First Time Traveling to WDW with Little One (Plz. Help!)

[wkreid]

Greetings All,

We are planning a trip to WDW in March, 2005 and we will be traveling with our 10 month old son. My wife and I are used to runnin' around the park willy-nilly but this will be a change. Just looking for some tips from the veterans out there to make the adjustment a little easier. Thanks!!

 

[rosebud's mom]

Be flexible. Rest when you and/or the baby need it. The Baby Care Centers are WONDERFUL. Enjoy a slower pace, and capture his expressions as he experiences his first trip. Eat at off times to avoid overwhelming noise and crowds. Don't be afraid to ask a CM for advice, or help in exiting if something becomes too much for him.

Take LOTS of pictures. He won't remember this trip, but you can all treasure the memories with photos or movies.

 

[Master Yoda]

I always swore I would never take a baby to WDW….Then I had my own child and she was two weeks old on her first Disney trip. A slower pace is a good idea. Also try to plan your trip around rides that you can take a baby on i.e. Spaceship Earth, The land, Snow White, Kilimanjaro Safari etc. Another good idea is to have a lunch at one of the full service restaurants. This will give you a nice midday brake from the crowds. Make you lunch reservations as soon as you get to the park to avoid a long wait. Taking pictures with the characters is a lot of fun as well…as long as your child is not scared of them.

 

[Ringo8n24]

Bring lots of patience with you. It was hard for us to adjust to the slower pace with a child, but we realized how she was taking it all in for the first time so it made the patience for the slower pace easier and worth it.

 

[Pan]

We took our 1 y/o with us in 1998 and had a great time. It's actually easier at that age than when they are 2 or 3. The best part of the trip is watching your child's reaction and interaction with the characters. Luckily our daughter wasn't frightened by the them, although certainly many kids are as we learned a few years later with our second child.

My best advice is make sure you get your child down for a nap each day back at the hotel. Sleeping in the stroller just isn't the same. You guys can still enjoy all the rides you like going on by using the "switching off" option at many attractions. Finally, don't take them onto certain rides that you think might be tame- Journey into the Imagination at Epcot has very loud frightening noises, even the Tiki Room can be a little daunting with darkness and thunder at one point.

Maybe most important of all- Don't go on Snow White!!!! It might be the last ride she'll ever go on. Have a great time!

 

[longfamily]

Bring lots of comfort toys to avoid meltdowns. Make sure that you have a stroller with a canopy as well. If you don't already own one, Disney rents them for $8 per day and you can park hop with a voucher to get a new stroller at each park if you switch over. Disney's strollers also have lots of storage space. Avoid many table dining restuarants too. Unless your child is used to that environment, boredom will set in quickly and then you have a meltdown. Although we would all like to think that our kids will love the characters around the parks, kids sometimes get scared...even by pooh
It might be beneficial to ease into the characters by watching them from afar at first. When you need a break, go to a place with lots of eye candy, like rain forest cafe. Also, remember, one of you guys will be holding the child quite a bit during lines so prepare for that as well. Maybe a carrier might help ease back pain.
I hope some of this helped. Good luck!

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

Is you son 10 mths old now or 10 mths old when you travel ? I know the 4 mths age difference isn't a lot but in terms of babys capabilities a lot happens during those 4 mths

 

[wkreid]

My son will be 10 months old when we travel to WDW in March, 2005.

 

[wkreid]

Thanks All for the advice. I will make sure we bring our patience and a slower pace with us to WDW...as you all seem to mention the trip is more centered around the little one now and his experiences in Disney (Here's hoping to that they are pleasant.)
I'll be lucky if my wife lets me put down the camera for a second...lol

 

[DisneyPhD]

Hi there, we will be going in March with a 7 month old. (Feb 25 to March 4th actually) Stayng at BCV. It will be baby PhD's 1st trip, and her bigger sisters "little PhD" 5th trip. Her 1st was when she was almost 9 months old.

In fact on this trip some friends are going with us so there will be 5 adults, 2 almost 4 year olds, and a 6 month old and a 7 month old.

My advice follows the above posters. Bring your own stroller, much easier and you will want it for other times besides the parks too. Bring comfort things from home (blankets, toys etc...) Bring lots of passifiers if you use them, they get lost easiler. Bring a baby carrier such as a baby bijorn or sling (and use it ahead of time to get baby used to it.)

Bring your own swim dipears, they cost a lot at WDW. Infact we pack dipears for the trip and then have extra room in the luggage for the things we buy there.

If mom breast feeds don't ween before you go, it is much easier. If bottle feed buy some bottled water. WDW water is yucky and baby will notice. Baby care centers do sell jar baby food, but buy or bring some of your own if you are using it at that time.

Our 1st trip we had this stroller that was also a back pack. We loved it and it worked really well, especailly when the park was busy or she needed to see up high (like the parade.) It was small for the busses too.

Other then that baby's are easy at WDW, better then tolders and older kids.

Good luck, maybe we will see you there!

