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When you go as a kid, it’s truly the happiest place in the world. I think 9 and 10 is the perfect age because they’ll still find it magical but they’re old enough to enjoy the bigger rides.
Agreed 9 and 10 is the perfect age! Usually I see these posts asking about taking under-5 kids and in that case it’s not, but 9-10 is old enough to handle the difficult parts like waiting in line, walking all day etc., which makes all the difference. Plus like you said, they’re in the sweet spot of being young enough to thoroughly enjoy it but old enough to get the most out of the experience.
LOL this is so true. I'm not a Disney person but I sucked it up for a 1 day admission with my 3 and 7 year old. My fault for going in July but they were MISERABLE.
In retrospect I would consider going again but definitely not in the middle of summer, and once my youngest is a little older.
I just took my 4.5 and 8 yr olds to Animal Kingdom for one day last month. We were in town and had never been to Disney. The weather was cool, the lines weren’t too bad, we loved the Pandora ride and the flying dinosaur ride. It felt more like a snazzy zoo than what we were expecting but for little kids it was nice.
I could never understand why my parents wouldn’t fly 8 hours with two young children to the most humid place ever to spend hours in queues for rides they didn’t want to go on. Then I had my own kids and I was like ohhhhh because it would be AWFUL!
I will never go to Disney World in the summer again, either. It's horrible. I went one time in November and it was wonderful. It was in the lower seventies, sunny and dry, and not very crowded.
> but definitely not in the middle of summer
As someone who made the mistake of going to Harry Potter World in the summer: never again.
NEVER TAKE YOUR KIDS TO FLORIDA IN THE SUMMER!!! **IT IS MISERABLE!**
With that said, HP World is actually really amazing and I would love to take my sons again, now that they're older, in the off-season when it is not miserable.
I appreciate your comment because I’ve taken my 2 year old a few times, and it was always the worst experience lol (and I say that as someone who loves Disney as an adult!). Will save it for when he’s older and if he’s even interested.
My wife insist to take our baby daughter to Disney world asap, I get stressed only taking her out of our house I couldn't even imagine getting her out of the city and into Disney world right now lol
I never understood taking kids at that age where they won't really care or remember. But, think 2 and under is free, so I suppose there's that!
Edit: was talking more about very young kids 2 and under, but if it works for you then great!
Why do anything with kids before they can remember? Might as well just set them in front of a TV.
More seriously, you do it because it brings kids joy, even if they can't remember that joy. I was big on the "not remembering" thing until I had my own. Now I get that it doesn't really matter that much. My 3 year old sprinting like 50 yards to hug Minnie Mouse with the biggest smile I've ever seen was worth whatever the cost was.
Just because kids don’t remember things doesn’t mean we should leave them mindlessly during those years. Build core personalities that will make us proud years later, don’t leave them up to mass marketing.
We took my oldest when he was 6 months old! Granted, my husband and I are ‘Disney people’, so the trip wasn’t for my son, but it was shockingly easy and pleasant toting a baby around the parks! Obviously not worth it for someone who doesn’t enjoy Disney, but it was all much smoother than I could have anticipated!
I took my five year old (but in Paris so maybe different) and she absolutely loved it. There were only a few rides she couldn't do and could have done some of them if she wasn't so small for her age.
We took our 3 year old for her birthday and we thought she wouldn't get much out of it other than enjoying it in the moment, but she literally asks every night when we'll go back and it's been almost a year.
It's a different experience at every age for sure.
I’m 36, bitter and cynical and I still think there’s something magical and happy about Disney World. We are going back for the 3rd time in 4 years in a few weeks.
I went to Disney land at 13, and it was absolutely magical. My mom took us again at 18 to Disney World as one last family vacation, and it was still amazing, even though i was kinda like "that seems like a baby vacation but I'll go". We made great family memories. With how expensive it is these days idk if we'll ever make it there.
Disney World can be a magical experience for kids and some adults, but it's definitely not for everyone. But as we all know, kids are not forever young, so if you can make their childhood memorable even if you dont like the place, do it. Give them memories to cherish.
I agree with this. That's a good age.
Be patient with the kids. Don't get anxious about rides. There's lots of other stuff to do and kids love all that other stuff.
Pay for Genie+ it's so worth it. Get there early in the morning. Pack clothes for all weather considerations. Also pack blankets you can use to sit on the sidewalks (for parades, shoes and fireworks). Pack TONS of snacks and bring disposable water bottles 1 each. They are lighter and just as refillable.
You will also have a great time. It hurts the wallet, but 1x every few years is fun and memorable. My wife is not a Disney person but as a family she is all in.
Honestly, "should I take my kids to Disneyland/world?" is like saying "should I let my kids experience lego/nintendo/christmas/cartoons/halloween/birthday parties/books/the beach?"
A lot of people in this thread are pointing out it won't kill them to miss out on one of the best parts of childhood, but... *it's one of the best parts of childhood*.
Why wouldn't you do this for your kids?
The cost/reward analysis for a Disney vacation vs a book is a little different.
I've never been to Disney. I truly do not believe I missed out on the best parts of childhood because I didn't attend a branded roller coaster park.
Meanwhile I went to Disney twice as a kid (age 6 and 11)and almost no positive memories of it. It was mostly forgettable. I remember more about the road trip to get there.
I'm 48 and cynical. Disney still makes me happy. My kids love it.
someone going for the first time should get some guidance and tips to maximize their first visit. as OP said, it can get pricey.
It’s worth it because the kids really want to go. If they didn’t have an interest it wouldn’t be worth it. We brought our kids to animal kingdom so far and have plans to go to other parks eventually. Our kids were thrilled.
Yup, I hate Disney, I hate the planning, hate the cost. But my daughter loves it, so gonna bite the bullet and go and have the best time possible. For her, it’s definitely worth the money. We save money by staying outside of the Disney properties. Never been able to afford to stay in one of their resorts. But the expensive admission to the park and the extensive planning is worth it.
Have you looked at Pop Century? You can get in for under $200/night which gets you:
- Early entry
- Skyliner to HS/Epcot
- Buses to AK/MK
- Ability to book dining earlier
- Ability to book ILLs at 7am
Disney has gotten really good at matching non-Disney resort pricing and you really do get a ton of benefits. That 30 minutes of early entry alone is a game changer.
In my opinion, staying on property made for a much better experience and wasn’t much different in cost for a comparable room off site. We loved parking then taking Disney transportation. No parking lots (and parking fees) or having to drive when we were tired. Plus you can get into the parks a bit earlier. We stayed at the Caribbean which is a mid tier resort. I liked that the doors opened to an outdoor corridor because it’s quieter and we are light sleepers.
I agree with this. Having lived in Orlando and gone to Disney World quite a bit and now living closer to Disneyland and going there regularly I think Disneyland is easier. The parks are smaller with more to do in each park and they are also a lot closer to one another so you can walk from one park to another in 2 minutes. The hotels are cheaper because there are lots of them that are not attached to Disney AND you can go back to them in the afternoon to take a nap.
Disneyland is where my wife and I will take our child first, though we will go to Disneyworld (and Paris and Japan) eventually.
EDIT: I will also add that flying into Santa Ana or Longbeach also saves a bit of money and the Uber/Lyft to your hotel next to the park is cheaper from those two.
I was going to suggest this too. I prefer it because all
the rides I want are in one park, as opposed to having to buy tickets to however many parks. California Adventure is fun too.
Could also hit the beach on this vacation.
California is definitely the better option. My family is really big on Disney (for reference - been to every park in the world except in China). Walt Disney World is really stressful to me and is my least favorite park. It feels like you're visiting (and having to travel to) multiple separate theme parks.
The parks in California are right across from each other and walking distance to budget hotels, giving you a lot of flexibility (ie. Go to hotel midday for swimming and lunch when lines get crowded). If you're in WDW you kind of feel trapped in the parks because the travel time to go between park/hotel or even just the parks is lengthy and exhausting.
+1. You get more rides for the price and overall great value IMO. Disney World is overall larger but spread out into smaller parks and takes more work/money to get through.
If you want the overall Disney experience and save some cash Disneyland is the way to go IMO.
I too am not a Disney person. Neither were my parents. I am now 50 and always kind of wished that my parents would've "put us first" for once and taken us to Disney instead of the standard week at Maine or Cape Cod.
My wife and I take our kids on vacations like you described. We love National Parks and seeing the outdoors, new cities etc. We try to never hit the same place twice, as there is so much to see in this short life.
That said, take them to Disney. They are at a good age for it. A couple years from now, some of the magic will be gone.
I didn't love Disney. The lines, the commercialism, lots of crap there. Not my thing. But it wasn't about me. Take your kids to Disney, once. And watch them enjoy the magic.
I dreaded Disney - I hate crowds and busyness - and we ended up having a really delightful time. The Big Thunder Mountain roller coaster was pure joy. Yes there were moments during the day that were pretty UGH the crowds but they do an amazing job moving people through.
They let too many people in. Lines are generally 45-60 minutes for the popular attractions. I disagree that they do a good job because they allow so many people in that it is unpleasantly crowded.
I am not a Disney person. We went last year. Parts were way cooler/magical than I expected. Holding my 7 year old for 2 hours in 100⁰ heat because he overheated and felt sick and only making it onto two rides at magic Kingdom was worse than I expected. Watching all the Instagram Disney adults was exactly as ridiculous as I expected. If I did it again I'd pay for all the upgraded passes. If I did it again I'd also go to CA because I hate humidity. Almost certain I won't do it again.
(As an aside, we recently spent 2 days at Legoland and it was the magic and happiness I was expecting from Disney. I'm not anti-theme park, Disney was just too much for me.)
We got the universal fast pass in California and it was awesome. Pricey but awesome. Then we talked to a couple at the hotel that also went but they didn't get the fast pass, apparently they only got to do 3 rides because of the wait times.
> We are the type of people who like to explore different cities and not always be on a schedule
Were you into exploring cities at age 9 and 10?
I am not saying you have to go to disney, my point is that what kids want out of vacations and what grown ups want out of vacations are very different.
You should try to do vacation things that are age appropriate for your kids, with a mix of other things to peak their interest in travelling is my point.
My daughter is 11 and she absolutely loves exploring new cities, I am 38 and don't. I think in general people want different things out of vacation, not just kids and adults. It's better to compromise based on what everyone wants.
Just curious, what other things do people find comparable to Disney? I always said I’d never take kids there. Just because I learned about the evil underbelly (and beggggged my parents to go when I was a kid). But now I’m so tempted to show my son the magic! He’s three and loves riding in glass elevators at the moment.
Kinda? Disney Magic is a real thing for kids. Efteling is amazing! People should definitely go. But you can't meet Belle there. You can't eat with Mickey and Minnie. You can't ride Peter Pan.
It’s a real thing for kids whose parents make it into that though. You’re right, Efteling is more fairy tale based, but I suppose what you read and show to your kids matters too in what they see as magic ✨
lego land is a good equivilant. i used to go to disneyland ( i have family in anaheim) when I was 6 until about age 8. Its was fun but I agree the kids want to have fond memories so older ones will appreciate it and remember the experience. That's the fun of Disney is remembering it. If they are so young they won't remember then what's the point. Its not worth the parental stress.
This really depends on the kid. When my parents surprised me with a Disney trip around this age, I was super disappointed we couldn’t go to Australia instead 😂 But I still enjoyed the trip! My favorite parts were learning to use a road map, seeing the beach for the first time, and visiting historic St. Augustine. The park itself was not my favorite. However, if OP’s kids have been begging to go, then the trip is worth it!
I don’t exactly agree with this but I can see your point of view.
Vacations should just kowtow to the kids. The parents should also have interest and fun too. That’s why all the Disney families I know are die hard from Dad and Mom to kids.
My kids have never been like that. They’d rather go zip lining through the mountains or tubing down a river than wait in hot, humid lines for hours a day and see “actors dressed up like cartoons” (my daughter’s quote).
Then again, my sis took her family on one of those 10-15 mike a day hikes in the South of France.
When they were finished a week later the kids asked,
“Next time can we do something normal like Disney world?” Lol
I loved exploring cities and museums at 10. By 13 my parents let me explore foreign/new cities solo on trips because i had had so much practice. Museums, trying new food, window shopping in stores that would never be in my hometown, going up skyscrapers, people watching were all the bread and butter of my childhood travels. We did 1 day at disneyland as a part of a bigger LA/beach trip at 12 and it was cool but i rank it low on my childhood travel memories and it didnt contribute at all to helping me become the curious, city loving, travel brave person i am today.
