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3 Yr Old twins Disney World or Land

3 Yr Old twins Disney World or Land

Old Jun 6, 2009, 10:46 am
  #1  
LCS
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3 Yr Old twins Disney World or Land

Thinking about taking 3 yr old twins to a Disney park. Any suggestions about which is better for 3 yr olds?
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Old Jun 6, 2009, 6:04 pm
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Go to whatever park is closest to your home; keep the travel time as short as possible.
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Old Jun 7, 2009, 11:39 pm
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Although if you're in DFW, it's about equi-distant to both locations. I'd pick by what other stuff you are interested in seeing... like if you want it hit up San Diego or other LA attractions while you're in Socal... or if you have an east coast local you want to see. Then again, that depends on how long a trip you are planning, so feel free to add more info.
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Old Jun 8, 2009, 1:56 am
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Originally Posted by LCS
Thinking about taking 3 yr old twins to a Disney park. Any suggestions about which is better for 3 yr olds?
I don't know whether three year olds would profit so much from such a trip. I think of the stress that the travel itself represents set against the possibly positive impression of the park experience. What about things like limited attention span, nap time, previously acquired references (do they really get a kick out of seeing Emo and Mickey?), stimulation overkill, rides you can't go on with little ones. Also, three years is about the time when you have your first memories that you can actually remember actively later on. For some people this comes a bit earlier for others later. But of course, you cannot know now if they will remember it later. Is it worth it if they cannot recall it.

I'd wait another two years and go to the zoo, the circus and whatever else you have locally in the meantime instead of spending literally thousands of dollars and much time on a trip from which they might hardly profit.

Of course, if you yourself want to go, by all means go, but leave the kiddos at home so you can really enjoy it.

Till
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Old Jun 8, 2009, 9:36 am
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Originally Posted by tfar
I'd wait another two years and go to the zoo, the circus and whatever else you have locally in the meantime instead of spending literally thousands of dollars and much time on a trip from which they might hardly profit.
I think you're on the wrong forum. This is the travelling WITH kids forum: I love to travel....I love my daughter....I'm not putting my love on hold because she's young.....I've adjusted what I do and how I do it to reflect that the little human being I've brought into the world is now the most important part of my life....but not the only important thing. Her memory of the travel is not my only concern....my memory of her experiences at new places is just as rewarding as her having her own.

Anyway, I think Disney World in Florida (WDW)is a better idea. The resorts there are a bit more fun than the resorts in Anaheim, so when you have to leave the parks for some midday downtime, there's still a lot of fun to be had at WDW's resorts.

That, and they have the two water parks in WDW that have great facilities for little ones.

So long as you want to go on a trip with your children, there's not really anyplace easier to bring them than a Disney park. So you can't go wrong.
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Old Jun 8, 2009, 9:55 am
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For the better experience for all of you I would suggest holding off until they are 5 or 6. Orlando is the better option IMHO.
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Old Jun 8, 2009, 2:39 pm
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The last time we took my daughter (now 4.5) to Disneyland she was around 3 and she loved some of the rides but was also scared of some (Snow White). The character breakfast was worth every penny as she got to meet all the characters she recognized without standing in line. Perhaps if we weren't in SoCal on a regular basis we might have waited until she was a little older, but she certainly was old enough to enjoy some things. BTW at 3.5 we took her to Camp Snoopy at Knott's Berry Farm and she is constantly talking about wanting to go back she loved it so much.

I've never been to Disney World so couldn't say which is better.
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Old Jun 8, 2009, 2:58 pm
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Originally Posted by GrnMtnMan
Her memory of the travel is not my only concern....my memory of her experiences at new places is just as rewarding as her having her own.
That is a valid argument. Whether it is worth all the hassle and expense for what the parent or the child might get out of it, is an individual decision, though. To consider this fact is NOT out of place in a travel with children forum.

This is especially true if there are less cumbersome alternatives that the child and parent might enjoy just as much and that are at least as or even more educational. You can see this also by suggestions from other posters in line with mine.

My partner and I agree that we would not take any very involved trips (especially plane) with the kids until they can walk and talk properly and until we can be sure they will profit the most from it. This means no big trips until they are four or five unless it can absolutely not be avoided.

I love to travel, too, but I think this is the better solution for me. I will find things like zoos, circus, magicians, sea world, aquariums, planetariums, botanical gardens in a range that doesn't require a huge outlay in time and money. If I do make that outlay, I want everybody to profit fully, not just me. I also want as little hassle as possible so it doesn't distract from the experience.

So much more than the question of whether to go to Cali or Florida it is a question of principle and one that many people might not consider because marketing suggests that going to D.Land with your kiddos is the thing you gotta do.

Till
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Old Jun 8, 2009, 3:16 pm
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We took our 11-month-old twins to Cayman for 10 days and had a ball. Now we're considering Disneyworld this fall, when they'll be about one and a half.

We've also taken them on extensive travels throughout Ontario and to Vermont. They love airplanes and boats as well as cars. Ours have been travelling since they were just weeks old. So we so no problem travelling with three year olds.

Having said that, which I did to respond to some of the negativity here, the OP's question wasn't WHETHER to travel to Disney but to WHICH Disney. While we haven't made it to Disney yet with the twins, we have done a fair bit of research and have concluded our first choice is Disney World in Florida.

Our rationale includes the onsite accommodation choices, the ease of transportation to the various attractions with children, the ability to return to our hotel room at any time, and the vast array of attractions - which are just as much of interest to us as well as they are to the kids. While our dynamic duo might not know Mickey from Goofy, they sure know fun when they see it! And they love the water, which abounds at DW.

That's our view, anyway.

