Stop Waiting And Just Go!

[Starrin]

Hi,

I thought I would share a moment my wife and I shared with our DD 4.5 years old and our DS a little over 1 year old.

For so many of our friends we hear ...
"We are going to wait until they are a little older until we take him/her to DisneyWorld - so that they remember it"

My wife and I never went for that - when we felt our daughter was ready for the flight ... we decided to go. She was 2.5 at the time. We felt that WE would remember it ... and would document it on video and with a camera. After all we will take her when she gets older as well.

Now fast forward to last night ... we decided, for who knows what reason, to check out the video of our first trip. She looked so young and cute and so full of excitement. We started the video when we were waiting in the Orlando airport for our shuttle. She was so quick to note that we were going to the home of Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Cinderella, and Goofy. That is all she knew ... she did not know what rides were or how big it was, etc... I don't think she understood the enormity of it all but you could tell she was so excited. It then cut over to her in the stroller going down Main Street for the first time - her hands reaching out to the castle .... "the castle! the castle! .... Cinderella! ... I want to go!" Obviously it being her first trip ... it cut over to her on her second ride ever ... Dumbo (I remember her first - Snow White because no line). The look on her face as she boarded her favorite color Dumbo was absolutely priceless (she obviously wanted DW to hustle over to the pink one).... followed by her being upset because the ride was over had us laughing.

As we watched we had so much fun ... then came her first character meal - Crystal Palace. When she walked in ... she took her seat, she immediately stood up straight in her chair, understood what was going on around her - folded her arms neatly on the table in front of her - and politely started asking Piglet to come to our table. "Pigggleeett over here, Pigggggleeettt come over here" she did not realize that they all eventually come over to the table. As the characters stopped by one after another ... she was just awstruck and so happy to be with them. She then did the parade around the dining area ... with such a huge smile.

The tape then cuts over to her on the tea cups ... we actually had the video camera in the cup with us as she went on it her first time. There is a moment where the cup is spinning and her face - hard to describe - but pure happiness. To see that look on your daughter's face had me crying.

We then went on to a second trip where my wife was very pregnant and we were having a character meal with Cinderella ... well at this point of watching the video. DD says - "Is that really Cinderella or someone in a dress"

Well DW and I immediately just lay into her - we were not happy at her latest revelation. We assured her that Cinderella is real - very real to us - and that her home is in DisneyWorld. DD loves Disney ... but she is getting older and is starting to understand certain things.

Upon further reflection about what had happened last night - I felt strongly that if you are planning to wait until they are older - I say JUST GO NOW! Go again later. There is magic at that young age and it is fleeding - to experience it there at Disney - especially on that yellow tea cup is something I will take to my grave.

One last note ... we took DS when he was 3 months and 9 months (now I will admit this to be quite young) - he is now a little over 1 year old. Last night, everytime a character came on the tv screen ... he clapped and pointed. He gets it ... and we cannot wait for him to have that feeling as well.

 

[emh1129]

We're taking our first trip in January with a newly-2 year old and a 4 year old. A lot of ppl have suggested it might be better to wait until they're older, like you've heard.
I'm glad we're not waiting I'm even more excited after reading your post!

 

[Kanga1]

Excuse me while I get another tissue...

Now then...I agree wholeheartedly. To me, Disney is at its most magical when kids are very little...when they really and truly BELIEVE.

I work with a couple of ladies that did not go to Disney because they were waiting for their kids to "get a little older." And you know what? They missed it. Their kids are in college now. Granted, they still can go and have a magical time, but they will never experience Disney in that special way that a lot of us DISners know. Good for you for not denying your children that moment in life.

Now, I've GOT to find a way to get back before my DD quits believing!!!

 

[peaches205]

I'm so glad to read this! We're planning a trip in Feb '07 when our b/g twins will be 3.5. I can't wait! I know they'll still believe!

 

[Fainfamily5]

I soooo totally agree. WE are one of those that waited. We took our first trip only a few weeks ago. My kids a re 10. 7 and 5. They all loved it. Our trip was magical. My husband and I realized that we had made a mistake. Now we want to go back next year instead of waiting until 2008 like we had originally planned. My 7 year old has cried every night since we have been back because she misses Disney. I feel like I have deprived them of something wonderful just because I listened to other people. I agree with the OP, you will remember it!!!!