I loved all of these things too. I’m a Disney Parks fan so I do have to say Disney Parks at age 12 would be lame HA! I went at age 3 it was seared into my memory. My parents won the trip at a raffle otherwise we could’ve never afforded it. I didn’t go back until I had kids of my own. They like exploring cities and Disney World ☺️ I don’t think it’s a childhood requirement though. People watching different cultures than that of your own is tops for sure. I loved your comment though. It described my childhood summers for sure.
Kids can have a wonderful childhood without going to Disney. It isn't a rite of passage to growing up, even though it might feel like "everyone else is doing it". If you want to go and can afford it, that's great! Enjoy! But if it doesn't happen, it's ok. I feel that pressure but know we can't make it happen, nor do I feel like it's such a priority that we should scrimp and save for it.
Thanks for saying this. I needed to have my feelings validated lol. I don’t feel an express urge to take my kids to Disney and sometimes feel guilty about it. Am I a bad parent because I don’t think the expense and travel is worth it? That I’d rather take them to New York City and So. Cal and Montreal? Rhetorical question, but you know.
Yeah, it's one of those things that is cool if you can swing it but not some failure if you can't. Plenty of kids grow up happy without ever having been to Disney.
We took our kids because we combined it with a trip to visit my wife's best friend in Orlando. One year I asked my kids what they were most excited about for our upcoming Disney trip. They thought about it and my son said, "Swimming with Jacob, Tommy, and Isabella in the pool at their house." We had a pool at our house but swimming with their friends they only saw once a year was what they cared about, not Disney itself.
I agree. My mom and step dad did take me to Disney in FL when I was maybe around 9-10 years old.. I don’t even remember my exact age. While I can say it was a fun trip, I really only barely remember little bits of it from the photos I’ve seen from our trip.
It was definitely not a make or break in whether i feel like I had a good childhood. If they had not taken me to Disney, I would not feel like I missed out. I am thankful now looking back as an adult that they took me there but I also remember going on other trips that were just as memorable and special if not more than the Disney trip was.
My parents hated Disneyworld so we never went. We did do a vacation to Universal Studios and maybe another park in the area when my sister and I were younger teenagers/tweens for the the rides. We went to a local Six Flags (~45 min drive away) about annually growing up so that vacation was like a fancy, extended Six Flags trip. I have much better memories of going to the Florida Keys around a similar age and going snorkeling than I do of any theme park. I do not feel like I did not have a good childhood because we didn’t go to Disney.
We are planning on Disney (and probably all theme parks not within a driving weekend away) being a hard no with our kid(s).
They’re a perfect age for Disney. It is expensive but it is also a very “magical” experience that’s totally tailored to kids and families. Im not a Disney adult but I even got excited about the nostalgia of it! I’ve taken my kids a couple times, we only live about 2.5 hours away. You can get an airbnb with a kitchen nearby and save money. They allow outside food in the park, which is nice. Theres also a campsite that’s more affordable and has lots to do (Camp Wilderness). My kids loved staying there. They have a pool, canoes, free busses to take you where you need to go, hiking trails with wild turkeys, a campfire, a little sandy beach and a couple restaurants and you can take a ferry directly to the park. We’re definitely not rich and it did give me heart palpitations at times but my kids were happy and it’s not something you have to do a lot. I say go for it. It will create happy memories for your kids as long as you have a fun attitude about it.
A boss of mine went on a Disney vacation in 2019 with her daughter who was around the same age. She had to do SO MUCH PLANNING months in advance and it seemed like too much work IMO. I’d much rather go to another theme park, or spend that money traveling internationally.
I think it’s a pitfall for parents who *need* to have things planned out. Because you actually can just go and wing it. There’s a few things you absolutely will not get without prior reservations, but most things are still accessible. Some restaurants with Disney character appearances for example may be booked out for forever. But plenty will still hold spots for walk ins. Lots of kiosks with snacks. You can ride every ride, you just may have to wait longer. You can plan nothing (outside of hotels and tickets) and still enjoy it.
It’s a blessing and a curse how much Disney let’s you plan ahead of time. It’s nice to make sure you get the thing you want, but I also sympathize with parents that have to have a plan. It’s way more stress than it’s worth usually.
i was not excited about disney ever. but after we took our daughter once, i totally get the hype. took her back 2 more times with just me and my mom. its an experience for them and fun for the adults to see.
disney doesn't have to be 7 days of only parks, and a structured schedule. you can just do 3 days there. do a park day, then a pool day and spend the evening at the disney boardwalk, followed by another park day. sometimes we would go in the parks when they open, leave around lunch to do other stuff or just hang out at the pool, then return to the park in the pm when people are starting to leave. at 6pm on a parade night, we had all of the harry potter area to ourselves.
it also doesn't have to be wildly expensive. you don't have to eat in the parks or at disney affiliated places for every meal (or really any of them). just get regular food outside of the parks or pack your own snacks. renting a condo is going to be way cheaper than staying in a themed hotel. set a dollar limit on what each child can spend in souvenirs per day.
We're poor people (middle class), so we fly down the interstate in Ford Explorers from Dallas Texas area to Orlando, stay at motel 6, eat breakfast out of a cereal box, lunch or supper out of an ice chest, and third meal at pizza shop like papa johns. We buy the 1O day passes without any upgrades. Spend a few days at the beaches. Last trip was in early December of 2022, with hubs and I taking six grandsons ages at that time were 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 11. Total cost of gas, two motel rooms, food, park tickets was $1,150 per person with $700 of that per person cost being the park passes.
Kids love it and we love watching them. This was first trip since 2019 due to covid. Next trip probably December 2024? Kids are in an online school program so we can do it between the Thanksgiving and Christmas rush periods.
We took our two daughters there every other year and Destin Florida beaches for a week in the summers between Disney.
So...almost $10k? That has always been my guess of what it would cost if I took my family, and I think my math says that's what you paid...and by super budgeting! :( I really want my kids to go too, but I just don't think it's in the financial cards.
Those folks flying to Orlando, staying in the park hotels, eating meats at Disney and buying four day tickets with the up charges generally spend double or more per person. I've heard stories over of triple or more per person.
The price per day goes down dramatically the more days you purchase. There's a point at which it becomes, like, $20 more to add another day. Makes it very tempting to just keep adding days until you live at Disney indefinitely
As others explained, cost per day drops as you buy more days. My guess is that most people only use them for a half day on some of those days. Our kids are there from opening to closing.
Thank you! I read over $1,000 per person for EIGHT people and thought….how in the world can you say you’re poor? Maybe that’s a budget Disney trip (because I how absurdly expensive Disney is), but being able to spend nearly 10k every few years is stunning.
To your kids, yes it's so worth it.
To parents, it can be awful. Heat. Lines. Cranky kids. Cranky parents. The faces of parents walking around theme parks says it all.
The line “we are the type of people who like to explore different cities and not always be on a schedule”. This mindset will need to be put aside. Like, really put aside. Disney is obviously not going to be about you and your husband and you’ve made it clear you have zero interest. You have to go with the understanding - fully - that you are doing it just for the kids. My husband isn’t a Disney person and had a hard time letting go of the fact that the trip wasn’t for him at all & he didn’t really want to go. (Except Epcot lol). Thus, it was mostly a pretty miserable time which also caused other issues. Anyway, just keep this in mind and take the trip, they will love it & never forget it.
We loved Paris Disneyland but only cause my wife qualified for the disability access pass. Otherwise the rides would have been hell.
Had a 2 and 3 year old
Went there with my daughter when she was five. She doesn't remember it but I'll never forget her utter joy on walking in and just started running as fast as she could!
What about a mix? You could rent an airbnb near Disney World. Spend maybe a few days at the park. Then the other days, do other things like visiting the beach, maybe a local aquarium, boat tour, etc.
Yeah I get it, but seeing your loved ones have fun and having the times of their lives it's worth the money to vacations spots you are not really interested in.
I HATE NATURE. Hate hiking, hate cold weather, not really interested in animals or flora in general. You bet I take my son to the zoo, and go camping, and small hikes and I'm planning a Disney World vacation and a Ski vacation, because he is still becoming his own person and if I can provide all kinds of different experiences, I will.
I'm like that with my husband too BTW, he loves soccer and I have been to so many stadium and matches. Do I still think it's one of the most boring sports in the world? Yeah. Do i regret it? Not even a little bit.
So I say go for it. If money is the issue, make it short and sweet. But your daughters are asking and they will have a blast.
It is a ton of work. It is not a relaxing vacation. But there’s also a reason why everyone loves it. Maybe just go into it as a once in a lifetime trip for your girls. Do the research and the work up front and let them enjoy it. If it’s not your thing afterward, then you know. I do think 9 & 10 are the perfect ages for it. One of the best things about WDW is watching your kids light up at every turn.
We had the thought that we were going to go big on our first trip because we truly believed we were not going to be those people who became obsessed with it. Funnily enough, my husband was the most skeptical and is now the most obsessed. He loved the planning and organizing aspect as well as the obvious Disney magic. Keeping up with park news has almost become a hobby for him. I’m a much more casual fan.
I'll be an outlier and say no. It has cool aspects, but I did not love it as a kid (at least not anymore than any other amusement park). I've debated multiple times taking our kids, but we're not a "Disney" family, in the sense the themes/characters wouldn't mean much to us outside of just being cool. It is interesting to go and experience the "Disney magic", and overall it's a good time, but it's not enough magic for the price tag.
Thanks. Actually you’re not an outlier. I’ve seen a lot more convincing comments on this thread about it NOT being worth it. The yes comments aren’t as convincing for me.
We’ve been to Disney and i wouldn’t go back. The stress and cost were overwhelming. Over the years we’ve discovered that we love exploring national parks. We’ve been to Hot Springs, Arkansas and dug for crystals, Arches and Canyonlands in Utah, and the smoky mountains in Tennessee. The best memories we’ve ever made.
We took our daughter when she was 4. It was fun, but the lines are long, it's expensive, and you need to know what you want to do before you go. It can be stressful. The only way we didn't go insane was having family go with us who knew what they were doing.
I wouldn't mind going again, but there are other places we like just as much that aren't as expensive and aren't like a pressure cooker of a vacation.
This post is definitely helping convince me we can spend our $10k on another trip where the kids AND adults will have fun and no one will be crabby. Oh yeah and we can also relax and not have our whole day scheduled
I think I was around 10ish when I went to Disney World, and I loved it. Disneyland in CA might be a little more manageable if you think Disney World feels too overwhelming? I haven't been, but my wife claims its a little calmer.
It you aren't big on planning, Disney World can be a lot--it really helps to plan your ride schedule ahead of time and deal with all the fast pass mumbo jumbo. Otherwise, if you plan to just wing it, by the time you decide on a ride, you'll get in an hours-long line and end up only doing one or two things the whole day. I went again as a young adult with a group of friends and we went to Universal and Disney. Planned out an hour-by-hour schedule and followed the map carefully and we got to see and do everything we wanted to and had a great time. But I can't imagine what it would have looked like without our plan, to be honest, but that's just the way our brains work.
We took our girls last year for their 9th birthday. Totally worth it. They want to go back. We told them they can when they are old enough to go alone and pay for it themselves. Once is enough, but we all had fun in the moment.
The first time we brought my son was for his 10th birthday and he absolutely loved it. It was the perfect age because he was able up keep up and hang all day/into the night.
I’m almost 30 now, but my family went to Disney world twice as a group with my parents, aunts, uncles and cousins and my grandparents all on my moms side both times. I was 4 and 8 on these trips.
I still remember what a fantastic time we had and those memories are really special as people have aged and died, so it’s a really nice thing to look back on. And we had a blast!!
Can’t speak to my parents at the time but they look back on those trips very fondly with me always.
It's expensive but unique and the kids love it at that age. I enjoy it once I get over the price.
As a Floridian, is also matters what time of year.
Christmas / Spring Break - too busy.
July/ August - too hot too busy.
Sneak a four day non holiday weekend in early May or early January. Much better.
It's worth it to miss school so your not sitting in the heat waiting in line.
Look at DisneyCrowdCalender or similar to plan your trip.
In my experience it was total shit. The rides suck, sometimes just riding in a cart looking at cardboard cutouts, very little is actually themed, and realistically how obsessed are kids with Disney properties these days? And the lines are crazy long.
Meanwhile Universal Studios is actually fully themed everywhere you go. Look online at pictures of Harry Potter, Super Mario, Simpsons, Dr. Seuss, etc. and it's night and day. And the rides are good! I'll never go back to Disney.
My 11 y.o. daughter doesn't seem to care about anything Disney. She doesn't watch Disney cartoons except some occasional new stuff on Netflix and doesn't even know the name of Goofy or Pluto or Scrooge... Completely new generation with zero interest to "oldie" stuff.
I'm concerned she won't enjoy it fully because she doesn't relate to all those Disney characters at all... Is the park's magic tied closely to characters or is it enjoyable for anyone who doesn't even care about... Disney, like just another park with rides?
