Would you rather take a 5 month old or 9 month old to Disney?

[ptlohmysoul]

I am due in January and would like to plan a trip for my family either in May 2015 or September 2015. The baby would be 5 or 9 months old. I also would have a 6 year old daughter and 3 year old son. I can't decide what would be easier/more manageable. The younger baby would probably have to nurse more, but the older might be mobile, which could get tricky. What other things am I forgetting to consider?

If you are not used to intense heat, I would avoid September with a baby. You would have to concern yourself with their proper hydration in the intense heat. If you are still nursing, you will have to nurse the 9 mo. old just as much as the 5 mo. old due to the heat and their hydration needs. In May, it will be hot, but not as bad. I personally think the worse age to take a child is during their crawling stage as they may insist on getting out and moving around. However, WDW is so busy - they may be so entertained in their stroller that you could have no worries.

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

I haven't been with a baby, but my own DD at 5 months was interested in me and food. At 9 months, she was interested in looking at everything around her. I think 5 months would be easier, but 9 months would be more enjoyable. So, I vote that you do both and then report back.

 

[SillySallySews]

We took our daughter at 7 months and it was an amazing trip! She was awake and alert for most of it, and the fact that she wasn't mobile made travel a breeze. We went in July and the heat was not an issue. If we had spent all day just standing outside in the sun, maybe, but we were in the AC so much it didn't matter. I think at either 5 or 9 months you'll have fun, but at 9 months the baby may be a little more alert.

 

[lauraleh]

I'll be taking my 9 month old in a few months. No leaving with grandma for us. I like to take my kids with me on vacation and I'll still be nursing so that would be a hassle in itself.

My daughter went at 4 months and then 10 months. Both were great but I probably enjoyed the 10 month range more because she was so much more engaged. She was pretty much walking by 10 months but was fine to be in the Ergo for the most part. I also agree with the part about being able to offer some finger foods. She was also still nursing at 10 months but less frequently.

 

[Mousemommy1]

Great question!!! I am also due in January and we are trying to figure out whether we are going in April 2015 or July/August 2015.

As it is, our trip this August I will be 18 weeks pregnant, and won't be able to ride alot of stuff....I want to get back as soon as possible so I can ride!

Will keep reading opinions....

 

[cruisingtwins]

I would do 5 months. No solids to worry about. Lighter baby that can be in the carrier all day and not kill your back. Not mobile baby that is content just being held.

 

[KerTggr]

I vote 5 months. A 9 month will be crawling, maybe cruising along and might not be thrilled with all day confinement in arms or stroller.

100% agree

 

[CTDisneyfan816]

Honestly anything under around 3 years of age, I am not sure it is that much of a difference as a child that age most likely wouldn't remember a thing anyway so it would just be a matter of making sure the baby is being taken care of at all times.

 

[ebradley23]

Definitely 9 months. They are far more alert and might actually enjoy it at 5 months babies don't really do much apart from demand your attention at inconvenient times lol.

This! Add in the fact that at 5 months it's likely your child will be waking a couple (or more) times a night. At 9 months yours will probably starting to sleep through the night or darn close. We travel a lot. My DS vacationed with us when he was 1 month, 7 months and 10 months. 10 months was our first time not staying with family - we did a cruise. It was easy. He also had much more personality, so he won over waitstaff. I was concerned about the mobility factor, but he was fine being in an Ergo or stroller much of the time.

 

[maryandtyson]

I'd leave the baby at home with grandma and take the older kids.

If it is possible, this would be my choice. My younger DD was a really rough baby. Didn't get better until at least 9 months. You just don't know how any individual baby will be. Mine had reflux and did not nap, hated the stroller, screamed in the baby bjorn. It's just hard to predict even though you have two older ones.

 

[Waddler]

I think it really depends on the temperament of the baby.

An "easy" 5-month-old that sleeps in a stroller or carrier, nurses well in public, and doesn't cry much would do very well at WDW.

A more sensitive baby might not be able to sleep and eat on the go, might be wildly overstimulated, and melt down quicker than an "easy" baby. No fun for anyone.

