"But they won't remember it..."

[dskib]

We took our 1 year old because we love WDW and wanted to go. Did he have fun? Yes. Does he remember it? Probably not. But that doesn't mean his enjoyment is any less valid. We didn't make the trip for him. We made it for us. He's part of the deal now

We took him again when he was just 3, and I can tell you that he definitely remembers quite a bit. He brings up things all the time!

I might have different thoughts on this if I weren't a Disney person and only planned on visiting WDW once ever, but I am a Disney person

Deb

 

[SEC71]

They may not remember it, but you will and will have great pictures! We have been asked this same question and we just smile. Our daughter has been at 11 months, 16 months, 23 months, 32 months and 33 months and each time has been magical.

 

[julirina]

I'd rather wait until they are out of their diapers and I don't have to worry about changing their diapers or breastfeeding them or taking them back to the hotel for naps, etc. It would take up so much of the day that I would feel like I didn't get to do anything and it would probably feel like I was back at home and not on a vacation.

AHA -- see, that's exactly why I DO take my littles! I mean, if I have to do all those things anyway, why not do them someplace fun? I can sit at home and change diapers and breastfeed and wipe noses and dole out goldfish crackers while watching Disneyworld commercials on TV and being bored, or I can do those things at WDW and be having a good time while I'm doing it, and feel refreshed when I get home. It takes a good deal of energy and planning, and you can't do it at your pace. You do accomodate your kids. But you'd be accomodating their schedules and needs at home anyway. So you might as well go soak up some magic and make some memories while you're at it.

 

[#1hoosierfan]

We went in June my ODS was 3 1/2 and my YDS was just 14 months. Both really had a great time. They LOVED the characters.

We are going back in March for another week. ODS will have just turned 4. I am hoping that he can remember snippets of this vacation, but if he doesn't that is OK. He positively LOVES Mickey Mouse and all of the other characters. He talks about going back all of the time.

Maybe if we could only afford one Disney trip while the boys are young we would consider waiting until they older and could remember it. We are blessed, however, that we can afford to take them every year or two. God willing, this will continue. I get so much joy out of seeing their reactions to the Disney Magic.

 

[Audreyrub]

The first time we went to WDW, our DD was 15 mo and out DS was 5 y/o. We had a blast. DD took naps in the stroller in the theme parks and LOVED going on rides and seeing the characters. We are going back next month and DD will be 2y8m and DS is 6.5. I recall my in-laws being surprised when we booked our first trip, and suggesting we wait till our youngest was 3 to take them. Why wait? We all had a fab time as a family, and having a little one in tow reminds us all to slow down and take it easy. Sure its easier when the kids can go on everything and there is no stroller involved, etc, but its not about what's easy, its about having fun as a family, being on vacation together, and creating memories, even if only 3 of the 4 of us have them!

 

[mommy2mrb]

my DD was 22mos her first visit, no she doesn't remember the trip, but loves looking at all the photos and video...it was the most magical of all our trips due to her seeing everything for the first time...her love of Minnie and Pluto was priceless...
every trip to WDW and DLR has evolved in her/our experiences with more rides, restaurants and special events...our upcoming will have more tours added since she will be old enough to go on it and enjoy the experience it will bring!

 

[linzbear]

I remember all of our trips after I was four or so. So, you never know.

Yes, that's the 'repeat' part of memories. If you do the same thing over again a few times, you'll remember it. It's just how the brain works - a picture can trigger a memory, as well as repeating the same event over and over even with large gaps in between doing the event. Our brains aren't really good enough to remember anything without some sort of trigger.

That means that those of us who take all ages and do a yearly or every other yearly trip will have kids that remember the trip at earlier ages than if someone does a once in a lifetime trip at age 6, 'when they'll remember'. You actually see it all the time - a newbie comes on saying that they haven't been in 30 years, know it's different, but don't really remember anything about the trip then.

 

[ppony]

Ok - I know many of you bring toddlers to WDW. Did you get a lot of people giving you the buzzkill line of "Why? They won't remember it?".

