For those who fly to WDW with babies...

[quagmire0]

1. Plan on taking your baby. I can guarantee you 100% that you won't want to leave them. (Father of 4 here)
2. We'll be taking DS (#4), who will be 11mo on our next trip. Best thing about that age is that they are still restrained to the stroller, for the most part, and not running around. At the same time, they can actually ride the rides and interact a bit. I'd say if you can put it off, I would. 4 months might be easy, it might not. 11 months at least gives you a good amount of time to set a sleep and nap routine and have yourself in a good rhythm in terms of your parenting. My only experience with travelling with a child <1yo was when I made the mistake of doing what you're suggesting - I booked a cruise while my wife was pregnant. Our first child was 6mo when we went on that cruise and man was that a rude awakening. She also happened to get sick the day of the trip, so there wasn't much sleeping and she was a general crab when it came to sit down meals and the like. Three children later, we've got this stuff down pat. So, my advice? Wait a little.

 

[msmama]

I realize you're asking about a baby, but when my son was 4 months old, there is no way *I* could've done disney.

Granted I had (non-life threatening, just annoying) complications, followed immediately by gall bladder surgery, so I was just starting to feel human again after 16 weeks. So I would say if you do book, make sure you buy trip insurance or are prepared to cancel!

That said, if you're nursing, you don't really need much at 4 months, clothes, diapers, stroller and a carrier. They'll need more stuff at 11-12 months, stuff to keep them entertained, etc, but you'll also be more used to it by then.

My son HATED the car. His first car trip, we thought we'd be super smart and drive at night so he'd be sleeping. Turns out the flashing lights of other cars on the road terrified him!! Luckily it was only a 2 hour leg or we would've been in big trouble!!

Taking a child before the age of 5 isn't for the child. It's for you!! Don't be afraid to do it. Just realize that your touring style will change. I've seen SO MUCH more of WDW since I've been traveling with my son than I ever saw beforehand (because I was rushing from ride to ride).

 

[daisygirl902]

We went to Disney with our 10 week old past October and it was a fantastic trip. Flew from Nova Scotia and had wonderful experiences on most of our flights (the exception being one where we had awful, terrible service from the Delta staff, who basically accused me of trying to sneak my baby , who I was carrying in plain sight, onto the plane...) The parks were a blast with his as we just had him in either the carrier or stroller the entire time.

We're about to embark on our next trip, 6 nights at Disney and a 7 night DCL cruise, and he's now a year old. It seems like this trip will be a whole different ball game! He's a busy kid for sure. The great thing is he's an amazing sleeper, eater, and all around super easygoing baby so I think it'll be a great trip...but it's a whole lot different to think about 4 or 5 hours on a plane with my crazy little busy boy than that tiny little creature who didn't make a peep on the flights the last time!

I would plan to bring the baby for sure, but that's just me. I want to experience as much as I can with him, regardless of whether he'll remember it. By the time he's old enough to recognize that we're travelling, I want it to be second nature to him. We are DVC owners so don't plan to stop travelling within the next 45 years or so...he may as well get used to it young.

Although their ages will be different, I did live blog my trip to give people some insight into what travelling to WDW with a baby is like. You can read the blog here if you'd like to read all the details!

 

[danceintherain]

I took a 3 month old, but I didn't book anything until after he was born and realized what an easy baby he was. He flew a ton as an infant, because we moved to South Korea when he was 9 months old. He did really well on planes until he was almost two.
My second born is an entirely different child. Trvaveling with her isn't the most pleasant, but she seems to do better on planes than in cars. She has hated the car since she was tiny. She also doesn't adjust well to new sleeping arrangements anymore. Particularly, she doesn't do well sleeping in the same room with us anymore. That started when she was about 8 months old, so I kind of wish we would have done disney before that.
Anyway... We're going next month and she'll be almost 19 months old. Hopefully she'll sleep well enough so that we're not all miserable. I really excited about taking her though, kids are so much fun at Disney when they're tiny.

