# Disneyland with a 4 yr.old?



## philemer (May 19, 2008)

My daughter's MIL is pushing them to take their 4 yr.old daughter to Disneyland. I'm not sure why. We live in ID and it would be an expensive trip for the 3 of them. I think a 4 yr. old is too young to enjoy Disneyland. Heck, she wouldn't even go on the kiddie rides at the Fair last Fall. I told my DD to wait til her daughter is 7 or 8 and then go. What do y'all think? What's the earliest a child would really enjoy DL?  Same question for SeaWorld and the San Diego Zoo.


----------



## ricoba (May 19, 2008)

I personally think that Disneyland would be a magical experience for a 4 year old.

But I think there is a big caveat, the parents have to remember they have a 4 year old in tow.  

The parents experience could be a great one if, and I think it's a big IF, they break the day into very small child size portions.  By this I mean they really need to plan their day around the 4 year olds needs, and not their own wishes.

Example:  Spend a couple of hours in the park in the AM.  Go back to the hotel in the afternoon for a nap and a swim.  Go back in the early evening for another hour or two and go home and go to sleep.  If they do this in my view they child should have a great time, but they probably will wonder why they spent so much money to get into the park and only spend four hours?  I guess that's the part they have to decide on, whether they want to plan a vacation for their kid or themselves?  Unfortunately, when I do go over to the park, I see lots and lots of kids "enduring" mommy and daddy's day at Disneyland. 

just my two cents.


----------



## swift (May 19, 2008)

Four is fine. Disneyland is not like the fair a lot of it is built for them; Fantasyland, Mickeys ToonTown, Critter Country it is all built for the magic of that age. I would suggest that they stay either on site or one of the motels across the street. They will want to take a break during the day for nap times. Even the adults will want naps or down time. You can look at their site for more info. http://www.wdwinfo.com/disneyland-california/ On another note thou it is expensive!!!! However, there are ways you can lower you costs. For one you can bring food into the park. You can not bring a rolling cooler but you can bring a soft sided cooler. The picture of me below is at DisneyWorld and I have on a backpack cooler stuffed with frozen drinks, sandwiches and snacks. It saved us a bundle!

SeaWorld and San Diego Zoo on the other hand I might wait until they are older like 7. At four they often don't have the patience to sit through all the shows at SeaWorld. San Diego Zoo because of the amount of walking. The park is HUGE and quite a bit of it is uphill walking. We went when my youngest was in a stroller and let me tell you pushing that thing up hill was not fun.


----------



## SDKath (May 19, 2008)

My daughter went last year when she was 3 and LOVED it.  She still talks about it.  My DH is taking her again tomorrow!  But then again, we live about an hour's drive from it so it's an easy trip.  Children that young can get tired and overwhelmed quickly so one downside is that the days have to be shorter.  And forget about seeing everything in the park.  My DD kept asking for one of about 4 rides all day.  She didn't even get a chance to get on any others.  But that's ok, she had a blast.

I see lots of kids that age at DL.  They do great and have a wonderful time.  I think by the time the kids are 8, Disney is a little uncool.  It's sad but true.  My 8 1/2 year old doesn't want to go anymore.   

Katherine


----------



## debraxh (May 20, 2008)

I wouldn't go because of pressure from MIL (unless she's paying), but I think 4years old is about the perfect age for Disneyland.  It all depends on the child, of course, but our daughter was 4 the first time we went and we had trouble keeping up with her! 

We didn't take her to Seaworld so I can't comment on that, and she was around 6-7 when she went to the San Diego Zoo.  But, we took her to both Oakland and SF zoos when she was 4-5 and she loved them.  Again, it probably depends on the child.


----------



## CapriciousC (May 20, 2008)

Our 4-year-old's favorite place on Earth is Disneyland.  We've been taking her since she was just a few weeks old since we live about 20 minutes away and have annual passes - from the time she was about 18 months old she has found things to do and has had a wonderful time.  Earlier this year we took her to Disney World for a week and she had a great time there, as well.

