Babies in the parks...new mom alert!

[WDW_Obsessed]

So, we're expecting our first baby any day now :cloud9: and we're also tossing around the idea of a Disney trip in about ten months from now. We would have grandparents, cousins and family members along with us, but I'm not sure about taking such a small baby to the parks. I'm concerned about having to drag a diaper bag along, nursing in the parks, and just taking babies on rides in general. Any insight or advice from those who have taken infants to the parks would be super helpful! Thanks! :thumbsup:

[megustamex]

We took each of our children when they were 1 month old and about 9 months old. By the time they are 10 months old it is very different - they will be much more alert, will be able to enjoy the rides a bit, and won't be strictly breastfeeding at that time. You'll probably be able to feed the baby some solid food and breastfeed occasionally in the park. If you're not comfortable breastfeeding in public they have fabulous facilities at each of the Disney parks for nursing mothers. They have rooms for nursing in the Child Care Center and diaper changing areas. They also sell some diapers, food and medicine there. As far as the diaper bag - you will be used to toting it around by then. You'll have to carry it everywhere for the next 2-3 years anyway. Get one you can attach to the stroller. I think that going with your family that will help and watch the baby while you and your husband go on rides will be wonderful. Take advantage of the parent swap which gives you a fast pass for the people that are waiting and watching the baby (up to 3 people I believe). Disney is probably the most baby-friendly vacation you can take - enjoy it. We always joke that it is the one place you can go and have dinner in a nice restaurant and know that some other kid will be screaming louder than yours - takes the pressure off.

[gaffz70]

Disney is fun for everyone. I think you will have a great time, and IMHO it's not the baby you have to worry about, it's not worrying about keeping up with everyone else. I think going w/ a group can be difficult if you don't set ground rules before going. You should do things on the baby's schedule...and if the baby is having an off day than that's a great excuse for the 3 of you to relax back at the hotel.
I think having a baby there would be great as it might force you to have a more relaxing laid back kind of trip!!

[SoaringEpcot]

We had no problems taking our DS at 5 weeks old. Know where the diper changing areas are, they are really nice. DW would just sit on a bench and feed him using a hooter hider. He got to go on many rides with us and the ones he couldn't we did the child swap, wich really worked out good along with the fast pass.

[Jfamily]

I have 4 kids and 3 of them have been to Disney early on. The 4th is going right after his first b-day. Another thing is that you can ship or have delivered all your needs. This way you don't have to pack the diapers and wipes and whatever you may need. This saves on space in your suitcase. Also, With the baby being so young I would bring your own stroller or buy a lightweight stoller just for the trip. The ones at Disney are hard plastic and may not be comfortable. I just purchased a clip that hooks onto your stroller for bags. I purchased it at Babies r us and it helps.
Good luck and congrats.

[iheartdisney]

I know I'm going to be echoing other responses but we brought our youngest when he was 10 months (and his "big" brother was 20 months at the time) and we had no problems, whatsoever. Like others have said.....

1)I would bring your own stroller - much more comfortable for a baby.
2)Know where the childcare stations are and don't be afraid to use them. They were my favorite places to nurse.
3)I had easy going kids so they would nap anywhere but know your limitations and your child's. Take time out in the middle of the day, skip late evening activities if you need to. Follow your child's cues. This trip will probably have a slower pace than you're used to - smell the roses and enjoy.


You are about to experience WDW is a whole new way! Enjoy every stage of it. Believe it or not, there will be new things to savor and new things to see now that you have a child in tow. Congratulations! I'm so happy for you ALL!

[pixiesmimi]

Our family has been going since the GKs were as young as 6 months old. We had no major problems. We have used our own strollers and the rental ones and find the rental ones are more convenient except maybe for the smallest ones. One DGS was breast fed and DD just used the Child Care Centers which are air conditioned and has everything you want including a room for older children to watch TV while taking care of baby. She also could find a quiet bench or seat out of the normal traffic pattern to feed him when needed. She just took a blanket or cover with her. Just watch the heat and don't let them get overheated. We have always gone with them and I give Mom a break to ride the rides and stay with the ones too small to ride so you having family along will help with that. Go and have a great time!

[Celestria]

i'm not sure if someone has already said this, and if you did sorry i missed it, but there are baby swap passes for rides. sounds like you'll have enough people to swap out so everyone can enjoy any ride.