 

[danceintherain]

I suppose I should add that I would almost always choose flying over driving with my kids. You don't have to stop traveling to attend to their needs. Yeah... I've had some miserable experiences (MAC/spacea) but I would still choose to fly.

 

[kohlby]

We did drive - and flying would have been a LOT easier! It's so much easier to nurse a baby on an airplane. Or go change a diaper without having to find a place to pull off. We have flown with young children for reasons not related to Disney though. My first child did his first flight at 5 months and the only hard part was the distractions. We had three legs up to our destination and he was too distracted to nurse. That was very uncomfortable for me! My first child had several flights as a baby. Other than the distraction issue, watch for the ears hurting - especially during the descent, and beware of the pressure causing them to poop on take-off. Bring an extra outfit for you too - just in case.

As for Disney with babies, we did it with a 2 month old and though it worked out okay, that was on the young side. It was a warmish time of year and I struggled to drink enough with nursing at that phase. My baby was fine though! Also, the multitude of diaper changes slowed us down. (And that was the trip that the 8 hour drive back was really a 15 hour drive back due to baby struggling). We went back when she was about 8 months old and it was much easier. One of my other kids went at 11 months and that also went well. He wasn't close to walking yet though - though my other two kids were walking at that age - so that can make a difference. As for gear, my kids used a sling as babies in Disney. The 2 month old was in the sling the entire time. The 11 month old also did not use the stroller. The 8 month old would only nap lying completely flat, so we did need to use the stroller just for naps on that trip. There are places you can rent strollers from in Orlando that will have strollers that are better for your baby than the Disney rental ones. (As for sleeping through the night, my kids were past pre-school age when that started! But thanks to co-sleeping, we all got enough sleep).

*We went to Disney several times before we had kids. We said we would never take kids to Disney until they didn't need a stroller. (Or sling, though I didn't know about slings when I said it). Then the inlaws planned a family trip a couple months after my second was born. (First was barely 3). So both far younger than we had planned. We did it anyway. It was a learning experience. It went better than we expected, but there were some kinks to work out. So - we did what any Disney lover would do - and went back 6 months later to do it better! We adjusted our rule to "Never taking a 2 year old to Disney - babies under a year or not very mobile, sure. 3 year olds, sure. But not in the middle". Our third child had a trip at 2. So - be careful. Once you go once with your baby, you'll likely want to come back.

 

[Paigesmom2013]

We brought our 4 month old and it went pretty well. (I have the cutest pic of Snow White blowing her a kiss at CRT but I don't know how to post it, lol!)
My biggest challenge was breastfeeding in the parks. We were never by the baby care centers and I never liked feeding in public. My baby could take a bottle so I used some of those formula packets and made up bottles in line or wherever. That was good for me, personally. She rode everything my 3 year old could ride. I chose not to baby wear after the first day because I was hotter than heck.
Yes, she did get up at night, but she would have done the same thing at home. We did not do any nighttime entertainment and probably went to bed about 9pm.

 

[mjkacmom]

1. Plan on taking your baby. I can guarantee you 100% that you won't want to leave them. (Father of 4 here)
2. We'll be taking DS (#4), who will be 11mo on our next trip. Best thing about that age is that they are still restrained to the stroller, for the most part, and not running around. At the same time, they can actually ride the rides and interact a bit. I'd say if you can put it off, I would. 4 months might be easy, it might not. 11 months at least gives you a good amount of time to set a sleep and nap routine and have yourself in a good rhythm in terms of your parenting. My only experience with travelling with a child <1yo was when I made the mistake of doing what you're suggesting - I booked a cruise while my wife was pregnant. Our first child was 6mo when we went on that cruise and man was that a rude awakening. She also happened to get sick the day of the trip, so there wasn't much sleeping and she was a general crab when it came to sit down meals and the like. Three children later, we've got this stuff down pat. So, my advice? Wait a little.

