Disneyland Paris - am I mad?

[ecossegirl91]

Due baby 2 next month, and will have a 2.8 year gap between them and baby 1.

toddler turns 3 in autumn and I’d love to take them to Disney Paris before they turn 3 and I need ti pay 🤣 toddler will be 3 literally the week after we come home, baby 1 will be 3 months.
toddler has been on loads of flights so not worried about that but part of me thinks the 3 month old will be easy enough in a sling or pram and be fairly sleepy still before they get to that awkward aware age! 🤣 am I mad?

3 is way too young for them to properly appreciate Disneyland. They would honestly have more fun with a bucket and spade and ice-cream cream day at the beach. They can’t go in many of the rides at that age either. I’d just wait.

To appreciate it fully yeah but they can still have a lot of fun, enjoy the parades, spot characters etc.

You don’t know the OP’s almost three year old- maybe he wouldn’t have more fun at the beach, and maybe he gets to do that too.

There was a lot my son really enjoyed before 3- chessington WOA for example. Doesn’t mean he didn’t still love beach day also.

Go for it. Disney has plenty to see and do for all ages. Great place for your first swim too!

Hard no to DLP for me, I brought my daughter aged 8 this year and it is hardcore, it can be super stressful and honestly the 3 year old is unlikely to get more from DLP than a trip to the park. There are a lot of stressed out parents ( including me) and over tired over stimulated children. Have I mentioned the queues? Start saving to bring them when you can actually all enjoy it.

We were there last year and so many sad toddlers, it’s completely overwhelming. I would wait until they are both a bit older.

I went with a 3 year old and a 4 month baby and it was fine tbh. We took the direct euro star , I took my double buggy. You can baby swap with another adult on rides , it was fine

We took our daughter when she was 2 and had a brilliant time.

You haven’t even had baby 2 yet

Wait till the reality of toddler plus baby hits before you book anything

Personally I can’t think of anything more hellish

I’d go.
I took my 4 year old with an 8 month old. Didn’t find it stressful at all.

Assuming you can go in term time too when all the kids have gone back to school, so on the quieter side.

Yes, you are mad.

Sort of mad but also not at all.

If you think you will love it go for it. The memories are for you, the fun is for everyone!

The reality is i remember little/nothing from my holidays at aged 6, 8, 10, 12.

That doesnt mean my parents shouldnt have bothered and let me run round the garden...

personally, I would hate this but 0-6m pp isn't a season I'm thriving in. Theres no serenity amd peaceful love vibes just frantic energy followed by harrassed exhaustion 😅

My "strategy" is domestic holidays/no hols until kids are 2.5 and 4 and then i am going wild and planning all sorts of fun stuff until oldest baby thinks we are lame losers and doesnt want to be seen in public with us.

Same here, took my 4 and 7 year olds last year and hated most of it. Too busy, overstimulating, no space to have a minute or recharge, super expensive. Couldn't get anywhere near the parades and the fireworks only started at 10pm! Just no! Prefer smaller theme parks for little ones. CBeebies Land or Thomas Land were so much better imo!

Do it. We've taken daughter at age 2.5 and then almost 4. Had a great time both times. Baby will be fine, it's a great age for travel. The more you travel with babies/children the easier it gets for them and you. Mine have grown up being great travellers as it's all they have ever known. Plus, the trip is not just for them, it's for you too. I say go for it!

Yeah my almost 3 year old has been on 7 abroad holidays so he’s fine on planes etc, we are in Scotland so all the theme parks down south are actually much longer travel time for us!

seems like a mix of responses! And I wouldn’t book till baby 2 was here safely and knew a bit about their temperament.

Ignore people saying 3 is too young. A 3 year old will LOVE it. Who cares if they remember it in 20 years time? I can't remember half the things I've done in my life.

The 3 month old will be asleep in the pram/sling most of the time so it will actually be much easier to go then than if you wait until they're bigger.

I wouldn't 100% go.

We took our 3 and 6 year old to Disney Orlando, they had a fantastic time, although they don’t remember it well, but we do and the look on my 3 year olds face when he saw Woody and the soilders from Toy Story will stay with me forever. We also did Disneyland Paris and there’s so much for younger children there.

Our eldest did DLP from 1 and the youngest was about 6 months , they then went at least once a year , we also did Orlando a few times from 4 . I’ve got lovely photos and memories . So I’d say go for it and enjoy .

Oh these last 3 replies are very encouraging thanks guys 😁

I think op it probably depends how often you expect to be able to take them. I was lucky growing up in that we went numerous times and we have taken our Dc several times.

From all of that ie; observing siblings, myself, my Dc I would say the “ sweet spot” is from about 6 to 12 - older than some people think.

It’s not to say a three year old won’t like it; it’s more about when will they get maximum bang for buck (and effort!) The hotels aren’t cheap but being onsite makes all the difference. With very little ones the Disney hotel ( Princess themed) at the actual park is twice as good as the ones you walk to and from. We had to pop back for a bath once! And it just helps having nappies, milk etc nearby so you don’t have to cart too much.

If it’s something you’d like to do annually/ bi-annually etc then by all means, there will be things a three year old enjoys. But to really get the most out of it, in terms of stamina ( it’s a big space), access to more rides and just general ability to absorb the sheer scale and excitement of the place, I think for a once or twice in a childhood trip you would be slightly jumping the gun imho. If you lived in Paris and could take the train for the day then yes, why not. But with travel, hotel costs etc I would honestly wait a year or three.

We have just been with DD almost 5 and DD 15 months. Both of them really enjoyed it. If you son is almost 3 he will love it, they can go on almost all the rides.

I think it would be easy to take a small baby than it was with out toddler you can take them on the rides in a baby sling. We saw lots of people with young children.

I would reckon staying in a Disney hotel so you get magic hour and don't have the crush for the buses as you can walk to the park. We went in March and the fireworks started at 9pm. Make sure you take everything you need for the baby as they don't sell formula, nappies etc on the site xx

Total waste of money at that age.

wait a few years and you will all have a much better experience

You might find it easier to go on the train with a baby

Why do you think it's a waste of money?

Because they are far too young to appreciate it.

What do you mean by appreciate it? Why do they need to appreciate it? Surely them thoroughly enjoying it is enough. A 3 year old is going to enjoy rides, parades and characters. Hardly a waste of money.

By your logic there's no point in taking them anywhere at all.