When does the childhood magic end?

[laura428]

Between 7:30 and 8:15, depending on the time of year.

Best answer ever.

I've wondered the same thing. DS will be nearly 9 our next trip, and DD nearly 7. They both still believe in Santa, but DS has asked me on several occasions if the characters at the meet and greets are real. I'm running out of ways to answer, and am hoping that, even after he realizes they are not, that he'll still love the magic of Disney, and Santa, all the same.

 

[DBD_Rage]

The heart that loves is always young.--Greek Proverb


The great man is he that does not lose his child's heart.--Menius

2 quotes that sum it up for me. I am a big kid...and I always try to never lose that. Every time I go to Disney, the magic is still there.

 

[jtopp]

Does it ever really go away, or does it just change form? We still love to go, even though as the years went by the favorite attractions changed, places to eat were tried and lost, and the pace changed. Yet every year all of us still look forward to the rituals of a real family vacation, even as we have "been there, done that".

 

[jtopp]

Mine are 30, 28, and 26. They drop everything to come to Disney with us. We just can't shake them. DH says it's because we continue to feed them.

So true!!!

 

[brookmey]

I never lost it. I just saw some things differently than I had before, but it never lost it's appeal. In fact, nostalgia probably has a lot to do with the appeal.

This.

Once I got old enough to realize the characters weren't real, I had fun pretending they were.

For me, the magic is also about the feeling I get when I'm at Disney World. Like the rest of the world no longer exists, problems are gone and I can just get caught up in the happiness and excitement. That never went away, no matter how old I was. I think now as a parent I feel it even more because I'm seeing WDW through the eyes of my kids.

Plus, most of my best childhood memories and happiest times were during our Disney trips, so nostalgia is a big factor.

 

[THEJOEL]

Please don't flame me this is just my opinion:

I think Disney is best enjoyed when you are under 10 and over 21. The in between teenager and tween years I think most kids don't get it because it isn't "cool" to go to WDW with your parents. When you are over 21 you can enjoy the "adult" things about Disney and still be child like when the moment calls for it.

 

[eliza61]

My wife and I have taken our daughters to Disney World for two week long vacations. We also hit The World for a marathon day during our beach vacation on The Gulf. Our oldest daughter is 9 and just the other day she said to me, "Dad I want to go to Disney one more time while I am a kid." The "kid" part to me is really before the "magic" is gone. How old were your kids before the "magic" of Disney goes away? By the way, I think the magic comes back once you are old enough to realize that believing is ok....

The magic doesnt go away, it just changes and yes some times change is good. I mean come on would you still want you 15 year old daughter believing her spouse is going to be like Prince Charming. yuck.

 

[THEJOEL]

For me, the magic depended in part on the company. My grandparents kinda controlled what we would do and when, and my cousins would always get "sick" when I was young. They would fight and complain and t trips were never much fun. It became soooooo much fun once I started going with my mom and we wouldn't go with the party poopers in our family. Then, it became even more magical once I was able to research and plan the perfect vacation. Now my mom says it will never be as good without me. So sweet and I agree it can only be truly magical with certain people. Age doesn't have anything to do with it for me.

I can TOTALLY relate to this post.
My first visit when I was 10 was HORRIBLE. I went with my Mom and two older siblings. My Mom honestly did her best but she went into debt to pay for a trip she really didn't have the money for and did ZERO research before we went. So needless to say it added stress to the situation. My sister(18) and brother (15) bickered and complained the entire time about what we were doing, where we were eating and anything else we did. I HATED IT.
Now fast forward to 2010 a 34 year old THEJOEL and his family. We stayed on site, we paid for the trip in cash, scored the free DDP window and I did a ton of research. Seeing the world through my DD4 eyes made me appreciate how magical a Disney trip actually can be and my DW thanked me every day for how well I did planning the trip. We ate great meals, met a TON of nice people (CM and patrons.) and the Pixie Dust just flowed. Needless to say we are going back this year.

 

[eliza61]

Please don't flame me u this is just my opinion:

I think Disney is best enjoyed when you are under 10 and over 21. The in between teenager and tween years I think most kids don't get it because it isn't "cool" to go to WDW with your parents. When you are over 21 you can enjoy the "adult" things about Disney and still be child like when the moment calls for it.

NO flames but totally untrue.

My sons are now 17 & 20. we are anual visitors. they have never been "to cool" to travel with their parents. In fact I once heard one of their friends say it was "cool" that your parents still do things with them.

