Disney World

We went to Disney World when my son was exactly 6 months old. The best thing to have is a sling or front carrier so you can strip her on if you are on a bus or train. Also, the car seat carrier is great if you know it is going to be around their naptime. Go in the morning or later in the day. From around 11-3 it is soooo crowded (or was for us anyways).

We are bringing our then 8 month old in Sept. I think it depends on the baby. And be sure to take afternoon breaks everyday and not stay out too late.
Here is a great forum for questions: http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprun...

for info:
http://www.allearsnet.com/

for show times go to: http://pages.prodigy.net/stevesoares/index.htm

The Passporter book has the best maps and is a guidebook:
http://www.passporter.com/

an online planning tool that costs about $20 (there are online coupons):
www.tourguidemike.com

good luck and email me with any questions - we've gone every year for the past 6 years: ____@____.com

Hi J.,

I know this sounds so ideal, but I would leave your 6 month old at home if I were you. Or leave them with someone you trust, is what I meant. We went to Disneyworld for our honeymoon and I have a 3 year old now and would NOT even consider taking him until he is at least 6 to 7 years of age. It is not a place for babies. They like a schedule and you will be miserable because everything you do will have to coincide with your baby's schedule. We saw a ton of families traveling with babies and the only redeeming thing they had was their parents along with them, so they could really enjoy some of the parks and leave their kids with their grandparents. Babies need so many things and whenever I traveled with Matthew, (I did make several trips) I always rented everything I needed from whereever I had planned to visit.

There is a lot of waiting in lines both for entertainment and food, so I would just not do it. But of course, that is my personal opinion. It is so hot there too, even though in October you wouldn't think so (we went in September), but the HUMIDITY IS SO BAD, after the first day I didn't even wear make-up because after putting it on, it just slid right off after an hour! It is really bad and with a baby....no way for me!! They get so hot, thirsty, and are not at all patient and it would just be really miserable for them.

Also, it is best to make reservations for any place you want to eat at with Disney characters. We got a book from the bookstore about exploring Disneyworld and it really helped up make an itinerary before we went. Also the only way to go is to stay on property! You don't need a vehicle at all, the buses run every 15 minutes to where ever you want to go. We spent 10 days and had a blast, but with no kids!!

Your 5 year old would enjoy it, but would they remember? I have often ask grown folks if they went and they said they did, but never remembered anything about it because they were so young when they went. It is so expensive go and I want to make sure that Matthew (my son) remembers all he saw and did! You spend way, way too much money and I just wouldn't do it with a 6 month old.

Again, this is just my personal opinion and not meant to offend you in any way! Sorry so long!

Thanks and Good Luck!

G. B.

We have a now 11 yr old but we started going to disney early. I know it is more costly BUT try to stay on the property that has access to the monorail line. We always booked about a year in advance so I don't know about availability now. It is SO worth the extra money when you are at magic kingdom and just need to run back to the hotel.

There is also a boat that travels from Magic Kingdom to the Polynesian and Grand Floridian. Quick access to your hotel.

We have always stayed at the Polynesian (my favorite and very family friendly, beach trip type place) Grand Floridian is more of a country clubbish type (very nice) and the Contemporary (also family friendly and the monorail goes right through it). The monorail stops at these 3 hotels on each run. Just from experience.......the extra money was well spent. Also, if you are in one of those properties.........you get early access to one of the parks daily. Each park takes turns opening early for the guests at those hotels. Less crowd!

Bood character meals in advance and make sure your 5 yr old takes an autograph book along for the autographs and pictures with characters.

Hope that helps and have a great time.

Susan

Good Morning J.,

I have raised 4 children and we did a lot of traveling when they were little. And I find as a rule you must try to take personal items that make them feel at home. Now, you must let them make some choices that are feasible and packing easy for the family. Rememer, this is only a vacation. So, try and take things like coloring books, books, games and other time passing activity that will keep them busy. And allow them to join in with the traveling if by car or van, when you make those stops to take time to entereact with the map for direction. And talk to them as if they are included somehow. And then tell them this there is a time for quiet time. Aleast, so you may have absolute quite. Have sing-a-longs to all join in. Maybe some simmon says, and spelling bees, and telling what they see is interesting while driving. You will see, the trip will be more enjoyable to all instead of waiting to get to the destination as a real family affair. That's how I did it, and I would brag on them to my friends and relatives on how they help me. It doesn't really how old they are except for baby ages. Let them stretch whenever they can at the toilet times. And even have a race or two so they will not become bored.
Their many different traveling guide at your near by market and at the book store. It will be well worth your time to investigate and research what is good for you and your family trip.
Most important is to stay focus and alert for the benefits of a safe trip. Keep your mind and spirit for what the trip is suppose to accomplish as a whole. Memories that all the family is a joint effort means alot. Take alot of picture so they will have something to look back on.
Please have a safe trip, and be loving in setting a plan your try to discuss with the family about what you expect and what they expect financially as well as having a good time in whatever you decide. Disciple will still be enforced and rules guidelines accordingly.
I guess what I am trying to say is to really put some collective thought and planning to providing what is best for all concern!
S. A.

