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

[jetskigrl]

We took my DD for the first time on her 2nd birthday but that we just because we weren't AP holders yet. By the time my DS was born, we had been AP holders for 2 years so we weren't going to stop going to DLR just because we had a baby.

In fact, DS had colic so I spent the first two months of his life carrying him around trying to sooth him. I would only go out for an hour at a time because I had to go when he was sleeping (otherwise he would wake up and start crying no matter where we were).

I finally decided I couldn't take being in the house anymore so we booked 3 nights at the Grand Californian, even though we live 30 minutes from DLR. I just needed to get out (and that was close enough that we could go home if needed). So the trip was 100% for me

As it turned out, DLR cured the colic Well, I'm sure DS was just getting to the point where he was outgrowing it but I'll always say it was that Disney Magic He slept all night, only waking once to eat. He didn't cry at all in the park, except when he was hungry. We used a combination of stroller and Baby Bjorn and he was just the happiest little baby while we were there.

I loved that trip so much that I extended our stay another night because I didn't want it to end

 

[Joluru]

We've had at least one kid 3 or under for the past 7 years. If we waited for them to be old enough to remember the trip, the oldest wouldn't get to experience Disney until he was nearing his teens!

And I agree that young babies are portable and enjoy seeing a new, bright, sparkly environment. They're going to do the same stuff (eat, poop, sleep, look around) whether you're on the couch or on vacation. I'd rather take care of that and also enjoy some rides and attractions!

I'll also say that the first 5 years are the most impressionable, even if they're not the years the kids remember the most when they're grown. They're learning how to be people, and what you do with them when they're tiny shapes that.

A kid who grows up with a family that travels, whether to Disneyland or anywhere else, grows up thinking it's normal and fun to try new experiences, leave the house and explore the world, get out of your comfort zone, etc. They don't have to be old enough to explain all that in order for it to sink in. It's the same reason you have a first birthday party for a kid - they understand and feel the love and happiness, the excitement, etc., even if they can't remember and talk about it later, and it shapes how they view, interact with, and experience the world.

We're taking our first Disneyland trip in February, but we've taken our kids all over the West - road trips up and down the west coast, Nevada, Colorado, Utah, and a few states farther in. It can be more challenging to travel with a little one but I'd much rather take them than stay home.

 

[bcla]

I've got to say bringing my 2 YO was a wonderful experience. Before, anyone in a mascot style costume produced a total freak out. We went to pro and college games with mascots and my kid cowered when this strange costumed thing tried to be friendly. All of the mascots realized the fear and didn't press on, but I was hoping that eventually the fear would go away.

Costumed versions of Mickey, Donald, Pluto, and Goofy were totally accepted. My kid didn't want to leave.

 

[charlene1974]

I truly hope no one was offended or took offense to my question. I truly had no intention of that.

I just always wondered why people brought their babies. Seeing it, to me it just seemed like it wouldn't be any fun for the parents, constantly having to take time out to take care of the baby, not getting to ride all the rides. I didn't realize that a lot of the rides did allow small children on them.

I wanted kids, but found out at 15, that was never going to happen. At 38, I still haven't come to full terms that I'll never be a mom, but that's another point all together.

Anyways, if I did offend anyone by asking my question, then, I truly do apologize, because that was never my intention.

Charlene

 

[DizMe]

It's funny, took my DS at 9mo and DD at 2yrs to Disneyland, but said I'd never take a baby, or even toddler to Hawaii! Never appealed to me to have a beach vacation with young kids (mommy wouldn't be able to relax )
We finally went for the first time as a family this June (DS is now 6 and DD 8), and because of our first family trip to Disneyland (when we became DVC members), we stayed at Aulani and were able to bring along another family to stay with us!

Oh, you're so right!! It was a nightmare. The only reason we took her was because we had already booked and paid for everything before we knew I was pg. We couldn't get our money back so we took her along. I spent the whole vacation sitting in the condo, as she would scream whenever we tried to go out. It certainly wasn't the beach trip we'd planned for! We took her to DL and Hawaii at age 4 and she loved both by then. As a baby, nope!

I have 5 kids and by choice never took a baby to DL. Others, obviously, don't find it a hassle but it wasn't something that interested me. Age 4+ is my preference.

