For those who bring babies to DLR...why?

[charlene1974]

First...this is by no means to be disrespectful or to get anyone else. So, please don't think I'm trying to start drama, because I am so not doing that.

Second...for the families that bring very young babies, why do you bring a baby with you to DLR or pick your vacation as DLR?

When we were there in October, we were standing in line and the family behind us was just the husband, wife, and their 3 month old daughter. The baby was not too happy, she was crying and each of them took turns leaving the line to take care of her. Cute baby, but she just didn't seem too happy to be there, she was just crying her little lungs out and tears coming down her eyes.

So, that's why I ask...what is the reason that families (more or less those with no other children) bring a baby to the parks?

Granted, I have no kids, just a dog (can't have kids), but watching this family and others, how much fun are you able to have if you have to keep tending to a baby who really has no clue what is going on around them?

Again...not flaming or being disrespectful. I truly want to know what the logic is behind families bringing pretty much a newborn to DLR? To me, it would make more sense around 4-5, when kids can remember the trip, not as a newborn.

I hope this makes sense. It's just something I've been wondering about ever since seeing that family.

Thanks!
Charlene

 

[brergnat]

I would say, because you don't stop living your life and doing what you enjoy just because you have a baby. I vistited Disneyland almost weekly prior to having kids. Once I had my first child, when he was about 3 months old, I was missing Disneyland, so we went. Over and over again. We always had a great time. Babies cry. A lot. It's usually not because they aren't enjoying themselves. Parents have a right to go places that make them happy too. Most babies happily go along wherever their parents do, whether that be to run errands, eat out, or go to a theme park. Disney is the best place to go with babies, IMO. They have clean, dedicated baby care centers and changing tables in every bathroom. That's hard to find. Most people who take very little babies to Disneyland are probably locals. It's no big deal to go over and over again. And, kids are free until 3, so why wait?

 

[danaesacto]

Maybe they were part of a larger group and broke off for a bit.

Maybe he (or she) was getting deployed overseas and they wanted that memory.

Maybe they live near by and Disneyland is just what they do to get out of the house and have some fun.

As parents we spend thousands on events and activities our kids will never remember- maybe we do it for selfish reasons, or maybe we do it just so we can have the pictures and memories long after they have moved away??

 

[GoofyDisneyDaddy]

A couple things.

First, life doesn't stop when you have kids. Just as you, an adult without kids, likes to go to DLR, so do adults with kids too young to enjoy DLR. If they took the baby for the baby to enjoy it, then that's just silly -- more likely, they went because they enjoy DLR.

Second, its hard to know exactly how young babies will react to situations, but generally very young children are totable anywhere because as long as they are fed, and given naps, the few hours they are awake, they don't care where they are. They don't have fears or attention issues and things of that nature yet. That said, each baby is different -- some go with the flow, and some have regimented routines that you alter at your own peril.

We took my daughter when she was six months, it was super fun (granted, 6 months isn't 3 months, but its still a young baby). We went because we were in CA and I wanted to go to DLR -- it was not for her. She was happy to be out and about (babies generally like to be out - but not all) and was really good the whole trip. My wife and I (and grandma) also had fun enjoying DLR.

So, hope that answers some of your curiousity.

 

[charlene1974]

All that makes sense. Again, since I don't have kids, I didn't really understand the logic of bringing a baby. I can understand for the families that have other kids, that of course, if they have a baby, they bring them as the other kids want to go to DLR, but for the families who only have their baby with them, that was the curiosity of why. I think it was just seeing that little girl crying for whatever reason that got me to thinking.

 

[BryANDJessMom]

We started bringing the kids at around 11 months old. They loved it from the very beginning and we loved having the pictures to remember them at Disney at that stage. It was particularly special with my son. I had gone through fertility treatments for two years..Disneyland was something I always wanted to do with my kids so that first trip was really a celebration..especially since I found out I was pregnant naturally with my second during that trip!

