Baby's First Trip: Which Hotel?

[NJlauren]

We took our DD at 10 months and had a blast! It was May, weather was great a trip was a blast!

We stayed at the contemporary, and loved how convenient it was. We also had family tag along, two rooms (actually 4) works best IMO.

We have baby 2 on the way and I’m leaning toward taking this baby younger for the first trip. At 10 months DD wanted to walk/crawl not be held at times and I think if she was less mobile it would have been even easier.

We went again when she was 17 months and with actual walking happening it was a bit easier.

Granted we have a tentative trip planned for when this baby is 13 months, so going against my advice there!

 

[Jadyreen1282]

I say club level GF! But seriously regardless of where you choose add memory maker to package. The pictures are what matters down the road.

 

[marchingstar]

Truthfully, we have stayed at all 3 levels with one of our 2 DDs as an infant and had a great time at each. When we took our 1st DD at 6 months, everyone said you need to be on the monorail. So we booked POLY and yes it was convenient BUT when we went again a couple of months later and stayed at ASMU and we had just as much fun. We had no issues with using the buses with our stroller all it takes is a routine. POP's new rooms have 2 queen beds with one being a murphy that folds up, giving you a lot of room and would be great for a pack-n-play etc. if you wanted to go that route.

Thanks for this. Advice from a seasoned pro! I just looked at the new POP rooms and they're beautiful.

 

[marchingstar]

If money is not object, I'd choose a monorail resort because you don't have to collapse the stroller getting on and off the monorail. Of course, those are also the most expensive. Strollers + buses are a pain in the but. We've done it many times, and it worse once you have 2 and need to drag a double stroller on and off buses! Otherwise, choose the theme that appeals to you the most because the baby won't care or remember.

The monorail convenience does sound appealing, although you're definitely right that it comes with a price tag. Thanks for the advice!

 

[marchingstar]

^^^This. Just stay where traveling with an infant will make it easiest for you.

Haha, this is exactly my question! What is easiest when travelling with an infant? But there are some great ideas on here already: added amenities that meant little as a couple, like a kitchenette or washing machine, might be more valuable now. If grandparents are babysitting, a suite could be beneficial. Travelling on the monorail means not collapsing the stroller, even rooms at POP will fit a pack and play now... so many great suggestions that will help us settle on a great place to stay this time around.

 

[marchingstar]

We've done both: off-site and Yacht Club at 3 months and 6 months. Yacht club was nice when we were at Epcot/HS since we didn't have to fold up the stroller or anything, but the room was super tiny and the crib took up a ton of room.

We preferred the off-site situation. We would spend all day at the parks, she would nap sporadically throughout the day, and having the extra space of a full suite with separate bedroom was really helpful for changing diapers and sleeping at night.

Thanks for sharing! We have always stayed on site, and I'm not sure this is the trip to veer from that for us. Mostly because neither of us want to drive when we're in Disney! I know Disney transportation isn't always perfect, but I prefer it so much to having to drive ourselves on vacation. But a couple people have suggested suites, and it does seem like something to look into. Thanks again

 

[marchingstar]

My vote would be either an Epcot resort or Saratoga Springs. With an Epcot resort, you have the close proximity to 2 parks so if your in laws want to go back to a park at night or they offer to watch the baby, you can walk on over and relax for a bit. Also, if you did YC or BC, you'd have Stormalomg Bay and baby would probably have fun playing in the sand.

With Saratoga, you have the close proximity to Disney Springs, either by walking or by boat. I'd recommend a 2 BR villa there. The full kitchen is great for storing things in the fridge, washing bottles, etc. The washer and dryer will be such a lifesaver with a baby and you'll have lots of room to stretch out. You can put the baby to bed in one of the rooms and still have a place to hang out in the living room area. The 2 BR villas already come stocked with a highchair and a playpen, so you won't have to request those. Two of the pools have zero depth entry and there are splash pads at 3 of the pools.

