Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

How young is too young for disneyland?

39 replies

Helpmelmaooo · 21/02/2019 14:53

Partner and I are thinking about booking Disneyland Florida for October 2020. My daughter will be turning 3 in December 2020. My mum has said it will be a waste of money as my daughter will be too young (too hot, too much walking, she won't be able to go on rides etc) but I wanted to get opinions from other mums, would you take a 3 year old go Disneyland or wait til the child is older? She's my first child so I don't have older kids to compare but I have a 3 year old niece who I think would bloody love Disneyland now?

OP posts:
Mmmmbrekkie · 21/02/2019 14:55

Depends on money situation

Trip of a lifetime.... 100% wait until at the very least 5

Otherwise go for it

Mmmmbrekkie · 21/02/2019 14:56

Gocfor it if you’ll be able to return

Perfect age.... hmmmm 6 onwards

abcriskringle · 21/02/2019 14:57

I'd say 7/8.

VimFuego101 · 21/02/2019 14:58

DS went when he was 3 and still remembers. Also, she won't be at school yet so you could go at an off peak/ cooler time. January/ February is not unbearably hot.

ipswichwitch · 21/02/2019 14:59

We decided to wait til ours were older before going to Florida. Finances mean it would be a trip of a lifetime for us though, and wanted the DC to be able to go on everything. Instead we’ve done Disneyland Paris the last two years - first time was when the youngest was 3 - and they loved it. Not too hot to be toddler wrangling, not as big a park either so felt more doable with younger children. We’re planning to go again this year since the kids keep asking to go!

rosydreams · 21/02/2019 15:02

if its a once in a life time trip at least 5 for now seaside holidays are fun and cheap.That way you can save for longer enjoy it more.

I took my daughter at 7 which i think was the perfect age she really enjoyed it

eurochick · 21/02/2019 15:11

Mine loved it at 4 and was just tall enough for some of the better rides.

Grapetree · 21/02/2019 15:19

Personally I’d say 6
I don’t have kids but have been to Disney in Florida many times, and it gets really hot! Especially tiring when waiting in long queues

Unless money isn’t an issue for you, I think 3 is quite young
How about Disneyland Paris instead?

ohpleasesleepbabysleep · 21/02/2019 15:20

We took our then almost 3 year old in September last year. There were loads of rides he could go on, and he loved meeting all the characters etc. They have Toy Story Land now which he loved. We also had his baby sister with us and we could all go on lots of rides together. The main drawback for us was the heat; it was almost unbearable and meant we could only really spend a few hours in the parks. We will go again when they are older, but probably October or January. This was just a taster reallt, and we only spent maybe 4 days at Disney World out of our 2 week holiday but he definitely loved it. You will 100% need to take a buggy though I would say. It is huge and the days can be long an exhausting. We were with friends who had twin 4.5 year olds and they ended up renting a double stroller on site - the days are much more manageable if they have somewhere to sit down and our DS napped every single day of our trip from a combination of jet lag and heat and generally busy days. So I’d say do it!

Pinkyyy · 21/02/2019 15:27

It's Disney World in Florida. In terms of the weather, it's considerably cooler in October so I don't think the heat will be a problem for you. In all honesty a trip to Disney World is extremely tiring, even for an adult, you'll find that you won't be able to spend the whole day in the park with her and won't get the most for your money. I'd suggest a short break to Disneyland Paris, then a holiday to Florida when she's around 6.

shpoot · 21/02/2019 15:33

I think 8 at the very earliest for Disneyworld. The place is huge. And hot

minieggsqueen · 21/02/2019 15:33

I think 3 is too young too for not only America, but the big Disney. Have you not considered Euro Disney? That's smaller and more 'young kids' friendly. Then save up for America age 8/9 when you can all enjoy it and get the most out of it.

mummymeister · 21/02/2019 15:40

we took ours to eurodisney when the youngest was 3. we went to florida Disney when older because of the situation with height restrictions on rides etc. Imo, start with eurodisney and see how you get on there. some 3 years are just so totally overwhelmed that they don't enjoy it and you don't really know if your LO is going to be one of those yet or not.

HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone · 21/02/2019 15:43

If it's a once in a lifetime trip that you wont be able to repeat in the future then yes I would argue that it would be a complete waste with a 3 year old. She wont be able to go on many rides and will find the day extremely tiring. In turn this means you wont be able to spend all day at the park and therefore you wont be getting good value for what will likely be a lot of money.

I would also argue that whilst some children will remember a trip at that age, most wont so if you want to do it as a memory making experience be aware it probably will be forgotten. A trip to the beach would be a better trip for a 3 year old and leave Disney for when she is 7/8.

WiseUpJanetWeiss · 21/02/2019 15:48

We’ve taken a 3yo. He had great fun in the kiddy water play areas, but wasn’t keen on the dark rides or the characters. If this is your holiday of a lifetime, wait til your DD is older; if you’ll be able to afford re-visits then why not.

But don’t go in October. It’s too crowded these days. I’d go in early spring, avoiding Easter and Florida’s Spring Break, or mid Nov/early December, avoiding being in the parks around Thanksgiving.

Original poster
Helpmelmaooo · 21/02/2019 16:25

Yes it's definitely a once in a lifetime trip for us if we can afford it in the first place, we would need to look at paying in instalments but while our rent is low (living in relatives property) we can just about do it I think

OP posts:
Purplepricklesalloverhisback · 21/02/2019 16:27

Honestly.. don’t bother with a child that age.

I took 2 year old DS to Disneyland Paris and that was hard enough. They get overwhelmed and the whole week was one big tantrum.

I would wait until 5 at least.

PiggyPlumPie · 21/02/2019 16:34

We took our DD at a very similar age but had older DC at 6 & 7.

Was brilliant having the buggy for water, suncream, spare clothes etc. She loved what rides she could do and was happy enough playing in play areas while the older ones went on different rides. And we got child swap tickets do eldest got to go on some rides twice.

We took the older two to DLP at 3 & 4 just to get the wow experience. Don't think I would have taken an only child to Florida at such a young age.

anniehm · 21/02/2019 16:36

Mine were 3&5 and can't remember it! Disneyland California is better for little ones as a lot smaller

HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone · 21/02/2019 16:40

Yes it's definitely a once in a lifetime trip for us

In which case your mum is right. Imagine how cross you will be scrimping and saving for the holiday for her to get hot, tired, frustrated and go on few rides. Then imagine how you will be feel in 5 years time when she doesn't remember the holiday at all. If you are saving then why not just continuing putting money away and save until she is older to really appreciate such a wonderful trip, at her age she will be probably more excited to go to the seaside.

Pinkyyy · 21/02/2019 18:14

OP please look into different options before you book as there are lots of ways to save money. We ALWAYS book when the free dining offer is on and that saves you several hundred (or even well over 1-2K depending how long you stay) on eating. Food in the park is extremely expensive and it's so nice to be able to spend the money you take with you in whatever you want, knowing your meals are all paid for.

mishgs · 21/02/2019 18:23

I'd say go to EuroDisney. I took my kids at 3 and 6 and it was perfect for them. Would love to do Florida now they're older but it's too expensive for us. If it's a once jn a lifetime trip then definitely wait til she's older; she'll appreciate it more.

Hollowvictory · 22/02/2019 07:39

The issues are the heat, humidity, queuing ability and general energy levels for a 3 year old. It's exhausting even for an adult! Mine were 4 when we first went to Disneyland Paris and 8 for Disney florida. It's very hot in florida and there's a lot of queuing.

Hollowvictory · 22/02/2019 07:42

Just saw your post about once in a lifetime, in that case wait.
Terminology, euro Disney became Disneyland Paris years ago.
Disneyworld is Florida and other locations (california, far east etc)

AJPTaylor · 22/02/2019 07:45

Trip of a lifetime defo wait. Mine were 6 to 8 during their first visit. Better able to cope with the flight, heat, queues and better able to enjoy the water parks

Swipe left for the next trending thread