Don't let it be a buzz-kill. Those that say that aren't looking at it for anything other than convenience and financial point of view. It's ignorant and I feel bad for them that they will never experience what others of us already have and know. I'll carry those memories forever in MY heart and I found taking my autistic 3 year old there for the first time a HUGE learning experience for him. He even hi-5-ed at CM for the very FIRST TIME!!!! He's NEVER done that before, EVER. But it happened...at Disney! DISNEY MAGIC!

 

[tskover57]

I was 8 years old when i took my first trip to disney and many who think you should wait to take kids probably think that's a perfect age to "remember" the trip well 14 years later i don't remember much at all expect that i had a good time and have the pictures to look at. So in my opinion age doesn't matter my mom and i go now as adults and i still don't remember all the details but we love disney and will keep going! And we hope to plan a trip with my neices who are only 8 months old within the near future!

 

[kathy884]

This thread is full of rants and raves about how much people's little ones loved Disney. I just wanted to say that the Magic Kingdom is not necessarily going to be a hit with all toddlers. You know your own kids, though, so I think you as a parent can make a good choice.

My niece and nephew adored the place when they were toddlers

We are probably outliers, but my son, on the other hand, at age two didn't want to go on any rides and felt scared and overwhelmed by almost everything at the MK. We thought that would be the case, but tried the park anyway to go along with extended family at Christmas time when we all met in the Orlando area. Note, too, though, that he is adopted from Russia, and this reaction to certain stimulating places is not uncommon with young toddlers/children who spent the first year of life at a Russian orphanage. We split up with the rest of the extended family group who were doing everything. My son liked looking at the castle, checking out the little area with Micky and Minnie's house, and watching Dumbo go up and down. He didn't want to ride Dumbo, though. I made him go on It's a Small World, and he found that to be really scary / feaky (bad choice). Anyway after two and a half hours, we headed back to our condo and the hotel swimming pool (a huge hit for our toddler and most toddlers). He was so happy to leave. We just did one other theme park that week (SeaWorld), and unlike the Magic Kingdom that was a complete bust, he just loved this place. He has always, though, loved marine mammals and fish.

My happy dance report though is that he has grown up to be a wonderful well adjusted teenager, and (so much fun for me) now even shares his mother's love for Orlando and Disney. Sea World is still his favorite park (I adore that place too), and I even send him to the SeaWorld overnight camp for one week each summer.

 

[resol37]

I went with extended family back in 2007. My cousin's daughter was a month short of four and her son was seven months. They both had a great time. Alexa still brings it up to this day (she's seven now). Connor doesn't remember it, but we have great pictures of him characters, enjoying the Jammitors and gumming a Disney cup (the only time he cried the entire trip was when we took the cup away from him).

We had eight adults on the trip so we had plenty of kid "coverage" so this can definitely make a difference in whether the trip is enjoyable for everybody.

 

[Ryansdad0727]

Since we own DVC points i always say "but we will, and we will go back next year, maybe he will remeber that trip."

 

[Renwoman]

It sounds like there are a lot of good parents posting on this thread that are concerned about their small children and are willing to pace their trip for them.

Unfortunately from the multitude of witnessed melt downs on our recent trip not all parents are that compassionate. I have to admit it seems like a major hassle to bring a baby to Disney World. It seems like to do it right you need to really pace the trip for them and potentially leave early if they just can't handle the stimulus, crowds, or disrupted schedule. I don't know that I would want to pay all that money to potentially have our trip cut short.

It isn't the good parents that I had issue with on our trip, but those that were being selfish. Some of the poor behavior I witnessed was parents pushing their children too hard, lying to them about rides and pushing them to ride something they weren't ready for, ignoring their melt downs while the rest of us had to experience them, and letting them run amuck without correction. We also experienced the parents that decided to use their strollers as a battering ram as well.

