Disney with a one-year-old...bad idea??

[SDFgirl]

Hello all,

DH and I are planning to take our DD to WDW in September. She'll be 13 months old then.

I've done Disney about a billion times, but never with kids. I realize that this trip will be very different from our other trips - we plan to take things very slowly, get plenty of rest and pool time, etc. Our DD is also very laid back and goes with the flow most of the time. I've already ridden all of the big attractions quite a bit so, while we may do some baby swapping, I don't feel the need to get everything in during our trip.

I've been sooo excited about this trip, but everyone seems to think we're making a mistake taking such a young child to Disney. They say, "She won't remember it." Well duh - she won't remember anything we do for the next few years. Does that mean we should stay home until she's five??? Plus, we'll remember it...

I guess now I'm getting nervous, though. Is she too young? It'll just be me, DH, and DD. I thought that she would at least enjoy the slow rides, the train, the parades, people-watching, etc.

I was hoping some people had some people had some similar experiences to share. Did you take a kid her age to Disney? If so, did they get anything out of it? Would you do it again, or advise us to wait?

Thanks in advance!

 

[PrincessRora]

My parents took me when I was 6 months and brought me on all the slower rides. According to them, I loved it. I've seen pictures and I love looking at them.

We're taking my niece who will be 17 months at the time. And everyone on here has been telling us how much fun she'll have.

 

[moxiecola]

My DS will be 11 months when we go on May 1. He's not walking yet and I'm sure won't remember a thing but that's not stopping us. We're not going just for him anyway. Disney is for GROWN UPS too....I don't even go on most of the rides for crying out loud but I love it just as much as the next person. The magic of Disney has no age limitations!

 

[thegrimdwarf]

I don't think she's too young to go. I mean, really, anything you do before she's 3 is going to be fun for her at the time, and that's about it - but YOU get great memories. You are right on point with the comment that you'll never go anywhere until she's 5.

If you want to go, go, and don't worry about what other people think.

 

[liznboys]

I think you have completely the right perspective and plan, and you should go!!

Our youngest two sons went for their first WDW trips when they were each 11 months (on the dot) old. And then multiple times while they were each 1 year old.

Honestly, from what I've seen, most of the people who advise others not to take babies don't have first-hand experience with it, and therefore I don't think they have a leg to stand on. I also think the jealousy factor comes into play...

You will be fine and have a great trip!!

 

[disney_family_1247]

Ignore the negative people . We have been with babies and kids from 7 weeks old to 7 years old. We love that until they were about 3, they didn't remember the trips. We had great memories and photos, and they got to experience it "for the first time" over again . Move at your daughter's pace, and you'll be fine. My youngest was about 14 months when we went last year. She had a blast! She loved the music, characters, rides, shows, parades, fireworks, and everything else.

 

[goldenears]

We brought our DD on her first trip to WDW when she was one. As a matter of fact, she turned one during our trip. We weren't sure how it would go, but decided to give it a whirl and we are so glad that we did. She LOVED it! She really enjoyed the characters, rides, etc... We did an autograph book for her..the kind where you can insert the pictures and she LOVES looking at it. Of course she doesn't remember it, but she had such a wonderful time when she was there. That is all that matters. We have pictures to help her remember. We took her back this past Sept. and are going again this Dec.

 

[AC & Savy's Mom]

Ds was 5 months old during his first trip, and dd was 3 months old! Did they remember it? NO! Did we? Yup, and I'd do it again given the chance! The first time we went with ds, seeing as he was the only kid we traveled with, we didn't even go to the parks! We stayed at Saratoga so we hung out by the pool and walked to Downtown Disney. We also took ds to a character breakfast at one of the hotels, and we have pictures of him with Minnie, Goofy and being held by Chip! He LOVED it! You can tell by the look on his face in the pictures.

We also brought them when they were around 15 months old...they loved the rides (the ones they could go on). We just made sure to take our cues from them...we'd usually go to the parks in the morning, head back to the hotel for pool time (one parent) and nap (other parent and child). Then go back to the park in the afternoon. We tried to keep bedtime as close to normal as possible, with an exception or two.

I agree with the person who said that the ones who say you shouldn't take young children to Disney are ones that haven't done it....it's not bad, and can be fun if given the chance!!

Good luck...have a great time!

~Tami

 

[CarolinaBlue]

My youngest was 14 months the first time we took her. She had a blast! Of course she doesn't remember it, but we do.

