Are there any Mamas here who waited until their Child was Older to go to Disney?

[lclark0621]

We didn't wait at all. Did not see any reason to delay enjoying WDW with our DS. His first trip was at 9 months old & he loved it! At 2.5, he has been 3 times with another one in a few months. He talks about it all the time & loves Disney World. We have wonderful vacations at WDW & elsewhere in the world with our DS.

 

[chip91]

Who normally whines 50x a day or so, and she was an ANGEL at Disney, we had one little mini meltdown, luckily DH handled it.. I was amazed at her great behavior, she did sleep a lot in the stroller though, on our 1st morning we got to MK early for an ADR, she was sleeping on the way into the park from the parking lot, luckily by the time we got thru security check, ticket line she woke up and was able to see the castle with the rest of us

Oh and she talks about Disney almost daily, she says, "Momma I'm four now and ready for Splash Mountain, we can go back anytime" Yes if money only grew on trees we could!

 

[zookeeper]

We went last Sept. with kids that were 8,7,5 and almost 4. The 8yr. old and 7 yr.old were (I felt) at the PERFECT age for a first WDW experience. They were adventurous enough to try most of the rides, they still got REALLY excited about seeing the characters (which pleasantly surprised me) and had enough energy to make it through the day without too much complaining about being too tired to walk. The younger 2 kids were fantastic and had no meltdowns or anything like that, but we found that after a few hours they had had enough and were ready to go back to the resort. They were not too adventurous when it came to rides either. A few times we ended up splitting up and DH would take the little younger ones back to the resort and I would stay with the older ones (I had never been to WDW and DH also had had enough after a few hours, so it worked for us). I'm going back this summer with just the older 2 with the understanding that their younger brother and sister will get their own Mommy trip when they are a little bit older. DH has no real urge to go back for at least a few more years so it's really all about finding a way for Mommy to get more trips to WDW! (SHHHH! Don't tell anyone my secret!)

 

[disneyfan6301]

We had planned to wait until our DS was 4 to take him. Then, my nephew, who was 5, was killed in a car wreck, and that kinda changed things for us. My father-in-law fussed when we told him we were going, telling us that DS was too young and would not remember anything. We reminded him that DNephew never got to go to WDW, and he understood. We took DS that June before he turned 3 in August. Our neice was working at WDW at that time, so we had another reason to go , plus, DS was under 3 and got in free!!! DS has always been a good spirited kid. We made sure that we broke the day up and let him nap some. Of course, at almost three, there are only so many rides they can go on, but it was worth it. Just to see the looks on their faces makes the trip worthwhile.

Just do what you feel is right for your child. If you go, try to go when it is not so hot. That will help with the meltdowns. Also, go on his schedule, not yours.....and this was so hard for me, because I wanted to go, go, go. Disney is a magical place, and you might be pleasantly surprised at how he will act once there.

 

[Nee Nee and Biddy]

We took my nephew to WDW when he was a month shy of being three and it was wonderful. He was so excited the entire time and we only had one meltdown which stopped as soon as he got his own box of popcorn. Here's the picture!

Hosted on Fotki

People always make the comment, "Why go when they're young? They won't remember it.". He may not remember it, but I will never forget the look on his face when we were at the Crystal Palace and Pooh and friends came out. Every trip to WDW is an oppurtunity to make more family memories...so what if they can't remember everything.

We plan on taking our son when he is two and a half. As he is only four months old now, I have no idea what his personality will be like then. But no matter what, we are going to create some more Disney memories! Good luck with whatever you decide!

 

[Ghost]

OK, I am a dad (I hope it is OK to post an answer )

The first time my son entered a Disney park he was 6 weeks old. He might not (will not) remember, but we (my wife and I) sure do..... (Because of him we where upgraded to a suite!!!)

after that he went to a park about 5 to 10 times a year. Every time, every age being a magical experience...

I do admit, I am a Disney addict and could never wait untill my son is a certain age to go to a Disney park. I need my Disney Park fix a couple of time every year. My son is now 6 years young and could be a tour guide in the park

It is never to soon to take a kid to the magic... (and never to late to go again, and again, and again...)

 

[diannaneglia]

I consider this visit to Disney to be my first. Reason being...when my daughter was almost 2, I met up with my sister and niece and spent 4 of the most miserable days at Disney...sorry not the most miserable but not the most enjoyable either. I think I was so busy chasing her around and changing her and comforting her and so on, that I truly didn't get to fully enjoy myself. This time around she is 15 and my son is 11 and they are so excited they are going to Disney and I am so glad I waited to go back. I think babies and toddlers aren't too young to go to Disney to enjoy themselves but I think they are too young for mom and dad to enjoy the trip! Just my 2 cents again!

 

[devotedchristian]

Thank you for the responses. Although, I only asked for Mamas who DID wait until their child was older to respond because I feel very intimidated by Mamas who took their Babies, Infants and Young Toddlers. Yes, I know life is not guaranteed to wait for Disney.

