At what age did you start bringing your kids to the parks?

[a1tinkfans]

16 mos old... with Poppy n nana... first trip for them... and we did it all ...from Limo pick ups, special shirts.... Amazing dining ( my little guy was sooo good and happy) and we enjoyed pool and resort time..along with 2 parks in a 5/6 day trip. Watching them, delighting in the little ones experience was Amazing. So many memories that last a Lifetime and they ve Both, sadly passed.
As far as my Child remembering everything. That really wasn’t the purpose of our Family trip. They never forgot it and I feel truly blessed that we did it. .Im a scrapper/journal person and we Still look thru those books/pix often.

 

[julietsstars]

I was 5 when my mum and gran took me. Did the same with my daughter. In hindsight I wish I would have waited until she was about 8. Taking her at 5 was really more for my memories since she didn't retain a single thing lol

 

[AZMermaid]

My kids were 8 and 9 months for Disneyland and they dI’d great. We took my son again at 13 months and it was HARD because he wanted to crawl around (learned to walk a week later) and couldn’t. He didn’t want to be held or in the stroller. After that, we waited till a little over two (sister was 9 months) and then till she was 2.5. We go to DL every 10-18 months.

We are in AZ, so travel to DL is a pretty easy drive for 3 day trips. We waited until they were 5 and 6 for 9 days at WDW. This was perfect! No strollers, diapers or tantrums but all the magic.

 

[FinnFogg]

We took all 3 of our kids to DL whe the oldest was 4, middle child 3 and the youngest 1. They all had a great time, and we have gone back repeatedly ever since.

 

[Jacq7414]

We brought our daughter when she was a month shy of 2 years and then again when she was just shy of 3 years. We were supposed to go again this summer but our plans got ruined. So glad we went last year though, especially now.

 

[CoachE]

Congrats! Our baby will be 4 months when we go in July. With all the closures and low capacity we'll see how it goes!!

 

[Shellyred8]

If you plan to go somewhat regularly, I would say take them as soon as you are comfortable. I went with my cousin and her twin toddlers when they were 2 years old and we made some great memories. The twins were also old enough to be interactive with characters (one loved them, the other was a bit hesitant...It was awesome!) and they were able to explore some things like playgrounds and the Bone Yard at AK. So, my vote would be between 2-3 years old. Sometime while they are still "free"! LOL!!

Congrats on your pending addition!!

 

[DisneyGrammyT]

Four and six. They were potty trained and could feed themselves and we didn't have to lug diapers etc. Coming from Canada, the least amount of luggage we had to bring the better!

 

[ShazzySteph]

My son was 2 years old when we took him for the first time for a family trip last summer. I'm currently pregnant with my second and we will likely take him before he turns 1. As someone else mentioned, it will be more that my husband, older son, and I will be taking the trip and the baby will be tagging along.

 

[bakerworld]

If I only had one child then I would take them at any age, knowing that we wouldn't be spending entire days in the park until they were about 7 or 8 years old. We waited until our youngest was out of diapers because I just couldn't handle 3 kids and a husband and diapers. Still the youngest had heat stroke after the first day and we rented a stroller for the rest of the stay.

Our kids are in their 30's now so we enjoy WDW as a couple now. A few years ago, I came out to a husband very upset. He wouldn't tell me what happened until later. As we were walking around a woman approached him, thanked him and walked away. He looked at me and shook his head. The next day he told me, while he was waiting for me, he noticed an adult group with a stroller and the child in the stroller was shaking. It took him a minute but he had experience so he told the group their child was suffering from the heat. He said the one fellow came at him like he was going to hit him while the other looked down, realized my husband was correct, and ran into the nearest eatery for ice. They tossed ice around the child and walked away. He said he saw them several times that day as they never left the park.

So take your baby, enjoy yourselves but it's not a challenge event - it's a vacation.

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

I started taking my DS to DLR when he was 14 months old. We had planned on being at WDW this week for his first visit there, but have postponed until next year. Disneyland is much easier with little ones, IMHO. For our first few trips we stayed right across Harbor Blvd from the main gate and I could be back in the hotel room from anywhere in the parks within 20 minutes walking at most. It was so easy to take breaks, pick up extra supplies, change clothes, have a nap, etc. during the day. We definitely took it easy when he was younger and went at his pace rather than trying to race through everything. He liked different things at different ages - he loved Pirates when he was little, got a little spooked by it at age 4, and then was back to loving it at age 6. He adored meeting Eeyore when he was 1yr and wanted to hug and snuggle him, but was shy at age 6. Sure, he doesn't remember those very early trips, but children learn and grow from all of their experiences whether they remember them or not. And by traveling with him when he was young, he has learned how to travel well, and has been an awesome travel buddy for many years now. I always look forward to trips with him, and it's so fun to see the world through his eyes!

 

[Rory607]

If I only had one child then I would take them at any age, knowing that we wouldn't be spending entire days in the park until they were about 7 or 8 years old. We waited until our youngest was out of diapers because I just couldn't handle 3 kids and a husband and diapers. Still the youngest had heat stroke after the first day and we rented a stroller for the rest of the stay.

