Best age to take kids?

[BigOnDis]

I have a friend that is considering going to Disney next summer. His kids will be 4 and 7 and they think they are too young and wont remember it. I am pretty sure that the first time I went with my kids they were 4 and 8 and I thought it was a great age for them. My youngest doesn't remember everything, but he does have some memories of the trip.

What do you think? Are they too young, should they wait a year or two?

Also, they are considering going without their kids the first time. For me half the fun is watching my kids have a good time. Granted I am looking forward to the day my wife and I can go without the kids, but the first time I can't imagine going without my kids.

What are your opinions and any advice you can give me to pass on to them.

 

[southcarolina4]

I took mine at 6 and 5..they loved it....so now we try to go twice a year....

they'll remember it.

 

[reelmom]

I took mine at 2 and 3. We watch the videos we made and look at the pictures all the time. They remember a lot more than I thought they would.

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

I don't think there is any bad age to take kids to Disney. I really don't put a lot of stock into the whole "they won't remember it, so don't go" thing because YOU will remember it and they will have fun while it is happening. My parents took me a month after WDW first opened-I don't remember, but I love hearing their stories and seeing the pictures. Its not always about what the kids will remember years from now.

 

[tinkandpan]

Our youngest went when he was 6 mths old- granted it might have been more for us but still.... since then we have gone 2 or 3 times a year and he is 5 now. Our dd is 2 and she's been three times ( when flying was a nightmare with her, we left her with doting grandparents). They love it, the still (even my 2 year old) will talk about it, ask about Disney etc.... I think no age is too early.

 

[daisyduck123]

We didn't start going until mine were 6 and 9.
I wish we'd started earlier...I feel we missed a lot of good times.

**Now, to make up for it, we've been 5 times (over a week each time) in the past 3 years...with 2 more long trips planned in 2007.

 

[marlynnp]

Best age to take kids?


ALL OF THEM!

 

[Merriwind]

Any age is the best age...

My DD went for the first time just after her 2nd birthday. We've tried to go as often as possible since then. Each trip has been magical in its own way, for its own reasons. I just don't think there's "too young" or "too old" for WDW.

Enjoy!

 

[dwaddict]

My youngest went on her first trip there when she was only 15 months. She loved it, we just got back and everyday she wants to go ride the teacups and see peter pan!!
I know she won't remember these trips when she is older, but it has all been carefully scrapbooked and these are memories we can remind her of when she is older.
Sometimes, I believe, it is not their age that matters. It is that look of awe when they see that castle for the first time, the time when they still believe. Truly believe, you loose some of that awe when they get a little older. Now don't get me wrong our 81/2 DS loves Disney. We talk about it all the time, but he has lost the look. He still stands in lines for pictures, but it is more for mom now than the fact that he has met someone he believed in!
Sorry for the long windedness, just my 2 cents worth!!

 

[ThreeMusketeers]

I don't think there is any bad age to take kids to Disney. I really don't put a lot of stock into the whole "they won't remember it, so don't go" thing because YOU will remember it and they will have fun while it is happening. My parents took me a month after WDW first opened-I don't remember, but I love hearing their stories and seeing the pictures. Its not always about what the kids will remember years from now.

I agree! We took DD when she was 3.5, and we got the "why are you going now, she isn't even going to remember it" from everyone! But ya know what. We went for the NOW. We did it b/c we will remember those wonderful memories of DD on dumbo and her face when she first saw the castle. And we did it b/c she had a GREAT MAGICAL time when everything was REAL to her. She really enjoyed herself, and so did we. She was tall enough to ride most rides although she is tall for her age.
I think Disney is a differnt experience with kids every age you go. But ALWAYS fun!!

 

[ntink]

I don't think there is any bad age. Right now I feel the younger the better because it is more magical for them. DH and I said we wouldn't take our child before age 5 but when our first DD was 18mo, our neighbors got married there and they had a great group rate for the room so we figured what the heck and had a blast. DD #2 was there at 8 months old.

 

[barbmouse]

I took mine at 4 and 7 (other ages too/ some older some younger) but 4 and 7 were great ages...very magical!! I vote...TAKE THEM!

 

[Starr W.]

Ours were 5 & 10, which was good for us, as the younger has always wanted to do what the elder did. So they were both old and tall enough(5yr now 6 was 48 in and 10yr old 5'2").

For me it was more magical, that I didn't have a diaper bag,stroller or naptime to deal with. The look on my 5 yr olds face when he saw the castle for the first time was priceless. Both boys like to give advice where to stay(were DVC members and the one has a thing about the BCV) and where to eat(I let them pick one place per trip, they went with Biergarten, though eldest wanted Rose & Crown, we decided to do Raglan Rd. for their Fish & Chip fix.)

 

[Elmo888]

If this is the only time that they plan to take them, I would wait until the younger one is a late 6 or 7 at least. If they plan to take them at 4 and 7 and again 2 or 3 years later or so, then I would definitely take them at 4 and 7.

I went at 5 and 6 years old, and I still remember some stuff (I'm in my thirties).

All of that being said, 4 and 7 are great ages to take them. They will understand things and take everything in. One thing to keep in mind - the 4 yo will probably need a stroller (and the 7 yo might need one, too). If that bothers them, they might need to wait.

We took our 2 yo and 6 yo in January. "They aren't going to remember" is relative. They will remember for a while, but there aren't a lot of things that I remember from childhood into adulthood. Our 2 yo still talks about "Di-nee Wold" and remembers more than I thought she would.

 

[Nynaeve]

Our DD turned 4 on her first trip there a few months ago. We know that she won't remember all of it, but we made a scrapbook for her together, and she loves to look through it. One day (about 5 months after our trip) we were watching a video some made of Trash, the talking trash can making a pin trade. Josie laughed when she watched it, and when we told her that we saw Trash at WDW too, she said "yeah, he sang Happy Birthday to me!" She remembered, and I had to stop and think about it for a second, but she was right!

And, there's nothing like taking them when they are young, and the magic of the characters is there. When they really think they are meeting Mickey and the Princesses.

 

[BigOnDis]

I don't think there is any bad age to take kids to Disney. I really don't put a lot of stock into the whole "they won't remember it, so don't go" thing because YOU will remember it and they will have fun while it is happening. My parents took me a month after WDW first opened-I don't remember, but I love hearing their stories and seeing the pictures. Its not always about what the kids will remember years from now.

You know that is a good point. I know some of my best memories are what of things that happened to the kids.

Thanks.