These are great suggestions We've stayed at Beach Club before, and that pool is amazing! I can imagine a baby would love to splash in the water or play in the sand there. And someone else has suggested Saratoga Springs too. We haven't visited the resort yet, but it's definitely on our list to check out. We're international travellers, so the fewer pieces of equipment we need to bring/arrange in advance, the better!

 

[marchingstar]

The baby isn't going to care which resort you choose. Personally, I like the values. I don't think the deluxe is worth the extra money and the transportation of multiple bus stops within the resort at the moderates makes them very unappealing to me. But that's just me.

You're definitely right, baby isn't going to care! Someone has suggested we look into POP, because the renovated rooms have more space for baby gear (before, I had assumed all values would be too cramped for us). You're right about the bus stops at moderates though. The first time we stayed at one it took an adjustment--you have to add a good 15 minutes to any travel time. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[marchingstar]

We took our DD at 10 months and had a blast! It was May, weather was great a trip was a blast!

We stayed at the contemporary, and loved how convenient it was. We also had family tag along, two rooms (actually 4) works best IMO.

We have baby 2 on the way and I’m leaning toward taking this baby younger for the first trip. At 10 months DD wanted to walk/crawl not be held at times and I think if she was less mobile it would have been even easier.

We went again when she was 17 months and with actual walking happening it was a bit easier.

Granted we have a tentative trip planned for when this baby is 13 months, so going against my advice there!

Wow, sounds like a great time! We liked staying at the contemporary too, but I would like a hotel with a bit more theming, or at least a bit more to do in the hotel itself. That's totally personal taste though There's no way we would all share one room. My in laws are lovely people, but I need alone time!

We're also Canadian (from Western Canada) so the travel day is going to be long. Lots of my friends have suggested international travel is easiest with a young baby, so that's a bit of a factor too. I hope your next trip is a blast!

 

[marchingstar]

I say club level GF! But seriously regardless of where you choose add memory maker to package. The pictures are what matters down the road.

Haha, I like the way you think! We've stayed in Sugar Loaf before, but I would love to stay in the main building one day. I know my in laws are a bit unsure about the theming--they think it's a bit too formal. So we'll see! Although I have to say, anyone who thinks GF is stuck up should see what happens on corn dog nugget night in the CL lounge...

 

[mickeymom22]

We have three children ages: 21, 18 and 6. Our first WDW was when the older two were 4 and 1.

Resorts we have stayed in with a baby:

Beach Club:
Pros: We had park hoppers and we would end every night at Epcot and leisurely stroll back to our room! We loved the boat ride to HS.
Cons: Tight squeeze for the pack n play. Not a separate area to put baby while others wanted to stay up...when baby was asleep everyone else had to be QUIET!

All-Star Music Family Suite:
Pros: We put the pack n play in the bedroom and baby could be asleep while others were watching TV or just chatting. Great for a family of five. Buses everywhere...folding up the stroller and dealing with it. Main pool a little chaotic. We couldn't really enjoy it with little one.

Port Orleans French Quarter:
Pros: We just fell in love this little resort. Loved the boat ride to Disney Springs. Loved the convenience of the food court, pool, and playground. It felt very shaded and made for quiet walks with baby.
Cons: We now were a family of five. Tight squeeze for the pack n play. Not a separate area to put baby while others wanted to stay up...when baby was asleep everyone else had to be QUIET! Buses everywhere...folding up the stroller and dealing with it.


We didn't have a baby, but when we stayed at the Boardwalk we were a family of five and the room felt very spacious. I think it wouldn't be bad to have a pack n play there.

Touring with a baby tips:

Also, if you have never been in the baby care centers in the parks they are super! If you just need a break and soak up some AC. They have rocking chairs and cribs. Baby supplies if you need to buy something quickly.
Don't forget something to cover the stroller to keep it dry while you are on a ride or in a show. Those rain showers can be brutal!

Have a great time!

