Why do people bring infants?

[MammaMoe48]

So true. Just think inward for a moment and didn't everyone of you that have kids have a certain plan in mind about how they'd handle x, y and z before you had kids. Only to completely change your tune once you had kids and had to actually face the situation? I know I did. I mean, it's so easy to say "well, if I was that parent I'd do _______" but often times it's much easier to say than do.

Like how I swore I'd make all his baby food from scratch using only organic fruits and veggies and that I would never ever ever let him anywhere near McDonald's.

 

[AngiTN]

Like how I swore I'd make all his baby food from scratch using only organic fruits and veggies and that I would never ever ever let him anywhere near McDonald's.

LOL... exactly!

 

[Maggie'sMom]

Like how I swore I'd make all his baby food from scratch using only organic fruits and veggies and that I would never ever ever let him anywhere near McDonald's.

LOL! I was so certain I would never be the "short-order cook" type mom that ended up making separate foods for my kid. They'd eat what was at the table or not eat. Well, God laughed at my hubris and blessed me with a special needs child with major sensory issues. Food textures were a huge stumbling block and she had a very limited list of foods she would eat. I found out that old adage of "a child will eat when they are hungry" doesn't apply when you are dealing with a special needs kiddo. It took a lot of patience and hard work, and a lot of help from a great occupational therapist, but DD eventually lengthened her list of tolerable foods. I learned my lesson.

 

[AngiTN]

LOL! I was so certain I would never be the "short-order cook" type mom that ended up making separate foods for my kid. They'd eat what was at the table or not eat. Well, God laughed at my hubris and blessed me with a special needs child with major sensory issues. Food textures were a huge stumbling block and she had a very limited list of foods she would eat. I found out that old adage of "a child will eat when they are hungry" doesn't apply when you are dealing with a special needs kiddo. It took a lot of patience and hard work, and a lot of help from a great occupational therapist, but DD eventually lengthened her list of tolerable foods. I learned my lesson.

So true, when you are dealing with a special needs child all "rules" go out the window.

 

[mshanson3121]

While I understand your question. Why clog the parks with strollers with infants (just born to 1 year), when they HAVE an option to leave same at home with Grandparents etc. Makes no since to me either. On the other end, I've seen parents screaming at 7 year olds at WDW as well. (2) is about as young as I'd take a child. Our daughter was 2-1/2 and we all had a great time. On the other hand, I can remember when she was in middle school and she was the daughter of NO. Lets go ride this "No". Lets go ride that "No". I can remember at that time, longing for our 2-1/2 year old back.

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.

 

[mshanson3121]

Need to keep going here. Should ban anyone who cant run from ride to ride.

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.).

 

[mshanson3121]

It seems like a complete waste of money to bring kids who are under 5, at least in my opinion anyways. They won't remember a thing, and just leave them at home with the grandparents anyways. It's not like they'd be upset you were going to Disney without them. My parents left me with my grandparents all the time when I was kid, of course they never went to Disney, but still. I personally would never bring a kid who is under 5 or 6, just a waste of money. And my first trip to Disneyland was when I was 6 and I barely remember anything about that trip, so either way kids really won't remember a thing.

Well aren't you lucky

I can guarantee you if I had tried to take a trip to Disney without my 2.5 year old, there would have been frigging HELL to pay, lol. My children were both very aware of Disney World and Disney characters at a young age. And begged for years to go.

And that's great that you think it's a waste of money. I'm guessing that the vast majority, judging by the millions of visitors Disney gets each year, a large portion of whom are young children (and babies), don't We've been doing various trips with our kids since they were babies. And nope, not a penny of it wasted. You can't put a price on family memories, or the joy my kids get today looking at the pictures of the trips they took as babies.

 

[mshanson3121]

Yeah. Forget going to see Santa Clause. Who cares about taking kids trick or treating when they are young. Why even take them to see the grandparents until they are 7??

