Would you take a baby that's 13 months to Disney?

[agame2323]

My co-worker is planning on going in August and wants to take her daughter. Personally I think she's too young to really enjoy it. But then again...I'm not the mother so....

 

[Melissalovespugs]

Are they going for her benefit? Or are they going because they want a fun vacation?

We went early in May with our 2 daughters, one who was 17 months old & we had a great time. We did not go specifically for her benefit, but because we wanted a fun family vacation.

 

[3monkeys4me]

Yep, I would.

DD1 went on her first trip at 15 months old. We had a great trip. Completely different from a trip we would have taken by ourselves and different than a trip would have been with older kids but she loved it and we loved it.

We took dd2 to DL at 10 months old. That trip was a little different as she had 2 older siblings but she still had a great time. She would scream anytime she saw a character so we avoided them as best we could but she enjoyed the rides (IASW was her favorite) and liked people watching.

 

[dislaney]

I've taken mine when they were babies and although the trips were alot different then they are now, we had a great time still.

 

[dragonfly57005]

She might be crazy or she might have a good time. I guess you will have to wait for her trip report to know.

 

[fadingjamie]

No. I don't think it will be a fun vacation with a fussy, overheated baby who won't remember the trip.

 

[TiggerDeb]

We went with our grandson when he was 5 months old. It was a lot of work with an infant but we had some magical moments with him. If they are going for a fun vacation, it is well worth it to instill the magic in the child and he can look at the pictures when he gets older....Our oldest grandson went when he was 2 for the first time and we had a ball. going back in 98days with both grandsons who are now 8 and 4. It will be their 4th and 3rd trip respectively for them.

 

[t_catt11]

I'd do it in a heartbeat. Realize that you'll have to adjust your plans from the "normal" WDW trip, but I think that you can have a great time, and so can the little one.

 

[MsPeggySue911]

I wouldn't take any kid to Disney World before they were about 6 or 7 and could remember the trip. I am not going to Disney for ME. I am going for my kids. So I want them to be big enough to ride everything, big enough to really understand it and enjoy it, and most importantly big enough to remember it.

I never went on any vacations when my kids were babies. It's just too much work and not fun.

 

[Dizznee Freak]

We have done it twice and in fac are doing it again next year.Our baby will be 21 months old then.It is well worth it due to the fact that it really forces you to not even consider commando park runs and lay back and enjoy the little things.The extra added benefit of looking back at the pictures is priceless and quite frankly what we look forward to the most.Watching our kids grow up in DW pictures

 

[Mr. and Mrs. Mummert]

I first took my daughter at 18 months. Other people thought I was crazy-but we had a great time.

My advice is to get to the park at RD, and head back to the room in the afternoon for naps, then back to the parks for the evening.

Anything that doesn't have a height restriction you can ride with your child. My daughter love POTC and of course Pooh.

 

[minnie mouse ears]

Yes I would! We took our 2nd dd when she was 10 months old. Our oldest was only 3 1/2. We had a blast! The 10 month old was a dream, even in unseasonally hot weather of 95 degrees in very early May. The 3 1/2 year old on the other hand whined about the heat the entire week.

The 10 month old loved loved loved the characters. She patted them on the nose, etc. She just had a good time absorbing the atmosphere and I took her on some rides with me. Did we get to do everything? Heck no but we had fun anyway.

My two cents.

 

[hockey mom]

I took my grandson when he was 10 months. Big family trip in Aug. and we all had a blast.

Got his first haircut- magical.

Some awesome pictures of him at the water parks, with the characters, and of course passed out in his stroller.

 

[YodaGirl]

Yes.

My parents took my brother to WDW for the first time at 13 months, and I was 18 months on my first trip. Just because the kids won't remember it doesn't mean that they won't enjoy themselves. There are pictures of both of us where we are obviously enjoying the situation.

DB got a massive kick out of the masked characters that used to hang out in World Showcase long ago. I really enjoyed the character parade.

Our next trip, DS will only be about 7.5 months. He won't remember anything, and he may not even enjoy anything specific, but I see the point in not going.

Maybe the family really enjoys Disney? Maybe they want to begin a tradition of an annual vacation to Disney?

