Infants in Theme Parks - a Good Idea?

[DisneyJunkie]

Personally, I think it's incredibly naive for a parent to think an infant would get anything out of a trip to Disney that they couldn't get from a simple ride around the block in the car at home. The infant-through-toddler stage of life is WAY too early, IMO, to take a child to someplace as wonderful as WDW. Their minds aren't developed to the point where they can even appreciate where they are or what they're seeing. Why should a parent be the only one to enjoy it, especially when all they're looking for is a smile on the child's face? You want them to smile, just play a little peek-a-boo with them.

No child between the ages of 6 months and 4 years old (at the maximum) is going to remember a single, solitary aspect of a trip to WDW. Even looking back at pictures, the parent will be the one with the memory and explaining it back to the child later. My opinion is that I wouldn't take a child to WDW until they're of the right age range in which the appreciation for the trip can be retained by both them and myself.....so I wouldn't take a child until they're about 7 or 8 at the earliest.

[DisneyJunkie]

Not taking a young-one to a Disney park because they wouldn't remember it, is like, not taking a vitamin because you can't taste it.

I'm afraid that analogy doesn't fit, because at least they'll get something with the vitamin whether it's tasted or not. Taking an infant or toddler to Disney, when they don't have the ability to even appreciate or remember such a trip is pointless.

[DisneyAndRedSox]

I am one of those who took my DD as an infant. My DH travels every week for work and was gone to Europe for 2 weeks in the middle of Jan (we live in New England). I had the opportunity to go with my parents and their friends for free and jumped at the chance. Having 4 adults helping with a 9 week-old was the best vacation I ever had! There was times they went off and did their own thing and DD and I hung out in the baby center, but I was in heaven! I took DD again at 14 months, again had the grandparents to help out and she started enjoying some of the attractions, plus with 3 adults it is easy to baby swap. I have one of those rare kids that never naps and is cheery from sunrise to sunset no matter what we are doing, but when we go back at 2 years old you can bet I won't push her beyond her limits, if she starts having melt downs we will just hang out at the pool. If my DD wasn't such an 'easy' kid to travel with, I would never take trips like this! Since we go every year in Jan when it is less crowded we tend to not rush things and take our time. Once anyone gets tired we leave the parks and go back to our timeshare.

I am thrilled that my DD & I will have the memories that her grandparents took her to WDW every year since she was born! I know she doesn't remember the first few years but when she is there she is having a wonderful time and it makes me and my parents happy. If I took the reasoning that "if she won't remember something so don't do it", then I guess I won't take her to Elmo Live in Oct, I will cancel the 'music together' class she attends and get rid of the Baby Einstein and Disney videos and just lock her in her room all day. I can't wait until our next trip when she is 26 months old, she is getting her 1st haircut on Main Street and going to her first Character Meal. Plus with the grandparents there DH and I will get a few 'date nights' out!

[Sixx]

This is an interesting thread.
Let me start by saying that my wife and i do not have kids. We have been going to the parks together for about 13 years. We live in Jacksonville FL and go to Disney 5-6 times a year. So we love Disney and the atmosphere of all the parks. And children are definitely part of that. Now, my problem with young kids in the parks, is not with the kids, but with the parents. SOME parents, I repeat SOME, think that their kids can do no wrong. I see so many little kids running around causing all sorts of chaos for OTHER people, and the parents just sit there. It is when the parents push their kids too far, that the rest of us suffer. They don't take into condsideration of how their screaming infant, or rowdy 2 year old affects other people. I'm sure i will get slammed for this post, but again, this is my veiw of the situation.
Love ya

[Mary M]

I don't know why people bring kids at all. It's completely inappropriate for children.

I'm not bringing my kids until they're at least 22.

[snifflesmcg]

Yes, moms have strollers, snacks, naps, and lots of patience!!!!!!! It actually makes for a very relaxing trip for everyone when you have an infant because you have to rest and take it easy

Sadly, this isn't always true. If it was, there wouldn't be so many kids in state's custody. Some parents only look out for the good of themselves, not their children.

This is an interesting thread.
Let me start by saying that my wife and i do not have kids. We have been going to the parks together for about 13 years. We live in Jacksonville FL and go to Disney 5-6 times a year. So we love Disney and the atmosphere of all the parks. And children are definitely part of that. Now, my problem with young kids in the parks, is not with the kids, but with the parents. SOME parents, I repeat SOME, think that their kids can do no wrong. I see so many little kids running around causing all sorts of chaos for OTHER people, and the parents just sit there. It is when the parents push their kids too far, that the rest of us suffer. They don't take into condsideration of how their screaming infant, or rowdy 2 year old affects other people. I'm sure i will get slammed for this post, but again, this is my veiw of the situation.
Love ya

I won't slam ya! I agree!

