Aspasia Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 Is it worth it? We've never been. I know our 4- and 7-year-olds would obviously love it. And the baby is easy. I guess my biggest question is about the 2-year-old. Does Disney World have much for the toddler set? Any tips? Best time of year to go? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 Lots! The 2 year old (and baby) can ride anything without a height requirement. Check the official website for a detailed ride list. Shows, parades, fireworks, character meet & greets, great pools... Or just people watching. :) Plus the 2 year old is free. Best time of year depends on your tolerance for weather. Check out yourfirstvisit and easywdw for free crowd guides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aspasia Posted May 13, 2014 Author Share Posted May 13, 2014 Lots! The 2 year old (and baby) can ride anything without a height requirement. Check the official website for a detailed ride list. Shows, parades, fireworks, character meet & greets, great pools... Or just people watching. :) Plus the 2 year old is free. Best time of year depends on your tolerance for weather. Check out yourfirstvisit and easywdw for free crowd guides. Awesome! (See how very little I know?) Thanks for those site recommendations! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyinLA Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 We took dgs, 2, dgd, 14 months and dgd, 6 months. Obviously the 6mo couldn't have cared less, but she was easy for dd to tote around in an ergo. The 2yo and 14mo had a blast! These are pretty demanding kiddos at home, and we never heard a PEEP out of them. They LOVED the characters, loved the rides, loved the parades and had a great time. It's not the easiest if you have to do a lot of child swapping to ride thrill rides (just more time consuming), but other than that, I think it is quite enjoyable to go with small children; they are so in awe of it all! I'm a Disney travel agent and I book for people with little ones all the time. I've never heard any regrets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 We took ds when he was almost 2 to Disneyland. He had a great time. A stroller is a definite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SebastianCat Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 Orlando has very humid 90-degree weather from the first of May until the first of November. Definitely plan outside of those months if you have that flexibility. Summertime when schools are out and major holidays are going to be very crowded. Definitely google "disney crowd calendar" and check out the dates that interest you beforehand. Disney can be wonderful, especially with little ones, if you go on a low crowd AND low heat/humidity day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 Yes! Our first trip was with 1, 2, and 5 year olds, and the tots had a great time. It does take more planning to keep them from getting over tired and cranky, but it is fun for all ages! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eileen Aroon Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 Nap in the afternoon, get to the parks early! We took ages 2,4, and 6 for a week. On the days wee didn't get there for opening, we waited in long lines and were surprised how different the parks feel in the hot crowded middle of the day compared to the early hours. If your kids wake you before 7 anyway, you might as well get up and go, then take a 3 hour break in the middle of the day to cool off and settle down. I thought it would be really hard for me to leave the fun in the middle of the day, but it was so worth it. The kids were happy all evening and even till late at night on some nights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom in High Heels Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 Indy and Han Solo's first Disney experiences were both at age 2 (8 years apart). They had a great time, and it was sheer magic for us to see how excited they were when they saw characters. There's a lot for little kids to do. WDW (FL), has just recently opened a newly renovated Fantasy Land, which I believe has many more kiddie type rides. We're headed there next month! Han Solo just turned 3, and I know he'll enjoy it. These are from our trip to Disneyland Paris this past July. See? FUN! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lavender's green Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 I'm at Disney right now with a baby and almost 3 year old. We're having a blast! :party: Everyone says to go back to the hotel for a nap in the afternoon, but we haven't yet in the three days we've been here. It just takes so long to get loaded up and travel, and we're already slow because of rider swaps and nursing the baby every 2-3 hours. Baby sleeps in the carrier and toddler sleeps in the stroller when he gets worn out (he's not normally a stroller sleeper), and then DH and I just stroll and talk, possibly with a drink depending on the park. FWIW my toddler's favorite things are the characters. He thinks they're real, and would spend all day following them and petting them if he could! I'm so, so glad we booked a character meal. It was definitely the highlight of his trip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murmer Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 It is perfect at that age (just plan on taking it slightly slower)...we took dd the first time at 18 months, then 3 and 1 and then 5 and 3 ...now 6 and 5 (this june)...it is so fun even for the littles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stratford Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 The last time we went, we had 5 kids age 6 and under (not all ours, we went with another family.) So 5 boys, ages 6,5,3,2, and 7 months. It was awesome. We filled our days and they loved every minute. Most days, we stayed until the park closed. We had strollers for naps, if needed, an ergo for baby, and we brought our own food/drinks. Coordinating