 

[sh00tfire]

It actually quite amazing how well our kids remember their first trip to disneyland. Granted they were not babies, but they were toddlers. My youngest was barely 2 and can still remember that trip well (she is now 10).

 

[Smile&Nod]

some folks have to plan their trips more than a year in advance so they can save and pay the trip off - during that year some of those babies are born! (not from personal experience but I know several folks that have gone with infants because the trip was planned and paid for!)

 

[bumbershoot]

Cute baby, but she just didn't seem too happy to be there, she was just crying her little lungs out and tears coming down her eyes.

My baby often did that at home, while in loving arms and being cared for in every way possible. Sometimes babies just cry. Doesn't matter where they are at all. The baby probably would have been crying at home. Parents might as well be somewhere fun, if they can!

how much fun are you able to have if you have to keep tending to a baby who really has no clue what is going on around them?

More fun than while sitting in the rocking chair at home, that's for sure.


I didn't get to Disney until DS was 17 months old, because my brother and his wife are baby-phobic and didn't invite us to visit until that point (they live in San Diego and Disney was a side trip). If I had known what fans we would become, I would have gotten down there earlier. Sure would have been more fun than sitting in our apartment!

 

[Love Tink]

I would say, because you don't stop living your life and doing what you enjoy just because you have a baby.

+1

You could ask the same question about everything and everywhere - why do people do *anything* once they have a baby? Having a baby pretty much makes everything harder, and sometimes, yes, they cry.

But life doesn't end when you have kids. You still want to do stuff and most people figure out pretty quickly that, if they ever want to leave the house at all, they have to figure out a way to do it with their kid(s) in tow. You roll with life, and you teach your kids to roll with life.

 

[bcla]

I would say, because you don't stop living your life and doing what you enjoy just because you have a baby. I vistited Disneyland almost weekly prior to having kids. Once I had my first child, when he was about 3 months old, I was missing Disneyland, so we went. Over and over again. We always had a great time. Babies cry. A lot. It's usually not because they aren't enjoying themselves. Parents have a right to go places that make them happy too. Most babies happily go along wherever their parents do, whether that be to run errands, eat out, or go to a theme park. Disney is the best place to go with babies, IMO. They have clean, dedicated baby care centers and changing tables in every bathroom. That's hard to find. Most people who take very little babies to Disneyland are probably locals. It's no big deal to go over and over again. And, kids are free until 3, so why wait?

It's a pretty good setup.

I will say I have gone to a restaurant where the only changing table was in the women's restroom. It had a sticker on the door indicating the table (Koala Kare I think). This was a single-occupancy room with a door lock, so as a guy I simply went in there and used it. When I exited with my kid, nobody looked at me funny since they understood why I needed to use that one. That's the only place I know of with changing tables where they didn't have any in the men's room.

As for why bring a kid? Define what too young is. I think it's cute to have photos of a 3 month old with Mickey, but yeah the kid isn't probably going to understand what's going on. However, even at ages less than the 4 year old threshold set by the OP, kids understand what's going on. My 2 YO loves Mickey and Donald. After we went we can't hear enough about going back. We couldn't go on that many of the rides together due to height restrictions, but we were able to go on Gadget's Go Coaster, Mater's Junkyard Jamboree, and the Mad Tea Party together as well as all of A Bug's World. Our kid was totally into Phineas and Ferb's Rockin' Rollin' Dance Party, and we've got video to prove it. Kids can be extremely perceptive of what's going on even at 18 months.

 

[Jkpark]

My DD7's first trip was at 8 months. Her meeting Pooh for the first time is one of my all time favorite DL moments. DD5's first trip was at 9 weeks. I was on maternity leave so we could get away and do a mid week early February trip - low crowds. She doesn't remember it. I had to stop to nurse her pretty often. But again - the memories are very special. Especially big sister (then 2) introducing Pooh to her new little sister.

