So I keep reading on the internet about how it might be considered "crazy" to take a baby to Disney World, since they won't remember any of it. But I have also read that it can be very worthwhile, because the babies can still have a good time, regardless of whether they remember it or not. (That's what pictures are for, right?) So let's throw another wrench in the equation. What if you're taking a baby to Disney World by yourself?
So, step one for us was traveling to Florida. I shared my experiences with flying/packing/etc in my previous post.
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| One of the charming sights in Downtown Disney |
Our visit was relatively short, so I decided to do Downtown Disney and the Magic Kingdom. If you've never been to Downtown Disney, it's basically a place to go shopping. (Plus it's free to get in, so that's a plus). There are some super restaurants, as well as Disney Quest and Cirque Du Soleil, which would be great for bigger kids/adults. However, we were just here to shop and gawk at all the stuff. As pictured above, I got the iconic Mickey ears for my little one, and a few other cute accessory items. I thought it would be best to do souvenir shopping first, so I'm not as tempted at the actual park to lug around a bunch of items throughout the day. For myself, I scored a sweet Darth Vader tank top, which I ended up wearing at the park the next day. (Yep, I'm a Star Wars nerd.)
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| Dino themed restaurant? Yes please. |
The main attraction awaits. Magic Kingdom. Oh man I was so excited.
So, how do you pack for the actual park? I had been reading that a reclining stroller is a good idea for naps. I have one of those "travel systems" where the car seat snaps into the stroller. Even though my little girl is big enough for the stroller without the car seat, the way it positions makes napping easier with the car seat in:
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| This way there are also two shades providing full coverage from the Florida sun. |
The only cumbersome part about the stroller/car seat was getting it to and from the parking lot. If you have been to Disney before, you might recall there are little trams that take you from your car to the park. If you have a car seat/stroller/bunch of stuff, sit at the END car. They are slightly bigger because they have two benches instead of one. I sat at the end on the way in, but didn't think about it on the way out and had a heck of a time getting the car seat in and out of the tiny bench. Thankfully another mama was there and offered help. Shout out to that awesome mama.
Other than that little snafu, I was totally glad to have the stroller. I'm a babywearing nut, and barely ever use the stroller, but when you are by yourself with the baby all day it's good to have the it so you can use the restroom and eat without too much fuss. Now, that being said, I did have my Kinderpack with me and actually used it most of the day, but when baby fell asleep, into the stroller she went!
So from the parking lot tram, we boarded the Ferry. You could also choose the monorail, but the Ferry seems a lot more spacious and exciting.
Note: The employees claim the monorail and the boat take the same amount of time. If you're itching to get inside quickly, I'm guessing the monorail is actually quicker, due to more efficiency with loading/unloading. I could be wrong. However, I like to take my time and soak in the views, so I was not disappointed with my choice.
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| Who doesn't love a good boat ride? |
For children under 2 years of age, it is 100% free admission. For myself, not so much, but it evens out since baby was free. Upon arrival, she was given a "First trip to Disney" pin (also free)! I pinned it on my diaper bag for the day. Once inside the gates of the Magic Kingdom, we headed down Main Street to get some pictures. There are professional photographers all over the park. When they snap a picture of you, they will give you a card to give to everyone else to track your photos. You can download them all later for 200 dollars, or at a certain price per picture. The actual price escapes me, but if you plan on taking advantage of the 200 dollar unlimited package, you might as well get as many pictures as possible. This includes the random ones taken during rides. Just get your picture card to register the photo after the ride, and you'll be able to download it later.
Now, for those of you who don't want to spend 200 dollars on pictures (because let's be honest, that's twice the price of admission for one adult), there was an INGENIOUS invention I saw people using throughout the park. I had never seen these before, but have seen/heard of them since then. It is called a "selfie stick." It holds your phone far away to actually get everyone in the picture. Brilliant, right??! I did not see any for purchase at the park, so if this is the way you want to go, make sure you pick one up in your hometown or order it from the internet before your vacation. I've seen them advertised at our local tourist trap/beach gear/buy hermit crabs here type store, so I'm guessing they are not terribly expensive.
After soaking in the sights and sounds of Main Street, we headed over to the baby station. This little area is amazing. If you take a left off of Main Street towards Adventureland, there are restrooms and the baby room tucked away in a little corner (with well marked signs). So let's talk diapers.
This is Disney World. There are changing tables in every women's room. (Can't speak for the Men's room, sorry fellas.) Not the junky small Koala Care things, but an actual built in segment of the counter designated for changing diapers. However, in the baby station, there's so much more:
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| That's right, they're padded. Mmm. |
Disney is also smart enough to sell diapering accessories in case you run out. Isn't that thoughtful?
After getting freshened up, we were ready to hit the rest of the park! Stay tuned for Part 2, where I discuss where to eat that is stroller-friendly, and taking baby on the rides!
Love,
Stephanie
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