Should we take our 10 month old with us or leave him with Grandma?

[addieh]

Our little boy is 10 months old, and will be 11 months when we make out trip.

We will be going to WDW in Feb. and it will be my DH's first time. I want to have a great time, but I am afraid if we left our son home for 2 weeks we would miss him to much, worry, and not be able to enjoy ourselves as much. We have not yet left him for more than 2 days.

Has anyone traveled to WDW with a 10 month old? Any help would be great!

 

[susy]

Two weeks is a very long time!!!! Even with the baby, you should be able to do all that you want. If you can swing it, a monorail resort would be most convenient for taking breaks and arriving at the parks as early as possible. You should plan two days at Epcot, 2 at MK, 1 at AK and 1 at MGM. with two weeks that would leave quite a few days for rest, shopping and whatever else. My son is 4 and I know that I wouldn't have fun without him for two weeks. Frankly, I'd be bored!!! I would go early Feb and take advantage of the discounts, avoiding Pres. week altogether!!! You should have a wonderful time!!!! I would be happy to answer any other questions!!! If you don't have a guidebook, I would go to the bookstore and pick up a few.

 

[tileman]

Hi went to WDW when my little one was about 8 months old.
went in march was real nice out not to hot not to cold.

Just take it easy & have a great time there I would not even thing of going to wdw with out your son.

Have fun & safe trip.

 

[aahmom1]

I vote to take the baby. I took mine when they were babies, and they were just fine. I can't imagine leaving any of my little ones for 2 whole weeks.

 

[Pluto4President]

Take him! That's why we have kids isn't it? We took our daughter when she was 4 months old. No problems!

 

[catwho]

I agree, take him! I couldn't imagine being seperated from my children for 2 weeks, especially when they were babies!! There isn't anything you can't do at WDW with a baby except ride on the height restriction rides together. But doing a baby swap will only add another 10 minutes or so to your ride time!

And just think when he looks back when he is older and sees pictures of himself at WDW as a aby! He may not remember actually going, but he will see that he had been there. What a wonderful timeline of pictures that will be if you take an annual or bi-annual trip!


44 more days!!

 

[Lorix2]

I agree....take the baby.

I was talked into a weekend away without my 15 mo old then and was away for 3 days and left her with a combination of my sister, my mother and grandmother. I missed her so much I couldn't stand the ride home of 3 hours. When I walked in she wouldn't even smile and my family told me that she would barely eat or play, just cried alot and thought the time away was too much for her to be away from us and her own crib, surroundings, etc. she was actually a bit depressed (not that they blamed me or anything, just their opinion)...but that's just my child, doesn't mean yours would be that way...but I felt really awful about it..I think 2 weeks is especially long at that age for them to be away from you both...JMHO

I think you'd all have a great time together as a family.

Whatever you decide have a great time.

 

[addieh]

Thanks for the advice!! We will take him for sure now!!

Any other tips on dealing with babies in the parks would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[robinb]

I took my DD when she was 4 months and 11 months of age. I found it an easier age than 2 years old! Here are my tips:

1. Bring your own reclining stroller. "Gate check" it if you are flying so you can use it in the airport.
2. Find and use the Baby Care Centers in each park. They have the best diaper changing facilities, high chairs for feeding, bottled water for dry formula, a private room for nursing, a microwave and various supplies. We used to call them the "Parent Care Centers" because it was so nice to go into one.
3. Bring a sling for standing in line. I like the Maya Wrap best.
4. Bring a small changing pad. The tables in the bathrooms are cold, hard metal.
5. Take your time! If your DS won't nap in his stroller take him back to the hotel for one.
6. Don't forget a swimsuit and swim diapers! My DD was a water baby at 6 months old, but her very first dip was at 4 months in the pool at OKW.
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[Pete's Mom]

until you see a couple at WDW with their baby and then you will bawl your eyes out! TAKE HIM!

One of the sweetest things I saw on our recent trip was when Robin Hood sat down on the ground at MGM and played peekaboo with a baby in a stroller for about 10 minutes! The baby cooed and giggled and the parents were moved to tears that Robin would dedicate so much time to one child, especially a baby! I normally hate standing in line waiting, but this was one time I didn't mind at all.

 

[princessx2]

I took my nursing 10 month old last Jan. The main advice I'd give is stay in a monorail resort if possible so you can easily get back and forth from the park without folding up a stroller and if you do not use a sling buy one and use it!!!. You can't have a stroller in most lines and holding can get tiresome. I had a sling that I didn't use much previously (he was a good baby who didn't need to be held constantly) but it paid for itself many times over at WDW. Even outside the lines no kid wants to be in the stroller all the time so I held him in the sling. IT SAVED OUR VACATION !

 

[eeyore0062]

Well, personally, I think it would be a great time to have some "adult" time. Your baby will probably have a much better time getting spoiled by Grandma! I know by the time my baby was 10 months I would have loved to get away, just me and my husband. I vote for leaving the baby with Grandma, and treating yourself and your husband!

 

[susy]

I would suggest bringing a lightweight stroller that reclines, has a sun shade and basket. Make sure it manuevers easliy. If your baby is on formula , use powdered formula and bottled water.Bring supplies like bottle brushes and dish detergent. You can pop open a jar of baby food and feed your baby when you sit down to eat. Another tip would be getting to the parks early. We would arrive about 40 minutes before opening and although we had that initial wait, we never waited for rides at all. We also took a break shortly after lunch. A few hours back at the resort can make all the difference in the world. I like to rest and take a shower myself before going out for dinner. Let your baby take a nice ,long nap. then you can feed him, bathe him , put his pj's on and go out again the evening. Epcot is open till 9 and our son loved it! Just make things as easy as possible for yourselves and you will have a great time!!!! Don't forget things like his favorite blankie or toys, a nice thick stroller blanket and hat for night time!

