First Disney World trip at 4, or wait until they're 5

[CapeCodTenor]

My DW and I knew we wanted to take our DD to Disney World before she turned 5 and got into school. Right now my DD's 3, so that gives us a couple of years in which to make this trip, and since my DD's birthday is in December we have some time before she has to be in school and following an academic calendar. Last night, the DW and I were talking about our upcoming trip that I'm planning for the spring of next year when she made the comment that she wonders if we should wait until our DD is 5 so she can remember it. This got me thinking because I honestly didn't think about that when I started planning the trip. I know my MiL took my DW when she was 4 and my DW doesn't remember it. I want my DD to have that memory as much as we will. I'll admit that I want to go next year partially for selfish reasons, I haven't been in years and I want to go. Now, I know that everyone is different, and everyone will remember things at early ages that other won't, but I wanted to ask those parents who took their kids at 3 an 4 y/o (even 5 y/o) if their now older kids remembers the trip. Again, I know each kid is different, but I just wanted to get an idea. Thanks.

 

[mernin]

We took my oldest at 3 1/2. She doesn't remember the trip, but we have photos and that reminds her. We just took my youngest just before she turned 3. I know that they likely won't remember it long term, but we will and they have photos & videos that remind them.

Good luck deciding....it will be fun whenever you do it!

 

[ljsinct]

We took our 4 year old twins and it was wonderful- perfect age and they loved it. Still remember some parts now that they are almost 8. As parents, we enjoyed the trip so much. It is a great memory, no matter if you remember it more. As I side note, I went on my first trip when I was 7- I hardly remember it!

 

[henry72]

We took DS when he was 4 because I wanted to be able to go in December. This way we could go and only take him out of preschool instead of kindergarten. We also took DD at age 4 though we went in June that year. I think 4 is a great age to go.

 

[KateMW]

We took our DD at 4 and it was a great time to go.

 

[Calee]

I went when I was 8. While I remember a few random snippets, I don't remember most of it. I enjoy looking at pictures and I KNOW I had fun. But now at 35 my memories have faded to almost nothing.

Go when you want to go. She will have a great time at 4. We are going in September for the first time (since I was 8) and our children will be 8, 6 and 4. I don't know how much they will remember long term, but I know that we will have fun, and we will take pictures. I think kids remember how they felt more than actual details, so if she has fun she will recall good feelings!

 

[Fosteringaprincess]

Will this be a one time experience? If so I would wait.... maybe even until 6 or so, but if you plan to go several times there is something so magical with taking the younger kids. I never went as a child. I took my oldest the 1st time when he was 5. He remember alittle about it at age 16 now. However my second child was 2.5 her 1st trip. She remembers being scared of the characters...that's about it.My 3rd was 15 months. And our baby was 12 weeks her 1st trip. Do all my younger kids remember those trips...no but I do! I remember how excited they were and how much fun they had! I love those memories. My youngest is about to turn 2 and will be going for her 3rd week there. It's worth it no matter the age! Take lots of pictures. With that being said if you are going one time only I would probably consider waiting until 6 or 7. We want them to remember some but want them to still see the young magic in Disney! Disney is always magical and special no matter the age. But I find it extra special when they still love Disney Jr characters and can't wait to meet them and the princesses. Hope this helps. Whatever you choice it will be amazing.

 

[Hikergirl]

My ds was 4 for his first trip, he remembers some of it but not alot. I think the fact that he didn't remember it made it easier for dh to agree to more trips LOL

 

[CapeCodTenor]

Thanks for all the replies, everyone, I do appreciate it.

We took DS when he was 4 because I wanted to be able to go in December. This way we could go and only take him out of preschool instead of kindergarten. We also took DD at age 4 though we went in June that year. I think 4 is a great age to go.

This is why we're going before she gets into school. As I said in the original post, her birthday is in December, so I have some time before she gets into school.

 

[GrandAdmiralStrife]

I take it you're in the northern states then. Here in Texas they let school out on 12/15... TEN DAYS before Christmas! As a NY transplant I still can't believe it.... at least it does allow for me to consider taking my family in December if/when we could afford to spurge for a trip that time of year

 

[Steffiesunshine]

My first trip was at 26, and I barely remember it. The joy of the moment is still worth it!

 

[CapeCodTenor]

I take it you're in the northern states then. Here in Texas they let school out on 12/15... TEN DAYS before Christmas! As a NY transplant I still can't believe it.... at least it does allow for me to consider taking my family in December if/when we could afford to spurge for a trip that time of year

Yeah, we're in the northern states, Massachusetts to be exact. I grew up in New Mexico and remembered getting out early as well.

My first trip was at 26, and I barely remember it. The joy of the moment is still worth it!

