where can a 9 month old burn off some energy?

[urquie]

i'm sure dd will get tired of being in her stroller or ergo baby carrier. is there anyway appropriate for a baby to crawl around and pull herself up, down, up, down... ? by appropriate, i mean safe and clean!

 

[JadeDarkstar]

um where are you staying?

 

[urquie]

um where are you staying?

sorry, i should have been more specific! we're staying at disney's grand californian. if there are any areas at our hotel i'd love to know... but i'd also love ideas for in the parks. give dd2 something to do while big sis is going on the bigger rides.

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

There are a lot of areas.

1) Both Baby Care Centers don't mind if you hang out for a while. Get to know the staff - I know we've made them part of our personal family...

2) At GCH, there are several small seating areas on the odd numbered floors (or is it the evens) in the corner of the hotel that sits over World of Disney - near the Storyteller's/Napa elevators. Those are really nice and there is an outdoor patio/balcony on the 5th floor right off the lobby atrium. Other nice places are the Napa Rose lounge - have a drink or appetizer/dessert and let her crawl - we've done that so many times...

3) The Animation Building lobby in DCA. Best place to chill, nurse, crawl, dance, and whatever - the large movie screens add to the ambiance.

4) Upper level inside Innoventions. Large spaces not filled with attractions. Quieter than the rest of the park, since people kind of run through there and not stop to play. You can take turns watching the baby play and looking at exhibits in the Dream Home and such.

Since folks have different levels of what they allow their child to crawl on, I'm going to stop here and tell you there are some other areas that have more space, but are outdoors textures that are not grass. Some kids like them, some don't. Some parents like them, some don't. Some prefer not to let the small ones crawl near the water areas, some strip them down to a diaper and hold their hands to help them walk in the sprinkles. Depends on what type of parenting you prefer!

Hope that helps!

 

[dare2dream]

I am going in June with my daughter and grandson that will be 13 months at the time. I want him to be able to get down and dirty if he wants (and if my daughter allows it).

Where are those squirting fountains and kids play areas? I need to know. We will be spending a lot of time there.

He probably won't remember this trip but I am looking forward to wonderful memories of seeing him experience Disney for the first time.

 

[mechurchlady]

Baby Care Centers do not allow kids on the floors, I checked early this month I think it was and reported that in a post. You can bring a blanket to put on the ground in areas like Innoventions and let the kid do the up and down thing. There are play areas all over DLR including Redwood Creek area, Princess Dot Puddle park, and the farm area in DCA. There are some nice nooks you can go and let the kid be a kid like the back trail at DCA, at Ariel's Grotto on either side are areas that overlook the bay. There is the fountain area by Jungle Cruise to set up a little nook with a blanket on the ground. long the walkway to Small World are areas you could park and put a blanket down, and GCH heart tends to be a good place to take a kid and hide from people.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

oh well i was only gona suggest the pool area but no in park only play area we know of is the bear one in ca it seems for older kids tho

 

[ylatan]

oh, i'm taking notes here. i'll be there with my 9 month old next week, and i have been stressing a bit about him wanting to get down and being sick of being in the ergo!

we are staying at the GCH, too! i'm glad we'll be able to easily go back there if we need to.

 

[abouley]

I took my daughter 3 times before she was walking and I really don't remember this being an issue. She was so stimulated with seeing everything and between the stroller, being carried, riding rides, sitting in a high chair, etc, she never really got ansy to be down! If anything, she'd stand up on my lap and bounce while I was sitting on a bench or sitting on the ground waiting for a parade!

Alison

 

[ironlou]

Toon town seems to be the place a lot of really young Disney goers spend their time.

 

[Dizneydaz]

Redwood Creek Challenge Trail is great in DCA. My DD9 loves it. Of course there's more for the older kids to do but your little one can crawl around in the area by the totem cave (it's soft there) and most of the time there is a small trickle of water flowing there.

Speaking of water-DCA has 2 water play areas that the kids love. If you are going to be there when it's hot, take your DD there for a break. There's one located near the entrance to Flik's Fun Fair and then another one located inside FFF. Be prepared, if you go. Kid's must wear shoes at all times so i would rec. water shoes (if you can find them that small) or any other shoe that can get wet. Also swim diapers would be great. When we go when it's hot I'll bring DD's Crocs (before Crocs I brought swim shoes) and a bathing suit to change into.

