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View Full Version : The best age?



Ashleybs
06-01-2006, 05:18 PM
What is the best age to take a little one to Disney World as far as them enjoying it, riding the rides, understanding, etc.

deenass
06-03-2006, 05:27 PM
Well, I am a HUGE Disney lover (spent every summer visiting Disney as a kid as my grnadparents lived in Orlando).

DS was there at 8 mos (extended family vacation) and we took him most recently in Feb (right before his 3rd birthday, to take advantage of not having to pay for a kid under 3!) That siad, I wouldn't take another child back until they were no longer napping (DS had fiven up his naps about a month before we went) and you ahe to know that your kid can handle the dark (many rides, even the "kid-friendliest") are quite dark, the characters (though you can avoid most if you wan) and the multi-sensory experience that Disney is, in addition to being able to behave whilewaiting on what can be long lines.

I would think at least 4, maybe 5. Don'tget me wrong, DS had a blast (as did we) and there were MANY families with really young ones, but I think 4 would probably the earliest I would recommend.

momtoB
06-05-2006, 08:44 AM
Another veteran Disney-goer here. We have been multiple times to WDW and DL (CA) in the last three years with our ds, who just turned 3 (boo-hoo, no more free admission for him!). We have also taken 3 nieces and a nephew when they were 7,8, and 12 (their ages at the time). Honestly, they all had a great time when we took them. The 7-yr old boy did have some difficulty overcoming some fears after we went on The Great Movie Ride and seeing the Alien. I have read that is still the age group that still doesn't differintiate between fantasy and reality so it made sense that he was scared of it (he told us his mother (SIL) had also let him watch the movie at one point. THAT was a bad idea, but a whole other topic).

We have had some really great times with our now 3-yr old so I think just about any age before the child hits the "know it all" teenager phase (lol) and doesn't appreciate the "magic" of Disney is great. Even the 12-yr olds (twin girls) enjoyed meeting the characters and while they knew they weren't "real" they still wanted to get character autographs and pictures taken with them, which was nice.

And I think it probably depends a lot on the child when the "best" time to go is. I would think anytime between 5-8 is a good age range.

Keep in mind that children can ride most rides when they reach 42". Space Mtn (MK) has a 44" height limit. Rockin' Roller Coaster (MGM) and Primeval Whirl (AK) both have 48" height requirements. If you want to do the water parks while you're there, then some of the bigger slides also have 48" height requirements. You can enter your child's height here: http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/height.htm and see which rides they are restricted from at their current height.

hth!

Cheryl

Momof3Labs
06-05-2006, 10:57 AM
If it is a once in a lifetime trip, I'd wait until 7-8 years old so that they can go on all the rides and really remember the trip.

We have taken DS1 twice, and plan to go again. We took him at 2.25yo and again for his third birthday. Both trips were great, but the 3yo trip was better than the first trip. He had given up naps by then, so we had more flexibility going to the parks. He understood the rides better and was much more verbal than the first time (so could also communicate his needs better). He also still remembers a lot about that trip (9 months ago) whereas the first trip slipped out of his mind faster. And he had more patience for waiting in lines and such.

But we did have fun the first time, too. As parents, we just loved watching him enjoy Disney, and it is nice to be somewhere that is soooo kid-friendly.

You should also consider your child's reaction to characters, darkness, etc. If you have a sensitive child, I'd wait until they outgrow that rather than spend your trip trying to avoid their triggers. DS1 is pretty fearless, so this wasn't a problem for us.