Ages 2 and 4 too young for Disneyworld?

sooosie · December 2010

DH seems to think so, but I'm not sure. I'm trying to think of a vacation destination for next year, probably late spring.

I think Ian would love it and maybe remember it, not sure about Max. Any experiences?

birdnkaz · December 2010

We live close to Disneyland and my 2 and 4 year-olds love it! So I would say no. BUT if you are planning on spending alot of money on a Disney World vacation, then I might wait, unless you plan on going again in a few years. I went to Disney World when I was about 10 and remember it. So we plan on taking the girls there when they are older.

JOEBunny · December 2010

My DS has been 2X. DD has been 3 times. She loves it. We are going again in February. We just go for 2 days at a time, not a week. They both love it. DS can go on all the rides at the magic kingdom for the most part, at least all the ones I can go on because I have a neck injury.

AggieCouple · December 2010

ML (DD) was just about to turn 4, and TB (DS) was 2y2m, when we took them last spring.

I think ML's age was perfect. She totally "got" it, and was so into the magic of it all and found everything delightful and wonderful and believed everything was real, and still talks about it 8 months later. Looking back at the pictures, you can see her happiness and awe. She remembers everything, but she did inherit H's family's scary memory.

TB had a lot of fun, but probably as much fun as if we'd gone to the zoo or any other theme park. There was just more for him to do, since it's so big, and so many parks. But, he did have fun, and was never bored.

I'm glad we went, because I'm not sure how into it ML would be in a couple of years. We'll probably go back in 2-3 years, for TB to get the full effect. I really think 4-5 is the perfect age range.

mlm1128 · December 2010

No way! We have been going twice a year since dd turned one and she has always loved it. She likes different things at different ages. And I know that she has a memory like an elephant compared to alot of people, but she still talks about things that she did/saw when she was 1 1/2 at Disneyworld. I'm not so sure it something that your kids wouldn't remember.

LanaM · December 2010

we went when DS1 was 4.5 and DS was 20 months old. Both kids had a blast.

shopgirl78 · December 2010

AggieCouple:
ML (DD) was just about to turn 4, and TB (DS) was 2y2m, when we took them last spring.
I think ML's age was perfect. She totally "got" it, and was so into the magic of it all and found everything delightful and wonderful and believed everything was real, and still talks about it 8 months later. Looking back at the pictures, you can see her happiness and awe. She remembers everything, but she did inherit H's family's scary memory.
TB had a lot of fun, but probably as much fun as if we'd gone to the zoo or any other theme park. There was just more for him to do, since it's so big, and so many parks. But, he did have fun, and was never bored.
I'm glad we went, because I'm not sure how into it ML would be in a couple of years. We'll probably go back in 2-3 years, for TB to get the full effect. I really think 4-5 is the perfect age range.

My answer is the same as aggies although DS was 23 months. He would love it so much more now that he is into McQueen and Toy Story! But right at age four it was magic for DD! It was wonderful!

jlw2505 · December 2010

Honestly, I think it all depends on what you want to get out of it. For me, I would not take my kids right now - 2 1/2 and 4 1/2. My kids still both nap (well the big one does about 50% of the time) and my little one is really, really scared of all the costumed people. We are a planning a trip for 2 years from this spring. My little one will have just turned 5 and my older DD will be 3 months shy of 7 which from all I have been told is the perfect ages to go. I have friends that live close to Disney Land and take their kids (same ages as mine) a few times a year and they love it but given that for my family to go, it is a flight to either FL or CA, hotel stays, food, etc, I would not spend the money right now. My younger DD will not remember it at this point. I went as a teen and loved it then. We have friends that go ever year even when their kids were infants and they love it but their expectations of the trip will be like, how much time they spend at the parks vs at the hotel relaxing or in the pool and stuff like that has changed from year to year based on the kids ages. You can always look into the Disney cruise if you really want to do Disney something.

Alibabs · December 2010

My 4 yo would LOVE it. I'm not sure about the other two.

I was 10 or 11 when I went and remember every bit of it and LOVED it. My then 3 yo brother was TERRIFIED by Mickey and his pals!

My sister took her 1 year old and he loved it.

I am waiting until the youngest is 5 before we go. We're in Ireland so I can't afford to make a mistake! Smile We actually want to go for our 10th wedding anniversary so it works out nicely. Our extended family have said they are interested in going too. Babysitters! YAY!

I would say, if you can afford it, then risk it. If not, wait until they are a little older. How do they react around other characters they see in shops etc? Shy, frightened, delighted?

belle204 · December 2010

We went when A was 2.5 or 3ish and she loved it. She actually remembers a lot of it. I'm thinking of taking her back this spring or summer.

