Good minimum age to enjoy MNSSHP?

[MrDisneyphile]

We have DD2 and DD4 and will be going to the World in early October. We are going with a big group of people who may be going to MNSSHP. They all have kids ranging from 4 to 9. To make a long question longer, what is an appropriate age to start taking kids to MNSSHP (yes I understand every kid is different and your milage will very and so on - just looking for some opinions and experiences)?

 

[mesaboy2]

We have DD2 and DD4 and will be going to the World in early October. We are going with a big group of people who may be going to MNSSHP. They all have kids ranging from 4 to 9. To make a long question longer, what is an appropriate age to start taking kids to MNSSHP (yes I understand every kid is different and your milage will very and so on - just looking for some opinions and experiences)?

We took DD at 4 and 6 and she loved it both times. Your 2yo probably won't get much out of it, but she won't cost anything either if she's still 2 at the time of the party.

 

[Baloo]

My DS was 2 the first time he went...he's 17 now! He LOVED it and still does!

 

[scarlet_ibis]

My middle DD was a month shy of 3 when we took her. She had a blast and hung in there til the ~midnight bus ride back to the resort after the SECOND parade.

 

[loweschickie]

We took our two year old this past Sep. and she ended up staying up meltdown free until midnight. She is normally in bed by 7:30 but hey it was vacation. Our cast was DH, myself DS15, DD2, and 3 friends or ours. We figured that she would pass out sometime but weren't making an issue of it(it was also the last night of our 9 day 8 night trip). She was still bright-eyed and bushy tailed so we decided to watch the 10:30 parade and then play it by year. After the parade she was still going strong, we figured that she would crash any minute. She made it all night and we ended up riding Buzz right at closing. I remember she asked what was next and I told her that the party was over, by the time we made it to the bathrooms at Tomorrow Terrace she was out.


Sorry for the long windedness but yes it is do-able and it is so worth it!

 

[DaniB]

Two competely different experiences with our kids on the same MNSHHP night.

Our DD11 was too focused on candy and kept insisting we get into every single candy line. She's LD, OCD, and more. To make a long story short, we had to leave the park a whole lot earlier than we wanted to...

On the other hand, our DSD6 was enjoying himself immensly and was making the evening magical.

I'd love to take my son back but not my daughter. So most likely neither of them will be going back to MNSSHP until we know our daughter can handle it. Just can't take one and leave the other behind.

 

[RMulieri]

We took our daughter at age 4 for the first time.While she did love it she also had decided that by 9-930p she was DONE for the night.She wanted to leave and let everyone know it.It didn't matter that we napped before, had offered the stroller etc.She wanted to leave, so we did.We did have fun, but a year later we had much better luck with her lasting till the end of the party anmd definitely got our full moneys worth

 

[Magic3forme]

the first time we went was when our kids were 4,7 & 9.

we all had a blast! My then 4 yr old fell asleep in his stroller, but we stayed until midnight!

We love the Halloween party!!

 

[Barbara C]

We went when my son had just turned 4 and my twins were almost 6. For us - it was too much. We had done another park earlier in the day (can't remember which one), it was still hot once the sun had gone down and honestly, MK was very crowded during the party. My three (especially the older two) crashed and burned fairly early (but I did manage to get a great picture of them in a Disney double stroller, heads back, mouths wide open, sleeping away....).

If we were to go again (it's 2 years later and I don't think we'll go yet), I'd try to get some downtime in before the party. Although even that can be difficult - especially since they aren't nappers and if we were at the hotel I'm fairly certain they'd spend the afternoon exhausting themselves in the pool.

But with all that, I thought the party was amazing and I'm hoping we go back when the kids are older.

 

[E&K's Dad]

We took DSs 2 and 3 last September and both enjoyed themselves. Both talked about being dressed up like Hook and Peter Pan at Disneyworld on their second trip so they seem to remember it as of now.

The added character meet and greets and the special parade and fireworks are more than worth the price for a small child.

We avoided the parks and went to the pool in the morning the day of the party and made sure that we took an early afternoon nap to prepare them for the later night.

We plan to do it again in Oct of 2012 with DSs 5, 4 and 1 year old.

 

[avgeek81]

My friend took her 2 1/2 yr old son in 2009. They were there for the weekend and didnt go to a park during the day, they went to DTD. He really enjoyed the dance parties and parade. Not sure what time they stayed til. She took him again in 2010 at 3 1/2. They enjoyed it again. They just drove up for the party(were about 2 hrs away) I had told them they could get in at 4pm so they were able to enjoy some rides before the party and again he liked the parade and trick or treating. Not sure how long they stayed that time either but they did have to drive back after. They are planning on taking him again this year.

 

[mom2rtk]

It all really depends on the child's internal time clock. If they MUST go to bed once they get tired, then don't go. If they make everyone miserable when they get tired, then don't go. If they are happy to just doze off in the stroller, then do go. If they are happy to have a night to stay up late and can do so, then do go.

Once you think they can LAST the evening, then definitely go. It's tons of fun, the best party Disney does.

 

[mward73]

My mom & I took my boys (4 and 15mo) this past October. We went in at 4pm to get a little extra time. Little guy and my mom left about 8pm (we knew he'd need to leave early, so we made sure to do what mom wanted before they had to leave). Older kid made it until 11 when he said he was ready to go. He had a great time, but didn't seem to enjoy it more than any other day in the parks, so it probably wasn't worth the extra money for us. I think I enjoyed it more than he did I think we're spoiled and don't usually go when it's crowded - the crowds were pretty heavy and made it difficult to navigate a stroller around. We might do it again when both kids are old enough to walk and really enjoy it.

 

[clairemolly]

We did MNSSHP in 2008 when my DDs were 5 1/2 and 10 months. My younger daughter just slept in the stroller and my older DD did great. We stayed until midnight.

This past November we did MVMCP with my now 7 year old, my younger DD who turned 3 that day, and a 14 week old. My girls did great, although they both fell asleep in the stroller at midnight as we walked to the buses. My infant DS slept in the mei tei carrier the whole time.

 

[Pooh&OurHunny]

We took our son when he was 2 1/2 years old and he loved it. We went for me b/c I wanted to experience the party and wanted to take pictures and I didn't think he would remember but our son still talks about the dance party, meeting the characters in customes and the trick or treating.

 

[maddiesmom0116]

My DD started going when she was 4 and she loved it. We usually do either 1500PF or CRT for an early dinner around 4 and then we hit the party every year. She loves to dress up and see everyone else dressed up and we all enjoy being able to ride the rides over and over again w/o much of a wait.