[Disney Doll]

We took DS for his 1st b-day and it was a perfect trip. We brought our own stroller and we have a diaper bag that was made to hang on the stroller. It was nice to have everything within reach. The baby centers are fabulous and I did use those for occasional nursing. One thing that I thought was super handy was the changing tables in the men's rooms. Sometimes there would be a line for the changing table in the ladies' room, but never in the men's. We also took afternoon breaks and it was nice to have that quiet time away from the parks. DS loved every ride we took him on.

[WDW_Obsessed]

Wow, all of these responses are so much help...thanks so much! :thumbsup: Everybody has made me feel more confident that I can handle a baby and a Disney trip, so I think we'll do it :mickey: Thanks again!

[kemps@wdw]

No disrespect to those who bring infants to WDW, but I can't understand the reasoning behind this. :scratch: (Yes, I have a child, and no, I did not take her to WDW till she was 5.) Of course, the child will have no memory of the visit. And after all, isn't all the hustle and bustle that is WDW be a little much for one so small? :unsure:

[Goes4FastPass]

No disrespect to those who bring infants to WDW, but I can't understand the reasoning behind this. :scratch: (Yes, I have a child, and no, I did not take her to WDW till she was 5.) Of course, the child will have no memory of the visit. And after all, isn't all the hustle and bustle that is WDW be a little much for one so small? :unsure:

My view exactly. Dragging an infant arount a theme park is about the parent wanting to be there and wanting the baby to be close at hand.

I don't think a child has to be old enough to remember the trip to enjoy a trip but often I read "...baby care center... lots of breaks... back to the room. Then I go to the MK and see 96 degrees and 4pm or midnight and babies being drug through their umteenth hour of a stroller or a sling while the parent just can't stop 'til Splash Mountain. Again.

As long as priorities are straight all (well, many) things are possible. I'll soon take my toddler grandchild to WDW but I'll pay close attention to when it's time to ride Dumbo and when it's time to take him back to the resort and let him sit in the grass and play with his toes.

[TheMartellFamily]

While people have opinions I feel Disney is great for any age. It is families together, enjoying life. It is about happiness of all not how old or how young you are. With that being said take advantage of Baby Care Stations they have a nursing room at the parks and you can even warm baby food there. I agree also that shipping items down prior to your visit in the with baby snacks, diapers, wipes, food, toys and other necessities is great. But if you drive down you can take those with you too. Use your own stroller. Take things slow, and breaks during the day. With the big family you go at your own pace and meet up with them here and there. It can be more stressfull with the big family than having the baby with you. We have been in lines and someone needed a change so we get out of line, we have had it all but we know we will be back. Take the little one to WDW and you will not forget it! Enjoy!

[WDW_Obsessed]

While people have opinions I feel Disney is great for any age. It is families together, enjoying life. It is about happiness of all not how old or how young you are. Take the little one to WDW and you will not forget it! Enjoy!

Thank you! These are my thoughts exactly. Of course the baby won't remember this trip, no one would ever think that. Disney is about families, and not a single member of the 12 person group going thinks I should miss out on our yearly family vacation because I have a baby. This will be an entirely different vacation than I have ever had at Disney and in all honesty I'm not going with expectations of hitting all (or any really) of my usual favorite rides, but I am expecting to spend time with my family in our favorite place on earth. We always go back to the hotel mid-day anyway, and maybe I'll spend more time there than the other family members, but oh well. I might feel differently about it if it were August and 95 degrees, but I feel okay about taking a baby out during the day in March weather. You never know when time with one of your loved ones will be cut short, so I don't intend to miss this family vacation with people I love so much! :mickey:

[pixiesmimi]

No disrespect to those who bring infants to WDW, but I can't understand the reasoning behind this. :scratch: (Yes, I have a child, and no, I did not take her to WDW till she was 5.) Of course, the child will have no memory of the visit. And after all, isn't all the hustle and bustle that is WDW be a little much for one so small? :unsure:

Do you really think it is fair to have to give up a family vacation just because you have a baby? This is a family place and WDW makes sure that everyone of every age is taken care of. I would never be separated
from any of my children just because we were going on vacation and one of them was a baby. We were careful enough to heed the baby's limits and yes, you might not get to do everything, but you move at your own pace and enjoy what you can. We have never regretted taking our babies with us to Disney and you will be surprised what they remember at an early age. My grandchildren still talk about things they saw at a very early age. You can't do everything commando style with a baby but then again I can't do everything commando style without the children either at my age and after doing that one year, decided to never do it again. It is much more enjoyable to take your time and just do what you can do and relax.

