How old were your children the first time you took them to Disney?

[BobbiG]

With my first one, she was 5, I took her out of kindergarten and went in February...it was perfect! Great weather, no lines, and wonderful character interaction...she doesn't really remember that time tho... We went back a few times after that with her. She is now 16...and still loves to go there. My youngest was 2 when we took her...and she loved it! The carousel, dumbo, and of course, all the characters she loved. And she is very shy! She spent alot of time watching all the disney sing along videos...so she was really into the characters. I know she will never remember that time, and my husband and I knew it was more for us to remember then her...and we always will. It was so much fun. We did the things she wanted to do. As long as your happy and she is happy, then it doesn't matter how old she is. You've created a memory that will last you a lifetime! We're taking our youngest again next month...she'll be just shy of 3 years old. And she is soooo excited. Every time we walk out the door, she says "disney world!". I must have started the disney hype a little too early!

 

[crazywig]

we took ds in jan '03 when he was 9 months. he'll be returning with us in june and he'll be 2yrs 2 months.

we are DVC now so he'll be going every year.

 

[mom2boys]

ours were 23 months & 3 yrs (plus 4 months) on our first trip. We justed returned from their 7th trip - they are 8.5 & 10 now. SInce it's been 3 yrs since our last trip, this is the first trip they actually have an independent memory of. (They watch videos & "remember" the earlier trips.) It is different at different ages. When they were younger they adored the characters. This trip they weren't interested in the characters - didn't even get autographes at the 2 character meals we had. They did pose for picutres with the characters & they interacted with them.

 

[KSgirl]

My kids were 9, 7, 6, and 2.5. We waited that long because of the number of children. The first three are all 18 months apart, and it was just hard keeping up with them all when they were little. It would have been SO much work to take them at a younger age, that I'm sure I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much. As it turned out, it was the perfect age for all of them! The older three really loved it all, and enjoyed taking pictures with their disposable cameras and could ride all the "big" rides. The younger one tried everything he could (had to keep up with the older siblings) and also had a fablulous time. We returned a year later, in Dec 2003. My youngest was 3.5.....he was a little more scared of the rides with dark places and loud noises, but I have such precious memories of him from this trip. He would notice the picture on the inside of each ride vehicle which reminds parents to watch small children and take them by the hand and he would say (everytime), "Momma, we haf hoad hands..." and then he would put his little hand in mine and leave it there during the entire attraction. Every age is priceless.

 

[KaityBsMom]

My daughter was 4 when she went for the first time last fall. While I think 4 was a great age for her to go, I would not have been heartbroken to have taken her earlier if I could have talked DH into it.

If you feel you want to go when your baby is very young, I say go. Especially as such a big Disney lover, you won't regret it. Even if your child doesn't remember the trip, you always will. I bet he/she would enjoy looking at your pictures from the trip in the future, too.

Congratulations on your pregnancy, by the way!!

 

[DVC@BWV]

We took our son for the first time in April 2002 when he was almost three; he loved riding the monorail and the Disney buses almost as much as going into the parks (or maybe even more!). We've been back twice since that trip and we still go at his pace and do the things he wants/likes to do. He's the boss!

 

[SuBeat]

My kids were 4 & 8 on our first trip. It was supposed to be the "trip of a lifetime" so we were waiting for DD to get old enough, and I had to work hard to convince DH that she was even then. What I never took into consideration is that while I was waiting for DD to hit that magic age, DS just kept getting older too. I truly regret never getting to really see him dazzled by it all in the same way DD was at age 4. Oh, he loves it as much as she does, but I do feel we missed something special by waiting.

But hindsight is 20/20 as they say. We had no idea we would ever return, much less have 4 trips in 2 years. We also didn't think we could afford it until we actually did either.

 

[MelessaG]

