How Young is Too Young?

thompj7188

Earning My Ears
Joined
Jul 31, 2013
My husband and I just had a baby in February and we were thinking about planning a trip for next March/April. I want to be able to take our son while he is still free, but we will also be trying for another baby starting mid next year and I don't want to be pregnant while on the trip or have a really tiny baby with us. I've also always wanted to go to the Flower and Garden Festival. So I'm basically wondering is 13-14 months too young to take him to Disney? Will we still be able to enjoy it and will he even be aware of anything at that point?
 
This topic came up not all that long ago here, pretty hotly debated. No "right" or "wrong" answer, it's really about what you want. Will your son remember the trip? No, certainly not. But it doesn't mean he won't enjoy it in his own way and be aware of all the lights, colors, sound and interesting things around him. We took our kids when our oldest was 4 (just turned) and our twins were 11.5 months. As far as the twins, the real fun was for DW and I to watch their eyes light up as they saw characters or things on rides. Seeing them explore was really cool. At the same time, it was definitely a different type trip than we were used to. It was a lot of work, far less rides than we would have liked, etc... Not at all saying we didn't enjoy it, but we had to adjust our expectations.
 
This topic came up not all that long ago here, pretty hotly debated. No "right" or "wrong" answer, it's really about what you want. Will your son remember the trip? No, certainly not. But it doesn't mean he won't enjoy it in his own way and be aware of all the lights, colors, sound and interesting things around him. We took our kids when our oldest was 4 (just turned) and our twins were 11.5 months. As far as the twins, the real fun was for DW and I to watch their eyes light up as they saw characters or things on rides. Seeing them explore was really cool. At the same time, it was definitely a different type trip than we were used to. It was a lot of work, far less rides than we would have liked, etc... Not at all saying we didn't enjoy it, but we had to adjust our expectations.

Yes I know he obviously won’t remember it but I was mostly wondering if at that age he would even be responding and reacting to different experiences there or if he would even be able to ride any rides at all.

It would definitely be a different trip for us as well as we are usually commando style riding as much as we can. But I think we would enjoy it just being more relaxed and seeing his reaction to things. I’ve always wanted to take a more laid back trip too and just stroll at flower and garden too.

Thanks for the response!
 
My family’s first trip was with our then-11-month-old girl. She had an absolute blast.

She loved the carrousel, and the teacups, and “boat” (Small World), and she mostlyliked meeting Mickey and the Princesses.

Yes, she didn’t fully appreciate it like she did when she was a bit older on return trips. I think her favorite part might have been hugging the Pooh Bear plushies in the gift shop! But she was happy, and it made us happy. (And WE definitely had fun!)
 
Yes I know he obviously won’t remember it but I was mostly wondering if at that age he would even be responding and reacting to different experiences there or if he would even be able to ride any rides at all.

It would definitely be a different trip for us as well as we are usually commando style riding as much as we can. But I think we would enjoy it just being more relaxed and seeing his reaction to things. I’ve always wanted to take a more laid back trip too and just stroll at flower and garden too.

Thanks for the response!

He’d be able to ride any ride without a height restriction, so he’d be able to ride most rides. Plus all of the shows and parades. We took our oldest at 6 months and she was mesmerized by all the lights, colors, sounds, movement, etc. of everything. She’s now almost 8 and obviously doesn’t remember any of that trip but she loves looking at pictures of herself as a baby at Disney. As long as this isn’t a once-in-a-lifetime trip, there’s no “too young”.
 
Seems like if you have to ask the question then in your eyes it is too young.
Personally there are no age "requirements" or "restrictions".
 


Seems like if you have to ask the question then in your eyes it is too young.
Personally there are no age "requirements" or "restrictions".
Not really. This is just my first child and I’m not sure what to expect out of him at that age. If he’s not going to be acting interested in anything or really be responsive to the surroundings then I would consider that too young for me to want to take him. If he’s going to see characters and smile and laugh and enjoy being on the rides he can go on then I would love to take him.
 
Not really. This is just my first child and I’m not sure what to expect out of him at that age. If he’s not going to be acting interested in anything or really be responsive to the surroundings then I would consider that too young for me to want to take him. If he’s going to see characters and smile and laugh and enjoy being on the rides he can go on then I would love to take him.

