Taking Baby to Disney....need some real practical advice here!!

aj_steig

Member
Original Poster
Hi Everyone!

So, my husband and I have decided to take our baby to Disney. I know, I've already gotten the "She's so young, she won't remember it" and "You've got your work cut out!" I'm aware of all of this, trust me :ROFLOL: The reality is that we need a vacation badly, so just getting out of the state is a treat for us and it's going to be a much more slow moving trip than what we're used to:)

Anyway, I have been to WDW several times traveling with my husband so I can navigate it like a pro with just the two of us. However, this will be the first time traveling with a child so I know it's going to be a whole different experience. Does anyone have any really good, practical advice for how to travel with a baby (plane travel would be especially helpful!) She will be 1 at the time of travel (we're going in May). Thanks for your help!!!:wave:
 

Kristamouse

Well-Known Member
I have four kids under 7 and have been to WDW 10 times...been there done that with a baby and heck we might even have more kids to take in the future. To the naysayers that tell you the baby won't remember, they are correct but YOU will remember you baby in such a special place.

The best advice is know your baby and his or her limitations...if they have colic at home do you want to share a hotel room? if they get car sick, do you want to drive? if they get ear infections do you want to fly? You know your baby better than anyone, plan your trip to thier needs.
One baby is very easy and you will be surprised how many attractions you can enjoy with your baby. On the attractions you can not take your baby you can get a baby swap pass. Do a search on here and you will find oodles of info her about them.

Take advantage of the baby centers in each park if you little one needs a break. A fussy baby can make you leave a restruant, party etc but leaving a park is a pretty time consuming process, especially MK, so try the Baby Care center first to clam he or she down.
Take an extra onise for the protein spills
Take double the diapers and wipes you normally use in a day
Take a hotel towel to line the stroller with and perhaps use later to block out the sun for a nap, to lay baby on to take a stretch or sit on for a parade etc.
Invest in a good stroller fan, ours broke on our 2010 trip and I forgot to get one for 2011 trip. We bought one in EPCOT that was AWESOME and the same price as Babies R Us with a much cuter Mickey design. Our batteries ran out in AK and when I went in to a shop in Africa to buy more the replaced them for free!
If your stroller doesn't have good sun coverage get an additional sun shade, ours is from Sunshine kids
If nursing, try doing on a longer dark ride like HM. It is dark and you are sitting with your DH. Will keep you form stopping later to feed and you can enjoy a ride at the same time. That being said I have a great hooter hider and have nursed all over all 4 parks and most don't notice or stop to tell me they wish they would have invented a hooter hider...
Find Snow White to give your baby a big red kiss, my babies have these pictures and I love them
Use your sunscreen on your baby before you go so you know it doesn't bother your babies skin.
Wash your babies favorite blanket 2-3 days before leaving so it has that home smell for comfort in new place
Baby sunglasses, if your baby will keep them on, my kids did and I think it might have helped...same with a hat.
Since you baby might be walking by your trip make sure you check her feet to see if the shoes are giving her blisters or hot spots
Take the smallest stroller that your baby will be happy in and a baby carrier your baby likes. We park the ours in stroller parking area in a land and then use the carrier between attractions in that land.

If your baby is antsy during sit down meals than avoid them in WDW
Take an afternoon nap in your room, you all might need the down time.
If your baby hate's loud noise, avoid fireworks or cover thier ears
The TTA, Rafiki train, MK's train, HOP are all great nap places for you and baby...try them
Have a handful of gold fish, puffs, or your babies choice snack in your pocket at all times for a good distraction.
Check out ETSY for some darling baby and kid sets for the park...they make great picture and the characters always make a big deal over them.
Have a back up pacifier...one might get thrown in to the lake at EPCOT, just saying...
Enjoy and chill, our trips to WDW with babies and kids in general are great if you just go with the flow...
People think we are crazy when we tell they WDW is the only real vacation we get with our four. We don't cook or clean or do dishes and our family has fun all day every day...so I get needing this trip!
Post some pictures when you get back.
Blessings for a healthy baby:)
 

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
Step one: Do everything Kristamouse said.

Step two: Get one of these. They make getting on an attraction much easier and give your little one a much better view.

baby+career4.jpg
 

accord99cutie

Premium Member
I also agree with everything kristamouse said!!
We took our son 2 weeks after his first birthday and had a great time with him! We had his 6 yr old sister with us as well, so we took advantage of the parent swap when we needed, as well as knowing our sons routine and making sure to get our afternoon nap time in. He was great everyday!!! If we had a bad experience I would not be telling people to go with such young ones, but our experience was amazing with him!!! As long as you try to keep your routines set to what you do at home you should be good! We did take a later nap at WDW than at home (1pm at WDW versus 11am at home) but that was fine, and our son lasted until 8-9pm before crashing in his stroller. Just listen to the little ones needs, and you will have a great vacation!!
 

dramamama

Member
Great advice already! Just enjoy yourselves. Take loads of pictures. Our oldest son went at 7 months, our youngest at 7 weeks. Neither trip was very long, but memories were made. Both boys love looking at the pictures we took of them with Mickey and Minnie as well as in locations they have since returned to. They love telling their friends they have been going to Disney since they were babies! When my husband and I are by ourselves we "commando Disney", but when the boys are with us, it is just a different kind of trip. We love seeing it through their eyes, too.