P.S. Have a blessed trip.
And pray for the outing itself for a safe return!!

hello jen, we took my 3yr old to disney this summer and she loved it. Although she was very tired by mid day. i would just suggest that you have a stroller for your 5yr old aswell my nephew whose 5 went with us and he ended up climbing in my daughters stroller due to tiredness the Parks are big. i would suggest going straight to the kiddie areas and letting her enjoy the rides. and then go have lunch and then catch a few shows, then returning to the rides and such until the night parade and fire works. They can't miss that it is so nice. my daughter just loved it when the light parade started. and she like seeing tinker bell fly. all of this was at Magic Kindom.
I only took her To MAGIC KINGDON AND ANIMAL KINGDOM because they are more for the little ones.
hope this is enough info for you
Enjoy your trip
oh p.s you can take food and drinks in for your kids and i would highly recommend it like capri-sun drinks and snacks for inbetween meal eating the food is expensive. i froze the capri-sun drinks and put them in a large lunch bag that is to keep your food cold. and that way by the time they wanted a drink they were thawed but still cold. and then all the kids took there own sports cup with half frozen water . hope this all is use ful. make sure when your daughter takes pictures you use the photopass. this is great cause you have extra pics incase yours don't come out as nice.

We traveled to Montana when our twins were 6 months old so I can pass along a few travel tips regarding the flying portion. We found that gate checking our stroller worked well as the kids were very content being wheeled around while we waited to board the flight. You may find it is fine to just carry your baby and son but for us it was pretty critical to have the stroller with us until we hit the gate.

It's handy to have those disposible changing pads with you for changing diapers in the airport or on the airplane (if you can't avoid it). Be sure to take aboard plenty of bottles, snacks/food, toys, etc. If you are lucky your daughter will take a bottle during the take off and then sleep for the flight. For the take off and landing, be sure you have something that your daughter will suck on (bottle or binky) so that her ears do not hurt when you take off and land. Otherwise you will have a screaming baby on your hands. Ours were on formula at the time of our trip and so we filled thier bottles with dry formula and brought a large bottle of room temp water with us. We mixed them on the plane as needed.

A portable DVD player is a real blessing for travel - particularlly for your 5 yr old. Take a favorite video or movie - or even buying something special for the trip that they haven't seen or played with as a special treat.

One thing to be aware of regarding your seating for the flight... if you plan to take your kids as lap children - there are some restrictions regarding the number of people per row as there has to be enough oxygen masks for everyone. May not be an issue for you but it was for us as they had us orginally sitting on a two chair row. We were two adults + two kids and so there weren't enough oxygen masks on that row so we had to be split up once we boarded. If we had known in advance it would have been easier. Getting reseated after settling in once was a real pain. Be sure to pack a blanket for her as airplanes are often too cold. If you haven't already booked your flight - consider your childs schedule (feeds/naps etc) when you book it so you can plan around it wisely.

Good luck to you.

I have never went with a baby, but when we went my son was 5. I would recommend this book called the Unofficial guide to Disney World. You can pick it up at most book stores (they have a whole series on many destinations) It was very helpful with tips on how to do things and help greatly with the planning. It isn't written by anyone affiliated with Disney world so it will give you the good and the bad about every aspect.

I traveled to New York this summer with my 7 month old daughter. I was so nervous that she would scream the whole time or that she would bother other people. She is a good baby, but you never know. My first piece of advice would be to expect the worst. This will make anything better than that seem ok. Her doctor prescribed her eardrops that numb the ear drum. I don't think these made a difference because I left them on the first plane and she was fine on the second. I recommend feeding her at takeoff and landing. I don't know if you are breastfeeding or not, but I swore I wouldn't do that on the plane. Well, I ended up doing it each flight. This helped her go to sleep. I just put a blanket over us. Last, you should bring a few new toys that he hasn't seen before. This can catch his attention and buy you some time. Traveling wasn't nearly what I expected. I was tired, but she behaved well. Please let me know if you have anymore questions.