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

Personally, I'd prefer to bring an inexpensive umbrella stroller to renting...at the airport (at least with Southwest) you can bring it right up to the plane, and they will do a gate check. You also get to board in the preboard group. Make sure you have ID for the baby if you plan to fly as a lap chilld! Umbrella strollers are lightweight, inexpensive, and you can use them to help carry stuff. Personally, I like mine with a basket under it.

I'm also of the mindset that the less junk you carry around with you all day, the better. I don't subscribe to the idea of bringing a lot of toys, blankets, etc. with me everywhere I go. My daughter doesn't expect them and she finds great ways to amuse herself, that don't involve me lugging lots of junk. She is also very observant of her surroundings and people. Disney has really cool things to see everywhere. If there is one thing an infant can get out of Disney, it is the amazing sensory experience of being at Disney! If your child is primarily going to spend time looking at toys from home - why bother bringing him to a new place?
DO bring sunscreen, a few small comfort-food snacks, water, a sweater/second layer.

Are you nursing? Using bottles? I use a combo - so I can offer tips on both.

Have you heard of baby-swapping? This is a little known practice. If your group wants to go on a ride like Space mountain, one person gets in line (or the group minus one), and the child-sitting person can ask for a baby swap pass. Then when person one gets off the ride, person two (along with up to 3 people) gets to go in the Fast pass line! This can be a little time consuming if you are waiting in a regular line though and the parks are busy.

One of the great things about Disney is that there are actually a number of rides that you can take a little one on. One of the best are the shows. Try to pace yourself so that you are going to a "Show" type attraction, every so often. My 6 month old LOVED the Lion King show at AK, or at least the first half, as it was also a good chance to nap.

It also makes sense to expose your young one to Disney characters and music before you go. My daughter already knew who Pooh was, so she wasn't scared when she saw him at the park, although this might not work with some kids. (she also knew the Lion King music - so it was new and familiar at the same time)

With a little one, it is great to have more than two adults in your party - at least that's what we thought.

If you can afford it, it makes a HUGE difference to stay on property at a centrally located deluxe resort. Time is money. If you are at the Poly, say, it is very easy to return to the hotel mid day. It you are off property, it almost isn't worth it to break during the day. The Swan is a great property also. See if you qualify for any of the discounted rates. It is a great location!

 

[cj2me]

Totally agree with bringing your own stroller but I would make it a midsize one, Babytrend makes a good one for about $40. The first time we went with my daughter, she was 10 months old, we used our umbrella stroller, she didnt seem to get a good nap in, she was uncomfortable. When we went 2 months when she was a year, the midsize was great. It had a reclinging position so she slept more comfortably and was a lot more tolerable of staying in the stroller. Since the Babytrend had a tray in front, she had her bottle and some food(pretzles and goldfish) with her at all times.

As far as the characters, it is a good idea to look from a far and then get a little closer each time. When we ate at Donald's Breakfastouras, she was laughing at all the characters and was having a good time UNTIL Mickey snuck up behind her and his big nose was in her face, she was very weary after that but by the end of the trip she was fine and then on her second trip, she had no fear.

It is such a great experience to take your kids there for the first time. When I held my daughter during WISHES, I was all choked up. The feeling and the moment is something me and my husband will never forget.

 

[DisneyPhD]

Ok I have to agree about bringing your own stroller, but not an umbrella one. Espeically for a child under 1 year old. There is not enough support and their stroller is what they live in for that trip. When DD was 2 years old she loved her "Disney Stroller" and refused to even leave the room with out it. It was her comfort and security in a every changing enviroment. (a combi travel savey DX, you can find them for around 100$) They fold up small and have a good shade, good padding and a bar across the front with cup holders. We also brought her favorite ligh weight blanket all the time. It was good for cool nights to cuddle with, warm afternoons (more shade) and even hid from things she didn't want to see.

cj2me is right, you can get light strollers that don't cost that much ($40 is much cheaper then renting for a week.) If you hang bags off the back consider putting ankle wieghts around the front legs to conterwieght it from tipping over when the child gets out of it.

Oh and don't forget this. What ever stroller you take bring a rain cover for it. They don't cost much and they can save a trip. Nothing worse then sitting in a wet stroller. If it might rain at all take it with you (March might be ok some days, others you might need it) Some days you go into attraction and the sun is out, come out and it dummping rain. In a pinch a poncho will work, but the rain covers have air vents and the baby can see out of them (and you can see him or her.)

One cute thing to do if you child has a lot of hair (or maybe next trip) is child's 1st hair cut at the barber shop on mainstreet right as you come it. They give you mickey ears that say 1st hair cut and it is really cute. Cost around $14.

To get used to characters there is a series of video tapes (Sing along songs) that have the characters in them at WDW or DL. They are really cute and our DD LOVES them (still does today.) Beach Party at WDW, DL fun, WDW camping and even a circus one and AK one. They mostly cost around 6$ each and can be fond at Target and Toys R Us. AK can be hard to find.