I wouldn't say 110% - mom of five here, and all of them were left as babies, and it got easier each time. Granted, my parents live in town, had a nursery set up, and all of the kids had many one night sleepovers starting when they could sleep through the night, so it wasn't a big deal.

As for traveling, I'd say flying always beats driving with babies, because it's so much quicker. Some of my kids would've been better at 4 months, others at 12 - you really just need to wait and see. One of my kids slept through the night around 6 weeks, another 6 months. One of my kids started walking at 9 months, another 15 months.

 

[Catchme22]

It's really hard to answer this question because it depends almost entirely on the baby. We took my son to Disneyland at 12 months and had a great trip. At that age, he sat happily for long meals, was interested in the shows and atmosphere and wasn't walking yet so he was happy to be toted in a carrier. He was also sleeping through the night and waking up around 5 or 6, so we didn't have to worry about bothering our hotel neighbors with too much night crying.

At 4 months old, my son was still waking up several times a night to eat and my husband and I were sleep deprived zombies. Disney wouldn't have been fun for us. But I think my son would have still enjoyed the shows, characters, etc. So, for me, the correct answer is that 11 or 12 months was a great age for Disney and 4 months would have been just okay.

I have friends whose kids slept through the night by 4 months. I have friends whose kids don't have my son's attention span and wouldn't have been interested in the meals and shows we enjoyed on our trip. I have friends whose kids would have enjoyed Disney even more than my son did. Since your baby isn't even born yet it's really hard to know which camp he or she will be in.

As for flying, we had very good luck with our son. We made sure he was hungry before takeoff and landing so that we could be sure he was sucking a bottle at those times. That kept his ears from popping, which is supposed to be a big cause of unhappy airplane babies. The flight was a bit exhausting for me and my husband because we entertained our son with toys the whole time to keep him quiet. For long flights, he usually took at least an hour long nap. One thing I would never do again is a red-eye though. I booked one thinking my son would sleep the whole time, but he wasn't really comfortable since he couldn't stretch out and flop around. As a result, he took a short nap and then was just really tired and grouchy for the rest of the flight.

I agree entirely with this post (it's like you've met my family!) and it basically describes our experience with those ages. All of us were so sleep deprived at the 4 month mark, a vacation would have been a challenge. By 11-12 months, my daughter was walking so then she didn't really prefer to be strapped in a seat for any length of time.

All these phases are fleeting and will pass, but you just won't know what phase you'll be in at the time.

For example, we took my son to the Dominican Republic for a family destination wedding a week after his first birthday. It was a direct 4 hour flight. No real problem there, but he did require constant entertainment from me and DH. However, he started cutting a tooth 2 days into the trip and the poor people staying next to us called security b/c he was crying so much. Nothing we could really do other than pain reliever...which is what we told security when they came to our door to offer "assistance."

I think flexibility in your schedule whichever way you decide to go will be key to your happiness. And, having baby's grandparents on stand by, if they are willing!

 

[Bluegrrl]

Popping in here to say that my son has racked in enough frequent flyer miles to fly him around the world for free! He flew to Disneyland when he was 6months, and it was super easy. He was a breast feed on demand baby, so that helps a LOT! We bought a travel Boppy for him - everyone thought I was nuts for buying it, I couldn't have lived without if for travel. It's a boppy that folds in half and zippers up, and it has a strap for carrying along with pockets. Again, my mom thought I was crazy since I had one boppy already. But this one allowed me take it on the plane and prop baby up on my lap and sleep comfy. I also brought a light linen swaddle that I used as a blanket/cover up. He never fussed, just slept and nursed - people were surprised that I actually had a baby with me, since no one could even hear him! Of course, he fussed up when I got seated and settled, but after that, it was all good. And I got to say "I told you so!" to my mom.