 

[monami7]

We took DD at 18 months.
When we were in Haiti afraid we would never get home I promised her we would go. It was my happy place. She may not have understood. But to me the thought of her taking in main street the first time and the picture I have of her touching minnies nose that first trip are priceless to me.
I was so great we took her sister when she came home a year later at 16 months!

 

[lucky1]

OP... you are probably not the first person to think that and I will admit before I had a child, I vowed I would never take a stroller to DL given the number of times I had been hit in the ankle or run over by a stroller at the parks. But then having a child changed things. We found out how great a stroller was for holding items, putting someone down for a rest and etc. When she reached 5 and graduated out of the stroller, we were missing the stroller at Disney.

 

[runsandjumps]

I actually think one of my best trips was when we took my then 8 month old to DL. I got the most awesome pictures. Especially now that my kids are older they get tired of me constantly snapping pics. That was probably one of the cheapest vacations I will ever take in my life again. One baby is nothing. Try feeding, entertaining, and traveling with three children with different preferences and you will understand why people take babies. I love Disneyland and having a baby to take was the perfect excuse.

I used to be of the opposite factor and wondered why people without kids went at all. Once you have seen both sides first hand you understand.

 

[indygirl99]

I married into a disney family. DH mom took them once a year from the time the park first opened in 55 until they were adults. Then she gifted them with a disney trip every other year for the grandkids.

DH says taking 5 kids to disney was traumatizing to him and the kids. None of his kids want to go to disney now that they are grown eventhough their kids keep bugging them to take them.

I was finally able to convince DH to try disney again and now we are AP holders and go every couple of months. We do not take the grown kids or grandkids though. DH says it is "our time to enjoy being kids". He does enjoy interacting with the kids at the parks but as he says "They are not my responsibility".

I am a nurse and take care of the sickest of the sick kids so I see things different and have to remind myself that most of the kids I see at disney are not sick and it is okay for them to be in parks enjoying themselves.

My first trip to disney was when I was 40 as my parents felt a yearly trip to the state fair was enough.

 

[bethwc101]

I personally find it ridiculous when parents will take their babies on rides like POTC where there is no height restriction. We were trying to enjoy a ride but a couple behind us though it would be great to bring their baby along. The baby cried and screamed the entire ride. And they thought it was hilarious. The couple was laughing and thinking it was so cute. I can understand a little if you take them on Small World or Peter Pan, but keep those babies away from rides that are enjoyed by older people.

 

[bcla]

I personally find it ridiculous when parents will take their babies on rides like POTC where there is no height restriction. We were trying to enjoy a ride but a couple behind us though it would be great to bring their baby along. The baby cried and screamed the entire ride. And they thought it was hilarious. The couple was laughing and thinking it was so cute. I can understand a little if you take them on Small World or Peter Pan, but keep those babies away from rides that are enjoyed by older people.

The steep drops probably aren't appropriate for someone that young. Our kid is two, and we didn't even think of going together on Pirates. We did ride Mad Hatter's Party, and our kid had a blast. However, the spinning is similar to stuff we do together playing. I would think the drops would be very disconcerting to a young child.

 

[lilpooh108]

To the OP---babies are actually WAY easier to handle at DL and WDW than toddlers. They don't complain, they don't crawl, they don't run around. You just carry them around. They eat and nap alot. Sometimes they cry. If you're considerate, you have them cry around less people. If you are not considerate, well then I guess you care less how it affects others (either at DL or not).

I just got back from WDW, carrying my 8 month old around. I lost alot of weight after walking her 5 days in the park. It was fun to watch her interact w/characters and to let my 3YO introduce her to princesses.

With my first child (now age 3), we took her to Hawaii at 4 months, Mexico at 6 months, and she's been to WDW at least 5 times, and she was on her 4th cruise (to Alaska) in July. As of her last trip to WDW, she's been on over 22 flights. She can recount most of her trips starting from age 18 months.

Our lives revolve around our kids, and our kids' lives are also adapted to ours (which include lots of fun traveling). To the poster who said that life doesn't stop when you have kids---that's right on.

