# Whats the best/earliest age  for disney



## chellej (Jun 11, 2011)

We took our kids to Disney numerous times when they were little.  The first time they were 2, 5 and 7.   The 5 and 7 year old definitely enjoyed everything... the 2 year old enjoyed it but not like the older 2.

I am thinking about when to plan a trip for our new grandson (only tuggers would understand this)  but want to wait until he is really going to enjoy it.

What is the optimum age, 4-5?


----------



## puppymommo (Jun 11, 2011)

We first took DD to Disneyland when she was 2 years old.  She loved it but was also a little scared. Because we lived in the area, we went several times a year when she was 2-4 years old.  She really loved it, especially Fantasyland, and we enjoyed the parades and live shows.

The only downside is that she remembers little about those trips.  So I would say 4-5 years old is a great time and hopefully he will have some good memories!


----------



## Nancy (Jun 11, 2011)

I personally think 5.

Nancy


----------



## glypnirsgirl (Jun 11, 2011)

I vote for 5 also. 

They are old enough to walk on their own. They can somewhat distinguish between fantasy and reality. And at the same time, they are young enough to still be AMAZED so that it is really enjoyable to watch their reactions.

elaine


----------



## Sea Six (Jun 11, 2011)

I also agree with 5.  We took our 4 year old, and we were surprised at how many things he was afraid of (including Daisy Duck, and the Pirate image projected on the smoke screen on Pirates of the Carribean).  He did love Playhouse Disney and Handy Manny! I don't understand the people carrying around infants.


----------



## Ridewithme38 (Jun 11, 2011)

I went at 11, i remember it being very hot...but not much else

I plan to go again in about 5-6 years at 35...with a 5yr old and an 10-11yr old...Going as a parent...I'd say that's the best age to go...the age of parenthood


----------



## chellej (Jun 11, 2011)

Thanks guys....you confirmed what I was kind of thinking.

I remember that first trip carrying my 2 yo as he slept.... it wasn't much fun for me.


----------



## BevL (Jun 11, 2011)

My grandson went to Disneyland last year for his fifth birthday - with his mom, not us, to Disneyland.  

He loved it and still talks about.  He went hard all day but slept like a rock every night, so it was great.

Our other little man turned two in April - definitely hoping we get in on his first Disney trip.


----------



## mecllap (Jun 11, 2011)

My DGS (grandson) was 13 months -- have some priceless pictures.  It's fun to compare photos in similar places as he grows (he'll turn 12 on our trip this summer).  Of course, he doesn't remember that first trip, but his Mom and I do, and I think it helped establish his love of Disney.  There were definitely things that he enjoyed at that age, which was fun to see.  And there were times he was tired and cranky, and we took breaks (you do want to keep it a fun experience, not a nightmare).  But, I'm a "start 'em young" person, if going to WDW and DLR is something you enjoy (my first trip was DL when I was about 12 --have loved it ever since).  Probably the main things I like about the whole thing is the exposure to imagination,  creativity, and thought, and the beauty (as well as the downright fun) -- and I think the more kids are exposed to lots of different experiences the better.  (I was taught once in a Psych class that kids learn something like 75 to 80% of everything they will ever learn by the time they're 5 [which includes major stuff like talking and walking] -- so the earlier the better).

But, if you expect them to remember it on their own (no photos and retelling of stories) -- then the age might be 8-10 or so (I have few memories before school days, but I do have a few).


----------



## brigechols (Jun 11, 2011)

Our twins first experienced DisneyWorld and Universal Studios at 2.5 and DisneyLand at 3. It's a different experience with younger children. If you stick to rides (It's a Small World) and attractions (Playhouse Disney) they enjoy, take or rent a stroller, and stick with their nap schedule, it can be a great trip.


----------



## alwysonvac (Jun 11, 2011)

JMHO...

*The perfect age is* whatever age the child is familiar with disney characters.
NOTE: Some young children might be frighten by some of the dark rides. So it's best to avoid those rides otherwise they may not want to try anything else.