Can a 13 month old enjoy Disney? Yes. Will she enjoy it on the same level as a 5 yr old? No. It doesn't negate the fact that she is still capable of having a good time.

 

[goofyernmost]

Well, one thing I have never been accused of is being a sentimental old fool. I would never take a child that young to a park as active as Disney's are. First, I know that they would have no recollection of what happened and even if they get excited they can get the same excitement watch a flashlight waved in their face.

So, the argument goes, it's for the parents. They love the feeling that their young child is enjoying something that they themselves love. It's all in the head, of course, but if it works...why not!

I wouldn't take them at that age because of the hassle factor. I don't what to be changing diapers, feeding them, keep them from the merciless heat of Florida, handing them back and forth so that the grownups can enjoy the rides and so on. I know that is a pretty selfish way to look at things, but that is me.

I waited until my kids were at least 6 years old and did the same thing with my grandkids over a quarter of a century later. It just was easier and allowed me to enjoy the day completely. I still got to see the excitement in their eyes without the joy of dealing with a dirty diaper in the middle of thousands of people in 90 degree heat. To me that sounds like as much fun as getting your fingernails pulled out with pliers.

 

[JMD]

We took my son at 9 months and my daughter when she was 6 months old. My wife and I love going to Disney, and went every year before we had kids. Will my kids remember those trips? Of course not. But we still had a great time.

 

[RachaelA]

We're taking our DD for her first birthday in October 2012. I'm excited to take her every year.

 

[newyorkmike]

We took our son on his first trip to Disney a week after his first birthday during the first week of May in 2009. He was already walking on that trip and was able to enjoy the fountains at the resort and the play areas in the parks, particularly those with water fountains, e.g. the dig site waterfall in AK, Pooh's playful spot in MK (which is now closed), the splash fountains by test track and between the big fountain and World Showcase at EPCOT and the honey I shrunk the kids playground at HS.

He was in awe on all of the rides and attractions. For us, it wasn't about what he would remember from the trip, but the enriching experiences. There was as much sensory stimulation for him on that trip as in any educational or entertainment book, CD or DVD we had.

I think the key to a pleasant trip with a one year old is to minimize park time. At that age, it is important to be at the park at rope drop, plan a 15-20 minute rest stop at the park's baby care center mid-morning, and be out of there by noon at the latest and stay at the resort for pool time and nap time until at least 5PM. For example, we would go to AK for Monday morning extra magic hours at 8AM, ride the Safari first thing, walk the pagani forest trail, stop at the baby care center for A/C and snack time, do Rafiki's planet watch, and then either FOLK or Flights of Wonder before heading for the exit at 11:30. We would stay at the resort until leaving for EPCOT at a little before 6. At that time, Spaceship Earth, Nemo, Living with the land, Figment, and the Grand Fiesta are all great, slow-moving rides you can take with a lap child that you can walk right on with zero wait time. We would easily ride all of those at a leisurely pace and be on our way out of the park at 8:30 (he would usually fall asleep in the stroller on the walk back to the car).

 

[SrisonS]

I'm local, so the way I do the parks is different than others that have to PLAN one. I can leave after an hour or 2, if needed. But our daughter is only 8 months old, and we've taken her countless times already. Of course she won't remember anything. But as she's gotten a tiny bit older, and starts to interact more and more with everything/everyone; it's been great to see her with the characters. Like the poster before stated, she likes to grab their noses and all. She's also pretty observant. And really enjoys Spaceship Earth, believe it or not. But I gotta say, she's pretty laid back, in general. So that helps.

So depending on the temperament of the child, and how you plan your days; I wouldn't say it's a crazy idea at all. And if it's a super Disney loving family, what else would you expect them to do?!?!? It'll be a different/sometimes challenging experience, but I'm sure it'll be fine.

 

[minnie mouse ears]

One more thing - ignore the people who say the baby won't remember it. Do you honestly live every single moment of your life for what you will remember in the future? Seriously? What about having fun in the moment? We have priceless memories and pictures of our trips with our kids as babies. I have taken small babies with me everywhere, to the beach, to Disney, to the zoo.... it is only as hard has you make it!