Using a baby carrier on rides

[margot31]

This is great cause I was going to be asking this soon. I am a first time carrier mom (didn't do it with my son) and now we are taking our 6 month old while she might want to see things if that kid is sleeping i don't want to have to yank her out.

 

[TravelingTotMom]

I bought a cheaper front-facing carrier specifically for Disney (they sometimes show up at Ross, TJ Maxx, etc.). It wasn't the best back support, but I only used it for lines/rides. It worked out great! Easy to get into/out of the rides, and my son was always positioned on my lap and able to see everything. We used it at 7 1/2 months and early 1.

One note - on the carrousel, infants will need to be taken out of the carrier. You can hold them on the horse sitting in front of you, but I've seen several parents asked to take them out of carriers.

 

[kboo]

as long as the baby is facing forward they will allowed at Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan, It's a Small world, Pirates of the caribbean, Jungle Cruise, Kilimanjaro safaris, Haunted Mansion, Voyage of the Little Mermaid, Nemo, all those will let the baby ride with or without the carrier but for sure the baby must face forward when riding, as with many other "Rules" it will depends on the child size, the cast members and the type of carrier

Actually I've taken my kids on all of those - as well as Buzz Lightyear and TSMM, in a front carrier facing INWARD (we have a boba, there is no forward facing on the front option). Never an issue.

 

[danielocha30]

Actually I've taken my kids on all of those - as well as Buzz Lightyear and TSMM, in a front carrier facing INWARD (we have a boba, there is no forward facing on the front option). Never an issue.

and I believe you, there are rules but they aren't implemented consistently.

 

[FallsChurchDad]

As the poster above says, implementation is not consistent.

On our trip in 2014, my wife wore our 8-month-old (at the time) in an ergo, inward-facing, on TSMM, because he was napping. We had no problem. The baby napped while the rest of us had a great time.

Three days later, exact same scenario with the baby napping in the ergo, but this time the CM would NOT let her ride while the baby was inward-facing. They stopped all the vehicles and made her remove him. Of course, he started screaming like crazy when we woke him up in the middle of his nap. I took him, while my wife took our older kid. They made him sit next to me on the ride -- I couldn't even hold him. He screamed the entire ride. Not fun.

We also had to take the baby out on Jungle Cruise, which made no sense. But that was not so bad, because he had already napped for awhile and was already waking up. I remember he rode inward-facing in the ergo in many other rides, including Winnie the Pooh and Astro Orbitor, and the CMs didn't say anything.

It's hard to do WDW touring plans when you have a baby who still takes long morning naps.

 

[kboo]

As the poster above says, implementation is not consistent.

On our trip in 2014, my wife wore our 8-month-old (at the time) in an ergo, inward-facing, on TSMM, because he was napping. We had no problem. The baby napped while the rest of us had a great time.

Three days later, exact same scenario with the baby napping in the ergo, but this time the CM would NOT let her ride while the baby was inward-facing. They stopped all the vehicles and made her remove him. Of course, he started screaming like crazy when we woke him up in the middle of his nap. I took him, while my wife took our older kid. They made him sit next to me on the ride -- I couldn't even hold him. He screamed the entire ride. Not fun.

We also had to take the baby out on Jungle Cruise, which made no sense. But that was not so bad, because he had already napped for awhile and was already waking up. I remember he rode inward-facing in the ergo in many other rides, including Winnie the Pooh and Astro Orbitor, and the CMs didn't say anything.

It's hard to do WDW touring plans when you have a baby who still takes long morning naps.

Wow, that's crazy! We took YDD in Feb and April 2016 (3 mo, 4.5 mo) and I don't recall having to take her out for anything other than the carousel. Otherwise she was inward facing and often sleeping through much of it. I still remember one time DH was "annoyed" at losing at TSMM because he had YDD in the carrier and so he couldn't lean over and aim the way he would if he were unencumbered.

 

[Ben Pieper]

We have had no issues on the past couple trips last year and this year with front-wearing our son, facing inward, on the following rides (that I remember): Small World, Buzz Lightyear, Pirates, Pooh, Peter Pan, Frozen, Mexico Boat Ride, Jungle Cruise, Kilimanjaro Safaris, Toy Story, Little Mermaid, People Mover, Nemo, Living with the Land, Spaceship Earth, and I think we were good every time on Dumbo, Astro Orbiter and Magic Carpets. And I don't expect to have any issues on Na'vi River Journey next month.

 

[Lupeix]

I carried my 9 month old in all the lines with my ergo 360 on our last trip. The official policy is the baby needs to be facing forward on rides, but it is not always enforced. It is really inconsistent but my observation was the bigger the baby the more likely to be asked to face forward. You should be prepared to do it if asked. The other policy is that when the lap bar comes down there should be enough room for both of you. I found it was just easier to unhook the top of the carrier and just sit her in my lap. Once we were sitting down she will start wiggling everywhere to try to see what was going on around her. She was almost never asleep on the line to the rides, often nursed, but there was just too much excitement to sleep. If I had a sleeping baby I will just leave her be and hope I am not asked to take her out. If you are asked to turn your baby around you will have to decide then whether to leave her sleeping or face the screaming meltdown that may ensure if you wake up a baby.

