Many Food and Baby Questions

[BabysDad]

So many questions arise .. we are headed on our first cruise, with 8 month old baby and 8 year old in tow... We're on a 7 night Western.

1) The places to eat meals, other than the main dining rooms -- what exactly do they offer? Do they have seating at all? Do they serve breakfast / what are their hours?

2) Do they 'serve' baby food on board? Is it for sale?

3) Are diapers available / for sale on board? How $$$?

4) What about baby formula? Provided? Sold? How $$$?

5) We called the Disney phone line and were told there really wasn't a place for our baby to crawl around with us supervising.
Is this correct?

6) Taking a different perspective -- Palo -- is it comparable to Victoria&Albert's in the park? or is it more like a quiet pleasant adult meal (but not Amazingly great, as I might describe V&A)?

7) ... well I forget so I'll post now, thank everyone in advance and start a new thread when I remember!!

Oh here's one -- how many ppl fit at a table?

 

[jel0511]

1) The places to eat meals, other than the main dining rooms -- what exactly do they offer? Do they have seating at all? Do they serve breakfast / what are their hours?

There is a buffet restaurant on Deck 9, Topsiders, and they serve all meals. It is buffet style, but there is seating. The other restaurants on Deck 9 are opened from 12 - 6 and re-open around 9 after dinner. They have your usual "park type" fare: hot dogs, hamburgers, wraps, pizza, etc. There also is an ice cream stand which gives out ice cream.

2) Do they 'serve' baby food on board? Is it for sale?

They don't serve baby food on board, but you can ask for vegatables to be "over cooked" and mash them yourself for feeding to an infant. I don't believe they sell baby food on board, and if they did, it would be in limited supply and quanity. I'd bring my own if traveling with an infant.

3) Are diapers available / for sale on board? How $$$?

Again, I don't think so, and if they are, I'd expect them to be around double what you'd pay in any stateside grocery store. Again, bring your own, since if they're any, they would only be one brand and might not be the one you use.

4) What about baby formula? Provided? Sold? How $$$?

Again, same answer as diapers and baby food. I'd bring my own.

5) We called the Disney phone line and were told there really wasn't a place for our baby to crawl around with us supervising.

Not really, with the exception of your stateroom or Family Time at Flounders, there really aren't any public areas that I'd let an infant crawl around. Also, the floor at Flounders isn't carpeted, it's tile, so it's very hard on an infant's knees.

6) Taking a different perspective -- Palo -- is it comparable to Victoria&Albert's in the park? or is it more like a quiet pleasant adult meal (but not Amazingly great, as I might describe V&A)?

I've never eaten at Palo's so I really can't answer this question.

how many ppl fit at a table?

It depends on which table you're assigned. There are tables for 4 people up to 10 or 12 people, depending on how the dining room is configured.

 

[HooKooDooKu]

Regarding Baby Needs:

Some very limited baby needs are available from the gift shop. I don't remember exactly what is available, but I did see some supplies when I went to check for diper wipes because we almost ran out on our last day. But none of it was name-brand (except for the individual swimmer diapers available).

But from what I've experienced, there is not baby food and formual on board.

What IS provided is a diper gienee (sp?), pack-n-play crib, and plenty of those wooden high chairs in dining rooms/buffets.

And since there isn't any Wal-Marts in walking distance of any of the ports of call, I would suggest that you take all the baby needs you think you'll need plus some extra (formula, foods, dipers, and wipes).

I would suggest you take about 4 bottles/nipples, a small bottle drying rack (like available in the infants area of Wal-Mark for about $10 and it includes a bottle brush), and a small travel bottle filled with dish soap. You should be able to wash bottles with the dish soap in your cabin each night, and the air-conditioned room will dry the bottles very quickly.

For a four day cruise, we had no problem packing all of our baby needs (formula, dipers, swimmers, food, wipes, bottles, drying rack and cleaning supplies, medications, sippy cups, feeding bowls and spoons, and toys) in a single large size suit case.

 

[Griggle]

In regards to the Diapers - only Huggies are available in the parks and on board and only in the small packages. DS was wearing size M's when we went and a package of 10 was over $8.00....yee-ouch. Definately worth the stop before you board!! Esp if you're a {cheap} Pampers user....

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

There is a Publix (Florida's best grocery store chain) on the way to the port. If you're driving or taking a town car service, you could easily stop there to stock up before boarding.

www.dcltribute.com/faq/spacecoastshopping.htm

 

[mcnuss]

There is also a rather large Walgreens and maybe a CVS in Key West, your first port of call. So you could bring just enough to cover you for your travel to the port and the first night, and then stock up in KW.

