The perfect age???

[garyhoov]

I think 3 or 4 is just about perfect because they're old enough to know what's going on and young enough to still think it's magical.

My son remebers many details from our first trip (I believe it was '96, so he would have just turned 4), and even if your child doesn't remember, you'll remember the look on his/her face.

 

[BRER STITCH]

The definition of "Perfect Age" is wide open for interpretation, but I'd recommend waiting until your child is 5.

Oh sure, you can take them at 1 week old if you want to, but most kids younger than 5 are just as amused by a bouncing ball or a cardboard box. I've always suspected that trips of any younger age are more for the parents than the child, as the child will have no recollection of the trip and will be too young to experience most of the attractions, so why not just call it what it is?

With that said...it's a Magical Place and all are Welcome! You'll see babies and kids there of all ages who may or may not be enjoying themselves at any given moment. You know your child best. Just remember that your trip to the world will be a lot different with kids than without, so be prepared to change plans accordingly.

HAVE FUN!

:wave:

 

[sbkline]

The problem I am really having is I dont know if I can wait that long I wanna go now....
Matt

I understand the dilemna, because we have a child who will be almost a year when we go. But, IMO, is that you are making a problem when there isn't necessarily one. I totally understand wanting to go now, yet also wanting to wait until your kid is the right age to take him. I've had people tell me I should wait till my child is 5 to take him. My response is that I totally want to take him when he's 5, but I don't want to wait until he's 5 before the wife and I go again, and I'm not even sure if I want to wait until he's 5 to take HIM. So, IMO, the solution is simple: leave the child with grandma and grandpa, and you and your wife go. Do this until the child is old enough to take with you. That way, you don't have to wait several years until your next trip. That's what we plan to do.

If you can't leave him/her with anyone, then you pretty much have to sit down and decide if you would rather not go at all on account of the child, or if you want to take your baby down there and enjoy what you can, even though a baby will cramp your style. There are some rides where you can take the baby, but there are also several rides that the baby could not go on. So one of you would have to ride the ride alone while the other stays behind with the baby and then switch so the other can ride. Also, with a baby, you will have to get back early in the evening to put the baby to bed, and you won't be as mobile the rest of the day either, having to tend to the baby, feed him, change him, etc. So a baby would cramp your style to be sure.

Having said that, I have come to the conclusion that I would rather be sitting in my WDW resort, bummed out that we can't do EMH because of the baby, than to sit at my desk at work bummed out that we aren't even at WDW because of the baby. In the business world, I think it's called "cutting your losses". Would you rather do WDW and have your style cramped majorly by having a baby along, or would you rather cancel the whole trip because the baby is too little to take down there? Myself, I would choose the former.

 

[MickeyTigg]

I wanted to know what the perfect age would be to bring a kid to Disney World? My wife is pregnant and due in November. If it was up to me I would go in december for Christmas. Im thinking summer of 2008,she will be a year and a half old. Do you think she will be old enough to realize somewhat what is going on. The problem I am really having is I dont know if I can wait that long I wanna go now....

Any age....it depends on how much you can handle and what adjustments you're willing to make to your normal touring style.

When we went the first time our oldest (our only at the time) was 4 1/2, the next two children went at 2 weeks and 3 years old for the first time.

 

[NobodyBaby]

I think 6 is a good age. They will remember everything and have a great time.

 

[garyhoov]

I'm not really sure what difference it makes if they remember it or not. Should we not let young children experience things because they won't remember them? No point in going to the zoo or buying them toys either then, right?:lol:

 

[MickeyTigg]

I think 6 is a good age. They will remember everything and have a great time.

I agree with what Gary stated....but even if we go with your premise....they'll remember plenty at ages 4 and 5....no need to what until 6. If that was the case...why send them to school at 4 or 5, they won't remember any of it.

My only caveat would be to maybe wait until the child is older if you're not planning on going again...if a return trip is possible, go whenever you want.

 

[EchoOfOphelia]

I was six when I first went, I really don't think that kids get the whole experience any younger than that because they are not able to go on a lot of the rides. And then that means that one or neither of the parents can go on anything either.

Disney is an awfully expensive vacation just to walk around and watch other people go on rides.

 

[piratelass]

my mom took me and my brother when i was 3. I'm now 15 and remember bits and peices of the trip, but from my mom, she said i was a nightmare, i wouldn't be surprised if i still am (hogging the bathroom every morning =D). I think from experience with babysitting, anywhere from the ages of 5-6 would be not bad. It all depends on the kid though. If they're a perfect angel, it would be great to take them when they are younger. And they might remember some of it too =).

 

[sbkline]

I'm not really sure what difference it makes if they remember it or not. Should we not let young children experience things because they won't remember them? No point in going to the zoo or buying them toys either then, right?:lol:

My biggest thing isn't in whether they remember it or not, but at what age can they actually go on rides and not be a "burden" on the parents. Not that we want to consider our kids a burden, but at the same time, let's be realistic. At one or two years old, a child can be a "dead weight" on the vacation. Just something you have to lug around, something that makes you have to go back to the hotel early and put to bed, get cranky and throw fits, etc. And they can't even go on half the rides. Like I said, that's probably still better than not going at all. At least you'd be at WDW instead of sitting at work wishing you were there. But the reality is, up until 4 or 5 or so, taking a kid there is still mostly for the parents' enjoyment and not the kid's. He's just being taken because he can't be left at home. But at that age, it's probably best to leave the child with someone for a week while you and the wife (or husband as the case may be) enjoy a vacation with just the two of you. Either that, or if you could get a set of grandparents, or a sibling and their family, etc to go along, so that way there might always be someone else to watch the kid while you and your mate go on a ride together.

 

[Lanipie]

My biggest thing isn't in whether they remember it or not, but at what age can they actually go on rides and not be a "burden" on the parents. Not that we want to consider our kids a burden, but at the same time, let's be realistic. At one or two years old, a child can be a "dead weight" on the vacation. Just something you have to lug around, something that makes you have to go back to the hotel early and put to bed, get cranky and throw fits, etc. And they can't even go on half the rides. Like I said, that's probably still better than not going at all. At least you'd be at WDW instead of sitting at work wishing you were there. But the reality is, up until 4 or 5 or so, taking a kid there is still mostly for the parents' enjoyment and not the kid's. He's just being taken because he can't be left at home.

LOL, also I wouldn't spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars taking them to the zoo.

I'm also just uber aware of people around me. I get that from my parents. there is no worse sound on the planet than a tired cranky kid. My parents didn't take us ANYWHERE until we were at least 3, 4 for my brother, because they didn't want to make everyone around them miserable by hauling screaming crying cranky kids to places where they didn't need or really want to be.

 

[Lucky]

I'm always surprised at the number of babies I see at WDW. It's just too much trouble. Wait until they're at least 2 for your own sake, and wait until they're 3 if you want them to get anything out of it.

 

[The Mom]

This topic has been debated almost as many times as pool hopping and eternal refillable mugs. :lol:

IMO, there is no across the board answer, and never will be. It depends upon so many variables; baby/child, parents, financial and health circumstances, family circumstances, etc.

Make the decision that works for you. And as others have stated, a bad day at WDW beats a good day at work. :lol: