Best Age for DL??

[brandimay412]

I think 4 and 6 are great ages. For us, we took my son a couple months before he turned 3 and this year we're doing the same for my daughter. It saves us a couple hundred dollars on tickets and on a character dinner ticket since they're free until they're 3. I think I'll make it a routine...assuming we end up with more than 2 kiddos.

My mom used to take me and my brothers every couple years while I was growing up and we had so much fun every time but it does lose it's magic just a little when you're a teenager. But it comes back after you get past the "too cool for Disney" phase...or it did for me at least. We went to WDW once when I was a little older (around 14 I think) and it's definitely a better park to take the older kids to IMO.

My son will be 5 and daughter just shy of 3 when we go in April and I think that's a great time to take them. My daughter LOVES Minnie and Mickey, plus all the other Disney Jr Cartoons (Doc McStuffins, Sophia the First but probably Sherriff Callie the most) so I know 2 might seem kind of young but she will be really excited to see Mickey and Minnie and there will be plenty to do with her while we're there. I keep telling her we're going to Mickey and Minnie's house and she gets super excited. Speaking of Disney Jr...anybody know if they Doc, Sophia or any other Disney Jr Characters are out for Meet and Greets? I've only seen photos of a Sophia and that was quite a while ago. My kids would be way excited if they had anything Sherriff Callie related while we're there too. We're definitely going to watch Disney Jr. but a meet and greet would be way cool for them.

 

[coaches24]

Hello all!

I am just wondering what in your opinion are the best ages to take 2 kiddos to Disneyland for the first time?? We plan to take the kids to Disneyland once and then likely to Disney World when they are a little bit older. We have been to both Disneyland and Disney World as a couple but not with kids yet. The kids are exactly two years apart (born in September) and we will likely make it a birthday celebration so I was thinking maybe when the kids are 4 and 6 would be a suitable age but I am wondering if 4 is too young?

Any advice/experiences would be greatly appreciated!!

I took my DD at 2yo the first time and it was one of the best decisions I ever made. It was the most magical trip ever for us. We didnt really go on any fast rides with her as she was scared of them but she did fantastic with the dark rides and even went on POC a few times. She was scared of the drops and would hold on to me for dear life on those but was wide eyed and fascinated the rest of the time.

Everything around DL was magical for her. She only knew the main disney characters at that time (no princesses or anything that trip) and made best friends with Minnie in toon town and at Minnies breakfast. She has been 3 more times since that trip and like me is all about DL now and asks all the time when we can go back. I think that first trip really set the tone for her feelings now. She even remembers Donald accidentally bonking her on the forhead with his beak when she went to give him a hug haha. That was the biggest drama we had on that trip, otherwise it was a great trip.

At 3 she got to try BBB, and 4 was when CL opened. All of our trips have been great and she has been able and willing to try more and more each trip. Cant wait till we get to go back again (not sure when that will be) because I know she will be even more daring to try knew things now that shes 6.

 

[whitneyebz]

You're never too young or too old! That being said, we've taken our two older kids at ages 2.5 and 4.5, and just recently the oldest 3 at 7,5, and 3(but he is 40 inches tall). It was so much more fun having the youngest be 40 inches tall because then we could go on tons of rides without switching! We do have a 1 year old who stayed with family, and we will not go again until he is 40 inches. I think any kids will enjoy it, and ages 4 and 6 sound perfect! But for us it's easy not to deal with babies, naps, diapers, tantrums, etc. All our kids stayed at the parks all day (3 days) and had a blast!

 

[JenKate]

LOL... your idea of magical and mine are very different. I'm pretty sure that isn't the word I'd pick when travelling with 5 1 yo! Granted, I jokingly (halfway) say that DH is lucky I travel with him. He, DGD and myself is my idea of a big group. I'm in awe of any who can do extended family, or even large family, trips.

My DREAM is to have a day (or two) at Disney by myself. Wander the shops, see all the little shows, eat all of the little treats, drink it all in. Someday!

Would you believe that's just my husband's family? His parents, siblings and spouses and all of the kids. It could be awful if we didn't love them all so much. 31 of us for this trip!

And they all agree that I'm 100% in charge. I say jump and we go. If someone needs a break or there's a child who needs a nap they leave us and catch up later. I don't think it would work otherwise. We'd all be in "hurry up and wait" mode all day long. We were there three years ago, but with six or so less kids. Chaotic and hectic but OH so fun. This trip might be a little more leisurely though, we've only been the week between Christmas and New Year's before, so in October the park will be different!

We'll actually have a 10 week old baby with us too. (That's a secret though. ) I'm a little nervous. I wouldn't take a brand new baby, I'm glad I don't have to make the decision!

 

[bcwife76]

We are going to be at the parks first week of October, our kids will be 4&7 and this will be their second trip! First time was when they were 5 & 2.5. The (soon to be) 7 year old remembers a LOT from the last trip so she's super pumped. My 4 year old really doesn't remember anything from her first trip but it was so fun for us to see the look on her face and the pure enjoyment she got from it all the same. So we're looking forward to see what she thinks this time - and every time we go on Pirates we'll remind her that this was her fave ride when she was 2 1/2 lol

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

I've taken DS when he was 14 months old, 26 months old, 3.5 years old, & 5.5 years old. Each trip was a new experience because there were things he loved at first that he hated later, and things he tried as he got tall enough that he loved. He absolutely adored the characters at 14m, then was a little cautious at 26m, and then was completely shy and a little scared at 3.5, and then just a bit shy at 5.5. We're going again in a couple weeks (he's 7yrs now), and he's really looking forward to meeting the characters again! With the dark rides, he loved them the first two years, and hated them the second two trips. Now he says he wants to try them again, but still isn't sure about Haunted Mansion. He was barely tall enough for RSR on our last trip, and I don't know what would have happened if he had been too short. He was so excited to go on it, and I kept warning him that he might not be tall enough. Thank goodness he made it just a fraction of an inch taller than the requirement. He's a short little guy, but he's finally tall enough for the majority of the rides, and he's really looking forward to BTMRR this trip!

