What is 1 unpopular opinion on Travel you have?

[maxiesmom]

I'll go even further. The youngest age to bring a child to Disney is after kindergarten.

Kids in diapers are easier than toddlers. Went with my sis on a trip when her youngest was under 3 months old. At that age, they may as well be a sack of potatoes. You carry them or push them around, keep them fed and dry, and they are good to go. Her 5 year old sister? She was the one having a melt down and crying.

 

[tvguy]

I'll go even further. The youngest age to bring a child to Disney is after kindergarten.

I'll go even further, not before age 8, and I have posted that on DIS boards in the past.
For what it costs to get into Disney, a kid better be prepared to be in the park at 630 am* and stay until closing. No going back to the hotel for naps.

*This is referring to Disneyland. I made my first trip to WDW last year and was more than a little surprised how late the parks open there.

 

[mjkacmom]

Kids in diapers are easier than toddlers. Went with my sis on a trip when her youngest was under 3 months old. At that age, they may as well be a sack of potatoes. You carry them or push them around, keep them fed and dry, and they are good to go. Her 5 year old sister? She was the one having a melt down and crying.

A 5 year old isn’t a toddler or preschooler. Two of my kids were miserable babies (reflux and colicky), but all great travelers by 4/5 (meltdowns/tantrums were very rare).

 

[maxiesmom]

A 5 year old isn’t a toddler or preschooler. Two of my kids were miserable babies (reflux and colicky), but all great travelers by 4/5 (meltdowns/tantrums were very rare).

The poster I quoted said to wait until after kindergarten.

 

[DoraBA]

I love travelling with my kids - and I believe kids don't necessarily need special attractions. They can see and enjoy (almost) everything, if adapted to their level.

We travelled with our kids all over Europe and some of the US and have rarely felt we were compromising.

ETA WDW and other theme parks are only different, imho, in the sense that you pay a LOT per day and feel the need to maximize return. Also the long lines... so I wasnt really ralking about parks but travelling in general.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I am in the know your kids and yourselves and plan travel accordingly camp. Some people should probably never go to wdw- if crowds and waiting in lines make you anxious, why go? There are literally hundreds of other places to visit and in spite of what some people seem to think Disney is not something every child must or even should experience.

Some parents are happy to tour parks at the pace of a toddler and sit with a drink on a bench while their little one gleefully chases jumping fountains for 45 minutes. Others would feel they wasted money and vacation time if not constanlty going from ride to ride. Some kids do great napping in strollers and enjoy the stimuli and change of scene at the parks, others really need their schedules and familiar envirornments.

Hard and fast rules about what age should go to theme parks or on cruises or to Europe, etc are silly (other than cruises barring infants for safety reasons in the event if a medical emergency away from land, of course) Look at yourself and your children and evaluate your own needs and desires and vacation accordingly.

(FTR my kids were 10 months and almost 3 on our first family trip to WDW and on the cruise---back before DCL even offered child care for under three year olds---we had a BLAST, I wouldn't change a thing. Worked for us)

 

[tvguy]

I am in the know your kids and yourselves and plan travel accordingly camp. Some people should probably never go to wdw- if crowds and waiting in lines make you anxious, why go? There are literally hundreds of other places to visit and in spite of what some people seem to think Disney is not something every child must or eve n should experience.

Some parents are happy to tour parks at the pace of a toddler and sit with a drink in a bench while their little one gleefully chases jumping fountains for 45 minutes. Others would feel they wasted money and vacation time if not constanlty going from ride to ride. some kids do great napping in strollers and enjoy the stimuli and change of scene at the parks, others really need their schedules and familiar envirornments.

Hard and fast rules about what age should go to theme parks or on cruises or to Europe, etc are silly (other than cruises barring infants for safety reasons in the event if a medical emergency away from land of course) Look at you and you children and evaluate4 your own needs and desires and vacation accordingly.

(FTR my kids were 10 months and almost 3 on our first family trip to WDW and on the cruise---back before DCL even offered child care for under three year olds---we had a BLAST, I wouldn't change a thing. Worked for us)

LOL. I have to ask, did it work out that well for the people around you?

 

[NHdisneylover]

LOL. I have to ask, did it work out that well for the people around you?

I think so---can't imagine why people would have thought twice about us if they passed us in the parks or on the ship. Why would it bother someone else what age kid I had with me?

 

[tvguy]

I think so---can't imagine why people would have thought twice about us if they passed us in the parks or on the ship. Why would it bother someone else what age kid I had with me?

Not the age, the behavior.

 

[MIGrandma]

Canada counts as international, too. You’re missing out if you never visit.

We have been to Canada a few times, from when I was a child with my parents up through with DH after we got married. I remember touring Casa Loma, I think that was in the Toronto area. And DH and I crossed the bridge over to Canada many times when we were staying at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Have done the Agawa Canyon train a couple of times, so beautiful.

But, DH and I both have our concealed carry permits and while I don't have my gun on me all the time, he does. So, we can no longer cross over into Canada because of that.