 

[Tinkerbells mom]

Totally agree with this. In three weeks we will be taking my 4 year old on her 5th trip. Disney World is all she talks about!

 

[mmiller711]

Our best friends have two boys that are the same age as our two girls and they always said "we are waiting until they are old enough to remember it!" Well, now the boys are waiting for their kids to get "old enough to remember it!" and they have still never been there!!!! My grandson will take his next trip to WDW in 14 more days!!!! This will be his 4th trip and he is 4. His Cousins will be going with us and they are 4 months (yes she is young) twin girls 18 months, girl 6 and boy 8!!! We will have a wonderful time. Every age with my girls hold special memories for me. From their first trip at 5 and 18 months to last summer with my then 22 year old "baby". This trip it is 4 generations from the 4 month old up to my 82 year old mother!!!! We are a Disney kind of family and for us any age is the right age!!!!!!

 

[Crazy4Disney72]

I totally agree, and thanks for a beautiful post, OP! I have such wonderful memories of my children as babies, toddlers, and preschoolers at WDW, there truly is nothing like going when it is all 100% real to them. My sister's children are 6 months and 3yrs, and she won't even consider taking them until the youngest is 6 because she doesn't want the 'hassle' of having to deal with strollers and baby stuff. Yes, you most definitely have to tote more gear with really young children, but if that's what it takes for them to experience all the magic of WDW while they are still young enough to be totally enthralled with everything, then I would do it! My DD is 6 and while she loves Disney, she's not as delighted by the princesses and characters as she was when she was younger, she still enjoys them, and we got plenty of autographs and pictures,but she was more interested in another ride on Space Mountain!

 

[mom_2_boys]

We are heading to Pop (free dining ) in a mere 12 days with dh, ds4, and ds 2. Thank you so much for your post, OP! My husband (I know, I could hardly believe it either) suggested a trip for this summer. Both of us had always been members of the "wait until they are older" club, but my husband had heard about the free dining and said that we should check it out. Now, we are almost there!

Thank you for sharing your sweet memories with us. I get very caught up in the packing and the planning and the shopping and the organizing that I forget about the magic. We have the planning DVD and my ds4 watches it like it is a movie! He even hopes to meet the host, Erin, at the parks! Both of my boys are excited to go and I can hardly wait to watch them experience the magic of Disney.

Thanks for helping me keep everything in perspective!

 

[brat5063]

Thanks for posting that. We are taking our son on his first trip and he will be 2 1/2. Every one told us we were silly and should wait. I haven't been to Disney in four years and was having major withdrawl. I normally just tell people that we aren't going for him, we are going for all of us. We love Disney. It's a great place. We also just got a camcorder this week, I hope to get some magical moments on tape!

 

[mask_w03]

Thanks for posting this. We hear everyone asking us why we are taking her at such a young age since she won't remember it. But I keep saying we will and this is the age for the magic, not just the rides! She will be 20 months when we go for 12days end of November/December and then we are going back in Feb '07 for a few days and in October '07 to celebrate MIL's Birthday and halloween (her Birthday is 2 days before). But I love Disney and want to just enjoy disney through my daughters eyes now. I went to DL as a kid, but never made it to DW till I was 11 or 12 so magic was gone for me by then.

Great post!

 

[Merriwind]

Great post. DD first went at 25 months and has had many trips since then. She is now 8 1/2. We still have a great time, but it is not as magical and awe-inspiring as when she was little. Go early, go often!!

 

[newman7501]

I totally agree, as a child/preteen we vacationed at WDW several times. My parents always said I remembered the most from my first trip which took place 2 weeks before my 3rd birthday. Looking back I do remember certain things from that trip, as we are planning a trip now, I'll talk to my mom and say remember... and ask her what trip we did that on and she'll say your first one. We would have taken our kids at a younger age but we weren't financially at a point where we could, but now we are and can't wait for all the magic

 

[disneyjunkie]

Great post, but I think each family has to do what will work best for them.

I took my son when he was nine. That trip was perfect. He was tall enough for everything (was afraid of a few rides) and didn't need to stop for a nap.

My sister's family joined us on our second trip. My niece had just turned five and my nephew was six. My sister and BIL were glad they waited. They didn't have to deal with strollers or diaper bags. Naps were not an issue and the kids were tall enough for most rides.

None of our kids ever believed the characters were real, but they still enjoy character meals, getting autographs and just goofying around with the characters.

