When did kids get to old?

[BigThunder]

My girls are 6 & 10. I am always worried that once they hit teens they won't enjoy WDW anymore. Do any of you have older kids now & do they still enjoy it? Or do any of you have grown kids & did they go through a spell of thinking WDW was for babies? I am hoping mine never go through this but I've already heard some of my 10yo's friends make comments about WDW which just amaze me! :rolleyes:

[Johnie]

Sacrilege! I can't even imagine....

DD is 13 and we had a conversation not too long ago. She said she wouldn't ever get tired of Disney. There is plenty of stuff for teens to do.

[Mickeymac]

DS is 13, and from 11 until this very trip, he's been kind of against going. Ray convinced me to let him spread his wings a bit last October, and so he went off on his own and did a 'thrill ride' day and went with us to Pleasure Island. Now he's excited for this trip. He's also hoping to be able to hang out with kids his own age though, and I know Johnie's DD's going, and hoping DC's DS will go too. I do think it makes a bit of difference.

[tajainaz]

We didn't have that many options for fun when we were growing up, so day trips to Disneyland always were a welcome interlude. Vacations meant driving for days to reach the midwest or east coast or Canada to visit family we didn't know well. As an adult, I'm glad we did that, because I'm closer to my cousins than I would have been otherwise! :hehe:

Many kids today have after school programs, sports and other special interest camps, and are exposed to a lot more of the world at a younger age, no matter how carefully parents try to shield them from some aspects. Their toys and games are much more sophisticated, which is good in some ways and less so in others. They understand technology, but don't know how to create or do things for themselves. If it breaks, buy something new. And peer pressure is much greater than I remember it. Although my mother's favorite comment about that was: "Would you jump off a cliff if so-and-so told you to do it?" I think mothers still say just about the same thing!

It's exactly the same thing our parents said about our generation! :lol:


__________________
Taja http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung0304/natur/nature-smiley-016.gif

[Ilovetink]

My niece is 21. She has been to Disney several times as a child and still chose Disney as a high school graduation present. She is also using her college graduation present as an excuse to go to Disney. I think that for the most part, once you have Disney in your system, you never get it out.

[MystikPiglit]

My children are now 29 and 23 and they have loved each visit, from going as youngsters until now.

(I am a lot older than that and I still looove going! :D )

[wdwgrandma]

My DD, in her early 30's, loves WDW even tho she's only been once - on her honeymoon! But she can't wait until she can go with us!!!!

[BigThunder]

Oh, it's good to know that so many do still love going. My girls, especially my oldest, seem to love it as much as me. But, every now & then I see something that makes me think, "oh no, pretty soon this isn't going to be a thrill". I've been told that when my oldest reaches teen years then I may have to let her bring a friend but I dont' want to do that!! It's our family vacation & I don't really want someone else along so she'll ignore us & her sister which is exactly what would happen. Hopefully I've raised them right & they will never grow weary of trips to WDW!

[BevW]

Ok, now my 2 cents. We would take the kids to either Disneyland or WDW a lot. Their first trip to Disneyland, our kids were 6, 2, and 8 months. Then when they were 10, 6, & 4 we made our first trip to WDW, and we would go quite often after that. Almost once every year or every other year. It got to the point where we'd tell the kids "We're going to DisneyWorld!!" And they'd all say 'AGAIN!! We just went!"

They did this for quite a while, so that's when DH and I would go by ourselves, and believe me, that's a whole other adventure.

Now that they're in thier early to mid 20's with kid of their own, they're all back to loving the Mouse again.

So even if your kids go through a "Oh Man, we're going to WDW again!" stage, never fear, they'll come back to it.

[ssttrasotm]

I remember being your typical jaded teen, and I only went because my mom let me drive a little. The truth is I would never let on at that time, that I had the time of my life. It would ruin the whole jaded teen image. She was pretty cool about letting my brother and I explore by ourselves. We still did family things, so she could see us roll our eyes, and look like little kids when we thought she wasn't watching.