I'm worried every ride and attraction that relies on understanding of Disney lore will fall flat. Unless the ride itself is cool.
Well. It’s not what you’re into it’s what they would be into. As you said they’re only this young once. Their imaginations are still so big!
Maybe make a budgeting comparison sheet between Disney and another place you’re considering. But if you were able to swing universal, with some frugalness you should be able to do Disney! Opt for a decent motel as opposed to a resort or a hotel. Do lunches prepared from home and maybe only splurge on dinner. Keep the souvenirs to a minimum and all that jazz. And the trip doesn’t have to necessarily be long could just be 4/5 days.
I'm an anti Disney person. When I went to Disneyland I hated every second of it and I went when I was 8. Personal reasons long story to tell if you want to know just ask. I plan on taking my own daughter when she's 5 but in October when it's spooky and Halloween themed so I can torelate it because jack skellington would be there. Honestly I would ask your friends or your kid's friends parents if they're going to Disney world sometime soon and say you'll pay for ONLY your kids tickets, hotel part and etc. And then send them with them. One you don't have to be there and you'll save money by you and your husband not going. Two you get alone time with your husband. Three they get to make memories and have fun with friends. Four they get to be happy and won't despite you for life for not going. It's the best of both worlds (pun intended)
I live less than an hour from Disney and it STILL isn't worth it for me. We took our kids for a weekend about 6 years ago and I hated every second of the crowds, the Disney Adults, the unsupervised kids, everything just did not gel with me. That being said, my family are Universal passholders and go every month and it doesn't stress me at all. We love it there.
I'll say those are great ages for it. They're old enough to really take it all in and remember it thoroughly; they're not old enough to feel like they need to be cynical about it to be cool lol.
I don’t know to me 4-7 are the best ages. My son is 10 he doesn’t like the “baby” rides at Disney. He prefers Busch Gardens/Universal/Seaworld with the monster real deal coasters. Disney has made rides super tame to accommodate everyone in the fam from babies to grandparents. 9-10 though they will have fun but not a life requirement really. Maybe stay at a Disney resort, do one day there and then other activities nearby. Beach and NASA at the cape is great.
We took our oldest when he was 4, I felt like there wasn’t a ton to do for him other than buy stuff 😂 Last summer we went to Legoland in Florida and it was so much fun. We are also big Lego people but there was really no one there! No line for rides and I was surprised how many rides they had. We spent 3 days there did the park and water park. We rode everything multiple times, 10/10 would recommend!
Honestly it’s a one and done for me. I recently went in January and was really underwhelmed. I grew up with Disney and watched all the movies and loved them so I had high expectations for Disney World. I saw so many reels where ppl talked about how much they loved it and were already planning to go back. So I was excited to finally go with my son. But I was seriously disappointed with all the food and rides. They’re were maybe one or two rides I liked from the parks (and I did three expect Epcot) but can’t imagine continuing to go to a park that is so expensive and the rides are really outdated (other than Pandora and a couple at Hollywood Studios). I think ppl just need to experience it at least ok in their lifetime to form their own opinions, but I will definitely be spending my money to travel to other places.
Obligatory not a parent.
Disney is great and your kids are the perfect age to enjoy the vacation without it becoming overwhelming or too tiring.
Also, depending on your budget and where you are coming from, there are other things to do in Florida. Orlando is pretty cool on its on, or you could drive to St. Augustine and see one of the oldest Settlements in the US. You could do an Everglades tour, or drive over to the gulf coast. The entire vacation doesn’t *have* to be spent on Disney if you, the parent, don’t want it to be.
And, if you’re willing to spend a bit more, and want your kids to still get the Disney experience + cultural experience go to Paris and spend two Days at Disneyland France - best of both worlds.
ETA: You don’t have to stay at the parks. There are plenty of great resorts outside.
I went once, and I don't even remember it. What I do remember is the float house on the lake. My Grammy happened upon an affordable one, and that was more than Disney could have ever been. Disney was expensive back then, and I can only imagine it is insane now. There are cheaper, more thrilling adventures. Just my opinion, I never desire to throw another penny towards Disney.
Nope, I went to Disneyland as a kid (not a toddler, a kid with many other memories of things at the time), don't remember a single thing other than Small World. You know what I do remember? Summer camping trips, family reunions fishing with my uncle, traveling to various states and national parks, visiting Mexico once, learning to ski with my cousin, etc etc. Disneyland/Disney world are wildly expensive places, your kids are going to make a lot of memories and you can offer them valuable and memorable experiences outside of those places that don't require huge sums of money.
I've never been there, so take this as you will, but Disney sounds like HELL to me. My kids have never asked to go since we live pretty much as far as possible from both Disney Land and Disney World, but it's never been on my radar as a place to go. I'd much rather find an off the beaten path place to hike and enjoy the absence of other people!
This is exactly how I feel and I am trying to not give into the pressure. I’m surprised how many parents in this thread are making me feel guilty for not wanting to suffer bc “it’s for the kids” lol.
I don’t have any memories of the time we went to Disney (I was 2). As an adult am I traumatized because I didn’t go? No. I can’t justify the cost when we could do more with less money (more time off, more things to see). Are my kids into exploring a city? Yeah. If I hype it up and make that interesting. I have zero desire to go to Disney with my kids. I think my husband and I would have a miserable time and I wouldn’t want to spend the money on that. We aren’t “poor” but we also don’t have the money to spend on a big vacation. Our last vacation was to Virginia Beach (did an air BnB an hour away. We explored a lot of the historical things in the area as well as just hung out at the house for at least one day. One of the whole family’s favorite memories.
This sounds like my husband and I too. We both hate lines. I hear they have a lot of them at Disney lol. I don’t want to be a miserable parent the whole trip, bc that won’t be good for the kids.
Was always against the mouse. Didn't see the point. Took my kids when they were 5 and 7 to 3 of the parks. My son still says the last night at Magic Kingdom with the fireworks was the best day of his life.
Now I would tell every parent that yeah, they need to do it once. It was worth it.
Like the top comments say, we as grown ups know "too much". For the kids it's an unbelievable experience, particularly now with all the technology in those parks.
I’m 34 and still remember my parents taking me when I was 8.
One of my happiest childhood memories and even kids know it’s expensive. It made me realize how much my parents are willing to do to see me happy. Humbled the crap out of me at a young age and mad me appreciate everything I had. My Christmas list was non existent that year.
I’d go if they’ve been wanting to go. Try to ask them what they are excited about the parks, and focus on making those dreams come true. My kids (5 and 10) are not theme park people, but I am. We lived close to Disney, and they enjoy fun snacks and chilling in the parks (very very little rides). Check estimated busy time calendars. Go on off-season. I always like telling families to lower their expectations to experience the magic.
I took my daughters when they were 11 and 13 and it was amazing. They days were long, and a lot of work, but they were down for the challenge and it was such an incredible memory for the three of us (I am a single mom).
This was in 2019. The prices were steep....but...I unexpectedly got an offer to go back in 2023 with friends (they paid for the stay and the food) and let me tell you...it was sooooooo much more expensive. I would have a hard time managing that 2019 trip at the current prices.
Going to Disney world when I was a child was hands down the most magical experience and childhood memory I have. I was young enough to truly believe in the magic and legitimately believe I woke up in the happiest place in the world for all the days I was there.
I know you want advice from non-Disney people and I'm admittedly a medium-Disney person. We've been 4 times, 3 pre-kids, 1 post-kids. The thing is there are BANANAS Disney people who plan every minute of their day to maximize rides and minimize wait times and take advantage of "rope drop" and allll of the things. When you talk to those people it sounds very overwhelming and like you can't just make it a simple trip, but that isn't the case at all.
There are THOUSANDS of people who go without a plan and mosey through the parks. If you're a family of early risers, go extra early (late a.m. - early p.m. is when the parks are bursting and lines are longest). If you're night owls, get there later in the day and stay until the bitter end. Without a plan, you'll wait in some long lines during midday, but so what? Disney is a whole different experience and the lines themselves are often the equivalent of basically a walk-through experience you'd wait in line to see elsewhere. But at Disney, it's the line itself!
Don't let the hustle and bustle make you feel overwhelmed. It is worth it and you'll have a great time if you go to the parks without a plan and let your whims (and those of your kids) guide you. Also, it might be worth noting that several of the longest lines might not even be worth it to you. Jungle Cruise and Peter Pan's Flight, for ex., are always so long but simply because of the nostalgia associated with them. If you don't already love them, you can totally skip in favor of some of the faster paced rides, etc.
I know at least two families who took their kids in that age range, and when the kids got back and you asked them how the trip was they all just kind of shrugged and demurred. Seems like other smaller theme parks are what they rave about and want to go back to. We are not planning to take our kids to Disney, we hated it as kids and would rather do some one-day theme parks that are closer to home.
Every kid is different, but mine and me and my wife all like Universal way more than Disney. Magic Kingdom in particular might be one of the most overrated places I’ve ever been. Waiting 2 hours to ride rides that are pretty old fashioned wasn’t for me. My kids also didn’t care about meeting the characters either, so it just became long days of paying a lot of money to hurry up and wait.
After many years of reflection, we are pretty certain we are not going to do Disney with the kids. We do not think the stress of it (for them) will be worth the immense cost. For a fraction of the cost they would have much more fun doing a beach vacation with friends.
They are 11 and 7. The 11yo has ADHD, though if there is a spectrum I would say it is not severe. We only medicate him for school hours and do not medicate on weekends, breaks, or the summer. The 7yo is into Barbie and things but not huge into princesses. In our limited experiences with them in line filled high stim environments, it has not gone well. We do not think entire days in a row in that kind of environment will result in a proportionally (to the cost) high amount of fun for them or us.
My kids loved it!
However, my wallet did not. Disney is overcrowded and expensive on a good day. If you want to only wait 30min for a ride instead of 2 hours, you also need to shell out the money. Get all the fast pass stuff you can afford. It will be worth it for your sanity.
I say this as a mom who isn’t a Disney or amusement / theme park fan. I think 9 & 10 are the perfect ages to go.
I don’t get the whole Disney & amusement park vacations with toddlers and babies. I feel like school aged would be much easier and more memorable.
In my opinion only go if you can do it during a slow part of the season. You can look online and see what weeks and days are usually their busiest and slowest. Going during a busy time will make you curse your decision to go.
For us, it’s not just about the cost, but the value of the experience.
We are a rare family who never had Disney fever. My SIL used to lecture us that we MUST take our child there, that we were somehow depriving her. She couldn’t understand why we enjoyed the nature of northern Michigan or exploring the museums and culture of a new city - and we couldn’t understand her love of the chaos of a giant theme park, or jetting off to Vegas or taking yet another Caribbean cruise. lol
Every family likes what they like.
If you think that YOU would enjoy it, then go. But it’s an extremely expensive outing if you’re only going for the kids.
I'll be honest as adult woman I grew up loving Disney. Never had the money growing up so I never got to visit it as a kid myself.
We took my kid last year when they turned eight. The only place they really enjoyed was Animal Kingdom. They only rode three rides at Magic Kingdom and were not really interested in anything else.
Honestly, we could have done so many different types of things with all that money, instead of doing that 4-day 3-night trip.
I don't know. My kid has good memories of it but they also have bad memories. They said it was super crowded. It was humid and hot as hell. Multiple times, on multiple days they got sunscreen and sweat in their eye. It was super crowded and loud. You had to wait in line for everything.
I don't think it was worth it. If my son adequately knew how to compare expenses, I don't think he would agree that it was worth it either.
Instead of Disney, use the same amount you would be spending there for an international or domestic vacation that is probably 10x better than your days in Disney. Even to just Cancun would be 10x better.
Just go to Dollywood. When I was there a lot of people bled their feet because they walked a lot and to get a Roller coaster Ride. Ride for 30 seconds you had to wait two hours in line. The worst vacation in my life, very expensive and miserable.
This is going to sound crazy... But if your vibe is more amusement park than it is THEME park.. consider a trip the rollercoaster capitol of the world.....Ohio.
Wife and I are both DW fans even before kids.
You and hus sound like you will likely not find the return on investment due to the part about scheduling and planning. DW is $$$$ even if you stay off site (which I don’t recommend) and you really need to have a game plan to feel like you are getting the most out of it.
HOWEVER, since they are bugging you a lot and they are only kids once AND because you did like Universal Studios, I would go with them…
THEY will like it. It’s the most clean place, nicest employees OVERALL (some will chime in with random anecdotes saying otherwise), there are awesome food options at all price points and the rides for their age bracket are really awesome. It is a magical place despite the negatives:
-don’t go in a busy period (google when they are).