I agree that your daughter shouldn't go because of pressure from her MIL (unless MIL is willing to foot the bill).  If it's a trip they want to make, I think 4 is a great age, keeping in mind what previous posters have said about making reasonable accommodations for the limits of 4-year-olds.

I agree about Sea World, too - they don't really have the attention span for it.  Long Beach has a wonderful aquarium, though, that is a big hit with my little girl and her friends.

http://www.aquariumofpacific.org

My little one doesn't like Knott's Berry Farm (and we are forced to go every year for my husband's company picnic) - most of the rides there have height restrictions so she can't go on much.

San Diego Zoo and the Wild Animal Park are both favorites, as well.


----------



## lprstn (May 20, 2008)

My youngest 2 kids went before the age of 4yrs, and I think they spent most of their time smiling, and pointing.  It was worth it to me to see them experience this at that age, because they believe what they see.  Besides, there is still lots to do for a 4 yr old.  I just took my youngest and his siblings this March to DW and we are going back to DW this Nov... So I say she should take her 4 yr old.


----------



## bookworm (May 20, 2008)

My children were 3 and 5 when we went to Disneyland. I wonder if it depends somewhat on the child. There were a number of rides that were quite scary for them - even the ones designed for them (eg. Winnie the Pooh). There are so many of these indoor rides in the dark with all kinds of strange noises - can be really frightening. Our 5 year old didn't even like "It's a small world" - too dark in there. 

Also, I think the time of year depends. We were there over new years. Two days were not crowded, but one of the days was very crowded and the kids couldn't wait to get away. We found that they did not enjoy the show at the end of the day - too loud. Our 5 year old son didn't enjoy Disneyland much at all and really never talked about it afterward. Our three year old liked Minnie Mouse's house best - but it wasn't totally thrilling for her either. Personally, I wasn't overly impressed with Disneyland. California Adventure was a bit better. I think we would give Disneyworld a try sometime in the future when they are a bit older, maybe 6-8. They would get more out of it in my opinion. 

Actually, SeaWorld is what caught their attention. They LOVED it. They loved the shows and the exhibits. This is where they talk about returning to, more than a year later. They both love sea life so that makes a difference - depends on the kid again. They also really enjoyed Legoland, though we were only there briefly. In my opinion, Legoland is very appropriate for this age group. More simple rides that are a bit slower, etc. None that I can remember being indoors. I believe they are also building a new water area. We would definitely consider that for a 4-7 year old.

We live about 15 minutes from Sesame Place (PA) and spend time there every spring/summer/fall. Our kids love the mix of water and dry rides (water rides are a big perk for our water lovers - none of that at Disneyland). The park certainly isn't as big as Disney, but they have their favorite things they go back to again and again. They can't wait to return. 

I really think it depends on the child. I would decide by noticing the particular interests of the child - do they love thrilling rides, animals, water play? Can the child handle crowds and loud noises? These things are more important than some kind of national expectation we seem to have that every child should love Disneyland.


----------



## hedin (May 20, 2008)

We took our daughter to Disney when she was 3 and then again at 5. My son was 4 the first time he went. Both kids had a great time at that age. It was all about the characters for both of them. My daughter was in awe and giddy at the same time when she saw and met the Princesses. As children get older the Disney experience changes, it becomes more about the rides and immersion in new "Worlds" and less about the characters. For me as a parent my favorite vacations have been the ones where we have experienced the magic of Disney through a 4 year olds eyes. 

With that said it is important to be realistic about which rides you can go on with young children. Disney does a fantastic job of creating the an immersion experience with each ride. The result is that young kids can experience sensory overload and can become very frightened on rides that adults would consider tame. 

Curt


----------



## philemer (May 20, 2008)

Thanks for all the great replies.  Would you recommend *one or two days* for visiting DL with a 4 yr. old? We went 24 yrs. ago with our kids and just spent one day there. That was enough for me!!


----------



## ricoba (May 20, 2008)

philemer said:


> Thanks for all the great replies.  Would you recommend *one or two days* for visiting DL with a 4 yr. old? We went 24 yrs. ago with our kids and just spent one day there. That was enough for me!!



