I think the first Thursday of the month has become my favorite because I get to pretend I am back at the most magical place! Just the other night my mom and were talking about how just looking at a picture of the castle, or pictures from a trip, makes us cry a little! 🙂 It really is the most magical place on earth.

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Today’s Disney post is all about the perfect age for you to take your child/children to Disney! To your surprise, I get this question often. So here is my answer, if your child is born or still cooking.. they are ready for Disney. No matter their age! However, one thing YOU need to remember to pack is your patience. & a lot of it.

Park Tickets

When purchasing park tickets, you get a cheaper rate for kiddos ages 3-9. Children under the age of 3 are free, so there is already a plus. Example, my littlest nephew, Leo, has been to Disney World twice.. for free! He went when he was 6 months old, and two years old this January. Take advantage of this while you can!

How to Plan Your Trip

The best advice I can give you is to plan your trip around your kids and how they react to certain situations. As a parent, you know your kid best and their schedule. Keeping that schedule the same, as much as you can, will help them and you out. If they always nap at 1pm, get them that nap!

Since kiddos normally wake up early, head to the park in the morning after a good breakfast. Talk to them about what the plan is for the day, so they know what to expect. Have a set time that you plan on returning to the room, for either lunch at the pool or a quick nap before dinner.

Disney offers A TON of shows {that are air conditioned!} throughout each park. Take advantage of these if you end up at the parks in the heat of the afternoon.

When planning your trip, try to schedule it during the non-peak season, if you can. We have taken two trips with the boys, in May and January. May was hot, very hot. January was cold. Each trip had their pros and cons. May, they could go to the pool and water parks, but it was 100 degrees by noon. January, the kids had to go back early since it got so cold out after dinner, but could last longer during the day. I cannot say that anytime of the year is “slower” then the other. Disney is a pretty popular place now, all year long. Just find a time that is best for your schedule!

Don’t go to the parks everyday. If you are there for a week, pick a day in the middle for a rest day. Hang out at the pool or head to Disney Springs. Keep it casual and relaxed to finish out the week strong.

Remember, the most important thing to pack is your patience. Your child will have a melt down at some point in the trip. But just ride it out, and find the magic. 

Food

When it comes to food, make sure to park their usual snacks. You can either check these when flying, have them delivered to your hotel via Amazon, or just stop at a local grocery store. The meals at Disney are pretty big. Depending on your child’s eating habits, they could get away with sharing with you or another sibling. You are allowed to bring food and beverages inside all of the Disney parks. Pack those PB & Js for lunch, and then grab them a Mickey Ice Cream for a quick snack. This also will save you money by packing a lunch! Keep them hydrated and fed throughout the day so they stay happy little campers.

As for dinners, try to get your reservations early, hopefully around your normal dinner time. Keep their favorite toy or yes, tablet, available for them during the wait. If you child does not get a lot of “screen time”, Disney is the place to start. Waiting is the name of the game at Disney, and your kid needs something to do. Download the Disney Jr. app before arriving!

Strollers

Ahh, strollers. You love them, but hate them. Each kid needs their own spot! Do not think that Suzy will be okay with Billy sitting in the stroller while she has to walk. The parks are large, very large. Encourage your child/children to ride in the stroller as much as possible to save their little legs. Make sure your stroller is something they are comfortable in. If you are not able to make it back for nap time, your stroller is always an option for them. Also, make sure your stroller is compact enough that you can move it easily, in and out of buses.

It is YOUR job to let them feel the magic of Disney.

My biggest pet peeve in life is when I see a parent yelling at their child AT DISNEY WORLD. Getting around the parks are tough. It is not an easy tasks. When at Disney World, you must let them explore, run around the hub grass, and just be a kid. During our trip in January, my favorite memory was just watching Derek and Leo during the parades. The first time they saw Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck.. their little faces just lit up like a Christmas tree. Pure joy. Pure happiness. All of the money spent, miles walked, weekends spent in to pay for the trip.. all of it becomes worth it once your little babe sees Mickey Mouse. Don’t rush them out, watch the parade for the 4th time. Let them learn about the magic and Disney. No joke.. Derek asks at least once a week when we get to go back. Pure joyfulness.

Please, please, please do not make the excuse of “they are too little, and won’t remember”. When you give your child the feel of the Disney magic, it stays with them. It grows with them! Allowing your child to experience Disney at a young age, will make for easier trips when they get older since they will be knowable of how everything works.

Here are a couple of pictures from our last trip..

Ignore my annoying auntie voice, but the video is still too funny not to share!

Long story short.. TAKE YOUR KID TO DISNEY WORLD! 🙂

xxoo,

nicole