Whens old enough??

[royal99]

Hi

After visiting the great orlando over many years my last visit was 3 years back and I am itching to get back. Although now I have my own little family its going be a few yeas until I do return as I want them to be old enough to appreciate the whole thing.

So question for people with kids what age do you think is the youngest you and your children can get something out of an orlando holiday. I know of two people that have taken them at 1 and 18 months and actually wished their had held off for a year or two, but i have read others on here who have had successful trips of little ones below 2?

Interested to hear your experiences and if you made right choice or wished you had held off a little?

 

[Disneynutinlondon]

The 1st time we went the boys were 2 and 4 and when we go on Friday they will be 14 and 16 and still very much enjoying it.

When they were young our trips were structured differently to the trips now. DH and I are fairly laid back so when the kids were small we used buggies and let the boys sleep in them when they wanted to and all our home routine was set aside.

I would say they certainly enjoyed themselves as we have many photos of them smiling and laughing and lots of video of them interacting with the characters and just enjoying the little things like playing in the water spout areas. Having said that how much of that time they remember I wouldn't like to say but DH and I have enjoyed having the holidays with them and experiencing Disney with them differently as they grow up.

 

[wayneg]

Started taking our Son aged 3, now just gone 18. In between he has been 27 times. There were many things for him to do at all ages, I wouldn't hesitate taking any aged child.
If it was a once in a life time trip and no chance of ever returning then I don't know, that would be very difficult to say.

 

[wilma-bride]

I suspect you will get all kinds of different answers here. We didn't take our DS until he was 6 - for us, that was the age that we felt he was up to being out of his routine, could cope with the long flight and would be up to staying up a bit later at night. He did cope very well (better than I expected) and it was a great age for him in terms of character interaction and enjoyment of the parks. That's not to say it's the ideal age but it was the right age for him.

I think it all really depedns on how well youre child/ren will adjust to changes in routine, the journey, being in the parks for long hours and all sorts of other considerations. Also, how well you as parents will cope. For us, going while Daniel was still in nappies was never an option. We wanted as little to worry about as possible in terms of additional paraphernalia. Everyone is different - every child and every parent. You can only really judge for yourself.

Wayne is right, though, when he says that there really is something for every age.

 

[joolz1910]

We decided to take ours for the first time this year - they will be 12, 8 and 5. I think there will be something for all of them to enjoy. Up until this year, we have taken our Disney fix at DLP. For us this is the trip of a lifetime, so I wanted all of them to be old enough to remember it.

I am already thinking that in another 3/4 years, they will all be old enough to enjoy the other Florida parks like Universal....

 

[london75]

Both of ours went before 9 months and again before 2 and loved it. It is a different trip and I'd only recommend if you plan on going back at least a couple more times.

If for some bonkers reason you only plan 1 dream trip ever ever then wait.

I would say my 6 year old is well aware that the cinderella isn't the real cinderella which doesn't compare to the magic when she was 4 and thought they were all real!! For that reason I wouldn't leave it too late, there is so much to do even without the bigger rides.

 

[dixonsontour]

We took DD when she was 22 months.

But stayed in a villa and had a very relaxed holiday.

Did MK, MVMCP partyx 2, beach, bok tower and kennedy space centre, Celebration and shopping.

We have lovely memories and photos/video (DD also came down with chickenpox and we had to stay an extra week!)

We used to go to Florida before DD and knew we would be back - DD is 6 and next month will be her 6th trip. If it was a once in a lifetime trip doing all the parks then I would have waited til she was older.

 

[luke]

We are takin our son on a cruise and wdw stay next Easter when he will be 9 months

 

[catherine]

We took our eldest DD for the first time when she was 18 months and then our youngest DD had her first trip when she was 6 months. They obviously don't remember the trips, but they both got a lot out of the experiences as far as their brains being stimulated and had advanced so much in such a short period of time. We also have great photos of them growing up at the parks!

 

[misspickle]

first time i took my boys they were 14mths and 6 years old the 14 mth had a ball! your experiencing a totally different kind of holiday if you know what i mean.
It was nice to take him back when he was 6 he loved every minute of it, it was like he had never been

 

[Elise79]

I agree with everything Wilma said - it depends on the child and the parents

We took DD for the first time age 9 months and like a lot of the other kids on here has now clocked a fair few airmiles When we go in December DD will be 4 1/2 and it will be her 9th visit.

We don't regret any of them and she has had a different experience every time. As a baby she was very laid back had no issues with being out of routine or the late nights as long as she had her naps.

