Baby at Disney World

[tiffjoy]

Originally Posted by bgirl29

I just wanted to point out that babies can ride the majority of the rides at Disney. The only ones they are not allowed on are any with height restrictions. So really you would only have to child swap for a few rides.
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This is what I was going to say. We don't do the big rides and don't miss them, but there's very few at each park where you can't take a baby. Either do baby swap for those (very easy and quick) or skip them, which is what we do.

When you take small children, you end up focusing on different things than when you go alone as adults. This is not necessarily a bad thing.

As for characters, my girls have absolutely loved them at every age, including my youngest at 8 months. Every child is different.

[TDC Nala]

Take the baby, just remember you'll be on the baby's schedule, not yours.

[Waddler]

I'd say plan on going, but leave yourself the flexibility to cancel the trip a few months out. Most babies travel well, but a few do not. You'll have a good idea of what your baby can handle by the time they're 6-7 months.

If he enjoys being in his carseat and stroller, can sit without fussing at restaurants, is able to sleep and eat on the go, doesn't cry much, etc., you'll be fine.

If your baby is more on the fussy side, he might cry inconsolably on the plane, scream on rides, not nurse well in an unfamiliar place, and be too stimulated to fall asleep, leading to massive meltdowns. I know just about everyone else on this board says to go and not worry, but IMO, it MIGHT be a very difficult trip.

Maybe other people can still enjoy a trip with a fussy baby, but I would have a hard time relaxing.

[akl-fan]

We took our DD at 11 month and 23 months - travelling from Scotland. Our trips were brilliant. They were not the same trip we took as single/ childless people but they were great in there own way. If you have no plans to go commando round the park then you will be fine.
WL is a great base to be able to get back to quickly for naps etc. Fit your park plans around their schedule. Take nap breaks and keep all your family well hydrated. If your breast feeding there it will be even more essential than usual.
My advise is to invest in an umbrella stroller with a sun shade. Go for a light colour as it is so hot. Big travel system prams/strollers are big and cumbersome to try and get on and off buses/monorails/boats. Lightweight with handles high enough that you and hubby don't get back ache pushing it for 10 miles. You can use the basket at the bottom to store changing bag / drinks etc. Disney do have strollers to rent but they are not really suitable for a baby and have hard plastic seats. It would not be easy to get a baby to sleep in one.
Have fun - Disney is the place to go for great family memories + your wee one will look gorgeous in a little pumpkin outfit at MNSSHP.

[MrRomance]

We took my God son when he was about 13 months old, you can do baby swap for the rides and it really wasn't a problem. Unless you stay out late, it shouldn't be a problem at all to take the baby

[brucerob62]

Originally Posted by MegRaeWhay

Hi All!!

My husband and I have a trip booked for 10/26/13 at the WL for 6 nights. We are expecting our first baby any day now and we were considering leaving him at home for this trip. I just realized last night that we will be there during our babies first Halloween and I can't miss that. He will be about 10 months old when we go. Is that too young to bring him to DW? We aren't ever out really late. What are your thoughts?

SOrry in the minority..too young wont remember any of it. The baby would be happier at grandmas. trust me we brought a baby..wasnt fun in any way for the baby or us. As far as Halloween..I think you are more worried than the baby will be about this minor holiday. now Christmas is another story.

[Minnesota!]

GO!!! He might not remember it, but you sure will!!

Kids that age are SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO easy to travel with! I wouldn't even hesitate...I would just go.

[Waddler]

Originally Posted by brucerob62

trust me we brought a baby..wasnt fun in any way for the baby or us.

I'm kind of relieved to hear someone else say this. I don't think bringing an infant is always as easy as some think it "should" be.

ETA: I have a teething 9 month old right now. I don't even want to take him to the grocery store today, let alone WDW.

[angelmom27]

Nope not too young. I took my DD when she was 3 months old. Also took my other DD when she was 4 months old. Now that is have learned the magic of babywearing it is soo easy to go places with my YDD who is now 23 months.

[buzznina]

Originally Posted by Minnesota!

GO!!! He might not remember it, but you sure will!!

Kids that age are SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO easy to travel with! I wouldn't even hesitate...I would just go.