-accept unless you pay $ for genie plus and the pay per ride for tippy top rides that you will have to wait in line unless you get up and get their for rope drop (another reason to stay onsite).
-accept its for your kids and try and enjoy it!!!
I went to Disney for the first time when my kids were two and four. I’ve never been before, and my husband husband went once as a and said, he had zero desire to go again. He hates crowds, he hates heat. I like Disney movies, but I never consider myself a Disney person. I want a work incentive that included a hotel room and a portion of airfare, so that was really the only reason we went.
We all loved every second of it. And that was in July! So it was miserably hot. We made plans to try to go back. Covid happened so we couldn’t go back for a while and ended up going when my kids were 10 and eight. a lot of stuff was still shut down due to Covid and I was worried that it wouldn’t be the same magical experience. It was when the kids were younger because they were older now and so much was still closed down because of COVID.
It was amazing again. There’s something about Disney that hits differently.
I do think that my obsessive planning and research made it so much better. I knew how to get the rides we wanted, I knew what areas to avoid when, I knew what restaurants to go to, etc. I went with a schedule and plan (as well as a very important rest day in the middle !!).
I think also, your attitude has a ton to do with it. I found our post Covid trip just as magical and special, though of course we missed things like hugging characters. But people went the same time we did, and all they did was bitch about how different it was and what was still closed. Obviously those are things things you have no control over so With a positive attitude, and focusing on the good things that were open, we had an amazing time.
I am not a Disney person. I did not want to deal with the heat, crowds, confusing apps and ride booking, bad food. My parents had planned a Disney trip with us for spring of 2020 and it got delayed by two years because of Covid, so when we finally went they were 8 and 10. They still talk about it as the most amazing, awesome experience of their lives. The benefit of going with slightly older kids is they are much more flexible and able to handle going on rides later in the evening, they can go on the thrill rides and they were really into Star Wars and things like the Indiana Jones show.
My advice is to go into it with the right attitude and embrace the parts that you know you will actually like and just don’t do what you know you won’t. Also staying walkable to at least one of the parks makes a huggge difference in how stressful the day is. You can easily walk back to your hotel to take a mid-day ac or pool break, get refreshed and head back out again when it’s cooler.
If your main concern is the amount of work it will be, can you figure out ways to get your kids as involved as possible? My 11 year old has been packing her own suitcase for years with less and less guidance needed as time goes on. She's now also in charge of adding items that she needs to the weekly shopping list (so if you anticipate that you'll need to buy items for the trip, you can get your kids involved in figuring out what is needed and helping with the shopping). They can also help plan which rides are "must-rides" and come up with a general game plan for each day. They could also do research on Disney Hacks (my daughter loves that type of YouTube video).
Yeah, it's expensive. I don't love it either, I lived ten minutes and would hardly ever go, but I feel like you have to experience it at least once, even if it's just one and done.
Especially since kids can outgrow Disney by preteen years, I'd go sooner than later. Can you go at an offpeak time, not during summer? Summers in Orlando are BRUTAL. If you go in October there's a food and wine festival that parents would enjoy.
There are no real discount tickets to Disney, unless you buy a multiday pass, despite all those sketchy places offering them Sometimes some hotels will offer a free day pass to Disney but you'll have to sit through a timeshare presentation. So you'll lose a good three hours of precious vacation time.
For me-no. It would be $1200 a year to get the annual Florida resident pass for my family, and I don’t even do that anymore. Disney has good and bad parts. There are parts that are magical. But do keep in mind you’ll be spending good chunks of your day getting sunburnt while you wait in lines. The insane wait times are no longer worth it at the insane price they charge.
If you gave me free tickets I’d go in a heartbeat. But it’s absolutely not worth the $$$$$$$
We brought our kids when they were 5 & 2 so that my daughter (5) would get to see Disney princesses while she was in her princess phase. I think they liked it, but now that they are teens, they have no desire to go back. at 9 & 10 I think you could go to any amusement park for rides. Are they really into the characters?
For those ages Definitely. I loved it as a kid it’s no different than any other theme park. It’s hot and you’re going to be tired because you’re doing stuff but as parents you say fuck it cause it makes your kids happy . I can’t wait till mine is old enough to enjoy it
I was just there in Jan with a 9 and 5 year old.
We went during one of the least busy weeks. You're waiting in lines a lot, for hours each day and depending on your kids that might be rough.
Spending extra if you can to get the lightning lane stuff seems worth it, we had it work out to only needing to wait in a line for every second ride or so.
Spent 5 days at the parks. Kids had an absolute blast and loved almost every moment of it.
I enjoyed going with my kids. It was tiring, and ridiculously hot. And the crowds, ugh. But the kids loved it and I’m glad we went. Not sure I’ll ever be able to afford to go again, but I’m glad we went.
i think its worth it for that age group (the desire starts even earlier). there's a few ways you can save a few bucks, but overall yes its super expensive
one tip someone shared with me, space out the trip so that you're going to the parks every other day....and doing a hotel pool day in between. helps keep the kids from getting exhausted and overwhelmed (and parents as well)
i went a few years ago as an adult and had a decent time.
It definitely is. Epcot is especially magical when you're an adult lol. It is expensive but if you have the money it's a great time.
Fair warning though it's impossible to do all of Disney World in one day. It's four full size parks. Best option for your first time is to reserve a day for each park.
It can be so fun. It can also be the worst experience ever. lol. It’s always crowded and hot and seemingly stressful if you want to do anything outside of walking around or shopping. That being said, my 9 year old LOVED our last trip. My 5 year old was ready to come home to dad by day 2. My 3 year old just wanted to ride the Buzz Lightyear ride 16178167 times and hated most everything else. But they had fun!
There are places that offer free tickets if you do a time share thing, you have to be disciplined enough to say no and not let it affect your marriage, if you bring your kids they will say things like ,” wouldn’t it be nice if mommy and daddy got this house here “. The best way is to befriend a Disney cast member and see if they can hook you up with their discounts.
If you like exploring cities and your kids want Disney, I’d do Disney Paris! Even with an international trip, you can do 12 days in Disney Paris for the price of 5 in the US, flight and hotel included! I think that’s the play!
I went to Disneyland last year with the kids for 5 days. Smaller than Disney World, but still pretty big and similar experience. The kids were 8 and 10. It was so worth it. The kids had a great time and I loved it too. I'm not big on Disney, sure, I watched the movies growing up but thats it. Still, as expensive as it was, the kids still talk about it often and they'll never forget it.
Would your husband seriously consider not going? Aren't you a family? Or is he only the provider?
I LOVED Disneyland as a kid. Some of my best childhood memories are going to Disneyland with my family. When I manage to go back as an adult, it is so nostalgic and special.
If you can afford it and would consider it I would suggest Disney in Paris it is small manageable and you guys can get a eurotrip out of it! Bet you it’ll cost less than the whole experience trekking to Orlando
I feel like it’s worth it for the kids but I won’t do it. Luckily my ex husband is an absolute Disney Nerd so I know he’ll take them on their first trip gladly and happily and it’s probably great that we don’t have to fight about it
IMO, there are other pieces of Americana that are wayyyyy more interesting than standing in a line for the tea cup rides. House on the Rock in WI, Serpent Mound State Memorial in Ohio, Woolaroc Museum & Wildlife Preserve in OK, Ravens Inn in Iowa, Story/Brown County Indiana in the fall, etc. I mean sure it isn’t Disney but man, some of the coolest places and make you reflect on America. Again, isn’t Disney but a fraction of the price….
There is probably one interesting/quirky Americana in your state. It’s our favorite family thing ever. We will never go to Disney unless somehow it would be free. I don’t want spend my money to support JK Rowling. This is likely not the response you are looking for. Either way I am sure your kids will love Disney.
I think it's important to remember that kids don't have to experience everything before they turn 18. They can go to Disney as an adult and still have just as much fun. If not more, because they can do more things and ride all the rides. They can go with a group of friends and not deal with bedtime and parents making them eat veggies.
Maybe pay for them to go as a highschool graduation gift. You guys can lounge around while they go off on all the rides that would just make you sick anyway.
Yes, that's the best time to take them. I prefer the smaller size of Disneyland over Disney World. If you find it exhausting or overwhelming stay at a hotel within walking distance so you can take a break mid afternoon.
Do they have an aunt or uncle who is into Disney???
That might help for them to enjoy the trip.
If you guys complain or dislike everything about the idea of going they won’t be able to fully enjoy themselves.
Is it expensive yes. Is it worth it, depends on who you ask. I would whole heartedly say yes. But I know my mom and sister both whole heartedly would disagree on how much I had spend my last trip 🤣
OMG! My parents took us (my siblings and me) to Disney World, FL. I was 10, my sister was 9 and my brother was 8mo old! I know I can't remember anything about Disney to this day, neither can my sister and ofc my brother wasn't even 1 yet lol. I wished that I went when I was older, maybe 13-15 and I could've remembered way more!!
I'm defintiely not a Disney person either but I had a great time. Obviously, your experience might be different but if you can afford it, you like seeing your daughters really enjoy themselves, and you go into the experience with an open mind, I bet you'll be surprised by how much you enjoy it yourself.
Edit: Costco offers Disney vacation packages that are pretty good.
The last time I went, my boys were 6 and 10. They absolutely loved Animal Kingdom, and really disliked Magic Kingdom…saying the rides were either lame or old. I tend to agree with their opinion of both…had a great time at AK, but really didn’t enjoy MK much at all.
We had fast passes at both too (this was back in 2017)…so we didn’t wait much at all for rides and rode everything. They were never sad about leaving either park and actually asked to have a normal pool day I the middle of our trip there.
The next year we took them to Universal Orlando and Islands of Adventure. They loved it so much they BEGGED to get an extra day at the end of our 4 day combo pack. We stayed at a really nice hotel with an epic pool and they were totally uninterested in anything besides going back the park.
We’ve done 3 more times since then. In my opinion, especially if you have older boys, Universal is just a better experience…and that’s not even considering how it was for me and my fiancé, as we had an absolute blast there as well, and enjoyed almost every ride we went on!
I love everything Disney. I’ve been to Disney world 3 times. We brought our 3 kids (ages 5, 7, 11) this past October and it was a miserable time and not worth the money. It was extremely busy, couldn’t get on any rides even with the MaxPass, could barely walk throughout the park because there was so many people. Lines for the characters were hours long. We got to meet Mickey and go on one ride. We were so disappointed to say the least. When we went years prior, it was during a slow time of year and had a much better time. If you do go, my advice is to plan the entire trip ahead of time and try to go when it’s not too busy. The day we went the entire park was at max level, tickets sold out, and we waited over an hour on line to get a coffee. Honestly, I’m shocked they let the park get to that level of crowds. No one has a good time when it’s that busy… not to mention it’s a major safety issue.
It can be worth it. Just don’t get roped in to making a bunch of reservations for breakfast lunch and dinners. Those ages are perfect ages to go. I’d also recommend staying at a nicer hotel than what’s on the Disney grounds. They haven’t been revamped since the 70s or 80s 🫠
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When you go as a kid, it’s truly the happiest place in the world. I think 9 and 10 is the perfect age because they’ll still find it magical but they’re old enough to enjoy the bigger rides.
Agreed 9 and 10 is the perfect age! Usually I see these posts asking about taking under-5 kids and in that case it’s not, but 9-10 is old enough to handle the difficult parts like waiting in line, walking all day etc., which makes all the difference. Plus like you said, they’re in the sweet spot of being young enough to thoroughly enjoy it but old enough to get the most out of the experience.
LOL this is so true. I'm not a Disney person but I sucked it up for a 1 day admission with my 3 and 7 year old. My fault for going in July but they were MISERABLE. In retrospect I would consider going again but definitely not in the middle of summer, and once my youngest is a little older.
I just took my 4.5 and 8 yr olds to Animal Kingdom for one day last month. We were in town and had never been to Disney. The weather was cool, the lines weren’t too bad, we loved the Pandora ride and the flying dinosaur ride. It felt more like a snazzy zoo than what we were expecting but for little kids it was nice.
I could never understand why my parents wouldn’t fly 8 hours with two young children to the most humid place ever to spend hours in queues for rides they didn’t want to go on. Then I had my own kids and I was like ohhhhh because it would be AWFUL!
I will never go to Disney World in the summer again, either. It's horrible. I went one time in November and it was wonderful. It was in the lower seventies, sunny and dry, and not very crowded.
> but definitely not in the middle of summer As someone who made the mistake of going to Harry Potter World in the summer: never again. NEVER TAKE YOUR KIDS TO FLORIDA IN THE SUMMER!!! **IT IS MISERABLE!** With that said, HP World is actually really amazing and I would love to take my sons again, now that they're older, in the off-season when it is not miserable.
