What’s the right age to travel to Disney World?
Most parents rights about now are thinking about summer vacation with their children. If their children are old enough to talk, some of those children are already bugging their parents about a trip to Disney World. So how old should your child be to really enjoy the trip? Some say that age 7 is the perfect age to visit Disney World, but children aren’t stamped out of some mold. Each one is unique and an individual and parents should decide for themselves what is right for their children.
Just as adults are different, so are children. First born children tend to be far more adult-like than say last born children so what might work for the oldest might not work for the baby of the family. Instead of applying uniform standards across the board for each child in your family, decide what will work for each individual child.
Maybe you’re first time parents with one child and you’re not sure if this is the right time for your child to visit Disney World. Consider your day-to-day life with your child and the environment that you’re currently in and try to consider how that might resemble your vacation. For example, if when you go to the grocery store with your child, each and every time they break down and have a temper tantrum, this might not be the time for a big vacation filled with lots of stimulation.
Another area to consider is whether your child has any medical or emotional concerns that could affect his or her trip to Disney World. For example, if your child has diabetes and is having difficulty adjusting to a restricted diet, will visiting Disney World with all of food, candy, and beverages available cause undue stress? If your child has ADHD, will this be more stressful for you than your child? This is not to say that children with specific needs shouldn’t visit Disney World, but you should anticipate extra support in the form of special planning and maybe even extra help for your vacation in advance.
What about tweens and teens? Perhaps parents forget about the older kids when thinking about a trip to Disney World, but just like their younger counterparts, with enough planning, everyone can enjoy their vacation. Keep in mind that the older kids will want to have more independence and freedom and may not want to stick around the family the entire time.
Perhaps this is where cell phones or walkie-talkies comes into play in order to stay connected with your family. You know how much you can trust (or not trust) your kids so don’t forget that while at Disney World.
Parents should also remember not to impose their dream vacation on their children. I’ve seen parents who are so gung ho about sharing their ideal Disney vacation with their kids and when the kids get bored or restless, the parents feel completely let down. Younger children may not even realize they are at Disney World and older kids may not even care. Don’t let your Disney vacation become contentious because of your expectations so be prepared to keep them in check.
The age your child visits Disney World is completely up to you in the end. Whether you choose to bring your infant, toddler, tween, or teen, be prepared for loads of fun with proper advance planning. So go ahead and visit the most magical place on earth today with your family.
Marian Krueger is the Founder of the Travel Shop Girl blog, a blog that simply states, “Travel musings by a girl who loves to write and travel the world.” Functioning on high-octane coffee most days, her straightforward and honest approach has resulted in a worldwide following and a desire for global domination. Connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.
A great Website that talks about this and all the things to do with younger ones at Disney is: Growing Up Disney @ http://www.growingupdisney.com/
I don’t think they can ever be too young. I hear people say they want to make sure thier kids are old enough to remember the experience. My feeling is that the parent is old enough to remember the experience the child has. That is exciting in itself.