I'm Sure This Will Get Me Lynched!

[IlovemythreeC's]

OK, .

There is nothing selfish about me wanting to experience Disney with my children. I am sorry the 2 and 4 year old you went with did not have a good time, but my kids have a great time every year. We have actually never had a tantrum anytime there and I have three kids and am planning our 8th trip.

Every family is different and every child reacts differently, but to call us selfish was really mean spirited.

 

[MeLady]

We have said many times, "It is the happiest place on earth!"

My husband took me and my boys ages 13 y/o and 9 y/o for their first trip to Disney. While on this Magical Vacation we also took his sister, her husband, their three children and spouses, their four grandchildren for their first trip to Disney. My step daughter 13 y/o accompained us for her third trip to Disney.

The children were Princess that was 3, The Princes that were 5, 9, 10, to the THREE 13 y/o, one Princess and two Princes.

The boys were amazing! Even though two were 13 years old, they were just into the Magic as the Princess at 3 years old. They were excited and loved every minute of it. Was it because it was their first trip? Who knows! They are 15 now and still talk about how much fun. How much they can't wait to return.

Did we have meltdowns! You bet your bottom dollar! The 3 year old Princess wanted to do her thing while her 5 year old Prince wanted another! So needless to say, Princess got her way and Prince got his way! Why, because there was as many adults as there were youngins. A large family together may make one think good grief, but for us, it worked perfect! We all were able to do what we wanted and when we wanted. If the kids needed a nap, a couple or few adults went back and napped with them.

We split off into family time for each individual family as well as cousins enjoying each other. Sometimes we met back up at the pool, sometimes we saw each other in the lobby heading and going.

Do I regret not taking my boys when they were young, NO WAY!

My parents took me when I was young. It was fun.. However; I don't regret not taking my kids when they were young.

My boys grew to love Disney by just watching Disney, reading Disney, shopping at the Disney store, not just going to Disney. Now since my husband and I are savers and we both love Disney. They get the enjoyment of the planning of going to Disney just as much as the getting there. They are so much apart of the planning that they know what to expect when we get there. THey also know that there will be a few surprises that we have hidden from them! haha

Just because this year there will be two 15 y/o, and one 11 y/o doesn't mean the magic in their eyes is gone. HELLO! I am 34 years old, my husband is 41 years old, the MAGIC will NEVER leave our eyes.

You plan your vacation for your family. There will be times that things don't work out. When that happens, you bet that someone will see someone not really pleased. That goes to the character of the person, doesn't matter where they are, could be McDonalds and see a meltdown.

 

[HeyNowFL]

There is nothing selfish about me wanting to experience Disney with my children. I am sorry that your 2 and 4 year old were not having a good time, but my kids have a great time every year. We have actually never had a tantrum anytime there and I have three kids and am planning our 8th trip.

Every family is different and every child reacts differently, but to call us selfish was really mean spirited.

I am starting to see that people on this board become very offended any time you post something honest.

I wasn't posting anything with any spirit at all - I was posting an experience from my trip last weekend and from my previous 30+ trips over the last 25 years.

 

[ksumn1]

You're entitled to your opinion. But to say YOU were annoyed with the tantrums and little ones is OK. But when you say the parents are selfish.....you don't know them, so how can you judge them. I took my DD's to WDW because they asked and begged and pleaded. Did I love seeing their faces light up when they met a Princess, or watched Spectromagic, or saw the Castle for the 1st time...Heck yeah. If I was selfish, I would have went to WDW with just DH or a more adult destination. You can't go to a place that is marketed toward children (and adults, and everyone else) and NOT see a meltdown or 2. I see 1 in the grocery store, 1 in Wal Mart, the dr's office, every day. And let's face it, if DM and DDad aren't happy at home, they won't be happy in WDW.

I think alot of the problem is that people are uninformed. They want to go to WDW with the kids, have a great time,but don't do the research on HOW to best do WDW. They stand inline for rides, food, walk all over the place and it's just too much. Hopefully, at some point they realize they need to slow down, and everyone will have a much better time, be less stressed and frustrated. But I think their intentions were good.