Honestly, I'm starting to wonder at the PILE of money I could have saved by that woman's logic. I mean, if I didn't have to go anywhere or do anything with my kids until 5... cripes. I mean, the money we spent on Christmas, Easter, birthdays, taking them to the fair, to see Thomas the Train, on a beach vacation... I mean sure, my 11 month old was absolutely overjoyed with that vacation, we have so many photos of him smiling, laughing, eating sand, playing etc... but I can definitely see where it was a waste of money. I mean, all we got out of it was 7 days of fun and memories. Man we were stupid

 

[aaarcher86]

Honestly, I'm starting to wonder at the PILE of money I could have saved by that woman's logic. I mean, if I didn't have to go anywhere or do anything with my kids until 5... cripes. I mean, the money we spent on Christmas, Easter, birthdays, taking them to the fair, to see Thomas the Train, on a beach vacation... I mean sure, my 11 month old was absolutely overjoyed with that vacation, we have so many photos of him smiling, laughing, eating sand, playing etc... but I can definitely see where it was a waste of money. I mean, all we got out of it was 7 days of fun and memories. Man we were stupid

WUT?

 

[mshanson3121]

Like how I swore I'd make all his baby food from scratch using only organic fruits and veggies and that I would never ever ever let him anywhere near McDonald's.

I actually did this. Until I had my second.... then I had no time. And I grew to appreciate McDs... lol

 

[AngiTN]

WUT?

I get it. I had a kid that wanted to taste sand the first time she saw it. I don't think it's all that unusual.

 

[mshanson3121]

WUT?

Haha... by accident. One of those typical childhood moments where he grabbed a mouthful (every kid eats a form of dirt at some point, lol).. and yup, it came out in the diaper. It was good for a laugh.

 

[aaarcher86]

It seems like a complete waste of money to bring kids who are under 5, at least in my opinion anyways. They won't remember a thing, and just leave them at home with the grandparents anyways. It's not like they'd be upset you were going to Disney without them. My parents left me with my grandparents all the time when I was kid, of course they never went to Disney, but still. I personally would never bring a kid who is under 5 or 6, just a waste of money. And my first trip to Disneyland was when I was 6 and I barely remember anything about that trip, so either way kids really won't remember a thing.

I know it's weird, but some people like and enjoy their kids.

I don't want to leave my kids with grandparents and I can't really imagine a baby being cool with that either.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

I get it. I had a kid that wanted to taste sand the first time she saw it. I don't think it's all that unusual.

Haha... by accident. One of those typical childhood moments where he grabbed a mouthful (every kid eats a form of dirt at some point, lol).. and yup, it came out in the diaper. It was good for a laugh.

It builds their immune system. On our WDW trip when DD was 3, I caught her licking the handrails. Ewwww. Amazing she didn't get sick.

 

[Anesthesia Fine]

My three Disney first-timers back in 2007...on the Tuesday after Easter. I'm the Mona-Lisa Sapirstein of DIS parents: THE WOOOOOOOOOOOOOORST!



For real, though, this was the greatest day of their lives. Minus the infant, but he still used this as a weapon several years later, when his younger brother was four: "This is only your first trip, but I have been there before."

Anyway. We brought an infant because that's what we had on hand (the alternate option was the dog, but the neighbor thought it was easier to let the dog out into the yard a couple of times a day instead of the four-month-old, go figure) and simply told anyone questioning our decision that we'd be sure to return any donations they had made to our vacation fund. Worked out well! My husband sat out rides he didn't like, I sat out character lines during feeding time, we dropped a poncho over the baby's stroller and rolled with the punches. One of the few times the age disparity between siblings worked in our favor.

 

[theyoungs07]

I guess I'll be judgemental too...why even have kids if you just see them as an accessory that can be stowed somewhere else when you want to do something fun? It seems like you've wasted a lot of energy, money, and time on something you just don't think is an integral part of your life experience. I'd hate to see the attitude some of these people will use when their parents are old and start needing assistance...I suppose they become an accessory as well.

My life changed when I became a parent 14 years ago, it doesn't mean I can't enjoy a date night or two here and there, but I would never do something that I love as much as WDW, for the length of time, and exclude my kid because it'd be easier for me. Have you ever seen a 4 month old smile? I'd climb mountains if I had to just to keep them smiling, even if they don't remember it.

Sorry had to vent at some folks that I just don't understand, I know it's wrong but hey, it's the internet.

