Anyone ever regret taking baby/small child to Disney?

[aleshad01]

I'm starting to get a little worried about our upcoming trip. Our baby just turned 1 year old over the weekend and he seems to not like loud noise. We went to the zoo a few weeks ago and he cried as soon as the show started and everyone started clapping & cheering. Then when we had his party the other day he started crying when everyone started singing to him. Were really looking forward to our trip but we want our baby to enjoy it as well. We took our other two kids for the first time when they were 1 1/2 and 2 and never had any problems. Anyone have any tips or advice?

 

[Eddie75]

We waited with our daughter until she was 18 months, and our son will be 17 months old on his first trip in August. Good luck on your trip! We prepared our daughter by watching tv louder, we never got her use to silence. My daughter fell asleep in her stroller during the fireworks. Also all four parks do have baby care centers where you can sit and rest.

 

[Kae]

I'm starting to get a little worried about our upcoming trip. Our baby just turned 1 year old over the weekend and he seems to not like loud noise. We went to the zoo a few weeks ago and he cried as soon as the show started and everyone started clapping & cheering. Then when we had his party the other day he started crying when everyone started singing to him. Were really looking forward to our trip but we want our baby to enjoy it as well. We took our other two kids for the first time when they were 1 1/2 and 2 and never had any problems. Anyone have any tips or advice?

Soft Foam ear plugs, these saved our trip many years ago. DS & DD wore them on most rides PotC, Movies at Epcot, Fireworks at Epcot & even wore them at home when we went to the movies.

Kae

 

[aleshad01]

Soft Foam ear plugs, these saved our trip many years ago. DS & DD wore them on most rides PotC, Movies at Epcot, Fireworks at Epcot & even wore them at home when we went to the movies.

Kae

Where did you buy them at? Thanks!

 

[shaylahc1]

I took our 4 children (ages 7, 5, 3 & 2 months) 6 years ago to WDW. We stayed offsite, it was a bit of a "budget" trip because money was tight so we forewent (is that a word) things like staying onsite and dining onsite. Our son was 2 months old and I thought, well how much trouble could he be?

WELL! The baby was just awful! He was really unhappy pretty much the whole time. If I wasn't carrying him or nursing him constantly he was crying. He didn't sleep much at night so I was seriously sleep deprived on top of everything else. It was record heat that year so it was 90+ degrees in December which just added to the misery. The time it took to get 2 adults and 4 kids bathed and out the door was about 2 hours. By the time we got the parks we were already exhausted. I am sure the older kids had a great time but my DH and I were like this: wondering why we'd dished out $2000 to spend a week in hell

Funny thing is we took DS back at ages 1 & 2 and he had a blast. He was just an irritable newborn. Now I tell people don't count on your baby sleeping the vacation away in a stroller because some babies don't.

 

[bethy]

We just had the exact same experience last week in Disneyland except for our baby is a girl. It was haaaaard. I just felt so terribly sorry for the poor thing b/c she was just miserable the whole time. It was just too much for her and I felt terrible.

There were some magical memories made nevertheless but I wouldn't do it again at that age. Nor would I leave a baby at home so in our case we wouldn't go at all.

 

[mickeysaver]

We have been taking our now 18 month old great niece since she was 13 months. She loves going to the parks. Noise and late hours haven't really messed with her much. She doesn't like to nap in her umbrella stroller, but will completely konk out in the jogging stroller. We enjoy taking her to the parks. It's always a new adventure.

 

[BBG-BLT]

I took all of mine young and I would totally take a 1 year old if they didn't want to walk much. It's the 18 month - 3 year olds that I don't really care for at Disney.

The no - we can;t leave we're...
waiting for the parade
waiting for the fireworks
waiting for Dumbo
waiting for dinner

you get the idea -

But for 1 - you can keep him away from noise - our #1 DD was that way (sensitive to noise) and we did fine. No fireworks, still haven't seen Fantastmic or Indiana Jones - but we loved the trip.

