People insisting we "wait until they can remember it"

[OctDisney]

I do not think anyone is right or anyone is wrong on when the best time is to take the kids.

We made the decision to wait because we wanted both boys to be able to ride the attractions together. They were in 1st and 3rd grade and the magic was definitely there. We did not need a stroller and that made me less exhausted.

I did see alot of people taking children younger and at times we wished we did as well.

We just made the decision and went with it and now we are going to be going for the 4th time in 5 years. I guess you can say we made up for it.

Bottomline, whenever you are able and willing to go, go. No decisision is a bad decision.

 

[MrsBanks]

Every time I excitedly tell someone that we're going to do Disney when the kids are 1 and 2 years of age - they always tell me to wait until they can remember it.

*SIGH* Why do some people insist on raining on our parade?

tell those people they can tell you where to vacation when they start paying for it

 

[PeachesDoesHair]

We took our kids (3 and 1) last September. MIL kept insisting we were wasting our money and that we should wait until they were 5. Apparenly 5 is some magic number to her as she has never been to WDW. In fact, she suggested that we all go to Six Flags.

Anyway, we went and we had the time of our lives. It was so magical. Our daughter starting screaming that she saw a real castle. It was just the most magical thing ever! Our son (1) loved the characters and the rides. He loved just being outside doing things. I can't say that he remembers anything, but he most certainly had a blast. My daughter still talks about our trip and is asking when we are going to go again (six months later). It was really the best vacation we have ever had.

 

[disneymomej]

I get this comment all the time. But all the nay sayers were not there when my tiny DD was kissed by Snow White during a parade, when she had stars in her eyes while holding Sleeping Beauty's hand, and when she SQUEALED all the way through IASW, all the people in the boat giggled and had the time of their lives and commented on seeing it through a little ones eyes. DD may not even remember it, but I do! TAKE THEM YOUNG!!!!!!!! the magic is at its most REAL "ness" then

 

[kristinanderic]

Don't listen to anyone else. We just took a trip with my DS who was 18 months at the time. We had a blast! Check out my trip report if you'd like, the link is in my signature.

My in-laws are anti-disney...mainly cause they have never been. They don't know what they are missing. We don't talk about our vacation around them cause they always bring us down about it. Luckily I have the disboards.

Invest in a good camera and have a ball!!

 

[gabbysmom04]

People tell us the same thing My DD is 2.5 and has been to WDW 6 times and on DCL twice. DS is 1.4 and has been on 2 DCL and to WDW 3 times In the coming year we are doing WDW 2-3 more times and at least one more time on DCL. All my DD talks about is going to WDW and the cruise. She sure remembers!

 

[PistonsFan]

Just ignore those people - to me that is the stupidest argument - so we are not supposed to have any fun with our kids just because they won't remember it? Besides, it is fun for us too!

We leave this week with our 2 year old who probably won't remember, but will still have a blast!!

 

[ClaraBug]

If it's a mother-in-law that's giving you heck about it....this would be my answer....
"You're right....little joey and janie are too young to remember anything about a Disney trip right now.....we'll wait until they are older so they can remember the experience.....They are also too young to remember visiting you, so we'll bring them by again when they are 6 or 7"

I love that!!!

I completely agree. This is YOUR trip to Disney and no one else's. You do what YOUR family wants to do!!!! And make sure you all have a wonderful time!!!!

 

[monorailsilver]

My mother just told me that last week "but they don't remember it".

I don't care if they don't remember it, but they are having fun being there.

My mother is too concerned that it is too expensive but growing up I went to WDW many times with her.

My oldest was 15 mo when we took her. She loved the characters so much & it was a joy to us to watch her there.

Then we went again when she was 4 & my ds was 22 mo. He was shy but loved the characters but only with us holding him. And he loved the rides.

We (well me since my dh isn't on board yet) are planning a trip for August 2008. My kids will be 7½, just shy of 5 & 2 ½. My plan it to go before I have to pay for the baby.

 

[dsneygirl]

DS is 7 months old and has already been twice with 2 trips booked for 2007. You know what's best for your family. So don't let the naysayers bother you.

 

[Oceana]

and who says they wont remember it?

My DS went for the 1st time when he was 17 months and he remembered it plenty.

Just last night I asked him some questions. He burned his hand about 2 months after his second birthday

Mom: Miguel do you remember your special gloves?
Miguel: Yep, when I burned my hand.
Mom: how did you burn your hand?
Miguel: on the stove, it made a circle

we have not discussed this since it happened! He will be 4 years in June

 

[SerinaEmily]

I don't believe they won't remember!
My daughter is 2.5 and has a much better vocabulary than she did when she first went when she turned one .. we haven't discussed the past trip much with her, I can't remember talking about it at all around her actually, and yet when we started planning this trip for when she turns 3 the kid started freaking out at the word Disney and started saying weee weeee fwy in the kyyy!!! We figured out she was saying "fly in the sky", she remembers the one and only airplane trip she's ever taken to go to Disney when she was 1. Then after a few days of being excited about that she was at the walk in clinic and started blabbering to people about fly in the sky and then I was able to decipher that she was saying "icky" (Micky) "oopy" (Goofy" and "the duck" (Donald Duck) lol
So heck yeah they remember somewhere in their head of theirs.
And even if they didn't. The week you have with them in the most magical place on earth, watching their eyes light up when they see the princesses and their quizzical looks when they see the fireworks for the first time .. it's priceless.

