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

[DVC-Don]

Our first family trip to WDW was in 1995. My daughter was 2 years 11 months old and my son was 3 years 10 months old. They really don't recall it, but we have some wonderful pictures that can bring tears to your eyes.

 

[pixiefairy]

My eldest son went with his dad and stepfamily when he was 10.

The rest of the kiddos (oldest ds included) were:
13 - ds
7- ds
4 - dd
3 - ds
13 months - ds

We're going in August and they'll be two years older...and hopefully have as much of a blast as they did in '08!

 

[miprender]

In 2006 was the first visit with DS10mths and DD3. Last year our other DS went for the first time at 16mths.

DD has always been fine on her three trips but DS4 was easier at 10mths than he was this last trip in April.

 

[Coach81]

Both of my boys have grown up in Disney. Both have been going since they were toddlers. They think of Disney as our home away from home.

 

[MrDisneyphile]

My daughters have both been going to WDW from about 5 months old. We are DVC members and my parents live done in the area so we go every year. To be honest, I think 3 years old is the youngest age to really get it. Please, don't get me wrong, the really little ones may have a good time, but 3 seems to be a magic age where things are more 'real'. I love Disney and hope it will continue to get even better with every visit.

 

[SteffM]

I was 7 the first time I went to DL. My sister was 2.

My DH was 26 the first time he went to DL.

Our first two kiddos were two months away from 4 (DD) and 20 months (DS1) when they went to DL.

Our next trip is in September. Our youngest two will be 2 months away from 4 (DS2) and 22 months (DS3) when we go to WDW.

Our DD remembers DL. Our DS1 remembers a little. If you are going to go more than once, it doesn't matter when you go !

 

[cornfarmer]

We live in iowa...so a trip to disneyworld is very rare and special. We waited until our youngest was 9. In my opinion this is the perfect age as our family could ride all the rides together as a family, and we didn't have to have a stroller. We were very mobile and could travel the parks easily.

I am sure everyone here has a different opinion.

 

[melly]

My wife and I have been talking about the best age to first bring your child to the world. We would love to hear some of your thoughts.

10 weeks old is the youngest we have brought one Not the best age admittedly.

We were always told not to go over to Florida until our kids were old enough to "appreciate it" and were given ages upwards of 6 - 7. After going all I can say is thats complete rubbish. There is stuff there for all.

 

[PiperPizzaz]

DS first went at 11 mos. it was a great age. He LOVED the characters like crazy.

He went back at 24 months - this one wasn't quite so smooth he suddenly got terrified of characters.

Went to DLR at 2 1/2 and had a blast. (He got to ride splash on this trip ) and since then it has been awesome and a bit different every time.

 

[thumbalyna]

my daughter was 4 on her first trip and is now 16 and she still remembers things from that first trip

 

[kimbo0569]

My oldest daughter was 1 1/2 when we took her up to MK for the day but our first trip for a Disney vacation, she was 2 1/2. My mom told me I was crazy for bringing her because she wouldn't remember and we all had the best time! She loved all the characters and most of the rides (the ones she was able to go on).

My youngest daughter was 3 when we brought her for the first time - she loved it as well and they both cannot wait to go back...hoping for next year sometime

 

[Me!Thatswho]

DS was 4 and DD was 2 1/2. My favorite memory of that trip was that DD was convinced that every park was "Din-knee Wurrd." Needless to say, DS, who knew better, was constantly arguing with her about the various park names. It's still a something that we laugh about nearly six years later.

 

[all4disney98]

My son was 23 months and my daughter was 11 months for their first visits.

 

[aaarcher86]

I took my girls at 4 and 2. The 2 year old was probably too young to remember for the rest of her life but had a blast - and the pictures are absolutely priceless.

I think I was about 5 years old and remember a few things from it and it's been 19 years!!

 

[tnd]

2.5 when we went to Disneyland (tagged on a business trip), 3.5 for WDW. He is almost 5 now and remembers all of the prior trips and talks about Disney on a daily basis.

 

[hookedonears]

2 1/2 and the trip was great. Our daughter loved it and rode everything her height aloud her to.

 

[Lesley]

My oldest was 4yo, middle child was 6mo, and youngest was 2mo.

Babies are very easy at WDW. It's when they get minds of their own and the motor skills to follow through with their ideas that it gets difficult- until the time they become able to reason more. Of course, bringing the babies was more about taking the older kids and us to WDW, but my babies really did love it. When my middle child saw Pooh for the first time, she squealed and wiggled and reached- clearly saying "give me my big, furry, fun moving toy!" She was the same for all the costumed characters- didn't like face characters until about 2-3yo...for her they were just weird looking strangers and she didn't do strangers.

If you're taking a "once in a lifetime" trip, I'd probably want my kids to be between the ages of 5-10. Not that my family could do that, as we have a 9 year span (currently a 15yo, 10yo and 6yo), but if you're going to visit more than once during their childhood I think anytime is a good time. They experience WDW differently at every age, and mine have loved it at every age.

 

[momma2princesses]

My parents took my sister and I for the first time in 1986; I was 4.5 and my sister was 3.5. That trip includes many of my oldest memories, which is fantastic, but my sister remembers nothing.

That being said, as Disney fanatics, my family made the decision to take my daughters at younger ages, even though they won't remember it when they are older. My older daughter was a month shy of her 2nd birthday for her first trip (meanwhile, I was 7.5 months pregnant with my younger daughter). We're going again in September and my younger girl will be a month shy of her 3rd birthday for her first trip, while my older girl will be a month shy of her 5th birthday for her second trip, which I expect her to remember.

 

[IslandAdventure4]

My Son was 10 months
My Daughter was 6 months

 

[natnelliesmom]

My first daughter was 4, second was 2 when we took them for the first time. Both girls loved the whole trip.

On our 4th trip as a family- our third daughter was 9 weeks old. It was the easiest trip I've ever taken! She slept in her sling all day and nursed on demand. Too bad she'll never be that easy again!

-S