Pumping while in Disney parks

[kb0325]

We are heading to Orlando in June with our 2 older kids. Leaving our 7mo old with grandparents.

I am still nursing him, and will be needing accommodations to pump 4-5x a day while gone.

My question is two fold:

Are there refridgerators or accommodations for hotel staff to hold/freeze breastmilk during our week? We are staying at Port Orleans Resort

Secondly, what are the in park accommodations for such a need? I will need an electric outlet, and ideally, a place to sit (not on the ground ideally, and not in a bathroom)

Thoughts?

 

[Karenj2]

I can't answer your question about the fridge in Port Orleans, but the last time we stayed in a value we had a fridge, so I think you'll be ok there.

As for pumping in the parks, there are "comfort stations" in each of the parks, usually near the entrance. They're used for changing babies, nursing, etc. It might not be completely private, but it's air conditioned, and the changing tables are usually not in the same room as where women nurse. (I just BF in the parks, but I had my kid with me.)

I know others with more experience with them will comment.

 

[kb0325]

I'm ok with pumping not in complete private... I just didn't want to have to sit in a main traffic area on the ground in the sun

So, these stations are only at front of park?

 

[tdmoney7]

I only have had experience at Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom. They are both at the front of the park and are very comfortable for pumping/nursing. At Hollywood studios you had a private room with a rocking chair and a curtain. Very cool and dim. At magic kingdom it's a room with maybe three rocking chairs and a door. Not separated but cool, quiet and dim. When I was at magic kingdom - no one else came in the room so I had it to myself. I don't know of refrigerators at the parks. I pumped and dumped one time (when I nursed at night/morning) or brought a cooler. The rest of the time I nursed my son, pumped excess. Hope that makes sense!

 

[Gracie09]

Your hotel room will have a fridge about the size of a dorm fridge. Hotel staff will not likely be allowed to use their fridges/freezers for your breast milk. (There are food handling regulations concerning any products being put in a fridge freezer used for food storage and prep).

Your best bet is the baby stations. In Epcot it is located in world showcase by Mexico. You may be able to find other plugs but then you would likely be sitting on the ground. Also you would need to bring something to keep the milk cold so a small soft side cooler and ice packs.

Could you pump and save in their morning and night and pump and dump during the day?

 

[MSSANDRA]

I bet the first aid stations would also allow you to pump there as well. I have never pumped at WDW but did pump a ton for oldest DS. I would expect you may end up dumping most of the milk just because keeping it cold, frozen and safe is going to be pretty hard on site and taking it back home as well.

 

[kb0325]

Yeah... I prob could pump/dump (womp womp!!)

I'm mostly concerned about keeping it fresh for a week in a fridge. Usually I freeze excess at home.

when traveling for business I have had hotels freeze, so it def depends on hotel staff if they are willing to store it. I'll call and ask

 

[Gracie09]

Yeah... I prob could pump/dump (womp womp!!)

I'm mostly concerned about keeping it fresh for a week in a fridge. Usually I freeze excess at home.

when traveling for business I have had hotels freeze, so it def depends on hotel staff if they are willing to store it. I'll call and ask

Just remember the person you speak to on the phone is not a cm at the hotel. They are in a call center and may not know the regulations regarding food storage at the hotel.

 

[Karenj2]

I'll tell you - one of the fridges at Pop Century was set so cold that everything in it froze! (But don't count on that. I don't want you to be disappointed...)

 

[Pepperldy]

I pumped at Disney back in October. I stayed at the Poly so we had a fridge, but you can always call and ask for one just in case the rooms don't have them. I did find that my milk started to freeze in our fridge, so that's something to watch out for.

I have a Freestyle pump, so there were times I just sat on a bench and pumped with the cover. However, I also used the baby care stations, and those were nice as there was a designated room for nursing/pumping mothers with outlets. I did dump my milk if I pumped in the parks as it was a hassle to keep up with.

On our last day, I asked bell services if they could keep my milk cooler in a fridge, and they did so with so with no problems. So, that might be an option for you.

 

[kb0325]

I'm ok with it freezing actually.... that will preserve it for the week, rather than just sit in a fridge for a week and risk it spoiling.

Oy... there are pros and cons for travlign w/o baby!

 

[familyabgar]

Good luck! I used the baby care stations in Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios in February '12 to pump (I pumped exclusively) and then used a cooler with the hard ice pack to store while in the park. I had no issues, so hopefully you won't either. I did not stay in a resort though, so can't help with that part.

As for storage the whole week, you could at least start saving midway through your trip if you can't find access to a freezer. And with freezing, I'd be concerned about the travel home and keeping it frozen. Sounds like you've dealt with it before, though, and know what to do.

 

[angelmom27]

There is a breastfeeding post with tips but in the post one lady said that if you go to the first aid station they will let you use the fridge there. She also said that one CM in the first aid center said since they werent busy she could pump there too. Which she said was nice cause the nursing rooms arent private in certain parks. Also they held her pump there too. So no hauling it around.

 

[ipuffyheartdisney]

For our trip last year I left my 6 month old with the grandparents as well and pumped the entire week.

I used the babycare centers at each park and it worked out great! I would put my pump in the basket of the stroller, I use a medela that looks like a purse. The baby care centers would have a dim room with multiple outlets and small tables. I would push a rocking chair up to one and cover myself with my nursing cover. They would let me wash everything in the kitchen afterward. My pump has a cooler section and I would put an ice pack with the stored milk. If they ice pack started to get warm the first aid station would fill it up with ice for me.

We stayed at Animal Kingdom Villas and I just asked the bell hop services if I could store my milk in their freezer and they agreed! I bought one of the Pack It freezer Lunch bags (largest size they sell) on Amazon. It is the one that the bag itself freezes. Every couple of days I would bring my milk bags back down and they would let me in the back where the freezer was and I added to my Pack It bag.

I picked it up before we got on the Magical Express bus for the airport and carried it on to the flight. Only the top bags defrosted and I just used them first to feed my daughter.

One big piece of advice is if you plan to use it as your carry on for a flight, tell the TA agent BEFORE you send it through the security scan. I did that and they gave me a huge "thank you"! I have heard horror stories of agents not knowing what it was and having to test it

 

[ipuffyheartdisney]

Also, on a side note, I don't know if you have already traveled without the baby, so disregard if you have.

I was very on the fence about leaving her because I was still nursing and she was so young. My family really pushed me to do it and I decided to go for it after extensive reading on the topic.

I was very upset for the first two days, but it was the best decision I could have made.

Since I was baby obsessed I probably freaked quite a few people out because I was staring at their baby for way to long. I started to notice very new and small babies that were overheated, sunburned and in other situations that I would never want my daughter to be exposed to. With the weather and chasing after a two year old, I was so happy she got to stay home in a comfortable house with airconditioning. We also got extra special alone time with my son, who was not very happy he was not the center of attention anymore.

It worked out great for my family,
Have a wonderful vacation!