Changing him was a little tough, since the restrooms are so tiny. I brought a diaper wallet (I got a Skip Hop one which I have now lost, but I think it's thinner that my new Eddie Baurer one) and it was easier to manage than the diaper bag. I also have a Planetwise wet bag which is great for putting the icky things in (clothes that may be ruined, icky diaps, and other icky things). I do like the SkipHop diaper bags since they are so big, but look like large purses. Very pretty.

One thing to keep in mind when you are going to Disney (DL or WDW) is that you won't see everything. You just won't. Keep everything smooth and simple, remember to use the HECK out of the baby care centers and just relax. Sure, you baby won't remember everything, but you will. DS kissed Mickey's nose, made eyes at Rapunzel, kissed Cinderella, loved It's a Small World - even rode Pirates! He also loved Haunted Mansion. I had a tough time pumping, so I nursed everywhere I could. Dark rides and dark restaurants are god-sends. I breastfed at Blue Bayou, much to the horror of my poor brother.

 

[Disneymooners4eva]

I took my DS on a 13 hour flight when he was 6 months and he was fine as long as he was sitting in the carrier with me. BUT he didn't understand anything at Hong Kong Disneyland, and cried when the characters came up to him.

We took him to Disneyland recently at 8 months and he was cranky on the 3 hour flight since he is crawling now, but he had SO much fun meeting characters and actually reached out to minnie to carry him!!

Also depends if your baby will be formula fed, but feeding solids was easy, we looked for shade and took a break from everything...

DS is terribly spoiled, but I am a complete disney freak and missed it horribly during my pregnancy...

 

[Kacie]

Hey everyone! I have a question specifically for people who have to fly to get to WDW, simply because I think traveling via car with an infant may be easier, and don't want to "skew" my results.

My husband and I are expecting our first child, and are planning a vacation near the end of my maternity leave. We were originally planning on it just being the two of us, as my parents would be DELIGHTED to take the baby for a week. HOWEVER, I am thinking that once the baby is here, I may not want to leave them, but I definitely want a vacation.

We discussed an all inclusive because its probably the easiest thing with an infant, but we are already missing Disney and would really like to go back. I am wondering if there is a "better" age to take an infant? Would it be better to take a 4 month old, who is more portable, or a child 11 or 12 months? Or would it make a difference?Do you need more stuff at one stage versus another, for example?

Just looking for some opinions based on others experiences. For the record, I had always said I wouldn't take a child to Disney before they were 5...this is a huge leap for me haha. Thanks

Be GENTLE on yourself. This is your first baby, she/he is new in town and doesn't speak the language! And you will be a new mama. Just be gentle.

For me, I think it would be very very hard to be away from my new baby for a week. Heck, it physically felt really bizarre the first time I left the house without baby to go to the store! It also is an important time for you as parents to be parents.

We took our first family trip to WDW when my kids were ages 5, 3 and the baby was 7 months. The baby was PERFECT at that age. She slept through tons, and she enjoyed meeting characters. I was able to nurse through some rides and shows. Super easy. She was also old enough that I was out of that fourth trimester fog and had some bearings on the world again. Could I do that trip with my firstborn at 7 months? No, I had PPD and was not functioning properly.

I also think my same baby at 7m would have been much harder at 11-12m. By then she was walking and not sleeping as much. She would have been harder to entertain, and she wouldn't have appreciated NOT being able to try to walk around so much.

Just my $1.02.

 

[Kacie]

One other thought -- is it possible to bring along the grandparents? Maybe they could be some in-house babysitters and you could have a little of both?

Some babies would totally flip if their mamas were gone at that age.

