Disney while pregnant

[k-wa]

Hi everyone,

I will be traveling to the World in August, which will make me 6 1/2 months along. I have been to Disney numerous times and as a non-pregnant woman have ridden on all of the rides that Disney advises against for moms-to-be. Some of them: safari at AK, Splash Mountain at MK, etc. don't strike me as particularly risky. I know the best advice is to consult with my doctor, but what if she has never been to Disney? She would have to base her recommendations on my descriptions ...

Anyway, I would just like to know what some other women have done before me.

Thanks in advance!

 

[CHRIS0498]

I didn't go to WDW but went to Disneyland my whole pregnancy. I rode star tours and splash mountain when I was 5 months.

 

[amywhite11]

I thought the same thing.
I went June 08, 4 1/2 months pregnant with second child. I rode the safari and I was misserable. I had rode June 07 and didn't remember it being so bumpy. My butt actually left the seat a few times. By the time we got off, I was really sore. For the rest of the trip I felt like my hips were not lined up with my spine right.

I don't like splash moutain, so I don't having advice on that.

Have a great trip!

 

[tartemis]

FWIW -- I went to Disney a few months ago when I was 4 months pregnant and when I asked my OB/GYN he told me to abide by all ride warnings. The hardest for me was not going down a waterslide at the hotel pool (I have never been on a waterslide and always wanted to do it) but I figure I will have many more opportunities to go down waterslides in the future so any risk was simply not worth it.

 

[Colleen27]

Hi everyone,

I will be traveling to the World in August, which will make me 6 1/2 months along. I have been to Disney numerous times and as a non-pregnant woman have ridden on all of the rides that Disney advises against for moms-to-be. Some of them: safari at AK, Splash Mountain at MK, etc. don't strike me as particularly risky. I know the best advice is to consult with my doctor, but what if she has never been to Disney? She would have to base her recommendations on my descriptions ...

Anyway, I would just like to know what some other women have done before me.

Thanks in advance!

At that point in the pregnancy, I'd probably avoid most things with warnings, if only because I'd worry about lap bars and my pregnant belly.

I've been to Disney twice while pregnant, but never that far along (9 weeks and 16 weeks) and my Disney-loving OB gave me a *much* shorter list of rides to avoid than Disney does. Basically, she told me to steer clear of anything with significant G forces, like Mission Space: Orange and Rock & Roller Coaster, but that the baby was well protected and to listen to my body about doing the rest. At 6 months along, I'd have steered clear of a lot more - anything with a lap bar, and anything with a tight fit in the passenger compartment (like MS:Green).

 

[~Kristina~]

I will be going to Disney for the 3rd time pregnant this September. I never rode the rides that could pose a risk. It's just not worth the risk to my unborn child for a thrill, though the likely hood of something going wrong is slim.

 

[SueM in MN]

You can look at the park maps for the attractions with warnings if you want to know which ones Disney has specifically put warnings on. They are marked with a red triangle on the map and also on a sign at the entrance to the queue.
For Epcot here are the attractions with warnings:

• Mission Space the sign outside the attraction says that pregnant women are advised not the ride both the more tame (green side) and the more wild (orange side)
• Test Track

For Magic Kingdom:

• Splash Mountain
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Tomorrowland Indy Speedway
• Space Mountain
• Goofy's Barnstormer (this doesn't have a triangle warning sign on the map, but does say that pregnant women should not ride)

For Disney Studio

• Star Tours
• Rock N Roller Coaster
• Tower of Terror

For Animal Kingdom:

• Kilimanjaro Safari
• Kali River Rapids
• Expedition Everest
• Primeval Whirl
• Dinosaur

Soarin' gets mentioned a lot, but doesn't have any warnings that would affect pregnancy; just heights and possibly motion sickness.

