young children on a Disney cruise.

[wendydarling33]

We waited until our kids were 3 so they could go to the club/lab. I wanted to have the flexibility of the club/lab hours and not have to schedule hours in advance in the nursery. They probably would've enjoyed it younger.

 

[lorimay]

We took our grandkids on their first DCL cruise for our 25th anniversary in 2012, our granddaughter was just shy of 2 and he was 3, They loved it, they called it "Mickey's Boat" and constantly asked when we are going back. She was only able to go to the nursery, but he had a blast in the clubs. We are getting ready for our 5th cruise with them in Sept. for their dads 30th birthday. He will want to live in the club and lab, her not as much.

 

[My_Pooh]

I have a wide age spread with my 3 children which means the other children would miss out if waited until they were all at a "good age." That being said, I think the cruise is much better than Disney for young children. 1) they have babysitting- at a cost but less than we pay at home. That allows us to have to have adult meals, etc. 2) if the child needs a nap or is having a melt down...go back to your room in less than 5 mins. 3) the other children don't miss off if the baby isn't having a good day. 4) the little ones love the open houses at the kids clubs, splash area, walking the rack, unlimited ice cream and sometimes the characters. 5) the excursions were never an issue because our children love the beach, find a tour or we stay on the boat. 6) I would recommend setting up the nursery at least one night to have a good meal in peace with your other children 7) most the servers I've had go out of their way to entertain the little ones while you eat at MDR. Disney cruise is a win for everyone.

 

[RedStars]

My youngest was 3.5 on our last cruise. I felt he was a little too young, especially for the kids club.
On our next cruise the kids will be 6 and 9. I'm looking forward to more kids club time for them.

 

[Summer12315]

We went when my youngest was almost 9 months. It was, well I wouldn't say awful, but it was not relaxing. I had to take him out of a dinner or two and I had to miss most of the shows. He couldn't do the pools or ideas other a lot of the activities so we always had to split up. I barely slept because he got a little cold and he barely slept. I vowed not to go back until he was 3 and potty trained. I think it has a lot to do with the temperament of the kids and the parents, as well as what you expect to get out of your cruise, but for me the answer is 3 and potty trained. They can go to the kids club, sit through a meal or show, play in the pools and Mickey slide, and actually enjoy things like meeting characters.

 

[Kaleea]

Just got off the Disney Fantasy with my just turned 3 in June Daughter. She loved it but it was kind of limiting for us. A good portion of what we were interested in happened in the early to late evening (Early seating for dinner so shows started at 8:30pm). Port excursions for the most part gathered and left early (between 7:30 and 9). My DD doesn't do well with less than 12 hours of sleep so we missed some of the shows in favor of getting her to bed and once she was in bed, someone had to stay with her. It means we missed out on most of the adult entertainment. The port excursions that seemed best suited for her were beach breaks where we could just sit and play in the ocean / sand / swimming pools.

 

[cdoc29]

Our youngest was 19 months old on her first Disney cruise (son was 4) She was old enough at the time to tell us she wanted to go to the nursery to play which to me equates to her having a good time at the moment. The next cruise she was 3 years and one day and old enough for the Kids Club but after trying for the first three days to put her in the club with her older brother we realized that while she was allowed at 3 her speed was still the nursery so we put her in there again and she loved it. She doesn’t remember the first cruise but her favorite activity 6 months after the last cruise and 9 months till the next is “packing for the Disney cruise” as she is looking forward to the next one which tells me not only did she enjoy it, she is old enough to look forward to the next one.

If you are only planning on one Disney Cruise in your life I would wait till your older, but as my wife and I like to cruise starting early doesn’t make a difference as they will enjoy it and at some part start developing memories of the vacation.

 

[DisneyMom2000000]

Thank you all for your input! This really helps!!

 

[hpsalb]

Youngest has been just shy of 7 months. We had an OBB and very small window from the time he was old enough to the end of our window.

Both of my kids have cruised as toddlers/preschoolers. We typically do shorter cruises out of PC with a few days in Orlando. No trip is easy with a small child, but we still want to travel and this is an easy enough trip for us with littles.

 

[smiths02]

Our twins will be nearly 6 when we go (and our oldest who has never cruised will be barely 12). I think they would have been fine at 3 1/2-4 once they were fully potty trained.
Honestly, we didn't take any of our kids on any "family vacations" before around 3 years old. To me, it is just not a vacation if I have to worry about taking care of babies or putting them in a nursery or with a sitter to do things. Even having an older kid, we kind of halted travel. To be fair, mine were twins, though.

