Even thought I only got to spend a couple of hours with Little Banana I can tell she is smart. I have been holding out on everyone because I am trying to pace myself. Just when you all have thought you had heard all the stories I will sneak another one in on you all.
I hate to admit it but the conversation has come up between Gerard and I as to when is the best time to take Little Banana to Disney World. Now if you ask me I agree with my friend Audrey who believes that it is best enjoyed in 3 year blocks. This translates into 3, 6, 9, 12 & 15 years old. This way there is just enough time in between trip to want to go back.
Gerard on the other hand thinks once or twice is enough. I hate to say this but Gerard it has changed a bit since the last time you went in 1977. We decided to compromise and make her first trip once she knows who Mickey Mouse is maybe at 5 years old. I am not too out of touch to know that taking your children to Disney when they are really young is really so that you can enjoy watching them not because they will remember the trip at least that is my impression.
Which brings me to why I think she is so smart. When I was first out to the baby home it was time for her to have lunch. They told me that I was able to watch them feed her and take a few pictures. Little Banana watched my every move.
I thought it was cute that the cup that she drank out of was more child orientated then some of the cups that I have seen other children in other baby homes use. This cup was a small coffee style cup with a tiny little Mickey Mouse on it. I have a great picture of her watching me as she was drinking out of this cup.
Now I had packed way too much stuff in her bag but it did not stop me from letting her pull everything out to look at during our visit. Towards the end of the visit she pulled out a drinking cup that I brought. I looked down at her and with her little thumb and pointer finger she grabbed a small piece on my shirt and tugged at me. Once she got my full attention she pointed directly at the little tiny Mickey Mouse on the cup that I brought for her.
I started to laugh. First of all this tells me that she is smart and everything is snapping up stairs. It also tells me that she knows who Mickey Mouse is. Sorry Gerard 2 against 1. This is the new story of your life.
School Days - November 2023
5 months ago
21 comments:
Mike and I have had this same conversation with no answer yet. I think age 5 is probably a good age. They'll remember more then. Maybe you can go when she's 4?
Melissa
I love Disney and I make too many trips from EWR to MCO! A mom of 2 girls and a nana to a 3 year old (made his 4th trip in Jan 09) He loved it and is still talking about it. And tells us what he wants to see when we make our next "too often" trips in November.
It helps great-grandma lives in MCO
My girls (one was married in WDW) would tell you it is never too early or too often to go to Disney, but dad (grandpa) would disagree.
Praying for a quick 2nd trip! thanks for sharing
deb p (Oceanport, NJ)
As one who used to hold annual passes to Disneyland in CA, and took and annual trip to WDW..it is never too early. I love Disney and would go more if I could. My boys love it! I do think that 3-4 is the perfect age.
I think you are never too young OR old to go to Disney. My kids are 8,7 & 5 and they have been to Disney 7 times !! My youngest's
1st trip was on his 1st birthday (he had only been home 3 months). Our most recent trip was 1 month ago (we go in the winter to get away from the NJ cold). I will tell you that they DO remember !! My little one especially can tell you everything you need to know about Disney !!
Basically, it is the parents that have to be ready and up for the challenge because no matter how good you child is, you'll have the melt downs and the rough patches, but overall it's a trip that you will want to take over and over.
We go every year (sometimes 2xs) and there is always something new for the kids....as they get older their interest change. Their first trips they only wanted to see the characters and could care less about the rides.....this year it was all about the rides, especially the roller coasters !!! So it's a different trip every year.
I say go as soon as you guys feel she is attached and ready. And yes...there is nothing better than seeing your child enjoy Disney....especially the little ones who like the smallest of things......
Dede & I have been prompted by some friends we made in Moscow to join them on a trip to Disney World this summer. But I think at just barely 3, Liam will still be too young.
I'm not certain what the right age is, but maybe it's at the post-potty-training stage. And maybe at the point when afternoon naps are a bit less of a necessity, altho I'm not sure when that happens.
I'm not trying to be a party pooper, but while a trip to Burger King's playroom is still more than enough to fill an afternoon with gleeful enjoyment, why not hold off on the very expensive trip to theme parks.
Plus, we hope to avoid getting totally sucked into the marketing thing. For example, Liam has lots of trucks & cars, but only one Cars toy. Now I LOVE Pixar films, but I worry about how easy it is for all of this heavy-handed marketing to leverage us into brand-specific consumers where a no-name toy will no longer be good enough. Same with clothing - I'd sooner fall off the planet before I succumb to the "if it doesn't have a Nike swish, it must not be any good" school of thought. This stuff starts early and with only one goal in mind - to make big, big companies some big, big bucks at our expense.
I like what Disney used to stand for but I'm really opposed getting hooked into the Disney consumer machine. And at the risk of sounding like some kind of radical fanatic, given that buying their wares would seem to signal that I agree with their support of - and handsome profits from - Miley Cyrus' shameless trampy photo shoot, I'm all the more wary of giving my dollars to Disney.
