I’m just looking for some reassurance. We’re heading to Disney World next month. It’ll be our third family trip; we went each of the past two winters. My daughter is now six and no longer interested in Disney movies and TV shows. She had previously loved all the princesses, Mickey, Pixar, etc. Her tastes have just changed.
I know we’ll still have fun. We all love rides, and we’ll have more time for them since we won’t be meeting characters. But I’m still a little sad - maybe just because she’s getting older? Does anyone relate to this?
When I first took my kids, they liked totally different things than I thought they would. I felt disappointed that they weren’t enjoying the things I really loved. But, they found things they really loved. Maybe it’s time to find new things there to love. My six year old, at the time, loved collecting Wilderness Explorer stickers. There is also the Epcot World Showcase game and post card collecting. I would think about the other things that you may have passed up previously that can feel new this time. Best of luck!
I suspect she will enjoy once she gets there, no question.
The shows are phenomenal and she’s old enough to enjoy them, and she’s likely tall enough to ride some of the ‘thrill’ rides. There’s also so much Disney IP beyond the traditional princess-focused content, that you could pivot what you watch (i.e. Star Wars).
I just got back from a trip with my DS10 and DS16, and my DS10 was square in the sweet spot still for WDW.
My DS10 LOVED all the holiday storytellers in EP (if that is still going when you are there), was picked to be Sergio’s sidekick for his show in Italy (my DS10 said it ‘was as good as a ride’), was picked as the ‘spy’ by a stormtrooper, got to tell a joke at Monster’s Inc and be on camera, danced with the mariachi band in Mexico, had a part in Enchanted Tales. He loved it when my DS16 and I ‘grabbed’ red fake gems from the ‘air’ at the 3D Donald Duck movie, etc.
Have her sit in front with the kids at the Crush show in EP and have a question ready for Crush.
The water play in the Moana exhibit entertained all of us, but especially my 10 year old, for a long time.
We wished we’d had better seats at Feathered Friends, which would be so cool for a 6 year old to be close to the stage.
We had last been to DLR 4.5 years ago, but we hadn’t been to WDW in 10 years, so there may have been a bit more novelty.
He strategized all week on what he wanted his souvenirs to be, and thoughtfully chose a blanket and sweatshirt. He woke up on Monday AM early and proudly had his sweatshirt on to go to shcool.
Those are all great ideas! We haven’t seen Crush yet but will definitely try to do that. She’s tall enough now for Everest and Rise, and I can’t wait to take her on those. Thank you!
I feel like I am always the most excited member of my family before every Disney trip! We’ve been taking our daughters every year (except 2020) since they were 3 and 5 - they are now 9 and 11, and still get nowhere near as into the planning and anticipation as I do. Occasionally they’ll enjoy watching YouTube vlogs with me, but even that doesn’t hold their attention for long.
For a couple of trips I had put together lists of Disney movies that I wanted them to rewatch and they were just not into the idea (and would literally protest - “nooo, not another DISNEY movie” - when I suggested them for movie nights).
They do get very excited the moment we get to our Disney resort, and even more so once we get to the parks, and love practically every second of the trip. And immediately say yes when we ask if they want us to go back to Disney.
So I’ve concluded that many children probably just live in the moment, and can’t get into the anticipatory part as much as I do. That’s what the Forum is for
I also keep thinking my kids will be too old for meeting characters “this year”, and have often wavered on making ADRs for character meals as a result.
Then without fail, usually 2-3 days into a trip, at least one of the kids will start saying they want to meet characters (but of course don’t want to stand in line for a long meet and greet), and I feel vindicated having that character meal reservation in my pocket. So far, we’ve enjoyed every one that we’ve done, and my new thinking on this is that you are never too old for a character meal.
My kids’ (now 10 y/o and 8 y/o) WDW tastes have evolved over the years, but they still always have an amazing time. DD10 was done with meeting princesses by age 7 (DS8 was done with princess meets by age 4). They both still enjoyed meeting Mickey and friends until our trip this past month during which they said they would rather do rides. The exception was that they both wanted to meet Stitch and Jack/Sally at the Christmas Party.
Neither of them watch Disney tv shows or movies anymore.
Now they are really into rides (the more intense the better for DD10). DS8 was 48” for the first time this past trip so that opened up another group of rides for him.
Things change, but so far their love for WDW continues.
Mine are 18 and 21 so YES!!!
I just went to a Nightmare Before Christmas Lightup Display in our Wildflower Center with just DH and saw all these families with kids and I was jealous of their excitement.
Kids, schmidz. If you like it, enjoy it! Tough beans for them!
lol but seriously, as others said, your kids tastes may change, but WDW always has so much to offer for all age ranges. They will definitely have fun if you take their preferences into account. But at the end of the day, it’s a vacation for you too, so if there’s something that’s important to you, do it!
Just be realistic about attitudes and time constraints. You can force them to do something they don’t like, but you can’t force them to like it. So pick your battles and your mountains to die on.
I’m here, like the others, to put your mind at ease. I also am pleased to let you in on the number one secret of Disney World…. Ready?? (Don’t tell your friends with toddlers and preschoolers). Here it is: Disney is so much better with older kids than it is with younger kids! They sleep better, they eat better, they can go to the bathroom by themselves, they can go on more rides, walk farther, have longer attention spans for shows, have a little bit of patience to handle long lines/ch ages of plans/disappointment without it derailing your day, and are just all around better suited for long days and big parks. (The real spoiler: teenagers are even better!! They snap out of bad moods, they put their phones down. They FROLIC for Pete’s Sake.)
Book a character meal so she can say hi to her old friends. Skip long waits to meet them. Have a great time!
It’s not quite the same, but when we first took our boys at 6 & 9, they’d seen a few Disney movies, youngest was Power Rangers mad, but what they knew about Mickey and pals came from seeing them in the Disney store. Not sure they (or us) had ever seen a cartoon with them.
They fell in love with some characters -Chip and Dale especially. And I queued 3 times to meet the Power Rangers.
But they also fell in love with the rides, be it Dumbo or Spaceship Earth, the shows like Fantasmic, Mickey Bars, the Parades etc.
Your daughter will still love it, but for different reasons than before. And that’s OK! You’ll have an awesome time. Plus I bet she’ll still want to meet characters once she’s there!
Exactly! Kids are intensely in the now, and their lives are new and exciting for them in the present. I find that the anticipation and planning are a fun respite from my adult responsibilities and routine. But my kids always had fun once in the world.
Update: We’re about a week away and she is bouncing off the walls with excitement. I think getting past the hubbub and anticipation of Christmas was huge. She’s eager to go on all the rides and wants to see Fantasmic again. This morning she told me she thinks Disney World is the most fun place in the whole world.
I am always more excited than my kids, but they don’t really participate in the planning part, so ADRs and t-shirts and room requests and LL strategies aren’t on their radar. And I can’t get them interested in planning, either. They get excited when we get there but I still love it more. I try to leave them at home when I can LOL
!