Doing Disney Pregnant

[Vility]

I just found out I am pregnant and I will be 17 weeks by the time we are on our trip.
Is there a list that anyone can share with me of rides/attractions I can do?
Thanks!

 

[HunnyJar]

I would talk to your doctor. We just got back a few weeks ago while I was 12-13 weeks pregnant. My Dr. just advised me not to go on anything jarring, spinning or anything super bumpy. We also went with our 1 year old daughter so I basically said, whatever she can go on - I can go on.

The only rides I really avoided were the coaster type of rides, Teacups, safari, the rapids at AK, Splash Mtn., Mission Space and Test Track. If there were any signs that said anything about pregnant women, I skipped it. But for the most part I enjoyed the same rides the rest of my family did.

Have a great time!

 

[SueM in MN]

You can look at the park maps for the attractions with warnings - they are marked with a red triangle on the map and also on a sign at the entrance to the queue.
The wording for the general warning is:
WARNING! For safety, you should be in good health and free from high blood pressure, heart, back or neck problems, motion sickness, or other conditions that could be aggravated by this adventure. Expectant mothers should not ride.

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' doesn't have any warnings that would affect pregnancy; just heights and possible motion sickness. There are some scents used on the ride (ocean air, oranges, pine) that you may want to be aware of if you are sensitive to smells.

The Safari and Kali River Rapids are listed because you can get unexpected hard bumps and drops during the course of the ride. Some moms late in pregnancy have posted it felt like the baby was using their bladder as a trampoline, so it was not exactly comfortable. 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 about the same (unless you are talking about the back 1/3 of the tram). Also, the tram is quite far off the ground; in case of a problem with the tram, you will need to get off of the tram without aid of the boarding area which raises you closer to the level of the seats.

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.

 

[Vility]

wow that is great info!
Thanks!
I just wanted to make sure I could still do dumbo and pirates!
Other then that my kids are to little to ride anything bigger anyway!

Your the best thanks!

 

[1pirate1princess]

Just a AK Safari warning - DON'T do it pregnant!!
We went when I was 10 weeks pregnant with DD and I thought "How bad could it be" - Having ALREADY been on it in years past.....
Well, riding something pregnant is WAY different - That is one bumpy ride!!! I stressed the whole time we were on it!

 

[Serling126]

I was several weeks PG when we went last time. I stayed away from most of the rides listed, but I did go on splash mountain. The CM's told me the reason why PG women can't go on is not due to the G force of the drop but because the restraints won't work if the woman's belly is too big (can't remember what type of restraints they use, but I would assume something that goes across the lap).

Other than that, I did not feel like I was missing out on anything. There are so many shows and tame rides that are ok to experience!

 

[shrymah]

I did do the Safari when I was 14 weeks pg & thought it was just fine. It's no worse than riding down some of the streets around here (Boston)! It's a little bumpy but I didn't find it stressful at all.

 

[rotlex]

My wife and I have been twice while she was pregnant. Roughly around the 16 week mark. She was fine on most everything, including Big Thunder Mountain. Yeah, that may seem extreme I guess, but she was fine with it, other than a few of the odd looks she got.

She is not a huge thrill ride person, but BTM was fine, as well as pretty much everything at Epcot, including Soarin' and Test Track. She also did everything at AK, with the exception of Everest and Kali River. The safari was fine as well.

She pretty much had\has the attitude that if it was safe to fly in a plane, or drive 1K plus miles, most of the rides at WDW were not a big deal for her. Baby and her were fine through the trips. (No TOT, RnR of course, but then again, she doesn't care for those when NOT pregnant, LOL).

 

[MontyMontyMOnty]

I have been to Disney during all three pregnancies...the furthest along was at 7 months.
I just avoided anything that was bumpy or too vigorous...just about anything with a height restriction was off limits. I still had a great time
The only things I did have an issue with was the heat (very clever to book a vacation to Disney in AUGUST at 7 months pregnant), and I went back to the room each day to take a mid afternoon nap. My kids are close in age, the oldest is 7, so by the time we had the first, she was ready to nap with me each afternoon

Have fun, know where the bathrooms are, and stay hydrated

 

[Amyhoff]

I just went and was about 16 weeks pregnant. I also just avoided the bumpy rollercoaster type rides. I did Dumbo, Magic Carpet, Pirates and so many others. I did the Safari without any issues, I am actually very surprised your not supposed to do it pregnant! I thought it was less bumpy than driving through NJ! I also did Soaring without any issues... in fact, my husband got a little motion sickness and I was just fine!

 

[Vility]

Thanks everyone!

 

[SueM in MN]

I was several weeks PG when we went last time. I stayed away from most of the rides listed, but I did go on splash mountain. The CM's told me the reason why PG women can't go on is not due to the G force of the drop but because the restraints won't work if the woman's belly is too big (can't remember what type of restraints they use, but I would assume something that goes across the lap).

Other than that, I did not feel like I was missing out on anything. There are so many shows and tame rides that are ok to experience!

Splash Mountain doesn't have any restraints.

The reason for not doing Splash Mountain is the sudden fast drop and sudden stopping at the end of the drop could theoretically cause the placenta to peel away from the wall of the uterus. I don't have a link, but did find it in a discussion by an OB doctor who compared the type of action on the ride to the forces that occur in sudden stop of a car.

 

[Serling126]

Splash Mountain doesn't have any restraints.

The reason for not doing Splash Mountain is the sudden fast drop and sudden stopping at the end of the drop could theoretically cause the placenta to peel away from the wall of the uterus. I don't have a link, but did find it in a discussion by an OB doctor who compared the type of action on the ride to the forces that occur in sudden stop of a car.

That's totally not what they told me when I was there, otherwise I would not have gone on it. I thought it had something to do with the restraints or the type of seat, but since that was 7 years ago I didn't remember exactly. All I remember is the CM's told me it was NOT restricted because of the drop. Even the sign out front said that it was "not recommended" that pregnant women ride, where as other rides (like ToT, etc) said something to the effect of "definitely not!"

 

[Serling126]

Found this in my Unofficial Guide:

"Splash Mountain is restricted obviously due to the drop, or so I thought. It turns out that the seat configuration in the "logs" has more to do with it than the drop. The seats are made so that your knees are higher thatn your rear, causing compression on the abdomen (when it is large). This is potentially harmful to the baby."

So, if your belly is not large yet then you should have no problem