Don't stress - there are quiet places at all the parks.

 

[mickeysaver]

I took all of mine young and I would totally take a 1 year old if they didn't want to walk much. It's the 18 month - 3 year olds that I don't really care for at Disney.

The no - we can;t leave we're...
waiting for the parade
waiting for the fireworks
waiting for Dumbo
waiting for dinner

you get the idea -

But for 1 - you can keep him away from noise - our #1 DD was that way (sensitive to noise) and we did fine. No fireworks, still haven't seen Fantastmic or Indiana Jones - but we loved the trip.

Don't stress - there are quiet places at all the parks.

The "No, we can't leaves" don't happen for us. We made a pact when we took the little one that we would not feel bad if we didn't get to this that or the other thing because it was more important to let her needs and wants lead the day. She is too little to demand that she rides, dines, or sees anything. We are just happy to be there. It's amazing how nice of a day that you can have just letting the little one lead you through the parks.

There is so much magic that just happens if you let it. Like the fact that whenever you get to the area just outside of the stroller parking in FL, there is music playing there. If the baby is out of the stroller, she always wants to stop and dance there. It's so stinkin' cute and it makes other guests smile seeing our little family group clapping and dancing with the baby in the middle of the park. The baby loves to dance and seems to like a good polka or a good hoe down tune. If we were in "We have to go do" mode, little things like that would be lost and that's the stuff we will always remember about these early trips, not the rides, but the little unexpected magical moments that just happen.

We have gone to the MK and only ridden one ride with the little one and not considered it a wasted day at all. We love this baby so much and seeing her in the middle of the magic is such a blessing. There is much to be said for letting the day take you where it will, when they are that little.

 

[Minniemouse07]

We took dd at 18mo and 2.5yo and ds at 2yo ....all three trips were great and I don't regret them in even the smallest amount.

Dd is gearing up for her 6th visit next month at 10yo and ds will be 5.5yo for his 3rd visit!

 

[5stljayhawks]

Not at all, taken two kids under 1yo with older siblings. It was ok, sure the planning is alittle different but if you set expecations things work out. Also you can stand in line for many rids then cut out with the kid or go park, wait and people watch. this gave my DW and I alone time and one on one time with the other kid.

We had fun, woulnd't trade it for anything. BTW we have always stayed in a 24' travel trailer with the kids at disney. It is nice not to have the pack and play anymore and the space.

Littles ones see to attact mice and princesses!!! Oh yah, even really cute mermaids

 

[mickeyME2]

It's not bad at all. My husband's first trip it was us, our four year old, our 8 month old, my brother, sister-in-law, two year old niece and 9 month old niece (and my parents too). The babies loved looking at all of the lights and balloons. The park has special area for nursing and baby changing. It's not any different than taking the baby to the mall for a day. It's just for an entire week.

Be sure to have snacks and drinks for the little one and you will be fine. Maybe a toy or two in the goody bag and it should go really well.

 

[JoeyEmmaMomma]

For my son's first trip, he was 15 months old, and it went very well. He enjoyed the rides, napped in the stroller, and we had a great experience.

We went this past February, and my daughter was 13 months. I was very surprised how well she did.
My best tool was my Beco (baby carrier). I was able to wear her when we were waiting in lines, and even on many of the rides. I think she felt secure and comfy, even on the dark or loud rides.

 

[aleshad01]

Thanks everyone for the replies I feel better now about taking him so young. My other two kids were 2 and almost 2 when they went to Disney for the first time and they both had a good time.

 

[3pletprincesses]

We took our triplets for their 1st b-day to Disney and never have regret it. Yes it was a lot of work and it was hard at times but it was soo much fun to see them look around. I second the soft ear plugs. We put them in for fire works and so on and they enjoyed it with us but at a lower volume. I would go back with a baby anytime.

