Why do people bring infants?

[jahber]

I just took my 5-week old to dinner at the Polynesian with a friend yesterday. She's my 4th. My 3rd kid went to the Magic Kingdom for the first time when he was 28 days old. Why? Because my friends love Disney and when they visit, I go have fun with them. And where I go, my babies literally have to go because I'm their only food source. (My third never once in his whole life took a bottle, no matter WHAT we tried. He would have starved before sucking on a silicone/rubber nipple--or at least, he would have been hungry enough to constitute child abuse, considering I have an ample food source attached to me). It's pretty simple, really. Babies don't mean I don't get to have fun anymore. They just go where I go.

 

[goofyernmost]

Sorry, I didn't have time to read all these posts, but, it is obvious by seeing the number that the OP has struck a nerve with many people. So I have just two things to say about it.

I brought my infant to the parks because she was part of my family and there was no freaking way I was leaving her home with anyone. She went wherever I went. It was really not a big deal my DH and I used the baby swap so we could ride all the attractions.

I don't think that the intent was to imply that one should leave a baby at home, it was more of a... Why would you want to go with all the stuff that a baby requires to maintain. And Yes... I have had children which is why I feel the way I do about it. They are a lot of work at that age, a lot of work! It is hard to relax and enjoy the experience when you have such a responsibility and have to deprive yourself of the total experience.

I wouldn't bring a kid until they can walk and go to the can on their own. Just my personal policy.

For the reasons I stated above, that was also my policy. I wouldn't consider bringing any child under the age of 6 to a place with all the stimulating input that a Disney Park has. I wouldn't consider dragging diapers, special food, about a thousand changes of clothing along on what is supposed to be a fun, relaxing trip shared with the family. Someone in that group is going to miss out on a lot of things that you paid big bucks to experience. My first visit with my children was in 1983. My two children at the time are now over 40 years old and both of them still remember just about all the details of what they saw and how they felt. After my kids had grown up I decided to take them, their husbands and children to WDW for a family trip. The same rule applied. As soon as the youngest made it to 6 we went. Everyone remembers the trip, we talk about it often, both the adults and kids are involved and talk about their first visit. I don't think that people that bring them younger are wrong, it's just that it seem to me that the entire family shared experience that Disney Parks were designed to provide is lost when one is not conscience of where they are and at least one other has to forfeit their own experience to care for a tiny life. It's a nice place, but, not really worth the hassle in my mind.

Again, just so no one thinks that I am against others bringing their infants in, I am expressing my own personal feeling about the situation. Everyone, of course, is free to do whatever they please!

 

[hookedonears]

Yes, this basically means Disney should only be open from I would say age 6 - 60 (thinking stamina-wise), and of course anyone requiring any sort of mobility assistance needs to be excluded (for the money we're paying, we really shouldn't have to dodge around strollers and ECVs, right? I mean, please, not everyone deserves the chance to have fun.).

Maybe Disney should make everyone pass a physical before entering. Maybe have a minimum 40 time (40 yard or meter dash). Now we're talking.

 

[Iowajes]

I wouldn't bring a kid until they can walk and go to the can on their own. Just my personal policy.

Some people will never be able to do such things. I don't think the other members of the family should have to miss the experience because of that.

If we bring an infant to Disney it will be because we want to go before my nephews age out of enjoying Disney. I can't ride any ride an infant can't ride anyway due to spinal cord injuries, so it's not like I'm "missing out" by having to skip them.

 

[mshanson3121]

I wouldn't bring a kid until they can walk and go to the can on their own. Just my personal policy.

Some may never have that luxury. And for the record, it is SO much easier to change a baby's diaper, than it is to change a 5 or 6 year old's diaper.

 

[hookedonears]

Please, this is just as judgy as the OP.

Why clog the park with strollers for 2 year old who could have been left with a grandparent?
Why clog the park with ECVs when they have the option to stay home?

Disney is a FAMILY destination. It has always been, and always will be open to people of ALL ages, from 1 day to 100 years. If you don't want to deal with a park filled with strollers, go somewhere else.

A little bit different here. Our 2-1/2 ran and hugged Mini with a huge smile on her face at the meet and greet. She also walked over and hugged all of the characters at Crystal Palace and handed them her autograph book, she asked to ride all of the rides in Fantacyland over and over again, and had a huge smile doing it. She was aware of her surroundings at all times, except when she was napping, which was rare. Can't say the same for the vast, vast, vast majority of new borns in the parks.

 

[mshanson3121]

A little bit different here. Our 2-1/2 ran and hugged Mini with a huge smile on her face at the meet and greet. She also walked over and hugged all of the characters at Crystal Palace and handed them her autograph book, she asked to ride all of the rides in Fantacyland over and over again, and had a huge smile doing it. She was aware of her surroundings at all times. Can't say the same for the vast, vast, vast majority of new borns in the parks.

Yes, but that brings it back to the main point - these families WANT to have FAMILY vacations. And some day that baby that was unaware will have great family photos to be able to look back on, and stories to listen to as a family. And Disney is a family resort. It's pretty selfish for other people to expect families to leave their babies at home, just so they don't have to walk around a stroller.

 

[hookedonears]

Yes, but that brings it back to the main point - these families WANT to have FAMILY vacations. And some day that baby that was unaware will have great family photos to be able to look back on, and stories to listen to as a family. And Disney is a family resort. It's pretty selfish for other people to expect families to leave their babies at home, just so they don't have to walk around a stroller.

