Best Age for First Child's Trip????????????

jd3921fl · Post by **jd3921fl** » Jul Mon 17, 2006 1:09 pm

Anyone have thoughts on the appropriate age for a child's first trip to Disney? What age is just right to have a good time for that first visit?

GoofyInOhio · Post by **GoofyInOhio** » Jul Mon 17, 2006 1:24 pm

Alright well my first thought is as soon as they are allowed to fly!

We took our daughter when she was 2 and 3 and had a blast. She won't remember, but we sure will.

Now for them to be able to do most of the stuff I would wait until they were at least 6-7 years old (Height Restrictions and whatnot). Somewhere in this time frame is when they will remember the World when they get older.

JMO.

Post by **js3901** » Jul Mon 17, 2006 1:49 pm

I believe there is already a thread open on this very subject. I think it's under the Disneyland forum. I'll search when I get home.

Mr.ToadWildRider · Post by **Mr.ToadWildRider** » Jul Mon 17, 2006 6:03 pm

As GoofyInOhio pointed out bringing a child at 2-3 would be good for your memories but not theirs. I think probably 5+ if you want them to really remember it.

mickster68 · Post by **mickster68** » Jul Mon 17, 2006 7:43 pm

Our guys were 4 and 2-1/2 their first visit, and they had a great time, but it was their second visit at ages 6 and 4-1/2 that they still talk about. They remember almost everything about the trip. It was great because they could ride just about everything, we weren't toting diaper bags, etc., and they still believe all those great characters are REAL!

jbvenn · Post by **jbvenn** » Jul Mon 17, 2006 9:11 pm

My kids are Disney babies -- both went for the first time before they were 2. It was wonderful. There was no pressure to do lots of rides, but we were able to do a lot of our favorites, like Pirates and the MK railroad. And they adored the monorail. They were enchanted by the sights, sounds, characters -- it was magical. We also spent quiet time at the resort pool.

As for not remembering... if you take lots of pictures and video like we did, chances are they'll have a blast watching themselves years from now. My kids (18 and 16) love looking at pictures and videos of all our trips over the years.

My feeling is, if you go with realistic expectations, it's never too early to go to WDW.

jd3921fl · Post by **jd3921fl** » Jul Tue 18, 2006 8:31 am

Good thoughts. Thanks

SimonTemplar · Post by **SimonTemplar** » Jul Tue 18, 2006 11:21 am

My son had been three times by the age of three and a half and believe it or not, he still remembers a few things from that last time. He's 9 now, so I'm really looking forward to this next trip. It should be perfect for our daughter as well, who is now 5.

I would agree with the thought that when they're really young, the memories are more for you than them. But hey, it's never too early to start them at WDW.

Post by **addlema** » Jul Tue 18, 2006 2:44 pm

We are taking my son this christmas.. It will be his first Christmas and his first Disney trip. It will also be the first time my imediate family and my wife's imediate family will be in Disney together..

Logan will only be 7 months (almost 8) at the time of this trip. We have realistic expectations, however, we couldn't think of a better place we wanted to spend his first Christmas. There will be multiple camera's and video devices going the whole trip.

I'm excited

Jacca5660 · Post by **Jacca5660** » Jul Tue 18, 2006 3:23 pm

orginally posted by jbvenn,

There was no pressure to do lots of rides, but we were able to do a lot of our favorites, like Pirates and the MK railroad. And they adored the monorail. They were enchanted by the sights, sounds, characters -- it was magical. We also spent quiet time at the resort pool.

As for not remembering... if you take lots of pictures and video like we did, chances are they'll have a blast watching themselves years from now

I agree.

Well in our house ANY age is the right age! My DS #1 was 7 the first time we took him.DS#2 was 6 mths old the first time DW took him.She has years of video and pictures that the kids like to watch.They're 13 and 12 now.DS #2 remembers from around age 4 and up.

Between the ages 4 and 8 is really magical because all the charaters ARE REAL to little ones!

reinstructor · Post by **reinstructor** » Jul Thu 20, 2006 11:08 am

My DS and DDIL are taking their little one in November. She will be less than 6 months. They won't spend a lot of time in the parks, my DS has a conference that he is going to be attending. They would spend more time in the parks if we went with them.

jrcohen · Post by **jrcohen** » Jul Thu 20, 2006 3:14 pm

My family took my brother and I for the first time when we were 4 and 6. I remember bits and pieces but to tell you the truth, I'm not sure if it's that I actually remember, or I've just seen it on video.

AKLRULZ · Post by **AKLRULZ** » Jul Fri 21, 2006 8:36 pm

We began taking our kids at age 2 - they've grown up knowing Disney is just a part of life. The dynamics of a trip with really young kids is much different that with our kids now that they're a bit older - take a million photos because the time passes by quickly!

DaWhoLaGn · Post by **DaWhoLaGn** » Jul Mon 31, 2006 3:18 pm

My daughter was three when we first took her. She loved it and a year later is begging to go back again. My wife was not too pleased when I first started setting up the trip because she was afraid that at three years of age, we were shelling out a lot of cash on a trip that she was afraid would be forgotten. After admitting that it was "I" who really wanted to go and I also wanted to share the magic with my daughter, the battle was over.

Anyways, I taped most of the big events so that we would always have something to remember the trip by; but even without the tape... my daughter has never been the same since. Instead her dollhouse being just a house, she now insists it's Cinderella's castle. She used to take my hand and walk me to part of the house and pretend that we were walking to an imaginary swimming pool. Now she says we're on our way to go ride Dumbo or It's a Small world... again.

Of course a lot will depend on the child and even the adults! But the Disney experience that I was able to share with my dughter will never be forgotten; by any of us.

knedeau · Post by **knedeau** » Aug Wed 09, 2006 9:01 am

DaWhoLaGn wrote: my daughter has never been the same since. Instead her dollhouse being just a house, she now insists it's Cinderella's castle. She used to take my hand and walk me to part of the house and pretend that we were walking to an imaginary swimming pool. Now she says we're on our way to go ride Dumbo or It's a Small world... again.

That is the BOMB! I can't wait to have kids to bring to Disney! How great is that?!?!? ::sigh::

DaWhoLaGn wrote: But the Disney experience that I was able to share with my dughter will never be forgotten; by any of us.

That's the BEST reason to bring them!