You will need at least 2 days.  Especially if you take breaks in the middle of the day.

Remember there are 2 Parks now, Disneyland and California Adventure, so I would recommend a Two Day Hopper Pass.


----------



## bookworm (May 20, 2008)

Hedin's points make perfect sense to me. It seems that Disney has made the effort to cater to many different ages. For my kids, I think later on will be better. Our children were not very concerned with the characters -  my daughter did like the princesses, but waiting 45 minutes to see them took away from the whole experience. Possibly at a less busy time, this would have been a real highlight.


We got the southern california city pass which was great because of all the options that came with it. It was a significant savings for what came with it. I would do that again if I was going for 5-7 days.


----------



## Bill4728 (May 20, 2008)

bookworm said:


> Hedin's points make perfect sense to me. It seems that Disney has made the effort to cater to many different ages. For my kids, I think later on will be better. Our children were not very concerned with the characters -  my daughter did like the princesses, but waiting 45 minutes to see them took away from the whole experience. Possibly at a less busy time, this would have been a real highlight.



The parks are designed for many different ages. There are areas of the park perfect for a 4 year old and other areas which have little for a four year old to do. But the parks are also great for older kids ( and kids at heart) with many fun rides (which you do not want to take little kids on). 

BUT, The best thing about taking a 4 year old to Disney is you can go in Oct. Great weather and no crowds ( at least on weekdays)


----------



## gomom (May 20, 2008)

We live near Disneyland and took our kids from the time they were babies, back when you had to buy tickets for the rides! (can you say e-ticket!) anyway, we had a pass for admission so we would go for a short visit, ride a couple of rides, watch a parade and go home. When that ended and we had to start paying admission we would stay the whole day. But, I would suggest that if she can still fit in a stroller to rent one. It always made it a much more pleasant experience when those little legs didn't have to tromp all over the park, and they lasted longer!


----------



## kapear (May 20, 2008)

We lived close to Disneyland until 2004. Our 3 older kids were all at Disneyland from the time they were quite small. Our newest addition, a CO baby,  has also been a few times in her 2 years. 4 years old is a perfect age for Disneyland. It is all still very magical to them at that age. I would recommend either bringing a stroller or renting one there even if the 4 year old doesn't usually ride in one. We used one for my son at Disneyworld when he was 4 and it saved us a lot of whining when he was tired. 

Two days would be better than a single day as they wouldn't feel so rushed to fit everything in.


----------



## lawren2 (May 20, 2008)

hedin said:


> We took our daughter to Disney when she was 3 and then again at 5. My son was 4 the first time he went. Both kids had a great time at that age. *It was all about the characters *for both of them. My daughter was in awe and giddy at the same time when she saw and met the Princesses. As children get older the Disney experience changes, it becomes more about the rides and immersion in new "Worlds" and less about the characters. *For me as a parent my favorite vacations have been the ones where we have experienced the magic of Disney through a 4 year olds eyes*.
> 
> With that said it is important to be realistic about which rides you can go on with young children. Disney does a fantastic job of creating the an immersion experience with each ride. The result is that young kids can experience sensory overload and can become very frightened on rides that adults would consider tame.
> 
> Curt



I agree whole-heartedly with this post. We took DS when he was 4 and had a blast. The smiles were worth every second. I much prefer Disney Land over Disney World.  

Extra bonus on going when there are no crowds and discounted air can be had.

Now I'm going to spend about 2 hours digging those pictures up.


----------



## mecllap (May 20, 2008)

Yes for taking a 4-yr-old, and definitely take/get a stroller.  It's handy for the youngster and for packing all your extra junk.  She won't "remember" much but she will enjoy it, and it will be wonderful to have the pictures (take lots, and use Photopass).  Of course, the parents have to want to go and be able to enjoy it also.  It can be stressful if you don't plan well.  There are lots of forums/bulletin boards for Disney that have tons of helpful info.  Search for Disney bulletin boards or forums.