As others have mentioned, it's just so much fun to see Disneyland through their eyes! They really bring the magic to life.

 

[beachdreamr1229]

If you're only doing it once in an entire lifetime, I'd wait until the youngest is at least 5, just because memories will be more vivid and everyone will be able to go on the majority of rides with height restrictions. If you can go more than once, it's a different story.

As for the right age though, any age is great. We started taking my youngest when he was 2 and I thought that was awesome. He still remembers his first trip 2 years later. I used to be in the "don't take babies" camp, but we just took our 1-year-olds for the first time and they loved it, too. They won't remember it, but that's what pictures are for.

 

[momsmail]

I took my son two years ago when he was 4. It was MAGICAL!!!!!! The most incredible trip ever!!!!! I put all of our pictures in an album he can look at any time he wants and we still look at it often to this day. He remembers so many details about this trip, it amazes me. He was tall enough to go on all the rides except Indy and California Screamin'. He is 6 now and we are going back in just a few days and while he knows the characters aren't real, he is looking forward to riding ALL the rides this time. I think that 4 & 6 are wonderful ages, you won't regret it!

 

[DSNY4ever]

I agree with no age is a bad age. We have done 9 months, 15 months and 2 years old (2 years old we did WDW)- all wonderful!! Once my daughter gets her MMR we will be taking them likely this Fall so they will be 1 and 4. If our 4 year old grows a bit more it might be the first time he'll get to ride the big stuff! I feel like we need to add another day to our trip, haha. I know some people say there isn't enough to do with the "little" ones who aren't tall enough. I disagree, between the kiddie rides, parades, fireworks, world of color, meeting characters etc. we never have enough time for it all. Plus just walking around with them and stopping to watch the streetmosphere stuff (and dining takes twice as long, haha), you will have more than enough to do. Those ages sound perfect.

 

[wildflower329]

I know some people say there isn't enough to do with the "little" ones who aren't tall enough. I disagree, between the kiddie rides, parades, fireworks, world of color, meeting characters etc. we never have enough time for it all. Plus just walking around with them and stopping to watch the streetmosphere stuff (and dining takes twice as long, haha), you will have more than enough to do. Those ages sound perfect.

I totally agree with you... when we went, my daughter was 40", but didn't hit the other height milestones, and my son wasn't even 36 inches, and we had plenty to do with 5 day park hoppers. It gave us the flexibility to ride their favorite rides many times, enjoy the shows, etc. There is so much to do, even when they are little.

 

[momtohms]

Love hearing everyone's experiences! My girls will be 5 (turning 6 on the trip), 4 1/2, and 2 (turning 3 on the trip) when we go for our first time in May! My parents are coming along so we'll have 4 adults to 3 kids so that should be super helpful with having kids of different heights.

 

[cherice95403]

We took ours for the first time when my son was 35 months (and free!) and my daughter was 5. I was worried they were too small, but it was awesome. We stayed at the Grand and took a break every day, which helped everyone stay pleasant. Having never been with kids before that trip, what I didn't realize was how amazing it would be to see the wonder through their eyes. It was so REAL to them at age. When they met the characters they thought they were really meeting the characters. Watching the parade was like being at a rock concert...they were over the top excited. That excitement stayed when we went a year and half later (ages 4, 6), but by the next trip (ages 5, 7), it wasn't the same. My oldest in particular really understood they were just people in costume.

I am so thankful I took them young and got to see their amazement. That said, I probably wouldn't go any younger.

 

[VandVsmama]

Our daughters' first trip to DL was two years ago when they were 4 and 6 and it was a totally magical trip because they believed that all of the characters were real. My then-6 yr old was curious, though, as to how did the princesses get back in the TV/movie when they weren't here at DL. I told her that it's part of the Disney magic and since Tinkerbell lives right next door in Pixie Hollow, Tinkerbell and the other fairies probably used some pixie dust.

 

[nikerbokers]

Everyone under the sun always said "Why bring your kid to DL before 5 when they won't remember it?" First of all, who cares... YOU will remember. YOU will have the memories even if they don't. Those are irreplaceable. We brought my DD in October... she was 2 years and 3 months. She is very small for her age but we still took her on a lot of rides and that trip was the most magical of all (I've been probably 15 times) and that includes memories of going with my Dad and brother (my Dad now has advanced Parkinsons and starting to have some dementia). If you think they are ready, they are ready. Just make sure you have a stroller and are willing to take nap breaks. Enjoy!

ETA: BTW, we are almost 4 months post that trip and she still talks about it EVERY day. Details that I don't bring up, she just remembers.

 

[KeKy4]

4 and 6 are great ages for Disneyland, any age is really, our youngest has been going since he was 1 and each time it's a different experience in different ways. I would definitely say it's been the most fun since he reached 40 inches because we can ride so many rides together that way, prior to that we'd have to split up for a lot of rides!

 

[GoBears 1980]

4 & 6 are good ages. Our kids went at very early ages, a matter of months, but DW and I were cast members so we just signed in, no cost involved. It is cool to have the pics of them with other cast members and characters and at various, special locations, but would we have paid before age 4? Probably not, we would have waited until they could remember and ride rides.