One question that I get asked frequently when discussing Disney vacations is, “What’s a good age to take my kids to Disney?” and I’m here to break down that answer for you. The one thing to remember is all families are different; they vary in size, income, and ages. I know, the idea of taking a newborn, a toddler, a kindergartner, a twelve year old or even a sixteen year old to Disney sounds challenging, but I’m here to tell you that no age is going to be easier than another. But the answer to this question is simple – Any age is the best age to take your children on a Disney Vacation.
I started taking my daughter to Disney when she was only three months old. Looking back on these Disney trips when she was three to six months old, I’ve realized they were the most relaxing trips I’ve ever been on. We spent a lot of time relaxing by the pool, meeting various characters, eating (a lot!) and just taking it slow. This age group is great for family photos, still enjoying adult activities, and meeting characters with no tantrums.
I also took my daughter on a small Disney trip for her first birthday. We had a birthday dinner for her at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in Norway so she could meet characters while dining. Then when we went to Animal Kingdom, we mostly walked around and looked at the animals. Keeping it simple, is a good way to enjoy your little ones and their time without over doing it or pushing them. Also we did a lot of parades, dark rides and character dining. Character dining is great for little ones, especially because there are no long lines to wait in, and they get to eat while they wait! I definitely recommend character dining if you’re bringing a child two and under!
The next time we took my daughter, she was two. When she was two we did a lot more shows, because she was more interested in characters. We spent a lot of time at Hollywood Studios in their Disney Junior area, where Disney Junior – Live On Stage is. With shows like Star Wars, Muppets 3D, Beauty and the Beast and Voyage of the Little Mermaid, your kids will love becoming apart of one of their favorite characters stories.
We then took her back to Disney when she was four for the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. The Disney holiday parties are a great way to introduce your child to the world of Disney without having the be there all day long. The Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party was great for us because we spent most of the time trick or treating around the park and just enjoying the atmosphere. We also rode some dark rides, enjoyed the parade as well as the fireworks and characters.
I was fortunate enough to take her again twice when she was five. Once in Fall of 2015 and again May 2016. Both of these trips, so far, have been my absolute favorite – mainly because she is tall enough to ride rides. Now we’re able to mix up our routine and all get on rides as a family instead of swapping. She’s now able to ride Tower of Terror for the first time, Star Tours, and Test Track. Also, we tend to do a lot less character dining and just stand in line whenever we pass by a character we want to stop and see because she doesn’t mind waiting in lines. When asked what her favorite thing to do in Disney World now is she said, “To go on rides, like the Test Track one!” We still did a lot of dark rides, shows and characters but we definitely fit more rides in then anything else during these trips.
Looking back on all of these trips now, I’m glad I took her through every stage of her life. Not only for the memories, but for the change of Disney trips. It’s nice having relaxing trips with not much of a worry or plan, but also the trips where they’re excited and wanting to run from ride to ride is equally as fun. It’s interesting to see your child’s interests and wants change – and to have it all happen at Disney makes it extra magical.
So hopefully through my own personal journey, you too can see that really ANY age is a good age to take your child or children to Disney World. There may be some unique challenges during each age of life, whether its finding one of Disney’s Baby Care Centers or trying to fit all the rides into a day, but really every stage of life is great to celebrate and enjoy a Disney Vacation.
My name is Brittany Hughes and I’m a vacation planner with Travel with the Magic. I specialize in Disney Vacations including Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Adventures by Disney and the Disney Cruise Line. Email me today with help planning and booking your vacation! brittany@travelwiththemagic.com
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