Taking Infant to Disneyworld

I would highly recomend NOT because he's too young, the noise of loud people would be bothersome to him and not good for his tender eardrums. Airplane would plug his ears and could damage his eardrums! If it hurts my ears when I fly, it would be painful for an infant! Think about it. I know you want to go to Disneyland, who wouldn't but think about what's BEST for your BABY! Yes, lots of germs! Besides, you wouldn't enjoy it with a baby. I would wait. My husband and I 20 month old twins and we are definitely waiting for next year when they turn 3 to take them. We want to be able to enjoy Disney and enjoy watching them enjoy it too. This is just my opinion. I don't believe in taking infants to places like that. Again, just my opinion.

Disney World is perhaps one of the best places you could take an infant. I don't know the hows or whys of you planning a trip now, but if it is a piece of a larger puzzle, you *could* do it. You may not get your dolllar's worth out of the parks, but I have to say their Infant Care Centers are phenomenal. Their park is one of the cleaner public places you could take a baby. Many of their slower rides will allow you to carry a baby on them. (I nursed my son on Pirates of the Carribean.) Most of the trill rides have something called "Rider Swap" where one member of the party waits in line while the other stays with the baby. When the first rider gets done, they swap and second rider bypasses the line.

I would recommend taking both a stroller and an infant carrier. Your baby won't remember the trip, and unless you and your husband are going with a larger group of family that can help, you won't get as much out of the trip, but it is possible. I don't know how long your flight will be, but when my son was little, I would nurse him to sleep during takeoff (helps with the pressure change) and he'd stay asleep in my arms for a two hour flight.

There are a lot of factors to consider, but it is possible. I don't think the exposure issue is a big one. You're not going to pass your baby around to strangers at Disney World and more than you would at Wal-Mart. :-)

I'm sorry, but I think all these people who are saying you should not go because of the germs and the plane ride are being really overly cautious. Babies are exposed to germs all the time. Do you take your baby to the grocery store? There are just as many germs there as in Disney World. And yes, a plane is more confined, but I believe a little exposure can be a good thing to buill up immunity. As for their ears on planes, it might be slightly uncomfortable for them, just as it is for adults, but they can easily be soothed by feeding them. My daugter flew at 3 months and 5 months and she did beautifully. In fact, its a lot easier at that age then when they are toddlers!

I think your other kids are a perfect age for Disney, so if you can afford it, I say go for it and have a great time!

Our little family is tight on cash so we've decided to wait to do the Disneyland thing until our kid is old enough to retain memories of the event. No one remembers anything at all about what happened to them at four months old so the trip is more for the adults at that point. If you want to go that's great, but it'll be more of a stress and less of a pleasure for everyone with the baby at that age.

I gave birth to a preemie so personally I'd wait until they are older and more vaccinated against communicable diseases. There are also not a lot of rides or anything a four month old could go on so it would be a lot of walking with a stroller.

Also, remember back to when my daughter was that age just a few years ago, I recall waking up and getting ready to go out somewhere like the park. Finally getting everything all packed up and loaded in the car, getting there, unpacking, then having her melt down because it was time for her nap. She took two naps a day at that age and when she went past naptime she was miserable which means we were ALL miserable.

Getting all the way into a giant theme park after finding parking only to have your baby get fussy or fall asleep in the stroller because it's nap time, only to be woken up twenty minutes later by a loud nose or something. Ugh. Just not my idea of a good time at all.

I would wait... too many crowds, and people and germs...
LBC

Definitely would not, the baby is too young. My sister was going to take their 4 mo old baby last Dec. to see relatives across the country. She mentioned it to her Pediatrician to get advice on traveling with a young baby and air pressure on baby ears. He said the baby should be at least 8-10 months old to even even consider taking her on a plane also even then she would be risking the baby to get H1N1 and other forms of the flu or upper respiratory illness. She chose not to go. If you dont know FL heat and humidity in the summer is bad, miserably hot even for adults, (we lived near Orlando for 7 yrs recently) not to mention waiting in long lines with a baby is not good nor are the germs in a public place like that. I'd wait a couple of yrs when the child can enjoy it.

I traveled with both my kids that small and Disney was our favorite place to go. Disneyworld is the best for traveling with a baby. They have a great family station in each park. The place has a changing room, a nursing room with rockers with low lights and a kitchen with high chairs for feeding older babies. Disney is so accommodating and everyone is forgiving of noises that babies might make. Like someone else said, it is extremely clean as well. I would definitely suggest the cooler months as the heat can be really bad and make it miserable for everyone. I tell everyone - don't overdo it, it's better to come back another time than making everyone miserable by overloading the schedule. Have fun!

I would say it's a bad idea. That is A LOT of people to be around whether it is on the plane or in the park. Unless you want a sick newborn on your hands I wouldn't suggest going. Plus the heat would be too much for a little one that age no matter how cool you tried to dress them. Also do you really want to be walking around a park all day trying to feed you baby, change the baby? I just can't see that as a good time for you or the baby. Also all the noises would over stimulate the baby. Good luck with your decision.

We will be going in Sept. with my baby who will be 4 months old because my in-laws are taking us. People have mentioned the plane- I would suggest nursing (if you are) while you take off and land. It helps clear their ears, and helps keep them calm during those times. Of course there are risks, there always are, but I think you will all be ok. Your baby will not be going on the rides, so not exposed to as many germs, and to help make sure people do not want to touch your baby, wear your baby in a light wrap or a sling. When baby is worn close to you, people stay away. It's the best thing, and it helps keep baby calm and helps him/ her sleep.