To be fair it wasn't just parents behaving badly. We witnessed adults using their scooters as battering rams, the rude and pushy line cutters, and groups of people stopping right in the middle of busy walkways holding up progress as if they were the only ones in the park.

I guess the bottom line for me is that I don't see a problem with someone bringing a small child to WDW. It might not be a choice I would make, but as long as a parent is considerate of their child and other people it is not a problem. I just feel really bad for the kids of poor parents and the park goers that have to witness it.

 

[sandym718]

I never understood this remark. No, they won't remember it. But WE, the parents will and they'll be photos AND they'll enjoy it AT THE TIME. As others have said - with this attitude - why do ANYTHING at all with toddlers - they won't remember it! Why take them to see Santa? Why give them a birthday party? Etc, etc. The reasoning is just ludicrous.

Our first Disney trip our children were 2 and 4. Second they were 5 and 6 and in March they'll be 7 and 8. Our 2nd trip was wonderful, no doubt - but there is no matching the MAGIC of that first trip. Everything was REAL to them, that truly was Mickey Mouse, that Castle is where Cinderella lives, etc. I will NEVER forget the magic of that first trip. The 2nd trip was more about doing the bigger rides and trying some different things. And this third trip, we'll be going with my sister and her boyfriend so that adds a new, fun element, especially since he's never been.

 

[ScarletFire]

My kids don't remember their first WDW trips; DH and I remember for them. The memories are priceless.

 

[collegejunkie]

fwiw, i'm a human development major and kids love disney when they're really young because they actually believe it. when they're on winnie the pooh, snow white, peter pan, etc, they actually think they're there and in it. when they meet the characters, they think it's really them. i would think that's worth it. i'm still young, but when i have kids, i will definitely bring them when they're younger just so they can really feel like they're in the whole thing

 

[skater]

People used to say that to me when my kids were little and my reply was, "Okay , then since they won't remember it, why don't I just lock them in the closet until they're older?" I guess its not really funny, but it sometimes worked to shut them up.

I think taking them young to Disney opened their minds up to imagination, a willingness to play and be silly, and a willingness to try lots of different foods. My two oldest are teens and they still love Disney - even go to Country Bears and other "cheesy" attractions willingly. I say go for it and never mind the nay sayers. Just know that its a different trip with young kids than it will be when they're older - you will definately have to go at their pace.

I can also tell you that my DD at 3 was awed by the castle and thought the Princesses were real - you just won't get that with an older child.

 

[Sunday]

I cannot even imagine being in a world where I don't have those precious memories of taking my 18 month old daughter to meet Mickey.

She was surprisingly patient as we waited in line at the Judge's Tent. We were second in line behind the rope when we were let in to Mickey's Room. As soon as she saw him, her eyes just lit up and she started calling "Miiiii! Miiii!". When it was her turn she toddled over to him and gave him a huge hug (Mickey obliged by getting down to her level).

Not a dry eye in the house. Even the Photopass Photographer was weepy.

And that, ladies and gents, is what it is all about...

 

[Hooked On The Mouse]

Why do anything with kids until they are 5. Just lock them in the attic. They won't remember it.

Exactly! Some of our nearest and dearest give us the same dumb line every time we mention our most recent/next trip.

 

[Big Daddy Incredible]

"But they won't remember it"...ahh, I remember my wife stating this claim over and over again. We had both went to Magic Kingdom for one day on our honeymoon and we didn't really understand the magic for the one day that we were there. Five years later, our kids were 4, 3 and 1 years old and we had not been on a vacation since our honeymoon. I was ready for a vacation but DW didn't want any part of Disneyworld..."But they won't remember it".

One day, I finally said enough. I arranged the plans for our first family WDW trip without her permission. It totally ticked DW off. I took a lot of heat for it from her - until we set foot inside Animal Kingdom Lodge upon our arrival.

DW's been puddy in my hands every since.

We have been blessed with the means to visit WDW five times with our family and every time gets better than the last. We would like to try a different family vacation but we can't think of anything that we would enjoy as much as a trip to Disneyworld.