5 month old

[Heather_]

Are there any experienced mamas out there who can tell me must haves for my trip? (Beyond the obvious necessities) I realized today I'm probably going to need to an inflatable tub and have diapers delivered to our room. There must be a lot I'm not thinking of! Also, any recommendations on inexpensive carriers for going on rides? I have a k'tan but it's not going to be good for getting in and out of quickly.

[markyv]

Become familiar with the baby stations in each park. We found these places to be very clean, very quiet, and well staffed. There are places to change diapers, breast feed, and just general resting places. There are usually movies on for toddlers to watch while the little ones get the attention that they need.

[faline]

You might want to check out this section (http://intercot.com/infocentral/children/babytips.asp)of Intercot.

Overall, take it slowly. If you have a child who will nap in the stroller, find a quiet corner for the nap. If not, you may need to plan time to return to your room for a nap session.

[IloveJack]

We just got back from our first trip with a baby. We've done first birthdays with each of our DDs, but we just did "turning 6 months" with our DS.
I wore him the great majority of the time, and he slept great in the wrap. We didn't have to break from our schedule for nap time, as he just slept on me. However, he is VERY used to being worn, having been in the wrap at least a couple of hours every week since he was born. If yours isn't used to the K'tan, napping in it might not be the best option. The wrap also provided a chance to get "away" from all the lights, sounds, and people. DS would just tuck his face in when he was ready for a break.
I don't know if you BF or FF, but if you BF, I would suggest taking water into the parks with you to keep yourself hydrated. It's very easy to get dehydrated, even in the cooler months, with all the walking you do. Also, there are lots of quiet nooks in every park where you can find a bench away from the crowds to feed.
We put diapers/wipes in a Ziploc bag and just left them in the bottom of the stroller. No one cares to steal diapers, and we didn't have to carry them in the backpack when we went on rides.
By the way, if you're using child swap for the bigger rides, you only need one FP. One parent can ride with the FP, then one with the child swap ticket. If you're doing FP+, split up the FPs, unless you want multiple rides. Just remember that it takes twice as long to ride each thing that a child swap is used on, when planning your FP+.
Lastly, and this has nothing to do with planning: take pictures of your baby's face when they see Mickey for the first time (often still in line), or while they're watching the parades. You'll experience a whole different side of the magic through their eyes, and you'll want those memories later.

[Heather_]

Thanks for the tips everyone! Great to know about the FP+/baby swap combo. That will be especially helpful in Epcot. Did any cast members give you an issue with that?

[Figment104]

We took DS this past May when he was 17 months old, but one of the things that we did was to ship a box from home with diapers, and other necessities. This was such a great option for us, and I foresee us doing this in the future as well. Just watch out if you're shipping heavy items as that will increase the cost significantly. I've also heard of people buying things from places like Amazon and having them shipped directly to the hotel. If you do decide to ship something make sure it's through a carrier (FedEx, UPS, etc) and not USPS. I've been told there's some issue with USPS and deliveries to the resorts, instead of packages going to the resorts they go to some central delivery area or something along those lines which can delay when the package gets there.

Also, if your little one is going to be in a stroller, I highly recommend a clip on stroller fan. You can purchase them at Disney, but you could probably find one cheaper at home. That was one thing that I had but forgot to take with us, and really wished that we'd had it.

[IloveJack]

Thanks for the tips everyone! Great to know about the FP+/baby swap combo. That will be especially helpful in Epcot. Did any cast members give you an issue with that?

No. It's normal procedure to allow the second adult to go through the FP line. so it was no problem at all.

[Disney1977]

I would also add, baby friendly sunscreen and a stroller that reclines for naps. Also a blanket to drape over the stroller to keep out the sun.

Have fun.