I know this is insane...

[coast2coastmickey]

Our almost 16 month old has been to Disneyworld in Florida at 3 months old, 7 months old, and now Disneyland in CA at 15 months old.

Clearly she is spoiled (I blame her mother).

That said, it 100% depends on the kid. Ours loves meeting characters and riding rides. So with those two things, we spend a ton of time in character meals, kid-friendly rides, and character meets. 2 of those 3 trips were on site (DL and WDW), and those trips were super convenient for mid-day naps. We make use of fastpass/maxpass for adult rides and keep the ADRs to a minimum (except for character meals), opting for quick service or our own food if possible. For thrill rides and rides with a height limit, baby swapping is easy and convenient, in my opinion. All parks have convenient baby centers for changes and extra supplies if necessary, and for baby to nurse if that's still relevant for you at that point.

So if your kid isn't like ours, I'd be more cautious. A Disney trip can be hectic considering that you may have to travel (takes a day away on both ends of the trip), and the stimulation can be a bit much for some kids.

 

[Cubbiecakes]

For every "oh my precious baby just LOVED Disneyland at XX months" story you've read above, there are a hundred "my child screamed non-stop all day and I don't know what the hell I was thinking dragging an infant on a multi-day trip to a loud, crowded, overstimulating jungle" stories that you're not hearing about.

 

[3monkeys4me]

We've gone with all of our kids and nieces and nephews when they were that age and had a great time! We don't stress over rides, we just took it easy and did what we could. We did always travel with another family though so we did have a bit of baby free time. Even when we had older kids and an infant or toddler someone would take a turn with the littlest ones while someone else went on a ride with the older ones.

But honestly, even without another family we would have been fine on our own just meeting characters, having snacks, watching shows and the parade, exploring tom sawyers island, etc... If you add in a few easy rides it is just a bonus for us.

 

[smartlabelprint]

Ill mention that out kids have sensory processing disorder. We take lots of breaks. The screaming kid stories probably stayed all day.

 

[DLgal]

We live local, but I started taking my kids at 4 months and the second was 2 months. There is something for all ages and 18 months is a great age. However, traveling with 18 month olds is hell, LOL. As long as you put aside any notions of having a restful, stress free vacation, you will be fine. At that age, there are no "vacations" with the toddler...it's just the same stuff, different place. You could also be dealing with some early onset "terrible twos" so be ready to be VERY flexible and follow your child's lead. Commando touring isn't the way to go.

Also, highly, highly recommend staying onsite. It is so much easier that way, and IMO, way more fun.

 

[Whistlebee]

I haven’t read all the above comments but I will say I’d wait until your baby is close to 18 months old to decide. We went to DL with my nieces when one of them was 3 years old and the other one was 18 months old. It was my 3 year olds 2nd Visit. My 3 year old was perfectly happy but both of my nieces really did cry the majority of the trip (for 3 days). They didn’t like the rides and they didn’t like the characters, didn’t like the fireworks either. They did like It’s A Small World and the Tarzan’s Treehouse. So as much as I LOVE DL I realized after the trip that it just wasn’t the right ages to take my nieces.
Every kid is different and IMO you’ll have to wait and see what type of personality your baby has before knowing if they will enjoy the trip.

 

[emmybee]

If you want to do diapers at DL, then go for it! I potty-trained my girl at 2 1/2 because we were going to DL the next month and I did not want to deal with diapers on our first family trip. It was pretty easy, giving me the impression that she was probably ready to do it before I found my own motivation.

 

[smartlabelprint]

If you want to do diapers at DL, then go for it! I potty-trained my girl at 2 1/2 because we were going to DL the next month and I did not want to deal with diapers on our first family trip. It was pretty easy, giving me the impression that she was probably ready to do it before I found my own motivation.

I agree. I’d rather do diapers than accidents. Lol

 

[kaosin3d]

I agree that it will depend on your baby's personality, but I've taken both my daughters when they were young. My first at 18 months and my second at 12 months. It's a very different trip with kids, and if you can have grandparents/aunt's & uncle's/friends join you it will make a huge difference! Both my girls did wonderfully at a young age (second hated the characters, but my oldest loved them immediately!) And had no issue waiting in line.

Just plan to go with the flow and let your baby take the lead! It's so fun to see it through their eyes. And try to stay close enough to take afternoon breaks!

 

[Purerockfury1]

Thanks everyone! I enjoyed reading everyone’s opinions. A trip before baby isn’t possible as there is a lot we need to save for. We will definitely decide if a trip is worth it and doable once the baby is closer to the age we want to take him/her. It does seem like it depends more on the child than the age!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

... It does seem like it depends more on the child than the age!

This is soooo true! And a lot will depend on you, too. For example, my sister took forever to really recover from the birth of her first child -- not just physical recovery, but stamina, psychological health, walking strength (a full day in the park with a stroller is a lot!), etc. We really wanted her to have fun and relax, not stress. She wanted to have the freedom to do what she wanted without pain or too much fatigue. So we waited until she was ready. With her second child, she almost bounced back in comparison to her first. Like night and day. So, again, there are no rights and wrongs. Only what is right for you and your baby, and what isn't right for you and your baby!

 

[hyperminimalism]

No way. I don't remember it, but I've seen pictures of myself at Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm at around 1 year of age. I'm sure it was all a wonder to me and Disneyland has always been a great source of nostalgia and child-like wonder for me, even into adulthood. There's plenty for baby to look at, listen to, smell, and feel. Even if they don't go on any rides, it's just a wonder to be there.

 

[mummabear]

For every "oh my precious baby just LOVED Disneyland at XX months" story you've read above, there are a hundred "my child screamed non-stop all day and I don't know what the hell I was thinking dragging an infant on a multi-day trip to a loud, crowded, overstimulating jungle" stories that you're not hearing about.

Based on what data?

 

[FCDub]

Based on what data?

The law of averages, probably. But it's OK, some people want to do it, others don't!

 

[emmybee]

I agree. I’d rather do diapers than accidents. Lol

I was paranoid, but it turned out fine. No accidents! And I offended her toddler sensibilities by making her use pull ups. It was the only package I ever bought...But the thought of sticking her on those changing tables....

 

[gottalovepluto]

If you want to do diapers at DL, then go for it! I potty-trained my girl at 2 1/2 because we were going to DL the next month and I did not want to deal with diapers on our first family trip. It was pretty easy, giving me the impression that she was probably ready to do it before I found my own motivation.

Hahaha, my little sister would NOT potty train. Idk what age it was at but my parents were having an awful time of it but she loved Minnie Mouse... In a moment of desperation Mom told her if she got potty trained she could go see Minnie Mouse’s House- she did and we all got to go to DL, thank goodness for Toontown!!