Going to Disneyland Paris with a 6 month old....

CDaniels1987

So me and my wife have just had a little baby boy (almost 3 weeks old), we absolutely love Disney and DLP, we haven't been for 2 years as the last couple of years we have done Disney World, we were thinking of doing DLP in early December this year ready for Christmas and for the little mans first trip, however I am worried that maybe 6 months is too young? I know he won't be able to go on most stuff, but does anyone with experience feel it's worth going or should we wait?

I understand he won't remember anything and he's not going to really be aware he's in this magical place, but I think it might be nice to start making memories for us as a family, and we were thinking of doing stuff like getting all the autographs for him and giving it to him when he's a bit older and ready to go again.

Just would like some opinions really.

Thanks in advance.

balletshoes

between 3 months old and a year-ish, is a great time to travel with kids - they are very portable at that age and they stay where you put them :rotfl:.

Buy some skisuits, cosytoes for his pram, and go enjoy.

silvercar

For the little one it will be a complete waste of time. He may not be properly sitting up by then, apart from the occasional smile, gurgle or wave he really won't know he is there. Also there will be many rides which he can't go on, which means you missing out or going in turns.

We first went when DS2 was one and a half, I think that was young. He enjoyed some of the smaller rides and at least could appreciate a cuddly winnie the pooh.

duchy

I love Disney too and had visited both WDW and DL before our son was born. We took him to DLP when he was 11 months old . It was a great trip for us for making memories and we took some priceless photos but realistically it was for us and not him.

It's not a trip to do just the three of you as park entry works out expensive when each of you is left "holding the baby" literally whilst the other goes on rides or is in line. Far better to go with more people not just so you can go on one or two things as a couple but so any waiting around there is company.

Disney's baby changing and feeding facilities in the part are good- Hotels were a disappointment. I prebooked a cot. It wasn't in the room so I called reception and they said it would be brought up straight away-an hour later it still hadn't arrived so I spoke to them again and they assured me it would be there and to go ahead and go out to dinner. We got back some hours later (it was then about 10pm) and still no cot. I complained and they brought a cot up and informed me there was no bed linen for the cot - I had to really kick off before they bothered walking to the next block of rooms to find bed linen. Disney's hotels don't have the same ethos for service that their Floridian hotels have .

Personally I'd wait a bit longer than six months -and plan on going next June when it's a bit warmer but before the schools break up - If it's very chilly or wet it can be miserable for a child to be stuck in a buggy.

We enjoyed our trip (and whilst I was off on a ride my husband took our son on the Haunted Mansion -when they got to the dancing ghosts he wasn't scared but went all big eyed and oooo-ed LOL)

We didn't take him again til he was nearly six -and then took him to Florida - and that- for us was the right decision as he was old enough then to travel the long flight happily - at 2 or 3 it would have been a rough journey for a toddler to be stuck on a plane all that time (for him and me !!). As it turned out it was just him and me flying out together as his Dad was sent to a conference at WDW so we saved an airfare and he stayed on after the conference and we flew out to join him.

For more opinions I'd suggest you check out the Dibb where you'll find lots of trip reorts from peope with little ones and how well or otherwise Disney trips with very little ones worked.

Congratulations on the new baby -

CDaniels1987

Oh I know it would be more for us than him, as I stated I understand he's not going to know any different, just thought it might be nice for us to start creating memories now, especially as Disney is a big part of our lives (We got engaged there, had our honeymoon at WDW).

Maybe it will be worth waiting a few extra months.... hmmmm.

duchy

DLP when it's wet or cold and you are worried about a baby getting cold is no fun (because they are stuck in a buggy they got cold quicker than us walking) -You really will have more fun waiting til it's warmer

missbiggles1

duchy wrote: »

DLP when it's wet or cold and you are worried about a baby getting cold is no fun (because they are stuck in a buggy they got cold quicker than us walking) -You really will have more fun waiting til it's warmer

I went in February with a 6 yearold and it really wasn't fun. After about an hour you just couldn't get warm.

I have to say (not aimed at you btw) that I find the concept of "making memories" rather odd.

CDaniels1987

missbiggles1 wrote: »

I went in February with a 6 yearold and it really wasn't fun. After about an hour you just couldn't get warm.

I have to say (not aimed at you btw) that I find the concept of "making memories" rather odd.

Why would you find that odd? It's nice when your older to look back at all your childhood family memories such as photo albums, old videos, stuff you have been given on holiday/family trips out.

This is something I don't have as one of my family members destroyed all my old photo albums, videos and childhood things.

So that's my thinking behind it, even though he wont remember it all, going through all the photos and videos as a family when he's a bit older.

Although I am thinking now possibly waiting till June next year for his 1st birthday.

balletshoes

duchy made a good point about going before your son is aged 1 - if its just the 3 of you, you won't be able to do any rides together as a family or as a couple. Same applies when he's 1 to be honest - but if thats not what you're going to Disney for, then you'll be fine at whatever age he is.

And if I'm perfectly honest, its easier (in my opinion) keeping your little one warm when its very cold, compared with trying to cool your little one down when its hot. Air con doesn't really exist to any degree at DLP. Its Northern Europe, its built for our climate.

silvercar

missbiggles1 wrote: »

I have to say (not aimed at you btw) that I find the concept of "making memories" rather odd.

CDaniels1987 wrote: »

Why would you find that odd? It's nice when your older to look back at all your childhood family memories such as photo albums, old videos, stuff you have been given on holiday/family trips out.

I also find the concept odd. Photos should be a trigger to recall life events or fun times. The idea of doing something not age appropriate, just to create a memory I find odd.

Imagine years later, child shows photo to friend: that was when my parents took me abroad, put me out of my routine, wrapped me up to be outside in the cold, just to take some photos to create this memory.

owl_lover

There's a lot of rides at DLP which don't have height restrictions ( pirates, phantom manor, it's a small world etc) so you could go on them together, but it might be worth waiting a few months longer. My little sister loved it when she was 10 months