 

[urquie]

thanks so much for all the great replies!

 

[urquie]

I took my daughter 3 times before she was walking and I really don't remember this being an issue. She was so stimulated with seeing everything and between the stroller, being carried, riding rides, sitting in a high chair, etc, she never really got ansy to be down! If anything, she'd stand up on my lap and bounce while I was sitting on a bench or sitting on the ground waiting for a parade!

Alison

this gives me hope that my always crawling, climbing, on the go baby will be contented for a while!

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

Baby Care Centers do not allow kids on the floors, I checked early this month I think it was and reported that in a post.

I strongly disagree with this statement, as my children have been doing this at BOTH Baby Care Centers bi-monthly for almost 4 years - since Zoe could move around at 5 months..

If they can't crawl or move about the floors, how are they supposed to get to the chairs and such that are there for them to read and play at?

Being a parent at DL allows you to experience many things there that others might not get to fully understand.

 

[mechurchlady]

I specifically went on that trip to help someone and spoke to a nice older lady CM and there was another CM there who never corrected her. I am not making this up and that is what she said the policy was.

 

[pixiewings71]

Hmm, I can't imagine the CMs in the Baby Center not allowing children on the floor.....isn't that what the Baby Center is all about? I consider them "babies" until 2, when they become toddlers....all of my babies walked well before that age.

fyi, I stopped by this thread because my oldest DD has a baby of her own, I'm anticipating taking my beautiful GDD on her first DL trip well before she's 3! LOL

 

[mechurchlady]

The baby center is a place where mom can breastfeed in privacy, lost kids can be housed and processed, and babies changed and fed. It is not a place for kids to run around and it is unsafe because as with any public venue there are people tracking in dirt, stuff being dropped on the floor and people not seeing toddlers then stepping on them.

She showed me the kitchen where baby food is heated and parents can wash up. She showed me the training toilet which is for kids to 42 inches high. There was the changing tables and a big laundry tub for washing out dirty diapers. There was the breastfeeding room and a central area for lost kids.

I only am reporting what I saw and what CMs told me. Some people thing tables are places to change diapers in Plaza In but I am not going to argue with them either. I am not posting more as I have stated the facts, I asked specific questions to make sure I was not misunderstanding the CM, and visually inspected the place as I walked around it. If you do not believe me hen either I can buy a video camera, tape the CM's conversation and mail you a copy OR take paper notes, report my findings, and let the nonbelievers go find out for themselves. Also it is interesting that nobody said other wise when I first posted this information.

I am right or the CM is an idiot who does not know her job's rules and gave me false information. Tooodles as I aint dealling with this.

 

[LuLusApple]

I strongly disagree with this statement, as my children have been doing this at BOTH Baby Care Centers bi-monthly for almost 4 years - since Zoe could move around at 5 months..

If they can't crawl or move about the floors, how are they supposed to get to the chairs and such that are there for them to read and play at?
Being a parent at DL allows you to experience many things there that others might not get to fully understand.

Gosh I wish this were true, cause we went today and were told "sorry I know it's really hard on the little ones but we do not allow babies on the floor at all. Thank you have fun at DL"
My DGD 9 mnths was having a fit and needed to crawl around.
I don't know if you have a special contact CM and get special treatment but we were told no way.
Sorry I just reread this I don't mean it to sound rude. But they just won't let
Babies crawl around.

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

Lu - you aren't rude at all.

I'm sorry that people feel that they are slighted when they are presented with an opposing experience. That diversity of knowledge is what benefits all of us when touring and teaches us things we don't know. It's what makes these boards such a rewarding place.

A lot of us are experts on the parks from what we each see and do - it's a lot of personal information. You can hear someone say one thing, but if it's not what you have experienced, you have just as much right to say so on that thread. Obviously your experience matched Laurie's recent information, but that doesn't mean that my long-term experience is less valid. This may be a new rule. I don't know - it's never been expressed to me.

Call it special treatment if you like, but maybe it's because we go to the park and spend time with the ladies who work in Baby Care so often. As I said, take the time - get to know them, then let your child down. Hang out a bit to rest. Don't just go in and out. We have never been told no - ever. And I can't be the only one.

That's all I'll say, since we all try to show each other respect on this forum.