What age can a little one really enjoy the trip

[bumbershoot]

I think you've answered this here:

DH and I have been making summer vacations to WDW for a few years together.

YOU enjoy it. You've gone alone. Do you really want to miss out on the fun you've had, just so you can wait until the baby can enjoy it in some big way?

I say, if you like it, go. Baby is free until they are 3. Can't beat that!

I can't even say how much of DS's enjoyment (so far of DLR, with huge anticipation of WDW this December) is because of his age or because he's already been there.

At 17 months he enjoyed the sights and sounds, I wore him in a mei tai so he could see things around (not just plunked in a stroller viewing bottoms walking past), and when he needed to "hide" he could snuggle down and close his eyes.

A year later he spent half his time walking and half on my back in the Ergo (or being carried by his aunt), and he saw Buzz after riding the Buzz ride at DL and was so excited!

A year later we spent more than a day at DL, and his enjoyment was huge! We started to learn the differences between how each of us liked touring the parks.

The other trips I can't even remember specifics enough to tell you how enjoyment changed, but he anticipates things, takes a part in planning, has his own little list of things to do, etc.

On our trip when he turned 3, we were so so happy to buy him his very own Annual Pass; he'd already had two free visits, and now he'd grown enough to have a pass! It was very exciting.

So I say, if you want to go, go. Baby is free. Have fun. Don't worry so much about how baby will enjoy it, or if baby will remember it. You'll have pictures, you will remember, and the experiences will all stack on top of each other, leading to just a big memory of fun and joy with mom and dad.

 

[2binak]

We brought out DD in Nov when she was 21 months old and she had a blast!!!!! She loved everything from riding the bus to seeing the colored rocks in Toon Town. She did great with the characters but we watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse every morning, so they were already familiar to her. Everything was amazing to her though and she still talks about some of the rides and things she saw. I'm sure she'll forget about the trip soon, but it made for some great memories for DH and I!!!

We also took her when she was 8 months old and even then, she was amazed by the sights, sounds & characters. At 21 months though, she was able to interact and talk more about her experiences.

 

[PrncessA]

We took the kids when they were 2.5 and 4.5 and it was perfect. EVERYONE kept saying "Why take them now, they won't remember!" Well they were wrong my 4.5 yo remembers everything we did on the trip and talks about it all the time. The other day he said to me out of the blue "Mommy remember when we were about to get on Small World and I had to pee so we left." I was amazed that he remembered something that happened on the first morning of a very full trip.

DD was 2.5 and she loved everything minus some of the non-face characters. She loved the rides and wanted ride the bigger rides like Splash Mt. but was too small, we are hoping for a growth sprut! LOL

I would have taken them younger if we had the oportunity and the money!

 

[frtchr]

We took DD at 11 months, 16 months, 2yrs. 3 months, and 1 month before turning 3. DS went at 6 months and 15 months. I loved every trip for different reasons, and DD remembers the most recent two trips with amazing clarity. I say go for it and enjoy yourselves!!

 

[disneydreamerbelle]

We took DS to Disneyland at 6 months, 9 months, and 15 months. As for him remembering it - he saw a picture of us outside the Buzz ride (without any graphics or signage to clue him in) he looked at it and said "ride Buzz Lightyear". There are those who say they are too young to remember but I think sometimes we don't give our children enough credit. He also recognizes the Nemo subs as Nemo.

I say when you feel like you are ready to go they will be ready. It is most magical when they are young. I agree 2-3 is the absolute best age to take them as they love and are in awe with everything, and aren't to demanding about what they want to do.

What ever you decide when you go with your child it will be so much more magical than ever before.