I feel a tremendous amount of pressure on my shoulders from those who say they did NOT wait...couldn't wait for whatever reason. Those responses make me feel as I am a Bad Parent for waiting to take DS (Age 3 in July) to Disney World when in my heart I know he is not ready for Magic Kingdom.

We are still going to The World, just not to any Theme Parks. I believe, DS can still experience "The Magic" at a Character meal, Downtown Disney, Disney Resorts, or whatever. The point is, we are spending time as a family.

I also said I live really close and plan to go back next year. Disney will become a traditional family vacation for us.

I apologize in advance as this is a sensitive area for me. I cannot relate to those Mamas who *can* do Disney at a young age. It really makes me feel like a bad parent.

 

[Goobergal99]

Well I am sorta a bad mommy, we went without her when she was a baby I know I am terrible, but believe me now that she knows she lays the gulit on bad. For her first trip she was 5 and it was the perfect age IMO This year I am realyl excited because she is big enough to go on almost everyhting and she is braver then before

 

[DVCLiz]

Thank you for the responses. Although, I only asked for Mamas who DID wait until their child was older to respond because I feel very intimidated by Mamas who took their Babies, Infants and Young Toddlers. Yes, I know life is not guaranteed to wait for Disney.

I feel a tremendous amount of pressure on my shoulders from those who say they did NOT wait...couldn't wait for whatever reason. Those responses make me feel as I am a Bad Parent for waiting to take DS (Age 3 in July) to Disney World when in my heart I know he is not ready for Magic Kingdom.

We are still going to The World, just not to any Theme Parks. I believe, DS can still experience "The Magic" at a Character meal, Downtown Disney, Disney Resorts, or whatever. The point is, we are spending time as a family.

I also said I live really close and plan to go back next year. Disney will become a traditional family vacation for us.

I apologize in advance as this is a sensitive area for me. I cannot relate to those Mamas who *can* do Disney at a young age. It really makes me feel like a bad parent.

devotedchristian, there are going to be all sorts of reasons to feel like a bad parent down the road. Whether you breastfed or not, whether you put your child in daycare or not, whether your child played travel soccer or not, whether your child got a perfect score on the SAT or not, etc. etc. etc...

Nip this in the bud right now!!!!!!!! A good parent makes the right decision for her child based on what she knows and feels to be best - NOT what she thinks other people will judge her for. It's clear from your posts that you are a loving and concerned mom, and that you feel WDW isn't in the cards right now. "Nuff said. That's the "good parent" decision for you right now.

Now cheer up!!!!!!!!!

 

[Pixiedust34]

We waited until our kids were just-turned-9 and almost-7. It was a perfect first trip for them!

Kids of ALL ages can have fun at Disney. There is nothing as magical as seeing Disney through the eyes of your children for the first time.

 

[JuneDisney]

We waited till this year when the boys are 4 1/2 and 7. I wanted my youngest to be tall enough to ride most of the rides and at the same time I didn't want my oldest to be to old to appreciate the magic and wonder of WDW. I can't tell you how much I am looking foward to seeing WDW through their eyes.

 

[Mike.Wazowski]

My oldest was 7, middle 2 and the baby 8 months on each of there first trips...
I thought the 2 year old was the BEST!!

the seven year old loved it - but "Knew" to much and was going through an 'afraid of the rides' phase....

I think we will wait til the baby is three-ish for our next trip!

 

[mikymouse]

My kids loved Disney but I think what they loved the most was being together as a family for 6 whole days... every minute of every day...sharing a room! We always have a blast no matter where we go..park,movies, library, playground. I would not feel guilty about not going to Disney right away, family time is the best for everyone no matter where you are TOGETHER. We called Disney our family Adventure not vacation and we would have had a good time in the park or out of the park. I think it is great you are so close...I think you will have a great time at Character Meals, Downtown Disney, etc... The rides are definately for bigger kids and even the parades were enjoyed but not as good as the local ones when the firefighter threw candy into the street. My kids even thought the bus was cool (no car seats!) so go have fun and don't feel guilty about NOT spending a billion bucks on park tickets since the young ones can't would enjoy alot of what the parks offer.

 

[U2_rocks]

Say Age 3.5 and over? We are taking our first family vacation to Disney in October. DS will be just over 3.

We're doing it! I had my 3 kids close together, so there's never been a time when I have felt ready to lug them all to WDW! However, next spring they will be 4, 5 and 7, and I'm sure we can handle it then! Part of it is cost - we have to fly. Part of it is just not having the nerve to take all 3, at such a young age and still napping (and one who is a picky eater etc.).