[BigThunder]

It's funny, when I just made our ressies for October, I was so excited when I got off the phone with dvc. Well, my 6yo was balling her eyes out so I looked at my 10yo like "what did you do". When I asked her what was wrong she said "I don't want to go back to Disney World, we just got back!". I explained to her we wouldn't be leaving for months but inside i was just thinking, my kids are ingrates!

[marivigi]

They will be extra excited when the time comes!!!

Just remember, kids measure time a different way than we do, and most of the time they dont understand all the "early planning"..... because their concept of time is totally different

I am sure they will have a great time when they go...

I went to WDW at 10, at 14 and at 15 ...... and had been longing to go back ever since, until I finally went last September... and it was AWESOME!!..... therefore, Ill be going there for my honeymoon :)

[BevW]

I explained to her we wouldn't be leaving for months but inside i was just thinking, my kids are ingrates!

Exactly what I used to think. I would tell my kids "You guys get to go to WDW more than anyone I ever knew, and you don't want to go!" My friends would all volunteer to go in my kids places.. :rotfl: and the kids would agree to it..... :shrug:

[BigThunder]

They do get excited when the time comes to go. But it's the excitement I compare to me going to Kings Island as a kid. But what can I expect I guess. I feel very fortunate that I get to take them so often as I didn't get to go as a kid. To them, it's just what we do, they don't really no otherwise.

[candyman]

my 14 year old loved it last time
but only because we stayed on site simply so he could go off on his own and do his own thing.
we had breakfast together
then he went to whatever park he fancied and me and karen went our own way till evening meal when we met up again had a meal and lots of nights he stayed with us
i must add he was a very very old 14 yearold
he was always very independant

lots of days he went to blizzard beach or mountain riding or rock and roller coaster
another favourite of his was disney quest

when i told him i was going again this year --he is 17 now and does not live with me but with his mum--he said he wished he could afford to come with us but even though he earns morethan me now he also spends more than me so cant afford it .

steve

[PaulaK]

Lois pulls that " :rolleyes: not again " face at almost 8, she's 'bored' by Disney. :eek: When we get there though, I see that little face light up and she can't pretend to be so cool she's untouched by the magic anymore :D

[Em&WillsMum]

I must admit that my 2nd trip to Disney when I was 13 I thought that I was too cool for it and I didn't enjoy it (or tried not to) when I passed that hormonal period of my life I was again converted to the magical land of Disney. No worry's any teen who pretends not to like Disney will get over it!!

[wrtinch]

I have just been back to WDW with my DW and my now 22 y/o DS and his fiancee. Thought we would take them along with us as a sort of engagement present to them. I think he was keener than ever to get to the parks. We have been taking him since he was about 3 years old and he never got tired of it. First there's not too many rides they can do then they get tall enough to go an all the rides with you, then they get old enough to go on the rides without you, then they get old enough to be able to go out and do their own thing, then they get old enough to drive, then they get to show their girl friends just what WDW is all about. The next stage will be taking his future family and so it starts again. Hopefully he'll want his maw and paw along as babysitters when that happens!
That chap Disney was no fool was he?

[candyman]

I have just been back to WDW with my DW and my now 22 y/o DS and his fiancee. Thought we would take them along with us as a sort of engagement present to them. I think he was keener than ever to get to the parks. We have been taking him since he was about 3 years old and he never got tired of it. First there's not too many rides they can do then they get tall enough to go an all the rides with you, then they get old enough to go on the rides without you, then they get old enough to be able to go out and do their own thing, then they get old enough to drive, then they get to show their girl friends just what WDW is all about. The next stage will be taking his future family and so it starts again. Hopefully he'll want his maw and paw along as babysitters when that happens!
That chap Disney was no fool was he?


what a good reply
and yes the man was a genius

steve

[uscwest]

A work colleague just took his 11 and 14 year olds to WDW. He told me this AM that they were totally bored and opted for Busch Gardens and Universal instead.

[lovinmom]

I can't imagine ever really outgrowing the magic of Disney. And to those who say they are bored I imagine that they have no imagination. :wink:

[wrtinch]

I can understand male teenagers ( I have little experience of the female variety) preferring Universal and particularly the IoA. IoA especially is more or less a collection of thrill rides of particular appeal to this age group while WDW has a bit more - I don;t know, is it sentiment - about it which is perhaps an anathema to a growing lad.
However, I suspect that the planning was done to suit the parent, not the children, if they were bored at WDW. I never had that problem. As mine got older they got more freedom to so their own thing in a park and boredom never entered the equation.

