Package booked and DH says......

[mikymouse]

My kids loved every minute of our 1st family vacation in the spring and cannot wait to go back. I keep thinking that it will pass but they are always talking about the next time we go to Disney... ha I thought that was our first and last trip to Disney. My four year old was completely wrapped up in the magic (we did get to meet THE Cinderella). My six year old loved the vacation and wants to go back but he caught on to the characters after a few days but still played along for DD4.

I am finding out that DD4 remembers more than I do. We were talking about what we want to do NEXT time and we mentioned wanting to see Pluto. DD4 insisted that we had already seen Pluto by the gate... OK sweetie.. I am quite sure I would have remember that one. I was finishing my scrapbook and noticed a picture that sure enough there was Pluto standing on the train platform behind the "gate". hehehe!

My kids remember (even stuff I don't) and I remember when I spent one very happy day in the magic kingdom back in the early 70's with my beloved Aunt Jeanette... not so much the details, although there were many strangely familiar things this last trip, but the feeling of pure happiness and being with your family. Those are the feelings that stay in our hearts, guide our principles and build the foundation we all want for our children...memories of being loved and happy with your family. Go now and give yourself and your children a little happy spot right on the heart.

EDITED TO ADD: DH did not want to go on this trip... I talked him into it. He loved it and even he wants to go back for another WDW visit. Do not underestimate WDW ability to make your children happy or the joy it will bring your to see them at a truly happy place.

 

[JJ&JSMOM]

I agree w/all the advice - I've told my DH the same things. Maybe from you folks he'll agree and see the light. Thanks.

 

[CTPinkPrincess]

Another vote for go! My DD was 4 when we went on the cruise this past January, and we went to WDW this month. She remembers the fun she had, and loves telling everyone how she was in the front seat on Splash Mountain.

As an added bonus, you get to see WDW through their eyes. We stayed up late our last night and saw the electric parade in the MK and the fireworks...I had tears in my eyes as I watched her absorb all the magic!

Now every so often she'll go in her room and start pulling clothes out of her drawers. When I ask her what she's doing, she tells me she's packing for Disney World!!

 

[kaysmommie]

Our DD was 3 on our last trip and she still talks about it all the time. She is 6 now and can't wait to go on her favorite rides. She seems to remember alot so far. My DS will be 2 this trip and I'm sure he won't remember but hopefully we will go again in a year maybe 2. I think you should go and have a wonderful time. To me 4 seems like the perfect age. Does she likes the princesses?

 

[KelsiesMommy]

Well, we've been to DLR numerous times, my oldest dd went for the first time at 4 mos- youngest started at 7 mos. At 3 1/2 and 21 mos now, I know my oldest remembers, but then again, she can still recount exactly what occurred at the birth of her sister 21 mos ago. She has an amazing memory.

That being said, we're taking our first WDW trip next year- they'll be 4 1/2 and 2 1/2. Will my youngest remember? Who knows? *I* will, and I'll cherish the excitement forever.

 

[Vickie46]

my daughter has been going since she was 15 months old.. now she remembers more of her 3 1/2 yr old trip then when she was little bitty.. but she still remembers!!! Memories last lifetime! Make Memories! Tell your husband not to guide your trip by others life... she could have had other things going on in her life not to remember! I say go!!!

Hope this helps!

 

[MINNIE OF TWO MICE]

I say go!!! My little ones were dd5 and ds4 at the time and we keep their memory alive with pictures. We take lots and lots of pictures. We look at them alot and the children say...."oh I remember that". Even if they dont remember, I do. I would not take anything for our disney trips. We always have a good time. They are always, even now dd10 and ds9, in complete awe. We have so many happy memories from there. Go and create some magical moments for your photo library and keep the magic and memories going when you get home with your photos.

 

[DisneyDotty]

I'm another one who votes JUST GO! Why?
1. Who knows what tomorrow will bring? Will your life change and a trip to WDW suddenly become out of the question? Life is to be enjoyed NOW!
2. There's no other vacation destination that caters to your kids like Disney. It really is the easiest place to take children.
3. The more you travel with your children, the easier it is to travel with your children. We started travelling with our DD when she was 6 weeks old. (No, she doesn't remember it!) But we have great pictures of our little peanut at various monuments around Washington, D.C. (her first destination). And she is so used to traveling--she knows our expectations, she knows we'll plan a lot of fun things for her, and a few for us...
4. If your DH doesn't want to go now, well, he could stay home! (I'll gladly go in his place, if you need an extra hand! )
Don't worry--your kids will remember their trip to WDW, if for no other reason than the fact that you, your DH, and your older child will talk about the trip FOREVER.
Go and have a magical time!