[dmosher]

No disrespect to those who bring infants to WDW, but I can't understand the reasoning behind this. :scratch: (Yes, I have a child, and no, I did not take her to WDW till she was 5.) Of course, the child will have no memory of the visit. And after all, isn't all the hustle and bustle that is WDW be a little much for one so small? :unsure:

Yes, DW and I have to back you up in that one. Say what you will about child memory retention and all, it is over kill for any baby. The reasoning is simple; WE want to go to WDW, WE have a baby. SO what. Seems simple but I don't think people often think abotu what is actually best for the baby versus what is best for themselves. Shoudl you put your vacaton on hold because you had another child, personally, I thkn yes you should. It is our choice to have children and if we do we have to make sacrifices. Wait until the child can actually enjoy themselves. Nothing troubles me more than watchign people bring little kids on the Haunted mansion, etc and heariong the kid scream because the noises are too loud or it's dark, or whatever. OK, let the flaming begin...
:pipes:
D

[Tigger&Stitch]

Agreeing with my husband on this one...on our last trip, we tried to have an enjoyable lunch at 50's Prime Time, but a woman with an infant so small it must have just popped out was at the table next to ours. The baby screamed and cried through our entire meal. I'm sure the baby wasn't enjoying the parks, and thanks to his mother, we didn't enjoy that part of our day either.

If you are going to the World with lots of family members, you have built-in babysitters! Go to the parks and enjoy yourselves - spend time fun, alone time with your husband, and enjoy the peace of your room with your new baby. There are plenty of things to do outside the parks at WDW that won't bring undue stress on your baby or you (walks, etc).

As for strollers, a baby that young should be "worn" if you do plan to take him/her to the parks. Breastfeeding is much easier, and the baby doesn't feel so disconnected from you or your husband.

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

We took my nephew at 7 weeks. Did he cry? Yep. Would he have cried if he was still at home? Yep. Will he remember it? Nope. Will it be his only trip to Disney? I certainly hope not! Did we bring him for his enjoyment? Nope. Should we not have gone because my sister had him? Nope. Babies are portable. They are meant to be taken where mommy goes, whether it's to the mall, the beach or to visit family. If the child cries, take it out of the restaurant etc and calm it down. I just took my nephew into the bathroom and calmed him down. It took about 2 minutes!

Definitely bring the child's own stroller though. They'll be more comfortable, just as if they were sleeping in their own bed. And you'll have the stroller to get them to and from the parks and back to the hotel room etc.

They also have changing areas in all the parks where the parent can feed and change and rock the baby. It's cool and quiet and a nice place for the parent and child to catch some quiet time if it's needed.

[Stitchahula]

I'm the sister payroll princess was talking about. Yep i brought my new born to the park, I know he will not remember it. My children go everywhere with me. That way they can experience new sounds and sights so they aren't afraid of them later. I see some children that are 6 and up in restaurants that act as if they've never been allowed in public before. Mine do not act that way because they go everywhere. My feeling is this is your child only you can judge what is best for them. Some people may disagree and that's fine however it isn't up to them in the end. Your baby will not remember the trip but will probably get a kick out of the pretty lights and just being able to spend time with mommy and daddy. ENJOY!

[Belle_0717]

DNephew went for his first birthday. And then for his 2nd and now we are planning for his third. Honestly my father shows him pictures of himself through slide shows from the past 2 years. He knows what Disney World is and wanted to go on my parents trip (2 weeks ago) and our trip (last week). Did he ever cry and get cranky - YES. Did we get embarrassed b/c my sister & her husband couldn't handle him - YES. But this is the fun part of going as a family.

DH and I are going through some procedures and are hoping that our next trip I will be prego. The next family trip in 2010 would probably make our child 6 or so months old. My parents are looking forward to that trip.

Don't worry - I will prepare you all when we head to WDW with a 6+ month old.

[disneynarula]

We took our nine month old and he loved it. We took a lot of breaks in the air conditioning when my older son and husband rode some rides. I am glad that we brought our own stroller. He was comforatble in it and he snoozed away during his naptime. You also need to realize that you can't go commando style. We were usually back in the resort by 7:00. Both my husband and I know that the trip was not for him and that he won't remember it. We have super cute pics that he can see and enjoy. As long as the baby is not miserable I can't see the harm in taking he or she to WDW!

