Taking a baby a loooong way, how hard is it?

[becpee]

So, DS and I went to the movies today and saw Cars2 (which he loved ) and they played that damn Disneyland Resort ad again, you know the one they're showing on late night tv allll the time just makes me want to get back there.
Well, DS pipes up and says "Mum, when are we going back to airport to go back to the Disneyland Resort?"
Problem #1 we've just moved into our new house, and were planning on another baby (if it happens )
Problem #2 we all Disney a little too much and would love another trip.
So, question for all you long distance travellers, what is the youngest age you would take a bub to the USA and Disney in particular?
How hard or easy could it be?
Would love another trip

 

[PrincessInOz]

I suspect that the answer to your question depends on the child and the temperament they have.


NOTE: My DS is an easy-going, placid kid and wanted to please DH and me all the time when he was younger. He rarely chucks a tantrum and has boundless stamina! Keep this in mind when you are reading my experience.


DS was 7 month old for his first trip to the US. Probably the easiest trip we've had with him. We got a bassinet seat and he was up for most of the time heading across and he slept all the way back. I took a light fold-up stroller with us on this trip. The hardest bit was at the rental car hire place. They stuffed up on the baby seat (we got a child seat instead) and we waited over an hour for them to locate a baby seat and properly fit it. We took him to San Francisco and San Diego for that trip. (We completely went ballistic with the baby shopping and came back with 4 years worth of clothes for him.)

DS was under 3 years old for his first trip to DLR. Free admission!
We took him to again to San Francisco and San Diego (to stay with my aunt). We decided to go to DLR on a whim and figured that if we needed to, we would leave early. We got there at 9 am in the morning and DS just kept going like an Eveready battery all day. He had a ball going on the kiddy rides and meeting Mickey. We finally got on a monorail ride at 8 pm and as soon as he sat down, he crashed!

I think the last trip we had, which was in January, would have been the hardest trip of all. DS has now grown to a size that he finds it uncomfortable to sleep in a plane. He can no longer lie down on our laps and his legs don't quite touch the floor when he sits up in the chair. I think we're going to have to wait until he grows a couple of inches before we try the long haul again.

 

[kylieh]

So hard to know - my DD was 6 for her first trip, and we just made it through then with our sanity. At 7 1/2 it was a lot easier. My SIL has three kids who are all completely different to DD. You could take the youngest who is nearly 2 really easily, the 3 year old would be harder, the eldest now 7 is coming with us in Sept.

 

[battymum]

I definitely think the younger the better- especially if you breastfeed -young babies are very portable - they mostly sleep anywhere - I wouldnt go to Florida when it is too hot -

Although I would only travel somewhere where good medical care was available, should you need it, (touch wood)

But better yet try and fit in a quick trip before bubby comes along!

 

[5ofus]

I haven't taken the boys to the US, but we went to Tokyo Disneyland last year when the older boys were just-turned-3 and 16 months and I was a couple of months pregnant with DS3.

It actually wasn't THAT hard. The flying was the worst of it since all we did in Japan was Disneyland and DisneySea (and an aborted trip into the city for a museum). Disney is fabulous for little kids and babies. The baby care facilities at Tokyo (and I assume the US parks) are really great.

The flights would have been fine if we didn't have stopovers on the Gold Coast and Cairns - we flew Jetstar as it was the only way we could afford the trip. The flights back were no problem as they were overnight, but on the way there they were a bit rough. DS1 got bored within hours, and homesick too. Told us about four hours in that he wanted to go home. We did our best to keep him busy with snacks, stickers, colouring and trains and it worked fairly well. DS2 was pretty good, but kept wanting to talk to everybody all around us. Neither one of them was interested in the in-flight entertainment.

I would love to take all three boys to Disney now and DS3 - who is six months old -would be no problem on a long flight. DS1 might be okay now (4), but I wouldn't inflict DS2 (2.5) on ANYBODY for a 13 hour flight right now :lol:

We're doing our big trip when the boys will be 8, 6 and 4. I'm hoping that those ages will be a bit easier to deal with. I think a lot of it has to do with personality and I think DS1 and DS3 will be better at any age than DS2

 

[becpee]

Thanks everybody
DS5 was nearly 4 when we went last time, such a good little traveller especially as we'd prepped him for Disneyland and Vegas
He still talks about it, which brings us to wanting to go back.
Obviously buying baby supplies is not a problem in the U.S, how much stuff do you need to take for a baby, or is it easier to buy it there? We hardly left the house for a holiday when DS was a baby...
The more I think about it the more I want to do it, just hope we have a baby soon too...I want it all!

 

[shushh]

becpee, good luck with the baby! I think it is so wonderful that you are open to travelling with a little one and not letting it put you off. But I guess a lot of people here would jump hoops for a Disney trip!

We've taken our children at various ages starting from 10 weeks to 8 years on journeys varying from 2 hours, to 24 hours. Some have been pleasant, others disastrous! But we have still enjoyed our trips and wouldn't change it for the world.

As a lot of posters have mentioned, a lot does depend on the temperament of the child and age, but I do think that parental attitude does contribute to stress or lack thereof! I do agree that in general, the younger the easier until you hit about 1.5/2. There are always exceptions to the rule though. My eldest was a terror in the first 6 months but has since turned out to be the dream child traveller! My youngest is just trouble all around at ALL to date full stop!

 

[Waybuloo]

We took our non walking 15 month old around the world with us - it was awesome

Last year (when she was 3) she cried most of the way back from HK. Yikes! Stark contrast there.

We found everything we needed in the US and Canada, nappies and convenient "baby" food.

*sigh* I think I need another baby

 

[Aust]

The easiest for me was when DD2 was about 5 months and breastfed - she was happy to be in the bassinet and feeding was easy. This was to Fiji, so a shorter flight, but going longer with her would have been OK. Between about 3 and 6 months would be ideal - old enough to hopefully have feeding/settling issues sorted, but not old enough for the baby to want to be moving around too much.

 

[austraveler]

We took our Eldest to the US at 3 months and it was very easy. We also took all three boys at 6m, 2 and 4. That was a little more challenging but I would still do it again in a heartbeat.

 

[5ofus]

We took our Eldest to the US at 3 months and it was very easy. We also took all three boys at 6m, 2 and 4. That was a little more challenging but I would still do it again in a heartbeat.

OMG, that's my three boys now and I can't imagine taking the boys at the moment!!!