*The perfect trip is *the age where the child can meet the minimum number of hours the adults requires them to stay at the park.
Park Tickets are expensive and some adults refuse to leave until they get their money's worth which can range from 4hrs, 6hrs, 8hrs or from opening to closing. If you're traveling with an adult that refuses to go home early for whatever reason, it's best to either make arrangements so you can leave the park separately or wait until the child is much older 10+ old if they're going to stay for a very long time.
NOTE: My brother-in-law, it the type that would prefer to arrive before the park opens and leave when the park closes. LOL, for that reason, we refuse to leave him in the park with my niece until she's much older.

ALMOST TWO YEARS OLD
The first time I took my niece she was almost 2 years old. We discovered during a SeaWorld visit that she wasn't afraid of the large characters that greeted the guests. It was the perfect time for her. She was very familiar with the Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Pooh & friends. Because she was so young I knew I wasn't going to stay at the park for long. So me, my sister and my niece drove from Carlsbad to Anaheim. We spent around four hours at Disneyland. Our main purpose was to visit the characters. We only rode one ride during that visit (Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh). 
My niece absolutely loves Mickey. She has several tapes and DVDs. She even had a Mickey doll that she spotted in a bin full of miscellaneous dolls while shopping with her mom at Toy R' Us. Her visit with Mickey was priceless. As soon as we walked into the room with Mickey, she wanted to get down from her mother's arms to greet him. We had to hold her back until it was her turn (see photos below). 




















THREE YEARS OLD
Her next trip was at age three. I did an overnight trip with just me and my niece just before the XMAS holidays. We stayed in a studio at Disney's Animal kingdom Lodge. We both loved it. She talked about the trip for months afterwards. We spent the 1st day at the lodge. We did crafts, the playground, dined at Mara's watching old Disney cartoons, shopped at store (Zawadi Marketplace) and participated in the musical instrument parade in the lobby. We spent the next day at Magic kingdom. We did dumbo, carousel, Mickey's PhilharMagic, character greetings with Cinderella's fairy godmother, stepmother and stepsisters, minnie's house, Donald's Boat and Toon Park , the afternoon parade, Storytime with Belle (my niece got a chance to participate in the story), and the early evening fireworks (just before we had to leave the park because of Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party). She also took a nap in her stroller during the afternoon while we were at the park. 




















My niece, now almost 7 years old, has been back to DisneyWorld several times since then. Of course she doesn't remember these earlier visits but I'll always have fond memories and of course lots of photos.


----------



## lll1929 (Jun 11, 2011)

I would say 5 - 7 yrs old.  I have done the disney cruise and disney world.   It really depends on the child.


----------



## Dori (Jun 12, 2011)

I think that 4 or 5 would be a good age to visit Disney. We took our granddaughter to Sea World last February when she was just over 2. The slower pace and upclose encounters with the  sea creatures was very exciting for her. She also loved Busch Gardens, with all its animals. When she is a little older, we will do the Magic Kingdom. I have a feeling that Mommy and Daddy will want to do this when they come for a visit in February.

Dori


----------



## glypnirsgirl (Jun 12, 2011)

alwaysonvacation --- those pictures are precious! From her outstretched arms in the first picture, you can tell that your niece is very outgoing and somewhat fearless! 

Some of the determination of what is the right age depends on the child. A child that is outgoing and fearless will probably enjoy WDW from a much younger age than shyer, more reticent children.

And you bring up an important distinction: if you are going to be able to do WDW on a regular basis, ie every two or three years, then ANY age is a great age. After all, as you say, you get to enjoy the memories of that young age even if the child cannot remember.

I took my somewhat shy and fearful child to WDW at about 5 for his first trip. He was AFRAID of the characters until we got to the character breakfast at Ohana. That character breakfast featured Chip and Dale. For some reason, all the other characters had frightened him, until he got to see Chip and Dale. Once he saw and then interacted with them, he was good to go on the rest of the characters. 

On his second trip, about 6, he was all into the characters. For the next several trips, he became very character oriented. He wanted autographs, pictures, etc. Up until about 9, WDW was about the characters and the shows. 

elaine


----------



## chriskre (Jun 12, 2011)

We took my nephew for the first time when he was 4 years old and it was quite the experience.  Because his grandfather built up the trip so much with anticipation, he got so excited that he got the poopies.  