[MNNHFLTX]

I see no reason why you can't bring your baby to WDW with you. As long as you are mindful of the heat (which, as you said, is not as much of an issue in March) and of overstimulation (shorter periods of time in the parks) and respectful of those around you if your little one starts to get fussy--no problem. :mickey:

[Belster]

We went to WDW in October with our three kids DD11 DS4 DS 9MONTHS. We also had an aunt, uncle, gma gpa, and another gma with us. We had the best trip!!!!! You go at your baby's pace. We love theme parks, knew we would want to spend the entire day at the park so we made sure to have a great double stroller and it worked!!! The baby slept in the stroller fully reclined sometimes we went back to the room, sometimes we stayed. I would say relax it will all fall into place.

One thing was, I had not real expectations when booking, because I did not know how the baby would be. But with being laid back and remembering that I was at Disney and would have fun no matter what we had a blast.

We are all returning again this October!!!

[Disney Doll]

No disrespect to those who bring infants to WDW, but I can't understand the reasoning behind this. :scratch: (Yes, I have a child, and no, I did not take her to WDW till she was 5.) Of course, the child will have no memory of the visit. And after all, isn't all the hustle and bustle that is WDW be a little much for one so small? :unsure:

Isn't the hustle and bustle of Wal-Mart a little much for one so small? You have to live your life even with a baby. We don't necessarily go for our son, he just accompanies us on our annual trip. We go in off season when there is not as much hustle and bustle and we use the baby centers in addition to afternoon hotel breaks and my son did wonderfully. We are planning for baby #2 in about another year. If we waited until everyone was 5 we'd never make it.

[Disney Doll]

I don't think a child has to be old enough to remember the trip to enjoy a trip but often I read "...baby care center... lots of breaks... back to the room. Then I go to the MK and see 96 degrees and 4pm or midnight and babies being drug through their umteenth hour of a stroller or a sling while the parent just can't stop 'til Splash Mountain. Again.


I agree that some can over do it, but we stick to our usual schedule and it's never been an issue for us. We go regularly so we're not concerned about seeing and doing everything. It is a different trip when you have a baby along, but it's totally doable.

[andreallybadeggs]

Yes, DW and I have to back you up in that one. Say what you will about child memory retention and all, it is over kill for any baby. The reasoning is simple; WE want to go to WDW, WE have a baby. SO what. Seems simple but I don't think people often think abotu what is actually best for the baby versus what is best for themselves. Shoudl you put your vacaton on hold because you had another child, personally, I thkn yes you should. It is our choice to have children and if we do we have to make sacrifices. Wait until the child can actually enjoy themselves. Nothing troubles me more than watchign people bring little kids on the Haunted mansion, etc and heariong the kid scream because the noises are too loud or it's dark, or whatever. OK, let the flaming begin...
:pipes:
D

Won't flame you but have to disagree in part.
When our children were very young we lived abroad. I guarantee you the sights, sounds, and smells of WDW are tame compared to much they encountered as we traveled around the world with them at very tender ages. We did all we could to keep them comfortable and certainly slowed down considerably from the pace we took when we were childless. But we could not make it just like home for them especially when we were flying to/from visiting US family and jet lag was added to the mix.
We needn't have worried. They adapted beautifully, have had very few sick days in their lives, and are now two of the most mellow and adaptable adults you'll ever meet. I think that is in large part because of the travel. We were not being selfish, we were living our lives and they were a part of that. I have relatives who won't take a two day trip to visit aging parents/grandparents who desperately want to see them because it might upset the baby's schedule. Is that less selfish?
Find a balance (like avoiding the Haunted Mansion with a sensitive toddler) and, of course, keep your babies comfortable, healthy and safe. But I don't believe that means you must keep them home till they can hold an autograph book.

[pixiesmimi]

I have to agree with you. We never left our children at home or stayed home from a vacation because of them. They were a part of our family and we wanted to take a family vacation so adjusted our packing and traveling plans for them and we have never had a problem with it. Did we have bad days or cranky days because of them, yes. But we would have had those at home too, like you say, at Walmart or somewhere else. I never took our kids on any rides that would scare them. Just did the child swap. They loved IASM even at a very young age. They are all big Mickey fans now, even as adults and the next generation is learning to be also.

[Disney Doll]

Agreeing with my husband on this one...on our last trip, we tried to have an enjoyable lunch at 50's Prime Time, but a woman with an infant so small it must have just popped out was at the table next to ours. The baby screamed and cried through our entire meal. I'm sure the baby wasn't enjoying the parks, and thanks to his mother, we didn't enjoy that part of our day either.