It's also fair to say that, while WDW is fun, we are not fanatics, and want to visit lots of other places. So for us, this trip we're doing next year has to be a biggie - they might not be back for years! So we wanted them to be old enough to remember it, to be able to go on more than just the baby rides etc. We're going to be there for 2 weeks, and we're planning lots of downtime inbetween, so we're going to do WDW in a big way! And Seaworld, and maybe IOA too. I think ages 4 - 7 are perfect for what I have planned - not sure I would have wanted to do it this way with younger ones.

If I had fewer kids (or had them more spaced out) and planned to go to WDW several times during their childhood, I probably would have taken them sooner (I have been just dying to take them!). But the way I've chosen, as hard as it is to wait, will work best for us.

 

[calstitcher]

We are taking our first trip to WDW this summer with my 7 & 9 year old. We took them last October to Disneyland/CAP for their first visit. It was wonderful. They were able to go the whole day without wearing down. We had considered taking my then 3 year old ds to Disneyland, but took a "test" run at a local amusement park. He was awful. He wouldn't stay with us. Wouldn't listen. Kept running off. We nixed the vacation to Disney until he was older because of that test run. I'm so glad we did. Plus they are old enough to remember just how magical Disney is!

 

[traces7]

This is my DD's first trip and she's 7. We're going in October. Sometimes I wish we would have gone when she was younger. She's not really into princesses anymore and when she was 3 or 4, she would have loved to meet Cinderella. And when they're older it's also hard to take them out of school, which we are doing (only 2 days though). But I think being that my DD is older now, she won't have "meltdowns" and she'll have more energy and be able to ride more rides! I think it would be fun no matter what your child's age!

 

[Perrine]

We were last summer with our twins in WDW : they just were 4 !
It was really amazing for us because we came from FRANCE so far away from home !
My girls've been very cute in the plane (12 hours !!!!! can you imagine) and during these 2 weeks everything was perfect !

When they are 4 or 5, kids understand that it's necessary to wait for one's turn in a better way than at 2 or 3 .
They eat better and can appreciate the variety of food !
And according to the Disney rule, they also can make more attractions because of their size !

You can choose to wait for but I've noticed that evey kid in WDW is "spirited" my kids were ! and it was a very good feeling to see them happy !
We come back again in August : of course they'll be 5 so I am less anxious !

Don't worry too much and let your mom's heart speak !

Perrine

 

[alloyd1170]

we took our son when he was just 2. he had a great time, though standing in line was a new concept for him. we brought snacks and bubbles to pass the time, and skip the long lines. i dont know how much he really remembered. i took lots of photos and bought the park video (in addition to buying some of the sing along videos before the trip (beach party, small world, campfire) and getting the free planning dvd to prep him for the characters, etc). we went back again about a year later and as soon as he saw downtown disney from i-4 he got excited. he wouldnt stop talking about disney and about flew out of his seat when he saw the monorail. at that point, i think he remembered a lot thanks to the pics and videos. since that trip, he can recall a lot more.

now i will add that we are a travelling family. our son first flew at 6 mos, cruised at 11 mos, and hasnt stopped going. we take at least 2 big trips a year, plus little side trips once a month. we've never really had any major behavioral problems with him, other than the usual tantrum (which is normally because hes tired). he can sleep wherever and whenever so we didnt have to leave the park for him to nap. we are now planning on returning in the fall, and will have our then ~18 mos old daughter with us. the nice thing about wdw is that even the small kids can ride most of the rides with their parents. our son is so excited to show his lil sis everything wdw has to offer!

you are not a bad parent for wanting to hold off. as others have said, you cant go through life worrying about what others think or youll go crazy! please dont worry about it, and if anyone ever tells you otherwise, ignore it. i wouldnt want to spend a lot of money only to have a unhappy child! you are the only one that knows your child and whats best for him. it sounds like youre right that he is not ready for mk. i think your plan is great as theres still plenty to do outside the park. just be aware that the characters may be a bit scary since theyre so big. our son at the time was afraid of santa, and we had to ease him into the whole character thing (the videos i mentioned , and we saved the character meal for our last day). 3s are worse in my opinion, and 4s-they now have a voice and an opinion about everything so be ready!

alison

 

[Merriwind]

Our first trip with DD was similar to what you are planning--one day in MK, a few days doing character meals, DTD, etc. It was a perfect first trip for us! The character meals were a great way to "do Disney" without wearing anyone out. In MK, we really rode the Carousel and TTA a few times, Small World and a couple of other little rides. Mostly we just took in the sights and people watched. DTD was fun, played at Lego, ate at RFC. DD was a little scared of the dark and thunder at first but loved the food. It was very low-key, relaxed and perfect for us.

I think your plan sounds like a good one. You are the mommy and I always trust a mommy's instinct, especially when it says "wait." Every child and every family is different. For some, WDW at age 2 is perfect, others say 5; you could find every conceivable opinion. You will do what's right for your family. All that matter is that you (and DH, although moms rule) think that you're doing what's best. Don't give a thought to anyone else's opinions.

PS - I don't think that anyone was trying to make you feel badly, just sharing their experiences and opinions.