DL with an infant

[RuthieT]

I am just in the early stages of planning our next trip and trying to figure out what it is like traveling with an infant.. We will be considering going when she is between 9-13 months old..

 

[dxcspilk]

I have taken both of my kids when they were 12 months old, and am getting ready to take a 16 month old. We had a great time, but you have to make sure to work around your infant. We are staying in a hotel directly across from DL entrance so we can skip out for naps or a break when necessary. We focused on rides they could go on and utilized stroller pass when we wanted to go on a ride the baby was not allowed on.

We packed water, cheese sticks, apple slices, granola bars, yogurt etc. to always have a snack handy. Make sure to apply sunscreen multiple times a day, no matter what time of year you go. Have a stroller that reclines for naps (sounds basic, but a lot of strollers don't do this). We also took a misting fan to keep baby cool.

It is completely doable and well worth it!

 

[superme80]

Make sure your child can sleep through anything. We took DS when he was almost 6 months and he had a blast. He napped in the stroller and was pretty good on the rides. He did cry during the dark parts of Nemo. Bring lots of snacks and plenty of water. Have a great time and get your child an awesome souvenir. We bought DS an Indiana Jones Mickey Mouse. Now he has to have it to sleep!

 

[letthembelittle]

We have taken our youngest when he was about 6 months old (it was a great time for all) and again right after he turned one, it was WAY easier when he was younger. A 1 yr old doesnt understand waiting in lines and our little guy just wanted to crawl around which isnt really safe to do in the park. The first day he was fine on most rides but by the second day he cried on most everything that moved including Dumbo and he wanted nothing to do with any of the characters. That being said there were wonderful things about our trip (especially IASM and Jungle Cruise), I just would go when the baby is 6 months old or younger or once they are closer to two. Whenever you decide to go I am sure you will have fun, just be prepared to do a lot of people watching while the rest of your group goes on the rides and you hang out with the baby.

 

[amamax2]

RuthieT - It looks like you are talking about a trip in Sept or Dec, right? I think that is one of the keys - go in the slower season.

We took my DSs for the first time when one was 13 months and the other just shy of 3 years. It was honestly one of the most magical trips we've had to DL! The 13 month old had just started walking, which helped with the wanting to crawl on the pavement the pp talked about.

Yes, it is a different kind of trip - the pace is slower - but we just went with how the kids were doing and it worked fine. Both kids took turns napping in the stroller - we'd find a quiet, cool spot, one of us would go get some lunch while the other settled the kid down - and after eating, one of us would sit with the sleeping child, just enjoying the scenery and people watching while the other went off with the awake child. Neither napped as long as they would have at home - so it wasn't like we had to sit there alone all day plus by the time the rest of us ate, there wasn't that much more time till he would wake up - but they were so tired it would be a good deep sleep. My DH took my older son to Tom Sawyer's Island while my younger one slept; when he slept, I took the younger one walking (his favorite thing to do) and saw the characters by the Pooh Ride, ducks, flowers, etc. I learned to notice all the amazing details DL has on that trip.

Because the park hours are limited, both kids were able to hang from opening to closing the three days we were there with no problem by having that stroller nap (which surprised us, but hey, as long as they were happy...). And while there were a few rides the kids couldn't go on, there are so many they can, so we didn't mind missing those couple (or you could do baby swap).

Go, enjoy! It is wonderous to see DL through the eyes of ones so young.

 

[Monkey Monkey]

My DD is 14 months old, and she's been to DLR 12 times since she was 9 months. She does great. She takes naps in the stroller, hangs out in the sling while we are in lines for rides, and loves to people-watch.

Her favorite rides are POTC, Winnie the Pooh, and IASW.

She doesn't like BLAB, TSMM, or Dumbo, but does tolerate dark rides like Snow White and Peter Pan. She hasn't been on HM yet because I think the stretch room would scare her.

The only thing I wish DLR had that they don't is a good place for babies to crawl around. The Playhouse Disney Live show, the Animation building, and the waiting area for the Muppets 3D show have worked ok for this, but aren't great options for busier days.

We even did the Aladdin show a couple of weeks ago, and she started fussing so I was about to leave. But the usher said that we were welcome to hang out along the back of our level (mezzanine) as long as we liked. She just cruised along the wall and I got to watch the rest of the show!

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

DS just turned 18 months and has been on 4 trips. The first was at 9 months. I have to say the first trip was easier since he wasn't quite walking yet. By the time he was 1 (our Dec trip) he started being fearful of characters and resisted being put in the stroller. This last trip, he resisted the stroller whenever he could, but wasn't as fearful. He didn't want to get too close to the characters without us holding him, but at least he didn't cry this time.

In your time frame I'd go when she was younger. The 12-15 month age is a lot harder.

 

[Mugglemama]

I can't imagine letting a baby crawl around on the ground at Disneyland.

I'll admit, I'm not a germ-lover, but even still, there are so many tens of thousands of people walking in the parks each day, each one having gone into bathrooms and stepped into who-knows-what. Blech, and we all know babies stick their fingers in their mouths constantly....can you imagine all that putrid grime getting into your baby's mouth?!!! Ewww, it makes my stomach turn just to think about it.

 

[Monkey Monkey]

I can't imagine letting a baby crawl around on the ground at Disneyland.

I'll admit, I'm not a germ-lover, but even still, there are so many tens of thousands of people walking in the parks each day, each one having gone into bathrooms and stepped into who-knows-what. Blech, and we all know babies stick their fingers in their mouths constantly....can you imagine all that putrid grime getting into your baby's mouth?!!! Ewww, it makes my stomach turn just to think about it.

I don't love it, but babies can get pretty restless being carried or in a stroller all day. I wash my baby's hands after letting her crawl. Besides, is it really that different from letting a baby crawl on carpet at home, where people walk? Or at an indoor play place? Or any member of your family touching anything at Disneyland, like the safety bars on rides, where the person before you may have not washed their hands after using the bathroom or sneezing?

I'm fairly germ-averse as both my kids were preemies, but have learned to not be totally anal about it. I assure you my baby has never gotten a horrible disease by crawling at Disneyland, and only gets the sporadic cold.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

I say the younger the better ~ once a little one is mobile life isn't easy *DD hated the stroller between 18 months and 2 and a 1/2 years*