 

[AJ1983]

Kacie- this trip is very theoretical at this timem we have to wait to see if our baby can handle being away from us (test out with some sleepovers) and also if my baby was not on a good sleeping schedule i wouldnt expect someone else to take that over. We have decided that if we cant leave the baby home with my parents then we will take the baby to an all inclusive. A disney trip would be just for us (sorry but having photos of my infant with Mickey wouldnt justify the cost for us) , and having a baby would.mean we couldnt ride our favorite rides together. We will stick with our original plan of no diapers/no stollers rule for bringing kids to disney.as for bringing the grandparents, that would sort of defeat the reason for the trip...to reconnect as husband and wife after a year of baby,baby,baby...having my parents along will not help haha

 

[ThemeQueen]

The smaller they are, the more sleeping they do (if they don't protest sleep like it's their job!)... so I would say 4 months might be better. However, if you are nursing, you will need to account for many more pumping breaks during your time away, which could put a wrinkle in your plans. If you wait until the baby is 10-12 months old, then they are mobile and need to be more entertained, take time out for more structured naps. Each age comes with ups pros and cons for traveling.

My kids have been everywhere with us, we start traveling with my oldest when he was 13 months (on a cruise no less, which I do not recommend) and then my daughter got her first trip when she was 10 months. Personally, I haven't slept in years and my kids have never been good sleepers, so I would prefer to wait until they have a little bit more of a routine down. Going at 4 months is early. You have no idea how YOU may feel. I would recommend waiting.

Good luck!

 

[Muskrat191]

I've been with a 7.5 month old twice - once with friends (their kid and the only kid between the two families) and once my kid (travelled with same family, but 4 girls under 4 between the two families). I like that age because they are young enough to spend most of the time in stroller/carrier (not walking, etc.), but old enough for some solids to help entertain them during meals as well as old enough to use sunscreen (at the time, the recommendation was no sunscreen until 6 months -- I have no idea if that is still true). My daughter was not a stroller baby, so spent most of the trip in a carrier (we used a Boba, but there are lots of good options). Both babies were breastfed, which definitely made it easier. Both babies were great on the flights.

 

[tigger51276]

As others have said a lot depends on the nature of the child, also the health of the child, if there are any complications to you or the baby travel may not be possible, my recovery from my second child took several months (however with my first I bounced back after 2 weeks). My oldest DD was an amazing baby, loved traveling, flying, car rides, people, everything. I started traveling with her at just a few months and did WDW at 7 months and it was amazing! I used a hip carrier most of the time with her (it was great when she would fall asleep because I could still go on rides without needing to wake her up, i'd just "wear" her on the ride) and used her stroller if I got tired.
Second daughter total opposite, was colicky, cranky, didn't sleep for 11 months, hated the car and being confined, no way in the world was I taking her on a plane as a baby. Her first trip was at 13 months and it went mostly well, but not fabulous. While plane tickets would be more expensive waiting until after baby is born, you could buy tickets now and if your baby is not a "well tempered one" you may very well be in serious need of a week away, and if baby is well tempered and traveling seems like a great idea, infants fly free on a parents lap and you can just call the airline and let them know you will have a "lap child" (you will just need to bring a copy of the birth certificate with you to prove age).
I enjoyed just about all the trips to WDW with my kids as little ones and even being non mobile as it was easier to get around before they could walk

 

[dhardawa]

See my sig pick. It was by far the easiest Disney trip I've done with him. We have flown many times and never had an issue.

 

[svecchitto]

Our trip last year my daughter was 9 months old. She did fabulous on the plane, she nursed on take off and really wasn't phased. She wanted to move though and couldn't stand being in a stroller. Sometimes her schedule didn't mesh with ours (we were out to lunch a sanna or I should say I sat at the table waiting for food by myself while my husband had her outside because she was just done with being strapped in) I think a little younger would have been Easier but I wouldn't hesitate to go at any time.

 

[SweetMissy]

Our #3 was 4 months old during his 1st trip. It was awesome. I babywear and breastfeed which makes things much easier. An infant at that age is IMO much easier than a 1 year old because he/she isn't walking/crawling or eating solid foods. It's hard to plan on a good baby because sometimes he/she isn't an easy one and you may go to Disney with a baby who has colic, or just a needy baby....kinda like my 2 month old now, lol. Good luck deciding! Oh and we flew when DS was 4 months old....easy peasy with a boob in his mouth nearly the whole time.