Sure my sons like different things, they love the coasters at universal. sure they are not going to run into Mickey's arms like when they were little but they also don't have major meltdowns when they get tired.

Maybe my family is weird, we embrace them growing up and we have fun whenever we go on a family vacation.

I think people get stuck on the "tv commercial" view of "magic". maybe if parents stop wishing their kids were little and start actually enjoying the here and now, they'd feel more "magical".

17, 20, 50 & 53 and still lovin the magic.

 

[KorieDWnut]

I dunno. I never lost it. I get just as excited every time I go as I did when I was little. The butterflies in my stomach, not being able to sleep well the days right before, thinking about my trip constantly. I love it and I never seem to tire of it. This coming trip will be my 27 or 28th time in WDW. not a lot compared to some here..lol..but that is a lot.
This will be my kids' 7 or 8th trip to WDW, I cant remember.

Some people, once or twice is enough for them. Been there, done that I guess. Even some kids are like that. My sister has 5 kids. She took them once and they all agreed they were all set with WDW. *shrug* I dunno..some people are just different. her youngest was 5 at the time and her oldest 15. They all were like "eh..can we go to 6 flags next time" They just never even had the magic to begin with.

For me though...I doubt I will ever get over the Magic.

 

[KorieDWnut]

For me, the magic depended in part on the company. My grandparents kinda controlled what we would do and when, and my cousins would always get "sick" when I was young. They would fight and complain and t trips were never much fun. It became soooooo much fun once I started going with my mom and we wouldn't go with the party poopers in our family. Then, it became even more magical once I was able to research and plan the perfect vacation. Now my mom says it will never be as good without me. So sweet and I agree it can only be truly magical with certain people. Age doesn't have anything to do with it for me.

This is exactly why I no longer travel with more than just MY imediate family. We went with my Sis in law and her kids once, and we still had a good time but I felt pressured travelling with others. I just want to do my own thing. No gatherings for us.

 

[Tomh]

Please don't flame me u this is just my opinion:

I think Disney is best enjoyed when you are under 10 and over 21. The in between teenager and tween years I think most kids don't get it because it isn't "cool" to go to WDW with your parents. When you are over 21 you can enjoy the "adult" things about Disney and still be child like when the moment calls for it.

No flames . .. I think it depends a LOT on the kid though!

I have loved Disney World my entire life. I went four times as a kid, the last trip being in 1988 when I was 18, and loved every minute of it.

After that, I wasn't able to go for many years, but I longed to return. In 2008, I finally took my family to Disney World, and we've returned each summer since. I still love it, and am fortunate enough to have a DD16 who also loves it. She has a friend the same age who wound up flying down last summer to meet us there on our first full day, and stay the rest of the trip. She enjoyed it so much that she's going back with us this summer.

I know that I am lucky to have a child that age that still enjoys it, as I am sure there are plenty in that teen range that don't want any part of going to Disney World with their parents!

 

[disneygymmom]

Sadly, my son who is 16 almost 17 refuses to come to WDW with us these days. We could make him, but then he justs ruins everyone elses vacation and we end up fighting. We last had a great trip when he was 14. I think it just depends on the child. Our other two, DS 14 and DD 11, can't get enough.
It breaks my heart a little everytime he doesn't come with us. I feel that his siblings shouldn't have to stop enjoying Disney. So we go once a year and my mom comes to stay with him. I keep hoping someday he will come back around even if it's when he has kids of his own.

 

[Experiment_626]

I'm 43. My first visit to WDW came when the resort had been open less than a year. I don't believe I ever thought the characters were really anything more than people in costumes.

That said, I loved Disney as a kid but I love it much more now. I think I just appreciate the detail -- and the effort, both in creation and daily operation -- behind what we experience when we're there.

Scott

 

[eliza61]

Sadly, my son who is 16 almost 17 refuses to come to WDW with us these days. We could make him, but then he justs ruins everyone elses vacation and we end up fighting. We last had a great trip when he was 14. I think it just depends on the child. Our other two, DS 14 and DD 11, can't get enough.
It breaks my heart a little everytime he doesn't come with us. I feel that his siblings shouldn't have to stop enjoying Disney. So we go once a year and my mom comes to stay with him. I keep hoping someday he will come back around even if it's when he has kids of his own.

Can I ask you a question. Have you ever asked you 16 year old where he would like to vacation?

