what age do you think they have the most fun?

[MrsJ Henry]

When taking Toddlers to WDW at what point did you think they started to "get it" more and have more fun? I keep thinking around 2.
Our daughter wil be around 20 months when (if) we go in April. I'm wondering if we should wait until the next fall so she is a little over two years old.

 

[jeni1072]

One DD went for her 3rd birthday, the other one went went she was 2.5, and I will say at 2.5 she was in heaven! Now, maybe it has something to do with the fact that she had a 6 year old sister so there was a lot of Disney around her from early on. But if I had to choose again, 2.5 would be the earliest I would go.

 

[ChevyNat]

My DD was just a little over 3 when we first went to WDW... the look on her face when she first saw Cinderella is forever engrave in my mind... she had a blast the entire week.... it was heaven!

 

[Minnie824]

Our first trip with the kids was when the youngest was 20 months. She LOVED it. Especially the parade. I have the cutest video of her waving and saying "Hi princess!" while watching the parade. Then when we came home, she sat and watched our trip videos over and over again. Other than the rides with height restrictions, they can still go on everything else at that age too. I would say go in April!

 

[mom2aredhead]

We were there when my son was 13 months, for his 2nd b-day, 3rd b-day, and at age 3.5. (and I'm working on hubby for a trip in Dec when my son will be 4, but that's a whole different story - is it really that wrong that I booked the room and didn't tell him??)

Back on topic - When we were there for his 2nd b-day it was definitely fun, but I think it was more fun for us watching him than it was for him. Don't get me wrong, he loved seeing Mickey and all the characters and enjoyed the attractions, but he probably would have had just as much fun at our local amusement park or on the Jersey Shore boardwalk. I really think the following year when he was 3 he "got it" more, KWIM? I, however, enjoyed both trips immensly and do not regret bringing him that young for a second!

Believe me, I'm firmly in the "they're never too young" camp, but I think when they're really young I think the trip is more about the parents enjoying the kids than the kids enjoying themselves. Does that make sense?

 

[Colinsmom]

We took DS at 2.25yo and again for his 3rd birthday. We had fun both times, but he definitely enjoyed it more (and "got it" more) on the second trip. So I think you'd be fine taking your DD now, but you'll definitely notice a huge increase in her enjoyment if you take her again sometime after she turns 3yo.

 

[MrsJ Henry]

Thanks everyone.
I'm hoping that when we go we will get to see her having fun and excited. I know it will get more so as she gets older but it sounds like after 2 is a good time to start. I just don't think I can hold out for a whole year so I guess we'll see. I've got the planning itch real bad!!!!!

 

[abouley]

We went to WDW when my son was 19 months. It was fun but probably more so for us. He didn't remember any of it. We went to DL when he was 27 months and he loved it and remembered a lot about it. We went back to DL when he was 3 and that was a tough trip...he was potty trained and we had to get out of line countless times to use the potty and he was scared of some of the rides like haunted house, pirates, etc. We went again at 3.5 and it was better with the potty training (he potty trained at 2.5 by the way) but he is still scared of things and has an opinion about what he wanted to ride. He is tall enough for a lot more rides now though (he's tall for his age at 40" at 3).

We are planning another trip to WDW for when my daughter is around 2 as we felt that was really our best trip! Younger than that is tough because our son wouldn't stay with us when he was out of the stroller but was too big and independent to carry.

Alison

 

[bumbershoot]

Well I think it grows on itself.

We went when DS was over one (note: I'm talking disneyLAND here), and it was fun.

Then we went the next year, and it was great fun. We didn't think he remembered it, and then a few months after we got home, he had a language explosion and just started talking and talking about it. He can tell us things we had forgotten about the trip. So not only did he have fun while he was there, he continues to have fun just thinking about it!

And of course there's no way to know if he remembered anything from the first trip, since he didn't have the language to talk about it until well after his second trip.

This upcoming trip, he's been excited about it since April or so. When he's afraid of monsters, we talk about changing the room into Disneyland, and he enjoys imagining the rides he remembers, and picturing the characters he has since learned (this coming trip will focus on characters a bit more, while the last ones we just avoided it all). He talks about when we go, and we can help him to sleep by talking about how he will be able to dream about Disneyland the sooner he falls to sleep.


If this upcoming three-year-old trip goes even half as well as I hope it will, it will be impossible to determine how much of the fun came from what happens, and how much of the fun came from the anticipation based on his last visit(s).

I think it builds on each visit. If you want to visit, and you CAN visit, now, go for it. Don't make it ALL about her, be sure you'll have fun, too, so the trip isn't totally ruined if she doesn't like what you thought she would like.

Lastly, I just LOVE that this is DS's third visit in 3 years, and it's at long last his first visit where we have to pay to get him in the gates.

 

[drivencrazy]

My youngest was almost 2 years 5 months when we went and she had a blast! She would also let us know when she was sleepy and would take a nap in the stroller! She loved getting autographs and pictures with all the characters and wasn't afraid at all (even though she is still afraid on any other dressed up thing around)...... Theres just something about Disney!

 

[teresajoy]

I think it builds on each visit. If you want to visit, and you CAN visit, now, go for it.

I love the way you put this!! I couldn't agree more! Lydia was 4 months old when we took her on her first trip to Disney World, and she LOVED LOVED LOVED it!!!! She wasn't scared of the characters, and just had a blast interacting with them. We have some great pictures of her with Timon. Arminda was 1 on her first trip, and loved it, and Corey was 3 (almost 4) on his first trip, and of course, since he's my kid, he loved it too. It's just fun at every single age. Go as soon as you can, that's my advice.

 

[bzzymom]

DD went at 11 months and enjoyed many things, and then again at 19 months. She had a good time. She knew who the characters were and she loved the parades. Then we went 11 months later (Aug 2006). She had the time of her life. Her big brother got a tatoo on his arm, so she wanted one. She picked one with all of the princesses and had it put on her arm. She showed it off to every bus driver and every waiter/waitress. She remembers that trip still and keeps talking about going back. DS's first trip was at 2.5 as well. DD turns 4 in Feb and I am thinking about going in Jan or Feb 2008. She should be tall enough to ride Splash Mountain, BTMRR and TT.

 

[mickey2minnie1]

I think any age can be fun if you remember it is for them and at their speed. The question is the remembering. I went to DL for a day when my kids were 8, 5, and 2 years 10 months. My little one was overwhelmed the first 15 minutes and then got into everything. She loved it and she does still remember most of it at the age of 5.

We are taking them for their first trip to DW in October and I hope this one sticks. My husband says this is it. But I did not say thaaaaat, lol.

Have a great trip whenever you go!! Hopefully it will be the first of many more!

 

[mommyof2princesses]

WE went when our youngest was 2 years and 1 month and with the exception that she was scared of the characters, she had a good time.

We went again when she was 1 week shy of being 3 and she LOVED it! Hugged all the characters, bounced with tigger, loved the rides...she can't stop talking about it. We are going again this sept, 24 days and counting, ad she will be 1 week shy of 4 and all she does is talk about Disney. I think it will be our best trip yet.