Do let the baby's schedule rule you a bit, but you can still do loads. Besides the dark rides, shows like Hall of Presidents at MK and American Adventure in Epcot make excellent napping/cooling/nursing stops. The Baby care centers are wonderful! Though our boys were bottle fed, and we could give them that anywhere, it was nice to find a quite place with highchairs to do the jar feeding. Some of the centers even have rocking chairs and nursing areas.

One more suggestion I would make is check with your health insurance and see what their out of town/network suggestion would be for important but not emergency events. Some policies prefer you use an an urgent care center. You can probably find an address and phone number of a facility near Disney that you could use in case of those fevers, earaches, allergic reactions, etc. that come with those little ones we love so much. Cast members are great about getting you what you need, but a little research ahead of time may save you time and money.

Have a great trip!
 

aj_steig

Member
Original Poster
OMG, thank you guys so much for the advice!! I really appreciate it...I learned a lot from these posts. I am super nervous about traveling, but at the same time really excited because I've been planning our baby's first Disney trip since before she was born. She won't remember, but I sure will! :sohappy:
 

bgraham34

Well-Known Member
As other people have said its some great advice especially the baby carrier that was the best thing to have to be honest.

We did not need to go back to our room to nap or let him nap. We were in the parks from 9am to 9pm. At 5 months he slept most of the time in the stroller and never once woke up from the fireworks.

You should be able to figure out your child pretty quick while down there, well at least we did.

The one thing with the whole flying experience do not appear nervous especially going through security. Your baby can sense that. And while flying and your baby is crying dont freak out, you are going to Disney and people on a flight going to Orlando should expect babys on it.
 

wilkeliza

Well-Known Member
If this is your baby's first time flying pack a few extra pacifiers and make a bottle or two for the plane ride. If you baby will suck on a paci let them do it during take off and landing. The paci will help relieve the pressure in their ears and they will be less cranky. Most babies cry because their ears popped and they don't understand the pain or how to fix it.
 

Sumrdog

Well-Known Member
I agree with everthing everyone else said.

We have taken both our children since they were babies and also my niece and nephew as babies, and I think we have pretty much figure out what works for us. Where you stay to me is a huge part of the vacation. Our kids our still pretty young I think we have been 8 times with them and we spend a fair amount of time in our room for napping and earlier bed times.

When when we went our son was ten months old and we stayed at the Beach club :) I asked if we could have a highchair brought to our room, and they sent one up. It was the same kind that they use in the restaurants, it was nice because we could park him at the table and he could eat his snacks without smearing yogurt all over my luggage. It contained him a bit and we stashed it out of the way when he was done.

Another nice thing was that the pack and play fit perfectly next to the bathroom sink area behind the wall so he couldn't see us during that crucial time when your trying to get them to go to sleep and they keep looking over at you with that "well you guys aren't sleeping why do I have to be?" expression. I am not sure where your staying but I know at the deluxe and moderates you can sort of rig it up so the baby is at least behind a curtain. Another thing to know along this subject is that I have seen real metal cribs at the hotels and pack and plays, I prefer the pack and play because its a little smaller and you can kind of fit it out of the way better. I have a feeling you could request a pack and play if they sent up a real crib, but not the reverse. But you don't need to bring one.

An aside note is that if you ever go to Disneyland with a baby and are lucky enough to stay at the Grand Californian a pack in play will fit perfectly inside the closet, its like the baby has his own room! We would leave the door cracked just a little because I am paranoid about air circulation but that was super nice.

So I would put some thought into where you are staying and if you can afford a moderate or a deluxe onsite go with it, its a lot easier and the extra space is nice. We found ourselves spending time on our balcony while the baby napped. I know it can be expensive though, I get it.

Have a great time! And who cares if your baby won't remember it you will!
 

meganw1985

Active Member
I'm so glad I found this! I am already starting to "plan" us a trip for next summer, and at the time of our trip we will have a 9 month old (due beginning of September). I was a little iffy about going, but we also have a 9 year old who is a Disney pro and we wi not have been since 2010 :eek: So I feel like if we wait until the baby is "old enough" the oldest will be a teenager and we will have missed some magical ages and times. I am prepared to make mommy sacrifices, so I'm hoping it will be fine. (That and I hope the baby behaves at Cali Grill!) Lol
 

designermv

New Member
I took my baby when she was a few weeks shy of five months old. Easy-peasy. I brought an Ergo Carrier and a stroller and she napped in those like a charm.

I'm not sure how old your baby will be, but those squeezy fruit pouch kinds of baby food are so easy to transport and use in the parks.

Babies are some of the most well-behaved children in the parks. :lol: She was much more agreeable and manageable as an infant than she was last year, when she turned 2.

Happy planning!
 

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