 

[mrstomrice]

I am another vote for yes! I took my youngest ds at 11 months. My older ds's first trip was at 20 months. They can ride any ride without a height restriction! They both loved every ride as well as the parades and fireworks. The look on ds 11 months face was priceless! He enjoys seeing our pictures and videos still. It is a magical place with something for every age. The fact that you have been so many times will also be a benefit so you won't be wandering around with a young one. We loved getting ds's first haircut at the Harmony Barbershop! There are lots of fun paces throughout the parks for play breaks too...good for baby swap times! Don't change your plans!

 

[CTmommyx3]

We have gone with a 6 month old before. We just got back with our 16 month old. The only thing I would say is to have some way for carrying. The lines all have you park the stroller and then you have to carry them through the line. Unless you do stroller swap. But we all wanted to get on together.
It was fine. A little harder than I was expecting but worth it!!!

 

[wlwilliams9]

Our DD was 10 months on her first trip last May. (see Avatar pic) Like you, DH and I have been to WDW many, many times as a couple and it was a new experience with a baby, but it was one we'll never forget! DD had a blast!! She loved all of the rides and slept great in her stroller which was the perfect time to baby swap on the "big kid" rides. IMO, any age is a great age for WDW! We're taking DD back in 2 weeks!

 

[rellabee]

Go for it............in my experience 1 year olds are much easier to take on a trip to Disney than when they are 3 or 4!

You can do anything without a height restriction, and most babies that age will be fine with rides like Haunted Mansion or Pirates. I just keep mine on my lap and whisper in her ear the whole time and she will be fine. My 3 year old (when we went last year) however has developed a healthy dose of fear and caution and wouldn't go on anything that was inside a building and he couldn't see (except unfortunately for Small World). The one ride that he HAD to go on was the "superfast cars" (Test Track). Guess what --- he probably won't go on those now this year since it scared him to death. I, however, have a great Photopass photo from TT. So, our 3 year old last summer rode TTA (I can still recite every corny joke from that ride), Small World, Test Track (only once and never again), the MK train, Kilimanjaro Safari, and the teacups. I may have missed one or two, but I probably didn't.

For our trip this summer, we expect that our 1 year old will be fine, and our now 4 year old will probably still be very happy circling over Tomorrowland over and over and over on the TTA! And that is fine with me, because he is so happy!

 

[bzzymom]

DD was 11 months on her first trip . She really liked the parades, probably more than anything else. She loved the music and characters. I took her on the slow rides that I could. She loved the magic carpets.

She was 2.5 on our last trip and it really was special for her. She remembers some things about it..she is 4 now.

 

[SDFgirl]

OP here! Thanks everyone! I knew I could count on Dis-ers!

I love hearing your stories about what your toddlers enjoyed doing and seeing. I was raised on Disney and I want the same for my kids. I think I have realistic expectations, but I just wanted to be sure.

Now - how do I make her hair grow faster???? I want to get her first haircut in the Magic Kingdom, but this trip is only 5 months away and her hair is still so short!! At this rate we won't need to cut it until she's five (hey, at least that way, she'd remember her first haircut! )

 

[LoveKermit]

Go! Go! Go!

We went with a 7.5 month old and will be there again when she is 22 months.

It was a special trip for my husband. The ticket guy at the airport actually made fun of us for taking a baby. He's like "this is really for you guys, right?" We were annoyed.

The only thing I was not ready for was for DD to be afraid of the characters. In fact, we skipped Santa this year and she wanted no part of the Easter Bunny. She is beginning to recognize the Disney characters now--TV shows, clothes, dishes. So maybe they will be familiar. I also thought about only seeing "human" characters like the princesses instead of all the full costumes.

You'll have a great time. And YOU get to choose where you eat!

 

[WDWorBUST]

We took our daughter at 13 months for her first trip. We had AP's that trip and it really helped me relax and take it at her speed which I think is crucial. Our dd had so much fun that trip and I would do it again in a heartbeat!!

 

[roxannex]

It will be fine. She probably won't get that much out of it, but you'll get cute pictures and memories. We took our son right after he turned 1 and then again right after he turned 2 and it was a huge difference, but Disney is always fun!

 

[1rockinmamato2]

When we decided to go last October with a just-turned-2-year-old and an 11-month-old, people thought (and said) we were nuts.

But, all my life I had dreamed of taking my children to WDW. And I couldn't wait any longer. So we did it. And loved it so much that we're planning another trip this year.

Our kids loved it. It was amazing. Seeing it through their eyes, no matter how old they are, really does melt your heart.

 

[fortheluvofpooh]

we took dd when she was 16 months old and she really enjoyed it as did we. You just learn to slow down a little bit. But that is part of the fun too, the little ones sometimes teach you to " people watch".