He was also scared of some of the characters.  He pulled Tiggers tail which didn't go over too well with Tigger.  

We stayed at Fort Wilderness since this was a pre DVC trip and he enjoyed Ft. Wilderness more than he enjoyed the parks.


----------



## vacationhopeful (Jun 12, 2011)

chriskre said:


> ... he got so excited that he got the poopies.



My 10 yo nephew got an upset/quesy stomach and stayed at grandparents' house this spring while his mom and a older brother went to WDW for the day. He would have been ok IF they were staying closer and for several days - he does NOT do change real well.


----------



## rickandcindy23 (Jun 12, 2011)

alwaysonvac, adorable pictures.  

We loved taking Evelyn to see the characters at 19 months, then again at nearly three.  She loved every character and knew them all.  Playhouse Disney was one of her favorites, along with the Mermaid show.  She paid no attention at the Beauty at the Beast show the first trip, because she made friends of some older kids nearby.  She is a very social girl.

The rides were so much fun with her, too.  We are going again in November with our granddaughter again, who will be nearly five, and our grandson, who will be a month short of 2.  They will be perfect for Disneyworld.  

Our grandkids aren't whiny, and our daughter and son-in-law know when enough is enough before they get grouchy and need naps.  Oliver will sleep soundly after a long morning and lunch.


----------



## chriskre (Jun 12, 2011)

rickandcindy23 said:


> .
> 
> Our grandkids aren't whiny, and our daughter and son-in-law know when enough is enough before they get grouchy and need naps.  Oliver will sleep soundly after a long morning and lunch.



Smart kids.  Naps are essential to a successful trip with little ones.  That's why staying onsite is almost essential to a successful Disney trip IMO, even if it costs more.


----------



## alwysonvac (Jun 12, 2011)

I agree with the statements above that it really depends on the child and how often you plan to visit. These are very important factors to consider. 

Also, I think that character meals are a great way to get the kids to warm up to the characters. In the past, I've kicked off our DisneyWorld trip with my nieces and nephews by starting off with a character breakfast meal on the very first day. 

NOTE: It wasn't until my niece was six years (last year) that she rode the dark rides in Fantasyland (Peter Pan's Flight & Snow White's Scary Adventures).

FOUR YEARS OLD 
At four years old, my niece still loved Mickey & Minnie but she was very excited about meeting the princesses. She had met them before but of course didn't remember the earlier visits. At age four, there was much more dialogue with the princesses than her earlier visits. The princesses were very sweet with her. They all complemented her on her top with the disney princesses. For her, age four was the perfect age for the princesses.


----------



## alwysonvac (Jun 12, 2011)

*There's also an advantage with waiting until they're older.*

For those not planning to take the kids as often, there is an advantage with waiting until they're older.

ALMOST 11 YEARS OLD
After I bought DVC in 2004, I took my nephew on his first trip to DisneyWorld. It was a great age for him because he was tall enough (so we didn't have the height restrictions), old enough not to be afraid of trying a ride and also old enough to stay up to watch the evening fireworks/shows.
We all had a wonderful time. Because of his age, we were able to cover all 4 parks plus Disneyquest and one waterpark during our week long stay. We also saw all of the evening fireworks/shows at Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and EPCOT.
At the time I wasn't quite sure if I would be able to take him again so we covered everything. He's been back several more times since then.


----------



## MichaelColey (Jun 12, 2011)

The perfect age is ANYTIME.

The first time we went, our kids were 2 (almost) and 4 1/2.  They had a blast.  Our daughter rode her first roller coaster (Goofy's Barnstormer), and I took a video of her (I was in the car in front, and turned around with the camera).  You can watch the video and see the exact point in the video where she went from being a regular kid to a thrill junkie.  She loved it!

On our second trip, they were 3 and 5.  They got to ride a lot more.

On our third trip, they were 4 and 6, and my wife was pregnant with #3.