Even in everyday life this is also true. It's only intensified when excited parents don't know the limitations of their baby.
In 2003, on the flight down to Florida, there was a child, unsure of age (assumed to be around 1 1/2) who SCREAMED bloody murder at the top of it's lungs for over 3 hours straight. The poor kid probably had ear pain but who knows for sure. Let's just say, the 8 of us in my party on the plane couldn't get off it faster. We actually couldn't even talk to each other because the screaming was so loud.

[Sean Riley Taylor's Mom]

I don't know why people bring kids at all. It's completely inappropriate for children.

I'm not bringing my kids until they're at least 22.

[wdwfansince75]

Ok, I deleted my first response....It made sense, but would have hurt some feelings. I have been to Disney World with grandkids as young as 4 months (twice, for two different grandkids).....Maybe they didn't get anything from the experience, but their families, including siblings and cousins did. My grandkids live in MD, PA, and SC, but know and love each other from the times they have shared, including family trips to WDW.

We have wonderful memories, even some in digital forms, of our trips. Had each family waited until there were no children under four, we would have made only one trip with the entire family, instead of seven. And some of the best memories are those that include infants or toddlers.

Go when you wish. Stay where you will. Do what you want.....but leave a small space, a little time, for others.

Oh, and as for kids on airplanes, after 40 plus years of traveling far, wide, and frequently, I can guarantee that most of the unpleasantness I experienced was because of (in age) adults, not infants. Never saw a drunk child in all those travels!

I absolutely agree that there are many children less pleasant than the ones in my family. Don't have a specific solution, but I guarantee that it didn't take a village to raise my kids.....

[pixiesmimi]

Everyone has their own opinion, but the comment about children under 4 definately not have a memory of going to the parks is totally false. My DGS who is now 16 remembers when we took him at the age of 3. My DGD who went when she was 2 and again at 3 has not stopped talking about it for a year now. She definately remembers and will always remember when she first saw Cinderella. The look of awe on her face was priceless and we got a picture of it for memories. They may not remember every ride they went on but they remember seeing the characters and being with the family and having tons of fun. We take our kids everywhere we go and just adjust our schedule according to age. But to leave them at home would not even be considered in our family. But this is up to each individual family and what they think is best for their children. Just know your child's limits and don't try to push them past that.

[MouseDAD74]

I would never dream of leaving anyone out no matter how young or old or able. Families who play together stay together. I can't tell you how many times I've been in the parks and have seen a family with a mentally disabled person with them who may or may not understand or remember their experience. But the smile on their faces and the faces of their family members were priceless. The memories for those families, again priceless. Remember this is the Happiest place on earth and that should be for everyone. Those of you who disagree please try to remember that we are never gauranteed tomorrow.

[disneynarula]

We are going in Sept with at 3.5 year old and a 11 month old. We almost went last January but decided that our baby would be too young.

Now we are going because our Disney Visa rewards point are going to start expring.

I wish the kids were a little older but now is when we are going because of the points thing and to take advantage of free dining.

I have to admit it is mostly for me. DH is not a WDW fan but I really want to go.

That being said I am going to have to change a lot of my WDW past habits. We will most likely be going back to the room early because I refuse to drag two screaming toddlers through Epcot at 1 in the morning.

I think some kids have schedules that can be tweaked so they can stay up late but if your kids are tired they need to go to bed.

[merlinmagic4]

I would never dream of leaving anyone out no matter how young or old or able. Families who play together stay together. I can't tell you how many times I've been in the parks and have seen a family with a mentally disabled person with them who may or may not understand or remember their experience. But the smile on their faces and the faces of their family members were priceless. The memories for those families, again priceless. Remember this is the Happiest place on earth and that should be for everyone. Those of you who disagree please try to remember that we are never gauranteed tomorrow.

Wow, good points. I mean, I'm on the "bring infants" side but you brought up some great points. Our family does everything together and I'm not about to leave the youngest member of our family behind! Our little one is happy to be anywhere that we are!

And about tomorrows, you are so right. My oldest son has TWO life threatening illnesses. We don't sit around waiting for the "right time" for anything; we do it while we can!

[DisneyTwinsMommy]

Let me just say that I can not stand this entire thread, i have been reading it for days and have been trying to refrain from posting... I think that there are many people posting without experience or knowledge... If you do not have infants, then it really shouldn't matter what others do.

When we go next spring our twins will be 6 months old and it will be their first trip. Will they remember? Probably not, but we will be starting the next generation of the Disney magic... Every time I walk down Main Street I am instantly taken back to the same feeling I had when I was a child...(how old was I the first time I remember? i dont know, but it doesn't matter!) All I have are wonderful memories of yearly family times in WDW... I dont even know when I started remembering... I want my babies to have the same "magical" feeling when then "walk right down the middle of main street u.s.a" as I do... And when they are grown, and have their own children, I hope to be standing with them as they take their little ones for the first time... It's about magic and making memories, and if it's a little bit inconvienent for a while, so be it!

