Best Age for a Child's First Visit

[Amy]

I think the best time to take a child is about 4 or 5. Yes, I know they likely won't remember it but YOU will and the joy you have out of that trip will last YOU a lifetime. Few experience's are better than enjoying Disney with your Children for the first time. Plus, you will most likely make later trips and they will remember more and more as they get older.

This is my sentiments as well. I think the best age for a child is when they can walk and talk (especially acknowledge characters). Who knows, maybe it'll be memorable for you?


Though I don't see the harm in taking them if they're 2 and under. Hey, they get in free! Though it can potentially ruin the fun for the parents. If I were a parent and could pawn them off the grandparents I might just do it.

Maybe you should invite the grandparents to come along?!

[TTA Traveler]

I think the best time to take a child is about 4 or 5. Yes, I know they likely won't remember it but YOU will and the joy you have out of that trip will last YOU a lifetime. Few experience's are better than enjoying Disney with your Children for the first time. Plus, you will most likely make later trips and they will remember more and more as they get older.

This is my sentiments as well. I think the best age for a child is when they can walk and talk (especially acknowledge characters). Who knows, maybe it'll be memorable for you?


Though I don't see the harm in taking them if they're 2 and under. Hey, they get in free! Though it can potentially ruin the fun for the parents. If I were a parent and could pawn them off the grandparents I might just do it.

Maybe you should invite the grandparents to come along?!

Then they'll pawn them back on us when they want to do their own thing!

I'll be a bad parent, won't I?

[mindflipper]

Be like my uncle: "My kids will be old enough to go when they can buy their own tickets." And boy, did he stick to that!

[jenko]

I do remember the hotel, it was the Seqouia Lodge hotel, whenever I go back there i remember where I sat and watched dumbo haha! I think the thing with taking them early is they will still always want to go back, and I still do to this day, if you want your kids to be disney nuts like yourself, get them in there early!!

I didn't get to visit that one, but the pictures looked great. Have you been to the Wilderness Lodge at WDW yet? I was wondering how close the two resorts are alike...

I havent actually stayed there since its a bit out of the way and pricey, id rather stay somewhere near epcot for the same price. I have been there on the segway tour though, and i have to say they are similar, and they are based on the same thing i think.

[Polynesian Princess]

Though I don't see the harm in taking them if they're 2 and under. Hey, they get in free! Though it can potentially ruin the fun for the parents. If I were a parent and could pawn them off the grandparents I might just do it.

That's how I look at it for when my husband and I have kids. As I mentioned in my previous post, I would feel differently if we were only going to take the child once or if we lived farther away where we could only make the trip every few years - in those instances it would totally be worth waiting for a better opportunity. But we've been lots of times and are fortunate enough to live close enough that we can manage at least one trip every year (and usually more than that). I'm not going to feel like the trip is ruined because we have to slow down the pace and do different things because of the baby. Not going would be worse than going and only getting 5 rides in on Space Mountain instead of 20. And I'm totally going to beg my parents to tag along for that very reason. Hey, they did it to my grandparents, so it's fair, right?!

[Satchel T]

Any age is good in our book ... its all about the memories!

[rphillips14]

Your Right Satch!!

[lauraarhianne]

I think the best age is 3 upwards....

[MouseMan]

If possible it's best if your wife can give birth to your child on Disney property. I think they are Disney citizens then.
Seriously there is no bad age. My daughter's first visit was when she was 8 months. She doesn't remember a thing, of course, but she loves watching and rewatching the videos of her having a blast in the pool and experiencing everything WDW has to offer for the very first time. And as a parent you see WDW through your kid's eyes and it's equally a mind blowing experience to go through that, and one you WILL remember!
My first visit wasn't until I was 15 and that wasn't with my parents, it was on a high school band trip, so I don't have any early childhood picture or videos. Only three more therapy sessions and I think I'll be ready to forgive my parents that I don't have those pictures.

[Amy]

If possible it's best if your wife can give birth to your child on Disney property. I think they are Disney citizens then.
Seriously there is no bad age. My daughter's first visit was when she was 8 months. She doesn't remember a thing, of course, but she loves watching and rewatching the videos of her having a blast in the pool and experiencing everything WDW has to offer for the very first time. And as a parent you see WDW through your kid's eyes and it's equally a mind blowing experience to go through that, and one you WILL remember!
My first visit wasn't until I was 15 and that wasn't with my parents, it was on a high school band trip, so I don't have any early childhood picture or videos. Only three more therapy sessions and I think I'll be ready to forgive my parents that I don't have those pictures.

Too funny I wonder if you did give birth in the park if you would manage to wrangle a free life-time pass from them?! That would be awesome!
I just saw my piano family that went to DL and DCA a few weeks ago. They also went to Universal and the 16 year liked Universal better

[kellybus]

I think that 4 years old is a perfect age to begin the WDW journey. As they get older it's whole lot of fun!!!!!!