s/o: Best year for first Disney World trip

[Anonymous]

I think B is the sweet spot. The two oldest will be tall enough for everything and don’t need naps or strollers but still count as kids. The 3yo will be young enough to give you the Disney magic experience with meeting characters.

But you’ll have fun whatever ages you go.

[Anonymous]

We went at 5 and 7. 5 still loved all the characters but has almost no memory of the trip. 7 year old no longer cared about characters but does remember it. We planned to take them back again but never got around to it.

[Anonymous]

We have been with 1, 6, and 8 and just went again with 7, 12, and 14. Both times were great. My kids are all about rides - they did not enjoy a Disney cruise and they did not care to meet characters at Disney. They do also like the parade and fireworks. We did Universal when my youngest was 4 and that was really tough, since he had to sit out a lot of rides there, but was old enough to know he wanted to go on the rides. 4 yos can do more rides at Disney, but I'm thinking 3 would be v tricky- they'd really notice the gap between what they could do and what their siblings could do.

[Anonymous]

People overthink Disney and make it much more complicated than it needs to be because of how expensive it is. If budget is less of a concern, you can really make it work at any age (including newborns). The problem is if you feel like you have to see everything and do everything, that’s not going to work with super young ones. But if the approach is let’s stroll around and take in the magic, catch some kid friendly rides with short lines, eat some casual food, watch a show, then easy. Especially if you stay somewhere like the Contemporary where you can easily walk between MK and the hotel for naps. But if you have to check off every ride in 1 day and want fine dining for dinner and don’t want to pay for the extras that make that painless with young kids (VIP tour or the new higher tier LL), then yeah it’s gonna suck.

[Anonymous]

A lets your youngest get in free, and your older two will still find it magical in a way they won't as they get older. If you were only going once my answer might be different, but I'd say A. Where you stay, how long you stay, what you're excited about doing, and what time of year you go, are all at least as important as your kids' ages.

[Anonymous]

D

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Three kids - 1.5 year gap between the two oldest and 3.5 year gap between middle and youngest. Assume this would be the first trip, but probably not the last (you'd go probably one or two more times during their childhood). Let's make this multiple choice:

A) 2027: Ages 7, 5, 2
B) 2028: Ages 8. 6. 3
C) 2029: Ages 9, 7, 4
D) 2030: Ages 10, 8, 5

E) 2032 or later

[Anonymous]

I vote for D

[Anonymous]

I thought the stroller was no big deal. My 3 year old easily napped in one, and we had somewhere to keep all our stuff.

[Anonymous]

I think a 5 year old will still need a stroller. A 3 year old gets in free and just under 2 gets you a lap infant for the flight. Disney is great at all ages. Think it does depend if you are one trip and done or willing to do it again.

[Anonymous]

D then C

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I'm surprised folks went so late! I was kinda thinking B or C.

I think what spurred this was looking at my 6 and 4 year olds and thinking they would LOVE a trip to Disney right now, and they're just at such a great age for the "magic" part of it.

But you couldn't pay me to take my one year old. Ha.

I worry about missing the "magic" age with my oldest - even 8 feels on the old side for that. Which is why I was leaning B.

Three was definitely when I noticed both my older kids got easier on the road!

My 16 year old still loves Disney (despite being a cranky teenager)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think a 5 year old will still need a stroller. A 3 year old gets in free and just under 2 gets you a lap infant for the flight. Disney is great at all ages. Think it does depend if you are one trip and done or willing to do it again.

Nope under 3 gets in free. 3 and up needs a ticket.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think B is the sweet spot. The two oldest will be tall enough for everything and don’t need naps or strollers but still count as kids. The 3yo will be young enough to give you the Disney magic experience with meeting characters.

But you’ll have fun whatever ages you go.

I agree with this one. I don't think there's a wrong answer but there's something beautiful about a child being aware enough to realize there having a real life experience but young enough for it to be really magical in their eyes. I think that sweet spot is 3. Maybe 4 at the latest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:C or D - you want everyone to be somewhat independent and able to tolerate long days.

You’ll have more fun if you DON’T “tolerate long days.” Go to parks in the morning, swim and rest in the hot afternoon and then enjoy the early evening in the parks, with one late night for fireworks.