We have no idea how your son will act.
If you only want to take him if he's going to act a certain way then well I guess he's too young.
Personally I would not care if my child acted chill and like it was just another day or super excited.
If I want to go and take the child then I'm going to.
Heck the way they act could vary at any given moment or on any given trip.
One of my nieces giggled for Mickey at 7 months old and the next trip cried at the sight of characters and slept during half the rides.
 
If you feel like a Disney trip, then go! We’ve traveled with all three of our kids from very early (three months). They are 14, 8 and 8 now and have seen the world. They are so used to travel that they are easy to travel with.

Our first Disney trip with our twins was at three months. We all had a great time. It was a lovely break after the high risk twin pregnancy and first few months of twin parenting. A nice break from routine.

My dh has always said, “We parent them here or away, so why not see the world?” I agree.

Make the most of travel during this time when your baby is a lap child on airplanes and free most anywhere. We did tons of traveling the first two years. Saved a ton. When they are small, I think it’s more about not putting your life on hold than taking them on holiday. So long as your baby is with you, he is happy.
 
We have no idea how your son will act.
If you only want to take him if he's going to act a certain way then well I guess he's too young.
Personally I would not care if my child acted chill and like it was just another day or super excited.
If I want to go and take the child then I'm going to.
Heck the way they act could vary at any given moment or on any given trip.
One of my nieces giggled for Mickey at 7 months old and the next trip cried at the sight of characters and slept during half the rides.
Yes Obviously I KNOW no one knows exactly how my son is going to act. I was asking for the opinions of people who have experienced it before which I assumed is what this board was for. I know every child is different but if I had a large majority of people saying they took their kids around a similar age and they had a great time, that was the purpose of my post. Thanks so much for your opinion.
 
One thing to mention—it’s not all unicorns and rainbows. We’ve had some tough times on the road. Babies who won’t sleep, constipation, sickness, poor behaviour. Just because it’s a holiday doesn’t mean the realities if parenting don’t exist. If you are open to dealing with the normal challenges of parenting, travelling with a baby is no different than parenting at home.
 
Obviously, as stated, every kid will react differently to things. By 13-14 months though, kids are well into a stage of exploration and curiosity, so if you're worried that he will be completely uninterested in anything, I doubt you will have that problem. He's not going to really understand it all, but he will still be taking in all the new sights and experiences. A baby's brain triples in size between birth and age 2. If you go on this trip, you won't be able to see the wealth of new information he's processing, and he won't be able to tell you, but his brain will be soaking it all in.

We took my son for the first time when he was just shy of 2, but my BIL &SIL just got back a couple weeks ago from a trip to Disney with their 14 month old daughter. They said she loved every ride she went on, especially HM and Pirates, was in awe of the fireworks, and liked the fur characters.

My philosophy with little ones is you have to parent (change diapers, deal with naps, tantrums, etc) whether you're home or on vacation, so why not do it somewhere fun if you have the opportunity?
 
Yes Obviously I KNOW no one knows exactly how my son is going to act. I was asking for the opinions of people who have experienced it before which I assumed is what this board was for. I know every child is different but if I had a large majority of people saying they took their kids around a similar age and they had a great time, that was the purpose of my post. Thanks so much for your opinion.

Yes, that's exactly what these boards are for and we know exactly what you're trying to ask. So we get it, or at least I think I do. But that's the thing...we're parents, we've "been there, done that". What we're saying, or at least I'm saying, is that no opinion here will amount to a hill of beans for your own child. Even if 90% of us came here and said our kids were reacting in X or Y manner, it wouldn't mean anything to you. Your child is going to react based on so many things we can't predict...nor can you. Generally speaking, at 13 or 14 months, sure they will be able to visually process a lot. But how they will react to it, interpret it, or feel about it is anyone's guess.

Will you have a great time? That's not only dependent on the child, but your family as well. As I said earlier, we enjoyed the trip when our twins were one, but I'd be lying if I said we had a great time. When I think back on it, to me it was a lot of work and a lot of long days. If I had to do it all over again, I'm honestly 50/50 if I would or not. It was fun, but nowhere near as fun as it is now that they're 14, 10, 10 (or before DW and I had kids). But that's just us.
 