that many kids for meals would have been a nightmare, but having food to pass out when someone got hungry was a lifesaver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umsami Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 I'm going to be in the minority opinion and say wait. Lived in Orlando for 10+ years, went to Disney many times. I think Disney is too expensive to waste on ages that will not remember it. I feel that even though I don't have to pay airfare or hotels. I would wait a year or two. Plus swapping out for rides is a pain. Warning, Disney is opening a new ride, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, at the end of May. So expect busier than usual crowds if you go around then. Crowd calendars will not likely take that into account as they are based on historical crowds. Oh…and if you dare to go in the summer, beware of giant groups in matching t-shirts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gil Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 Well, you have older kids who might remember and that could be swaying you but I think the deciding factor of whether or not you go could be how is your toddler around clowns/costumed people? My boys damn near had a heart attack when we went to Chuck E Cheese, they hated the big customed people and still might, I haven't asked recently. I have never even seriously considered Disney for them. I don't like events for little kids that are (or are likely to be) expensive/stressful (to me) when the kids are under the stage of being able to remember it. We might go to Disney this year if we make it back down that way and the boys will be 6 and 7 their first time. Or we might go down that way and not even bother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn- Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 I will be another dissenting voice. I took the twins when they were 19mos. One of them screamed from the moment you pushed them through the gate until the moment MIL took them back to the room (luckily she is a Disney DVC member so she wasn't missing much). We had a really long meal at the buffet in Germany with a screaming child the whole time. I have no idea how his brother would have done because we had one stroller so he had to go back with his brother. We took them again at 3.5 yo and their little bro was 19mo. Little one did fine, but the one that hated Disney the first go around... yeah, still hated the loud parts of Disney and we enjoyed another complete meltdown in a noisy restaurant (and he is a big eater so this was huge for him to choose to scream instead of eat). Oh, and we lost his twin in Animal Kingdom for some of the scariest minutes of my life. Oh and at 8 the one we lost still hated costumed characters (not in a panic and freak out sort of way but in a you are insane if you think I am getting any closer sort of way). I vote take the kids to a big noisy restaurant with characters and see how they react. Even at 10, my noise sensitive reached meltdown mode if he is exposed to too much noise for too long (he takes after his mommy) so you need to make sure even the older kids could handle it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 We went for the first time when my dd was 2. The boys were older. I thought we were going for them. But, my favorite memories are of how excited my daughter got at everything. It was REAL for her. She doesn't remember it, but I sure do! Take or rent a stroller that can be slept in. That was a lifesaver. And, don't plan too much. Just enjoy your time there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caclcoca Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 We took our third when he was 21 months old. We went three years later when our youngest was 2.5. They both loved it. My 21 month old didn't care for characters, but he just wouldn't get near them. At 8, he still doesn't care for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bensmom Posted May 15, 2014 Share Posted May 15, 2014 Took our ds when he was small. He was very sensitive to the loud noises, and Disney has A LOT of loud. Even slow, gentle rides often have a louder music/dialogue. This would send him into inconsolable crying. We purchased high quality ear phones and it did the trick. He used them for our next several trips. If your little ones are easy going and will ride and nap in the stroller, go for it! If they are like my little niece and hate being confined to a stroller and tend to run away from parents often, wait! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilma Posted May 15, 2014 Share Posted May 15, 2014 I can think of dozens of things I'd rather do with little kids. But it probably depends a lot on what type of kid you have. My people are not happy in crowds and do not like loud busy things. For us a walk in the woods, or throwing rocks into a river, or any number of other things would be way more fun. But if you have a kid who feeds on that energy and enjoys the busy busy, it'd probably be super. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhanaBee Posted May 15, 2014 Share Posted May 15, 2014 There are a lot of "what ifs" to factor in! I first took my girls to Disneyland when they were 3. My family lives nearby so it was easy to go for the day and focus on that one child. Each one loved it, though my youngest did have a hard time with the noise level. Then again, she *still* has a hard time with the noise level. Next February my dd and sil are taking their will-be-almost-2-yo to WDW. They both love it and wanted to take Meggers before she turned 2 since it's much cheaper. She's going to have her first haircut at the barber shop on Main Street and we'll probably do the Pooh & Friends character breakfast at the Crystal Palace. I say we because I get to come along, too. My role is to take Megs back to the room when she or her parents need a break. Also, I get to take the pictures. I've been to WDW so many times that I don't need to go on the rides and such. DD and SIL are planning to have a big family and really don't know when they'll get back down there so are jumping at this opportunity. We have no idea how Megs will react to the characters but are preparing to hustle her away if they terrify her [they way they terrified me at that age - my mother has a photo of me being held up to the Big Bad Wolf and I'm screaming my head off - what were my parents thinking???]