On our last FIVE trips (within the past 9 months), they were roughly 5-13 months, 5 and 7-8.  Of course the little one doesn't get much out of it, but he's a trooper.  The older two are old pros now.  Grace (now 5) can (and does) ride EVERYTHING now (Rock 'n' Roller Coaster and Expedition Everest are her favorites) and Gabriel (now 8) can tell you how to get between any two rides, which park each ride is in, how busy each ride is at different times of the day, how they do a lot of things (he loves watching behind the scenes videos and reading books about Disney) and tons of trivia.  On one day, we hit rope drop at Magic Kingdom, came back for lunch, a nap and dinner, then went back for the evening and Extra Magic Hours (through 2am!).  The 1 year old lasted until 1am.  The other two were still going strong at 2am.  As we were walking down Main Street to leave about 2:15am, I jokingly pointed out that rope drop was less than 7 hours away and asked if they would be ready.  They both enthusiastically said they would be.  (And we were pretty close!)

We're ready to go back!


----------



## alwysonvac (Jun 13, 2011)

> On our last FIVE trips (within the past 9 months), they were roughly 5-13 months, 5 and 7-8.  Of course the little one doesn't get much out of it, but he's a trooper.  The older two are old pros now.  Grace (now 5) can (and does) ride EVERYTHING now (Rock 'n' Roller Coaster and Expedition Everest are her favorites) and Gabriel (now 8) can tell you how to get between any two rides, which park each ride is in, how busy each ride is at different times of the day, how they do a lot of things (he loves watching behind the scenes videos and reading books about Disney) and tons of trivia.



Wow.... thanks for sharing.

For Grace, did the transition to the thrill rides occurred during last FIVE trips (within the past 9 months)? I definitely think kids get more courage with each new ride and each new trip. 

Eventhough my niece has been back almost every year, we don't go to the parks everyday with my niece. Last summer we stayed onsite at Kidani Village but only spent one day in the park and we only stayed for 5 hours.

My niece didn't ride Goofy's Barnstormer until she was 4 years and LOL, even then I wasn't too thrilled about the idea. She rode with her father. She came off the ride talking a mile a minute about how crazy that ride was and illustrating the dips and turns. It was too funny. I asked her if she was scared. She said a little but she rode it again. :rofl:


----------



## MichaelColey (Jun 13, 2011)

alwysonvac said:


> For Grace, did the transition to the thrill rides occurred during last FIVE trips (within the past 9 months)? I definitely think kids get more courage with each new ride and each new trip.


Nope, every trip (even the first several, which were one year apart), she was excited to try the new ones.  I think several things helped.

First, she wants to do everything her big brother does.  She's actually even more of a thrill junkie than he is.  He wouldn't do Tower of Terror, Dinosaur, or a couple of the other rides for a year or two while she would.  Now, they both do everything.  And they want to do them together.  On most of the rides, they ride together and I'm the one that gets paired up with a single rider.  

Second, we never told her the rides were scary (in words OR in facial expressions).  Just fun.  Kids pick up on their parents' worries.  If you're worried that they'll think something is scary, they pick up on that and worry too.

Third, we never forced her or pressured her.  We let her choose her own pace.

She started with the small stuff (Goofy's Barnstormer), and as she grew on each trip, she gradually worked her way up.  She typically did each new one enough times that she was totally comfortable with it and enjoying it, well before our trip was over.

But the switch to Thrill Junkie happened entirely on our first trip, on her first roller coaster ride.  Here's the video.  You can see she's happy and smiling at first (her normal self) then looks a little concerned after the ride starts, and then a few seconds later the look changes to pure joy for the remainder of the ride.  That's when she became a thrill junkie, and she's been that way about every single ride she's even been on since then.  It's just been reinforced with each new ride.  

8 months later (at 2 years, 8 months), she taught herself to swim and was able to jump off the diving board and swim to the side.  Video here.  She knows no fear.


----------



## jlp879 (Jun 13, 2011)

Definitely it depends on your child's temperament, but I'd say 6 - 8 are the best ages to appreciate all that is available.  

One of my daughters loved thrill rides when she was too small to even ride them while my 10 year daughter old still won't ride the dark rides like Snow White's Scary Adventures or Pinocchio's Daring Journey.  

