Early pregnancy and Disney

[Dancemom]

My daughter just found out she is pregnant and will be about 7 weeks along during our trip. Obviously the Roller Coasters and thrill rides are out but what about FOP and Kilimanjaro Safari? She was surprised to see the warnings on these because she has ridden them many times and doesn’t think they would cause a problem. Any tips for traveling during early pregnancy are appreciated.

 

[DavidNYC]

For something like this she should be listening to her doctor, not getting chat board advice . . . any ride that has bumps and fast movements could theoretically be an issue.

 

[JessicaW1234]

My daughter just found out she is pregnant and will be about 7 weeks along during our trip. Obviously the Roller Coasters and thrill rides are out but what about FOP and Kilimanjaro Safari? She was surprised to see the warnings on these because she has ridden them many times and doesn’t think they would cause a problem. Any tips for traveling during early pregnancy are appreciated.

Hi - I traveled to Disney at that stage and went on Kilimanjaro Safari thinking it wasn’t going to be a big deal. There were several bumpy sections that were concerning from that perspective and I remember thinking to myself that I should have skipped that ride.

 

[mom2rtk]

I'm sure others will chime in soon saying it's no big deal, that the fetus is well protected and it wasn't a problem for them. But here's the thing. First trimester is when most miscarriages happen. If, Heaven forbid, she did miscarry, it likely won't have anything to do with a ride she was on. But she won't know that for sure. She would always wonder if it made a difference. I would just skip them for now. They'll be there on the next trip.

Her bigger concern could end up being food. I went right around 7 weeks and morning sickness hit right before we left. I was nauseous the entire time and constantly on the hunt for food I felt I could eat. Have her pack crackers and the sort just in case.

 

[Tink_83]

I would call and ask the OB - I want to say that is before when most people even have their first visit but the office can talk to her about the advice... I would think the biggest concern is if she has morning sickness and doesn’t even want to drink fluids that she could become dehydrated- which would be a major concern for both mother and baby. So staying hydrated would be my top priority.

 

[WishICouldSpeakWhale]

I went at 8 weeks and skipped a lot. FOP didn't exist, but you are putting pressure on your abdomen the way you "sit" on that ride. That is why I wouldn't do it pregnant. The only one I did was soarin', I had been on it before and knew it was smooth enough for me. It wasn't hard to skip coasters - we had our 2 year old with us.

 

[sponica]

I was my own personal vomit comet starting at about 7 weeks, so stay hydrated and pack a lot of snacks. I can't remember when I started getting tired all the time.

 

[sullyfam]

Any ride with height restriction or health warnings should be avoided. Most will clearly say on them that expectant mothers should avoid. This includes FOP and Safari. Obviously each person should use their best judgment and talk to their OB beforehand. It will probably be a tough time for her as that stage of pregnancy can bring on morning sickness and fatigue. She should bring snacks with her, drink lots of water and be prepared to take breaks.

This site has a good list: http://allears.net/walt-disney-world/wdw-planning/ride-restrictions-height-and-safety/

 

[Dismama2boys]

I'm sure others will chime in soon saying it's no big deal, that the fetus is well protected and it wasn't a problem for them. But here's the thing. First trimester is when most miscarriages happen. If, Heaven forbid, she did miscarry, it likely won't have anything to do with a ride she was on. But she won't know that for sure. She would always wonder if it made a difference. I would just skip them for now. They'll be there on the next trip.

So much this. I had several early miscarriages, and the guilt was there WITHOUT me doing anything questionable. Had I done something that could have possibly contributed, it would have added so many extra feelings during what was already an awful experience. I’m not a risk taker with pregnancy. Bonus is at that stage I was crazy exhausted and would have welcomed a break to sit and relax while everyone else rode. Best wishes to her!

 

[DisLiss]

I followed the signs. If they said not to ride, I didn't ride. And I am so very glad I went that route. I was about 5-6 weeks along while we were there, and almost immediately upon getting home we learned that it was going to be a high-risk pregnancy, and the bad news just kept coming throughout the duration of the pregnancy, right up to and during labor.

If I had ridden those rides they may very well have had no negative effect on the pregnancy at all; but I would have spent that pregnancy always worrying, wondering, and regretting my choice. Always afraid that perhaps even one of the problems I was experiencing had something to do with or was somehow made worse by my choice. So I am glad for my own peace of mind at the time (And trust me, I didn't have much of that back then, so any tiny bit I could give myself was a very good thing.) that I opted to be very cautious and save those rides for our next trip.