And BTW, the most expensive souvenier is not marriage counseling.....it's my 4 yr old DD who was conceived on our 1st WDW trip!!!

 

[IlovemythreeC's]

I am starting to see that people on this board become very offended any time you post something honest.

I wasn't posting anything with any spirit at all - I was posting an experience from my trip last weekend and from my previous 30+ trips over the last 25 years.

You cannot expect to call someone selfish and not have some sort of response.

And I must say maybe calling your response meanspirited was a knee jerk reaction from me. But, c'mom you called me selfish and you do not even know me. I have many flaws, as most people do, but I am not selfish.

 

[disneywith4boys]

[/QUOTE]We didn't bring our 7 year old until she was almost 6. This was the perfect age for her first trip. She was tall enough to ride everything and understood that we would be waiting in lines. She was able to walk the park all day without a stroller.

It makes no sense at all to bring a child that is under 5 unless they have older siblings and one parent doesn't mind sitting with the younger kids while the other parent has fun with the older child.

Here is a good guideline to follow - if you need to rent a double stroller, you shouldn't be going. Wait a few years and bring the kids when they can walk.[/QUOTE]



I can tell by the tone of your reply that you are one of the few parents who were so smart in waiting to bring your children at an older age. You apparently know the tempermant of your children and your temperment on how you can enjoy different situations and acted accordingly for your family.

 

[Alex&Evan'sMom]

I am starting to see that people on this board become very offended any time you post something honest.

I wasn't posting anything with any spirit at all - I was posting an experience from my trip last weekend and from my previous 30+ trips over the last 25 years.

People will generally become offended when you call them selfish.

 

[MartDM]

It makes no sense at all to bring a child that is under 5 unless they have older siblings and one parent doesn't mind sitting with the younger kids while the other parent has fun with the older child.

So, because you had a bad experience we should stay home until DS is 5?!? And no parent can have fun with a child under the age of 5?!? Sorry, but that is one of the most ignorant statements I've ever read here.

Perhaps waiting until your children were older was the best decision for your family, but that doesn't mean that is the case for everyone. Many of us are ready, willing, and able to take on the extra effort of taking care of a young child at WDW because the payoffs are priceless!

OK, I have read some and the positive experiences all have the same underlying theme - selfish parents who want the experience for themselves.

Also one of the most ignorant statements I've ever read. Are there some families who don't yield to their kids' needs and who push them too far at WDW? Well, of course there are! Does this describe all families with young children at WDW? Hardly!

Call me selfish if you want, but that's not what I am. I'm giving DS a fun and stimulating experience, which no matter what you might want to believe is actually good for a 6 month old. We'll do a few rides, walk around the F&WF a bit, enjoy the hotel a lot, & have lots of relaxing time as a family and he'll be calling all the shots in terms of scheduling so there is no chance of overload. I anticipate we'll have lots of very nice memories of this trip

 

[Aristomommy]

We didn't bring our 7 year old until she was almost 6. This was the perfect age for her first trip. She was tall enough to ride everything and understood that we would be waiting in lines. She was able to walk the park all day without a stroller.

It makes no sense at all to bring a child that is under 5 unless they have older siblings and one parent doesn't mind sitting with the younger kids while the other parent has fun with the older child.

Here is a good guideline to follow - if you need to rent a double stroller, you shouldn't be going. Wait a few years and bring the kids when they can walk.

Well, my child knew at age (almost) 3 how to wait in lines without whining. Maybe some children need to wait until 7 to know how to wait and not whine, but I wouldn't make a universal statement. DH and I did a child swap when needed, but most of the rides she couldn't go on, I didn't want to go on anyway. Every family dynamic is different, so making a generalization like this is useless.
As far as your stroller comment, my children walk just fine, but there are some 7 year olds that can't walk those distances for various reasons. It's not the child's or parent's fault, and it isn't certainly up to me to judge them. They shouldn't be able to go to Disney if they can't walk 10 miles per day? I'm glad you did what worked for your family. I can guarantee that my children have not been a disturbance to yours or anyone else, and they have been there since toddlers. I have also not let anyone else's children disturb my wonderful vacation, I am having too much fun with my family to notice I guess... .