 

[NotUrsula]

The lap bar can be an issue, unless you are thin and baby is small. I found a sling worked best on rides, because it was easier to shift the little one to the side to make room for the bar. (Also, even my beige sport Ergo was mighty hot in Orlando heat.)

I found that a forward-facing bucket carry in the sling worked really well in the parks once the kids passed 6 months, and even before that in the pools. (I have a mesh sling, and I used it to wade into hip-deep water while supervising my older child. DD loved it from the very first; it was just right for using her hands to splash water onto Mommy.)

Also, just FYI, framed back carriers are not allowed on ANY rides. If you use one, you will have to leave it on the loading platform before boarding and retrieve it after the ride ends.

 

[mousefan215]

Does anyone else find the Lillebaby or Ergo difficult to sit down with a child in it? I have a 6 month old/18 lbs and when I try and sit down with her, I really can't! The waist belt is so hard and wide it keeps baby from "sitting" on my lap. Just to add I'm a size 14/16, so maybe that's the problem! Lol... any recommendations on a carrier that's "comfortable" to sit on the rides without taking them out??

ETA: didn't mean to hijack OP's thread!

 

[Dismama2boys]

Does anyone else find the Lillebaby or Ergo difficult to sit down with a child in it? I have a 6 month old/18 lbs and when I try and sit down with her, I really can't! The waist belt is so hard and wide it keeps baby from "sitting" on my lap. Just to add I'm a size 14/16, so maybe that's the problem! Lol... any recommendations on a carrier that's "comfortable" to sit on the rides without taking them out??

ETA: didn't mean to hijack OP's thread!

My Mei Tai is my favorite carrier of all time, I think, followed closely by my ring sling.

 

[KrazeeK120]

Does anyone else find the Lillebaby or Ergo difficult to sit down with a child in it? I have a 6 month old/18 lbs and when I try and sit down with her, I really can't! The waist belt is so hard and wide it keeps baby from "sitting" on my lap. Just to add I'm a size 14/16, so maybe that's the problem! Lol... any recommendations on a carrier that's "comfortable" to sit on the rides without taking them out??

ETA: didn't mean to hijack OP's thread!

Yes! I have an Ergo 360 and couldn't ever sit with my baby strapped to my front (and I'm a size 2, so I don't think that has anything to do with it).

He's almost 18 months old and weighs about 30 lbs now. He prefers to walk and also likes the stroller. I never really got the hang of babywearing, but I think those days are behind us at this point!

 

[mousefan215]

Yes! I have an Ergo 360 and couldn't ever sit with my baby strapped to my front (and I'm a size 2, so I don't think that has anything to do with it).

He's almost 18 months old and weighs about 30 lbs now. He prefers to walk and also likes the stroller. I never really got the hang of babywearing, but I think those days are behind us at this point!

So glad I'm not the only one! Lol

 

[mousefan215]

My Mei Tai is my favorite carrier of all time, I think, followed closely by my ring sling.

I have a mei tai, maybe I need to practice with it more! I'm just finding that the more structured carriers are hard to sit with. My main reason for the carrier is to be able to wear my 1 year old while helping 3 year old on the bus/boats while hubby handles the double stroller. If I can't sit down with the baby in carrier, it really does me no good and I'd be better off just holding her on my hip and pray my arm doesn't give out! Lol

 

[Dismama2boys]

I have a mei tai, maybe I need to practice with it more! I'm just finding that the more structured carriers are hard to sit with. My main reason for the carrier is to be able to wear my 1 year old while helping 3 year old on the bus/boats while hubby handles the double stroller. If I can't sit down with the baby in carrier, it really does me no good and I'd be better off just holding her on my hip and pray my arm doesn't give out! Lol

I used my ring sling, hip carry, ALL.THE.TIME for that whole arm-giving-out thing. I have giant children, and it was a lifesaver.

 

[mousefan215]

I used my ring sling, hip carry, ALL.THE.TIME for that whole arm-giving-out thing. I have giant children, and it was a lifesaver.

Which ring sling do you use??

 

[Dismama2boys]

Which ring sling do you use??

I have a Zolowear.

 

[mousefan215]

I have a Zolowear.

Thanks! I'm going to check that one out

 

[ckdsweet]

I was there in November two weeks before my daughter's first birthday and I used a Lenny Lamb carrier which doe not have a forward facing option. Baby was front facing me and I did not have any issues! We rode IASM, Winnie the Pooh, Voyage of the Little Mermaid, Peter Pan, etc and no one said anything!