how long to expect infant to last every day?

[kseely]

we're heading out next week! this time is our first time with an 8 month old, and i would really like to hear from those of you who went to WDW with an infant & what you experienced with them.....am i nuts to do a park in the morning & then another in the evening? with rest time in the afternoon of coarse......im sure we'll do plenty of swimming & have down time, b/c of the heat, but i am hoping to have my son sleep in the stroller, which i am bringing....

also, besides the baby centers, where are a couple of good places to cool off with a bottle in the parks?
thanks for any help!!!
Kris

 

[riggins]

We took DD when she was 9 months and did a park in the morning and then went back to our room after lunch and then headed back out for dinner and park/fireworks, etc. She would take her morning nap in her stroller at the park and then her afternoon nap back in the room. She would then fall asleep in her stroller if we were out "late." If your DS will sleep in his stroller, you should be in good shape. Now that my DD isolder, she won't sleep in the stroller and it is much more difficult.

We typically took breaks at the Baby Center if we were just looking to get a short rest or have a bottle. We did a number of lunches at sit-down restaurants and used that time to cool off and rest and feed the baby too.

Good Luck.

 

[BevS97]

when my daughter was that age, we could go out all day and she would nap in her stroller as and when she needed to. Be sure to take a stroller that goes nice and flat, and not something with a carseat, because I don't think they are as comfy sitting in a carseat all day.

We also like to do a sit down lunch, but there are some counter service places where you can have a relaxing break too. There is one right by the Haunted Mansion, the name escapes me, but it's just as you leave Fantasyland and enter Liberty Square. We really like it in there, it's really big so you can find a table, it's nice and cool and we usually have a nice quietish meal in there and cool off and recharge our batterys.

Bev

 

[deb305]

We took DS at 12.5 months. We lasted from 9-6 in parks. We had his full size stroller from home, which he loved napping in. He actually would last longer than his 4 year old sister (who was in a rental stroller!!)

 

[jcemom]

Originally posted by BevS97
We also like to do a sit down lunch, but there are some counter service places where you can have a relaxing break too. There is one right by the Haunted Mansion, the name escapes me, but it's just as you leave Fantasyland and enter Liberty Square.

Columbia Harbour House maybe?

In that general vicinity is the Hall of Presidents. It's air-conditioned.

 

[~Czarina~]

Well, we took my brother with us when he was four months old. We ate breakfast at the hotel and most of the dinners at the hotel but we still did some night shows. We did not have any breaks in the middle we just made sure we had plenty of dark rides so he could nurse. The only problem we had was after a while he wanted to move constatly and would be really bored if there wasn't something entertaining him....most of the time it was when we were trying to eat.

As far as great cool down places....any indoor show is great!!! The Hall of Presidents was one of his favorites. He really liked 'It's a Small World' too. Everytime we would even walk past it he would fall asleep. All he had to do is hear the music. The boat rides are really good too. Like the one in the Land or the boat ride in Mexico at EPCOT. Animial Kingdom's Bug's Life show as long as the bright colours don't distract her.

 

[akline]

We are taking our 15 month on her first trip to WDW in November. We are planning on hitting the parks in the morning, going to the resort in the afternoon for rest time, and then going back out at night. I have never seen the baby centers .. what are they like? Are they busy?

 

[ahutton]

There are baby centers in each park. They are fairly centrally located (except in the Studios if I recall correctly) and nice. They have a nursing room with comfortable rocking chairs, they have regular high chairs for feeding. They have tables, toys, books and movies in a quiet and less distracting environment. When DDs get overstimulated that is a good place to park the stroller and let them get down on the carpet. They also have very nice restrooms, huge padded changing tables with mobiles to look at and are generally very soothing for the entire family. When our first was 14 months old that was probably her favorite part of the trip!

 

[BevS97]

Columbia Harbour House maybe?

that's the place! We really love it

 

[jcemom]

Originally posted by BevS97
that's the place! We really love it

We're planning to try it in February. Of all the places to eat, my 9 year old DS picked that one...go figure! (I was thinking he'd choose Crystal Palace or something, but he wanted to know where he could get fish! Kids are so strange sometimes...well, most of the time actually...LOL! ) Glad to hear you like it so much.

 

[akline]

Speaking of restaurants/counter service, any recommendations aside from the Columbia Harbor Houise for kids? We'll have an 8 year old and 15 month old with us .. has anyone had good/bad experiences with the character meals and toddlers? I've heard that some kids are scared of the characters .. and I'm curious as to that age that starts (and ends). We have Cindy's breakfast and the princess breakfast in Norway booked ...

 

[JVL1018]

We went last year with my son who had just turned one and my daughter who was turning 3..we did about 4-5 hours at a time in the morning, and my 1 year old was perfect with that. Back to the hotel to swim, relax in the afternoon, then back out at night.
He fell asleep in the stroller with no probelms if he was tired.

 

[~Czarina~]

My brother is now seven (eight September) and he had never had a problem with the chartacters. He has been going once a year since he was 4 mo. and had older siblings running up to them though. Our last trip which was Feb. of this year he saw the Genie and freaked out. He has seen him before and everything so I have no idea what got him this time. I guess what I am trying to say is there is no good age frame for it starting or stopping. Sometimes they freak and sometimes they don't.

The baby centers are awesome! They are by the Crystal Palace in MK, just left of the enterance in the second building at MGM and it is on a walkway near Mexico. We didn't have a baby when we have been to Animal Kingdom so I can't help you there. I do know that I loved playing in them when my brother was small enough we had to use them. They entertained us wonderfully!