Even this year when she had just had her 4th birthday still no issues around routines or late nights even when she missed her naps! She is a great traveller and loves people - a lot of which I am sure is to do with her coming to Disney with us.

At no time was it ever a consideration not to take her - we need our family time and Florida is the only place we want to go

 

[madmumof2]

I agree if you're only planning on going the once I'd leave it until they can remember it.

If not then any age! My two eldest first went at 6 and 3. This was the perfect age for us as they both were completely in awe of everything, believed the magic, believed the characters were real and it was so magical.

Now the older two are 9 and 6 and again it's the perfect age, they get to go on the 'big' rides they didn't get to last time, experience more things than they could last time, swim with dolphins etc. I will also have a 23 month old going on his first trip. Our next trip will probably be when they are 12, 9 and 5 and again that will be the perfect age for a whole load of other reasons

Unless you're only going the once I don't like the argument that they won't remember it so it's pointless taking them before the age of 7 ish. My 23 month old won't remember anything we do now, reading books, going to the park, playing in the bath etc that doesn't mean we shouldn't do it, or that he won't enjoy it.

He won't remember this trip but this won't be his last and he will be in sheer awe like my older two on their first trip and the lights and colours and atmosphere.

There is something to do for any age from baby to elderly, it's down to choice and opportunity when and how often you go

 

[wideeyes]

I plan on taking my 3 month old next year when she will be 15 months old. I have no idea what it will be like or if it is a good age to take her. Part of the reason i plan on going next year is my other daughter will be 11 and growing up and want a trip before she's a teenager. I hope to go again when she is 4 though.

 

[madmumof2]

We took DD when she was 22 months.

But stayed in a villa and had a very relaxed holiday.

Did MK, MVMCP partyx 2, beach, bok tower and kennedy space centre, Celebration and shopping.

We have lovely memories and photos/video (DD also came down with chickenpox and we had to stay an extra week!)

We used to go to Florida before DD and knew we would be back - DD is 6 and next month will be her 6th trip. If it was a once in a lifetime trip doing all the parks then I would have waited til she was older.

We're in a villa too this year to make it easier on my 23 month old and so we have more privacy, and of course our own pool!

 

[royal99]

Great reply's everyone, think the plan would definitely be that it wont be a once in a lifetime so as you said any age would be great just a different experience. Also seems for the early ages villas get a big vote ( shame the mother sold hers :-()

Think we would take grandparents so the big rides could be done. Remind me is it both disney and universal that do baby swap?

 

[PJB71]

Two of my DDs have both been around 9months when they 1st went & looooved every minute of it.

I think children get something special out of it whatever age they are starting with the characters, progressing to the rides then onto the shopping&food

We have always stayed in a villa as that's what we prefer

 

[Wills Mom]

We're going next May and DS will be 14 months. I'm hoping for the best and preparing for the worst lol. It won't be a "trip of a lifetime" for us so I'm not worried about him not remembering it, I'm bringing him for selfish reasons - firstly so I can experience Disney in a whole new way through his eyes and secondly so I can go cause I'm totally strung out The way I see it is that its a completely personal decision as to when to bring your kids! Best of luck deciding when to go

 

[higgy66]

EVERY age is perfect for Disney - that's what makes it so perfect

The first time we took our DD's they were 5 & 4 and they loved every minute. We did test them out the year before at DLRP as I wasn't sure what they would make of the Characters etc.

If I had found this board first I wouldn't have bothered and taken them straight to Florida!

As for remembering you can't go wrong now with Camcorders. My two still laugh about DLRP when they 4 & 3 but these are memories from the camcorder with their own feelings added

As long as it's not a once in a life time and you can afford it I'd take them from 6 months! The only reason I don't say earlier is that I wouldn't have been awake!!

 

[Elise79]

Great reply's everyone, think the plan would definitely be that it wont be a once in a lifetime so as you said any age would be great just a different experience. Also seems for the early ages villas get a big vote ( shame the mother sold hers :-()

Think we would take grandparents so the big rides could be done. Remind me is it both disney and universal that do baby swap?

We have always stayed onsite with DD - first at CSR then we bought DVC.

We have taken the grandparents and been just the 3 of us and TBH much prefer it when it was just the 3 of us! We just use baby swap for the big rides

We have only done Disney & Seaworld since having DD - Universal can wait till she is older and can ride everything to make the extra costs worth it

 

[madmumof2]

Great reply's everyone, think the plan would definitely be that it wont be a once in a lifetime so as you said any age would be great just a different experience. Also seems for the early ages villas get a big vote ( shame the mother sold hers :-()

Think we would take grandparents so the big rides could be done. Remind me is it both disney and universal that do baby swap?

It is