 

[catwho]

A few things to add to what Robin and Princess said:

1. Baby Swap - this is where you both get to ride a ride, but only one of you has to stand in line! You and DH go to the CM that is standing at the beginning of the line (usually with a measuring stick thingy) and say you want to do a baby swap. S/He will give you directions on how that ride does the swap. Some give you a fast pass to use as soon as he gets off others have you go in the exit. S/he will also tell you where to can wait for the ride. When DH comes out, then you go in following the directions that the CM gave you. The CM's are used to people coming through the end of a ride so just mention that you are doing a baby swap. And make DH take turns waiting with the baby unless you don't mind and prefer not to stand in line! LOL!!

2. Pack your own food or stop at the grocer on the way to the resort to get food that your baby is familiar with. Don't rely on there being food for your kid to eat in the park and the jarred baby food at the baby centers is expected. You may be surprised and your baby may take to everything at the park, but it would be better to be prepared than have a fussy baby turning it's nose up at Fruit and Lychee

3. Since you are going to be there for such a long time, don't try to kill yourself to see and do everything! You've got the time. We killed ourselves once (we only had 3 days and truly did try to do and see everything Ufdah!) You will appreciate it and your baby will appreciate it.

4. If you baby likes the characters, see lots of them and take lots of pictures. CM's will even take pictures of you with your baby and the characters.

5. If your baby hates the characters, avoid them. I've seen way too many near panicky infants and toddlers being forced to pose with mom or dad's favorite character. What a horrible picture to look back on "Here is little Johnny, screaming his frightened little head off with Eeyore!"

6. If baby is willing, do some baby swapping of your own. Let dh keep the baby at the resort for a few hours while you stroll through a park or go shopping at DTD and then let him do the same one day you are there.

7. If your baby starts getting fussy during a meal, the CM's will be more than happy to pack your meal to go if you think that he would do better having a nap or out of the hussle and bussle of the crowds.

8. HAVE FUN! (And that's an order!) I loved taking my babies to WDW and they love looking at pictures of themselves as babies on different rides and with different characters.


44 more days!!!

 

[KAM2]

Take your baby!!! We took my third child when she was 10 months. We then took my 4th child when she was 7 months and then again at 17 months. Under a year was actually easier then 17 months!!!
I would have to give my vote for the sling. I ordered the Over The Shoulder Baby Holder sling that I found online at Breastfeeding.com It was a lifesaver. She would nurse in the sling and then go to sleep. We could ride some rides or see a show and she would sleep right through it all in the sling. My Dh really loved to wear the sling too and carried her as much if not more!! We would take the stroller too and use both.
We also would go back to the hotel most days for an afternoon break.......sometimes the baby would nap.
I can't bear to be away from the baby for 2 days much less 2 weeks!!! I know you will have a blast!! My babies have LOVED the parades and shows! Their reactions were as much fun as the shows. But beware of character meals!!!! Boy were they afraid of the characters!!!

 

[disneyaries]

WENT TO WDW WITH 12WK OLD DAUGTHER FOR 2WKS IT WAS GREAT DID BABY SWAP TOOK GRANDMA TOO JUST TO HAVE TIME TO SELVES AS WE ALSO HAD THREE OLDER CHILDREN 5,7,9 AT THE TIME . NO PROBLEMS AT ALL TAKE HIM WITH YOU HE'LL HAVE A BLAST AND SO WILL YOU 2 WKS AND COUNTING FOR NEXT WDW TRIP inkbounc inkbounc inkbounc

 

[eeyore0062]

I was telling my DH about this thread... he asked how old the baby is... when I told him, he also said that the parents deserved a nice "adult only" vacation, and that the child would probably have more fun with Grandma at home in his/her own environment. We may be in the minority... but parents need time away, too!

 

[dlrhine]

We were in Disney stayed at Coronado Springs from 12-8 to 12-15 with our 10 month old and had a WONDERFUL time. I would have never left her at home. We showed her the disney sing along tape for two months before we left and when we got there she knew the characters and loved them. We now have some of the most wonderful pictures of her on her first trip to Disney. We took a light weight stroller that reclined so she could nap (GRACO Breeze), took powder formula and bottle water, diapers & wipes, jared baby food, and we were ready to tackle the world. I will tell you my child can be a hard to handle baby but she was better in Disney than she is at home. We didn't kill ourselves to get it all done and took one down day, but worth every second. If you have any question please email me as I did it just 3 days ago. Talk with you soon.
dlrhine@hotmail.com

 

[disneyaries]

I didnt mean not have adult time > parents need time alone too.
When i first went to wdw i took all my children and at the time my youngest was 12wks old
I also took grandma too which helped

I recently went in April with my husband to wdw for 5 days with out children and left them all with grandma .

It was time needed away but my daughter is now 2 and we are headed back from 12/30-1/9 and she is soooo excited that at 10mnths or even 11mnths the excitement you see in there eyes when the see a character that they are familuar with is unreplaceable.:wave

 

[LKS]

If you would worry and not enjoy yourselves, by all means take him. Little babies are easy at WDW (and free.) We took our youngest of 3 at 3 months and again at 7 months. He was nursing and it was a breeze.

But, if you want an adult vacation, that's great too. Our kids think going to grandma's IS a big vacation and we let them go stay there 2 weeks in the summer every year, so I could do either. We haven't gone on a two week vacation though. We are usually at home working. We do make a point of taking one adults only vacation each year. The longest was 8 days and some years it's just a weekend, but we find those vacations important too.