8 mo old vs 1 year old first trip

[TinkB278]

Hello!

I just found out we are expecting our second child and are also dvc so trying to sort out our trips for the next couple of years. Our new baby will be 8 months in May 23 or 1 year next September 23. I’m trying to make a plan with our points and decide which month to book next year.

Is 8 months or 1 year a better age for a first trip? I figure an 8 month old will be easier to handle on the flight and in the parks as they won’t be mobile yet. A one year old will be more cognizant of what is going on and will probably let us do a little bit more and will be less difficult to figure out foods for as they won’t require purées only.

Any thoughts are welcome! Also, this will be our first time taking two kids so I’m not sure if that will make a difference?

 

[mjkacmom]

I think 8 months is the perfect ago for travel. They sit up, are usually content in a stroller, can eat food, hold a bottle. One of mine started walking around 9 months and was not content in the stroller.

 

[nancipants]

We're local, but have done staycations at Disney. 8 months was waaaaaay easier for us than a year. Also our son started eating some finger foods around 8-9 months. We took him to Garden Grill when friends were in town and he ate so much. Plus, the store-bought purees and applesauce were easy to carry around in the diaper bag.

 

[Boopuff]

We will be going with my one year old Grandson. We’ll have 6 adults and one baby (good odds!). We’re thinking lots of trade-offs. And I’m not a big ride person so I’ll be chasing him around! We figured since he’s free and will eat free, why not!

 

[StarSeven7]

Less mobile is definitely easier, but if you have a baby who is already crawling at 8 months, that might be hard! We went for a day when my son was 9 months and he was so active and wanted to crawl everywhere that it was really difficult because there weren't really any spots for him to crawl without scraping up his knees! For him, it would have been easier at 1 yo because he was walking by then and would have been happier. But for a non-crawler at 8 months, that would probably be a better option.

 

[DebLovesPooh]

At 8 months, my DD was still napping 2x a day and napped easily in a stroller. At 1, we went down to 1 nap and she needed a more quiet environment to go to sleep. Being in the park all day would have been much easier with her 8 month old self.

 

[Wendysofftoneverland]

September will likely be a smaller crowd. Schools where I live are already out May 23. We took my son a few weeks before he turned 1 and he had a fabulous time. Both my kids didn't walk until 12.5 months, so mobility was the same whether 8 months or 12 months. However age 1 was right when he started going down to 1 nap a day, so he got a little cranky later in the day. Peoplemover at dark got him to sleep though!

 

[LSUmiss]

8 mos was much easier for us than 1 year.

 

[js]

I'm DVC too and not going by age of your child, I would always choose September over May for crowds.
I love going in September. It is very low crowds.

 

[TinkB278]

I'm DVC too and not going by age of your child, I would always choose September over May for crowds.
I love going in September. It is very low crowds.

This is my dilemma. September is our favorite month to go but I’m worried a walking one year old in September will be more difficult than an 8 month old in May? Maybe the lower crowds would make up for it though.

 

[js]

This is my dilemma. September is our favorite month to go but I’m worried a walking one year old in September will be more difficult than an 8 month old in May? Maybe the lower crowds would make up for it though.

Really, no one on here can help you decide LOL You have to weigh the pros and the cons.
Nothing really tells you how well behaved your 8 month old will be either in May and would you then wish for September?

My "kids" are older and I'm taking my 14 month old grandson in October (that is when my dd can go, I wanted September) and I would always choose month over the age of the child but that's me. Everyone seems to be on a different page than I am LOL

Good luck!