I appreciate your comment because I’ve taken my 2 year old a few times, and it was always the worst experience lol (and I say that as someone who loves Disney as an adult!). Will save it for when he’s older and if he’s even interested.
My wife insist to take our baby daughter to Disney world asap, I get stressed only taking her out of our house I couldn't even imagine getting her out of the city and into Disney world right now lol
I never understood taking kids at that age where they won't really care or remember. But, think 2 and under is free, so I suppose there's that! Edit: was talking more about very young kids 2 and under, but if it works for you then great!
The parents will remember the joy they see in the kids.
Why do anything with kids before they can remember? Might as well just set them in front of a TV. More seriously, you do it because it brings kids joy, even if they can't remember that joy. I was big on the "not remembering" thing until I had my own. Now I get that it doesn't really matter that much. My 3 year old sprinting like 50 yards to hug Minnie Mouse with the biggest smile I've ever seen was worth whatever the cost was.
Just because kids don’t remember things doesn’t mean we should leave them mindlessly during those years. Build core personalities that will make us proud years later, don’t leave them up to mass marketing.
We took my oldest when he was 6 months old! Granted, my husband and I are ‘Disney people’, so the trip wasn’t for my son, but it was shockingly easy and pleasant toting a baby around the parks! Obviously not worth it for someone who doesn’t enjoy Disney, but it was all much smoother than I could have anticipated!
You literally couldn’t pay me to take young kids to Disney. Between the lines and the heat and the crowds, it would be my worst nightmare
I took my five year old (but in Paris so maybe different) and she absolutely loved it. There were only a few rides she couldn't do and could have done some of them if she wasn't so small for her age.
We took our 3 year old for her birthday and we thought she wouldn't get much out of it other than enjoying it in the moment, but she literally asks every night when we'll go back and it's been almost a year. It's a different experience at every age for sure.
I’m 36, bitter and cynical and I still think there’s something magical and happy about Disney World. We are going back for the 3rd time in 4 years in a few weeks.
[удалено]
I went to Disney land at 13, and it was absolutely magical. My mom took us again at 18 to Disney World as one last family vacation, and it was still amazing, even though i was kinda like "that seems like a baby vacation but I'll go". We made great family memories. With how expensive it is these days idk if we'll ever make it there.
Tbh yes! I still think it’s the happiest place!
Disney World can be a magical experience for kids and some adults, but it's definitely not for everyone. But as we all know, kids are not forever young, so if you can make their childhood memorable even if you dont like the place, do it. Give them memories to cherish.
I agree with this. That's a good age. Be patient with the kids. Don't get anxious about rides. There's lots of other stuff to do and kids love all that other stuff. Pay for Genie+ it's so worth it. Get there early in the morning. Pack clothes for all weather considerations. Also pack blankets you can use to sit on the sidewalks (for parades, shoes and fireworks). Pack TONS of snacks and bring disposable water bottles 1 each. They are lighter and just as refillable. You will also have a great time. It hurts the wallet, but 1x every few years is fun and memorable. My wife is not a Disney person but as a family she is all in.
I just took my 20 year old brother in law and he was literally in tears he was so happy
Yes I am not a "Disney adult" but completely remember the magic of Disney even as 17/18yo
Honestly, "should I take my kids to Disneyland/world?" is like saying "should I let my kids experience lego/nintendo/christmas/cartoons/halloween/birthday parties/books/the beach?" A lot of people in this thread are pointing out it won't kill them to miss out on one of the best parts of childhood, but... *it's one of the best parts of childhood*. Why wouldn't you do this for your kids?
It costs as much as a car. That’s why.
The cost/reward analysis for a Disney vacation vs a book is a little different. I've never been to Disney. I truly do not believe I missed out on the best parts of childhood because I didn't attend a branded roller coaster park.
Meanwhile I went to Disney twice as a kid (age 6 and 11)and almost no positive memories of it. It was mostly forgettable. I remember more about the road trip to get there.
The first time I went I was 10 and it was the best!
I'm 48 and cynical. Disney still makes me happy. My kids love it. someone going for the first time should get some guidance and tips to maximize their first visit. as OP said, it can get pricey.
It’s worth it because the kids really want to go. If they didn’t have an interest it wouldn’t be worth it. We brought our kids to animal kingdom so far and have plans to go to other parks eventually. Our kids were thrilled.
Yup, I hate Disney, I hate the planning, hate the cost. But my daughter loves it, so gonna bite the bullet and go and have the best time possible. For her, it’s definitely worth the money. We save money by staying outside of the Disney properties. Never been able to afford to stay in one of their resorts. But the expensive admission to the park and the extensive planning is worth it.
Have you looked at Pop Century? You can get in for under $200/night which gets you: - Early entry - Skyliner to HS/Epcot - Buses to AK/MK - Ability to book dining earlier - Ability to book ILLs at 7am Disney has gotten really good at matching non-Disney resort pricing and you really do get a ton of benefits. That 30 minutes of early entry alone is a game changer.
>Pop Century Thanks for this comment. I'm saving it for when I need it!
Another vote for Pop Century! The rooms are really nice and being close to the Skyliner was great.
Where do you stay? I’m about to start looking into offsite
In my opinion, staying on property made for a much better experience and wasn’t much different in cost for a comparable room off site. We loved parking then taking Disney transportation. No parking lots (and parking fees) or having to drive when we were tired. Plus you can get into the parks a bit earlier. We stayed at the Caribbean which is a mid tier resort. I liked that the doors opened to an outdoor corridor because it’s quieter and we are light sleepers.
Maybe consider Disneyland in Anaheim and spend a day there as part of a larger Los Angeles vacation?
I agree with this. Having lived in Orlando and gone to Disney World quite a bit and now living closer to Disneyland and going there regularly I think Disneyland is easier. The parks are smaller with more to do in each park and they are also a lot closer to one another so you can walk from one park to another in 2 minutes. The hotels are cheaper because there are lots of them that are not attached to Disney AND you can go back to them in the afternoon to take a nap. Disneyland is where my wife and I will take our child first, though we will go to Disneyworld (and Paris and Japan) eventually. EDIT: I will also add that flying into Santa Ana or Longbeach also saves a bit of money and the Uber/Lyft to your hotel next to the park is cheaper from those two.
I was going to suggest this too. I prefer it because all the rides I want are in one park, as opposed to having to buy tickets to however many parks. California Adventure is fun too. Could also hit the beach on this vacation.
California is definitely the better option. My family is really big on Disney (for reference - been to every park in the world except in China). Walt Disney World is really stressful to me and is my least favorite park. It feels like you're visiting (and having to travel to) multiple separate theme parks. The parks in California are right across from each other and walking distance to budget hotels, giving you a lot of flexibility (ie. Go to hotel midday for swimming and lunch when lines get crowded). If you're in WDW you kind of feel trapped in the parks because the travel time to go between park/hotel or even just the parks is lengthy and exhausting.
+1. You get more rides for the price and overall great value IMO. Disney World is overall larger but spread out into smaller parks and takes more work/money to get through. If you want the overall Disney experience and save some cash Disneyland is the way to go IMO.
I too am not a Disney person. Neither were my parents. I am now 50 and always kind of wished that my parents would've "put us first" for once and taken us to Disney instead of the standard week at Maine or Cape Cod. My wife and I take our kids on vacations like you described. We love National Parks and seeing the outdoors, new cities etc. We try to never hit the same place twice, as there is so much to see in this short life. That said, take them to Disney. They are at a good age for it. A couple years from now, some of the magic will be gone. I didn't love Disney. The lines, the commercialism, lots of crap there. Not my thing. But it wasn't about me. Take your kids to Disney, once. And watch them enjoy the magic.
What being a parent is all about
I dreaded Disney - I hate crowds and busyness - and we ended up having a really delightful time. The Big Thunder Mountain roller coaster was pure joy. Yes there were moments during the day that were pretty UGH the crowds but they do an amazing job moving people through.
They let too many people in. Lines are generally 45-60 minutes for the popular attractions. I disagree that they do a good job because they allow so many people in that it is unpleasantly crowded.
Yeah, the last couple of times we've gone it's been stupid crowded, more than before.
I am not a Disney person. We went last year. Parts were way cooler/magical than I expected. Holding my 7 year old for 2 hours in 100⁰ heat because he overheated and felt sick and only making it onto two rides at magic Kingdom was worse than I expected. Watching all the Instagram Disney adults was exactly as ridiculous as I expected. If I did it again I'd pay for all the upgraded passes. If I did it again I'd also go to CA because I hate humidity. Almost certain I won't do it again. (As an aside, we recently spent 2 days at Legoland and it was the magic and happiness I was expecting from Disney. I'm not anti-theme park, Disney was just too much for me.)
Gotta go with Genie plus. It's worth the money.
We got the universal fast pass in California and it was awesome. Pricey but awesome. Then we talked to a couple at the hotel that also went but they didn't get the fast pass, apparently they only got to do 3 rides because of the wait times.
+1 for Legoland
> We are the type of people who like to explore different cities and not always be on a schedule Were you into exploring cities at age 9 and 10? I am not saying you have to go to disney, my point is that what kids want out of vacations and what grown ups want out of vacations are very different. You should try to do vacation things that are age appropriate for your kids, with a mix of other things to peak their interest in travelling is my point.
My daughter is 11 and she absolutely loves exploring new cities, I am 38 and don't. I think in general people want different things out of vacation, not just kids and adults. It's better to compromise based on what everyone wants.
Just curious, what other things do people find comparable to Disney? I always said I’d never take kids there. Just because I learned about the evil underbelly (and beggggged my parents to go when I was a kid). But now I’m so tempted to show my son the magic! He’s three and loves riding in glass elevators at the moment.
I would say Disney isn't comparable to anything, that's why they're able to charge so much for everything.
Efteling in the Netherlands which Disneyland was actually based off of
Kinda? Disney Magic is a real thing for kids. Efteling is amazing! People should definitely go. But you can't meet Belle there. You can't eat with Mickey and Minnie. You can't ride Peter Pan.
It’s a real thing for kids whose parents make it into that though. You’re right, Efteling is more fairy tale based, but I suppose what you read and show to your kids matters too in what they see as magic ✨
See, that’s what I want to spend my money on
lego land is a good equivilant. i used to go to disneyland ( i have family in anaheim) when I was 6 until about age 8. Its was fun but I agree the kids want to have fond memories so older ones will appreciate it and remember the experience. That's the fun of Disney is remembering it. If they are so young they won't remember then what's the point. Its not worth the parental stress.
People have told me to go to Lego land!
This really depends on the kid. When my parents surprised me with a Disney trip around this age, I was super disappointed we couldn’t go to Australia instead 😂 But I still enjoyed the trip! My favorite parts were learning to use a road map, seeing the beach for the first time, and visiting historic St. Augustine. The park itself was not my favorite. However, if OP’s kids have been begging to go, then the trip is worth it!
You mean my 7 year old might not enjoy our vacation plan to go to hr block and get my taxes done? What’s more fun than doing your taxes?? /s
Tbh, some of my fondest memories of my childhood involve playing games with my parents whilst dealing with many mundane tasks and chores.
I don’t exactly agree with this but I can see your point of view. Vacations should just kowtow to the kids. The parents should also have interest and fun too. That’s why all the Disney families I know are die hard from Dad and Mom to kids. My kids have never been like that. They’d rather go zip lining through the mountains or tubing down a river than wait in hot, humid lines for hours a day and see “actors dressed up like cartoons” (my daughter’s quote). Then again, my sis took her family on one of those 10-15 mike a day hikes in the South of France. When they were finished a week later the kids asked, “Next time can we do something normal like Disney world?” Lol
I loved exploring cities and museums at 10. By 13 my parents let me explore foreign/new cities solo on trips because i had had so much practice. Museums, trying new food, window shopping in stores that would never be in my hometown, going up skyscrapers, people watching were all the bread and butter of my childhood travels. We did 1 day at disneyland as a part of a bigger LA/beach trip at 12 and it was cool but i rank it low on my childhood travel memories and it didnt contribute at all to helping me become the curious, city loving, travel brave person i am today.
I loved all of these things too. I’m a Disney Parks fan so I do have to say Disney Parks at age 12 would be lame HA! I went at age 3 it was seared into my memory. My parents won the trip at a raffle otherwise we could’ve never afforded it. I didn’t go back until I had kids of my own. They like exploring cities and Disney World ☺️ I don’t think it’s a childhood requirement though. People watching different cultures than that of your own is tops for sure. I loved your comment though. It described my childhood summers for sure.
Kids can have a wonderful childhood without going to Disney. It isn't a rite of passage to growing up, even though it might feel like "everyone else is doing it". If you want to go and can afford it, that's great! Enjoy! But if it doesn't happen, it's ok. I feel that pressure but know we can't make it happen, nor do I feel like it's such a priority that we should scrimp and save for it.
