not really, exploring new places I have never been is amazing.
Exploring new places isn't nearly as much fun with a toddler. Literally every argument anyone has made about not bringing a young child to WDW also applies if we were going to bring her to the Grand Canyon or Kauai or Tanzania. The only way around the "...but she won't really remember it" argument is to just skip family vacations entirely, which isn't an option for me.
Nothing wrong in taking advantage of a great deal, but after about four trips within 2-3 years, it would lose its attraction for me.
The attraction shifts. Now it's not about hype and excitement, it's about returning to old favorites. Lots of people go to multiple Notre Dame games every year for more or less the same experience. It's not much different than that.
BBG: I realize others don't agree, but the children will have not only full lifetime memories with Mom and Dad if they are older, but they will understand WAY more of the content of the Park, which is considerable, AND Mom and Dad will have opportunities for far deeper interactions with them.
To be clear, I'm not suggesting that anyone take a young child
instead of taking them when they're a bit older. If BBG's question is "should I take my kid when she's 2 or when she's 5," then the answer is "when she's 5." But if the question is "is my 2 year old too young for her
first trip," with the assumption that they'll be back a few years later, then the answer is "no."
If it was just am exciting experience for a really young child that one was looking for, you can get that at a local park with a pond with ducks and geese on it, and butterflies flying around. The child will have a great time with Mom and Dad and will remember very little of that either. (bring some bubble stuff and blow bubbles.)
These things aren't mutually exclusive. My wife doesn't work, so "local park with a pond with ducks, etc." is a normal Thursday for my daughter. We just got back from four nights in the New Hampshire lakes region. My mother in-law has a house in Ocean City. We've been to Stowe, Hershey, Newport, Hilton Head, and elsewhere. I'm definitely not recommending Disney at the expense of all other experiences.
There will always be exception to the rules, but I agree with OMM. Little ones 3 and under may or may not get scared, but how much will they really comprehend and retain?
What do you suggest instead? What's the family vacation that a toddler
would comprehend and retain?
Do not plan beyond, "We'll hit WWD this day, Epicot this day, etc.". Trying to plan what rides to hit and what attractions to hit in some order ruins the experience and makes you feel rushed. Walk through the gates and after deciding to go left, right or straight ahead, do what grabs your attention.
I could not disagree more. Planning reduces stress, it doesn't increase it. If you don't plan, you stress out when you're in the park because you're totally unprepared so you scramble. Your wife freaks out that you missed the 2:00 parade because you didn't know there
was a 2:00 parade. When you plan ahead, you might have a little more stress
leading up to the trip, but then when you're actually
on the trip, you have confidence that you're not going to miss out on the things you really want to do because you know the ins-and-outs.