----------



## CapriciousC (May 20, 2008)

Good point about going in the off-season.  Summer can be incredibly crowded, and in July and August it can get really hot.

I think that two days would be better than one - that way they can take their time and not feel rushed.  Also, if the little one gets tired they can take a break and not worry about the "wasted time."  

I personally prefer California Adventure over Disneyland, but there's not as much in that park for preschoolers.  There are some great outdoor playground areas for the kids to run around, and Flik's Fun Fair has lots of kiddie rides (all of which are outdoors, so it solves the problem of kids who are scared of "dark rides.")

In Disneyland Fantasyland and Mickey's Toon Town are your best bets.  Of course it depends on the child.  Ours used to NOT be scared of Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion, but around age 3 and 1/2 she became frightened by them and now we avoid them.  The height restriction for most rides that have them is 40", so if you've got a little daredevil they can go on most of the rides.  

As a previous poster mentioned, each child is different.  Ours is afraid of Pirates and Haunted Mansion, but loves roller coasters and anything that goes up high.  She was fine on Soarin' over California while my 60-year-old mother gouged her fingernails into my arm in fright.  

One other thing - California Adventure is almost always less crowded than Disneyland, so if they get a park hopper pass they can go back and forth between the two, depending on the crowds.


----------



## swift (May 20, 2008)

JMHO - Park Hopping with a 4 year old is not much fun. It wears everyone out pretty quick. If your intent is to focus on the 4 year old with this trip then I would skip California Adventure and focus on DisneyLand. You are going to want 2-3 days. Try not to go in the heat of summer it will can be miserable standing in line on a hot day. If you can do a Character Breakfast. The kids love it and it gets you into the park earlier. Take advantage of the fast passes trying to get to the most popular ride that you want to go on first. DisneyLand is best with a plan. Than may sound daunting but the thing is with a plan you will have more fun and less arguing about what to see next and find out the ride you want to go on has a 2 hour line. This is a great help http://www.passporter.com/dl/

Just my .02


----------



## isisdave (May 20, 2008)

Yes, I think the answer depends a lot on whether you can go off-season. We live nearby and will only go, quite literally, on a rainy weekday in November. It is absolutely jammed in the summer, to the point where lines for popular rides exceed an hour, and they refuse further admission (but too late in my opinion) some weekends. And a lot of Dland is paved, so it gets pretty darn hot on a sunny day.

But  crowds abate after Labor day, although September can still be very hot. If you can come in October to the week before Thanksgiving, that's perfect, and so is January 10 to Memorial day, except spring break period.


----------



## labguides (May 20, 2008)

Age 4 is a wonderful time to take a child to Disneyland.. it is so magical for them. We took our son at age 2 year for the first time.. it was wonderful. We waited until our daughter was 5 years old.. she wanted to know how everything worked. Somehow, the magic wasn't there for her.
Our kids were 9 months, 3 years and 5 years when we took them for the first time.. they loved it and so did we!
We are fortunate to take them in the off-season.. no waiting, no heat.


----------



## LUVourMarriotts (May 20, 2008)

We went to Disney World with our 2 yr old neice a few years ago.  She had a great time and was so happy while we were there.  There were a bunch of adults and just 2 children, so the adults took turns going on rides, etc.  We did split the days up because of the kids schedules.  Not a problem if you expect it.
For seaworld and the zoo, I would say they would probably love it.  My neice is now 4 and she has a 1 1/2 yr old brother.  They love going to the zoo and to the aquarium.  They could stay there all day.


----------



## pedro47 (May 21, 2008)

Great idea if you are a grandparent, your daughter and the adults in the group will have a wonderful time.   When your daughter turn 14 and you ask her about the experience; she will not recall very much of the trip.

I have taken two grandkids to Disney at that age because of my son spouse.  The ages of my grandkids now are 14 and 10 and both grandkids do not recall the t/s vacation. Also, your daughter admission to the various Disney Parks is free.

We have returned to Disney five times since the grandkids were four and have taken two Disney family cruises in the past three years..