We have taken both our DD's before their 1 year birthday and had great experiences with both. But we also got into the mind set before we went, that it will be on their schedule not ours and we may have to sacrifice some stuff. Both DD's love watching the videos of when they went to WDW as a baby That is how they and you will remember this trip!

[bumbershoot]

We took DS's first trip, a one-day trip to DisneyLAND while on a longer trip to CA visiting my brother, when he was 17 months old. If we had known that we were latent Disney freaks, we would have taken him the instant I could have done it. It was SO much easier to have trips with him when he was bitty and didn't have strong opinions about things. It was the year of him being 3 that was the hardest, because he got scared of everything. (turned 4 and that changed)

Originally Posted by brucerob62

SOrry in the minority..too young wont remember any of it. The baby would be happier at grandmas. trust me we brought a baby..wasnt fun in any way for the baby or us. As far as Halloween..I think you are more worried than the baby will be about this minor holiday. now Christmas is another story.

I think a baby is happiest with his parents vs other relatives, no matter how often they see the grands. DS liked seeing his grandma best when he was being held by me and looking at her, for instance. (then again, she's kinda scary, as was one of MY grandmothers)

A trip with a baby isn't FOR the baby. It's for the adults, and the baby goes along with them, because that's the natural place for the baby to be.

Sometimes, being *at home* isn't fun with a baby. Might as well be in a place that's more fun, I say!

Originally Posted by Waddler

ETA: I have a teething 9 month old right now. I don't even want to take him to the grocery store today, let alone WDW.

But if you were told "you MUST go to the store or WDW", which would you choose? Where would YOU be happiest, even knowing that your baby is going to be teething wherever? (and where might the baby be distracted in fun ways?)

Hopefully Helpful Hints:

Put wet washcloths into the freezer and let baby gnaw on those frozen cloths. If you have pumped breastmilk, put it in one of the plastic pumping bags, and once it's frozen, let baby gnaw on that. Once it starts to melt, put it into a sippie cup and let baby slurp on it, lick it, just let that icy milk be on her sore gums. Nutrition and icy cold comfort all at once.

Many people love Hylands teething tablets, and they worked for us up to a point. Then I started using the individual remedies, matching them more perfectly to DS's teething symptoms at that moment. (that's how homeopathy works best anyway)

DS started teething at something like 3 months old and took months to get each tooth through... And now he's doing it again at 8, getting his long-awaited lateral incisors. (when he got his primaries of those, they grew in yellow, turned brown, decayed, and had to be extracted at 2...he's been without teeth in that spot for a long, long time...we can't wait to see them!) Teething teething teething... I know HE would rather be doing this at WDW, that's for sure!

[ksu93]

Having taken all 8 of our children to Disneyworld as very small babies multiple times and in multiple seasons I can tell you that it works. The most important thing I brought was a baby backpack. I could not live without this. You can actually manuever through the crowds and the baby stays happier because they are up and moving. Don't forget to use the childcare stations. The one at Epcot and one at MK are really nice. (I didn't discover this until our 4th child)! Also- use the kid swap to it's fullest- it lets 3 people go back on ride for every one person who had to stay off- use it!

[party-of-five]

Here now with a 14 mo. old and we have had a GREAT time. Yes, it's more work, yes we can't go at our own pace, but I wouldn't have it any other way. It's been so much fun to see him walk down Main St., to smile at Mickey, to fall asleep in HM. I think 10 mo. is a great age!

[Wicket's Mom]

I went with a 3 month old & it was ok, but is a lot more fun without an infant or toddler. If you happen to have a colicky baby or a fussy one it would be a horrible trip.

If you have a good baby, by all means take him if you would really miss him. The first Halloween would be for you as an 8th month old couldn't care less about missing it. He might even be quite scared seeing people in weird outfits.

Do whatever suits you & you won't go wrong.

[Momto2PrncChrmgs]

We took our very fussy, very high maintenance youngest for the first time at 9 months and it was the easiest trip. Between the stroller and the baby Bjorne, he had so much to check out and look at. Now that he's 6, he's more mobile, more vocal, and still quite high maintenance-it's not near as easy.