Any Ideas for a Fun Family Friendly Summer Vacation?

I worked at Disneyland in California for years-- long before I had kids-- and I won't take our two girls until they are 5 and 6 1/2. You rarely see five year olds throwing fits but plenty of younger kids do. As for the "magic"? A six foot tall Mickey Mouse is pretty creepy to a toddler. The rest of the park is really designed to wow adults who can appreciate things like architectural detail and marketing tricks such as blowing candy scent into Main Street. Once, while working the crowd during a parade, I asked a three year old boy what he liked best about Disneyland and he replied, "The birds have pink feet!" Save your money and steal away to a quaint little riverside town where you can feed pigeons and play on the swings!

M.,
For a MN vacation, I highly recommend Duluth. We have stayed at The Inn on Lake Superior, and really enjoyed it. Get a third floor room if possible, lake side - while your little one is napping, you can sit on your balcony and watch the lake and the ships coming in to harbor - very fun! There is a lot of things to go see and do, all pretty easy with a little one - the zoo is very fun!
As for Disney World, I have asked the same question of many people. Many say wait until the child is closer to 5 and doesn't require a nap anymore. The best advice I recieved was from my sister, who went with her two little ones at 5 & 7...pay the extra to stay at a Disney resort...pack a cooler to have in your room with peanut butter, bread, snacks, etc (you might be able to get a fridge in your room now - more hotels are offering that now)...and take the time to read the book The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World by Bob Sehlinger. He gives incredible tips, hints and advice for seeing and enjoying the park to its fullest! I have found the book at the library, but I recommend getting the most recent addition possible for the actual trip - Disney changes year to year. Best of luck!

Hi There ~ I would NOT recommend Disney at this age! We have "been there/done that"...to be honest I would wait until kindergarten/first grade age. It is extremely overwhelming for toddlers. We have gone to both DisneyLand and World with our now 3 1/2 year old, simply because he has an older brother (1st grade) and we didn't want to deprive the older one the experience while he would still find it "magical." I am glad we did wait until my oldest was in kindergarten to go to Disney, my toddler had good moments, but overall would have been as happy at Camp Snoopy!
I was just at a conference at Arrow Wood Resort in Alexendria, MN. I plan on bringing my family there this summer as it seems like a great place for kids. The rooms are spacious, there is a large playground and mini-golf course outdoors. There is a nice, new indoor waterpark. I am sure there are many outdoor activities around if you call the resort and ask. Overall, seemed very family friendly with plenty to do. Also, only about 2 1/2 hours from my home!

Good luck!

Hi, I have never been to DisneyWorld, but in March we took our 2.5 yr old son to Disneyland. I wasn't sure how much he would enjoy it, but his Grandparents really wanted to take him there. Anyways, he enjoyed it a whole lot more than i expected. He kinda knew some of the characters and was really excited to meet them. Also, he was just starting to enjoy riding some of the rides and stuff too. Hope that helps you some
H.