At what age was your child.....

[johnw]

:mickey: We are new to the board and I am sure will have many questions in the future. We have one child who will be 2 next year and is just watching the Disney programs and loves Mickey of course. For us to go on a disney cruise and to the Park would be alot of money for us and we want our daughter to get the most out of the experience. My question is at what age is the best to take a child on a cruise and to the main Disney Park in Orlando? It would just be my wife and I and our daughter. Thank you for you input.

John in Michigan :confused:

[luvnwdw]

if you want her to remember the experience my vote would be to wait until she's older

[Briansmom]

My now DD22 was 2 weeks shy of her third birthday when we took her for the first time....she doesn't remember it except through the pictures and the stories we have told her...
Our next visit was when she was seven and she remembers that one.

[wdwfansince75]

Two ways to answer this....
1. If your question is concerning the earliest age for a "Once in a Lifetime" trip, wait a few years....perhaps until 4 or 5....
2. But if the question is the earliest age for a first (of many) visits, I reflect on our experience....Our first visit with our own kids was to Disneyland, when our youngest daughter was 1 year old, and our oldest two were 6 and 3 and a half....and the two oldest had a wonderful time....The girls (38 years later) do not remember the trip, but we still do...
We have made 3 other WDW trips with grandkids under 7 months old....Each trip was special in its own way....Obviously, we don't believe infants remember the trips, but their parents and grandparents do....

[crazypoohbear]

I think that she is at the perfect age to take her. We took my 2 and 1/2 year old nephew back in 2005 on the 4 day and to the park, He "remembers" some of it, mostly through pictures and our talking about it. but at that age and the fact that she is gaga over mickey now her face in the pictures will be priceless in years to come.
There is so much to do on the ship and the kids clubs are top notch so you can even leave her while you and the wife enjoy a show or dinner or both and she will be in excellent hands.
She will not remember the trip but you will and she will "remember" it through your stories.
Also keep in mind that if she is under three when you visit the parks you don't need to purchase a ticket for her.
What ever your decision is have a great time and welcome to the boards.

[Kenny1113]

MY kids were 5 and 3 when we went on DCL and they LOVED it!!! They still talk about it (it was 3 1/2 years ago)! They really want to go back!