Would you rather.....

[monica9]

go with a 9 1/2 year old and 13 month old
pros:
9 year old still gets in as child
cons:
13 month old is currently 7 months old and won't nap in stroller. Not sure how she will be in 6 months but assuming the same.

go with 10 1/2 year old and 25 month old
pros:
baby is older and will recognize disney characters and hopefully not need to nap as much
cons:
10 year old will be charge as an adult.
have to wait another whole year before going. :-(

 

[Hikergirl]

I would go with a 9 year old and a 13 month old. My kids were much easier to "control" at 1 year as opposed to 2 years. By control I mean they were content sitting in a stroller for a longer period of time. When they were 2, they didn't want to sit still at all.

 

[MaggieBags]

Agree with Hikergirl. Most 2 years can't be reasoned with and when they're done, they're done (in lines, in restaurants, etc). At this younger age you'll have a much better chance keeping her in the stroller or holding her when she's over a situation. Plus you won't have to wait a year

 

[monica9]

Interesting. I would think for sure people would say 2 years old. can an average height 13 month old go on any rides though? I would hope she can go on a few.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Interesting. I would think for sure people would say 2 years old. can an average height 13 month old go on any rides though? I would hope she can go on a few.

she can ride anything without a height requirement which is a lot esp at MK. our 4 month old granddaughter loved riding rides.

 

[monica9]

Another pro for going this year is that we won't have to pay for an airplane ticket for her because she will be under 2 years old. Trying to hard to convince my husband to go this year. He thinks it's crazy to bring a 13 month old on a plane and to Disney considering she cries easily if overtired and won't fall asleep in our arms. But she just turned 7 months. A lot can change in 6 months! I'd think she will be even tougher at years old running around.

 

[jpeterson]

Another pro for going this year is that we won't have to pay for an airplane ticket for her because she will be under 2 years old. Trying to hard to convince my husband to go this year. He thinks it's crazy to bring a 13 month old on a plane and to Disney considering she cries easily if overtired and won't fall asleep in our arms. But she just turned 7 months. A lot can change in 6 months! I'd think she will be even tougher at years old running around.

Don't project any current behaviors on how she will behave in 6 months. That's an eternity in baby time. I would take them earlier. Infant won't get as much out of it, but she also doesn't really cost much extra.

Personally, I would go both times!

 

[monica9]

Bummer. I usually book a year out and always on top of promotions and always get the resort and promotion I want. Well since it's 6 months out, the free dining is not available for what we are looking for and even looking at regular packages in hopes that room discounts will come out in August, nothing is available. Agh. Waiting until August in hopes that they have some deluxe resort rooms set aside for discount room promotion.

 

[monica9]

Don't project any current behaviors on how she will behave in 6 months. That's an eternity in baby time. I would take them earlier. Infant won't get as much out of it, but she also doesn't really cost much extra.

Personally, I would go both times!

Yes, if I could, I would go twice too but we are doing a cruise next June so I only get one Disney vacation for the next couple of years!

 

[kboo]

I would go now and get the kid pricing for the older child. I've taken a 2-ish year old and also an infant to WDW (not the same kid) - and I wouldn't worry too much about the 13 month old. The good thing is they won't be as mobile so will be more content to be held/put in carrier/in stroller, and also a LOT less vocal/tantrum-y. The 13-mo old will be easier to handle, and the saving $ on the older child is a definite!

(also if you are going with 2 adults, would it be possible to do an afternoon break with just one adult and the baby? I feel your pain, my ODD also wouldn't nap in the stroller; my YDD does it easily)

 

[westie55]

You can't really predict your baby's behavior that far into the future, but I have gone with babies at 11 months and 21 months (similar to the ages you are considering) and both trips were fine. Note that at 11 months my son was fine with characters. At 21 months, he was afraid of them. Don't count on the 2 year old being better with characters. Assume your LO will be scared, and be pleasantly surprised if she isn't.

What you do know for sure is that your 9 yr old will be cheaper than a 10 yr old. Of the two ages, I'd pick going earlier. At 13 months your daughter probably won't be old enough for tantrums. By two, you may find yourself in a different situation Having said that, my son has been great on all his Disney trips besides very small incidents here and there so you will likely have a great time whatever you decide!

 

[monica9]

Thanks for all the help. Your comments helped me convince my husband to book this year. We just booked AKL for December!

 

[Meeko5]

My 11 month old wouldn't sit more than 10 min in a stroller, much less nap in one. At Disney he napped every day in a stroller and was content for much longer stretches sitting and people watching. I was amazed.

Go earlier - save yourself money on a Disney kid, a lap infant on the plane too. Mine were 11 months and 5 when we first went and we all had a blast!

 

[keepswimming76]

Have a great time at AKL! I agree that going this year is the better option. In my experience, 13 month-old is much easier to handle than a 2 year-old.

 

[jvz82]

Agree with comments. I've taken a 12 month old who was a billion trillion times easier than the two times that I've taken a 2 year old. 2 year olds are insane. 1 year olds are still babies and sweet and cuddly. If baby won't nap in a stroller, bring a baby carrier. My 12 month old napped well in our arms on rides and during shows and that was enough to keep him going, even if the naps were short.

 

[monica9]

Agree with comments. I've taken a 12 month old who was a billion trillion times easier than the two times that I've taken a 2 year old. 2 year olds are insane. 1 year olds are still babies and sweet and cuddly. If baby won't nap in a stroller, bring a baby carrier. My 12 month old napped well in our arms on rides and during shows and that was enough to keep him going, even if the naps were short.

I meant to ask that question. So if I am using a baby carrier, can I sit on a ride with her in my carrier if she isn't sitting in the ride? I'm talking the slow, no height restriction rides.

 

[kboo]

I meant to ask that question. So if I am using a baby carrier, can I sit on a ride with her in my carrier if she isn't sitting in the ride? I'm talking the slow, no height restriction rides.

Generally, yes, and especially facing out. There are some instances where they may tell you to take the baby out of the carrier and face out, usually because of the lap bar. I haven't detected any rhyme or reason to when they do and don't do that (and have seen posts with different experiences from mine, on the SAME rides) - I'm looking at you, TSMM... DH and I each rode a few times with her sleeping (!) in the carrier, then another time were told to take her out.

Here are rides where we kept the baby inward facing on our fronts, but I think I have seen posts here indicating different experiences on all of these:
TSMM, small world, Dumbo, Aladdin, People mover, Pooh, Peter Pan, Haunted Mansion, Pirates, Buzz Lightyear

 

[Meeko5]

I meant to ask that question. So if I am using a baby carrier, can I sit on a ride with her in my carrier if she isn't sitting in the ride? I'm talking the slow, no height restriction rides.

I wore mine on some, but many of them made me take him out and hold him in my lap. I know for sure we had to do that on PPF, Pooh, and Astro orbitor

 

[JessHuis]

I think it really depends on the baby, but my daughter was way harder at 1 year old than 2, so I would pick the 10 year old and the 25 month old.

Plus, by 2, my daughter could recognize the characters, so I think that would be more fun.

 

[monorailsilver]

I would take full atvantage do the child ticket. Mine will all be Disney adults next trip...ugh!

As far as napping in the stroller, for us, we are rope drop, return to room mid day to nap and return at night kind of people.