 

[LiveToTravelNicely]

Staying at BLT in a 2 bedroom worked out great for our extended family trip in 2016. We had a 2y/o with us, and the ease of access to the room from MK was ideal on the days she did need to go back to the room. I also personally like the Epcot deluxes, and a 2 bedroom villa at BWV or BCV would be equally as accomodating for your group. We enjoyed the fact that the 2 bed villa gave us a common area to visit/lounge vs 2 rooms that may *or may not* be near each other.

 

[kristinlee1114]

We also stayed in a BLT 2 bedroom for our first trip with our 9.5 month old in November. The kitchenette and laundry were crucial as was the ability to get to our two favorite parks without having to take a bus (and fold up the stroller). It was great to have our own space separate from the in laws but still have them close by if we needed a break or a few hours out without the baby at night.

A couple additional items -
-We took advantage of having groceries delivered to the resort so we were able to travel without a whole suitcase full of diapers/wipes/baby food pouches. It was seamless and made the airport experience much easier.
-Get baby their first haircut on Main Street - even if they don't have enough hair! I called to schedule this months in advance and when the trip came around our peanut was still mostly bald. The barbers were so nice to us and still clipped a tiny piece for the memory.
-The Baby Care centers in all four parks were awesome - whether nursing, pumping, or warming bottles.
-Prepare yourself for the emotional onslaught of seeing that castle for the first time with baby in your arms. We had a very difficult and scary delivery and a long NICU stay so turning that corner onto Main Street knowing that we had finally made it safe and healthy was an event unto itself. Just take a few minutes to soak it in, you'll never forget it. <3

 

[MikeNamez]

You could stay in a box on the side of the road and the baby wouldn't know the difference lol. Personally, I wouldn't even think about taking my kid to Disney until they are at least 6-7 years old.

 

[MissManda]

Ahh...baby's first trip to Disney!!! How exciting. Ours was 18 months when we took him for his first trip but here are some things that really worked for us..

- We stayed in a 1 bedroom at Saratoga Springs. We loved having the separate bedroom so that he could nap in quiet space. It was also nice to have a kitchen with a fridge. We didn't cook a lot but it was nice to have toast in the room int he mornings, a bowl of cereal, a big pot of coffee, etc. There was also a washer/dryer in the unit.

- We did grocery delivery service and ordered diapers, snacks, bottled water, etc and had it delivered right to the room. Saved us time and kept us from having to pack so much on the trip down.

- We rented a car...but as it turned out, he fell in love with the Disney bus systems and we ended up riding the bus most of the week (honestly...we could have just ridden him around on the buses, boats and monorails and never went to a park and he would have been just as happy! It doesn't take much to make them happy).

- We rented a stroller from Orlando Stroller Rentals. They delivered it to the hotel and we just picked it up on arrival. It worked out great!

- It was super hot when we went. We had planned to spend our days at the park, pool in the evening and early to bed to keep him somewhat on a regular schedule, but found it was just too hot for him during the day. So we relaxed at the hotel in the mornings, spent time at the pool and went to the parks closer to evening and stayed until close. It worked out well since he got a good nap in during the day and was awake for fireworks (which he loved...I truly thought that he would be scared of them but I guess it was Disney Magic. Oh and I totally cried while we watched them in the Magic Kingdom. It was so special)

- We got his hair cut at the Main St Barber shop. (When I found out I was having a boy, that was the first thing I thought of was that he had to get his haircut at the barber shop).

- My main piece of advice would be to plan your trip as best you can but allow yourself to be extra flexible. He had a few meltdowns during the trip (heck..the adults did too!) and we just dealt with them and went out with our plans. But if he got to the point that he was just "done", then we took him on back to the room or found a cool place to sit for a while. We found ourselves rearranging dining plans (thankfully we didn't do too many ADRs) and we missed out on fast passes but in the end we figured we'd rather miss out on a few things and have a happy baby!

- Speaking of a cool place to sit for a while....locate the Baby Care centers in each park (think they are all near first aid). Great place to change diapers using real changing tables. There are places to feed, and just to relax a bit and get out of the craziness for a while.

Hope some of this is helpful and that you have a wonderful trip. Baby's first trip is so very special!!!