I was just thinking that I barely remember kindergarten. hahaha I looked at the calendar for 2018 and discovered that Easter is on April 1st that year, so that'll give us more time to choose to go. You see, my wife's a musician, and with Easter being on the 16th of April her wedding season will start pretty quickly after that. If we wait until 2018, as much as it'll kill me, we'll have more time to go.

 

[tami82]

We went two years in a row when my youngest was 5 and 6 and she does remember it. I took many mini trips alone with my kids (not to Disney) but other places when they were younger than that and unfortunately they don't remember it. I remember bit and pieces of certain things from when I was five. For some reason the summers, vacations, and getting our in ground pool when I was this age always sticks out most in my mind.

 

[CapeCodTenor]

We went two years in a row when my youngest was 5 and 6 and she does remember it. I took many mini trips alone with my kids (not to Disney) but other places when they were younger than that and unfortunately they don't remember it. I remember bit and pieces of certain things from when I was five. For some reason the summers, vacations, and getting our in ground pool when I was this age always sticks out most in my mind.

We're going to wait until a year, 2018, when our DD is 5. It'll help her height for rides, and for scheduling reasons.

 

[tami82]

Yes that would probably be a good idea to wait.

 

[TinaLala]

I'd say go now! She probably won't remember anything, but you have the pictures, videos and memories to look at when she's older.

 

[monorailmom]

My DS was 4 on our first trip, and I don't regret it at all. (granted we had DD"s that were 10 (twins) and 6). If you ask him today, he remembers the Monorail (hence Monorailmom)
, the pool slide at the CR, and watching the ground go by through the hole in his stroller at Animal Kingdom! LOL!!! He's 15 now, and we love just talking about the fact that it's these crazy little things he remembers. My DH and I remember much more than this, of course...which is what makes it worth it. Our memories count, too!!

 

[EvilQueen2018]

I took my son for his 5th birthday. He doesn't remember a lot now that he's 20. He remembers nothing of the trip we took elsewhere when he was 4. I'm glad I waited. He was able to ride a few of the rides with height requirements so we didn't have to skip so much. I'm not the type that can make my child stand in line for a ride they can't do.

We recently had the same dilemma you're facing now that we have a nearly 3 year old daughter. I really want to go next year but I decided to wait until her 5th birthday so that she can enjoy it better. It's a lot to take in as an adult, it's even more so for a small child. I remember my son melting down as we walked into MK mid day. He didn't want to be there but didn't want to go either. I ended up sitting about a foot away from him and let him stand there crying it out by the lockers for about 10 minutes. People kept coming up to him but I just explained he was overwhelmed and this is how he is choosing to work through it. He calmed down and we rented a stroller so he could relax once he was ready to enjoy himself again. Some decent food and a break, goes a long way for melt downs. Don't forget the kids tylenol, they get headaches too. I ended up paying $6 for 2 regular strength pills and teaching my poor child to swallow one of them so his headache he got from crying would go away. I was unprepared for my headache, it didn't occur to me to prepare for his.

 

[Mousemommy1]

Our girls 1st trip was at 3 and 5, and other than what they see in pictures, they don't really remember it. No big deal. DH and I remember.
Our son is 17 months, and has been to Disney 3 times. I'm positive he won't remember these early trips, but we will.

 

[ktlm]

I would never give up our pre-school trips. Those were my favorites. I would not wait based on height. Just because they are the height to ride the thrill rides, does not mean they will agree to ride or like the thrill rides. DD hit 40 inches at age 3. She was fairly brave at age 3 and 4, but at age 5 and 6 it was about impossible to get her on anything remotely thrilling or that she dubbed "scary" (even things she had liked and not thought were scary in the past). We have taken DD every year since she was 2. She is 10 now and she can still describe very specific things from her 2 year old trip--- she will bring up things that DH and I have long forgotten. I wouldn't worry about whether she will remember it. You will have photos to trigger her memories. More importantly, you will remember it. Some of my best memories are seeing the joy on my DD's little face as a preschooler when she experienced things at WDW which at that point were all real to her. In terms of the "they won't remember it" argument, would you give up the joy of them finding out Santa has come on Christmas morning when they are little just because they won't remember it? At least for my DD, her joy at Disney was every bit as strong- if not even stronger- than a Christmas morning joy. I can remember tears coming to my eyes several times on those 2, 3 and 4 year old trips. Trips are still great when they are a little older- but it isn't the total magic of those young trips. These days the realness is gone so early for these kids. The minute my DD hit kindergarten, kids with older brothers and sisters started to "enlighten" her on the realness of things. By age 6, the other girls were making fun of her for still liking the Princesses-- luckily my DD is strong willed and outgoing and told them she could like whatever she wanted to and she liked Disney Princesses. Disney is still wonderful to her at age 10, but that absolute magical amazing time when everything is total real is so fleeting. I would take advantage of it while you have the chance.