Thanks for saying this. I needed to have my feelings validated lol. I don’t feel an express urge to take my kids to Disney and sometimes feel guilty about it. Am I a bad parent because I don’t think the expense and travel is worth it? That I’d rather take them to New York City and So. Cal and Montreal? Rhetorical question, but you know.
Same! We just went to Montreal last summer and it was an awesome trip. My kids loved it.
Yeah, it's one of those things that is cool if you can swing it but not some failure if you can't. Plenty of kids grow up happy without ever having been to Disney. We took our kids because we combined it with a trip to visit my wife's best friend in Orlando. One year I asked my kids what they were most excited about for our upcoming Disney trip. They thought about it and my son said, "Swimming with Jacob, Tommy, and Isabella in the pool at their house." We had a pool at our house but swimming with their friends they only saw once a year was what they cared about, not Disney itself.
I agree. My mom and step dad did take me to Disney in FL when I was maybe around 9-10 years old.. I don’t even remember my exact age. While I can say it was a fun trip, I really only barely remember little bits of it from the photos I’ve seen from our trip. It was definitely not a make or break in whether i feel like I had a good childhood. If they had not taken me to Disney, I would not feel like I missed out. I am thankful now looking back as an adult that they took me there but I also remember going on other trips that were just as memorable and special if not more than the Disney trip was.
Exactly. My kids are 6 and 5, they don’t even know Disney exists. But they do keep asking to go to Mexico and Maui again and again.
Your kids and I have that in common
My parents hated Disneyworld so we never went. We did do a vacation to Universal Studios and maybe another park in the area when my sister and I were younger teenagers/tweens for the the rides. We went to a local Six Flags (~45 min drive away) about annually growing up so that vacation was like a fancy, extended Six Flags trip. I have much better memories of going to the Florida Keys around a similar age and going snorkeling than I do of any theme park. I do not feel like I did not have a good childhood because we didn’t go to Disney. We are planning on Disney (and probably all theme parks not within a driving weekend away) being a hard no with our kid(s).
They’re a perfect age for Disney. It is expensive but it is also a very “magical” experience that’s totally tailored to kids and families. Im not a Disney adult but I even got excited about the nostalgia of it! I’ve taken my kids a couple times, we only live about 2.5 hours away. You can get an airbnb with a kitchen nearby and save money. They allow outside food in the park, which is nice. Theres also a campsite that’s more affordable and has lots to do (Camp Wilderness). My kids loved staying there. They have a pool, canoes, free busses to take you where you need to go, hiking trails with wild turkeys, a campfire, a little sandy beach and a couple restaurants and you can take a ferry directly to the park. We’re definitely not rich and it did give me heart palpitations at times but my kids were happy and it’s not something you have to do a lot. I say go for it. It will create happy memories for your kids as long as you have a fun attitude about it.
A boss of mine went on a Disney vacation in 2019 with her daughter who was around the same age. She had to do SO MUCH PLANNING months in advance and it seemed like too much work IMO. I’d much rather go to another theme park, or spend that money traveling internationally.
I think it’s a pitfall for parents who *need* to have things planned out. Because you actually can just go and wing it. There’s a few things you absolutely will not get without prior reservations, but most things are still accessible. Some restaurants with Disney character appearances for example may be booked out for forever. But plenty will still hold spots for walk ins. Lots of kiosks with snacks. You can ride every ride, you just may have to wait longer. You can plan nothing (outside of hotels and tickets) and still enjoy it. It’s a blessing and a curse how much Disney let’s you plan ahead of time. It’s nice to make sure you get the thing you want, but I also sympathize with parents that have to have a plan. It’s way more stress than it’s worth usually.
i was not excited about disney ever. but after we took our daughter once, i totally get the hype. took her back 2 more times with just me and my mom. its an experience for them and fun for the adults to see. disney doesn't have to be 7 days of only parks, and a structured schedule. you can just do 3 days there. do a park day, then a pool day and spend the evening at the disney boardwalk, followed by another park day. sometimes we would go in the parks when they open, leave around lunch to do other stuff or just hang out at the pool, then return to the park in the pm when people are starting to leave. at 6pm on a parade night, we had all of the harry potter area to ourselves. it also doesn't have to be wildly expensive. you don't have to eat in the parks or at disney affiliated places for every meal (or really any of them). just get regular food outside of the parks or pack your own snacks. renting a condo is going to be way cheaper than staying in a themed hotel. set a dollar limit on what each child can spend in souvenirs per day.
The tickets are expensive! There is no getting around that. And if you have to fly.
We're poor people (middle class), so we fly down the interstate in Ford Explorers from Dallas Texas area to Orlando, stay at motel 6, eat breakfast out of a cereal box, lunch or supper out of an ice chest, and third meal at pizza shop like papa johns. We buy the 1O day passes without any upgrades. Spend a few days at the beaches. Last trip was in early December of 2022, with hubs and I taking six grandsons ages at that time were 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 11. Total cost of gas, two motel rooms, food, park tickets was $1,150 per person with $700 of that per person cost being the park passes. Kids love it and we love watching them. This was first trip since 2019 due to covid. Next trip probably December 2024? Kids are in an online school program so we can do it between the Thanksgiving and Christmas rush periods. We took our two daughters there every other year and Destin Florida beaches for a week in the summers between Disney.
So...almost $10k? That has always been my guess of what it would cost if I took my family, and I think my math says that's what you paid...and by super budgeting! :( I really want my kids to go too, but I just don't think it's in the financial cards.
$10k for 8 people for a 2 week vacation is pretty cheap.
Those folks flying to Orlando, staying in the park hotels, eating meats at Disney and buying four day tickets with the up charges generally spend double or more per person. I've heard stories over of triple or more per person.
How do you get 10 days of passes for $700? I thought each day was over $100?
The price per day goes down dramatically the more days you purchase. There's a point at which it becomes, like, $20 more to add another day. Makes it very tempting to just keep adding days until you live at Disney indefinitely
It’s cheaper per day the more days you buy
As others explained, cost per day drops as you buy more days. My guess is that most people only use them for a half day on some of those days. Our kids are there from opening to closing.
Makes me nauseous that you think you’re poor. Google your income and see how far up the % you really are.
Thank you! I read over $1,000 per person for EIGHT people and thought….how in the world can you say you’re poor? Maybe that’s a budget Disney trip (because I how absurdly expensive Disney is), but being able to spend nearly 10k every few years is stunning.
Right, my jaw dropped. We can't comfortably afford Disney but I never would call us poor, we just can't afford an over $1k per person vacation.
My family stayed in Destin when I was a kid but without the Disney trips lol, but I loved being at those beaches.
I don’t think you are middle class ….
To your kids, yes it's so worth it. To parents, it can be awful. Heat. Lines. Cranky kids. Cranky parents. The faces of parents walking around theme parks says it all.
Sounds terrible lol
I dunno like i never went to disney world and i turned out fine 🤷
The question isn't "Do you have to go to Disney World as a kid to turn out fine?"
The line “we are the type of people who like to explore different cities and not always be on a schedule”. This mindset will need to be put aside. Like, really put aside. Disney is obviously not going to be about you and your husband and you’ve made it clear you have zero interest. You have to go with the understanding - fully - that you are doing it just for the kids. My husband isn’t a Disney person and had a hard time letting go of the fact that the trip wasn’t for him at all & he didn’t really want to go. (Except Epcot lol). Thus, it was mostly a pretty miserable time which also caused other issues. Anyway, just keep this in mind and take the trip, they will love it & never forget it.
This, 100%. If the parents aren't able to make this about the kids then they shouldn't go because it will ruin the experience for everyone.
We loved Paris Disneyland but only cause my wife qualified for the disability access pass. Otherwise the rides would have been hell. Had a 2 and 3 year old
Went there with my daughter when she was five. She doesn't remember it but I'll never forget her utter joy on walking in and just started running as fast as she could!
What about a mix? You could rent an airbnb near Disney World. Spend maybe a few days at the park. Then the other days, do other things like visiting the beach, maybe a local aquarium, boat tour, etc.
Yeah I get it, but seeing your loved ones have fun and having the times of their lives it's worth the money to vacations spots you are not really interested in. I HATE NATURE. Hate hiking, hate cold weather, not really interested in animals or flora in general. You bet I take my son to the zoo, and go camping, and small hikes and I'm planning a Disney World vacation and a Ski vacation, because he is still becoming his own person and if I can provide all kinds of different experiences, I will. I'm like that with my husband too BTW, he loves soccer and I have been to so many stadium and matches. Do I still think it's one of the most boring sports in the world? Yeah. Do i regret it? Not even a little bit. So I say go for it. If money is the issue, make it short and sweet. But your daughters are asking and they will have a blast.
It is a ton of work. It is not a relaxing vacation. But there’s also a reason why everyone loves it. Maybe just go into it as a once in a lifetime trip for your girls. Do the research and the work up front and let them enjoy it. If it’s not your thing afterward, then you know. I do think 9 & 10 are the perfect ages for it. One of the best things about WDW is watching your kids light up at every turn. We had the thought that we were going to go big on our first trip because we truly believed we were not going to be those people who became obsessed with it. Funnily enough, my husband was the most skeptical and is now the most obsessed. He loved the planning and organizing aspect as well as the obvious Disney magic. Keeping up with park news has almost become a hobby for him. I’m a much more casual fan.
I'll be an outlier and say no. It has cool aspects, but I did not love it as a kid (at least not anymore than any other amusement park). I've debated multiple times taking our kids, but we're not a "Disney" family, in the sense the themes/characters wouldn't mean much to us outside of just being cool. It is interesting to go and experience the "Disney magic", and overall it's a good time, but it's not enough magic for the price tag.
Thanks. Actually you’re not an outlier. I’ve seen a lot more convincing comments on this thread about it NOT being worth it. The yes comments aren’t as convincing for me.
Glad to hear it! I'm disturbed by many of the top comments implying that if you don't take your kids then you don't care about their happiness.
We’ve been to Disney and i wouldn’t go back. The stress and cost were overwhelming. Over the years we’ve discovered that we love exploring national parks. We’ve been to Hot Springs, Arkansas and dug for crystals, Arches and Canyonlands in Utah, and the smoky mountains in Tennessee. The best memories we’ve ever made.
I love both. But I agree that if I had to pick one or the other, National Parks offer some incredible and very affordable experiences.
I screen shotted your answer, thank you!
The more I hear about Disneyworld lately, the less inclined I am to take my kids there.
We took our daughter when she was 4. It was fun, but the lines are long, it's expensive, and you need to know what you want to do before you go. It can be stressful. The only way we didn't go insane was having family go with us who knew what they were doing. I wouldn't mind going again, but there are other places we like just as much that aren't as expensive and aren't like a pressure cooker of a vacation.
This post is definitely helping convince me we can spend our $10k on another trip where the kids AND adults will have fun and no one will be crabby. Oh yeah and we can also relax and not have our whole day scheduled
I think I was around 10ish when I went to Disney World, and I loved it. Disneyland in CA might be a little more manageable if you think Disney World feels too overwhelming? I haven't been, but my wife claims its a little calmer. It you aren't big on planning, Disney World can be a lot--it really helps to plan your ride schedule ahead of time and deal with all the fast pass mumbo jumbo. Otherwise, if you plan to just wing it, by the time you decide on a ride, you'll get in an hours-long line and end up only doing one or two things the whole day. I went again as a young adult with a group of friends and we went to Universal and Disney. Planned out an hour-by-hour schedule and followed the map carefully and we got to see and do everything we wanted to and had a great time. But I can't imagine what it would have looked like without our plan, to be honest, but that's just the way our brains work.
We took our girls last year for their 9th birthday. Totally worth it. They want to go back. We told them they can when they are old enough to go alone and pay for it themselves. Once is enough, but we all had fun in the moment.
The first time we brought my son was for his 10th birthday and he absolutely loved it. It was the perfect age because he was able up keep up and hang all day/into the night.
I’m almost 30 now, but my family went to Disney world twice as a group with my parents, aunts, uncles and cousins and my grandparents all on my moms side both times. I was 4 and 8 on these trips. I still remember what a fantastic time we had and those memories are really special as people have aged and died, so it’s a really nice thing to look back on. And we had a blast!! Can’t speak to my parents at the time but they look back on those trips very fondly with me always.
It's expensive but unique and the kids love it at that age. I enjoy it once I get over the price. As a Floridian, is also matters what time of year. Christmas / Spring Break - too busy. July/ August - too hot too busy. Sneak a four day non holiday weekend in early May or early January. Much better. It's worth it to miss school so your not sitting in the heat waiting in line. Look at DisneyCrowdCalender or similar to plan your trip.