We can afford traveling right now, so why not do it when everyone is happy and healthy? I'm not sure what I'd be waiting for. I'm sure we'll have to settle down one day and cut back...but not yet We're thankful for our opportunities and the time that we have with each other.

 

[Meech Loves Mickey]

I truly hope no one was offended or took offense to my question. I truly had no intention of that.

I just always wondered why people brought their babies. Seeing it, to me it just seemed like it wouldn't be any fun for the parents, constantly having to take time out to take care of the baby, not getting to ride all the rides. I didn't realize that a lot of the rides did allow small children on them.

I wanted kids, but found out at 15, that was never going to happen. At 38, I still haven't come to full terms that I'll never be a mom, but that's another point all together.

Anyways, if I did offend anyone by asking my question, then, I truly do apologize, because that was never my intention.

Charlene

No offense taken.

I'm so very sorry that you are not able to have kids. Having two of my own I cannot imagine how you must feel.

 

[profa]

We have never stayed home because of kids/babies. However, CA is a TRIP for us and I wanted to go when the kids would remember it. We went last summer and they were 4,7,8 yrs. It's not something we will do regularly and it was a big deal. If I were in that area and someone gave me free tix and had to take a baby I would have. I just wouldn't plan a big vacation there otherwise w/ a baby. Just a preference.. Like a PP, I wouldn't plan a vacation to Vegas w/ kids but since we were driving through from DL last yr it was fun to stop over night.
Kids have been to east coast several times and all over but the DL trip was for them and planned around them so to remember it.

 

[DharmaLou]

I truly hope no one was offended or took offense to my question. I truly had no intention of that.

I wanted kids, but found out at 15, that was never going to happen. At 38, I still haven't come to full terms that I'll never be a mom, but that's another point all together.

Charlene

THAT is exactly why I HATE when people say "when you have kids, you'll understand". It took us over a year and a lot of money to get pregnant. Had it not worked that time, chances are we'd be childless now because we couldn't afford a 2nd try.

Sorry for digressing, but when I saw someone make that comment it rubbed me the wrong way, and I feel horrible that the OP cannot have kids.

 

[monami7]

I cannot have children either. Both of mine are adopted. I do get to be a Mom. it is the greatest feeling ever to watch them at Disney. At 35 you can still adopt. It is totally worth all of the heartbreak in the end!

 

[melancholywings]

For us as a young couple with a baby money was tight. So flying with an infant was cost prohibitive and she wasn't going to remember any of it anyways. When they're that small you're not going for the baby, you're really going for yourself. We decided to wait till she was old enough to really get into it at 5. And waiting was SO hard, but it made her first time and our first time taking her very special to us. Not that going with a baby for their first time isn't special, but it's a different kind of special with a different set of memories.

But I agree about people taking babies into inappropriate places. I don't want to be next to a screaming baby on a ride or the movie theater.

 

[Meech Loves Mickey]

THAT is exactly why I HATE when people say "when you have kids, you'll understand". It took us over a year and a lot of money to get pregnant. Had it not worked that time, chances are we'd be childless now because we couldn't afford a 2nd try.

Sorry for digressing, but when I saw someone make that comment it rubbed me the wrong way, and I feel horrible that the OP cannot have kids.

Excuse me, but if you look at my comment it states "If/When you have kids...". It is a fact that if you do not have kids, it's impossible to understand what life is like with them. I am truly sorry that the OP cannot have kids and I am truly sorry that you had a hard time conceiving. That is something that I will never understand, as it is something I have never gone thru.

I'm sorry if my comment rubbed you the wrong way, but one cannot be expected to know everyone's personal history when commenting on a subject.

 

[mafpi]

I took al my kids since they were babies. It was the only time I can take them to Disneyland for free

 

[MateasMom]

The steep drops probably aren't appropriate for someone that young. Our kid is two, and we didn't even think of going together on Pirates. We did ride Mad Hatter's Party, and our kid had a blast. However, the spinning is similar to stuff we do together playing. I would think the drops would be very disconcerting to a young child.

Actually, Pirates and Haunted Mansion were favorites when I had an infant. It was a nice sit down break where mom/dad could enjoy a ride together, and baby could be nursed to sleep. Sounds like the people a previous poster experienced were just rude people, baby or not.