I'll agree that a crying child can ruin a restaurant experience, but that's more of a problem parent than a problem child. I have been bothered by misbehaving children of all ages while at WDW and I blame inconsiderate parents. It's very easy to excuse yourself for a few minutes to sooth an upset baby.

[gaffz70]

I still say you should go. And yes, it would be polite to take the baby outside for a little if they are fussy at dinner....but honestly...I think the parents stress more about this than others...if there's a crying baby where I'm eating..I'm thinking, thank God it's not one of mine!!!
Have a great time

[MNNHFLTX]

I still say you should go. And yes, it would be polite to take the baby outside for a little if they are fussy at dinner....but honestly...I think the parents stress more about this than others...if there's a crying baby where I'm eating..I'm thinking, thank God it's not one of mine!!!Well, I have to disagree a little with you there. I have empathy for parents with a fussy little one, no matter where it's at. But it is very distracting and disturbing to me when the crying goes on and on. I think when you are a parent you tend to tune it out sometimes. Not so easy when you are a bystander and can't do anything about it.

But yes, that in and of itself is not a reason not to bring a baby to WDW. :)

[harlowandthemermaid]

I will just chime in to say that my DD went at 6 mos, 11 months, 19 months and is due to go and celebrate birthday number 2. (my DS went at 6 mos, 13 mos and right before he turned 2) Every trip has been different and I'd say my best advice is to not plan too strictly and see what works for your child and modify plans accordingly. On the first 2 trips,my daughter went on pretty much every ride with us(that wasn't a thrill ride) and I even took advantage of dark rides like Haunted Mansion to nurse. On the last trip she wasn't so interested in rides so we did more "exploring". On every trip I have watched as her interaction with the characters has progressed. On the first trip she would just smile and laugh when they came to her table at meals, she just loved them. On the next trip she interacted with them a little more and on our trip in January she would say their names and run right up to give them a big hug. Seeing her face light up when she sees the characters is reason enough to go. WE have family in Florida and usually stop at WDW for a few days first.
Now we have been talking about the upcoming trip and she is talking about the rides and having lunch with the princesses and breakfast with Mickey, she is really excited. Will there be meltdowns on this trip....probably. But she still talks about things we did on our trip in January, so I know she remembers, and even if she didn't, I do :)
Just go with the flow and have a great time :)

I don't regret any of my trips taking a baby or toddler. My thoughts are that you just never know when circumstances will change and you can't go so why not make the memories while you can :)

[brdavis]

Dragging an infant arount a theme park is about the parent wanting to be there and wanting the baby to be close at hand.
As others have pointed out, so is going to WalMart or even (from the standpoint of the infant) a trip to see grandparents. We do an awful lot of things with very young children that are not focused just on them. Sometimes, I find it OK to live my life while also having children.


...often I read "...baby care center... lots of breaks... back to the room. Then I go to the MK and see 96 degrees and 4pm or midnight and babies being drug through their umteenth hour of a stroller or a sling while the parent just can't stop
Hmm. Have you looked into the child-care centers in the various parks? I have; and the parents I've interacted with there (for years now) seem very different than the ones you are describing. Can you have rude or out-of-touch parents of young children in the parks? Certainly. And I've also seen rude and out-of-touch adults or kids in the parks without infants. The behavior you are describing I've also seen (too many times), but I don't regard it as a reason not to take trips with kids - I regard it as an object lesson in doing the right thing around kids. And that can (at least in my experience) certainly involve small children.


I'll soon take my toddler grandchild to WDW but I'll pay close attention to when it's time to ride Dumbo and when it's time to take him back to the resort and let him sit in the grass and play with his toes.
And given that, I suspect you'll likely have a wonderful experience with them. But the again, that's not too different than going with grade-school kids, or teenagers, or other adults. Pay attention and remember others - it gets you a long way. At any age.

I've got three children (11, 8, and 5); had we waited until the youngest was out of diapers, we could have started doing Disney only about two or three years ago. Which means my 11 y.o. son would have missed out on... well, on a lot of trips. We've extended that hiking, backpacking (with a five-month-old), etc., and it's been well worth it - as Long As You Keep In Mind The Limitations.

--
Brian Davis

PS- As a stay-at-home Dad, I've got to say the tip about the changing tables being more open in the men's bathroom is a good one (less so now than ten years ago, but still). And the Child Care Center / First Aid at AK is, well, AWSOME. Both my wife and I have spent a good bit of time in there over the years.