First trip 2, 2 1/2 or 3 years old?

jessrose18 · Oct 4, 2015

Hello! Our baby girl is turning 1 in a few weeks and we are planning her first trip. We have gone to Disney many times as a couple without children and know that our favorite times to go are October and May. I don't know a lot of other kids so I don't know how much they "get" at each age. If we took her she would be 2, 2 1/2 or 3 years old. Did you child enjoy disney more at a certain age? If anyone has any trip reports they could link that would be helpful! She already likes watching disney movies and isnt scared of anything at this age at least. Any advice is appreciated!

Mousemommy1 · Oct 4, 2015

The fact that at 2 she is still free is important.

That being said, with our older girls, we waited until they were 3 and 5 before we brought them and we have gone annually since then. They are 11 and almost 9 now. We always wondered why we didn't take them before that though.

We ended up with a surprise baby boy who was born in January and brought him when he was 3 months old. It was an awesome trip!!! His next trip, he will be 15 months old.

I wouldn't worry about what she will "get", she will have a blast while there no doubt!

Stubbzilla · Oct 4, 2015

My children do not remember Disney trips before age 3. They can remember something about going there at age 3. Closer to 4 is better for actually remembering.

Personally, I think the trips are worth it even for the babies, they get a big experience even if they don't remember it, and it's so much fun to take a baby around Disney. I have had fun every trip with all my kids at each age. I'm going as often as I can go while they're young before they reach an age where they are "too old" for Disney.

NotTheBatesMotel · Oct 5, 2015

It really depends on the individual kid. We had a fantastic trip when he was 2.5. He entered this incredibly defiant, meltdown age about a month shy of his 3rd birthday and that lasted 3 months or so. I remember thinking I was so glad we brought him before he hit that age. The free park admission was an added perk.

If it's a once in a lifetime kind of trip you might want to wait until your little one is old enough to remember it, but we go every year or 2. I have no regrets about bringing him at 2.5.

Will he remember it? No, but I don't remember the DW trip my parents took me on when I was almost 5. We have the pictures and stories. It is something his parents and grandma will never forget.

DisneyDreams15 · Oct 5, 2015

We took our first family trip one month before my daughter's 3rd birthday. I wouldn't change a thing. She definitely understood and we had prepped her with the movies, books, and music of course. It was the perfect time IMO because she was RIGHT before the age where we start to pay hundreds more for her ticket and potentially DDP cost.

TinkLoverSam · Oct 5, 2015

I took a seven week old... He "got" nothing and it was great, go whenever you can unless it's a once in a lifetime trip

myrtleturtle · Oct 5, 2015

We are taking our twins 2 weeks before their 3rd birthday. We get the free before 3 benefits, but they are old enough to sort of know what's going on.

tink9702 · Oct 5, 2015

whenever works better for the adults!

I will say that I personally would not want to take a newly potty trained kid. I rather have diapers or a well trained toilet user. that in-between stage is a horror show in general but at Disney, just no fun!

smiths02 · Oct 5, 2015

tink9702 said:
whenever works better for the adults! I will say that I personally would not want to take a newly potty trained kid. I rather have diapers or a well trained toilet user. that in-between stage is a horror show in general but at Disney, just no fun!

We took our twins in June and they turned 3 in Sept. They were old enough to really enjoy it, young enough to be "free," and young enough that we started toilet training a few weeks after returning. If the choice is between 2 1/2 and a young 3 year old, I say 2 1/2 because they are free and they won't likely remember at 3 either. Now if you're talking 3 almost 4 year old, I might wait until then.

jessrose18 · Oct 5, 2015

Thanks everyone! I know she won't remember it necessarily, i just want her to be an age where she has fun and kind of knows what is going on. I do think 2 might be too young, we will shoot for 2 1/2 and yes, the free part is important to us! We will probably go every other year from then on.

quagmire0 · Oct 5, 2015

I don't think there's a huge difference. Unless she's tall for her age, there's not going to be a huge difference between what a 2 year old can ride and what a 3 year old can ride. On our previous two trips we've had a child under 2, and they pretty much rode everything except the coasters and thrill rides like Dinosaur. Someone else mentioned the free part, that *is* a nice bonus.