I have an 8 year old who is afraid of fast-moving rides, and his older sisters had to bribe him to go on Splash Mountain.  When he was much younger, he was even afraid of the characters.


----------



## dmbrand (Jun 13, 2011)

I will also vote for 5-7 years of age.  We took our children first when they were 5 & 7; no diapers/strollers/naps/crying.  And everything was magical to them!

Then we took them at 10 & 12.  This was really fun.  We had a "length of stay" pass.  They could really keep up with us all day.  We would go to a water park during the day, and then a theme park(or two) after that.  Good memories!


----------



## glypnirsgirl (Jun 13, 2011)

MichaelColey said:


> Nope, every trip (even the first several, which were one year apart), she was excited to try the new ones.  I think several things helped.
> 
> First, she wants to do everything her big brother does.  She's actually even more of a thrill junkie than he is.  He wouldn't do Tower of Terror, Dinosaur, or a couple of the other rides for a year or two while she would.  Now, they both do everything.  And they want to do them together.  On most of the rides, they ride together and I'm the one that gets paired up with a single rider.
> 
> ...



Love the videos! I especially love the swimming video where she waves mom's help away and says, "I want to do that again." She is so little to be so courageous!

elaine


----------



## alwysonvac (Jun 14, 2011)

alwysonvac said:


> For Grace, did the transition to the thrill rides occurred during last FIVE trips (within the past 9 months)? I definitely think kids get more courage with each new ride and each new trip.



Sorry, I meant Space Mountain, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, Tower of Terror, Expedition Everest and Dinosaur when I said "thrill rides" above. How old was she when she first rode these?

In the next couple of years, she'll probably be bored with the rides at DisneyWorld and be ready to move onto  bigger and better rides at the other amusement parks.


----------



## MichaelColey (Jun 14, 2011)

At 2 she was 36" and could ride Barnstormer.
At 3 she was 40" and could ride Dinosaur, Test Track, Star Tours, Tower of Terror and Big Thunder Mountain.
At 4 she was 44" and could ride Space Mountain, Expedition Everest and Mission Space.
At 5 she was 48" and could ride Rock 'n Roller Coaster.

I think (hope!) it'll be MANY years before she outgrows Disney.  Her older brother (8) still enjoys most of it.  (He thinks Soarin' is boring.)


----------



## cindi (Jun 16, 2011)

MichaelColey said:


> The perfect age is ANYTIME.
> 
> The first time we went, our kids were 2 (almost) and 4 1/2.  They had a blast.  Our daughter rode her first roller coaster (Goofy's Barnstormer), and I took a video of her (I was in the car in front, and turned around with the camera).  You can watch the video and see the exact point in the video where she went from being a regular kid to a thrill junkie.  She loved it!
> 
> ...



How do you manage so many trips?  Are you able to work from the road? Are the kids homeschooled? 

I want to go more often than I have vacation time!


----------



## MichaelColey (Jun 16, 2011)

cindi said:


> How do you manage so many trips?  Are you able to work from the road? Are the kids homeschooled?


Yep, both.  My wife and I are both self-employed and we homeschool the kids.


----------



## cindi (Jun 17, 2011)

MichaelColey said:


> Yep, both.  My wife and I are both self-employed and we homeschool the kids.



Talk about an idea situation for traveling.  Count me as jealous.  OTOH, I don't know if I would honestly be strong enough to actually do work while I was at Disney.


----------



## MichaelColey (Jun 17, 2011)

It's a bit easier to work if you're staying longer.  Our next Disney trip will be four weeks (at Disney, plus a couple weeks other places on our way there).  But our load is lighter when we're out of town, and we don't have the additional distractions that you have when you're at home.  The kids homeschool year-round, but have a lighter load when we're traveling.


----------



## cindi (Jun 17, 2011)

MichaelColey said:


> It's a bit easier to work if you're staying longer.  Our next Disney trip will be four weeks (at Disney, plus a couple weeks other places on our way there).  But our load is lighter when we're out of town, and we don't have the additional distractions that you have when you're at home.  The kids homeschool year-round, but have a lighter load when we're traveling.



Ok, now I am REALLY jealous.


----------