The international traveling I was talking about was to countries like England, France, Italy, etc.

 

[L&Lfan]

I was 7 when I first visited Disneyland (12 for WDW) and I think it was a great age, but the world/parenting is different now. If I were a parent, my rule of thumb would be the kid has to be able to walk ( no strollers) and go to the hopper by him/herself.

 

[Disney Ron]

Not the age, the behavior.

Oh please. Don't go to WDW or DL or any theme park for that case if crying kids and kids having temper tantrums bother you. Go to an adults only resort to spend your vacations. I doubt Walt Disney built these parks with the adults here in mind, they were built for children first and foremost. I never understood adults complaining about children's actions at a THEME PARK.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Not the age, the behavior.

So you assume I would stay in a public place with a kid having a behaviour problem? Gee thanks.

As it happened, though we planned to have short park days and had exit strategies for the various situations (sitting in back rows on aisles at shows, etc)---we never needed to and even stayed for fireworks with kids happily napping in strollers.

I think it worked well partly because of the kids' personalities (not ones to cry at night, not ones who needed to sleep in a certain bed, etc) and partly becuase we worked to make it good for them---giving them lots of chances for downtime chasing fountains or running around hedgemazes or on the playground at a monorail hotel; taking a long lunch break so everyone got rest and to cool down in the afternoon, etc.


Honestly, for every toddler melt down I have seen at wdw, I have seen a tween or teen one as well and probably 3 or 4 adult tantrums of some sort for every one child's.

And seriously---if you do not want to see kids becuase one MIGHT be a problem, Disney is not a place you should be.

 

[Disney Ron]

So you assume I would stay in a public place with a kid having a behaviour problem? Gee thanks.

As it happened, though we planned to have short park days and had exit strategies for the various situations (sitting in back rows on aisles at shows, etc)---we never needed to and even stayed for fireworks with kids happily napping in strollers.

I think it worked well partly because of the kids' personalities (not ones to cry at night, not ones who needed to sleep in a certain bed, etc) and partly becuase we worked to make it good for them---giving them lots of chances for downtime chasing fountains or running around hedgemazes or on the playground at a monorail hotel; taking a long lunch break so everyone got rest and to cool down in the afternoon, etc.


Honestly, for every toddler melt down I have seen at wdw, I have seen a tween or teen one as well and probably 3 or 4 adult tantrums of some sort for every one child's.

And seriously---if you do not want to see kids becuase one MIGHT be a problem, Disney is not a place you should be.

BINGO!!!

 

[CarolAnn856]

Not the age, the behavior.

Huh? You've never seen good kids and/or parents who make sure their kids aren't disrupting others? Sure, there are some that just let their kids do what they want, but the majority do the right thing. Why would you assume the worst of her or her kids?

 

[TheConsciousness]

I think paying $200+ a night for a hotel in which you ONLY sleep, maybe have breakfast in, is an incredible waste of money. Also, paying $500 a night for any hotel is drug-induced craziness to me.

Also, inb4 this thread gets locked to people getting offended.

 

[tvguy]

Oh please. Don't go to WDW or DL or any theme park for that case if crying kids and kids having temper tantrums bother you. Go to an adults only resort to spend your vacations. I doubt Walt Disney built these parks with the adults here in mind, they were built for children first and foremost. I never understood adults complaining about children's actions at a THEME PARK.

LOL. Been on these boards 15 years, it is an issue for many. The elephant in the room for some I guess.

 

[tvguy]

So you assume I would stay in a public place with a kid having a behaviour problem? Gee thanks.

As it happened, though we planned to have short park days and had exit strategies for the various situations (sitting in back rows on aisles at shows, etc)---we never needed to and even stayed for fireworks with kids happily napping in strollers.

I think it worked well partly because of the kids' personalities (not ones to cry at night, not ones who needed to sleep in a certain bed, etc) and partly becuase we worked to make it good for them---giving them lots of chances for downtime chasing fountains or running around hedgemazes or on the playground at a monorail hotel; taking a long lunch break so everyone got rest and to cool down in the afternoon, etc.


Honestly, for every toddler melt down I have seen at wdw, I have seen a tween or teen one as well and probably 3 or 4 adult tantrums of some sort for every one child's.

And seriously---if you do not want to see kids becuase one MIGHT be a problem, Disney is not a place you should be.

No way of me knowing. But we ALL have been there.

 

[tvguy]

Huh? You've never seen good kids and/or parents who make sure their kids aren't disrupting others? Sure, there are some that just let their kids do what they want, but the majority do the right thing. Why would you assume the worst of her or her kids?

I have. And I have also seen otherwise.

 

[TheConsciousness]

No way of me knowing. But we ALL have been there.

I don't think people should be getting upset at the fact that people would assume, based on their previous experiences, that a MAJORITY of Disney-goers are completely entitled and would NEVER take their crying baby out of line. I see where you are coming from.