[Goofy Girl]

Tired of Disney? :nono: :ohno: :slap:


I'm a 36 year old kid, and I'll NEVER get tired of WDW! :micbounce

[candyman]

i know the best thing for my 14 year old was disney quest
i think out of the 14 days we were at WDW he spent att least part of 12 days in there
and even by the end of the holiday he had converted me!!

the rest of his time was split between white knuckle rides
and blizzard beach

steve

[JuniorMickey]

I'm 25, and I've been going to Disney since before I was born (my mom went when she was preggers with me) My upcoming trip will be my 28th and it never gets old. The chill that goes down my spine when I see Cinderella's castle is always there.

[dcfromva]

My DS-15 still enjoys WDW, but he thinks we go too often. We have gone every year since he was 2 (except for 1992) and since 1998, we have gone more than one time per year.

Next year, we are going to scale back considerably ( :cry: ) as we have to save points for a big family gathering in Jan 2006. We may only go once in 2005--or may delay until the summer of 2006--depending on how many points we need for the Jan 2006 trip. (I still have to model my point usage plans :) ).

So, I am curious to see if we give WDW a break if DS will start asking me when are we going to WDW again.... :) (I'm also curious to see if I will be able to hold out as I am breaking out in a sweat at the thought of not going in 2005. :lol: )

DS has also told me that he thinks we go on vacation too often, in general! (Unless it's some spot he's picked out, of course...) :D

-DC :ears:

[candyman]

mylast trip in 2001 followed our previous trip in 2000
and while i still thought it was magic i definatly found it more exciting leaving a bigger gap between visits
having said that i would not refuse a trip 4 times a year


steve

[Kevin]

Too old for Disney is there such a thing? :micbounce We have been five times first time kids were 3, 5, and 7. The last visit they were 15, 17 and 19 going and :tink: 16, 17 and 20 coming back. Whilst planning I dared to suggest that we could give Disney a miss on this trip and do more Universal, Seaworld and touring Orlando. :tantrum: You would have thought I had said the world was ending tomorrow. The oldest has not been on holiday with us the past two years but as soon as we said we were off to Disney he made his interest known. :overhere:

[candyman]

my 17 year old , although not living with us now said he wished he still lived with us and perhaps then we would have taken him with us !!
i said we still would if he paid as he earns more than i do
suddenly he changed his mind

steve

[WindyLea]

I'm a 30 year old big kid and I'm not too old! It's still, hands down, my favorite vacation place! And this is the 1st year we're even taking a child with us!

[Kevin]

Someone ought to tell the security at Detroit that no one's too old for Disney. Flew into Detroit last Thursday to get a connection to Orlando, ok I was a middle aged man travelling alone, but can't I go to Disney on my own. I was given a good grilling, when I explained that I was meeting my brother and his young family there the next day I was finally allowed in, only to be stopped again and asked if I was meeting anyone in Orlando by another guard. I appreciate security is a lot tighter now so did not mind being quizzed just have to make sure I take a child (besides me) with me next time :lol:

[Josette]

I am 17 and still lovin WDW!!!!

[jumpwhatI><I]

well im 13 and i dont find myself not wanting to go anytime soon.....i still love it! in fact im the one who wants to go there in the first place....the rest of my family isnt that crazy about it.

[twink]

mine are 16 and 13 both boys..... when we were booking our next trip i asked the oldest if he wanted to go or if he wanted to stay home he said no way you going disney without me :)

[Wendy]

I was concerned last year about our DS who was just turned 14.
I just made sure we did US and IOA also as well as Typhoon lagoon, one of his favourites. We also split up in the Parks quite often.....one of the best days of the trip for me was when just DS and me went to IOA whilst DH took the girls to Disc. Cove.
It was a really special day and I got to spend some very rare one on one time with my DS. Got a great pic from The Hulk coaster too! :thumbs:
I also remmeber worrying about the character meals....how would DS feel? Well, as long as there was plenty of food, he was happy. The characters didn't "crowd" him, although I noticed he did indeed sneak a smile when Piglet went to shake his hand at Crystal Palace, then asked for a hug and DS agreed!
(of course, I wasn't allowed to photo that moment!)