 

[loves to dive]

As a single mom, where I went my son went, I didn't have a choice. I'm one of 6, my mom made it very clear after we got grown that she had raised her 6, she wasn't raising ours, meaning don't think I'm your built in babysitter. She did, on occasion, babysit my son but believe me I didn't ask unless I at the end of my rope. That isn't to say she didn't love and spoil her grandkids, she did and even took me and my son to DW a number of times. I didn't take my son until he was around 2 1/2 but just because it wasn't on our radar until Mom moved to Florida, we honestly never even considered going to WDW.

As far as leaving him with someone else, um, read above.

As far as the heat in Florida, how do you think people who live in Florida deal with it? They certainly don't stay inside all day, we are from Georgia so that really was never a factor for us. Tshirt and a diaper, hydrate the little rats and go, have fun.

I was born in Cucamonga (wasn't Rancho back then) and I'm told I went to Disneyland almost from birth. Also saw the Rose Parade, don't remember either but not taking my brother's wasn't an option, so Mom and Dad took 6 kids, ranging from the age of 5 to just born everywhere (no family lived out there they were all back in Georgia). We went to restaurants, have pictures of all 6 of us on trips everywhere, lined up by height with the oldest brother usually holding me (he was 5 when I was born and I'm number 6, no twins, it was the 50s no birth control). Life doesn't stop when you have kids, it just get more interesting and, yes, on occasion a lot harder.

 

[mshanson3121]

As a single mom, where I went my son went, I didn't have a choice. I'm one of 6, my mom made it very clear after we got grown that she had raised her 6, she wasn't raising ours, meaning don't think I'm your built in babysitter. She did, on occasion, babysit my son but believe me I didn't ask unless I at the end of my rope. That isn't to say she didn't love and spoil her grandkids, she did and even took me and my son to DW a number of times. I didn't take my son until he was around 2 1/2 but just because it wasn't on our radar until Mom moved to Florida, we honestly never even considered going to WDW.

As far as leaving him with someone else, um, read above.

As far as the heat in Florida, how do you think people who live in Florida deal with it? They certainly don't stay inside all day, we are from Georgia so that really was never a factor for us. Tshirt and a diaper, hydrate the little rats and go, have fun.

I was born in Cucamonga (wasn't Rancho back then) and I'm told I went to Disneyland almost from birth. Also saw the Rose Parade, don't remember either but not taking my brother's wasn't an option, so Mom and Dad took 6 kids, ranging from the age of 5 to just born everywhere (no family lived out there they were all back in Georgia). We went to restaurants, have pictures of all 6 of us on trips everywhere, lined up by height with the oldest brother usually holding me (he was 5 when I was born and I'm number 6, no twins, it was the 50s no birth control). Life doesn't stop when you have kids, it just get more interesting and, yes, on occasion a lot harder.

Agree with so much of this

To me, there's a huge difference in asking a grand parent to babysit for a night, and look after a baby for an entire week. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure there's grandparents that are more than willing, and it's great for those of you that have them! But... I also think there's a bigger responsibility in taking care of a young baby for a long period, versus an older child. We would never have imagined leaving our baby for a week, for a variety of reasons. But I don't begrudge those that do.

As for the weather, yeah. That's the craziest argument I've heard for not taking a baby to WDW... lol. What do all the people in Florida do that have babies? All the people around the world that live in tropical climates... especially those that don't have the luxury of a/c? We live in Canada. We get extremes on both ends of weather. We have days that are 90F with 85% humidity, pretty much the same as you can/do get in Florida. We also have days that are -40F. We don't put our lives on pause because of weather. We just adapt. Even as babies I bundled them up in the winter and we were outside playing. And we played outside in the heat in summer. You just have to be smart about it.

 

[Anesthesia Fine]

But... I also think there's a bigger responsibility in taking care of a young baby for a long period, versus an older child. We would never have imagined leaving our baby for a week, for a variety of reasons. But I don't begrudge those that do.

Yeah, we did a no-kids trip last year and my mom watched the kids, which was fantastic! But my youngest is six now. I'm not sure I'd have asked her to do that if they were still tiny. (She taught them all how to quilt over that weekend, incidentally. That is not an experience they would get with me! At all.)

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

But don't the adults still have to eat?

Not always. I can survive without eating for while. Kids need to eat more often.