 

[Beth E. (NJ)]

Hi gang! I've been reading (and rereading) this thread. Thanks for giving all your opinions. Please don't get pulled into fight though.

To be honest -- I took my kids for the first time when they each were 5. I know them and I know me. for us it was the right decision. But I wouldn't stop someone else from going with their kids at whatever age they wanted to. I only hope that people going with really young ones are doing the parks in a way that's good for their babies. I know the folks who read these boards would do that, but I once saw a family with a young baby in a front carrier sling worn under mom's poncho during a rain storm. The poor baby was getting wet -- if it's cries were any indication and the poncho was tented out from the baby being under it -- making it easy for rain water to do down the open neck. How comfortable could the baby have been? Those folks should have gone inside a building and not been wandering around in the rain.

 

[baybemama]

There is always something annoying about sharing your vacation with a million other families. I personally find inconsiderate teenagers more annoying than crying infants. In an environment such as Disney, it's too easy to just sit on a boat and judge the people around you. Families have off moments throughout a day, doesn't mean they still didn't have a great time on that trip.

 

[LisaNJ25]

If I waited until of my kids were older we would never have a family vacation.. I have a larger age gap.

I have seen older kids melt down as well as younger ones.

Our trick was to take it easy and go at the kids pace... and not spending time in the park from opening until closing.,

 

[katyjeka]

We do not believe in "waiting" for the right time, age, etc.... because we are firm believers that noone is guaranteed another day. We try to live each day to the fullest and appreciate our girls at the different stages they are at. I really am amazed at the number of people who find crying babies, or toddlers throwing a tantrum such a problem, but can overlook a cursing, rude adult who should know better.(children don't push us out of our spot at parades or cut line, adults do)Happy vacationing. Janice

 

[lighttech]

Hi gang! I've been reading (and rereading) this thread. Thanks for giving all your opinions. Please don't get pulled into fight though.

To be honest -- I took my kids for the first time when they each were 5. I know them and I know me. for us it was the right decision. But I wouldn't stop someone else from going with their kids at whatever age they wanted to. I only hope that people going with really young ones are doing the parks in a way that's good for their babies. I know the folks who read these boards would do that, but I once saw a family with a young baby in a front carrier sling worn under mom's poncho during a rain storm. The poor baby was getting wet -- if it's cries were any indication and the poncho was tented out from the baby being under it -- making it easy for rain water to do down the open neck. How comfortable could the baby have been? Those folks should have gone inside a building and not been wandering around in the rain.

Beth E. - Thanks for stepping in here. I know this is a subject that everyone takes personally, but I think everyone needs to avoid the broad sweeping generalizations. Not one of us here who are parents would ever suggest that the other parents should live their lives and raise their children the way that we do. Should our vacation plans be any diff't? The important thing is to do what is best for YOUR family and YOUR vacation.

I will be taking a 2 1/2 yr old to Disney in November. We had never planned on doing it this early... see earlier post if you want an explanation... but we are. So, obviously, I'm of the opinion that this will be a good choice for OUR family and MY DS. If I didn't think so, I wouldn't do it. I'm a Mom first, and a Disney fan second (well, actually, as much as I love Disney, probably a Disney fan way farther down the line after wife, daughter, housekeeper, worker, mommy-I-don't-want-this-chewed-up-piece-of-food-please-take-it-er, and a lot of other things.)

The only point I would like to make to a few here is that, just b/c a child doesn't remember an experience, doesn't mean that it isn't imp't and doesn't become a part of their past. Otherwise, why would we hug and love and teach our children anything b4 age 5? And, having an experience that is good and magical for everyone (even if only Mom and Dad will remember) doesn't make Mom and Dad selfish. They are sharing a wonderful happy time w/ their child. That is priceless, precious and integral to every family whether those instances happen at the beach, at Disney or in the family living room.

OK, down from the soap box. Sorry 'bout that.

 

[meandtheguys2]

HeyNow...you seem to bringing sunshine and happiness all over the boards today...