[Kitten]

I think that the only reason some teens object to going to Disney is because of what there school friends say. Some people say Disney is Lame, but that is only because they have never experienced the magic for them selves.

[Dsnylvr88]

No worries....I'm 17 and i probably look forward to going to WDW more than my 10 year old sister does. Most my friends head to Cancun, the Bahamas,exotic islands off the coast of Africa, South Beach...but I prefer WDW. And i usaully end up having quite a number of friends who say "oooh you're so lucky! I love disney!" And one more point: my 20 year old brother would give nething to be able to come with us, but he's in COLLEGE, and can't get time off from school to go to WDW!

[simbo]

My first trip was when I was 24. I had always wanted to go but mum and dad didn't. Since then we have been almost every year and will be there in 6 weeks. I love it!!! Our daughter is also loving it more everytime we go.

[Dizneemad]

MY DD is 18 this year and DS is 17. THey did not come with us last July and are not coming this April either. Last July they were pleased they were not coming but as this years trip grow nearer they are regretting not coming now. The other big kid(my DW) would go wild if I didn't take her.:rotfl:

[d_dreamer]

once again, i state this: you are never too old for disney, never

[cmdbuddy]

It's possible to get too old for Disney World? I never grow tired of it. Everybody used to make fun of me for going instead of going to Mardi Gras each year, but I certainly don't mind. Yea, being with my family constantly for a week can get on my nerves, but that's the same way with any family vacation.

[BigThunder]

I started this post way back last summer & here I find myself coming to it again. I've been trying hard to keep from going BACK to WDW again this summer. I am trying to force us to do something different since I know we will be back there in Dec. Well, I'm online searching for lodging at a couple different beaches & not finding anything I'm even close to happy with. :wacko: So I say to my husband how frustrating this is & my 11 yo DD (the one I was originally concerned about) chimes in "why don't we just go back to WDW this summer". Ahhh, a proud smile came to my face. I think I've raised her right after all! :wink:

[simbo]

Big sigh of relief!!! You have obviously brought her up to value the important things in life:) . Looks like you will have your way after all. You can get down to planning for that vacation as well as the December one.:D

There isn't an upper age limit I just think you either fall for the magic or you don't.

Simbo

[pluto]

999999999999 years old isn't even close

[d_dreamer]

hahah yes :lol:

[marivigi]

You certainly have!

[Perdita67]

I Agree, Kids never get too old for disney! If adults can still enjoy it kids can too!!!

[d_dreamer]

To answer the original question: Well, that depends, how old are you when you get cynical?

[FlowersFriend]

BigThunder I am 28 years old and have not outgrown DisneyWorld. I shall let no one take away my right to like DisneyWorld, Flower , the movie Bambi , and of course I shall not let them take away my right to sleep with stuff animals lol. If all they can say is I am too old for this well it's my right to do these things if I like doing them so I will :)

Well I don't know if your kids will outgrow it or not for a time. I do know of some teenagers who are boys who like going to DisneyWorld and I don't hear of anyone saying bad things about that. I guess just tell your kids not to worry so much about what people think.

[josh.p.]

my friend who we are goign to wdw was 14 on his 1st visit and he loved it. i know i will love it. he is 16 now and he can't stop talking about our visit in july we are both so excited

[PumbaNY]

due to our great DVC membership, we see the park often, and I could not go 6 months without making a trip.(it has been sunce last august and I am dying to return!!!! :wink: but i too have worried that my children would be disneyed out, since they have been to WDW 16 or 17 times at the ages of 10 & 14. My son says he likes it still, when he was young rides like TT or RR or SM he feared, so now he will go on them. We also try to bring a friend or relative along so we let the teens go on their own so they have a good time at that "alone thing". we also have been adding on 4 or 5 days to universal, "I thought I would never say that"!! :blush: but it does realy have some rides the older kids really like, and some the younger ones like(nothing like WDW to me :wink: " My sister inlaw is now 24 since she was little she always taged along with us to our trips to WDW and she just graduated college last summer and met us at the WL with her boyfriend. They got engaged there!!!! They also will tag along with us as a couple now, Magical things do happen at WDW :yes: :angel: :yes: :angel:

[katie_patie]

hi

[Alyssa]

Is it possible to get to old for Disney? My friends and I could have chosen anywhere to go for our graduation trip (Including Jamaica, London, or w/ everyone else to Virginia, yeah right!) but no, we choose got to WDW! I am 17 and my frineds are 18, except for one who will be turning 18 on the train ride home form WDW! Anyway I don't think you have to worry about your kids out growing WDW!

[Shanrich96]

Look at us as adults how much we still love going!!

[BigThunder]

Thanks Alyssa, it's good to hear it straight from a teens mouth! And not just you, your friends must like it too. I can't think of a place I would feel safer letting my girls go as a graduation present!

[Belle230]

I am a teen and i love Disney World more now then when i was a kid. I really like Epcot and MGM. Your kids may not be interested in the same things anymore but they probably still love Disney. I think that your never to old for Disney.:D

[d_dreamer]

I got an idea, what if Walts real idea for DL and WDW was to transfer us to Never Land, because you do never get old enough for it, and when your there, you feel like a little kid again.

[tajainaz]

Having grown up at and with Disneyland (California), I always loved being able to spend a day there! However, many of my peers were disdainful and felt if was for babies, usually beginning around age 13 or so. In some cases it was jealousy, others were just in a hurry to be considered adults! :)

Quite honestly, both Leu and I burned out with Disney for a few years in the early nineties. Not that we disliked it, we just disliked the crass commercialization of everything. Products that were exclusive to the parks or The Disney Store suddenly were everywhere! :eek: It was overload!

'Course, after her grandchildren were born (and even a couple of years earlier), we were able to relax and enjoy it again. I think our jangled nerves became accustomed to the constant bombardment and we just tuned it out! :)

Now we're happy Disney addicts once again, albeit on a different plane! :D

[arcamalpha2003]

I think kids get a bit too old for disney when they start asking for something stronger than coca cola, or a light for their cigarette :D

Bill.

[Lizzy]

I'm 20 (21 in August) and I don't feel too old in the slightest. I can't wait to take my own kids when the time comes =]

[Sandy]

You NEVER get too old for Disney. My son is 19 and is trying to book a trip for himself and his college friends. They are so excited. I am planning a family trip for myself and my 13 year old daughter and he gets upset, stating, well I want to go with you guys too..... I asked him if he was going with his friends and he said yes, but he wanted to go TWICE!

See, they never stop liking it. How many 19 year old boys (he will be 20 by then) will go on vacation with their mom and little sister????

It is well worth it, isn't it everyone!!!



Sandy

[minnie17_6]

I am 17 and i dont feel my self to old lol and my 21 year old sister is coming to and she is more excited than me...to be honest i dont think you ever grow out of disneyland as there is something for everything in it lol :tigbounce:micbounce

[ukwdwnut]

my DD is 20 this year and DS is 16, and they cant get enough of it, but we did start going late, 2000 was the first trip :( wish we could have taken them when they were younger

[RikkiLo1]

Hiya! We're 33 & 34... Big kids! I think that there is so much diversity at DisneyWorld... that I dont think that any age would be a problem :)

[laughingcow1215]

i'm a big kid too and i don't think you ever get too old for the magic :)

[d_dreamer]

I still think im 5 so yeah...

[susieh]

I've got one son of 23 who still loves it and another of 20 who isnt bothered about going again. I think it depends on the 'child'. They've both been 7 times - last time was in 2002 when they went with friends (and stayed at OKW in our timeshare) but they are very different characters and different things appeal to them,

[*Thumper*]

You're never too old for Disney!!
My boyfriend and I are 20 and are so excited about our trip we packed our cases last week!!! 5 weeks before we go!!

[Goofylady]

:rotfl: My dd's are 21 and 19 and they count down the days. We love it :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

[NYMETSNY628]

I'm 18 and my siblings are 17 and 14 and all of us still enjoy going every year. I don't think any of us will ever tire of it.