. If I have to spend most of the week at the pool with the baby, that's fine with me. My tickets are the no-expiration kind. A good stroller is a life saver! But make sure it's one that can go on those buses easily, unless you're driving yourselves. I've seen parents just break down over trying to get those strollers on the buses after a long day at the park. I second the "Don't plan on much, just enjoy" advice. The best advice my mom gave me was to let my kids dictate where we'd go and what we'd do at Disney. For one that meant 5 times on Small World. Hey, it made her happy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aspasia Posted May 15, 2014 Author Share Posted May 15, 2014 I can think of dozens of things I'd rather do with little kids. But it probably depends a lot on what type of kid you have. My people are not happy in crowds and do not like loud busy things. For us a walk in the woods, or throwing rocks into a river, or any number of other things would be way more fun. But if you have a kid who feeds on that energy and enjoys the busy busy, it'd probably be super. My kids love river rock throwing and woods walking, too, but I just know my older two (at least) would LOVE the rides and excitement of Disney World as well. We actually don't even watch a lot of Disney movies (or any other movies) at our hide. We aren't Disney obsessed people. But I think the same "type" of person can like exploring the woods one day and riding the tea cups the next. I'm going to be in the minority opinion and say wait. Lived in Orlando for 10+ years, went to Disney many times. I think Disney is too expensive to waste on ages that will not remember it. I feel that even though I don't have to pay airfare or hotels. I would wait a year or two. Plus swapping out for rides is a pain. Warning, Disney is opening a new ride, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, at the end of May. So expect busier than usual crowds if you go around then. Crowd calendars will not likely take that into account as they are based on historical crowds. Oh…and if you dare to go in the summer, beware of giant groups in matching t-shirts. I totally agree, and this is why we have normally assumed we would wait until the little ones were older. But we're realizing that dd7 (and to a lesser extent, ds4) is in that "magical" phase of life. She won't be there anymore once the baby is old enough to really enjoy Disney World. Fortunately, kids under 3 are free, so we won't be wasting any money at all on the people who won't remember it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staceyobu Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Figure out a great stroller situation. Disney is a lot of walking. A lot of walking. The little ones will be able to go on almost every ride your olders will be interested in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 My 2 year old has been going to Disney since she was in my tummy (all my kid have!). She absolutely LOVES it! And there's nothing more magical than seeing it all through her eyes. And the best thing about Disney is that the little ones can ride nearly everything! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom in High Heels Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 I'm going to be in the minority opinion and say wait. Lived in Orlando for 10+ years, went to Disney many times. I think Disney is too expensive to waste on ages that will not remember it. To be honest, we didn't take the boys that young for them. We went because it was amazing for us to see the magic they saw. Everything was amazing to them, and I will never forget the looks on their faces when they saw Mickey Mouse for the first time. That memory is for me and James Bond. I have the photos and they bring me such great joy to look back at when they first experienced it with pure childlike enthusiasm. We went for the first time when my dd was 2. The boys were older. I thought we were going for them. But, my favorite memories are of how excited my daughter got at everything. It was REAL for her. She doesn't remember it, but I sure do! Take or rent a stroller that can be slept in. That was a lifesaver. And, don't plan too much. Just enjoy your time there. This. Exactly this. You will be so happy to see them in the wonder of it all. Yes, yes, yes to the stroller! In the photos I posted above, seeing Han Solo hug Mickey just makes me want to cry, because he was so excited and said, "I needa hug Mickey!" The last photo is of him seeing the Disney Train for the first time. His arm is up because he's shouting "Choo Choo!" Pure Magic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 To be honest, we didn't take the boys that young for them. We went because it was amazing for us to see the magic they saw. Everything was amazing to them, and I will never forget the looks on their faces when they saw Mickey Mouse for the first time. That memory is for me and James Bond. I have the photos and they bring me such great joy to look back at when they first experienced it with pure childlike enthusiasm. This. Exactly this. You will be so happy to see them in the wonder of it all. Yes, yes, yes to the stroller! In the photos I posted above, seeing Han Solo hug Mickey just makes me want to cry, because he was so excited and said, "I needa hug Mickey!" The last photo is of him seeing the Disney Train for the first time. His arm is up because he's shouting "Choo Choo!" Pure Magic. This x 1000 :) And our last trip, I saw the big kids getting teary watching little sister squeeze Mickey. Buncha saps we are! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lamppost Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 I'd say take them. we've been several times to both the Land and the World with our kids who are now 7 and 4. I'm really glad we took the 4-year-old when he was little because he liked meeting the characters then, but the last time we went he refused all pictures with them. My 7-yo still loves to meet princesses but I'm not sure how much longer that will be true. There are plenty of rides a 2-yo can go on and you can always split up and have one adult take the bigger kids on rides with height requirements. Also, Disboards is the place to go to ask anything- it was absolutely invaluable for our last trip- the info helped us get a Fastpass to meet Anna & Elsa, reservations for the new Be Our Guest restaurant, and book a deluxe resort at a price we could actually afford by going through Expedia UK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lavender's green Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Ugh, we've tried this "go back to the hotel for naptime" for the last two days and I hate it. It takes a good 4-5 hours out of the afternoon, what with getting to the car, getting to the hotel, naptime routine, actual naptime, and travel time again. Next time we'll do naps in the stroller, or save up for the deluxe resorts to cut down on travel time. We booked only five weeks in advance this time, so there was no saving up for a closer resorts (we're at POFQ, which is lovely, btw. It just takes a bit of time to get there for naps!). But I have my eye on them for next time! :D A couple of PPs have said to not waste your money on the young ones because they won't remember it. I agree with Mom in High Heels. We went for us! Who cares if they won't remember it? We will, and it's just so magical to see it through a child's eyes! And under 3 there's no extra cost at all, besides the time you lose with nursing/naptime/rider swap/dealing with messes. If you yourself are a Disney Person, go for it! Although I have to say, it'd be awfully nice to have some grandparents along for the trip. ;) Oh, and Be Our Guest is AMAZING. We went for lunch today. It's my favorite Disney film, and DS's as well, and it was awesome to see the setting in real life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom in High Heels Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 This x 1000 :) And our last trip, I saw the big kids getting teary watching little sister squeeze Mickey. Buncha saps we are! We're a bunch of saps too, so don't feel alone. Ugh, we've tried this "go back to the hotel for naptime" for the last two days and I hate it. It takes a good 4-5 hours out of the afternoon, what with getting to the car, getting to the hotel, naptime routine, actual naptime, and travel time again. Next time we'll do naps in the stroller, or save up for the deluxe resorts to cut down on travel time. We booked only five weeks in advance this time, so there was no saving up for a closer resorts (we're at POFQ, which is lovely, btw. It just takes a bit of time to get there for naps!). But I have my eye on them for next time! :D A couple of PPs have said to not waste your money on the young ones because they won't remember it. I agree with Mom in High Heels. We went for us! Who cares if they won't remember it? We will, and it's just so magical to see it through a child's eyes! And under 3 there's no extra cost at all, besides the time you lose with nursing/naptime/rider swap/dealing with messes. If you yourself are a Disney Person, go for it! Although I have to say, it'd be awfully nice to have some grandparents along for the trip. ;) Oh, and Be Our Guest is AMAZING. We went for lunch today. It's my favorite Disney film, and DS's as well, and it was awesome to see the setting in real life. I'm not sure how the nap thing is going to work at WDW. At Disneyland Paris, our hotel was less than a 10 minute walk from the parks, so either James Bond or I would take Han Solo back for a couple of hours while the other stayed in the park with Indy. We're staying at the Art of Animation next month in a Cars Suite (picked for Han Solo), which is quite a distance from some of the parks. My mom and stepdad are mid-day nap takers (plus the parks are a lot for them), so they may take him back for a while and I will stay with Indy in the park and then we can just meet up again for dinner. Indy and I are all day parkers, but they are pretty much done by 7pm, so they'll likely take him back to the hotel for bed. My mom has a nerve stimulator implanted in her back, so a lot of walking is very tiresome and painful for her, and she likes to sit around the pool and drink in the evenings (so THAT'S where I get it!), but my stepdad likes to sleep, so after she gets Han Solo down, she'll likely go to the pool. This is what we did when Indy was little and we went with them. James Bond and I stayed in the park, then went back to the hotel (Caribbean Beach Resort). We had separate rooms, so they kept Indy in their room. ;) When we got back, we'd loaf around the pool. This time, while we loaf, we'll probably let Indy swim, while Han Solo and stepdad snooze. I'm so jealous you got into Be Our Guest! I've started trying for reservations in Feb for late June/early July, and no luck. I really wanted to try it too. I suppose we can go for lunch with no reservations though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawthorne44 Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 A co-worker gave a new perspective on the best age for Disney World. She said, "A pack of teenage girls". She chaperoned her daughter's drill team. She said the girls squealed over the characters and got excited like little kids do. But, they didn't get tired, or need help in the potty. Something about them being together fueled the, "Yeah! Minnie Mouse! I want a photo with her!" I imagine teenage boys would be another story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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