Home At what age for kid's first trip to Disney?

[Haven]

I love reading the anti-Disney and pro-Disney posts!

I've always hated Disney, but my sister LOVES it. So much so that she interned there as a college student, and now works there two weeks a year to keep her employee status current. So when I say she loves Disney, I mean she triple fuzzy heart with a cherry on top LOVES Disney.

So, when DH and I have kids we're just going to bring her along with us so someone will be enthusiastic about our immersion into a plastic world of giant animal nonsense.

As for a good first trip age, I'd say 6 or 7. Kids might have memories of trips taken before that age, but by 6 or 7 they can really interact and get more out of the experience. We went when I was 4 and 5 because we lived in Florida, and I don't remember much from those trips.

 

[TravelingGal]

Haven, Jenn, I wasn't really a Disney fan, but then I went with my niece and nephew (TGuy's sister's kids). Totally different ballgame...

You see it through their eyes, which is at a different level than an adults. With kids, it's really magical. I was just blown away at their wonderment and think it will be amazing watching my old child at Disney.

They pay no attention to the crowds, the lines, the weather. They just see the magic. It's crazy.

 

[partgypsy]

Haven, I know what you mean. I guess I can be both pro and anti Disney. Growing up the most commercial we got regarding vacations was an occasional visit to six flags, or maybe the Dells. I didn't even really go to a fast food restaurant until I got older, because my Dad preferred to frequent single owner restaurants.
My husband's beef is that it is the epitome of "commercial" that he views it as a giant commercial to sell things to kids and also promoting a fakey over the top fantasy world.

So, probably at some points of my life I have been anti-Disney. After having kids and watching the movies with them (including the classics like winnie the pooh, Robin hood, Snow White) I have to admit it was kind of cool to bring them and watch it blow their mind. I probably over-prepared my kids about not asking for stuff and having the gimmies, so they were actually really good about not asking for stuff, to the point in retrospect I wish I had loosened up and got a couple things for them at the time (tiara outside the princess restaurant, splash mountain t-shirt). I ended up literally buying stuff on the last day at the hotel gift shop just to have souveniers for family members and for them because we never got around to going into gift shops.

I think 5 is early enough to remember. We took a ton of pictures and also had a autograph book in which we inserted photos of my daughter with the different characters. Maybe because of the pictures she still remembers and talks about specific things about the trip.

 

[packrat]

I like Disney. JD and I went to Disneyworld for 1 day on our Stupid Honeymoon-Epcot Center, that's all we had time for. But it was so fun! I got my picture taken with the Monkey from Lion King and with GOOFY and I was beyond thrilled. Teary eyed little kid stars in the eyes thrilled. I adore Goofy. We want to wait until Trapper is a little older before we take them, and we would probably do it during the week the school takes off for Spring break b/c Trapper will be in Kindergarten/1st grade by then and I don't want to go during the summer when it's hot. When we talk about taking the kids or look thru our Florida pictures, JD says "How the heck am I going to handle you AND both kids in a place like that?" Bring reinforcements I guess.

 

[Mara]

I'm not a Disney fan at all. I have a friend who went way way over the top with Minnie Mouse and her daughter...the poor kid was like bombarded 24/7 with Disney stuff! I don't think it was an option for her NOT to love it.

But I do like going to Disneyland like every 10 years or so just because it is such a fun and carefree place if you have the right attitude.

Someone else said though that even if the kids don't remember it's partially for the parents to see the look on the LO's face as they just stare around--that is probably why we will go when he's 2-3, even if he won't remember it. And we'll prob take him again when he's 5-6 since it's not a big trip for us...we can drive and do a long wkd.

 

[elrohwen]

My parents took me when I was 5. I don't remember a darn thing except the hotel pool and my mom says I hated the park. Oh well!

I would say wait until at least 5, but since you're local it doesn't matter so much. If you like it, I would go sooner. If you're only going for the kid's sake, wait a few years.

 

[steph72276]

Oh one more tip. Even though it's only a 30 minute drive for us, we still stay at a Disney resort (they give us a FL resident rate) so that we can take a break and let the little one take a long nap during the hottest part of the day so they can stay up late for the fireworks and parade at night.

 

[Shoopy]

Disney holds a special place in my heart. It was the first outing that my mom paid for on her own for my brothers and I after my dad passed away. It was the first time I saw her smile when my brothers were having fun instead of cry at the thought of what my dad was missing out.

