If you could only go to WDW every 2-3 years...

[It's A Happy Day]

We are leaving in a little more than a month now for our very first trip with our kids DD3 & DS4 I would love to be able to go to WDW every year but finances will not allow this. Knowing the ages of our kids and that we could only go every couple years when would you plan your trip? We figure once they get older they might not want to go and we would plan a trip w/just the 2 of us if that happened. Would we be better of bringing them again at 5 & 6 or wait for 6 & 7 then another 2/3 yrs later. I know the age difference isn't that big but am thinking about the "bigger" rides and events. Height wise my 4 yr old is already tall enough to go on just about everything but we will be skipping the biggies this year ie: Space mountain, RnR, ToT, and such as I want him to love going to theme parks and don't want to terrorize him as some parents do to their kids They have never been on a amusement ride before. I am already planning on booking ASAP (I know I have to wait for the 500 day mark) and am trying to figure out 2007 or 2008 - I don't want to let anyone know about this trip - major surprise even for DH - I hope I can keep it a secret though, I'm terrible at things like this. Opinions please?

 

[brandip22]

I have a three y/o DS and hoping to get another on the way soon. We know we want to take him/them every year, or every other year, so we bought into DVC. It really makes it more affordable. How much do you typically spend when you go? As far as when to take them, wait 2 years and go again!

 

[Ask"WhyNot?"]

Luckily, we can go every year. If we couldn't I'd find some way to at least go every other year; so, 3 & 4, then 5 & 6 would be my vote. My DH thought WDW vacations were just too out of budget to swing, but with research & careful planning, it amazes him how nice of a WDW vacation we can have with not anywhere near as much $$$. I have friends who spend more and get less (lower hotel rating, fewer activities, etc) because they don't research. Be sure to check out mousesavers. And not just hotel rates, but car rental/services rates, airfair, free & cheap things to do, hints on cutting food costs, finding the best bang for your buck in tickets, etc.

 

[ThreeMusketeers]

If you can afford it this year..maybe you could afford it a couple years from now..sell a few things, save starting when you return from your last trip. aw:

 

[HappyLawyer]

If you can afford it this year..maybe you could afford it a couple years from now..sell a few things, save starting when you return from your last trip. aw:

She is so CUTE!!!!! I miss that age my dtr is 9 going on 23-lol we could go every year but we go every other and stay about three weeks and take in all of Florida, i think we appreciate it more that way.

 

[Wishes]

First time we went our kids were 5 and 9. Then we went every three years for awhile after that but the the three year intervals were just too long so now we go every other year. My kids are now 14 and 18. I wish we would have started going to Disney sooner and I wish we would have been able to go more often but like you we can't afford to go every year. They grow up so fast and I treasure every magical Disney memory we've been able to make over the years! I say go every other year!

 

[crisi]

We went when the kids were 2 and 3 and again when they were 4 and 5. Now they will be 6 and 7. We think we will continue this indefinately (we are DVC members). For us, this isn't about finances, but about making time to go on other vacations - we cruised last year in our "off year" and will cruise again next year.

I don't think it makes a big difference which year you pick. At 4 and 5 my kids were "no way" on anything bigger than Goofy's Barnstormer. This year they still have no intention of doing the Tower of Terror (too scary). Though I'd pick the sooner year so you get more magic - I think eventually my kids will get to the "Disney is for babies" stage.

 

[DisDadX2]

Our first trip with the kids was at 2 1/2 and 5. At first I thought maybe they were too young for the trip, but in retrospect when we went 3 years late 5 and 8, I'm glad we we took them when they were young. There were so many rides we enjoyed (basically everything in Fantasyland) that they seemed to have outgrown already. I'm glad we were able to see their faces light up with Winnie the Pooh!

We too are on a 2/3 year plan. I recently started selling some crafts on the side with all the profits going into my Disney saving. Hopefully I can bump up the frequency.

 

[goofiecrazy]

When i was little my family went every 3 yrs ,my parents,sister,brother and me.. Now that i am married my son was 18 months the first time he went . our next trip will be in 2008 and that will be me,husband,son and our daughter.. They will be 5 and 3 ...This gives us plenty of time to plan and save and do things in a big way for the kids..

 

[a Really Bad Egg]

Go as often as you possibly can. My kids (DS 9) and (DD 15) enjoy it each time we go. The experiences are just a bit different, but all so very special.

I often close my eyes and relive those moments. My only regret is that we didn't find a way to make it there more often.

 

[jann1033]

when our kids were little we went every 3 yrs or so which was nice cause we got to go on new stuff usually ( it seems every 2-3 yrs there are new things) and not drool over almost completed stuff for 5 yrs...