Pregnant in summer in WDW?

[paintnolish]

I have a friend planning a summer trip. She will be about 7 months pregnant. Since I've been to WDW many times during the summer, she was wondering what I thought. I know it's pretty brutal and tiring NOT pregnant. What do you think? Any tips? Thanks!

 

[Turn the Page]

Whoo wee. Being 7 months pregnant in Disney World in the summer sounds absolutely miserable to me. I don't handle summer heat well anyway but I had terrible hot flashes when I was pregnant in Kentucky in February. I would never be able to handle Florida summer heat while pregnant. Plus, she won't be able to go on many rides.

Is there any way she could cancel and go another time?

 

[morethananyonex]

I've never done it, I think it would be awful. I was miserable enough being pregnant in the summer here and I live in Canada, not Florida.

Where is your friend from? Is she used to Florida weather? Is she active during her pregnancies? If she's used to the weather and the walking then I would consider it. Otherwise a big hell no from me

 

[gtpoohbear]

I went in June when I was 7 months pregnant. Not ideal, but I still had fun. The trip had been planned for over a year with extended family, so changing dates wasn't really an option.

She should definitely make use of RD and EMH, and take an afternoon break to avoid the worst of the heat. Planning lots of TS meals is a good idea as well.

There were only a couple of rides in each park that I couldn't do. If it was more of a one-time trip I would have been bummed, but for someone that goes (or will go) every few years, it's not a big deal.

Oh, and make sure she does some character meets, they LOVE to make a fuss over a preggo belly That trip definitely had the best character interactions of any we've been on.

 

[paintnolish]

She goes fairly often, is in decent shape (on her feet type of job), and has been in summer a few times. I know we go to the parks pretty hardcore, so I may not be a good judge of how difficult it is. She has another trip planned for the following summer and really wants to take the kids this summer.

 

[Dreamer & Wisher]

I went in June 2011 and I was 7 months pregnant. We were on a trip with extended family and they wore me out. After 2 1/2 days I was exhausted and we ended up renting a wheelchair. If I had to do it again I would rent the wheelchair earlier in the trip.

 

[OceanAnnie]

I went when I was 7 months pregnant. It was Sept.. I would say in hindsight it was tough going. I thought I was keeping up but I did stop a lot to rest. Around the 3rd day or so, I was dragging. Animal Kingdom was the worst place for me. It was incredibly hot. I thought it wouldn't be with all the foliage, but that was the day it all caught up to me. I had to leave and take a nap.

If she is staying on site, the resorts have a number of wheelchairs for use for free. At least they used to. It would be worthwhile to check on that because it's expensive to rent otherwise. I broke down and got one from the resort on day 4. It saved our trip.

I had a walking regimen before we went. It was still a lot of walking for being 7 months. Hydration is key. Rest as often as possible. Summer heat in Fla. is a special kind of heat. Find cool places to hang out. Shade. She might not be able to do everything she normally could. But she could hang out by the pool. Take in some shows. There are things to do and take it easy. Lots of breaks, water, and rest. Those are key.

I hope she has a great trip!

 

[OceanAnnie]

I went in June 2011 and I was 7 months pregnant. We were on a trip with extended family and they wore me out. After 2 1/2 days I was exhausted and we ended up renting a wheelchair. If I had to do it again I would rent the wheelchair earlier in the trip.

Me too!

 

[njmom76]

I went in August 2012 at 5 months pregnant and was fine. We took breaks every afternoon and I went in AC every chance I got. We only did 4 days though. I had a great time.

 

[Dreamer & Wisher]

Make sure she has a lot of water. I drank water constantly. We went to the Animal Kingdom on our last day and there is only one ride there you can ride while pregnant. Unless you like the shows I would skip it. It was really hot and boring.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I couldn't do it.

 

[princessallegra]

Exciting for her! I was very pregnant last summer. We flew from ny to salt lake city when I was about 30 weeks I think? I had a great trip. As the summer went on and I started walking more I would literally imagine that I was walking world showcase and not my boring neighborhood! ! I used to wish I could have been walking in wdw!! I think everyone is different. I would have loved it. But it was my first pregnancy, no kids to wrangle. Also the heat in fl is insane so I would have needed lots of ac breaks but that's ok!

Eta: I would def get an ecv or wheelchair for sure. That would really help

 

[stasijane]

It sounds like she is familiar with the heat so she knows what to expect. As long as she doesn't try to over do it. I bet she will be fine.

 

[DizneyLizzy]

I was 6 months pregnant about a month ago when I went with a few friends, and it wasn't June, but the highs were in the 80s each day so it was warm. A few things I did that I think would help anyone preggo in the parks:

1. I drank water at every possible opportunity. Literally anytime I walked by a food stand without a line I would ask for a cup of ice water. I also kept a water bottle in my in-room fridge that I would fill in the food court before bed so I would have a fresh, cold bottle of water to start each day with.

2. I kept snacks in my bag (protein bars, fruit snacks, nuts, etc) to eat between meals.

3. When my friends did the few rides I couldn't go on, I would get some ice water from a QS spot, find a shady place to sit, and relax while they rode.

4. We skipped Animal Kingdom bc our trip was short, most things are outdoors (= hot), and the only ride I could have really done was the safari (and I know some pregnant women even avoid this one too)

5. I took a nap every afternoon while my friends were at the pool/pool bar. I did bring a bathing suit, which I was thankful for, because a quick dip in the pool felt amazing before nap time.

6. We used FP+ for attractions we could ride together, and my friends got legacy FP for rides I couldn't do. This will probably not be a possibility when you go, but you could do things like the MK mountains at rope drop while she rides Peter Pan, meets the princesses, etc.