 

[all4fun]

I agree that you should go and that the whole "wait until they'll remember it" philosophy is silly. You will have priceless memories, even if your kids don't remember. My ds has been to WDW 4x and DL 3x since he was 13mos old (yes we are spoiled, lol) and he does remember - probably because of all the repitition. We have been talking about our upcoming trip and he "wants to ride the plane" and "go to Disney", "See Giant Buzz" (we're staying as AS-Mo), he wants all the characters to hug him lol (he loves the characters).

Anyway, here's an interesting article about children and memory. It basically says all kids forget their preschool years by the time they are ten however:

parents can influence which of their children's memories become lifelong ones. The more parents talk with their children about particular experiences, the more likely that this verbal reinforcement will help preserve children's early memories.

So I agree with the pp about talking about your trips, maybe scrapbooking together, etc. is a very good idea if you want them to retain the memories.

My parents took me to DL a lot when I was little and I honestly don't have any clear memories of it, but they do. And I don't let that bother me because now I'm creating new memories for myself with my ds.

hth!

 

[kato0627]

Our first trip was 9/05. My DS8, DS4, DD3. I can honestly say it was one of our best vacations ever. Seeing the "magic" through their eyes was priceless. We went back again in 1/06 for DD4th birthday. Believe it or not the kids can still tell us what we did on which trip. Even my younger son!
I would definitely go and have a great time.

 

[nicolemomof4cuties]

We have went with our children twice in the past 3 years ( getting ready to be 3 times in November). We took the older three children in 2003 whe I was pregnant with my youngest son. They were 4, 2, and 1. My DS was the 4 year old and he remembered everthing vividly. My DD that was 2 remembered everything vaguely and the 1 year old DD only remembered eating with Pooh Bear. We brought them last year and they were 6, 4, 3, and 1 (he turned 2 on the trip). The older children remember the trip in GREAT detail. Great enough detail to have special requests as to where we shoul eat this trip. Boma and Le Cellier were favorites of all 3 older children. They have already started planning what rides they want to ride first at each park! Ohh, and they want to be measured weekly- ecspecially my youngest daughter as she was too short to ride Soarin and Thunder Mountain Railroad last year and she wants to be able to this year. The youngest remembers little stuff and going at such a young age has really given him a love for Disney characters. Everytime Mickey shows up for a break on the Disney channel he yells MICKEY MOUSE! Also, on the 3rd of July we were driving back from my Dad's house and there was some early fireworks going off. My 2 yr old DS started asking if we were at "Sinereellas Cassle". So he does remember some things even though he was very young. He also asks if we can go back to Mickey Mouse's house on a weekly basis! ARGGHH!! WHAT KIND OF MONSTER HAVE WE CREATED? LOL! My husband was also opposed t Disney the 1st time that we went (which was our honeymoon) as his family had raised him with the belief that Disney was the devil. (They are a lil' bit odd ). We came back from our honeymoon and he said we are going back with the kids ASAP. So, we went again 5 months later. He was sunk right then. As he says, the look on their little faces when we walk in the MK brings tears to your eyes. That one little instant makes him forget the cost of the trip instantaneously. And as he said last year. " Who cares if they don't remember it- I will". I guarantee that once your DH sees the wonderment in your DS eyes he will change his tune and quite possibly become a Disney-aholic too!

PS- The first time that I went to MK was when I was 5 with my Biological father. I still remember it. I thought that we were in a magical place. (21 years later I still do) I went on my 1st rollercoaster- Space Mountain and I remember that VERY vividly. I remember nighttime the most because I thought that Main Street looked like a fairytale. My Dad says that I kept asking him if everything was real or if I was dreaming. LOL! We went to alot of theme pars when I was a kid ( we lived in Florida) and I remember all of them. But none of them felt magical like the MK did.
Nicole
Wife to Reuben
Mom to
Keitaaron 7
Xeyana 5
Chloe 4
Colin 2

 

[golden1]

We are planning on at least 3 trips with the kids, maybe 4. I am going now when they are 4 and 2. There is something really special at this age when they think it is all real. I'll probably go again when my oldest is 7-8 and again when she is 11-12, probably one more when she is a teenager. It is a different experience with different age kids.