Cheers,

PS - At the risk of being provocative, I can't resist adding w've already booked our flights to Australia in January to take advantage of flying free before the kids turn two!
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Old Jun 8, 2009, 5:52 pm
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That's great and sounds really good at the stage you are at. Personally having taken my child (now 7) everywhere around the world since he was weeks old (Brazil, Puerto Rico, Antigua, St. Lucia, Barbados, Sri Lanka, South Africa x2, Indonesia x2, Hong Kong, China, Myanmar, Singapore x4, Thailand x2, UK x6, Sweden, France x2, Germany, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Greece, Cyprus, South Africa x2, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Oman, Dubai x4, Abu Dhabi and a few other places) that quite frankly much of his travels before 3 or 4 years old are effectively lost, and while he may have enjoyed some animals here, or a beach there ultimately the only memories that he has are either fragmented or reconstructed through pictures. I don't regret any of the trips (maybe one or two) and do believe that they may have some positive effects in future years, but in reality any trip you take before 5 is up to you as using an elephant as an example, there is no difference to a three year old whether the elephant they see is in a zoo or wild in the Serengheti.....
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Old Jun 8, 2009, 7:53 pm
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We took our kids to both Disney Land and Disney World when they were little - probably starting when the youngest was 15 - 18 months and in a stroller. Typically this was when I was attending a business conference held at the resort, or we were all visiting the elderly retired grandparents living in Florida - that is, we were adding the theme park to a trip we were making anyway.

I prefer Disney World, staying at one of the hotels on the monorail. That way it is a short trip back to the hotel for a nap, lunch or just a break for swimming in the hotel pool, which is very helpful for the youngest kids, less than 5 - 6 years old, who tire more easily and still need naps. I second the vote for the character breakfast - the kids loved that! There are also multiple parks in both the Disney World complex, and in the area. My kids enjoyed visiting Sea World and the Kennedy Space Center, and also Daytona Beach, which is about an hour from Orlando; they loved the fact that you can drive your car on the beach itself.
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Old Jun 8, 2009, 8:18 pm
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I have been to both land and world. Living 7 miles from the world, i am biased. While I would suggest waiting til the magic age of 5, you can still have a good vacation in MCO with very young children. My main suggestion is not trying to do everything in one trip.... Plan to rest in the afternoon. I see way too many exhausted and cranky families who tried to go around the world in three days or less.

Have fun!
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Old Jun 11, 2009, 3:26 am
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We don't know OP's motivations.

BTW, my wife insisted taking my then 3 year old son to WDW (because she wanted to go) when she was staying in the area visiting relatives, and it turned out to be an expensive 2 hours--that's the amount of time it took him to be bored and scared at the same time. She didn't get to have fun either, and the memories are of a total--and expensive--bust.

I'd save your hard-earned money and spend time instead somewhere that's more interesting and constructive to kids of that age. Like the zoo. Or a wildlife preserve. Or a children's museum. Or an aquarium. We have some great memories of him discovering --and being amazed at -- jellyfishes.
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Old Jun 11, 2009, 7:59 am
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Originally Posted by hillrider
BTW, my wife insisted taking my then 3 year old son to WDW (because she wanted to go) when she was staying in the area visiting relatives, and it turned out to be an expensive 2 hours--that's the amount of time it took him to be bored and scared at the same time.
Wow, four theme parks and two water parks in two hours? You must have all had your jet packs on!
Originally Posted by hillrider
I'd save your hard-earned money and spend time instead somewhere that's more interesting and constructive to kids of that age. Like the zoo. Or a wildlife preserve. Or a children's museum. Or an aquarium. We have some great memories of him discovering --and being amazed at -- jellyfishes.
Anyway, I can smell the condescension of all-things-Disney from here; I am very familiar with it because my in-laws exude it too. I am also not at all surprised that your child did not enjoy the trip, given the negative vibes you must have been giving off during the visit.

And just as an FYI...WDW has a zoo...and a wildlife preserve...and an aquarium.
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Old Jun 11, 2009, 3:45 pm
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Originally Posted by GrnMtnMan
Wow, four theme parks and two water parks in two hours? You must have all had your jet packs on!

Anyway, I can smell the condescension of all-things-Disney from here; I am very familiar with it because my in-laws exude it too. I am also not at all surprised that your child did not enjoy the trip, given the negative vibes you must have been giving off during the visit.

And just as an FYI...WDW has a zoo...and a wildlife preserve...and an aquarium.
I don't think you understood hillrider correctly. It took his 3yo son two hours to be bored and scared. It's not that they only planned two hours to do the whole thing. They, and especially the child, had enough of it already after two hours. I can understand very well how this is frustrating if you just spend probably more than $100, if not 200, on this little family outing.

I also think hillrider finds the zoo and his other suggestions pedagogically more valuable than what is typically associated with Disney, meaning comic figures and rides. I tend to agree with that. It is nice to know that WDW has all these things.

What he meant was probably that in order to go to the zoo etc. you don't NEED to go to WDW. There are zoos and such all over the place and they are usually more accessible than Disney.

So, I don't think it has much if anything to do with condescension. But, it goes without saying, there are things that from an absolute standpoint can only be condescended upon. Disney is probably not one of them.

As a child I was the most voracious reader of Disney comics and loved the films. They gave me much joy and I learned a lot. His point was probably the same as my point in my initial post, saying that Disney with a 3yo is a waste of time and money. Save it for when they are older, say 6 or 7, perhaps as a reward for the first year of school. Of course, one could say attending school should be self-evident and not be rewarded. That's another discussion.

Would be interesting to hear back from the OP before we continue arguing about what is best for his children.

Till
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