I'd vote for taking a 9-month-old just because you'll have fewer naps and bottles/nursing sessions to work around. Depends on the kid, though.

I took my son at 1 year, and I'm glad I didn't go any earlier. I would've spent most of the day in the hotel room or the babycare center. (He was never very good at nursing or napping in public.) Even then, it was a lot of work. In hindsight, I wish I had waited until he had turned 2. He's much easier to take care of now.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I vote for 9mos: better head control, likely sitting up, eating foods, more aware, better immunity (including all those six month vaccinations!).

I don't agree with the Sept being hotter. The most miserable trip we ever took was in May. It was very HOT -at the start of May no less- AND - our bodies were not acclimated to summer heat. In Sept, we are much better acclimated to summer weather, and the difference is huge. We've taken a number of late summer trips. I can't imagine a five month old would endure heat better than a nine month old.

Mind, I say this as someone who has been to WDW with extended family and babies of all sorts of ages- from four months up. It is possible to go have a fun trip with (healthy) babies of any age.

A third adult may make the trip easier.

 

[Woodmnky]

I would vote for 5 months. By 9 mos my son was walking and was not content to sit anywhere, but at 5 mo it was much easier to have him in a carrier and out and about. Also food for a 5 month old is pretty easy - breast or bottle, not much more to worry about.

However the May vs Sept thing would really depend for me if I could do early May. If it is past the first week, then I would vote for Sept based upon crowd calendars.

 

[mchouse]

Neither, leave them with Grandma...

 

[prudence64]

Get the trip insurance so you can cancel in case it turns out he or she is a hard baby to travel with.

All things considered I'd lean toward 9 months because of sleeping issues.

Hard to leave baby with grandma when you are nursing. Pumping never worked for me.

 

[cruisingtwins]

I wonder why people think a food eating baby is easier than a nursing one. Baby food is a giant pain in the butt.

 

[prudence64]

I wonder why people think a food eating baby is easier than a nursing one. Baby food is a giant pain in the butt.

Issues at both ages. I agree the 5 month old is easier food wise, but my daughter didn't take good naps until 6 months old. It's so hard to predict ahead of time.

 

[cruisingtwins]

Issues at both ages. I agree the 5 month old is easier food wise, but my daughter didn't take good naps until 6 months old. It's so hard to predict ahead of time.

I get that. Some posters list eating food as a pro for waiting for 9 months. At that age there is very little they can eat from the parks so you have to cook/bring their food and then feed them 3 times a day which is messy and slow. With nursing you don't need extra supplies just pop them in the carrier and let them eat.

 

[Ms.Mouse]

I would say it depends...Depends on how flexible you are with the kiddies and how used to being in noise and the commotion of the parks the kids are.... We had a larger party of people in two separate rooms... My daughter and her 9 yr old son and 6 month old daughter in our room with us and my son, his wife, their 10 yr old daughter and a 6 month old son.... We went with the flow... ordered diapers and all other baby needs through the grocery service (garden grocer)...we had a great time... my son and his family are more "on schedule" people and weren't able to get past things...the noise, the baby being cranky while everyone else was tired... etc. etc.... and by the way... my granddaughter is now 4 and it's her 8th time going down and we never had a problem with anything.... don't forget, there are also baby stations for you to stop with the baby...

 

[norybell]

I took my son in May, when he was a bit over 6 months (pre-mobile), and again in September, when he was nearly 11 months (mobile). The May trip was sooooooo much easier. Sure, he didn't get much out of it, but he was easy to carry, and I could nurse him pretty much anywhere. He spent a lot of that trip sleeping in the carrier. In September, on the other hand, he wanted to be crawling everywhere, and WDW has incredibly few places that are good for crawlers. It was also too hot for him (or me!) to be comfortable in the baby carrier or the stroller.

He was a rotten sleeper all along, so that didn't really change from one trip to the next...hopefully you won't have that problem!

Considering you have two other kids to be thinking about when you're there, I would imagine it would be much easier with a pre-mobile baby, who can pretty much just be carried along to wherever the rest of the family wants to go.

Whatever you decide, have a fun trip!