all the time to go back to mickeys house! And each time we go we look forward to going on bigger rides that he canride! We will be going again in may 2013 and our youngest will be almost 2! He has really gotten into Mickey and I can't wait to see him there again and see what he is able to remember. The first time he was there he was 11 months old and doesn't remember it.
 
E

EnglishRose

Member
We took our son at 22 months. He remembers the big parts of the trip like the meeting Mickey, the rides he went on and the grand gathering we attended. He was free to take as he was under two and we fed him from our dining plan. Perfect.

He now puts his Pennies in his money box for Disney World.
 
WDWNooby

WDWNooby

Well-Known Member
I took my family (DD (adult), DS (14 at the time), and DGD who was 8 at the time and it was perfect. She remembers everything and talks about the trip all of the time. We are planning a trip for 2014 for her 13th birthday which I'm sure will be just as memorable because she'll be seeing it through different eyes (teenager :O )
 
DisneyGirl3820

DisneyGirl3820

Well-Known Member
12. No stroller, no diapers, no tantrums, etc. They are young enough to see everything as magical but yet old enough that we don't have to bother with photo ops with Princesses and character dining!
 
S

Susan Savia

Well-Known Member
When their babies their surely not old enough to remember, but when we show them the pictures, years later of Tigger bent down and talking to him as he sat in his stroller or Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee on either side of his stroller, it all seems worth it!
 
Hakunamatata

Hakunamatata

Le Meh
The Mom said:
There is no "best" age - it depends upon your individual circumstance. Better to go when they are too young to remember everything than never go at all. Life does not always go according to plan.
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Wise words.

We took ours when they were less than a year old. Of course that was back when we were going a couple of times a year before life got so expensive. Now we go every other year or so.

Others say they do not like having to deal with the stroller. We personally liked having the stroller because it was very convenient to be able to carry stuff around in it. If you use one of those monster strollers, no its not fun. Doing a little research and finding a higher end umbrella type stroller makes all the difference in the world. We never broke up the day for naps either. Our son would nap in the stroller when the time came, or if we were at DAK, he would nap as soon as we got on KS. To this day we have never been able to figure that one out. It was like clockwork....if we rode KS in the afternoon, he would fall asleep about two minutes into it.
 
R

RedBaron

Active Member
For me, the perfect time is when the kids are out of diapers. There would have been no way I would be willing to lug all that extra stuff around. We took our kids the first (and only time so far) when my son was nearly 4 and my daughter was 6. We will go again either in the spring or summer next year and they will be 8 and 6, so it will be even more perfect since then I will not even need a stroller. :)
 
Britt

Britt

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
hakunamatata said:
Wise words.

We took ours when they were less than a year old. Of course that was back when we were going a couple of times a year before life got so expensive. Now we go every other year or so.

Others say they do not like having to deal with the stroller. We personally liked having the stroller because it was very convenient to be able to carry stuff around in it. If you use one of those monster strollers, no its not fun. Doing a little research and finding a higher end umbrella type stroller makes all the difference in the world. We never broke up the day for naps either. Our son would nap in the stroller when the time came, or if we were at DAK, he would nap as soon as we got on KS. To this day we have never been able to figure that one out. It was like clockwork....if we rode KS in the afternoon, he would fall asleep about two minutes into it.
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KS means Kilimanjaro Safari?? If I could figure out how to post pics, I'd show you, but both times we went, my 8 month and now 2 year old fell asleep on that ride!! HAHAHA It's so loud with the speakers, bumps all over and people going "OOOOOO". How do they crash out like that?? hahaha
 
bethymouse

bethymouse

Well-Known Member
I prefer age 4 or 5, but any age is good. It's the magical memories you make as a family that no one will ever forget! Looking back at pictures is the best part!:)
 

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