My sister now has a one year old and is expecting another in December. The older two are seven and nine. I was asking her when she planned to return to WDW. She and her husband both agree they won't return until they are diaper/stroller free. For them, dealing with diapers, naps, baby swap, will zap a bit of the magic.

I don't think there's a "right" age to take a child to WDW. It's just a matter of what works best for each family.

I was 33 when I took my first Disney trip.

 

[Ibelieveinfairies]

I so completely agree, OP!! We took our DDs for the first time when they were 3.5 and 1.5...and I really think the 1.5 year old enjoyed it the most of us all. I will never forget her dancing to the music...lost in the magic...loving the characters. And it was just too precious to have her older sister "explain" everything to her. We have made several trips since and I have to say those earlier years were definitely more magical. Our recent trips have been wonderful, but in a different way. As they get older, their innocence is fleeting.

 

[Ariel8676]

Thanks for the post..although i must admit it brought tears to my eyes...lol I feel the same way as you though, and we always get the same "they aren't going to remember it, why do you waste your money"? We have been going 1-2x a year since my first dd was 8 months old(she will be 5), and now we have a 3 yo and 8 month old(she will be going on her 2nd trip..lol).
My grandparents took my brother and i every year since i was 2, and used to hear the same thing back then
When we go we video tape everything and take a million and two pictures...I just think that seeing a 4 or 5 yo girl(or Boy) see her favorite princess for the first time(or Mickey or Minnie.....)is so sweet and magical. I don't think you can get the same reaction with an older child.

 

[JoiseyMom]

I so agree, we took our DD when she was 18 months old. She had such a blast. She loved loved loved all the characters!! DS went for the first time when he was 8 months old, and he enjoyed himself also. DS is now 5 and is going to be going on his 5th trip. YOu ask him what he wants to do on vacation, and he says Disney!!

 

[DisneyMama2H&O]

Wonderfully stated. This will be our DS5's 4th trip and our DS2's 2nd trip and we wouldn't have it any other way. For myself part of the magic is experiencing Disney through the eyes of my preschoolers. I loved Disney before I had children and now I love it even more.

Every year when we start planning my co-workers always say they are waiting until their own kids are older. I've tried convincing them otherwise. Some even say, "I've seen those toddlers having melt downs in the park, no thanks" What melt downs, mine do just great (we do take breaks). Finally I decided why try and change their minds, if they want to wait, fine let them wait, more room for the rest of us. What's important is that we are making wonderful family memories for our children and ourselves. My first trip I was 5 years old and I still have wonderful memories.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Its true that you have to do what is best for your family and since each family is different, the best way to do things is different too. The following is just my experience.

I never went to WDW until I was in my 20's and about to be married, DH took me. Now we go as often as we can. My kids have been going since they were babies and although they don't remember it all I do. Those memories of my babies on our laps are as priceless as the photos on my walls. We go every year and the experience has changed as my kids age. Now that DS is tall enough to ride everything he & DH do the fast rides together while DD and I find a show and chat quietly together. Sure, they can do more stuff now, but the new experiences don't diminish the old ones. I don't regret taking them as babies at all.

There is a brief window in which young children actually believe in magic. DS & DD really believed that Cinderella really lived in her castle, that Ariel really lived in her Grotto, that Spiderman and Wolverine really lived somewhere in the Islands of Adventure Superhero Island. Once that window closes its gone and you can't get it back.

We just went shopping for back to school stuff and both kids now think character stuff is 'babyish', this started in kindergarten. No Princess or Pirate backpacks, no Disney t-shirts, no Disney halloween costumes, all they want is 'plain stuff' . Today's kids are in such a rush to grow up. I'm happy I got the chance to enjoy them being little before they wanted to be big.

 

[dsnymomof4]

Wow - what a great story. You brought tears to my eyes. We were in the same situation in 2002 when we were planning our first trip (now planning our fifth). While our oldest was 8, our youngest was only 18 months. Everyone kept saying "why don't you leave her home, she's not going to remember it." My response was the same as yours - "but WE will remember it." We also have some great pictures and video and wonderful memories. My only regret is that we didn't go when my son was younger (we were busy having more kids!) Anyway, I always feel bad for the people who wait until the youngest is old enough to "remember" it. I agree with the philosophy to go now, then go again when they're "old enough" (and as many times in between as you can!) The memories are priceless.