Our kids are in their 30's now so we enjoy WDW as a couple now. A few years ago, I came out to a husband very upset. He wouldn't tell me what happened until later. As we were walking around a woman approached him, thanked him and walked away. He looked at me and shook his head. The next day he told me, while he was waiting for me, he noticed an adult group with a stroller and the child in the stroller was shaking. It took him a minute but he had experience so he told the group their child was suffering from the heat. He said the one fellow came at him like he was going to hit him while the other looked down, realized my husband was correct, and ran into the nearest eatery for ice. They tossed ice around the child and walked away. He said he saw them several times that day as they never left the park.

So take your baby, enjoy yourselves but it's not a challenge event - it's a vacation.

I’m so glad your husband was able to help and they listened to him. How scary! I can’t believe they stayed in the park, though??

My first trip to Disney was at 6 months old and I look beet-red in every picture! We apparently went over July 4th week. My mom said they had no idea how hot and crowded it would be. It was 40 years ago, so the crowds were nothing like today, but still crowded. She said she spent much of the time looking for air conditioning to take me into, while my dad took my siblings on the rides. You really do have to be careful with little ones.

 

[meclark3]

We took our first son at 18 months and he's been every year since. Our youngest was 6 months on his first trip. The pictures are priceless and its surprisingly easy to navigate the parks with a stroller and to build in nap times, even if kiddo isn't a great stroller sleeper.

 

[mickeyfan100]

On our first trip, our daughters were 5 and 7 and they loved it... then their sister came along, and we went for her first trip when she was 16 months old. I can’t say she remembers the details of her first trip (she’s 17 now), but I know she enjoyed every minute of it at the time. Every morning I’d take her out of the portable crib in our room at Wilderness Lodge. She’d run directly to her stroller, try to climb in and point at the door as if saying
“bring on some more of that”

 

[mmh711]

We took my oldest son for his 1st Birthday. It was December and we went to MVMCP. It was an amazing experience. We now have 2 boys (9 and 11) and have taken them back every 1-2 years. Definitely agree with getting them there for at least 1 trip while their admission is still free.
The photos from when my boys were 4 and 6 are probably my most priceless. That's when we did the most character meet and greets and meals. So much amazement and joy in those pictures!! Now they love Disney in a different way....they appreciate the more adventurous rides and they love down time at the hotel pool. One of our trips was while my older one was potty-training......that was a little rough on the nerves!!

 

[annadreamsofdisneyworld]

We took my daughter at 14 months, then went again when we had 2 kids, and the youngest was 20 months. Both had a wonderful time! These trips involved a lot of work (nursing, car seats, diapers, etc.), but it was worth it. Both my kids enjoyed their time in the parks meeting characters, riding rides, and seeing shows. I think the 20 month old had more of a response to the rides than the 14 month old.

 

[martikus]

Took my son when he was 4. He was terrified of most of the rides but LOVED the characters. I will cherish that time of filling the autograph book as he never loved characters like then.

we’ve gone every 2-3 years after and every time is different as at each age they like different things and it’s fun to see through their eyes.

Never go hoping they will remember. Go to make memories for you.

 

[musika]

My kids were 2.5 and 6 on their first trip, and 4 and 7.5 the second time we went (clearly we caught the bug). They don't remember everything of course, but there was something magical about the 2.5 year old really 100% believing that WAS the character he was seeing, even though he wasn't able to ride everything.

I personally would wait until my kids were at least walking and semi-independent. I don't think I would take an infant due to the sheer amount of baby junk that entails carting along, but certainly lots do it and enjoy it.

ETA - Congrats on your pregnancy!

 

[nancipants]

We are locals. He was 2 weeks for dinner at Trail's End, 3 weeks 2 days for pictures in front of the castle at MK, 3 weeks 5 days for first Epcot trip, 5 weeks 2 days for first DHS trip, and 6 weeks exactly for first AK trip.

 

[AULilBeth]

Our oldest and youngest went for the first time when they were each 11 months, our middle first went at 18 months, and I will say 11 months is a whole lot easier than 18 months!

At 11 months, they love all of the colors, animatronics, etc. They are wide eyed and smiley with wonder when they are awake, pointing at interesting animals at Animal Kingdom, etc., and then they will sleep in the stroller while you walk around and shop at Epcot or stuff like that. Of course they won't remember it, but it's still magical and wonderful family memories for parents. My 9-year-old still loves looking at the pictures of herself when she went at 11 months, now that she knows the parks better.

At 18 months (or whenever they become mobile), it is hard, because they cognitively don't follow why they keep having to get in and out of the stroller. They want to be out and moving, but they obviously cannot walk those kinds of distances. Still plenty of fun memories, but lots of battles as well. They also don't sleep through stuff quite as easily in the stroller at that age as they do when they're younger, so you are much more tied to set nap times. It gets easier again at 2 1/2-3 years old.

I have taken kids to Disney World at 11 months, 18 months, 2 1/2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9. There are beautiful and special things that make me want to do it at every single one of those ages except for the young toddler phase (like 15 months through early 2s).