*Amy* · December 2010

We went when DS1 was 3 and DS2 was19 months. Both LOVED it. Will thet remember it? Not sure (although A still makes references to it a year later) but they had a great time and we took lots of pictures.

Carol*Brady2 · December 2010

I hope not--we are spending a fortune to take our 2, 4 & 6yr old there for a week next Spring.

august06mom · December 2010

I think it depends how close you live to Disney and whether or not you will go again. We're not Disney people, and it will cost us quite a significant chunk of change and vacation time, so we only plan to do it once. We're going to wait until DS is about 8 and the baby will be 4. Maybe 9 and 5. I went when I was 10, and I still remember having a blast, so I figure we have until at least then.

MrsJLK · December 2010

We took Alyssa to celebrate her 4th birthday just a few days shy of her turning 4, and she loved it and had a blast. She still talks about it. We do live only approximately 4 hours away so I know we'll be taking her again in another couple of years or so.

shouldbworkin · December 2010

We went last year when the kids were 2 and 4, but we have family nearby and go to FL almost yearly. I would probably not take them yet if we didn't have family nearby. They definitely had fun and it was fun for me to see them get caught up in the Disney magic. They ask to go back now, but I doubt is it a memory that they will have for long. If it was a big trip for us that we might not make again, I wouldn't go until they're older.

ETA: We went when DS was 2.5 and DD was 8 mos as well. DS didn't like it much at all at 2.5 and had a much better time at 4 y/o. DD totally got it at 2.5, though. So, keep that in mind.

Ciarrai · December 2010

My girls are 2 and 4 now and have been 3 times. Embarrassed

We took them first two years ago when DD#1 was 2.5 and DD#2 was 10 months. My parents live 2-3 hours from Disney so we could do 2 days at Disney and the rest of the week at my parents' house so that helps. Our most recent time was this past Thanksgiving. DD#2 was just over 2.5 and DD#1 was 4.5. They went nuts! Seriously, they were in heaven! It was soooooooooooo much fun just watching them. I've no idea if they remember the other visits or not. My mom makes snapfish books of every time she sees the kids so the other two visits are in books and we read them a lot. Either way, it's all the girls talk about and they both love love loved it!! Our plan, though, is to go every two years (every year we go to my parents' for Thanksgiving) so we'll go again when they're 2, 4 and 6 and so on. It'll be fun to watch the progression of what they love and don't love as they get older.

mlc92404 · December 2010

I have an alternative vacation destination suggestion. We did Tampa this past spring right after DS turned 2. Went to Busch Garden (they have Sesame Place in there and he LOVED it....small water play area too), the beach, downtown Tampa, a Tampa Bay Rays game and there is LOTS more around there to do for the kids, museums etc. DS had a GREAT time!

AggieCouple · December 2010

We stayed at the resort and went back there for lunch and naps. If they're both down to 1 nap, it's completely doable. We usually did breakfast and dinner at the park. That's our life anyway, so why let naps keep you from doing something fun? And we were not on a mission to complete every single ride and show. As long as you're laid-back about it, and just take the day as it comes, it should be fun.

Bride2b2004 · December 2010

They would LOVE it. Don't know if they will remember or not. We took DS when he was 2y 11 mo. We stayed in the park and went back for naps and relaxed and had lunch, it was actually nice to have a break mid-day. He still talks about it and loves to watch the video & look at pictures, but no way to know how much he really remembers. Regardless, it was a great family vacation and we are happy we took him. We are thinking of going back next summer and doing a combo of the parks and the new Disney cruise ship.

fwittig@gmail.com · December 2010

I think it's perfect, especially for the 4 year old! I plan on taking my LO when he/she is 3 months old if my husband's training schedule allows it. We usually go every year but we're missing our normal May/June timeframe because of his training and the baby being due (I'm due the first day of the vacation). We usually go during Star Wars Weekends so I get my Disney fix and my husband still has something to look forward to, besides the vast array of adult beverages.

We were planning on going next June and taking my inlaws with us, including a 2 and 4 year old . We thought they'd love it. We planned to go back to the resort after lunch every day for naps and a break. On the 2 days we planned on having breakfast at the parks we were going to eat lunch at the resort. We figured we'd miss a lot of the fireworks in order for the kids to not be out so late but that was fine.

There's also some DVD's that you can buy on amazon that shows the characters interacting with small children so that you can show your kids how big they are so they won't be scared (hopefully).

They may not remember it but it'll be a great memory for you and your husband. Take plenty of pictures, maybe some videos, and just enjoy watching their experience.

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