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Original poster

Ideal age for Disney World Florida?

13 replies

elphiethegreat · 12/04/2015 09:39

What do you think the best age is for Disney World in Florida? I know every age has its pros and cons but if you can't afford to do it more than one or twice what would you say the best age would be to get the most out of the trip?

I have been myself at 13 and loved it but obviously it wasn't wuite as magical then..

I definately want to take my dd, we have just got back from Disneyland Paris and she loved it (age 5) but was exhausted and I feel she's too young for Disney world just yet..

OP posts:

westcountrywoman · 12/04/2015 09:48

I went the first time when I was 8. It was a magical experience. I was old enough to go on all the rides that appealed to me and old enough to cope with the walking, the heat / humidity and the later nights. My brother was 6 and a little short for some rides but still got a lot out of it.

LucasNorthsTwiglets · 16/04/2015 20:51

I think around 7 or 8. There is certainly enough there to make it special for younger ones (even toddlers) but they will get more out of it from that age upwards, imo. You will be able to enjoy it a bit more too, when the kids can stay up later. It's a tiring holiday and you don't want to find yourself having to leave the parks and miss the evening fireworks because your DCs need to go to bed. They'll remember more about it when they are older too.

Nearlyadoctor · 25/04/2015 18:30

We went in 2013 and DD was 6.5, found it very magical and loved the princesses etc. Didnt do Universal though stuck to the Disney parks. Just booked again for October 2016 so she will be 9.5, I think any age from about 6 upwards is fab, different things appeal each time.
She loved Mickeys not so scary Halloween Party last time as well.

Poolbirthx2 · 25/04/2015 18:33

We took ds when he was 3, he loved it and even now remember and talks about. I think looking back though i woukd have waiting until he was around 5/6

Notsoskinnyminny · 26/04/2015 15:01

We went when DD was 4 and DS 7 when everything was still magical. DD was a bit too small for some of the rides but we told her to lift her heels out of her trainers and we didn't have a problem. They were old enough that we didn't need pushchairs and if we started to flag we just went for something to eat or found one of the shows.

Fastforward 10 years and all she did was moan that she couldn't remember the trip so we'd wasted all that money. I took her to Tokyo Disney for her 18th and when she saw all the little girls dressed up and running after characters she finally understood why we took them at that age.

Maybe 4 was too young but I can still remembr their excitement and we probably wouldn't have got the same wows from DS if we'd gone 3-4 years later, he loved bouncing with Tigger

rookiemere · 29/04/2015 20:17

We took DS just after his 7th birthday. I thought it was a great age - he was old enough to have the stamina for longish days at the parks and do all the walking, but young enough to enjoy the magic.

Abouttorunamarathon · 29/04/2015 20:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

bodiddly · 29/04/2015 20:26

We've just got back - ds is 10 and we all had an amazing time. He is tall enough for all the rides and did all the Disney and Universal parks. While there are more thrill rides at Universal which went down well, he was totally caught up in the magic of Disney. He loved meeting all the characters etc. I would say it is the perfect age as they can handle the long days and walking etc.

Perhaps 9 would be marginally better though as from 10 they are considered adults for all tickets, meals etc so it is obviously more costly.

petitdonkey · 29/04/2015 20:28

we have just got back with DC aged 6, 8 & 10 and there was something for all of them We went last year too and noticed a huge difference in our youngest's stamina so I would say she was a perfect age. The dds (6&8) still loved the ']magic' of Disney - having said that, we only did one day at the Magic Kingdom. We went to both Disney water parks which were truly brilliant for everyone then we spent 4 days at Universal (we stayed at one of their hotels for 5 nights) and that was fabulous for us all too - more rides, less shows etc.
We won't go again now until they are around 10, 12 & 14 and probably wouldn't bother with Disney next time (or maybe go to the Studios next time) Did Animal Kingdom last year and it wasn't really for us.

HermioneWeasley · 29/04/2015 20:31

Just back with DD who's 5 and she loved it. Fine on the flight and coped brilliantly with all the walking and heat. I admit, I was surprised.

petalunicorn · 02/05/2015 08:04

If you can only go once, I'd say 8. If you can go twice maybe age 6/7 and mid teens.

petalunicorn · 02/05/2015 08:06

When I have these conversations in real life I think there is a massive difference between the people who will be able to go several times and people who will only be able to go once. I must admit that I think people who take toddlers and even pre-schoolers and no older children are a bit mad but if they can go loads of times, why not?

gillybean2 · 02/05/2015 08:14

As a child I have vivid memories of going aged 7, particularly the pirates of the carribean ride. My two younger sisters don't remember it at all.

I took ds to disneyland california on a stop over to NZ ages 3 and 5. It was magical and fab and he did/does have vague memories of those holidays. We went again just to disneyland california when he was 8 and he got to go on more of the bigger rides and it was still quite magical, and he remembers much more of it. Our pirates of the carribean boat broke down and he was hiding behind me hoping the pirates putting the man down the well wouldn't see us and come capture us too!

We went to Florida when he was 14. It was great but not as magical as he now knew it was people dressed up as the characters, and anamatronics rather than real pirates. But still brilliant fun and he got to go on all the big rides and you still get the Disney magic whatever age you are. He was big time into the disney toontown online game as a child, so was very disappointed that toontown in Florida had been replaced. At 14 he was mad for roller coasters so it was more about the rides than the 'magic'.

I would love to take him again. You're never too old for Disney and they do have some bigger coasters and rides at the different parks to keep teens and older happy. But if you want magic and memories I think 7/8 is about the best time to go if you're only able to go the once.

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