WDW with a 3 or 4 year old... this year or next?

[Grendalynn]

I am looking for some insight as to what could be a better age than another to take the kids back to Disney....

While we generally have a 3 year plan (Disney World every 3 years) we have flirted with the idea of going this year.... our youngest will be 3.5 in April. My question is this... What are the advantages/pros & cons of going this year when he is 3.5 compared to next year when he is 4.5....

The one thing I can think of right off is the height thing and the Terrible 3's as a whole. Where can I find a list of height requiremenets for the rides? But I also think about the things he would really enjoy at this age - Toon Disney, Preschool live on stage, characters.... a little insight please mom and dads out there!! Thanks...

 

[Camno's Mama]

Both!

I would say that it just depends on you...if you just want to go this year, then do it. I will say that my ds was three last year, and he wasn't tall enough for Thunder Mountain, etc. He was tall enough for Goofy's Barnstormer though. I have felt with both of my older sons that having to pay when they are three is a bit of a bummer. They can't do as much as a four-year-old, but are the same price. At four, they still like a lot of the same things, and can usually go on more rides. So, if getting the best value as far as all of the things that your little one is alowed to do is important, then I would wait.

I think if you use google, or go on allearsnet.com or waltdisneyworld.com, you will probably be able to find the height requirements. Good luck deciding!

 

[StuckInKS]

We went in May and took my then 2-year-old (she turned 3 in July.) I was glad to be able to get her in once before I had to start paying for her. She still remembers a lot from her trip and talks about it (the other day we were in Wal-Mart and she randomly says "Mommy, I went to Disney World and I gave Minnie a hug and she was real!") She was tall enough for the Barnstormer, barely, and she went on the Haunted Mansion ride with her dad. Of course, she also went on POTC and the other no-height limit rides. She was able to ride a lot at MK. If you don't want to wait a year, I'd talk her earlier.

On a side note, my son was 4.5 at the time and he rode less than his sister simply out of fear (same with my 6-year-old.) My 3 year old had NO fear to hold her back, I think because she was so young.

 

[auralia]

my daughter was 2.5 when we took her and it was prefect she believed mickey mouse was mickey mouse and not someone in a costume it made it so much more magical do you think your son wouldn't believe any more at 4.5 but still would at 3.5? that would be the deciding factor for me if he would still fully believe the illusion at 4.5 i'd wait.

 

[IBLarsen]

We took our kids for the first time at ages 3.5 (dd) and 5.5 (ds). I was SO very glad that we went while my dd was still 3.5. She was actually tall and could ride a lot and had NO fear! But the most exciting thing was just her sheer excitement to see the characters...it was all a very magical experience. Our DS was 5.5 at the time and he was very excited too, but didn't quite have that same level of believability in him. He liked the rides more. Overall it was just a great experience and I'm glad we didn't wait any longer for our little ones.

We did also go the next year while they were 4.5 and 6.5 years old, and the 4.5 year old still believed in the characters, but when we got home she asked me if the characters were just regular people in costumes It broke my heart to hear her say that. They both really really really want to go back, but it's just such a great thing to see Disney through the eyes of the younger kids. DD now almost 5 still talks about everything from that first trip. She hasn't forgotten a single thing!

 

[cmaee]

We were planning on waiting until our DD was 4, next spring, to go since this is the first time we are going that we will have to pay for her to go. We decided to go this spring while she is 3 and then go again in 2012 when she is 5. We wanted to miss as much of the new fantasyland construction as possible and we thought it would be great to go in 2012 and see the new fantasyland. I am excited about how our DD will be at WDW this year. The first time we went, she was TERRIFIED of the characters. The second time we went, she liked the characters from a distance/in the parades. I am hoping this year she will love them. I am looking forward to seeing the world through her 3 year old eyes.

 

[DW2010]

I asked a similar question on another message board about 4 or 5 years being the best age . The consensus from that poll was 5. DD will be just a few days shy of 4 when we go. The only thing I worry about is the height. To ride a lot of the cool rides, you have to be 40". DD is ride around 38" right now. Our trip is in September, so I'm hoping she meets that height requirement when we go. If not, no biggie. I'm sure we'll have a blast regardless.