 

[madigraham]

My reason for doing so is I loved Disney before I had my son and going on a Disney trip with a baby is still fun, just different. We use rider swap so we still get to ride the rides and experience Disney

 

[dawnbright]

Why? Cause Disneyland is for all ages. I enjoy Disneyland TO MUCH. Both my children go bi weekly. (We live onnly a couple miles away) I have a blast! I took my kids as early as only a few weeks old. Babies can ride 80% of the rides

 

[DharmaLou]

First, life doesn't stop when you have kids.

I absolutely agree. In fact, we bring DD4 almost everywhere with us and have since she was 2 weeks old - her first trip to Breckenridge. But there are still some things that we as a married couple like to enjoy alone, which is why we don't take her to Vegas with us, and why we wouldn't ever take an infant (or really a kid under 2) to Disneyland. Because we want to enjoy ourselves and not be held back or limited by things that babies can interfere with.

I completely believe to each their own, but I just wanted to add that as a parent I do see OPs point and do agree with her.

 

[jentifred]

I grew up in San Diego and the attitude in SoCal about Disneyland seems to be less "vacation destination" and closer to "hey, let's go to the zoo". My parents used to plan a trip on maybe a week's notice (as soon as my dad got his work schedule). We'd leave our house at 6am, spend the day, and get home late in the evening. The first time I took a trip there that was longer than that I was 35!

 

[Mugglemama]

When we lived nearby, Disneyland was actually the place we went for exercise. LOL!

I'm serious, though. We lived about 25 minutes away, and like many people in that area, our yard was almost non-existent it was so small. We had three children when we started bringing an infant to Disneyland...they were 9yo, 3yo, and the baby was 5 months old. Our itty-bitty yard was not big enough for kids to bounce around and get much exercise, and the playgrounds in our area were "meh". We bought AP's and usually went into the parks 2-3 times per week for about 4 hours - enough time to get LOTS of exercise for everyone (except the baby, of course).

It was lots of fun, plus it served a practical purpose. That's why *we* took an infant to Disneyland.

 

[longhorns2]

I had that same POV before kids. My first adult trips to WDW with my new DH we SWORE we'd never ever ever bring a kid younger than 6 to the parks!

Funny- we took our DOGS with us on vacation (they stayed in the hotel room) and didn't think twice about bringing them along for the ride. LOL

Anyway... you have kids and realize that most of the time, they just go where you go. Including vacations and DL or WDW. My babies were all pretty easy kiddos too- napped anywhere and were mostly pleasant so it wasn't really an issue. My DD went when she was 6 weeks old when we lived in Orlando (had passes, was more an outing than a vacation destination at that point)

I get the question- but as a mom, I now get why we do what we do with our kids!

 

[bcla]

There are a lot of questions one might ask. One would be why an adult would visit without a child in a particular group.

Families with newborns want to enjoy their lives. They've got little onesies for infants who can't recognize it't Mickey Mouse. Parents dress up their kids for their own sake. They bring the kids to DL because it's. a fun place to take pictures and to blow off steam. Disney is also terribly accommodating to parents with newborns. It's fun to bring a newborn to explore new things even if it won't necessarily be a conscious memory. Keeping a newborn at home simply because it cries and is demanding wouldn't really make sense. Developing young minds need stimulation.

 

[lisachrystine]

My oldest went to KBF at 8 weeks. He went to DL a few months later. Why? Because we lived in CA and we still liked to go - and like pp said the attitude is more like "let's go to the zoo" than a vacation. Was it a different experience? Absolutely. Was I taking the trip for him? Nope. But, I still have good memories of of sharing it with him. By the time my second came around, we had moved to CO. He went to DL at 9 months old. We were in LA for a wedding and I couldn't be that close without taking a day trip to DL! He had a great time! One of my best memories of that trip is how much he loved the parade. Of course, I also went to DL at 9 mo. pregnant (close enough that my mom wouldn't let me go unless I kept a card in my wallet with the numbers of the local hospitals just in case!), so I might not be the best judge! I go whenever I can and I'll take anyone who happens to be along for the ride. I mean, a day at Disneyland beats a day at home regardless of how many stops you have to make to feed the baby, right?