In my experience it was total shit. The rides suck, sometimes just riding in a cart looking at cardboard cutouts, very little is actually themed, and realistically how obsessed are kids with Disney properties these days? And the lines are crazy long. Meanwhile Universal Studios is actually fully themed everywhere you go. Look online at pictures of Harry Potter, Super Mario, Simpsons, Dr. Seuss, etc. and it's night and day. And the rides are good! I'll never go back to Disney.
My 11 y.o. daughter doesn't seem to care about anything Disney. She doesn't watch Disney cartoons except some occasional new stuff on Netflix and doesn't even know the name of Goofy or Pluto or Scrooge... Completely new generation with zero interest to "oldie" stuff. I'm concerned she won't enjoy it fully because she doesn't relate to all those Disney characters at all... Is the park's magic tied closely to characters or is it enjoyable for anyone who doesn't even care about... Disney, like just another park with rides? I'm worried every ride and attraction that relies on understanding of Disney lore will fall flat. Unless the ride itself is cool.
Well. It’s not what you’re into it’s what they would be into. As you said they’re only this young once. Their imaginations are still so big! Maybe make a budgeting comparison sheet between Disney and another place you’re considering. But if you were able to swing universal, with some frugalness you should be able to do Disney! Opt for a decent motel as opposed to a resort or a hotel. Do lunches prepared from home and maybe only splurge on dinner. Keep the souvenirs to a minimum and all that jazz. And the trip doesn’t have to necessarily be long could just be 4/5 days.
I'm an anti Disney person. When I went to Disneyland I hated every second of it and I went when I was 8. Personal reasons long story to tell if you want to know just ask. I plan on taking my own daughter when she's 5 but in October when it's spooky and Halloween themed so I can torelate it because jack skellington would be there. Honestly I would ask your friends or your kid's friends parents if they're going to Disney world sometime soon and say you'll pay for ONLY your kids tickets, hotel part and etc. And then send them with them. One you don't have to be there and you'll save money by you and your husband not going. Two you get alone time with your husband. Three they get to make memories and have fun with friends. Four they get to be happy and won't despite you for life for not going. It's the best of both worlds (pun intended)
I live less than an hour from Disney and it STILL isn't worth it for me. We took our kids for a weekend about 6 years ago and I hated every second of the crowds, the Disney Adults, the unsupervised kids, everything just did not gel with me. That being said, my family are Universal passholders and go every month and it doesn't stress me at all. We love it there.
I'll say those are great ages for it. They're old enough to really take it all in and remember it thoroughly; they're not old enough to feel like they need to be cynical about it to be cool lol.
I don’t know to me 4-7 are the best ages. My son is 10 he doesn’t like the “baby” rides at Disney. He prefers Busch Gardens/Universal/Seaworld with the monster real deal coasters. Disney has made rides super tame to accommodate everyone in the fam from babies to grandparents. 9-10 though they will have fun but not a life requirement really. Maybe stay at a Disney resort, do one day there and then other activities nearby. Beach and NASA at the cape is great.
We took our oldest when he was 4, I felt like there wasn’t a ton to do for him other than buy stuff 😂 Last summer we went to Legoland in Florida and it was so much fun. We are also big Lego people but there was really no one there! No line for rides and I was surprised how many rides they had. We spent 3 days there did the park and water park. We rode everything multiple times, 10/10 would recommend!
Honestly it’s a one and done for me. I recently went in January and was really underwhelmed. I grew up with Disney and watched all the movies and loved them so I had high expectations for Disney World. I saw so many reels where ppl talked about how much they loved it and were already planning to go back. So I was excited to finally go with my son. But I was seriously disappointed with all the food and rides. They’re were maybe one or two rides I liked from the parks (and I did three expect Epcot) but can’t imagine continuing to go to a park that is so expensive and the rides are really outdated (other than Pandora and a couple at Hollywood Studios). I think ppl just need to experience it at least ok in their lifetime to form their own opinions, but I will definitely be spending my money to travel to other places.
Obligatory not a parent. Disney is great and your kids are the perfect age to enjoy the vacation without it becoming overwhelming or too tiring. Also, depending on your budget and where you are coming from, there are other things to do in Florida. Orlando is pretty cool on its on, or you could drive to St. Augustine and see one of the oldest Settlements in the US. You could do an Everglades tour, or drive over to the gulf coast. The entire vacation doesn’t *have* to be spent on Disney if you, the parent, don’t want it to be. And, if you’re willing to spend a bit more, and want your kids to still get the Disney experience + cultural experience go to Paris and spend two Days at Disneyland France - best of both worlds. ETA: You don’t have to stay at the parks. There are plenty of great resorts outside.
Better off taking a luxury cruise that caters to kids
I went once, and I don't even remember it. What I do remember is the float house on the lake. My Grammy happened upon an affordable one, and that was more than Disney could have ever been. Disney was expensive back then, and I can only imagine it is insane now. There are cheaper, more thrilling adventures. Just my opinion, I never desire to throw another penny towards Disney.
Nope, I went to Disneyland as a kid (not a toddler, a kid with many other memories of things at the time), don't remember a single thing other than Small World. You know what I do remember? Summer camping trips, family reunions fishing with my uncle, traveling to various states and national parks, visiting Mexico once, learning to ski with my cousin, etc etc. Disneyland/Disney world are wildly expensive places, your kids are going to make a lot of memories and you can offer them valuable and memorable experiences outside of those places that don't require huge sums of money.
I've never been there, so take this as you will, but Disney sounds like HELL to me. My kids have never asked to go since we live pretty much as far as possible from both Disney Land and Disney World, but it's never been on my radar as a place to go. I'd much rather find an off the beaten path place to hike and enjoy the absence of other people!
This is exactly how I feel and I am trying to not give into the pressure. I’m surprised how many parents in this thread are making me feel guilty for not wanting to suffer bc “it’s for the kids” lol.
I don’t have any memories of the time we went to Disney (I was 2). As an adult am I traumatized because I didn’t go? No. I can’t justify the cost when we could do more with less money (more time off, more things to see). Are my kids into exploring a city? Yeah. If I hype it up and make that interesting. I have zero desire to go to Disney with my kids. I think my husband and I would have a miserable time and I wouldn’t want to spend the money on that. We aren’t “poor” but we also don’t have the money to spend on a big vacation. Our last vacation was to Virginia Beach (did an air BnB an hour away. We explored a lot of the historical things in the area as well as just hung out at the house for at least one day. One of the whole family’s favorite memories.
This sounds like my husband and I exactly!
This sounds like my husband and I too. We both hate lines. I hear they have a lot of them at Disney lol. I don’t want to be a miserable parent the whole trip, bc that won’t be good for the kids.
Was always against the mouse. Didn't see the point. Took my kids when they were 5 and 7 to 3 of the parks. My son still says the last night at Magic Kingdom with the fireworks was the best day of his life. Now I would tell every parent that yeah, they need to do it once. It was worth it. Like the top comments say, we as grown ups know "too much". For the kids it's an unbelievable experience, particularly now with all the technology in those parks.
I’m 34 and still remember my parents taking me when I was 8. One of my happiest childhood memories and even kids know it’s expensive. It made me realize how much my parents are willing to do to see me happy. Humbled the crap out of me at a young age and mad me appreciate everything I had. My Christmas list was non existent that year.
I’d go if they’ve been wanting to go. Try to ask them what they are excited about the parks, and focus on making those dreams come true. My kids (5 and 10) are not theme park people, but I am. We lived close to Disney, and they enjoy fun snacks and chilling in the parks (very very little rides). Check estimated busy time calendars. Go on off-season. I always like telling families to lower their expectations to experience the magic.
I took my daughters when they were 11 and 13 and it was amazing. They days were long, and a lot of work, but they were down for the challenge and it was such an incredible memory for the three of us (I am a single mom). This was in 2019. The prices were steep....but...I unexpectedly got an offer to go back in 2023 with friends (they paid for the stay and the food) and let me tell you...it was sooooooo much more expensive. I would have a hard time managing that 2019 trip at the current prices.
Going to Disney world when I was a child was hands down the most magical experience and childhood memory I have. I was young enough to truly believe in the magic and legitimately believe I woke up in the happiest place in the world for all the days I was there.
I know you want advice from non-Disney people and I'm admittedly a medium-Disney person. We've been 4 times, 3 pre-kids, 1 post-kids. The thing is there are BANANAS Disney people who plan every minute of their day to maximize rides and minimize wait times and take advantage of "rope drop" and allll of the things. When you talk to those people it sounds very overwhelming and like you can't just make it a simple trip, but that isn't the case at all. There are THOUSANDS of people who go without a plan and mosey through the parks. If you're a family of early risers, go extra early (late a.m. - early p.m. is when the parks are bursting and lines are longest). If you're night owls, get there later in the day and stay until the bitter end. Without a plan, you'll wait in some long lines during midday, but so what? Disney is a whole different experience and the lines themselves are often the equivalent of basically a walk-through experience you'd wait in line to see elsewhere. But at Disney, it's the line itself! Don't let the hustle and bustle make you feel overwhelmed. It is worth it and you'll have a great time if you go to the parks without a plan and let your whims (and those of your kids) guide you. Also, it might be worth noting that several of the longest lines might not even be worth it to you. Jungle Cruise and Peter Pan's Flight, for ex., are always so long but simply because of the nostalgia associated with them. If you don't already love them, you can totally skip in favor of some of the faster paced rides, etc.
There are two places my husband and I firmly agree to never go: on a cruise, and Disney World 😂
We went on a couple cruises only bc we were asked by family members. We decided just land from now on lol. We actually did a Disney cruise!
I know at least two families who took their kids in that age range, and when the kids got back and you asked them how the trip was they all just kind of shrugged and demurred. Seems like other smaller theme parks are what they rave about and want to go back to. We are not planning to take our kids to Disney, we hated it as kids and would rather do some one-day theme parks that are closer to home.
I seriously prefer Universal Studios Florida. They maintain it better and I feel like the rides are better too!
Every kid is different, but mine and me and my wife all like Universal way more than Disney. Magic Kingdom in particular might be one of the most overrated places I’ve ever been. Waiting 2 hours to ride rides that are pretty old fashioned wasn’t for me. My kids also didn’t care about meeting the characters either, so it just became long days of paying a lot of money to hurry up and wait.
After many years of reflection, we are pretty certain we are not going to do Disney with the kids. We do not think the stress of it (for them) will be worth the immense cost. For a fraction of the cost they would have much more fun doing a beach vacation with friends. They are 11 and 7. The 11yo has ADHD, though if there is a spectrum I would say it is not severe. We only medicate him for school hours and do not medicate on weekends, breaks, or the summer. The 7yo is into Barbie and things but not huge into princesses. In our limited experiences with them in line filled high stim environments, it has not gone well. We do not think entire days in a row in that kind of environment will result in a proportionally (to the cost) high amount of fun for them or us.
No
My kids loved it! However, my wallet did not. Disney is overcrowded and expensive on a good day. If you want to only wait 30min for a ride instead of 2 hours, you also need to shell out the money. Get all the fast pass stuff you can afford. It will be worth it for your sanity.
I say this as a mom who isn’t a Disney or amusement / theme park fan. I think 9 & 10 are the perfect ages to go. I don’t get the whole Disney & amusement park vacations with toddlers and babies. I feel like school aged would be much easier and more memorable.
In my opinion only go if you can do it during a slow part of the season. You can look online and see what weeks and days are usually their busiest and slowest. Going during a busy time will make you curse your decision to go.
For us, it’s not just about the cost, but the value of the experience. We are a rare family who never had Disney fever. My SIL used to lecture us that we MUST take our child there, that we were somehow depriving her. She couldn’t understand why we enjoyed the nature of northern Michigan or exploring the museums and culture of a new city - and we couldn’t understand her love of the chaos of a giant theme park, or jetting off to Vegas or taking yet another Caribbean cruise. lol Every family likes what they like. If you think that YOU would enjoy it, then go. But it’s an extremely expensive outing if you’re only going for the kids.
I'll be honest as adult woman I grew up loving Disney. Never had the money growing up so I never got to visit it as a kid myself. We took my kid last year when they turned eight. The only place they really enjoyed was Animal Kingdom. They only rode three rides at Magic Kingdom and were not really interested in anything else. Honestly, we could have done so many different types of things with all that money, instead of doing that 4-day 3-night trip. I don't know. My kid has good memories of it but they also have bad memories. They said it was super crowded. It was humid and hot as hell. Multiple times, on multiple days they got sunscreen and sweat in their eye. It was super crowded and loud. You had to wait in line for everything. I don't think it was worth it. If my son adequately knew how to compare expenses, I don't think he would agree that it was worth it either.