 

[DisneyPhD]

When we brought my 1st born home from the hospital I was telling her we had so much to show her. I was talking about her room and the house. My DH was talking about WDW!

She was 9 months old on our 1s trip. We bought DVC on that trip and she will be 6 in March. Has been to WDW 10 times now. She loves it. She talks about it all the time. She could be a WDW guide and people were joking she was a future CM in the making (along with a great snow white!)

Her little sister is 2. She has been 4 times so far. Every trip she loves it more and gets into it more every time. She loves it.

I don't know if when they are 20 years old if they will remember the early trips, but for now my 5 year old remembers when she was there and 18 months old.

Oh and the 2 year old asks to watch our DVD of the home video of the most recent trip.

The bottom line, if you wan to go, go. The age of your child doesn't really matter (as long as you feel they are old enough to travel.)

I don't let people who say that bug me anymore, because I know better. However it used to bother me. Now I turn to my Dis friends for support!

 

[MinMouse]

Go and have a great time! If they're not payin' . . . who cares what they're sayin'.

 

[lovesdumbo]

I think my children remember a lot from their early trips. And even if they don't remember they have an incredible time and their experiences as a family-shared family memories have to influence who they are as a person. Don't quite know how to express that-hope you understand.

And where else would be easier to travel to?

I know a lot of folks think of WDW as a once in a lifetime family obligation. How sad for them.

 

[nepatsfan73]

I have been a lurker on this board for some time, but this is one of the comments that always gets me. My response to the person making the comment is usually to the effect that they must save a lot of money by not celebrating their younger kids' birthdays or holidays because, of course, their child won't remember it. This usually quiets them down.

For me, I was brought up by parents who always took me and all of my siblings on family vacations, regardless of age. My wife and I do the same, it just happens that I enjoy squeezing in a Disney trip whenever possible (and my wife permits). My children all seem to remember at least parts of most trips, and they have all been going since they were between one and two years of age.

 

[Ilovemyprincesses]

My mom says this to me all the time BUT I am taking my 2 and 4 yr old this yr. I went to Disney when I was 14 and I hardly remember any of it. I know this doesn't sound nice but you never know when your life could change drastically. Mine did last yr. Go and have fun and make a nice time for your family. That is all that matters.

Oh and for all of her protesting she is coming. She says to help me but I don't think she wants to be left out of the fun.

 

[TheDizMom]

You know what who cares what they think. If that's what you want to do and you are excited for it that's all that matters. Don't let anyone else put a damper on your trip. Go have a good time and take lots of pictures. Heck my DS is 10 and he can still remember things from when he was 2. As a matter of fact he drives me nuts asking me if I remember when, and me being middle aged and all can never remember anything.

 

[tink_lover]

1RockinMamato2 - This may sound strange, but I think that those of us who did umpteen years of fertility treatment (us) and who have adopted children (in our case DD at birth, DS at 2 from Russia and DS at 10 months from Russia) have worked so hard to create our families and taking them to Disney as a family is something we always dreamed of doing. This will be DD third trip, DS second and youngest DS first. We cannot wait and whether or not they remember it, we have the pictures/video and all the memories. ENJOY YOURSELVES!!

 

[Mainebound]

Thanks everyone for making me feel so much better!

For 11 years of waiting for a child, I'd always said I couldn't wait to see Disney through the eyes of a child. My time has come to do that, but now we're dealing with the "unfun" people who have forgotten that Disney is for kids. Sheesh!

I get butterflies thinking of how my son and daughter would love, love, love It's a Small World right now!

Yeah, I'm glad I found this board.

First of all, YOU will remember it -- so will your spouse/partner, any older sibs, or others who join you. You will all look at the photos and have great stories to tell!

Second of all, speaking from experience like most on this thread, my boys were 1 and 3 our first visit, and we could not believe how much my 1 year old got out of that first trip! He giggled and smiled and looked in wonder at everything from a pinwheel in someone's hand to the fireworks in sky. He loved the pools at the resort, the monorail, everything!

Each year the boys notice different things and enjoy different things and explore different things -- which helps us do the same!

I do agree that if you can ONLY go one time, waiting may be best. But it's silly to suggest that young children -- even babies -- cannot have a great time at WDW, and downright rude to try to judge someone else's vacation plans!

I don't need to tell you to have a great trip because you absolutely will!