 

[TheRatPack]

There is always something annoying about sharing your vacation with a million other families. I personally find inconsiderate teenagers more annoying than crying infants. In an environment such as Disney, it's too easy to just sit on a boat and judge the people around you. Families have off moments throughout a day, doesn't mean they still didn't have a great time on that trip.

I completely agree, my husband and I both caught ourselves getting short with each other a few times during our last trip. But we have a large age gap between our children (teens to 2's LOL). It was hot, we just recently adopted and so we knew the trip would be stressful with 3 new toddlers...but still, we all have our moments, and it's too easy to judge others when your day is going fine. We did incorporate a lot of humor in to our day....and we took tons and tons of breaks.

Oh and we brought a double stroller....

 

[HeyNowFL]

HeyNow...you seem to bringing sunshine and happiness all over the boards today...

I know, I think it is hilarious that everyone attacks my opinions. It is shocking to me that everyone thinks I am personally attacking them when all I have done is posted my opinion. I thought that was what this board was for.

If you want to bring kids under 5, go ahead. I didn't say not to - I said I didn't understand it and then explained why I didn't understand it.

As for the selfish comment, the definition of selfish is thinking of only oneself. The posts I was referring to are multiple people saying things like:

1) the kids won't remember, but I will.
2) I like to see the kid's reactions the first time they see stuff

That sounds to me like they are thinking of only themselves so that is why I posted it.

Also, the irony is that I have a 6 month old and annual passes.

 

[roxannex]

We are taking our then 2 year old son at the beginning of December. We took him last year too, soon after he turned one. Last year we took my mother and grandmother too. They were FAR more difficult than our son! (Seriously. We forgot exactly how much walking was involved and it was way too much for them, even with a wheelchair for my grandma.)

Why are we taking him? We wanted to take a family vacation in the winter months. Our airport has nonstop flights to Orlando (and not many other places) and we don't really like flying, so nonstop flights are better for us. In the summer months, we might have gone to the beach, but in the winter there were not as many options. Were we going to take our 2 year old skiing? To Vegas? We wanted to do something that we could all do together and that is really kid friendly.

We thought about cruises, but only Carnival and Norwegian would accept him in the kids' programs, and we don't really like those lines. Plus, the cabins are teeny tiny. We actually first considered the Disney cruise, but they are very expensive compared to the other lines and only accept 3 and up in the kids program.

We like Disney. We have been many times, so we don't feel the need to see everything. It is only the most kid friendly place on Earth!!!!!! I find it funny that people are saying not to take kids to Disneyworld. It's Disneyworld!!!!!

I could see the OPs point if you only want to go or can afford to go once in a very long time, but for us it's just a fun place to go with lots of entertainment where we can have fun with our kid.

 

[DISNEYFOS]

It is only the most kid friendly place on Earth!!!!!! I find it funny that people are saying not to take kids to Disneyworld. It's Disneyworld!!!!!

Exactly!! Why wouldn't you take your kids to disneyworld? Where exactly would be a better place to take them Or is the OP saying you shouldn't vacation with younger children?? My DD has been exactly 8 times and she's turning 4 this month. Her first trip was @ 4 months old. My husband and I had a lovely time and we've got some cute photos. My 2nd DDs first trip is coming up in a few weeks..She'll be 4 months as well.

My thought is to have them used to traveling/and restaurants from an early age..My DD is a great traveler and knows how behave..(not that she does all the time mind you ).

To each their own....

 

[Aliceacc]

Here is a good guideline to follow - if you need to rent a double stroller, you shouldn't be going. Wait a few years and bring the kids when they can walk.

For what it's worth: this will be the first time for my 3 kids. They'll be 5, 8 and 10. Prior to last year I was home with the kids; we couldn't afford this kind of vacation on one teacher's salary.

But does the stroller rule also apply to the elderly? If someone isn't able bodied and able to walk WDW, should they be denied entrance? I'm not sure your "wait till they can walk" rule would go over well with AARP or the parents of any handicapped kids.

I think the guideline should be this: remember that it's all about a family vacation. Try to stop 10 minutes before the meltdown occurs, regardless of who is about to have it.

Any parent can see 90% of the tantrums coming if they just pay attention. Some are unavoidable. The rest we should try to avoid.