10 month old activities and "scheduling"

[maverickj44]

We will be going March 21-29th and will be taking our will be 10 month old with us. My husband and I have been to Disney numerous times, and went with friends with children the last time....but never a baby, or our own for that matter. Advice is welcome and appreciated... We know it will be a totally different experience, but really don't know what to expect.
What can we do with a 10 month old??
What have others done to make their vacation smooth??
What are your infant at Disney tips??

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

Congratulations on your new arrival!

You can take your infant on any attraction that doesn't have a height requirement, and most attractions do not have height requirements. You can either hold the baby on your lap or some parents like to use the slings/wraps/carriers to hold their babies. You'll want a good, reclining stroller -- not the carseat snap-n-go type -- and hopefully your baby will nap in the stroller.

All the Disney resorts have pack-n-plays available.

There is a Baby Care Center in every park and is a place where you could heat a bottle or have a private area to breastfeed if you desire (although moms can nurse anywhere they like). There are diaper changing tables in all restrooms.

Babies of that age are fairly portable. Take cues from your baby - if he/she seems tired, find a quiet place for a rest or go back to your room for a break. We didn't take our kids until they were over a year old and weaned, but they loved the sights and sounds and some of my favorite Disney memories are of those trips. Have fun!

 

[timandjanl]

Go at your child's pace and don't try to cram too much in. We took our 1.5 yr old last yr. he's up pretty early so we were usually at parks for rope drop. We tour until we got hungry and then head back to the room for a family nap and relaxation time. It was great!

 

[maplevale]

If it is just you and your 10 month old you can totally go at the babies pace. My DD was 10 months when we went and she LOVED everything! The characters (My favorite picture is her grabbing Mickey's nose, in Epcot she stood for one of the first times ever with Winnie the Pooh!). We took her on all the rides we could (Peter Pan, IASM etc.) She was content to sit in her stroller and watch everything we did (we had her 4 year old sister too).

Our DD was very laid back - we didn't schedule around her - she would sleep in the stroller (or on dark rides!) and was easy to transfer to buses/beds etc.

I brought food - but she was beyond it and just wanted to eat off our plates.

Best thing was some straps for the stroller to attach her sippy cups and a few toys. I used a nursing cover as a sun shield when she was sleeping (extra blanket and some clothes pins would be awesome too.

 

[MinnieMe129]

We took our DD when she was 9 months and we were shocked at how easy it was! There will be so much for your baby to look at! Our DD rode all the rides and she napped great in the stroller in the parks.

I think our biggest challenge was cleaning her bottles and pacifiers without a dishwasher or stove to boil water. I found the Medela sterilizer bags to be a lifesaver! Just dump anything in the bag you want to clean, add a little bit of water and then you use a microwave to heat. We used the microwave in the food court at the end of each day.

I would also take advantage of the baby centers. We would go in a couple times a day to just get some AC and let DD have some play time on the floor.

Also, just try and stay on your normal schedule and not stress about all the rides. This trip will be more about you watching your baby take it in - He won't know if he is missing something!

Have fun!!

 

[lovetogowdw]

Don't go all the way back to your room for naps. Just find dark and/or relaxing places in the parks. The baby centers work, but are boring for
mom.

How about the Hall of Presidents at MK? Also at the MK, the People Mover (aka Tomorrowland Transit Authority) is great for getting in an in park nap. Both of my boys have loved it. If you tell them as you board that you are hoping for a nap and want to ride multiple times if your child falls asleep, as long as there isn't a long line (and there hardly ever is), then you can just motion to them/say that you want to stay on as you approach the ride exit and they will let you ride again. Rode it five times in a row once!

The same is true for the Three Amigos boat ride in the Mexico building at Epcot. (At least the music isn't as annoying at "It's a Small World", even if the ride is much the same.)

And lock for rockers! Yes, they exist, you just have to look real hard. There is a blog out there somewhere on this topic.

And sometimes we just leave MK or Epcot and get on the resort monorail and just ride around a couple of times. Or ride the boat from Epcot to Hollywood Studios. Something about the motion seems to be nap inducing. Then head back into the park post nap. (But actually going to the room has never worked for us. Something setting foot on our resort property seems to induce a state of "wide awake" that just won't quit. I gave up after about the third try with each kid. Waste of everyone's time and energy. But I have some great photos from the pool area when we were supposed to be napping!

And I wouldn't worry too much about the "schedule" if I were you. Both mine were fine within a day of arriving back home. There is way, way too much stimulation at WDW for a wee one NOT to get off schedule. It is okay. Little ones tend to sleep really hard on the way home/next day and then just get right back in the groove.

 

[maverickj44]

Great tips, thank you! This truely is helping to calm some of my aprehension.