Like I've said before, go because YOU want the memories of being in Disney with your son for the first time. Regardless of what he does/doesn't remember, you will though and you'll be able to tell him how that went.

And I suggest not going to Disney pregnant. I've done it once and never again! So, go to Disney before trying for baby #2!
 
My 16 month old has been to Disneyland Twice (3 months and 8 months) and WDW twice (12 months and 15 months) - So I'm gonna say heck no is that too young.

You just have to be okay with going at baby pace, you WILL NOT get as much done as you would pre baby and you will have very little say over the schedule unless you like melt downs.

We keep the ADR's down and try and get them for when she is likely to be awake, FP+'s may or may not be made...we change them same day if it looks like we are going to miss them.

If your interested you can read my wife's quick blog post about our last trip with our daughter here: https://www.mainstreetchat.com/2018/05/07/traveling-with-a-toddler-part-3/
 
I just came back from a trip with a 20 month old, which I know is leaps and bounds older than a 13-14 month old.

If you want to go, go.

The worst part (for me) was remembering to stay on top of diaper changes.

My kiddo hated every ride we went on....seriously. She clawed her way to get off of Dumbo. She said NOOOOO when we went on it's a small world, and when it started raining on the winnie the pooh ride. The only rides she liked were the Living Seas with Nemo and Friends, and Frozen Ever After (except for getting wet).

We focused more on meet and greets (which she loved). She also loved the country bears.

My friend took her son at 9 months and then again at 14ish months. She thought he was waaaaaaaaaaaaay easier at 9 months than 14 months. At 9 months he was furniture. At 14 months he refused to be in the stroller....
 
Obviously, as stated, every kid will react differently to things. By 13-14 months though, kids are well into a stage of exploration and curiosity, so if you're worried that he will be completely uninterested in anything, I doubt you will have that problem. He's not going to really understand it all, but he will still be taking in all the new sights and experiences. A baby's brain triples in size between birth and age 2. If you go on this trip, you won't be able to see the wealth of new information he's processing, and he won't be able to tell you, but his brain will be soaking it all in.

We took my son for the first time when he was just shy of 2, but my BIL &SIL just got back a couple weeks ago from a trip to Disney with their 14 month old daughter. They said she loved every ride she went on, especially HM and Pirates, was in awe of the fireworks, and liked the fur characters.

My philosophy with little ones is you have to parent (change diapers, deal with naps, tantrums, etc) whether you're home or on vacation, so why not do it somewhere fun if you have the opportunity?
Thank you!
 
We went when my son was 18 months...so a little older than you’re talking about, but not a wildly different comparison. We had an absolute blast. My son loved all of the rides and characters. We kept his schedule similar to home (no late nights), and he did just fine. As others have mentioned, though, you know your kid best. I wouldn’t have taken my son if I didn’t think he would have a good time. Now, when he sees advertisements for Disney on TV, he excitedly says “Castle! Castle!” We had so much fun, we are planning to go in the fall right before he turns 3.

Also, if you happen to be pregnant when you go, don’t worry! We did a “baby moon” when I was pregnant and that was a lot of fun! I’d recommend traveling during the 2nd trimester.
 
My 16 month old has been to Disneyland Twice (3 months and 8 months) and WDW twice (12 months and 15 months) - So I'm gonna say heck no is that too young.

You just have to be okay with going at baby pace, you WILL NOT get as much done as you would pre baby and you will have very little say over the schedule unless you like melt downs.

We keep the ADR's down and try and get them for when she is likely to be awake, FP+'s may or may not be made...we change them same day if it looks like we are going to miss them.

If your interested you can read my wife's quick blog post about our last trip with our daughter here: https://www.mainstreetchat.com/2018/05/07/traveling-with-a-toddler-part-3/
Thanks for the info! I’m definitely ok going at a slower pace. All of our past trips have been so hectic and I think it would be nice to have a different kind of trip where we just go with the flow and enjoy experiencing things that he likes.
 

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