"but she won't remember it..."

[BKoenecke]

Hi--

I'm taking my lovely wife, her wonderful mother and my beautiful 3 yr old daughter to WDW next week. Three nights at the Poly, three nights off site, gonna do the breakfast at the Castle, hit the beach a day or two, etc. Just a very nice family trip, for all of us.

If one more person says something like "but she won't remember it" or "isnt' she too young" or "we're waiting 'til our kids are older so they'll (have more fun) or (remember it)" I think I'm going to flip.

What is up with that? Notwithstanding that I don't concede that as true at all, would anyone skip those first few Christmases or those Easter dresses or those birthday parties, because "she won't remember it." Of course not. I think those who would not go only because of that excuse are fooling themselves.

If you read this, thanks for observing my rant. I invite comments on it. Am I missing something? Maybe but I don't think so.

 

[ASFCurly]

I think that a lot of people think of WDW as a once in a lifetime trip, and if it really is a once in a lifetime trip then you would want your children to remember it, but if you go more then that doesn't matter and either way, you just have to ignore them.

 

[Memaw2Wm]

Heaven only knows why people say that. Your daughter will "remember" the trip ... take lots of photos and put them in a photo album (if you journal the trip all the better) and then talk about the trip.

My ex-husband was AMAZED at all the things our g'kids remember about our Disney trip last summer ... they were 5½ years and 7 years old.

But I took my kids when they were 8 months old and 2½ years old ... we were traveling to St. Petersburg, Florida to celebrate my great-grandfather's 100th b'day and stopped at WDW for a couple of days (1976) ... they didn't really remember the trip, but loved looking at the photos and listening to me talk about the trip.

And I certainly enjoyed visiting Magic Kingdom with them!

 

[Trinity721]

I go nuts every time someone says "but she won't remember it"! I can't stand it!!!!! My daughter is 9 months old, and ok she doesn't remember a lot of things. But she knows when she's having fun, and just the look on her face is worth it. I could care less if she remembers it or not. DH and I will remember it for her, and tell her how her first trip to Disney was (we are going in a few weeks!). Plus we will have our video camera with us, so she can look back on it and smile at herself when she is old enough.

I know how you feel. Even my parents discourage me by saying "oh she's too young. don't waste your money on WDW, she won't remember". It really hurts my feelings, I want to experience this with my daughter and husband, whether she remembers it or not.

Just ignore them. They are the ones who are missing out on something wonderful. We are the ones who will have these cherished memories forever!

 

[Gillian]

Maybe we should just lock our kids in the house until they are 10. Or 20.

I'm pretty sure "when he's grown up" my 2 year old won't remember that we went to the park yesterday, but that doesn't mean I won't take him!

Don't pay any attention to people in real life. Just listen to us DISers!

 

[KSDisneyDad]

My response to this has always been, "No, but I will always remember it" My fondest memories of WDW have been experienced witnessing my children be immersed in the magic of Disney.

The children "remember" their earliest trips by looking at our photo albums and watching the videos. This past weekend, I was talking to my 5 year old about Robinson Family Treehouse. He didn't remember it at first, but after I described it to him, he said. "oh yea, isn't that across from the Aladdin ride?"

We used to be just like those folks who say, "But they won't remember it" and decided to wait until our kids were all "old enough". Well, we made a childless visit (our first ever visit) in 1998 as an add-on to a business trip. We were hooked and we knew we couldn't wait to bring the kids when they were "old enough". I would not trade any of these trips for anything!

My 8 and 5 year olds will be going for their fourth time this June and my youngest will be 15 months old and visiting for the second time!!

 

[DisneyKidds]

Don't listen to them..................they know not of what they speak .

For some who say that it could be that a trip to Disney is a once in a lifetime, or very infrequent thing. As such, perhaps they think their kids would get more out of the experience if they were older. Others who say that have fooled themselves. Others who say that simply use it as an excuse not to go.

Our DD has detailed memories of places, characters, and events from trips we took when she was 2. Trust me, they remember. As for babies, there is hardly a more stimulating environment than WDW, and stimulation is a very good thing for a young child. Add the fact that your family will have a wonderful vacation being together in a wonderful place, and you can't go wrong. Enjoy.

 

[cinmell]

My daughter was 22 months old when we took her this past September for her first trip to WDW and boy does she remember! She wants to go back to the castle, small world, pirates, buzz, etc. and wants to "eat with" Mickey, Minnie, Cinderella, Belle, etc. because she remembers the character meals. Luckily she wasn't afraid of the characters and I hope she will still love them next week! Before our first trip, she watched the Disney Sing a long videos such as Campout at WDW, Beach Party at WDW, Disneyland fun, Happy Haunting and Let's go to the Circus which I think helped her to have somewhat of an idea of what the characters are like as well as what is at WDW. Good luck and enjoy your vacation. I'm sure your daughter will love it!

 

[c&m]

Some people just don't get it. We get comments like that all the time. We've been taking our 2 DDs since they were 15 months old. At 3, they remember more things than what we give them credit for.

My 2 DDs are now 4 and 7. They still go through the pictures and remember what they were doing 2 trips ago!

I'm just so happy that I have these incredible moments of watching my little daughters' eyes light up. Enjoy your little one and enjoy creating those wonderful memories.

 

[MrsPete]

In my opinion, three is a decent age to go to Disney. It's the under-ones that have me shaking my head.

 

[vic32]

My son is 5 and we are going on our third trip this fall. My DD will be 16mo. I know she wont remember it, That is fine just so she has fun while she is there!!That is what is important!!!