My oldest was 17 mos. and didn't get much out of it. Not to mention, she was difficult to hold onto while waiting in line, but I had waited all my life to go to WDW and wasn't waiting anymore. I knew the trip was more for me than her, but she did enjoy meeting Pooh and riding IASW and visiting Aunt Peggy in Tampa. I got bit by the Disney bug pretty badly that trip and I was back with my parents right after her third birthday when her little brother was 7 mos. old. Again, this trip was more for the grownups, but she enjoyed the characters and rides more this time. She really loved the Living Seas. In my opinion, a 7 month-old was easier to handle than a 17 month-old, though he did get an ear infection halfway through the trip. On our most recent visit, my oldest was almost 5, her little brother was 2.5, and baby sister was 6 mos. old. The five year-old remembers quite a bit about the trip and has been asking to go back since we got home. She loved all the characters and is excited that on this trip she will be big enough for Splash Mountain. Little brother doesn't remember as much, but says he does and also can't wait to go back "to visit Buzz Lightyear", and baby-who was mostly along for the ride-will be about three this time and just old enough for the fun. We will also have a baby #4 by then, who will be at that "magic age" of about 6 mos. and easy to handle, even if the trip won't be too memorable for her. At that age they are too young to be scared of characters and still enjoy being held by mom or dad while they wait in line once the stroller is parked. Four kids will be a lot of work, but still a lot of fun judging by our earlier trips. Congratulations on the baby!

 

[elemusing]

Our Ds was 2 (2 months shy of 3) when he went for the first time. (See his picture at the bottom of this time.)

He just went back for his 5th trip this past June. He was 5 - getting ready to enter kindergarten. He absolutely loved it this time! 5 is a good age.

Angie

 

[SnackyStacky]

I don't have kids, but my fiancé and I have decided that when and/or if we do have kids, they won't go until potty training is complete. That goes for us as well as the kid(s). (And as I re-read, I meant that to say that my then-to-be wife and I wouldn't go without the kids....I assure everyone, we are very much potty trained! ) We don't want to have to lug around all the diapers and wipes and fun stuff that comes along with a baby.

I'm making headway. Before I said that nobody would go until any and all kids were 48 inches so they could ride whatever they wanted to, at whatever age that happened.

 

[angey77]

I do not have children, but I can tell you, my parents brought me for the first time when I was two years, five months, and that trip envokes some of the best memories I have. I will never forget seeing the MK Christmas tree for the first time, going crazy with all the characters on Main Street, or making my mom ride IASW over..and over...and over......

 

[disneyfan551]

Dan, I bet you will change your mind when the time comes! Don't worry about the diapers and wipes...that's what they make strollers for! It's truly an experience I would never change...

 

[AmyTags]

My daughter was 9 months old. She is now 18 months old and will be going back in May. She absolutely loved it!! We are now in the DVC so she will be going every year.

 

[*Fantasia*]

Our kids were 18 months and almost 3 yrs old when we went Sept 2000. They didn't remember much...but my husband and I did. And I am so glad that we took them to Disney before their father died. I have a few pix of their Dad and them while at WDW.

 

[disneyfanz04]

We have been going every year in October since my daughter turned 1. She was 13 months when we took our first trip, and she had a blast!!!!!

 

[kbkids]

My DD was 3 1/2 on her first trip, and my DS was 18 months on his first trip. There is plenty for a child under 48 inches to do. In fact, they are missing very little at all.

 

[disney4us2002]

Dan, I also must pipe in about the diapers vs potty trained. Let me tell you, it is easier to change a diaper than to wait with a child who is just trained. When your child says s/he has to go, s/he means in about 2 minutes, lol!!! When we were potty training, I knew where every public bathroom was in about a 10 mile radius of my house. NO KIDDING!

 

[Maude4Disney]

Our oldest was 4 for his 1st time. DS #2 was just 2 when we went for his first time. We've been 4x over the past 6 yrs and will hopefully be able to buy into DVC so we can make it a yearly thing...soon!

 

[llp479]

Our older girls were 2 for their first trip, and our youngest was 4 mos. They are now 10, 10, and 7, and have been numerous times. They all seem to remember the trip when they were 3. Our youngest potty trained herself that trip. Said she had to go potty, and that was that. Went home with a ton of unused diapers!

No matter what age, you will have wonderful memories and photos. We've been fortunate to share some of these times with family and friends, and will treasure those memories for life.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

If you are talking about a once in a lifetime trip, I would wait until the youngest child was 5 or 6, maybe even older. My older 3 kids were 4, 7, and 10yo when we went the first time. We went again 3 years later, but then also had a 1yo. That second time we got annual passes and went an additional time that year as a family, and my husband and I went another time with the baby because my husband had a business trip. So that was 3 times in a year for the baby.

I just returned with my youngest, who is now 4yo. He enjoyed this trip a lot and could do most everything. We bought APs and will return as a family next January (my daughter will be a H.S. senior then and it might be her last trip down with us).

Bottom line, if you are a Disney nut and will be going on a regular basis I don't think that any age is too young. I wouldn't go in the heat of summer with a babe in arms since it's so hot to be outside for so many hours.

T&B