Mdieter · Oct 5, 2015

We took our 2 1/2 and 1 year old daughters 2 weeks ago and had the best time! The 2 1/2 year old loved everything and the look on both of their faces during parades and meeting characters was priceless! I would definitely recommend it for those ages..plus they were both free

mernin · Oct 5, 2015

We are taking my almost 3 year old DD in December (she is a January baby). I think it will be an awesome age - she is all about princesses and it will be pure magic for her. Bonus is that she is free! Her older sister went when she was 3.5 and loved it. She is now almost 8 and I know she'll enjoy it, but it won't be about the princess for her anymore.

Hawkeyegirls · Oct 5, 2015

I think the older the easier, more relaxing and fun it would be. But the first time I took my daughter she was 3 1/2, so I have no experience with a child younger. The free part would have been very nice. But I also think if she was not potty trained or not great at walking yet, that would be exhausting.

blackpearl77 · Oct 5, 2015

Before 3 is free so that's a plus! We went when my son was 2.5 and now we are going again and he will be turning 5 two days before we leave. My advice might be totally different than everyone else since everyone's child is different and does things at different ages. A lot of people say it's easier when they are potty trained. But you won't know what age they will have mastered the potty. My son wasn't potty trained until 3.5. And the thought of going to disney when he was 3 and trying to do the potty training while we were there...ugh. I always thought it would be so much easier when they can go on the potty. Then when he was 3 all I thought - it was so much easier when he was just in diapers! So when we went he was 2.5 and he still wore diapers. So in my experience I think it was easy when he was just in diapers. But girls and potty training I hear are totally different than boys so she will probably be all trained by 3 and ready to go! And once she's 3 she can do the BBB and dress as a princess and all that. If you are going every other year then go while she can be free then go again when she's like 4 or 5!

jacknsally19 · Oct 5, 2015

I just got back from visiting with an almost 3.5 yr old and it was her fourth trip. Honestly, the trips are all very fun but there is something to be said about going before they turn three. I feel like I enjoyed our trip at age 2 the most because she was so incredibly excited about seeing Mickey everywhere, she wasn't a picky eater yet, and not easily scared. This last trip she was terrified of fireworks and wanted me to buy her everything. Also, she ended up getting sick from eating to much sugar. But we still had a blast. There will be pluses and minuses at every age so I think just go with what works for your budget and schedule.

mcjaco · Oct 6, 2015

I took our boys when they were 15 months. Will they remember that trip? No way, but I do. It was a blast.

We took them again last year at 2 1/2. They remember that trip now, and keep asking when we're going back. Again, I'll remember that trip the rest of my life.

That being said, the 2 1/2 year old trip was a little more fun, as they could really get into things, and play. One of my boys took his first roller coaster ride (Goofy's), and can't stop talking about it a year later, even though he screamed his head off and told me never to take him on it again!

Just remember, they're your memories too. Make them when you like!

celina14 · Oct 6, 2015

We took our daughter right before she turned 2 and it was an amazing trip! Sure she won't remember it but she had a blast while she was there and I'll always remember it. She just loved everything, meeting the characters, rides, shows, parades. And her being free was a huge bonus! Now I wilLo say it depends on the child. My daughter was a very easygoing baby and toddler. It didn't bother her to be off her normal schedule, she slept in the stroller and just went with the flow. Our next trip we are planning for when she's 5 and our son will be 2 and I'm a little more concerned about taking him at that age because he's a different child than she was. But it's still a year away so hopefully he'll be as good as she was.

Gus V. · Oct 6, 2015

We took our 10m old daughter(at the time) back in May and she absolutely loved it (especially the characters). Sure she won't remember any of it, but the memories are definitely worth it...we took lots of pics and I made a video of the entire trip, and we now watch the video basically everyday. We had such a great time that we're going back in January!

monorailsilver · Oct 6, 2015

My 3 kids all went for their first time when they were under 3. They each got something different out of it, their own memories at the time. My goal was to get them all there when I didn't have to pay for a park ticket for them.

First trip 2, 2 1/2 or 3 years old?

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