taking a crawler?

[snoopy5386]

Anyone take a crawler to WDW? My DD will turn 1 during our trip and I was hoping she would be walking by now, but she's not, she doesn't cruise or walk holding your hands either, she only wants to crawl. Is there anywhere safe to let her crawl around in the parks? I'm sure she won't want to spend all day in the stroller or in arms.
Any tips for taking a crawler?
Thanks!

 

[Oceana]

ahh I recall these fears... my DS started walking 2 days before we left for our trip.

yes go to waiting cueing areas early before shows and let the babe crawl around... heck mine never minded crawling on the sidewalks waiting for parades

the pooh and other playground areas have soft grounds

julie

 

[Tinker_]

Thanks Julie- good idea about Pooh Place!~ My DS will be turning 1 right before our trip and is not walking yet either. I was really hoping he would be walking as well, but he is happy just 'cruising' and crawling for now.

 

[ryan840]

My guy isn't walking either, our trip is in 5 weeks which I know is a long time but he shows no interest at all in walking on his own. My oldest didn't walk until 15 mos but at this point he COULD walk, he just wouldn't The baby will occasionally walk if you hold his hands but he is really not into it, he just prefers to crawl. I saw someone last year with some baby knee pads (not bulky like the safety ones) and I think I'm going to try to hunt them down for him.

 

[Oceana]

You may want to check out an ergo baby carrier... for that dont want to hold em but need to stage it is a seriously amazing invention

julie

 

[3princesses+aprince]

Yes, our last trip was when my dd3 was 11 months, she was "cruising", but still mostly crawling, there were alot of places we were able to let her crawl around at, and the play areas are soft. Ariel's grotto sticks out to me, because we were in a 45 min line, and dd then 11 months crawled all around. Not to mention my dd was alot happier than I thought she would be to sit up in the stroller and look at everything! Have a nice trip with your baby!

 

[twinscandc]

We just returned from the world with a crawler!! And, you're right, he didn't want to spend the whole time in the stroller and in our arms. We did let him crawl around in the stores because it was carpeted and what I thought was some of the cleaner places. We also let him "run" free in any grassy areas that we found.

In the end we were all exhausted!!

 

[Tinker_]

Ryan840- will you post the link if you find those? DS would be forever grateful!!

 

[ryan840]

Ryan840- will you post the link if you find those? DS would be forever grateful!!

Will do. Wish me luck, I have no idea what I'm looking for!

 

[ryan840]

LOL, wow that was easy! Here's the first link from One Step Ahead- all I did was google baby knee pads and I got a lot of sites and different price ranges. These ones are pretty cheap but I don't know if they'd work outside- they also have some for $20 that would definately work. If I find any other really good sites I'll add them to this post.

http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog...op%20Sellers&cm_pla=Top%20Sellers&cm_ite=null

ETA- All the other websites were selling the Snazzy Baby ones, so I guess that's the only kind like that. Both kinds are on the One Step Ahead website linked above.

Edited again- I just called Babies R Us and they carry some for $2.99, I don't know what they're like though. I'll be going there later today so I'll let you know. OK, to edit again, the ones at Babies R Us are the ones in the link above. I got two pair, I think they'll be fine for 9 days, it's not like we're going to let him crawl down Main Street USA

 

[NotUrsula]

You can also use a pr. of thick running socks that are made for adults; just cut off the toes.

 

[ryan840]

You can also use a pr. of thick running socks that are made for adults; just cut off the toes.

Have you tried that? How does it hold up to cement/rough surfaces?

 

[Oceana]

anything knit will get holes in sidewalk... seriously plenty of inside places... go to country bears just after the audiance sits and you have plenty of room and floor to crawl a baby on the floor... yep it isnt clean but wipe baby off before the show

julie

 

[Dannielle_1]

My son was crawling when we went in the fall.

We let him crawl pretty much anywhere there weren't alot of people. We didn't use any knee pads, but he would do kind of an elephant walk if the ground bothered him. Actually quite cute! He was cruising too and enjoyed pushing his stroller around (while I steered/controlled it). A few good spots that I remember:

Epcot:
Innoventions - find a quite corner
Test Track - the GM Display area
The Land - the restaurant sitting area at non-meal times
China - the waiting area for the movie
America - the waiting area for American Adventure
France - back behind the perfume store (waterside)

Magic Kingdom:
Poohs Playground - watch out for big kids though, find a quiet corner and have adults block off as best as possible or go when quiet
Tomorrowland - by the closed Galaxy Theater by Buzz

Disney-MGM Studios:
Animation Building - there is a interactive area at the end of the "tour" or you can go in through the Art Store. Wide open area, not too much traffic, lots of carpet.
Exit area of Sounds Dangerous - lots of carpet, just watch for the show dump
Honey I Shrunk...Playground - Toddler area, again watch for big kids though
Walts One Man's Dream - Lots of crawl space here, just watch for other guests coming through

Animal Kingdom:
The Boneyard/Dig Area - again watch for big kids
Animal Trail Behind Tree of Life

And if your willing to let your little one get wet, the DS loved the sprinkler areas. Just stake out a spot and have the adults watch out for the bigger kids. By DS & DNiece had a ball at one lily pad at Donalds Boat at the MK. We were at one that was on the edge of the playground and my husband sort of stood between it and the rest of the area to ward off others.

Just look for those off the path places. It's actually amazing how there can be a quiet spot just yards away from the hustle and bustle of the main pathways.

 

[Tinker_]

Dannielle- AWESOME tips! I would have never thought of those places!