Coming back after what will be a 15 year absence.

[AngieInOH]

If you can get past the cost and the crowds, yes there is still Magic to be found. Especially in the eyes of little ones.

 

[scrappinginontario]

What time of year are you looking to visit? We were just there in Aug. Did not purchase any LLs or book any ADRs and had a fabulous trip!! That style of touring doesn’t work many times of the year but it does in late Aug/early Sep.

The magic is most definitely there!! Go looking for a brand new adventure and not comparing to the past and you’ll have the most amazing time!!

 

[chartle]

What time of year are you looking to visit? We were just there in Aug. Did not purchase any LLs or book any ADRs and had a fabulous trip!! That style of touring doesn’t work many times of the year but it does in late Aug/early Sep.

The magic is most definitely there!! Go looking for a brand new adventure and not comparing to the past and you’ll have the most amazing time!!

No current plan yet DGD isn't here till December.

 

[Khokhonutt]

We're going back for first time at Disney World since 2011, in March 2026. We had a trip to Disneyland in 2017. I've had issues with many of the changes at Disney, but my wife has asked to go back, since she feels she didn't get a chance to say goodbye. Our kids are adults now, so it'll be an adult trip. We're also camping at Fort Wilderness, since we now do more camping and traveling places besides Disney, to visit our kids.

I'm not paying for Lightning lanes. It's not completely about price, we've always valued flexibility over everything else and I hate the notion of having to pick days at the parks before we even get there. I've been going to Disney since the 70s, when the best strategy was get in line or you'll waste your day looking for the shortest line, so I don't particularly hate the time we spend in line together.

I also agree with waiting until the kids are older. We took our son at 18 months, before we moved to Korea for a couple of years. That was a great trip because he was small enough to just enjoy the music and the sites. We took our son and daughter at 2 and 3 years, after we returned to the states and it was one of my worst days at Disney. The kids were scared of some of the characters and generally were not equipped to handle a long day in the park. Our next trip was when they were 10 and 11, it was our best trip we've ever had.

In the end, I understand the notion that the trip is what you make of it. Over the years, we took band trips with the kids to Disney World, and while we couldn't do our normal family planned trip, those trips were great. We just set expectations and got to see our kids march down main street. This trip is about my wife having a good time, camping and being able to bring our pup, so I'll deal with the changes and the crazy price increases (pro tip, never look back at your previous trip receipts and compare them to your upcoming trip ).

Oh, and if you haven't already, check out the Disney videos on youtube. There are some great resources there that will get you up to speed quick on what's going on now.

 

[PlutoNotPlanet]

We took our son at 18 months, before we moved to Korea for a couple of years. That was a great trip because he was small enough to just enjoy the music and the sites. We took our son and daughter at 2 and 3 years, after we returned to the states and it was one of my worst days at Disney. The kids were scared of some of the characters and generally were not equipped to handle a long day in the park

Totally agree that infants ~18 months are small enough and easy to manage. It’s true that after 2 years old they start to develop fear, but if you prep them a little before the trip or completely avoid dark or scary things, it can also be a fun trip. A long nap is absolutely necessary though, which means you need to bring a stroller or going back to your room in the middle of the day

 

[Khokhonutt]

Totally agree that infants ~18 months are small enough and easy to manage. It’s true that after 2 years old they start to develop fear, but if you prep them a little before the trip or completely avoid dark or scary things, it can also be a fun trip. A long nap is absolutely necessary though, which means you need to bring a stroller or going back to your room in the middle of the day

For what it's worth, this was long before the days of 4 parks and on property value and moderate resorts, so taking a break in the middle of the day was not a thing. For us it wasn't about not prepping them. They had literally travelled the world with us. The park closed early that day, so they had had much longer days doing travel activities with us. They didn't have an issue with the rides, they enjoyed some of the familiar music, but regardless of having watched the Lion King hundreds of times, a life size Rafiki made my daughter loose her s#!t. Through the day, for us, we had to admit they weren't having as much fun as we hoped they would. It was also a memory for us that they have no recollection of.

I'm not saying others might not make it work. There's a bit more available for little ones these days, but I still think for us, we had the best time when the kids were old enough to ride all the rides they wanted and young enough be enamored with character meet and greets.

 

[PlutoNotPlanet]

we had the best time when the kids were old enough to ride all the rides they wanted and young enough be enamored with character meet and greets.

By no means I am suggesting bringing young kids to the park over when they are older, nor saying young kids will for sure enjoy it if you prep them. They are unpredictable and things happen. I fully agree with your experience.

I am just sharing for who happen to bring their kids there at those ages, or who are debating whether to take advantage of the time when no park tickets are needed for the little ones (under 3 years old, exclusive) and maybe flight (under 2, exclusive) as well.