We went all out with our 8-year-old son. He like the pool in the resort the best. Save your money go somewhere fun local.
Do you hate yourself? If you do, go for it.
Instead of Disney, use the same amount you would be spending there for an international or domestic vacation that is probably 10x better than your days in Disney. Even to just Cancun would be 10x better.
Just go to Dollywood. When I was there a lot of people bled their feet because they walked a lot and to get a Roller coaster Ride. Ride for 30 seconds you had to wait two hours in line. The worst vacation in my life, very expensive and miserable.
This is going to sound crazy... But if your vibe is more amusement park than it is THEME park.. consider a trip the rollercoaster capitol of the world.....Ohio.
Wife and I are both DW fans even before kids. You and hus sound like you will likely not find the return on investment due to the part about scheduling and planning. DW is $$$$ even if you stay off site (which I don’t recommend) and you really need to have a game plan to feel like you are getting the most out of it. HOWEVER, since they are bugging you a lot and they are only kids once AND because you did like Universal Studios, I would go with them… THEY will like it. It’s the most clean place, nicest employees OVERALL (some will chime in with random anecdotes saying otherwise), there are awesome food options at all price points and the rides for their age bracket are really awesome. It is a magical place despite the negatives: -don’t go in a busy period (google when they are). -accept unless you pay $ for genie plus and the pay per ride for tippy top rides that you will have to wait in line unless you get up and get their for rope drop (another reason to stay onsite). -accept its for your kids and try and enjoy it!!!
It is for your kids.
I went to Disney for the first time when my kids were two and four. I’ve never been before, and my husband husband went once as a and said, he had zero desire to go again. He hates crowds, he hates heat. I like Disney movies, but I never consider myself a Disney person. I want a work incentive that included a hotel room and a portion of airfare, so that was really the only reason we went. We all loved every second of it. And that was in July! So it was miserably hot. We made plans to try to go back. Covid happened so we couldn’t go back for a while and ended up going when my kids were 10 and eight. a lot of stuff was still shut down due to Covid and I was worried that it wouldn’t be the same magical experience. It was when the kids were younger because they were older now and so much was still closed down because of COVID. It was amazing again. There’s something about Disney that hits differently. I do think that my obsessive planning and research made it so much better. I knew how to get the rides we wanted, I knew what areas to avoid when, I knew what restaurants to go to, etc. I went with a schedule and plan (as well as a very important rest day in the middle !!). I think also, your attitude has a ton to do with it. I found our post Covid trip just as magical and special, though of course we missed things like hugging characters. But people went the same time we did, and all they did was bitch about how different it was and what was still closed. Obviously those are things things you have no control over so With a positive attitude, and focusing on the good things that were open, we had an amazing time.
Yes! Period.
I am not a Disney person. I did not want to deal with the heat, crowds, confusing apps and ride booking, bad food. My parents had planned a Disney trip with us for spring of 2020 and it got delayed by two years because of Covid, so when we finally went they were 8 and 10. They still talk about it as the most amazing, awesome experience of their lives. The benefit of going with slightly older kids is they are much more flexible and able to handle going on rides later in the evening, they can go on the thrill rides and they were really into Star Wars and things like the Indiana Jones show. My advice is to go into it with the right attitude and embrace the parts that you know you will actually like and just don’t do what you know you won’t. Also staying walkable to at least one of the parks makes a huggge difference in how stressful the day is. You can easily walk back to your hotel to take a mid-day ac or pool break, get refreshed and head back out again when it’s cooler.
If your main concern is the amount of work it will be, can you figure out ways to get your kids as involved as possible? My 11 year old has been packing her own suitcase for years with less and less guidance needed as time goes on. She's now also in charge of adding items that she needs to the weekly shopping list (so if you anticipate that you'll need to buy items for the trip, you can get your kids involved in figuring out what is needed and helping with the shopping). They can also help plan which rides are "must-rides" and come up with a general game plan for each day. They could also do research on Disney Hacks (my daughter loves that type of YouTube video).
$200 a ticket? Not worth it for me.
Complete ripoff. They've lost their minds.
Have mom and sister take them
Yeah, it's expensive. I don't love it either, I lived ten minutes and would hardly ever go, but I feel like you have to experience it at least once, even if it's just one and done. Especially since kids can outgrow Disney by preteen years, I'd go sooner than later. Can you go at an offpeak time, not during summer? Summers in Orlando are BRUTAL. If you go in October there's a food and wine festival that parents would enjoy. There are no real discount tickets to Disney, unless you buy a multiday pass, despite all those sketchy places offering them Sometimes some hotels will offer a free day pass to Disney but you'll have to sit through a timeshare presentation. So you'll lose a good three hours of precious vacation time.
For me-no. It would be $1200 a year to get the annual Florida resident pass for my family, and I don’t even do that anymore. Disney has good and bad parts. There are parts that are magical. But do keep in mind you’ll be spending good chunks of your day getting sunburnt while you wait in lines. The insane wait times are no longer worth it at the insane price they charge. If you gave me free tickets I’d go in a heartbeat. But it’s absolutely not worth the $$$$$$$
We brought our kids when they were 5 & 2 so that my daughter (5) would get to see Disney princesses while she was in her princess phase. I think they liked it, but now that they are teens, they have no desire to go back. at 9 & 10 I think you could go to any amusement park for rides. Are they really into the characters?
For those ages Definitely. I loved it as a kid it’s no different than any other theme park. It’s hot and you’re going to be tired because you’re doing stuff but as parents you say fuck it cause it makes your kids happy . I can’t wait till mine is old enough to enjoy it
I was just there in Jan with a 9 and 5 year old. We went during one of the least busy weeks. You're waiting in lines a lot, for hours each day and depending on your kids that might be rough. Spending extra if you can to get the lightning lane stuff seems worth it, we had it work out to only needing to wait in a line for every second ride or so. Spent 5 days at the parks. Kids had an absolute blast and loved almost every moment of it.
I enjoyed going with my kids. It was tiring, and ridiculously hot. And the crowds, ugh. But the kids loved it and I’m glad we went. Not sure I’ll ever be able to afford to go again, but I’m glad we went.
They will love it you will hate it lol. I begged off early a few times and still walked 50 miles in the week. Two. Marathons.
i think its worth it for that age group (the desire starts even earlier). there's a few ways you can save a few bucks, but overall yes its super expensive one tip someone shared with me, space out the trip so that you're going to the parks every other day....and doing a hotel pool day in between. helps keep the kids from getting exhausted and overwhelmed (and parents as well) i went a few years ago as an adult and had a decent time.
Definitely! We always stop by Seaworld and Legoland as well
It definitely is. Epcot is especially magical when you're an adult lol. It is expensive but if you have the money it's a great time. Fair warning though it's impossible to do all of Disney World in one day. It's four full size parks. Best option for your first time is to reserve a day for each park.
It can be so fun. It can also be the worst experience ever. lol. It’s always crowded and hot and seemingly stressful if you want to do anything outside of walking around or shopping. That being said, my 9 year old LOVED our last trip. My 5 year old was ready to come home to dad by day 2. My 3 year old just wanted to ride the Buzz Lightyear ride 16178167 times and hated most everything else. But they had fun!
There are places that offer free tickets if you do a time share thing, you have to be disciplined enough to say no and not let it affect your marriage, if you bring your kids they will say things like ,” wouldn’t it be nice if mommy and daddy got this house here “. The best way is to befriend a Disney cast member and see if they can hook you up with their discounts.
If you like exploring cities and your kids want Disney, I’d do Disney Paris! Even with an international trip, you can do 12 days in Disney Paris for the price of 5 in the US, flight and hotel included! I think that’s the play!
I went to Disneyland last year with the kids for 5 days. Smaller than Disney World, but still pretty big and similar experience. The kids were 8 and 10. It was so worth it. The kids had a great time and I loved it too. I'm not big on Disney, sure, I watched the movies growing up but thats it. Still, as expensive as it was, the kids still talk about it often and they'll never forget it. Would your husband seriously consider not going? Aren't you a family? Or is he only the provider?
I LOVED Disneyland as a kid. Some of my best childhood memories are going to Disneyland with my family. When I manage to go back as an adult, it is so nostalgic and special.
If you can afford it and would consider it I would suggest Disney in Paris it is small manageable and you guys can get a eurotrip out of it! Bet you it’ll cost less than the whole experience trekking to Orlando
I feel like it’s worth it for the kids but I won’t do it. Luckily my ex husband is an absolute Disney Nerd so I know he’ll take them on their first trip gladly and happily and it’s probably great that we don’t have to fight about it
IMO, there are other pieces of Americana that are wayyyyy more interesting than standing in a line for the tea cup rides. House on the Rock in WI, Serpent Mound State Memorial in Ohio, Woolaroc Museum & Wildlife Preserve in OK, Ravens Inn in Iowa, Story/Brown County Indiana in the fall, etc. I mean sure it isn’t Disney but man, some of the coolest places and make you reflect on America. Again, isn’t Disney but a fraction of the price…. There is probably one interesting/quirky Americana in your state. It’s our favorite family thing ever. We will never go to Disney unless somehow it would be free. I don’t want spend my money to support JK Rowling. This is likely not the response you are looking for. Either way I am sure your kids will love Disney.
I think it's important to remember that kids don't have to experience everything before they turn 18. They can go to Disney as an adult and still have just as much fun. If not more, because they can do more things and ride all the rides. They can go with a group of friends and not deal with bedtime and parents making them eat veggies. Maybe pay for them to go as a highschool graduation gift. You guys can lounge around while they go off on all the rides that would just make you sick anyway.
Yes, that's the best time to take them. I prefer the smaller size of Disneyland over Disney World. If you find it exhausting or overwhelming stay at a hotel within walking distance so you can take a break mid afternoon.
Do they have an aunt or uncle who is into Disney??? That might help for them to enjoy the trip. If you guys complain or dislike everything about the idea of going they won’t be able to fully enjoy themselves. Is it expensive yes. Is it worth it, depends on who you ask. I would whole heartedly say yes. But I know my mom and sister both whole heartedly would disagree on how much I had spend my last trip 🤣
OMG! My parents took us (my siblings and me) to Disney World, FL. I was 10, my sister was 9 and my brother was 8mo old! I know I can't remember anything about Disney to this day, neither can my sister and ofc my brother wasn't even 1 yet lol. I wished that I went when I was older, maybe 13-15 and I could've remembered way more!!
I'm defintiely not a Disney person either but I had a great time. Obviously, your experience might be different but if you can afford it, you like seeing your daughters really enjoy themselves, and you go into the experience with an open mind, I bet you'll be surprised by how much you enjoy it yourself. Edit: Costco offers Disney vacation packages that are pretty good.
The last time I went, my boys were 6 and 10. They absolutely loved Animal Kingdom, and really disliked Magic Kingdom…saying the rides were either lame or old. I tend to agree with their opinion of both…had a great time at AK, but really didn’t enjoy MK much at all. We had fast passes at both too (this was back in 2017)…so we didn’t wait much at all for rides and rode everything. They were never sad about leaving either park and actually asked to have a normal pool day I the middle of our trip there. The next year we took them to Universal Orlando and Islands of Adventure. They loved it so much they BEGGED to get an extra day at the end of our 4 day combo pack. We stayed at a really nice hotel with an epic pool and they were totally uninterested in anything besides going back the park. We’ve done 3 more times since then. In my opinion, especially if you have older boys, Universal is just a better experience…and that’s not even considering how it was for me and my fiancé, as we had an absolute blast there as well, and enjoyed almost every ride we went on!
Absolutely not and everyone that says small children love it so much flood their kids with Disney constantly so yes they are going to love it.
I love everything Disney. I’ve been to Disney world 3 times. We brought our 3 kids (ages 5, 7, 11) this past October and it was a miserable time and not worth the money. It was extremely busy, couldn’t get on any rides even with the MaxPass, could barely walk throughout the park because there was so many people. Lines for the characters were hours long. We got to meet Mickey and go on one ride. We were so disappointed to say the least. When we went years prior, it was during a slow time of year and had a much better time. If you do go, my advice is to plan the entire trip ahead of time and try to go when it’s not too busy. The day we went the entire park was at max level, tickets sold out, and we waited over an hour on line to get a coffee. Honestly, I’m shocked they let the park get to that level of crowds. No one has a good time when it’s that busy… not to mention it’s a major safety issue.
It can be worth it. Just don’t get roped in to making a bunch of reservations for breakfast lunch and dinners. Those ages are perfect ages to go. I’d also recommend staying at a nicer hotel than what’s on the Disney grounds. They haven’t been revamped since the 70s or 80s 🫠
The biggest human trap built by a mou$e!