Good luck to you and have fun!
T.
Barefoot Books Ambassador
www.ReadandGrow.com

I actually posted a question about this before we went to Disney in Jan. My dd was 9 months old when we went, so it was a little different. I already KNOW this, but it's hard to not worry.......the anticipation is usually worse than the actual process of airplanes, shuttles, hotels, etc. LOL! In our case, the flight was at a pretty convenient time as far as nap/feeding. I had to mix up a bottle after we went through security - in which I asked the vendor for a bottle of water that wasn't refrigerated. Once on the plane, I waited until take-off and gave her the bottle. Since I had both her binkies and her blankie, once we were going, she fell asleep in my arms. The plane thing worried me, too, but I wasn't going to miss out on an opportunity to do Disney (funded by the in-laws!!!) because it was inconvenient to take the baby on the trip. She didn't get sick, slept well in the packNplay at the hotel, and we really didn't have much issue, at all! My older kids, plus their cousins, had such a blast! We've now said we are going again when my now 15 month old daughter is older.
A couple of things...the hotels can "order out" to a local pharmacy if you need anything that you forgot to bring, lost, etc. Since my daughter had weend herself at 6 months, she was on bottles. I didn't bring enough formula and we let the hotel know as we headed out in the morning and the formula was waiting for us that evening.
Not sure if you already know about this stuff, but if not, the babyswap is awesome! My hubby, MIL or FIL would stay with the babies (there was a 3 year old cousin with us, too) while the rest of us went on a ride. Once the first group was off, we switched and the one who stayed behind got to go - so the kids got to go twice, and you didn't have to go back out and wait in line! Mostly, we got fast passes for the bigger rides, like Tower of Terror, etc.
So, basically, it will be a great time for your family. The baby will probably sleep when he gets tired and eat when he's hungry, just like at home. Take along plenty of hand sanitizer, but it's not like the 4 month old will be touching stuff, like a toddler might. If I had to take my daughter, now, it would be much harder, since she wouldn't want to be in the stroller, would want to pick stuff up off the ground....ew. I think it will be a good time to go, before he's mobile, and doesn't respond very well to "No, ick" :) Good luck and have fun!!!

I say ask your pediatrician. If he/she gives you the ok, go for it!

Check with Disney Moms Panel for ideas on where and what "perks" you might want to take advantage of while there. Notice I am in the positive-go do it group. My boys each went to WDW before and after they were born-one at 3 mos, the other at 6 wks. It will be as bad as you make it, relax and have fun with the other family members. Air travel will be OK, just be calm and your baby will be too. BTW-my boys are now 23 and 18. Neither has suffered much from the numerous trips we made there through the years, except to be Disney geeks!!

Traveling with an infant is much more challenging, but it shouldn't stop you. If you want to, I say go for it! A great resource to check out is the Disney Moms Panel @ http://disneyworldforum.disney.go.com/home.aspx. It has should answer any questions you may have about going to Disney with an infant, or if not, you can always ask.

My son was six months the first time we went and it was wonderful. We did not bring a car seat because we took the bisney shuttle bus to the hotel and then to the parks as well. I alternated between the stroller and carrier so he was able to go on all of the regular rides as well as nap while out. The baby care stations offer very clean places to change as well as fridges with baby food and other feeding needs including high chairs. It's also airconditioned. The hotels all have a pac-n-play in the closet with sheets and if you are in a hotel with an eat in kitchen, they also have a high chair.

We have gone multiple times since our first trip so although as was nervous our first time, it was well worth it! Relax! Have fun and enjoy the memories you are creating for your older children and you may be surprised at the reaction you get from your youngest!

I think as long as your baby has been healthy it would be fine. We have not been able to take our children yet, but If we could we would jump at the opportunity to be going. Plus there is prolly just as many germs and the grocery store and the dr.'s office. I think you guys should go and have a blast with your baby. Good luck.

Our first trip to Disney with our kids was when my daughter had just turned 3 and my son was only 4 months old. It was a great trip. We actually drove down from Michigan. While at Disney, my son took naps in the stroller. We took turns going on rides with my daughter if it was something the baby couldn't go on. And my son was so tired at the end of the day that he slept through the night the entire time we were at Disney. And my daughter absolutely loved everything. He didn't slow us down at all. A lot of people told me that I was crazy for even considering it, but it worked out great for us.

I will say this...I am not sure about the plane (ask your pediatrician); however, I say yes to Disneyworld. We took our son when he was 2 months old (in July no less). I was a little bit worried but my mother had purchased the trip for us before I knew we were pregnant!

So many of the rides and shows are family friendly. Our son was able to be with us on most of them. Furthermore, the parks are so family oriented! The maps label the nursing station and changing rooms. Also, if you stay at one of the resorts, they will even make a playpen available for you.

Have fun! I know my son may not remember except through pictures but the memories for my husband and I have been fabulous (and I cannot wait to take them both back).

we took our son when he was 15 months... it is just a lot of work taking everything that you need, but if when you are in the airport, you load everything in his stroller and the people who are working the desk see you, they just might put you in first class - upgrade for free! It was cool

We stayed in a Disney Resort so there were busses you could hop on almost anytime and go wherever you want! We took our own car seat for on the plane. The animal kingdom was nice for the younger ones! I'd do it again... pack a medicine bag though so you don't have to pay 4x what you normally pay for tylenol incase you need it!