[mickey&missy]

I would never dream of leaving anyone out no matter how young or old or able. Families who play together stay together. I can't tell you how many times I've been in the parks and have seen a family with a mentally disabled person with them who may or may not understand or remember their experience. But the smile on their faces and the faces of their family members were priceless. The memories for those families, again priceless. Remember this is the Happiest place on earth and that should be for everyone. Those of you who disagree please try to remember that we are never gauranteed tomorrow.

exactly!

[crazeedizneefinatic]

Let's even step away from the parks for a few minutes. If we were to leave behind small children just becuase they do not "understand" or "remember" certain things, we would never be with our children, LOL. IMHO we have friends who have 2 children that have gone nowhere, simply because of this "they won't remember" or "they are too young" attitude. I can say that they probably don't want to put forth the extra effort it takes to have kids. I can say there children are the most unsocialized beings. They cannot sit still in a car for more than 5 minutes without complaining. Forget an airplane, I could not even imagine. So I do believe that children do get something out of traveling and family vacations at any age. My son has been "on the go" since 3 weeks old. He does not complain on road trips, has never given me trouble on an airplane. I belive out of all the years of traveling and being on the go that he has learned to be socialized. I can honestly say that IMHO I have had more bad experiences with cranky, rude, overtired, loud, obnoxious adults at Disney than children. I too can sympathize with many that have concern with parents pushing their children, I certainly do not agree with that either. But let's think back and realize that adults have done that too. I think children get the bad rap for that more than adults because children do not know how to express "mom and dad let's go back to the hotel". How many times have you run into an adult that could use a good nap themselves?? Just some thought.

[pixiesmimi]

I think this subject has been beat to death but I don't always remember everything I did as an adult like our trip to DL in 1977. I remember going and bits and pieces but not everything we did and I was an adult with two small children. But we still enjoyed it while there. It isn't about whether you remember it or not, it is about the fun you have while there. I live in the moment and enjoy life every step of the way regardless whether I am going to remember it or not. (And that is getting to be less and less every day.) So I think everyone has their own opinion about this and we should all just go to WDW with or without children and enjoy ourselves to the limit.

[kris10399]

"In the late 40s I was watching my two daughters at a park near my home. I thought "this place is SO dirty. It's run by people who want to take all your money." I noticed parents who wanted to leave because there was nothin' for THEM to do.

Their kids would get all upset because of that.

I thought: "something could be built where parents & children could have fun together."

and

"I thought that my work, and company, had an image of real family. Stuff that all ages could enjoy."

These are both quotes from Walt himself. As you notice, Walt Disney never put an age on the entry to the parks. It is a place for families to have fun. Not just the adults.

[Flower]

My son was adopted by us at 18 months of age, we took him to WDW a month before his 2nd birthday, we also took him a month before his 3rd birthday.

He is now 3 years and 5 months of age and almost everyday he talks about going back to Mickeys House - obviously he remembers it was fun, he may not remember specific experiences, but he does talk about some, such as going back on Goofy's roller coaster. Does he get the ride names right , no, but it doesn't matter - he had fun, he has recent memories that he enjoys and he is looking forward to our next trip. He even saves his money so we can go to Mickeys House, and it soothes him to know that 'Daddy is at work so he can make money for us to go see Mickey Mouse'.

I don't care that he won't remember everything, I care that as a family we can enjoy ourselves together! My youngest DS will have his 2nd trip before his 1st birthday, I know he won't remember a thing but I don't care! Walt built Disney for families.

And now I am off to sit with my 3 year old so we can watch the Mickey Mouse Club House and dance around to the theme song like goofies - will he remember that when he is older? Nope, but you can be sure I will remind him of it!!!

[snifflesmcg]

I can't belive how many great points on both sides of the story there are.

In a previous post I put I would never take a child younger than 2 (or even 3). However, I DO remember very small bits and pieces of when I was younger than 3. I remember my brother, when he was born, in the hospital when I was 2 years 4 months. I also remember when my parents were moving out of our apartment into a house at 2 1/2.

[Dicecatt262]

Guess what? I actually see where you are coming from with that. I really do. I don't necessarily agree with the age of 3 or 4...but 2...yes, I get what you mean. I don't think there is any hard and fast age that you suddenly remember. I do know how that can happen, pictures, other people's memories create your own...

I still don't think it isn't worth doing anything special just because you won't remember anything later. Why is the remembrance part of it so important? What if everyone looked at things like that? What if my husband didn't fly me up to the Grand Canyon for my birthday, because when I'm old I won't remember it? That is more to life than just remembering things, don't you think? Take Disney out of the equation. You aren't truly saying that nothing is worth doing if you can't remember it, are you? I've asked you a couple of times about the whole remembering part...you don't really say anything. But I truly am interested...why is the remembrance part so important? What about the experience "in the now?"