 

[kboo]

Wow, so many different experiences and responses. We have gone to WDW multiple times since we had kids (now almost 6 and 20 months), and when they were toddlers and babies. Traveled and flown extensively with DD1 since she was 6 weeks old, and DD2 since she was even younger (family emergency; first planned air travel was 6 wks). DD2's first trips to WDW were during maternity leave, when she was 2.5 and 5 months old. We definitely toured differently, but still enjoyed it. It sounds like a cruise (we leave in 2 weeks!!!!) will be more relaxing and easier, but at the same time, it's our first big boat cruise with kids ever, and it just looks like a lot of hassle to take our kids out for very long at any of the ports. And the younger one isn't potty trained, but loves the pool like her older sister. So it looks like we will have to split up a bit and take turns with the kids.

 

[DLgal]

I would wait until they were tall enough/old enough to do all the "fun stuff" like slides, clubs, pools etc in addition to being able to sit nicely at dinner for 2 hours.

I think 5 is perfect. Ours were 6 and 8 the first cruise. Perfect ages, IMO.

I saw so many parents struggling with babies/toddlers on the cruises we have been on. Just doesn't look fun to me. It's an expensive vacation and it should be something every one enjoys.

And FWIW, I was visiting Disneyland with my oldest from the time he was 4 months old. We went constantly with him and then my youngest when he came along 2 years later. I have a completely different opinion about taking little ones to the parks. Totally down with that. It's very different from a cruise. Cruises, IMO, have a severe lack of things for kids under 3 to actually DO and places to explore. Bored toddlers are badly behaved toddlers, and that affects everyone.

 

[pezgirlroy]

We will be going in April of next year with a 7 year old and a 2 year old. It is a treat from my parents who are also going. I was not going to say no and say hey lets wait a few years so we will just figure it out with her. I do plan on having her go to the nursery and will work with taking her out to dinner. We will also have "built in babysitters" so that my husband and I can do things at night. We are also concierge so have a bit more space in the room. It will be an adventure.

 

[hanscarlet]

Our first was when our oldest was 5.5. and youngest was 2.5, it was wonderful, we really enjoyed it. My kids are in blue, I loved the lady who was singing, missed her on the dream this time around.

 

[darnheather]

I think under 3 it's not how much they will enjoy it, it's how much you will enjoy it. I loved taking my youngest to Disney when she was 9 months old. She loved the shows and music and characters. But I would not have enjoyed a cruise with her at that age. For me a cruise is being apart from my children at least a few hours a day.

 

[pezgirlroy]

Our first was when our oldest was 5.5. and youngest was 2.5, it was wonderful, we really enjoyed it. My kids are in blue, I loved the lady who was singing, missed her on the dream this time around.

That video is just wonderful. My only concern is how my youngest will do with characters. At that age her sister was def. not a fan.

 

[pezgirlroy]

I think under 3 it's not how much they will enjoy it, it's how much you will enjoy it. I loved taking my youngest to Disney when she was 9 months old. She loved the shows and music and characters. But I would not have enjoyed a cruise with her at that age. For me a cruise is being apart from my children at least a few hours a day.

Just curious, but would you not have used the nursery?

 

[darnheather]

Just curious, but would you not have used the nursery?

Probably not. 1) I'm cheap. 2) I breastfed and my kids were attached to me 24/7. 3) Maybe. But I never had them cared for by others so it would have been strange for me.

 

[pezgirlroy]

Probably not. 1) I'm cheap. 2) I breastfed and my kids were attached to me 24/7. 3) Maybe. But I never had them cared for by others so it would have been strange for me.

That makes sense. My kids are day care kids so they (and I) are pretty used to that setting. And I get the being cheap part.

 

[Chrislovesdisney]

What is the youngest age you have or would take a child on a Disney cruise?

NOT because of them remembering it, but because of activities and ability to actually enjoy the trip?

My oldest was 4.5, and she was completely star-struck by the characters. It was absolutely magical. It's so hard to predict when that wonderment and magic ends and they realize it's people dressed up. Maybe I have another year? She was old enough to stay up for all the shows, and genuinely had a ball. Great age.