How young is too young?

[AndymanGA]

I'm thinking of doing a surprise trip in 2016 to celebrate my wife's birthday. Kids will be 4 and a half at the time and my son will be 8. DLP is one of the 3 options I am considering. My wife and kids have never been to Europe.

So are 4 and 8 too young to fly half way around the world to go to DLP and spend a couple days in Paris?

My friends are pretty evenly split between the 3 options I am considering (the others being a Disney Cruise to Alaska or the Disney Hawaii Resort). Lot of suggestions to wait until my kids are older.

What do you think?

 

[supersnoop]

My daughter was 7 when we took her to Europe. We didn't have any trouble. Remember, people in Europe have kids, too. We spent 18 days between Paris, Brussels, Cologne, and Frankfurt; we only spent one day at DLP and that was plenty. That was the day of the World Cup, so the lines were all very short.

I'd say Hawaii and Europe would be about the same amount of time in the air, but you will need passports for Europe. If you want a relaxing vacation, go to Hawaii. If you want an experience, go to Europe. It's more like New York City, but you won't be able to understand the language. Wait, that's exactly like New York City.

 

[MickeysFavouriteGirl]

Plenty of Europeans fly half way around the world to WDW with young children ;-))

Dd was 13 months when we first took her to DLP she loved it. Ds has been at ages 4, 6 and now 7 and he loves it too. Dd will be 25 months next trip, I'm excited to see how she'll react now shes more aware of her surroundings.

 

[Lisa_C]

I'm one of the reverse ones - I took my then 3 year old DD to Florida, did a cruise round the Caymen Islands, Jamaica on to Nassau, with WDW parks and Universal before and after. She remembers nothing, slept really well on the night flight and I've no regrets

 

[Michael623]

We went to DLP with a 2.5 year old. He immediately got sick and we cut the trip short after 2 days. In hindsight, even if he didn't get sick, I sort of wished I waited until he was older. If I had it to do over again, i think5-6 would have been the better age. My long range plans has us considering a return trip in 2015 when he will be 7.

 

[AndymanGA]

I'm not worried about the kids at DLP but do have concerns how they will be in Paris. Will they be too bored while mommy and daddy want to look at the Louvre?

I'm also questioning if they would appreciate Hawaii or just think it is another beach.

So would you do DLP first or explore the City first?

 

[supersnoop]

So would you do DLP first or explore the City first?

The day at DLP was a pretty good incentive for my daughter to behave. I'd start in the city and go to DLP somewhere in the middle or near the end of your time there.

 

[bibbidibobbidibecky]

We took the Disney Med cruise in 2011 when my children were 3, 6 and 7. I would do it again in a heart beat. This past year we did Costa Rica and this coming summer we are doing England and France. Kids benefit so much from travel at every stage of childhood.

Go for it! But be flexible!

 

[RoseBug]

I'm not worried about the kids at DLP but do have concerns how they will be in Paris.Will they be too bored while mommy and daddy want to look at the Louvre?

I'm also questioning if they would appreciate Hawaii or just think it is another beach.

So would you do DLP first or explore the City first?

Every child is different and it very much depends on how they are. Rosebug was taken ti muaeums and art galleries from being a baby so I have no doubt she would be happy enough being dragged round the Louvre, so long as we involved her in the visit and talked to her about what she was seeing etc. Could you show them the kids film "Monster in Paris" and Ratatouille to get them excited aboyt the things they may see?

I would do Paris first and then DLP.

 

[wiigirl]

Plenty of Europeans fly half way around the world to WDW with young children ;-))

Dd was 13 months when we first took her to DLP she loved it. Ds has been at ages 4, 6 and now 7 and he loves it too. Dd will be 25 months next trip, I'm excited to see how she'll react now shes more aware of her surroundings.