2 & 4 years old or 3 & 5 years old?

[Dallas_Lady]

Which ages would you choose for taking the kids to WDW?

I am due with baby #2 soon, which means I can start thinking about another trip! We want to go either Thanksgiving week or early in December 2010 or 2011 to see the Christmas decorations. Our last trip DD was 12 months exactly and we had a lot of fun.

Either choice just seems so far away! But financially (and logistically) I don't see it happening any sooner. Do you think either age choice is "better?"

 

[KibbyCat]

...because 2 year olds still get admission to the parks and all their meals for free.

 

[hmdavid]

We took our girls there when the youngest was three and the twins were 5 and it was great! However, there is something to be said for a 2 year old that can get in at no charge! I think that either way you will have a wonderful time, the experiences will just be a bit different.

 

[gibsontrio]

my kids are 2 and 5 .. the reason we are taking them now is A/ dd is FREE and B/ ds isnt in kindergarten yet , so I say 2 & 4

 

[eyeheartgoofy]

...because 2 year olds still get admission to the parks and all their meals for free.

 

[VacationKicks]

Agree with 2 & 4. Either before potting training or well after. You do not want to go with a child in the process of that!

 

[sk!mom]

I would wait for 3 and 5. My two year olds had the potential to be difficult- not to mention still in diapers. They were usually great but you just never knew at that age.

By three, on the other hand, my kids were both easy to handle potty trained joys.

The point that 2 year olds are free is a good one though.

 

[srwarden1928]

3 & 5. Getting some more age on them probably has benefits. My dear departed mother would have been horrified with the idea of not starting potty training by around the second birthday. And while I am a teacher & think school is VERY important, I dont see anything so crucial that a five year old couldnt miss a few days. High School would be a completely different issue.

 

[PrincessNoelle'sMom]

2&4 - you get to go sooner!!!! No, really...like other posters said, the 2 yo will be free and the 4 yo won't be in school yet. Both very big plusses. Oh and did I mention....you get to go SOONER!!!

 

[Dallas_Lady]

I totally forgot about about the 2 year old being free!

 

[mom2aredhead]

I totally forgot about about the 2 year old being free!

They will not remember a trip from when they were 2. If the trip is a "once in a lifetime" thing and that matters to you, wait. Otherwise, free admission is a deciding factor for me. Maybe plan it for when the younger one is 2 years, 11 months, 3 weeks and 3 days old...still free admission, but a bit older.

 

[dspads]

I've gone when my boys were 4 months and 2, and then again when they were just over 3 & 5. On our 1st trip our 2yo had a blast and still seems to remember stuff but its so not the same as a 3yo. Both of our kids really enjoyed themselves this time around -and had disticntive likes and dislikes. For example the 3yo loves Cars and was blown away to see Lightning McQueen IRL.

If it is the only trip you will be taking when they are little kids, then wait till 3 & 5!

FWIW, my parents are DVC club member so we know we will probably be going every 2 or 3 years at most.

 

[liznboys]

I totally forgot about about the 2 year old being free!

Yeah! Maybe you could compromise between your choices and go when your youngest is almost 3. That way he is not a young 2 but he's still FREE!

 

[clorenzen]

We went 2 days before my daughter's 3rd birthday. Tall enough to ride the 40" rides, but still free. Downside to that is not being able to get the dining plan, so you have to always be thinking about ordering to share, not what you want. Also, another downside is clueless CM. I don't think they'd ever seen a 2 year old tall enough to ride Soarin' and Test Track b/c we always got hassled trying to enter the fastpass lines. "Where's her fast pass?" "Ummm. . .she's free. No park pass, so how can I get a fast pass?"

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

We've done it with all ages, but I would recommend the 3 & 5 for one simple reason: NO MORE DIAPERS.

Not having to lug around a diaper bag in Disney (I actually remember the first time we did "no diaper disney" and "no stroller disney") is a big relief.

 

[ballsatdisney]

I totally forgot about about the 2 year old being free!

I love your profile comment that you only work for vacation money. That is hilarious. Me and my husband joke about that all the time. I just had to comment about that.

 

[PanandCindy'smom]

We are going when my kids are 3 & 5. Benefits for us are:
*no more diapers (DD trained this weekend so she should be old hat by Dec.)
*no more cribs
*both have definite Disney interests now
*DS will be tall enough for the rides with 40 inch minimums
*a little more able to miss naps or go to bed later. At 2, both of my kids were miserable if naps were missed. It would not have been the happiest place on earth for us. HA!

Going when they are 2&4 does mean going sooner and one would be free, so that is a pretty compelling argument too. Good luck deciding! You will make great memories no matter when you go!

 

[Cory's Gal]

my kids are 2 and 5 .. the reason we are taking them now is A/ dd is FREE and B/ ds isnt in kindergarten yet , so I say 2 & 4

Totally agree, that's why we are going in 2 years, when our newborn DD will be 2 and it's the spring before DS goes to Kindergarten!!

 

[_queenie_]

Can you wait until the youngest is almost three? That way they'll still get in free but are completely potty trained (at least mine were).

 

[Elmo888]

3 and 5. We went when DD#2 was 2 and then when she was 3, and it was soooo much better when she was 3. Of course no diapers is great (she actually slept in a pack n play at 2 and 3 since she is still in a crib at 3.5!), but I also felt that she was able to get so much more out of it. She was sooo excited about all of the characters at 3, but at 2, she would only go near the princesses and Mickey and Minnie.