The Safari and Kali River Rapids are listed because you can get unexpected hard bumps and drops during the course of the ride. Many people suggest that the Safari is less bumpy closer to the front, but it is still bumpy. We sit in the front seat because youngest DD needs to stay in her wheelchair; we still get bounced around a lot. It all depends on which ruts your ride car hits. I have also ridden it without DD, and have found the farther back seats are not significantly less bumpy (with the possible exception of the last 1/4 of the tram).

G forces are the reason for not riding Splash Mountain. The big drop takes you down at a very extreme angle at a high rate of speed (I think you get to 40 mph). At the bottom, your ride car stops abruptly. That sort of combination of fast speed drop at an extreme angle and then abrupt stop can theoretically cause placental abruption - where the placenta actually peels away from the wall of the uterus. That's the main reason for warnings at Splash Mountain.
For rides like Dinosaur, Star Tours, Test Track, Big Thunder Mountain you are not moving that fast, but experience sudden changes of direction that jerk you around a lot.

The problem with water slides is that during the trip down the slide and hitting the water, water can be forced up into the woman's body thru an opening that the word filter will not allow me to spell.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

During latter pregnancy at Disney--I avoided roller coasters and big drop rides (splash mountain).

I did the Safari--I asked the CM's and they said they have late term pregnancy ladies going on it on purpose in hopes to..get things moving.

I believe that due to the rough nature of the ride, the advisory is more of a precaution--you cannot predict which pregnant woman that the ride would be contraindicated for.

I say as long as the mom is not a high risk pregnancy or subject to any other restrictions while pregnant (say due to a cerclage or early labor symptoms or whatever)--that she should be fine on Safari.

Also--any ride that has a harness or safety bar system like Mission space--I wouldn't want the baby to be smooshed in it--it woudl be too uncomfortable.


Speedway, I would avoid b/c you don't know what idiot will be behind you that wants to play bumper cars.



I usually spend the time to sit and relax or browse a near by air conditioned shop while my family rides the ride.

I've been during 2nd and 3rd trimester.

The most pregnant woman I saw at Disney--we saw her in the parking lot at MK when we arrived and left at the same time. She was in early labor and was walking to get things moving. Not sure what rides she rode if any. I believe it was her due date or just after it or something--and clearly she lived very locally.

 

[k-wa]

Thank you all for sharing your experiences. Taking together, this will help me make an informed decision.

 

[PottersMom]

WE went last august when I was 34 weeks. I have to agree with the other posters about it not being worth the risk- there is so much great stuff to do.
Specifically with splash mountain- not only the obvious drop, but also the way you sit in the "log" - the seats are made so your knees are up higher than your hips- which means unless you can get them apart (not very wide there) then you will squish your belly. You should skip it.
K Safaris is VERY VERY Bumpy. I never really noticed how bumpy it was when riding "solo" but the last time I rode it (pre-preg) I held my 6yr old neice on my lap and I could barely hang on to her we were getting tossed around so much. Plus its one thing to hit a hard bump in your car at 6.5 months, but think about hitting them over and over for about 5 or 6 minutes. You will have close to a gallon of extra fluid in your uterus by then! Not only that- but consider your bladder- the last thing you need is to accidentally pee your pants on a hot day in August at AK!
We spent a lot of our time enjoying the easy rides, strolling about shopping and of course eating... it was our best trip yet. In about 2 weeks we are going back with our 6month old baby for her first extra-utero Disney experience. I can't wait.
Have fun and be safe.

 

[mushumadness]

I will be 15 nearly 16 weeks when we go next week, Im going to abide by the signs and take plenty of rests

plus I will have my 7 month old with me and I can sit off the rides with him while dh rides lol (gets me out of tower of terror which I hate)

 

[POOHDRMR]

I will be there Aug 26-Sept 5, 5 and a half months preg.I hope to have fun and plan on lots of pool time!!Maybe I will see you there!

 

[nshields]

? Where can I find them

 

[SueM in MN]

? Where can I find them

Everyhing is safe except for the ones with warnings that I listed in a previous post. Because there are so many safe ones, it's easier just to list the few that are not safe.