Best age for Disney world?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We went when ours were 4 and 2.5. They both had a blast. I was surprised at how much the 2 yr old was able to do and how much fun she had. I think 4-7 or 8 is the ideal age but like a PP said, when you have multiple kids you can't take everyone at the perfect age. Disney is very accommodating of small children & babies so I would just go when it is best for your schedule overall. And when it isn't super hot in Orlando.

One thing I'll say about going when the kids are still really young is that some since they aren't yet in school it's easier to go in the off-season & it isn't so crowded. We took our 4 yr old out of preschool for the week to go during a week with very low crowds at Disney & I was very glad. Who wants to wait in long lines with little kids? No thank you. Research online the best times to visit Disney & you can see when it is least crowded. Once the kids are in elementary school it is harder to go during the less crowded times. Just a thought.

Ooops, I meant to post this on the "Best age for a first trip" which was about a totally different situation. I was 22:56 here, read that and ignore this!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is the choice here to let the rest of the family go without you, or are you considering advocating for the other kids not to get to go during their childhood so that your kid can be the right age? While I think that under 2 isn't the age I'd pick for a once in a lifetime trip, I also wouldn't pick high school, and if you wait a few years, that's going to be the age of the other kids. It sounds like going right now is the right compromise for the age span as a whole. If you want your kid to have a trip they can remember, you can always go back in 4 or 5 years.

There are lots of things that an under 2 can't do at Disney, but there are also lots of things that they can do. Meeting the characters at character meals, playing on the playgrounds and splash pads, riding some of the simpler rides, seeing the shows, looking at the animals at Animal Kingdom and Animal Kingdom Lodge, and playing in the pool. It could be a fun trip.

I would also say that under 2 is a far better age than 3. Under 2 my kid was happy in the stroller watching the world go by, could nap on the go, and wouldn't have been upset by being too short for rides. At 3 none of those things were true. Plus once you're potty training or newly trained the lines are really problematic. Plus 3 year olds have to pay at Disney. So, if you're thinking of waiting a year or two, I would discourage it.

OK, I'm loosing it clearly. The comment above about "didn't mean to post this" was after the wrong post. THIS is the post I meant to say belonged on the other thread. The post I just quoted was not mine, and probably was perfect for this thread.

I should not be allowed on the internet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you want them to remember it, not until after 3rd grade

I clearly remember going myself when I was in first grade. I'd say a year or two after that would be better, though, since I remember being scared of the bigger rides. I was young enough to appreciate meeting the characters, though, whereas my older siblings didn't care.

[Anonymous]

We took ours at 5 and 7 and it was great. They still both remember the trip now at 7 and 9 and they both had a great time and were able to go strong all day long for several days, from rope drop to post fireworks, which is not something you can do with a kid who still naps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:my daughter was 5 when she went. She was very into the Princess thing, so it was the perfect time for her. She was able to ride a lot of rides. You want to hit the sweet spot of "likes Disney characters" plus "tall enough to ride rides."

+1, especially for Magic Kingdom. Young enough to fit in a stroller to avoid fatigue from all the walking (we rented one on-site). Young enough to still totally be swept up in the magic - those princesses were real to her. Old enough to ride a lot of rides and express preferences on things she did or didn't want to see.

If we were ever to go again, I do think somewhere around age 10 or 11 would be great. Would have more cultural references for Hollywood Studios, which we skipped with our 5yr old. Might enjoy Epcot more, although we did have fun.

[Anonymous]

Our DD is 7 and we are going in 2 weeks. She is on the edge of growing out of the disney characters. I'm 45 and I've never been. I'm freaking excited and cant wait.

[Anonymous]

Kids under 3 get free admission and free food for buffets only (but not other restaurants).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you want them to remember it, not until after 3rd grade

I disagree completely. First off, kids remember a lot before that age, especially big trips. And by 3rd grade all the magic is gone. Waaaaay too late. You can always tell the families that go for rides vs the families that go for the experience. Disney is NOT about rides. Go to Kinds Dominion for that.

The experience is the magic and the young years is what starts the magic.

[Anonymous]

Agree. I really think 4 is optimal, and I have been with kids at every age from 1-10.
It varies a bit from kid to kid, but I would say 3.5-4.5 is perfect.
Even my then 6 year old was over some of the wonder on our last trip.

I do not at ALL understand the focus on how much they will remember. Go for the experience itself.

[Anonymous]

Took ours at 6 and 8; the magic was past, but it was good that they didn't need to nap anymore. Right after we got home they asked when we could go back. I said when they are grownups.

[Anonymous]

We've been 3 times, and I think anytime from ages 3-10 is ideal.

The guidebook I read said that 8 years old was the idea age because you'd have enough stamina to enjoy the entire Disney experience. I can see the author's point there. But we still enjoyed it when the kids were younger. We took them to the theme park in the morning, to our resort in the afternoon for naps and pool time, and then perhaps back to the park for some early evening time. I guess we didn't get our full money's worth by leaving the parks in the afternoon, but we didn't mind because when they were younger the kids enjoyed the resort more than the theme parks.

(We stayed at Disney's Wilderness Lodge twice, and Disney's Beach Club one. I recommend both, but they are a bit of a splurge.)