I hope your daughter has a wonderful trip and a healthy pregnancy. Congrats on the upcoming new arrival in your family!

 

[DisLiss]

Her bigger concern could end up being food. I went right around 7 weeks and morning sickness hit right before we left. I was nauseous the entire time and constantly on the hunt for food I felt I could eat. Have her pack crackers and the sort just in case.

Good point! I did very well for the majority of our trip, but the last day was rough as was our travel day. I felt nauseous those 2 days and was so glad that it had only been those few days. (Disney Quest was still there at the time, and my gosh, the elevator in there was brutal that last day! ) Sorry yours hit for your whole trip.

 

[BSwest]

I went at 8-9 weeks and followed all
Of the rides with restriction except the Safari. We asked to sit in the front and it’s not as bumpy. I drank tons of water and even though it was December got overheated easily. I kept up pretty well, it was just my husband and 3 year old. But when I needed a break, we had to stop right away because I would start to feel awful.

ETA: I was lucky to not have bad morning sickness. I had nausea but it was around 10 weeks or so.

 

[westie55]

I have been on the safari while pregnant with both of my children without issue. I live in a rural area on a dirt road that basically requires a 4wd vehicle due to the varied terrain. When it rains, the road washes out and I have to drive through ditches left from the erosion until the road department comes to fix it, which can be days or even weeks. For me, riding in a bumpy car was a regular thing so I felt comfortable going on the safari. At 7 weeks your daughter may or may not be experiencing morning sickness, which could definitely have an impact on her ability to enjoy the parks and the rides depending on how severe it is. Every pregnancy is different. I didn't start feeling any nausea until around 9 weeks, and even then it was very mild and had minimal impact. I have family and friends, on the other hand, who were miserable and one was even bedridden due to the severity of her vomiting. She couldn't go to work. YMMV, but I think morning sickness is probably the biggest worry for going to WDW in the first trimester. I can't comment on FOP as I haven't been on that ride yet.

 

[dizmama3]

Agree with PPs, basically anything that a baby can't ride, I would skip while pregnant. I was about 19 weeks along last time and still had a great time doing the tamer rides... basically all of Fantasyland, Pirates, Jungle Cruise, Frozen Ever After! And shows - we don't usually do a ton, but it was nice to sit and enjoy some of the stage shows more than usual.
Re: morning sickness. I was crazy nauseous from weeks 6-10 and survived on carbs/cheese. I'd have her bring an assortment of safe snacks from home (cheezits, cheerios, that type of thing) to pack in her bag so she at least could have something readily available if there's no appetizing options close by.

 

[unrequited23]

Sea Bands (acupressure wrist bands) really helped me with unexpected motion sickness in my first trimester. Altoids or any other peppermint seemed to help with nausea. She may or may not be sensitive to food smells, so I might plan to watch parades/fireworks/whatever where food scents are less heavy. If morning sickness hits, remember that spicy or tomato based foods are not fun on a return trip.

 

[aebeauregard]

I went at 13 weeks pregnant before. I skipped the safari, it is really bumpy and that made me nervous. I even skipped pirates because of the little drop. I had a great time though. It was a more relaxed trip than I’ve ever done before which was nice. I did lots of shows that I hadn’t done in a long time. FOP wasn’t open yet but I’m sure I would have skipped that too.

 

[KrazeeK120]

I went at 15 weeks and was still pretty nauseous at that point. That and the lack of bathroom access was plenty to keep me off the Safari!

I wouldn’t be comfortable riding FOP at any point in pregnancy due to the pressure of the ride vehicle on the abdomen.

 

[MeridaCanada]

I was my own personal vomit comet starting at about 7 weeks, so stay hydrated and pack a lot of snacks. I can't remember when I started getting tired all the time.

I know where every decent washroom to throw up in is after doing two trips early on in both my pregnancies - I was definitely a vomit comet too at that point

 

[Tattylou]

I also was sooooo nauseous at 7 weeks that going on rides wouldn't have appealed to me anyway.
I'd advise she ask her doctor and follow the warning signs.

 

[YesterDark]

Follow Disney warnings and as always, listen to your Doctor completely. No skipping around with any of these.