That and I hardly every pay to get in I know soooo many people that work there so we either get in to all 4 parks for dirt cheap (usually $30 per person for a park hoppers pass) or for free. One cousin is a General Manager at one of the restaurants and the other is a chef for another restaurant so discounted food

 

[swingirl]

Anything before 5 they probably won't remember. We waited because I wanted my kids to be done with naps, done with strollers, remember the experience, stay up late enough to see the night show and have the patience to wait in long lines. 8-10 yrs for us. I am glad I didn't rush it.

 

[pennquaker09]

My stepmom invited us to Disney World this summer, but we ended up not going because everyone was like wait until they're like 5. Like, Savannah wouldn't have been able to go to the Princess lunch, and I want her to remember things like that.

 

[AmberWaves]

Disneyland also holds a special place for us (we were passholders before we had the baby), we even got engaged there. For all the milestones (engaged, married, baby) we get ornaments for that occasion while we're there. We're Disney nerds. So, we are taking P when she turns a year (which is also the day before Thanksgiving, so we'll probably wait a week or a few days since that's typically the slowest week at Disney, the one after Thanksgiving) so we can get a good picture for our Christmas cards, and just enjoy the "Happiest Place on Earth" during what is IMO the most wonderful time there- the holiday season. In CA we don't have the inclement weather and it'll most likely be a short trip since she goes to bed at 7:30, but it's important to ME that we do something as a family to celebrate her first birthday, and she's already a fan of music and bright lights that I feel we can't go too wrong, and who cares if she doesn't remember it later, since we're local and we'll have many more chances to experience it (and hey, the lack of memory = us getting to see her face light up anew until she starts to remember)!

Question for people who have taken infants/one year olds to Disney (DW or DL): which rides can they go on?

 

[ForteKitty]

Peter pan, Dumbo, the Carousel, and Mickey & Minnit's house in Disneyland, and if you go to Cali. Adv, there's the Bug Land w/a bunch of kiddie stuff like the disney channel shows w/ ollie and bear and others.

Snow white, Pinocchio, and Mr. Toad may be kinda scary... heck they still scare me now!

 

[Ninna]

My Mother still loves Disney I think my oldest was 4 when first visited, I find some characters weird and do not recall buying any of them for my kids, just not my thing.
I also find Magic Kingdom much better than the original park in CA. Older Kids can visit the hall of presidents in liberty square and do some real nimal petting or take a safari tour..plus, their musicals are Broadway style, big difference! I find October to be the best time of year [and visit Mom] with great weather, less crowds and good deals. Mondays are packed though

 

[qtiekiki]

Reporting back after taking Meena (2 yrs old) and Jaron (6 months old). We went on a total of 4 rides between the two parks (Disneyland and CA Adventure). It was really packed being the last part of summer vacation and all, so we didn't bother waiting in line for a lot of rides. Our main thing was actually to see the characters since Meena loves watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and the Pixar movies. So we went to Mickey and Minnie's house, and also saw Pluto and Goofy in ToonTown. She hugged and kissed Mickey and Pluto, but got scared by Goofy. M was really in awe while on the It's a Small World ride. She was trying to take in everything; it was very cute. She really likes the parade in CA Adventure, seeing Buzz, Woody, McQueen, and Mater. The other rides we rode on were Dumbo (only M and DH), Monsters, Inc, and Toy Story.

Amber
You can take Piper to most of the rides, just not the rides with height requirement. You just carry her on you laps.

 

[curlygirl]

I'm firmly in the "NEVER" camp but we've become such a Disney household lately (Mickey and Minnie,Tinkerbell, Snow White, Little Mermaid, Cinderella and every other princess known to man) so I'm guessing it will have to happen one day when my kids actually learn that these places exist! My in-laws go every year with my SIL, BIL and their kids and they have an amazing time. My MIL has even offered to take my kids without me and DH when we're ready to send them off and we may take them up on that one day although like TGal mentioned, it would be really special to see it through their eyes. My biggest issue is that it would be a plane trip for us to either Disneyland or Disney World (I'd actually prefer the cross country trip to Disneyland over the 2 hour flight to Orlando) and it's so freaking expensive once you get there that I'd rather take a real trip to Europe! All that being said, I would guess around age 5 and up would be the right time if we really have to go.

 

[snlee]

QT, disney for free! lucky! sounds like you guys had fun.

DH wants to wait until the kids are around 3 and 5 to make our first trip.

 

[icekid]

I agree that Disney is just like Christmas; best appreciated through the eyes of a child. That said, I did enjoy Disney myself as a kid and look forward to taking my still baking little man- and probably before (and after) he can remember the experience. We'll just make sure to take plenty of photos.