2 Reasons It Does — and Doesn’t — Pay to Visit Disney When Your Kids Are Very Young

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Should you spring for a Disney trip when your kids are very young? Read on to find out. 

When a friend of mine told me she was taking her infant on a trip to Disney World, I did my best not to actively wince. Sure, it’s cute to parade a 10-month-old around Magic Kingdom. But given the expense of a Disney trip, I wondered why she was willing to grapple with that massive credit card bill when she could easily take her daughter to the mall for stimulation without her being any the wiser.

That said, I know a lot of people who have taken very young kids to Disney. And there are some benefits to going with super young children. But there are also some clear drawbacks.

Pro No. 1: You won’t be charged for young kids

A Disney trip could cost many thousands of dollars. And the exact amount you’ll spend will hinge on factors that include when you go, how you choose to dine, whether you stay at a Disney property, and whether you opt for a budget hotel or one that’s higher-end.

The upside of taking a very young child to Disney is that you may not have to pay for their ticket. Children under age 3 get into Disney for free, and they’re able to eat free at certain restaurants. That could be a huge source of savings right there.

Pro No. 2: Disney is easier when you have a child in a stroller

Some people will tell you that Disney is easier to manage once you’re past the stroller phase. And sure, once your kids are, say, 8 or 9, that’s true.

But there’s a very tricky in-between phase — let’s call it ages 4 to 7 — where your kids may not want to be in a stroller, but they’re also apt to get exhausted from the many miles of walking that tend to come with a Disney trip.

The upside of taking a very young child to Disney is that they’ll be more likely to want to be carted around in a stroller. That means you won’t have to deal with whiny “I’m tired” complaints. And just importantly, you’ll have somewhere to stash your stuff as you go about your day.

Con No. 1: A younger kid won’t remember anything

I’m not an expert on child development, so I’d be the wrong person to pinpoint when it is that children form long-term memories. But I’m pretty confident when I say that a 9-month-old or 15-month-old is not going to actually remember being at Disney for five days and meeting Mickey Mouse.

Sure, you could always show your child pictures so there’s proof they were there. But is it really worth spending all that money on a trip your child will have no recollection of?

Plus, there’s a good chance that once your kids get older, they’ll start begging to go to Disney. And if you respond by reminding them that they’ve already been there, they might counter with a very valid “but I was too young to remember it.”

Con No. 2: They’ll be too small for a good number of rides

One nice thing about Disney is that many of the rides are family friendly and suited for younger kids. But there are also a number of rides with height requirements. And if you take a very young child, they might miss out on a lot.

Also, you might miss out on a lot. If your child is too young to get on a given ride, someone’s going to have to wait on the sidelines while your spouse, partner, or tripmate gets on. But unless you’ve paid for the ability to skip the line, wait times for rides at Disney can be lengthy. So chances are, if you wait on a 40-minute line for a faster ride and hang back with your young child once your spouse gets on, you’re not going to want to then repeat that process (though some attractions may have Rider Switch that allows you to skip the line).

Clearly, there are pros and cons to visiting Disney with a very young child. One thing you may want to ask yourself is whether you intend to visit Disney multiple times, or once only. If it’s the latter, you may want to wait until your child is at an age where they can appreciate Disney more.

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