I'm sure that we'll end up taking Liam to DW at some point - I sure enjoyed it when I went (I think I was 10 or 11 years old) but I think that may be a few more Summers away...
hi joy ,alls ican say is i better get to go on ione of those trips . i can watch the stuff and things while you and gerald get on the rides with little banna much love mom (nanny)
Joy, I would suggest taking her to Disney the very first chance you can! We lived in NY and used to visit WDW every year. We then relocated to FL and chose our hometown based on the drive time to Disney which we make in just under an hour. As season passholders, we average a trip there every 3 weeks, sometimes for the day, sometimes as a treat we'll stay a night there. Our girls are 5 and 3 years old and can't get enough of the place. We took our oldest for the first time when she was 8 months old.
I therefore think there is no better time to go then the present! Life is so unexpected, if you have an opportunity to make beautiful memories with your daughter no matter what her age is, then I say go for it. Whether she remembers or not, she will absolutely enjoy the "here and now" of it. You and your husband will surely remember it and like you said, enjoying her taking it all in is priceless. Watching my girls react to it still brings tears to my eyes! Yes, you will experience meltdowns from a hot and sweaty, overtired, hungry, overstimulated child at times, but I would say the happiness of it all far outweighs the negatives.
Best wishes to you at this exciting time!
Gina
We are planning on taking Daniel when he is about 5 or 6
Hey, I'm still processing a year later!! No worries on when to tell the stories, as long as you have a record for your baby girl. And, I agree that 5 seems to be the best age for a first visit. . .not to mention that they still won't be tall enough for several rides! : )
I think 5 or 6 is the perfect age for the first trip to Disney - we are waiting for that now! Isn't it funny how we all can't wait to head to Disney?!
I agree...no time better than now and then again next year and the next...it is a great place for all age ranges!
For us it was not at what age would be the first time but how often we would go. We go every year and my three kids love it!! We started when our first child was 2 years old. It was better when she was 5 years old and we have gone every year since. We are a three hour car ride and we always stay on the grounds. They discount for Florida residents. Going all the time is what makes it so exciting. Dreaming about it is also very exciting.
We just got back from Disney. Sophie (5) just loved it. She could ride most things and was able to handle all the excited and keep some boundries. Sam (2) loved it also but he was ALOT of work. He just could understand why we could run out into the street during a parade.
I think it truly depends on your child's personality as to when you go - what can they handle - does that make sense?
We had a great time! I think the every three years thing is what we are looking at doing. By then I will have an 8 year old and 5 year old. I think that will be an easier trip.
We just got back from Disney. Sophie (5) just loved it. She could ride most things and was able to handle all the excited and keep some boundries. Sam (2) loved it also but he was ALOT of work. He just could understand why we could run out into the street during a parade.
I think it truly depends on your child's personality as to when you go - what can they handle - does that make sense?
We had a great time! I think the every three years thing is what we are looking at doing. By then I will have an 8 year old and 5 year old. I think that will be an easier trip.
Hahaha. This made me laugh, Joy. You know we took Owen at 2 1/2 because Jim was doing a triathlon at one of the resorts there, and he had a great time. He had no clue who most of the characters were, but he still loved every minute of it as did we. I would say 4 would be a great age. They aren't too old for princesses and definitely know who all the characters are by then. There is a tv show called Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on the Disney channel if you want to get her started learning the characters early! Owen won't watch cartoons but loves the MMClubhouse books!
By the way she IS a smart little banana making that connection!!!!
:)
PS Can we go too when you go?
You know Disney's not my thing. None of my kids ever expressed a desire to go, though I think Amy would like to go now, her boyfriend is so into it.
Andrew has gone twice (with his other grandma), he was 4 or 5 the first time and he really enjoyed it. I think that was the perfect age. Practical reasons..potty trained, no naptime and big enough for the rides.
So why don't any of those princess' have mothers??
We are thinking of taking our kids to Disney next March. They will be 5 at that time. I wanted them old enough to appreciate and remember Disney, but young enough to believe in all of it's magic!
What a little smartie you have on your hands!!
It is NEVER to early for Disney. I LOVE it there. I took my son(adopted from Chine July 2007) last March he was 2 and a half and he loved it. He still talks about it, remembers it and keeps asking to go back to the castle. I wanted to take him this year but am in the process of adopting from Russia. I should be getting my referral and traveling some time in April. i know I will have a 7 month wait till trip 2 so maybe that will be a good time to visit Mickey Mouse!!! So I say take her soon I am sure she will love it and you will love watching her. Beth
He He!! Who would have thought a question about Disney would get so many responses! Love it! I too love Disney. It makes me feel like a kid to be there. It is so magical. And I love being there with my kids..they are just so excited! Emily went on her first trip at 23 months in February. It is now April and she is still talking about it daily. She asked today if we could ride Dumbo. "Dumbo, mom, please, dumbo ride." You are never too young or too old to go to Disney. :)
Gerald will love it! It's fun to be a kid again with a kid as your cover. :)
in Kindergarden they are encouraging students to draw a picture and then 'kid write' a journal entry. They write scribbles, letters, and most are able to write site words and sound out other words by december! Many Kids draw pictures about vacations. I think at 5 years old now is much more older and advanced then when we were 5 years old! Little Banana will definately be able to remember Disney at that age!! aww and my lil one will be similar in age... we'll be able to do lil day trips to Story Book Land!!!!
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