 

[2d_star_to_the_right]

We went when my son was 3 and he has an amazing number of memories from that trip. He builds upon that foundation every year we go. We took our second son when he was 14 months old- now he doesn't remember any of it obviously, but he had a blast. We have the best pics of him with characters and dancing with the Main Street Band. This year our daughter will make her first at 11 months- it is worth it for the smiles alone!

 

[Trinity721]

Originally posted by MrsPete
In my opinion, three is a decent age to go to Disney. It's the under-ones that have me shaking my head.

mrspete, why would that have you shaking your head? Sure the under-ones won't remember. But what does that matter? That is the point that a lot of us are trying to make in this thread. Children, big or small, live in the moment. They don't worry or care how much it costs to take them to WDW. All they know is that they're having fun seeing all the new things, and being with mommy and daddy. The look on their faces makes it all worthwhile to any parent. When my DH and I take our 9month old next month, we know she won't remember it. But she is aware of what going on, and she is happy when we are happy. And that to us is enough to make us go. We'll have pictures and videos, she can always look back on it and see what she did.

I totally respect your opinion, don't get me wrong here. I just don't see what the disapproval is about. If we lived our lives avoiding experiences just because our children won't remember them, why experience anything at all. Why take them to see their grandparents? They won't remember them once they leave? I just think the logic in that just doesn't make sense IMHO

 

[Baloo]

Hello and welcome to the DIS!

I got that line when Erich was a baby and also "You're going there again?!?!

Ya know what I say to them all?... LOL!!!

Take LOTS of pictures ,shoot hours of video.Last week I was watching some video from a trip when Erich was between 4 and 5...we were at the AK and my little Animal Planet boy was telling us about the "mirror-cats and how one stands guard like a so-jer"! He's 9 now and was embarassed but it was precious!! His step dad ,step brother and I have laughed alot about it this weekend.Thankfully Erich has a good sense of humor and even razzed his former self!!! LOL!

Do they remember ? I think so especially when there are stories and pictures to go along with it...I mean do we as adults really remember things from our childhood or has Mom and Dad or family told the story sooooooo many times which MAKES us remember?

I took Erich for the first time when he was not quite 7mths.I took my Mom for the first time when she was 74. I've said this before,I'll say it again....ANY age is the RIGHT age to visit WDW !!!

 

[tmfranlk]

My daughter was 22 months old when we took her this past September for her first trip to WDW and boy does she remember!

Thanks for posting that cinmell. We are taking a big family trip next Thanksgiving and my DD will be 21 months at the time and her cousin will be almost 3 years. I'm glad to hear that your DD remembered so much. Of course, I would still go even if she didn't remember. I figure that by that time she will have been to DL at least a half dozen times.

BKoenecke, enjoy your trip. I think that your DD will have a blast and will remember much more than friends/family are giving her credit for. My little sister remembered everything at that age. It was the adults who had to struggle to remember the things that she would talk about.

 

[cinmell]

Originally posted by tmfranlk
Thanks for posting that cinmell. We are taking a big family trip next Thanksgiving and my DD will be 21 months at the time and her cousin will be almost 3 years. I'm glad to hear that your DD remembered so much. Of course, I would still go even if she didn't remember.

She loves to look at pictures of herself with the characters and watch video! So take lots or pictures and video if you can, they will love it!

 

[BevS97]

my 5 1/2 year old dd remembers loads of stuff that happen when we were in WDW and she was 3 1/2, sometimes I am amazed at the details she will come out with. I will have to check with my husband, and usually one of us will eventually remember the event. We tend to remember the big picture, and she remembers little tiny details that were obviously important to her at the time.

She certainly remembers the Cat in the Hat ride, it was the first one we did, she was terrified, and she wouldn't ride anything else for days. Even now, If I suggest that we might try it again in December she turns pale and says No Thank You.
Fortunately she has other more positive memories as well. We don't take video, but we have 100's of photographs and she loves to look at those and I think they help her to remember things.

We will be taking our new baby in December, I don't imagine he/she will remember anything, but I will

Bev

 

[MrsPete]

It's not disapproval on my part -- it's that I just don't get it. There are sooo many places in the world (thinking the globe, not Disney World) to go on vacation, and many of them are much better and easier with an infant than Disney. I just don't understand wanting to wait in line, move from park to park, deal with crowds, etc. with an infant.

Back to this post, however, I think a three year old would have a great time. She'll be old enough to ride things, and she'll enjoy the characters.

 

[twinmomplus2]

In the short term she will remember it......In the long term more than a year. maybe, maybe not, BUT>>. you certainly will.

 

[Daxx]

That's baloney! We took ds to WDW when 3 1/2. He remembers sooo much!! DS is now almost 7 and we haven't been back to WDW since that trip (although, we'll be leaving for WDW in 6 weeks). He talks about the rides and, while he might not remember the ride's name, he can describe it well enough so anyone else would know what ride he's talking about. He can tell you all about Fantasmic, special things that happened, how Pluto licked him, etc.

And, it was oh, so magical for us (his parents). To watch his eyes light up as he met Mickey for the first time, his happiness to tumble into a pile of stuffed pals at WoD! His thrill to spot Buzz & Woody at MGM. Delighting in the surroundings, walking down Main Street wearing his mouse ears, splashing in the squirting fountain thingy at EPCOT and getting totally drenched before rope drop. The kids will love and remember it ... the parents will remember it even better!!!! There's nothing wrong w/taking a child to WDW, even if they might not remember it. Just the look on their face as they soak up the magic is priceless ... and the whole reason for the trip!!!

Enjoy!!!!!