How old was your son/daughter on their first visit?

[shelemm]

My children's first trip were in 2005...
My DS was 10 and DD was 6. It was awesome...we have been back every year since. They had a blast and were old enough to handle all the walking and were able to do 90% of everything! We would have went a few years earlier but life got in the way - my DH had to deal with some serious health issues followed by financial ones...
The really cool thing was my DH's first visit was then as well and he had just turned 50! He loved it just as much as they did.

That's very sweet. Thank you for sharing with us! I'm glad your DH is feeling better.

 

[LisaInNc]

my DD was 9 months when she first went. I was working in Orlando and couldn't be there without seeing Mickey.

She loves looking at pictures of herself with the characters. I have one of Chip holding her. She has grown up with them since we go a few times and year and she is 9 now.Ffor years she just considered them all her friends and expected them to remember her.

One great interaction was with Cinderella, my DD said something about did she remember her. Cindy flipped to the front of her autograph book and it had her name in it. She said her first and last name and said....of course I remember you.

9 months might not have been the best time to take her but I think any time you take a child to Disney, it's the perfect time.

Lisa

 

[PoohsFan1]

Older DD was 4 and younger DD was 2. We went more for the older DD because we knew we would be back for the younger one to really appreciate it. This was in 2005 and our upcoming trip in September will be their 6th trip plus we have another trip planned for May 2011.

 

[calngavinsmom]

My older boy was 2 and my younger was at 3 months gestation for their first times. We have gone annually since then(kids are 8 and 5 now) and there is truely something special about each age For us there really is no specific "right" age to go.

Take care!

 

[Doc CW]

I was 5 and my little sister was 2 for her first trip.

 

[angel26]

My daughter was 8 and my first time was at 26 years old going back for the second time in less then 3 weeks.

 

[Pills]

I was 4. Older DD was 4, younger was a month shy of 3.

When we went in 2006, my wife was pregnant, and we had promised older DD that we'd go back when the baby was four, hence our trip in November. We decided last July to go about 5 weeks after that (in August).

 

[goofy4prez]

When kids get too old they loose the magic. They know that mickey is a person in a costume.

I thought Mickey was real, next your going to tell me there is no Santa Claus.

Personally for me I don't think the magic is ever lost for any age regardless if they are 9 months old or 99 years old.

My family was a late bloomer. I have traveled all over the U.S. and several places in the world and never went to WDW until 2008. Our first trip to Disney I was 44 my DW was 42 and my DD was 10.

For my family there was no magic lost for not being young. I will never forget my dd's first trip. I was watching my "little girl" trying so hard to grow up by ditching her Barbie Princess dolls, her ballet slippers, and all the other things she called "girlie" prior to our first trip to WDW. It was the most magical experience in my life to watch my little princess get so excited to see Ariel, Jasmine, Cinderella, Pochohantis and all the other Disney Princesses and run up to them with her autograph book. For that one brief week I was able to see my "little princess" one last time before she grows up into a fine young lady. I'm not to proud to admit this put a tear in my eye more than once.To this old fuddy dud dad, that was a magical moment I will remember for the rest of my life.

 

[FamilyShortyAJP]

We took Ally at 10 months old just for a day and it was OK for that one day but wouldn't have been great for too long of a trip.

We just got back from taking her again and she is 4 and she did great. It was such a fun trip. I think we'll go again in 4 years once our next child is 4 because that seemed like such a perfect age.

 

[francophone]

My younger DD was 23 months old and my older DD was 5 years old on their first trip over a long weekend to test the waters. They both loved it although younger DD wasn't keen on air travel at the time. She has mellowed on that since, fortunately and is easy going on the plane now. DH and I were in our early 20s when we both went to WDW for the first time for our honeymoon back in the early 90s and got hooked, lol. We went back a couple more times pre-kids, and then several more times with our kids.

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

DS was just turned 3, DD 6

 

[MontyMontyMOnty]

We took ours at:
13 months (DD1, now 7)
6 months (DD2, now 6)
6 months (DD3, now 2)

I found traveling with an infant to be easier than a toddler--they are more easily entertained, have little social anxiety, and are happy if they are dry, fed, and held. Toddlers, on the other hand, are a little more work!

I wrote this piece for about.com, on why I prefer taking an infant to a toddler...and some great tips for doing Disney with a baby

http://goflorida.about.com/od/whatyouneedtoknow/a/wdw_infants.htm

 

[DisGirl819]

We took DD to Disneyland for her first Christmas at 8 months old. Then to WDW at 15 months, she had just started walking and had a blast! She absolutely loved the characters and was running up to them and hugging them. We plan on taking DS this year for his first trip at 8 months old.

I don't think there's a "good" age to take kids, I think every age is great. They get into different things, appreciate different things and still have lots of fun no matter their age!

 

[cmurray234]

DD was 5, DS was 3.

 

[stitch09]

i was 7 and my brother was 9 our first trip. our parents wanted to make sure we were old/tall enough to ride everything!

when i become a parent, though, i plan on taking my kids much, much earlier, probably when they're still infants!

 

[stepdisney]

My DS(15) was 5 on his first trip, my DH and I were 35. No magic lost for us. Neither of our parents could afford to take us when we were younger. We both teared up when we got to main street and again when our DS saw Mickey for the first time. My DS(9) took his first trip when he was almost 5 (we went in Oct. and his birthday is Nov.) Perfect ages for all of us. Have a blast whenever you decide to go.

 

[AuroraMeansDawn]

My DD was a week past her 3rd bday when we first took her. It was my DH and my own first visit as well. She remembers nothing of the trip. I remember every detail and the delight in in her eyes when she first saw Minnie. She was totally into Little Mermaid at the time (original release so it's been a while) and we were there the first week of November so we had the world practically to ourselves. One of my favorite memories is her on video standing against a tree running off some energy in Epcot and I asked her "Where are you sweetheart?" to which she gave me a grin and said "I'm right here!" Also have great footage of her alone dancing with Roger Rabbit. I was in line for popcorn and drinks and he came up to us and asked her to dance by offering a hand. They played a good 10 minutes. Amazing.

She went back at 10 and 11 and 20. All totally different experiences (and Disneyland Paris at 8)

Took DS when he was 4, 5, 14 and on this trip he'll be 16. He has vague memories of the trips at 4 and 5. He DOES remember meeting Cruella and scolding her to "Leave those puppies alone" and then hiding behind my legs. She scared him. Of course he had fond memories at 14. No memory at all of Disneyland Paris when he was almost 3.

All ages have different appeals. In some it was all about characters. Some trips about exploring Epcot and pin trading. Last trip about dining experiences and thrill rides and absorbing the Christmas atmosphere.

This trip we're taking his cousin 17 and aunt who are on a first trip and I suppose it will be about giving and sharing and showing them all the things we've grown to love and experiencing it through their eyes and finding new things to love from that.

Sorry so long. I love visiting the mouse at any age and I hope to be taking my grandkids one day.

 

[indimom]

Ours were 5 & 7 and it was "practically perfect in every way!"
We believed it was a one-time trip, so we waited a couple years, but I would have happily taken them any time post-diapers. (Not a slam on those who take babies and toddlers, I'm just not that mellow and would have been too stressed dealing with truly little ones and all their bagagge in that heat.)

 

[mommykds]

DD#1 - 18 months

DS - 6 months

DS#2 - 20 months

 

[RobinHoodGirl]

No kids of my own but I first went when I 5/6... celebrated my 6th Birthday down there. Years later my mom and I were planning a dream trip and both decided we wanted to wait for my youngest nephew to be at least 5 (his sister would be 6)