However, Keep in mind that the baby will set the pace and will dictate how the day will be. We learned that if we did what the babies wanted, life was good. We get up early as my DDs use to get up at 5am, we would have character breakfast, nap right after lunch and go back later in the day when it was cooler. We would spend most of the afternoon by the pool. We have showed the girls pictures from their first trip and they loved looking at all the faces they were making when seeing the characters.

 

[MommyBell08]

I truly think the best thing to remember when taking a little one, is don't have expectations of things you "have" to do. If you plan to much, you will feel disappointed if things don't go as planned. Just take ques from you LO and go with the flow. It seems like you go to Disney often, so just remember what doesn't get done on this trip, can always be done another trip. Have fun!

 

[Mamapapa]

The "No, we can't leaves" don't happen for us. We made a pact when we took the little one that we would not feel bad if we didn't get to this that or the other thing because it was more important to let her needs and wants lead the day. She is too little to demand that she rides, dines, or sees anything. We are just happy to be there. It's amazing how nice of a day that you can have just letting the little one lead you through the parks.

Yeah... this only works if you only have one kid. If you have three (like OP), then how exactly do you choose whose needs and wants lead the day out of the three of them?....

 

[justhat]

Had you asked me with my 1st two kids, I would have said no, we LOVED the trips with them as babies. Both kids first trips were just before they turned 3 months old and they were super easy. Even my first who was high maintenance had a blast there, in part because she was held all day.

Then came my 3rd kid. She hates everything. We took her to DL at 8 months, 10 months, and 14 months. She hated each trip. The 1st 2 trips she wasn't walking yet so wanting to be mobile wasn't a problem, she was just miserable and grouchy the whole time. Wanted to be able to nap in a bed, sleep on time, in her bed, not go on ride after ride, not sit in high chairs at restaurants, etc. I wore her in a wrap most of the time as she was not a big fan of the stroller for those trips either. That made it mildly easier for her to nap, but she was still an unhappy baby.

The last trip was days after she really began walking. She had been able to walk about 6 weeks, but wasn't really interested in doing it much until right before our trip. So the whole trip she wanted to be out of the stroller and walking, out of the wrap and walking, hated the characters, and just generally miserable again. Oh, and the sleep was a huge issue again. No desire to nap or sleep in her stroller, so she was always grouchy and overtired.

We're planning to go to WDW with them in November and I am already dreading it. I hope that she changes by then, but I have little hope.

 

[justhat]

Yeah... this only works if you only have one kid. If you have three (like OP), then how exactly do you choose whose needs and wants lead the day out of the three of them?....

Exactly!!! Our grouch is the 3rd kid. So we can't just do what she wants all the time, can't go back and nap cause then the other 2 are stuck with one parent, which doesn't work well as my son's a scaredy cat and my oldest is not, so they don't agree on many rides. And with 3 kids, the little one walking isn't an option cause there are just too many of them to keep track of, one kid has to be in a stroller. And leaving a line cause the little one is angry, well, then the big ones cry and miss out, which isn't fair to them either.

 

[Colleen27]

Soft Foam ear plugs, these saved our trip many years ago. DS & DD wore them on most rides PotC, Movies at Epcot, Fireworks at Epcot & even wore them at home when we went to the movies.

Kae

Older DD was 4 for her first trip and earplugs made the difference between terrified of Philharmagic and loving Tough to be a Bug. She used them until she was 6, at Disney, at the movies, for fireworks, at concerts. Having learned the hard way with her, we were prepared with younger DD, who was 16mo on her first WDW trip - with her earplugs she was comfortable enough to fall asleep during Illuminations, on Haunted Mansion, and all manner of odd places. Like her sister, she also uses them at home for loud situations and they always make the difference between scared and interested/happy.

My youngest's first trip at 16mo was our best Disney trip ever. She just had so much fun looking at everything, splashing in the fountains, dancing to the music. She was in total awe of everything and at almost-3 still talks about things from that trip and her second visit (at 30mo). It was a slower pace than going with just our big kids (13 and 9) but that was part of the beauty of it - we saw and did things that we never noticed before because with just the older kids we'd always kept up a faster pace.