"a stroller"?

 

[mshanson3121]

"a stroller"?

Hundreds, thousands. Honestly? Who cares. What do you want? Disney to ban all children from under a certain age, because it's inconvenient for you? Your 2 or 4 or 6 year old in a stroller is just as inconvenient for people as the newborn. And for the record, most of the strollers I saw were for toddlers, preschoolers etc... not babies or infants.

 

[hookedonears]

Hundreds, thousands. Honestly? Who cares. What do you want? Disney to ban all children from under a certain age, because it's inconvenient for you? Your 2 or 4 or 6 year old in a stroller is just as inconvenient for people as the newborn. And for the record, most of the strollers I saw were for toddlers, preschoolers etc... not babies or infants.

I never said they shouldn't do it. Those words were never spoken. To paraphrase I said; it doesn't make since to me, and I wouldn't take a child under 2. That is only my opinion.

 

[mshanson3121]

I never said they shouldn't do it. Those words were never spoken. To paraphrase I said; it doesn't make since to me, and I wouldn't take a child under 2. That is only my opinion.

And I never said you said they shouldn't do it. But you were arguing that basically a two year old in a stroller is "okay" because they're aware, whereas newborns are not. And all of this goes back to the woman's comment that basically newborns in a stroller are a waste of space.

 

[hookedonears]

And I never said you said they shouldn't do it. But you were arguing that basically a two year old in a stroller is "okay" because they're aware, whereas newborns are not. And all of this goes back to the woman's comment that basically newborns in a stroller are a waste of space.

I guess she has a right to her opinion.

 

[hookedonears]

And I never said you said they shouldn't do it. But you were arguing that basically a two year old in a stroller is "okay" because they're aware, whereas newborns are not. And all of this goes back to the woman's comment that basically newborns in a stroller are a waste of space.

I was giving the reason why I wouldn't take a newborn.

 

[DisNerdsince08]

We took our little one when she was 3 months old. She of course wouldn't remember it, but it was still a super fun trip to make memories as a new family of three. It was really easy having her in the parks when she was that little--all they do is eat and sleep at that age! We also had her Grammie with us, which helped a lot when we didn't want to do Rider Switch.

 

[AngiTN]

Sorry, I didn't have time to read all these posts, but, it is obvious by seeing the number that the OP has struck a nerve with many people. So I have just two things to say about it.

I don't think that the intent was to imply that one should leave a baby at home, it was more of a... Why would you want to go with all the stuff that a baby requires to maintain. And Yes... I have had children which is why I feel the way I do about it. They are a lot of work at that age, a lot of work! It is hard to relax and enjoy the experience when you have such a responsibility and have to deprive yourself of the total experience.

For the reasons I stated above, that was also my policy. I wouldn't consider bringing any child under the age of 6 to a place with all the stimulating input that a Disney Park has. I wouldn't consider dragging diapers, special food, about a thousand changes of clothing along on what is supposed to be a fun, relaxing trip shared with the family. Someone in that group is going to miss out on a lot of things that you paid big bucks to experience. My first visit with my children was in 1983. My two children at the time are now over 40 years old and both of them still remember just about all the details of what they saw and how they felt. After my kids had grown up I decided to take them, their husbands and children to WDW for a family trip. The same rule applied. As soon as the youngest made it to 6 we went. Everyone remembers the trip, we talk about it often, both the adults and kids are involved and talk about their first visit. I don't think that people that bring them younger are wrong, it's just that it seem to me that the entire family shared experience that Disney Parks were designed to provide is lost when one is not conscience of where they are and at least one other has to forfeit their own experience to care for a tiny life. It's a nice place, but, not really worth the hassle in my mind.

Again, just so no one thinks that I am against others bringing their infants in, I am expressing my own personal feeling about the situation. Everyone, of course, is free to do whatever they please!

And this is a much better way to discuss pros/cons of bringing infants to Disney.
It's not asking "why would you even bother to bring an infant"
instead it's explaining why bringing an infant wasn't a good fit for you.
Surely I'm not the only one that sees the difference here
And I will disagree with one part, I do think the OP was trying to imply one should leave the baby at home.
And some have specifically said the exact words that babies should be left at home.
That's why nerves were struck.

 

[robinb]

I don't think that the intent was to imply that one should leave a baby at home, it was more of a... Why would you want to go with all the stuff that a baby requires to maintain. And Yes... I have had children which is why I feel the way I do about it. They are a lot of work at that age, a lot of work! It is hard to relax and enjoy the experience when you have such a responsibility and have to deprive yourself of the total experience.

You talk about all the work involved and honestly, I don't remember it all all LOL. Maybe it's one of those times when mothers develop a type of amnesia like when they don't remember childbirth. My DD was 4 months old on her first trip to WDW and 6 months old on her first international trip. The international trip was more of a pain since I had to buy baby items locally and I *do* remember having to change her diaper on the floor of a Starbucks in London. The baby change areas were not as ubiquitous then in the UK as they were in the US. We also didn't pack everything under the sun "just in case". Just a car seat, a stroller, some diapers and wipes (we always had a car for WDW at that age to buy more when we got there), some toys, a blankie and her changing pad. If I bottle fed I probably would have had to bring a whole lot more but since I nursed her food was always on tap and at the right temperature.

Oh and FWIW, someone did ask later on why people don't just leave their kids with a family member.