 

[CinderellasSister]

We just went in Jan when DD was 4 and DS was 2. We actually weren't planning on going again for a few years, until the kids were somewhere around age 7ish. Well, since we came home, they talked about NOTHING but Disney!!! We had them get every autograph they could, which I then scanned into the computer, printed out and put in a photo album with their pic of them and the character. My kids, 7 months later, are STILL carrying those pictures around! We're now planning to go again this coming April!! Now, my kids sit in the back of the car singing "We're going to DisneyWorld again" over and over and over!!!! Go, and enjoy yourselves. There is absolutely nothing better in the world that watching your children meet their favorite characters for the first time. When the people/animals on TV suddenly become REAL...... it's just amazing, and priceless.

 

[delilah]

We took our son on his first trip when he was about 3yrs, 2mos old. He remembers things specific to that particular trip that we didn't do on the several other trips we've made over the past 5 years. He remembers his second trip, which was in November 2001. I wish he didn't remember quite to well, because he remembers getting splashed on POC, and for some reason, he thought Spaceship Earth was a roller coaster. Refused to go back on for the next two trips, but, we were finally able to convince him it was safe when his two younger cousins enjoyed it so much.

 

[Alicnwondrln]

we took ds7 when he was 4 for the first time and he remembers tons of stuff from that trip
ds2 has already been twice and had a blast
if you child is doing good in school go have fun

 

[3DisneyKids]

Ditto x 3! GO GO GO. Our kids were all pre-2 before their first trips, but they LOVED it. They loved hugging the characters, and going on the rides...Pooh, and Peter Pan, and Small World....all of it. They loved the pools, the resorts, talking with CMs, the Mickey Bars--the whole 9 yards. Our youngest, now 3.5 went at 18 mos. She still remembers bits and pieces...and sure, these memories may fade--but OURS won't. We'll never forget the first time she saw Pooh. Plus, they LOVE watching the videos of themselves as toddlers at WDW.

C'mon DH...get on the clue bus!

 

[StephMK]

Go while they still believe the magic!! It's so much to watch them interact w/all the characters. My DH thought we'd just go once then mayyybbee go back when they were teens. Well, he enjoyed their reactions as much as anything & we're trying to save for our third trip.

My DS was 2.5 then 3.5 on our trips & remembers some amazing things that I've forgotten. The kids all remind each other of certain parts of the trip & it's been totally worth it. We've vacationed other places but they remember Disney the best. There aren't too many places that you can vacation that are so totally kid friendly & interactive!

 

[Love the Mouse]

I know how you feel. We are DVC members and have gone to Disney at least 2x a year, sometimes 3x since we bought 5 years ago. My daughter, who just turned 2 has been to Disney 4 times and numer 5 will be in 8 days. She has had her hair cut 4x in her life...2x in Disney.

Everyone says she won't remember, I know that she won't. But, I go for the magic. Who says she'll remember at 6 or even 8. I tell everyone that I am going for me and she's along for the ride.

But, now DH is cutting me off. He says we can't go for a few year, not till she is older. I understand completely. But, I am not liking this one bit. If your trip is booked, I would just go and enjoy. They will at least have fun looking back at the pictures.

I went for the first time when I was 16...I barely remember the trip. Good luck in all that you do and have fun.

Michaela

Fort Wilderness 1986
Fort Wilderness 1988
Treehouse Villas 1991
Off Property 1998
Off Property 2000
OKW 2001 2x
Disney Cruise 2002
Off Property 2003
VWL 2004 Christmas Party
Vero 2005 2x
OKW 2005
BW 2006
BW coming up 2006 Halloween Party

 

[Benducci]

Personally I don't care if the kids don't rmember their first trip, it is more for me & dh. Their faces were priceless and since Disney has magic more for the younger ages, why wait until they are older & you miss that wonder on their faces? My girls have gone several times and they will tell me things that they remember about the trip. Sometimes I wonder if they remember what was told them or if they really remember. But they love looking at their pictures & hearin all about what a great time they had & what characters they saw. Go for it!

 

[dana1003]

yes my dh did the same thing to me..after everything was booked, along with 5 other people, he says to me that maybe they're too young (their 3), they wont remember, waste of money, blah , blah , blah...needless to say, i cancelled nothing. why do anything with them then!!! i screamed - dont take them to the park, dont take them to your favorite pizza joint..etc. you live in the moment w/ children. and as far as them not remembering...my girls can tell me a story about something they did las summer and that totally baffles me...so you know what, to everyone second guessing DON'T..go , have fun, and make memories!