Is it worth it to take my 9 month old to Disney World?

Click bait title I know… but a common argument online when it comes to planning a vacation to Disney World with young kids. The answer is honestly not black and white, and truthfully a lot of it depends on what you’re willing to do. I personally took my nine-month-old on a trip and I’m here to give you all the reasons you might want and not want to take your little one to a Disney park!

Top Reasons to Take Your Little One

1. Free Admission for Kids Under Three: The big benefit is children under three receive free admission to Disney parks. Given how expensive a Disney vacation can be, this is an awesome perk, and one that my family has personally leveraged quite a bit during the first few years of our son's life. It’s been super fun to build our son’s excitement for going to Disney over the few trips we’ve done in his early years. He already knows and loves the experience!

2. Creating Family Memories: At nine months old, what are they really remembering? The answer is—not a whole lot. But for our family, it’s about the memories my wife and I were able to make. We have all these amazing memories of our son’s first trip to Disney World, and it’s awesome. Now that he is two and a half, we love to show him those first pictures and blow his mind. For us, that made it all worth it.

3. Baby-Friendly Infrastructure: Disney is just built for it. The Baby Care Centers blew us away, and at nine months, we were using them every 2-3 hours for feedings and diaper changes. Cast members are stationed there and are extremely accommodating. You can always count on having a cool and dry spot in each park to get your baby comfortable, regardless of what weather Florida throws at you.

4. Home of Toddler-Friendly Rides: Disney is known for family-friendly attractions and even babies under one can ride an absurd amount at Disney. We have countless ride pictures of our son looking totally mesmerized by Winnie the Pooh and It's a Small World at nine months!

Top Reasons Not to Take Your Little One

1. They Won't Remember It: The reality is, they probably won’t remember a thing. Going to Disney is a massive financial investment, so if this is a big reason not to go for your family, that makes total sense! For us, we were really doing it for my wife and me. We wanted the memories and pictures of taking him to Disney at that young age.

2. Managing a Baby in a Theme Park Is Challenging: Managing a baby in a theme park is straight-up challenging. You have to haul all the bottles, diapers, and gear to keep them happy. You have to find ways (especially for the really little ones) to work in naps, likely in a stroller. It’s simply not easy, and you have to be prepared for a slower pace.

3. Parent Exhaustion: The combination of heat, crowds, and baby care can leave parents exhausted. This won't be your typical rope-drop-to-fireworks type of trip. You'll definitely want to take breaks throughout the day, whether back at your resort or in the parks. This can sometimes lead people to think, "Why did I even come?" This is an important perspective to consider before committing to a trip with a nine-month-old.

What Should You Do?

The simple answer is—do whatever works for your family. For us, we are massive Disney fans and love going to the parks. It was important for us to have those early memories with our son that we can fondly look back on. Him being free and not requiring a ticket for our flights made the decision that much easier.