How old were your kids the first time they went to Disney?

[tinkerhon]

6 months for each - now dd13 and ds8

 

[Disfan2016]

First one was 18 months and second was 11 months.

 

[Funfire240]

ours were DD3 1/2 and DS16 months on our first trip

 

[Bocko57]

My Daughter was 1. She barely had any hair but we got her first hair cut at Magic Kingdom.

 

[MrsDuck]

3 months.

We live about 2.5 hours away and had family visiting WDW so we went up to see them. Stayed at WL. It was wonderful.

 

[rg35]

3 years old. We spent a few hours at MK as part of a Disney Cruise that left from NYC and made a stop at Port Canaveral. We bought DVC that year as well, so their first "full" trip was when they were 4.

 

[2019TripIdeas]

We did a trip at 11 months and 2 but nearly-3 (sneaking in free). We did another trip at 19 months + nearly 3 + 4.

The second trip, even with bringing 3 kids vs. 2, won out by so much because our kids could appreciate it so much more at those ages. I highly recommend getting a trip in before turning 3 for "free".

I think we may even try to do the same when the youngest is about to turn 3, so it would be (almost) 3 + 4+ 6, and then wait several years until everyone is over all the height requirements.

 

[TheNextSurprise]

Our first trip was when our son was 2 years and 3 months and daughter was 4 and a half. It was overall great, but at just over 2 years he was a little more high maintenance than we would have liked.

We just got back from an amazing trip number 2 last week. Our Younger will be 4 in 2 months and our oldest just turned 6 and we had the best time ever. We definitely left our 1 year old at home with my wife's parents!

 

[bluezy]

We took our older boys when they were 12 & 14. We had a 1 & 2 year old at that time as well but they stayed home with Grandma, Auntie, and a few other trusted babysitters. That trip needed to be about the older boys for many reasons (that I won't go in to). We figured we'd take the younger kids when they were about 10. However, by about day 2 of that trip we realized we needed/wanted to bring them when they were younger...but we also knew we didn't want to deal with a stroller and we wanted them to be able to easily go on the majority of the rides. So our benchmark was that they needed to be 40" tall. That milestone was reached by the time the youngest one was 3.5 and we went to Disney when she was 4 (and her brother was 5). That age (4 or so) was perfect for us -- the kids didn't need naps, they didn't need a stroller, they could walk for long distances without complaining, and we didn't have to worry about diapers, potty training, or special food. I found out I was pregnant just before that trip and we also took that child when she was 4. We toured very leisurely when the kids were that age but have done several trips since then and our touring plan has gotten more intense.

That being said, we recently went to Disney with our son and his wife and 1 yo daughter (she was 14 months old at the time). She was a very well-behaved baby on the trip. She napped in the stroller and was also content to stay in the stroller and just take everything in most of the time. She had a few little meltdowns, but was calmed quickly and easily. However, having to deal with the stroller all the time and having to stop for diaper changes and nursing sessions (usually when she was tired) really slowed down our touring style...significantly. But that's ok...we just had to readjust our expectations for the trip (which we knew we would have to do before we even got there). Overall it was a very enjoyable trip but we still wouldn't change what age we took *our* kids to Disney for the first time. Being the grandparent is a different ballgame though since we weren't the ones responsible for the baby and all associated gear.

ETA: I would probably handle things differently if we went to Disney frequently (once or twice a year). If that was the case, I would probably take a child as young as about 6 mos. However, in our case, we thought we'd only be making 2 or 3 trips during our lifetime so I wanted the kids to be old enough to remember as much as possible. Of course that was 8 trips ago.....

 

[annadreamsofdisneyworld]

We took our first when she was 14 months. Then after having a second we went again when our kids were 3.75 and 1.75.

 

[nmpd]

Mine were 7 and 4 the first time. We thought of taking the older one when she was 3 before her sister arrived, but I would have been hugely pregnant at the time and didn't want to be chasing after a 3 year old in the parks that way. We then had to wait until we no longer had 2 kids in daycare to afford it! Plus I wanted to make sure the youngest was out of diapers as well.

 

[AnnaGiselle]

We took our older boys when they were 12 & 14. We had a 1 & 2 year old at that time as well but they stayed home with Grandma, Auntie, and a few other trusted babysitters. That trip needed to be about the older boys for many reasons (that I won't go in to). We figured we'd take the younger kids when they were about 10. However, by about day 2 of that trip we realized we needed/wanted to bring them when they were younger...but we also knew we didn't want to deal with a stroller and we wanted them to be able to easily go on the majority of the rides. So our benchmark was that they needed to be 40" tall. That milestone was reached by the time the youngest one was 3.5 and we went to Disney when she was 4 (and her brother was 5). That age (4 or so) was perfect for us -- the kids didn't need naps, they didn't need a stroller, they could walk for long distances without complaining, and we didn't have to worry about diapers, potty training, or special food. I found out I was pregnant just before that trip and we also took that child when she was 4. We toured very leisurely when the kids were that age but have done several trips since then and our touring plan has gotten more intense.