The saving grace of taking a child to Disney at age four (4) were the hundreds of pictures I took of both grandkids and grandparents together at Disney. Smiling !!!!
Correction it is 3 yrs old is free admission.
Enjoy your vacation .


----------



## swift (May 21, 2008)

pedro47 said:


> . Also, your daughter admission to the various Disney Parks is free.


Ok, I have got to know that trick. I don't know much of anything at Disney to be free?


----------



## geekette (May 21, 2008)

I wouldn't do it based on someone's insistence, I would do it when/if I felt that the entire family would enjoy the trip.


----------



## PStreet1 (May 21, 2008)

I, too, agree that 4 is an absolutely perfect time to go with a child.  At that point, they have too many stars in their eyes to be certain what's real and what's not.  They love it!

It is, however, expensive.  I'd go for two days, and only go to Disneyland, not park hop and not to Knotts Berry Farm.  Just two magical "pieces of days" in Disneyland.  Be aware before going that the passes each day cost a lot and you are going to cater to the child's needs and you won't be in the park all day "getting your money's worth."  Instead, as many have suggested, leave for lunch, take a nap, maybe swim for a little bit--spend some quiet time.  Then go back in the evening for a while.  Expensive?  Absolutely.  If you can afford it, worth every dime.


----------



## CapriciousC (May 22, 2008)

pedro47 said:


> Also, your daughter admission to the various Disney Parks is free.





swift said:


> Ok, I have got to know that trick. I don't know much of anything at Disney to be free?



I think that the first poster meant that the grandchild would be free, but everyone aged 3 and up is required to pay admission.  We didn't buy an annual pass for our daughter right away when she turned 3, because the annual pass prices are the same for children and adults (but only at Disneyland, not at Disney World, go figure).  When she approached her 4th birthday, however, we broke down and bought her one because the ticket takers were starting to scrutinize her more closely, and she's a chatty little thing who likes to engage complete strangers in conversation.


----------



## jlr10 (May 22, 2008)

We took our son when he was under 4 and he had a great time, as did we.  He ran us ragged all day until he hit the car and didn't wake up until the next day.  The only trouble he had was on the first ride, as he had never had to wait in line before and did not understand why he couldn't just get on.  So it was a learning experience as well.

I personally find California adventure to be kid oriented than it is given credit for.  Most of the Bug's life portion is intended for children -But skip the 3D robot play/movie it always seems to leave some small child screaming when we see it.  When we were there the last time that is where the electric light parade had gone.  Also the Aladin plan is entertaining, and short, so a 4 year old should be able to be entertained during that time.

That is a long way to travel, so do 2 days at the park.  Parkhopping is not that hard since they have put security outside of the park's entrance so you just have to go through the line to get through.  After the morning it is an easy move as everyone has pretty much checked in at least once so the rechecking goes pretty quick. IMHO

If your daughter and husband want to spend sometime in the park they should bring the MIL along to babysit during naps and downtime at the hotel, and they can enjoy the 'big kid rides" during that time.  The MIL gets what she wants, the grandchild taken to Disneyland, and the parents get mini dates.  Everyone wins.


----------



## applegirl (May 22, 2008)

We have annual passes and I've been taking my son since he was 3 1/2 years old.  He just turned 5 and it keeps getting more and more fun. Until recently, I always rented him the stroller at DL and this was worth every penny.  He didn't get as tired and I had NO complaining!!!  Priceless!  If you keep your receipt for your rental, you can get another stroller at any time during the day (like if you leave the park for nap time).

I think 4 yearls old is the very youngest I would spend big money on to go on this trip. Personally, I'd wait one more year before shelling out big bucks. But, if they do decide to go, take previous advice and stay withink walking distance so you can go back for nap/rest time. And take the park slow!  I would also get a map ahead of time of the park and try to somewhat make a game plan for your visit. The unofficial guide to DL is a wonderful book and describes in detail each ride along with a "scare" factor for each ride!  I love this book!  Be sure to get a multiple day pass because you won't want to do more than half the park in one day.

Good luck!
Janna


----------