What I mean, is as much as I love disney, I think people here get sucked into the belief that if you don't go to disney somehow the family vacation is not as "magical".

The first year my now 20 year old suggested doing some thing else I also was a bit sad, like some how his childhood was offically over. Well he wanted to go white water rafting in Yellowstone. If you think wishes is spectacular, it can't hold a candle to the colors of the grand tetons at sunset.
You know what? We had just as "magical time.

Sure there is no place like disney but there is no place like other spots also.

This year we're at disney, next year my kids want to go to London for the olympics (I can only imagine the crowds).

No mouse but lots of magic.

 

[fla4fun]

OP, maybe your 9 year old is financially savvy, and realizes at 10, you'll have to pay more because they won't be a "kid" anymore!

I don't think the magic ever really goes away, but it does morph into different things over the years. I still get really excited when I'm driving in under the welcome signs. I've been told I even walk differently when I'm there (must be some of that pixie dust, lol). But there were times when I was a kid that MK was my favorite park, and as I got older that interest shifted more toward Epcot. Then I went through a Studios phase, and I'm back to Epcot again. It doesn't mean I don't like MK, or that I don't visit, or enjoy the attractions - but Epcot interests me more.

As far as vacationing other places, I agree that it's nice to take a break from the World every so often. I try every two to three years to take a vacation outside of Florida, and I nearly always take a week per year that is in Florida, but not Orlando. There are some times of the year I don't really want to visit Disney (July and August particularly) but I need to use up vacation time - so I have my favorite beaches and places I go when I don't visit the mouse.

 

[jazz0007]

I'm 43 and have been doing Disney since forever. I loved it when I was little. I loved it as a teenager. I worked there in college. I turned my husband on to it when we started dating at 21. Now we BOTH love Disney. We've taken our kids every year of their lives. My daughter is 9 and OBSESSED with Disney. My son loves it too...although not quite as obsessed as her. I hope and pray neither of them ever thinks it's "not cool." It think it's all about the kind of experiences they've had with it already. I do agree we'll do other things as they get older.....but I think we'll have to squeeze the Disney trips in there too!

 

[photo_chick]

Please don't flame me this is just my opinion:

I think Disney is best enjoyed when you are under 10 and over 21. The in between teenager and tween years I think most kids don't get it because it isn't "cool" to go to WDW with your parents. When you are over 21 you can enjoy the "adult" things about Disney and still be child like when the moment calls for it.

I'm not flaming, but I think this totally depends on the person. Some kids do get that I'm too cool thing going on. But I did a lot of stuff with my parent's as a teen and never felt embarrassed or too cool to do it. I liked it when we went places as a family.

My daughter is 11 and still collects autographs from everyone on our trip. She knows what the real deal is with characters, there are no illusions there, but she still likes to meet and talk with them all. I can't see that stopping any time soon. But she's also one of those freakish sixth graders who likes to give her parent's hugs in public. I know not all kids her age are that way. My son is pretty much the same way, he's 8.

 

[BAMLuvMickey]

I started wondering this a few weeks ago when my mom told me that i should plan to take my kids somewhere else because they are TOO OLD for Disney! I can sort of understand my 9 year old, but my 4 year old?!

I also have another boy on the way and it kind of made me think maybe she is right. my oldest has been 3 times and my 4 year old once.
I am sure my oldest won't want to do the whole character thing with us(but i have a feeling he will do it to be a good sport for his brothers) but he LOVES the rides! He still has never been on Space Mountain and asked if we can do a waterpark next time so I think he wont totally lose interest by the time we go next year... She just kind of depressed me. Maybe its because she has never been and doesnt "GET" the "DISNEY MAGIC" even though she loves tinkerbell. if i could afford it, i would pay for her to go with us and maybe then she would understand why i keep going back with my kids every year....

 

[DDM101]

From my experience, it depends on the kid. I tried and tried to make my one and only son a Disney lover from day one. I read stories, played movies, even took him to "the world" many times over the years. He liked Disney, but never LOVED it as I do.

In my opinion, take your kids as often as they are willing (and happy) to go! If financially feasible, of course. Seriously, your daughter wants to have some "magic" before she blossoms into a teen. I think that is sweet. Do what you can.

I am bringing my 17 year-old son and his best friend to disney in a couple of weeks. I know that they will have a great time before they head into their senior year of high school. I'd like to think that the "magic" is still there!