That being said, we recently went to Disney with our son and his wife and 1 yo daughter (she was 14 months old at the time). She was a very well-behaved baby on the trip. She napped in the stroller and was also content to stay in the stroller and just take everything in most of the time. She had a few little meltdowns, but was calmed quickly and easily. However, having to deal with the stroller all the time and having to stop for diaper changes and nursing sessions (usually when she was tired) really slowed down our touring style...significantly. But that's ok...we just had to readjust our expectations for the trip (which we knew we would have to do before we even got there). Overall it was a very enjoyable trip but we still wouldn't change what age we took *our* kids to Disney for the first time. Being the grandparent is a different ballgame though since we weren't the ones responsible for the baby and all associated gear.

ETA: I would probably handle things differently if we went to Disney frequently (once or twice a year). If that was the case, I would probably take a child as young as about 6 mos. However, in our case, we thought we'd only be making 2 or 3 trips during our lifetime so I wanted the kids to be old enough to remember as much as possible. Of course that was 8 trips ago.....

This is great advice! We have been fortunate enough to be frequent visitors in the past few years, so it's hard imagining this longer break. I'd definitely expect more breaks and more time at the hotel if we took a baby, but I just love even being at the Disney hotels, so I think we'd be okay!

 

[Anchored]

My son was 1.5 on our first trip
My daughter was 6 or 7 months old.

 

[JK World]

Turned 3 on the trip (got one in while he was still free). He doesn't remember a thing about that trip, but we had fun and made a photo book.
Next trip was 11 months later, but worlds away in terms of experience. He remembers everything, loved everything, and can't wait to go back.
We return this fall for his 5th birthday!

 

[Jperiod]

We were going to disney every december long before our kids were born and we've continued long after they were born. DS was 9 months and DD was 7 weeks. It changed our touring style in that we take longer trips now (easier on on our kids if we don't do commando style). I will say that my very favorite age we went for each was just before they turned 3. Magical!

 

[fairestoneofall]

On our first trip, our oldest was 3 and our middle was three months (DH had a conference). Since then, we've gone pretty regularly. The youngest's first trip was when he was six months old.

As of now, my middle child doesn't really care about going back to WDW, but does want to see Galaxy's Edge. The oldest and youngest both still love all things Disney.

 

[GoofyDad_4427]

but we also knew we didn't want to deal with a stroller

I realize everyone will be different on this, but man do I miss having a stroller. It was just so much easier to push a stroller around with all our drinks, autograph books, clothes (depending upon weather), camera, etc. With the boys now 12 and 9 obviously it is different, there are no more autograph books, but the drinks in particular are a pain because we don't want to carry them around so end up taking longer breaks than we would if we had a stroller still.

 

[bluezy]

I realize everyone will be different on this, but man do I miss having a stroller. It was just so much easier to push a stroller around with all our drinks, autograph books, clothes (depending upon weather), camera, etc. With the boys now 12 and 9 obviously it is different, there are no more autograph books, but the drinks in particular are a pain because we don't want to carry them around so end up taking longer breaks than we would if we had a stroller still.

Yep, everyone is different (and that's ok!). I've seen people post that they bring a stroller to Disney *just* to carry their stuff -- that their kids are too big/old for a stroller but they need something to lug their supplies around in all day. For us, never using a stroller at Disney prevented us from getting in the habit of taking a bunch of stuff to the parks that we would never use or need (I'm the queen of over packing and trying to be prepared for ANY situation that might occur. ). We've been going to the parks bagless since our youngest was 6 years old (she's a teenager now). Even before that, I only carried a small crossbody bag filled with stuff we never used (seriously). Now, if it doesn't fit in our pockets, it stays in the room. We buy what we want to eat or drink throughout the day -- we're on vacation and none of us is interested in being the pack mule to save a few bucks (I know not everyone is in a financial position to do that and that some people *need* to carry their own food/drinks due to dietary and allergy reasons..totally understand).

 

[TWINKLETWINKLE]

First trip my youngest was 2 1/2. We would take mid day breaks and went back to hotel to rest.

 

[KarenAylwood]

First was just before DS turned 3, and this trip (leave Saturday!) ODS will be just shy of 6 and YDS just shy of 2. Everyone says the whole "they won't remember it" thing and before our last trip I'd say "yes, to be clear this trip is for us as parents " but he really did remember some of it and I made a shutterfly book just for him from the trip and he still reads it. He loves talking about how he met the characters, was scared of Buzz Lightyear, etc even if he doesn't properly remember it. And WE remember it and it was amazing to watch at that age. He gets it now so it's even more exciting to prep for this trip.

My first trip was when I was 2 and my parents still joke about things from that trip and there are some great pictures from it- like when Figment stole my blanket while I was on Dreamfinder's lap. Things a Disney-addict just lives for. Such great memories- either in our minds or captured in photos. Totally worth it.