 

[minniemouse1]

We traveled with a 10 month old and brought everything we needed quite easily. one large pack (the refill packs) of wipes should last you the trip and we used the bottles with disposible liners even though that wasn't what we normally used at home. That worked great because all you had to wash were nipples and rings and no drying rack was needed. I put them on a towel on the dresser. If you use Avent bottles Walmart (parents choice) makes a disposable bottle that avent nipples fit into. If not you can find just about any type of nipple that will fit in the disp. bottles.

If you are renting a car stopping on the way to the port is probably the thing to do instead of packing everything for the plane/car trip. Don't forget to pack and extra duffle bag for all the stuff to check it onto the ship.

No formula is sold on the ship. We brought a small can and it lasted only about 4 days so try to pay attention to long a can lasts so you know how much to bring. No baby food is sold in the gift shops and don't forget the infant tylenol. I remember only seeing childrens.

As for places for the baby to crawl around, it depends on how crowded your ship is. The room and flounders is probably the best place. With our child she loved us to hold her hands so she could walk and that is mostly what we did. The floor in flounders is not a hard tile like ceramic tile it is soft like the floor tiles sold for childrens play areas that interlok together. The times are listed in the navigator for family time when you can bring your child into play.

As for Palos we love it there. The food is wonderful to say the least and we go usually twice on our cruise because we travel with family in ajoining rooms. I wouldn't pass it up.

 

[HooKooDooKu]

soft like the floor tiles sold for childrens play areas that interlok together

It ain't all that soft, at least either not on the Wonder OR not over the entire floor.

We have a play area in the house where we covered hard wood floors with the 1/2 inch thick interlocking tiles, and they are quite soft. But the the tile in Flounders is that good-old vinyl tile that makes for a pretty hard floor. We know because Patrick got so excited to see us when we showed up to pick him up, he fell and hit his head on the floor. He had a bruse on his fore-head about 2 inches across for a week.

used the bottles with disposible liners

Great idea, and I didn't know the thing about the bottles that fit Advent nipples. Less work and less to pack. I see that what we need is a post just for great ideas for those taking infants.

 

[minniemouse1]

I do agree that the floor isn't as soft as the interlocking tiles but its not as hard as a ceramic tile floor. On the magic, when
I sat on the floor I could tell that it does have some give to it but I don't think it extends all the way into the crib room.

I am sorry to hear your little one fell. I did notice when we were in there for family time one day that because of the floor when my DD was playing her shoe caught on the floor and she tripped and fell a few times but luckily with out bruises. I think that they need a much softer floor in the nursery for the fact that the children are obviously going to fall and there isn't enough of them to have a hand on everyone.

 

[disneyeveryyear]

Sorry I can't answer your questions about the baby supplies and prices. I did see that they sold diapers in the gift shop, but didn't look at price (no longer need those - thank goodness).

As for Palo, we went for both brunch and dinner this month. While it was good, it was not V&A. I had heard so much hype I was expecting the world. The service was very good (Louise is a dear), and the food was good, but nothing was "exceptional." Well worth the time and effort, however.

 

[MarkLem]

BYOBS (bring your own baby supplies!) on board with you

 

[zalansky]

No baby food is sold on board. We made the mistake of thinking there would be jarred food on board, because they sell it at the gift shops in the resorts at WDW. Needless to say, we ran out of jarred food on day 3 (out of 4 days). The staff was very accomodating and tried making baby food, applesauce and such....but the baby didn't like it at all, too much texture. We were able to get through the one day with breads, crackers and cereal....and of course formula.
As for formula, they did sell small cans of Similac on our sailing, but our baby is on hypo-allergenic and could not use that brand. Luckily we brought more than enough.
Good luck and have fun!!!

 

[BillnDanel]

hello, I am planning a sail myself and have done more research than a college thesis!! I have a 6 month old. They sell Similac. I also decided to bring my own bottled water since I don't trust their water filtration system, ie filtered sea water. You also can get a pack and play for baby to sleep in. Just call them. Also a diaper genie is available you just have to ask. They have them so if they don't know what you are talking about its because there is not a big call for them..

 

[lbgraves]

Definantly take extra bottles!!! I was in the gift shop when a man came in asking if they sold any. They had brought 2 of them on the 7 day and it was day 3 & both were MIA. They were going to have to wait until we docked at St. Maarten to get some and that sounded like quite a trek. I really felt sorry for him.

 

[minniemouse1]

I definately agree with extra bottles and sippy cups if this is what your child uses. In October I brought 4 cups for our 2 children. One each for juice and milk. By the time we boarded the plane we only had 3. We bought another in florida before the cruise. When we left the cruise we had 2. During the cruise I had been to guest services a few times to retrieve them from lost and found. They had more than just my sippy cup!! They also found my 1 1/2 yo most cherished posession, her teddy. We thankfully brought 2 (we have 1 regular and 2 backup) because she can't sleep without him. So I suggest if there is something your child cannot live w/o ie., teddy, bottle, blanket bring more than one and check guest services for the lost one because even though they did find teddy it took 2 days to find him.