 

[DisneyWishes14]

After over 30 trip with DS (who is now 10) starting at the age of 1, I would highly recommend a 2-bedroom villa either in the MK or EP resort area. The washer/dryer being in our villa was invaluable to me when my DS was younger. I know Saratoga Springs was mentioned on here, but, I really wouldn't recommend it as it's really spread out and not convenient to any of the parks. If you can afford to be closer to the parks, it will make your life with an infant much easier.

You mentioned staying at CR and not being thrilled with it. If you would be willing to reconsider BLT (which is CR's DVC resort) is beautiful and you can walk to MK. It really doesn't get easier than that if you will be in MK most of the time. If BLT doesn't float your boat, consider Copper Creek Villas or Boulder Ridge Villas at WL. WL is absolutely gorgeous and is just a boat ride away from MK (plus CR and Ft. W). There is a lot to do at WL and Ft. W.

If you will spend any time at EP or DHS, consider a 2-bedroom villa at BCV or BWI. Both gorgeous resorts with a ton to do and, IMHO, being able to walk into WS at night or around the Boardwalk with an infant in a stroller was so much nicer than having to board another bus, monorail or boat in the evenings after resting at our resort.

 

[cutigerlady]

We stayed at WL when my son was about 9 months in 2br villa. Loved the location, but it was a bit of a pain folding up the stroller for the smaller boats. The extra space was really nice! He had just started crawling and didn’t like being strapped in a stroller. He traveled easier before he was mobile (although that didn’t stop us from taking him back)!

We used grocery delivery service for his diapers, food, etc. although I didn’t think Disney’s prices were bad in a pinch.

Loved the baby care centers and everyone who worked there was so friendly/helpful.

He had a great trip and there is nothing better than experiencing a place you love through your child’s eyes. I had no idea how many play areas there were or how fascinating ducks were! His eyes when he got to be the conductor of the day on the train or when he got a rare bus collecting card or when he listened to a janitor for thirty minutes talk about the different kind of boats. Choose to remember those things and ignore the meltdowns (but realize they happen to every child at some point).

 

[MrsDuck]

We are taking our 6 month old next weekend but he went when he was 3 months old. Staying on the monorail loop is the easiest with a baby.

Look into renting DVC points and getting a 2 bedroom or a grand villa for most space!

 

[rer1972]

The best hotel for a baby is the one the baby's parents are staying in. Period.



A baby doesn’t care where you are. A baby will like Epcot as much as MK and if they had any smidgen of caring would probably would like AK the best because of the animals.

To make this trip for the baby is pointless. This is your trip and the baby is with you. The baby will enjoy being with you no matter where you are. You will get cute pictures no matter where you are. There will be tantrums wherever you are. And the baby might have emotional outbursts, too.

Traveling with a baby is like being at home with a baby, but in different surroundings. And you have to carry more with you. I’d have a car so someone can run out to the store for forgotten items etc.

This is pretty darn accurate for our past experiences (DD6 & DD4 now). I do have some recommendations:

* Stay at a resort that is closest to the parks you will be visiting the most, because you will be going back to your resort for breaks.
* Take breaks!!!! About the only think a baby (and possibly mom) will need is some quiet time, and that is hard to do in the parks. You will know your babies patterns by then, and can plan accordingly.
* See if the in-laws can babysit one night; it will be a real benefit to you and your wife to get a chance to "go out" together one evening while visiting WDW.
* Keep the weather in mind. Babies in high humidity and 90+ temps is no fun. Even some of the very cold periods in WDW can require some serious bundling.
* Find a stroller that collapses to as small as possible, because lugging that thing onto the buses or other transportation when it hardly folds is no fun (especially at the end of a long night).

 

[marchingstar]

A quick thanks to everyone for their suggestions. I just got back to this thread and the disboards more generally. Baby showed up and our lives got busy, go figure! I've gotten lots of good ideas and tips for making the most of a trip with an infant, and I'm definitely going to put the suggestions to use as we plan our first trip. I'm really excited for baby's first visit!