7. Anytime I could get off my feet, I did - when waiting for buses, for park opening, or for Illuminations, I always sat on the ground. If sitting on the ground grosses her out, maybe bring a plastic bag or something for her to sit on.

I think doing all of these things helped me feel good the whole time. Most importantly, she should rest before she feels tired, drink before she's thirsty, and eat before she's starving.

Have a great time!!

 

[TwinkleKS]

I went in June 2010 when 6/7 months pregnant. We took four teenagers with us and did rope drop every day and EMH every night. I only left early one night. I was exhausted (but I was proving a point to the teenagers, lol). While the others were riding rides I couldn't ride, I hung out in air conditioned shops and bought stuff. I also went around and had a ton of PhotoPass Pictures made while they did stuff. There are some pretty funny ones of me by myself.

Was it my favorite trip ever - no, but I think that had more to do with the teenagers than being pregnant. That and we stayed in ASM, which I absolutely did not like.

 

[gtpoohbear]

I went in June 2011 and I was 7 months pregnant. We were on a trip with extended family and they wore me out. After 2 1/2 days I was exhausted and we ended up renting a wheelchair. If I had to do it again I would rent the wheelchair earlier in the trip.

Just wanted to add on to my previous post, seeing the posts about wheelchairs reminded me...

When I went at 7 months, the biggest issue for me wasn't necessarily the pregnancy, but the fact that I was having a major rheumatoid arthritis flare (not unrelated to the pregnancy of course, as I hadn't been able to take my meds for 6 months).

I REALLY should have rented a wheelchair on at least a couple of days. It was a great trip, but there were some really painful moments too.

I might have actually considered renting one, but my ILs suggested it first, in a very disdainful I-can't-believe-you-are-even-here sort of voice, so of course my pride kept me on my feet, but in retrospect I know that I was only hurting myself.

She may be just fine without a wheelchair, but certainly no one would look down on her for getting one if it gets to be too much after a few days. Definitely keep it in mind.

 

[SueM in MN]

I went when I was 7 months pregnant. It was Sept.. I would say in hindsight it was tough going. I thought I was keeping up but I did stop a lot to rest. Around the 3rd day or so, I was dragging. Animal Kingdom was the worst place for me. It was incredibly hot. I thought it wouldn't be with all the foliage, but that was the day it all caught up to me. I had to leave and take a nap.

If she is staying on site, the resorts have a number of wheelchairs for use for free. At least they used to. It would be worthwhile to check on that because it's expensive to rent otherwise. I broke down and got one from the resort on day 4. It saved our trip.

I had a walking regimen before we went. It was still a lot of walking for being 7 months. Hydration is key. Rest as often as possible. Summer heat in Fla. is a special kind of heat. Find cool places to hang out. Shade. She might not be able to do everything she normally could. But she could hang out by the pool. Take in some shows. There are things to do and take it easy. Lots of breaks, water, and rest. Those are key.

I hope she has a great trip!

There are limited numbers of wheelchairs available at resorts, but they can't be reserved ahead of time and there is no guarantee they will have any or what size they are or condition they are in.

Some people have reported they borrowed one, but called one of the rental places later to get one since the one at the resort was not in good condition.
So, I would suggest taking phone numbers along for the rental places whether or not you decide to try to borrow from the resort.

You can follow the link in my signature to the disABILITIES FAQs thread. Post 2 of that thread has information about renting wheelchairs and ECVs.

 

[OceanAnnie]

There are limited numbers of wheelchairs available at resorts, but they can't be reserved ahead of time and there is no guarantee they will have any or what size they are or condition they are in.

Some people have reported they borrowed one, but called one of the rental places later to get one since the one at the resort was not in good condition.
So, I would suggest taking phone numbers along for the rental places whether or not you decide to try to borrow from the resort.

You can follow the link in my signature to the disABILITIES FAQs thread. Post 2 of that thread has information about renting wheelchairs and ECVs.

Thanks for passing that along. My case was a long time ago. I was lucky when I sought one at the GF. I just walked up to the desk and inquired. I got the last one they had and it was in good condition.

 

[Berlioz70]

I visited well into my last month - in fact this photo was taken exactly one week before I gave birth (July 22):

To be honest - it just depends on the person's physically activity. I teach dance class, so I was very active up to birth and only slightly slowed down when walking for long periods of time (4+ hours). Just some general tips: pack water, wear light layers of clothing (tanks, skirts, & flip flops were my saving grace), be in tune for benches/seats in the shade. Taking personal breaks while others ride attractions helps a lot!

 

[DisneyBaroness]

I was at WDW this summer while I was 6 months pregnant, and it was do-able. Like everyone else has said, taking breaks in A/C whenever possible, drinking a metric ton of water, and sitting really helps. I also brought along a towel called a Frogg Togg, which helped to keep me cool. You run it under water, squeeze it out, and wear it around your neck. It really felt like a personal air conditioner, and kept me seriously cool in the AK where there aren't many places to escape from the heat! I actually read about it here on the Dis. They sell them on Amazon, and I think there are a couple of big box stores that have them (or different versions) as well.

Also, she can always stop in the Baby Stations if nothing else. They don't mind pregnant ladies "borrowing" their cool air!

ETA: If she's tired of walking around but doesn't want to go back to wherever you're staying, she could also travel to one of the nearby hotels and hang out. I did that while my hubby and step-kids did MK. The GF lobby is a great place to cool off, plus they have a piano player and band that play in the afternoon!