How to survive taking your baby to Disney World with eight tips from nappies to queues
IT may be the most magical place, but tackling Disney World in Florida with a baby can turn even the most patient parent into a tantrum toddler.
But a little planning and local knowledge goes a long way to help you beat crowds. Ben Bailey and his wife Tara did Disney with year-old son Ryan. Here are his top tips.
1 — PARK LIFE
Staying on the Disney property is a must and will save you hours of time and stress.
If you are visiting during the holidays, the cheaper hotels will sell out so book accommodation early.
If you choose to stay nearby then you have to rely on shuttles from hotels or queue for the car parks.
Then you have to wait for buses to ferry you to the individual park you want to visit, not to mention queue to get in.
The ground transportation can take an age and there is nothing worse than a three-hour wait with grumpy kids in the scorching Florida sun before you have even seen a ride.
Trust me, one thing you don’t need is more queues.
2 BE COOL
To avoid unnecessary queues and save your hard-earned cash, it’s a good idea to stock up on drinks and fill up the cool box.
No matter what time of year, it is going to be warm so stay hydrated.
Loose and dry ice is no longer allowed in the parks so reusable ice packs are recommended.
Chopping up fruit is also a good way to keep your little one cool.
3 — PUSHY PARENTS
Even if you’re taking a buggy — and you have a baby or a toddler — then it is still definitely worth taking a baby carrier with you.
You can’t take your buggy into anything that involves a queue — which is basically everything — so whether it be rides, restaurants, live shows or character meet and greets, you need to park it outside.
Having a hot and bothered tot strapped to you will at least save your arms rather than holding them as the little darling wriggles about.
Also, if you take your own buggy it must be no larger than 36in (92cm) wide and 52in (132cm) long.
You can rent them near the entrance of each park for £12 ($15) a day, £24 ($31) for double strollers) but they cannot leave the individual park so if, for example, you plan on going from Magic Kingdom to Animal Kingdom on the same day, then you will be charged twice.
4 — SHOW STOPPERS
The live shows are absolutely brilliant and will give your sore feet a proper break.We watched the Finding Nemo Musical, the Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor comedy session, the It’s Tough To Be A Bug interactive film, and the awesome spectacle of the Festival Of The Lion King performance.
They were all fantastic entertainment and broke up the day from the never-ending rides.
Also, getting out of the sun or into the air-conditioned theatres is a delight.
5 — DON’T BE QUEUE-LESS
Fastpasses are essential. They allow you to skip queues, saving hours of wasted time.
Download the Fastpass app then pick the rides you want to go on that will be most popular.
Do this well in advance and NOT the day before, when all the good ones have already gone. If you plan one thing in advance then this should be it.
6 — A HOL OF A TIME
If you aren’t restricted by UK school holidays and are flexible with your dates then consider going when the American kids are in school.
Also look at half-term dates. It will be quieter meaning you can do more.
7 — CHEERS BEERS
While Disney World had a strict no-alcohol policy from its 1971 launch (Walt was teetotal), booze is now very much on the menu.
Alcohol is available in all the sit-down restaurants but only Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios have beer carts from which you can grab a drink and wander around.
Those hour-long waits for rides suddenly feel much more bearable with a cool pint in your hand.
The smoothies and sundaes are also great for non-drinkers to help beat the heat.
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8 — NAPPY NIGHTMARES
There are air-conditioned baby changing facilities all over the park.
Download the app and locate the main baby hubs in each park to save you fighting your way blindly through the throngs.
They offer private nursing rooms with rocking chairs, feedings area with highchairs, as well as kitchens with microwaves to make your baby’s bottle or dinner.
Happy holidays!
GO: Disney World
GETTING/STAYING THERE: Seven nights’ room-only at Disney’s All Star Resort in Walt Disney World Resort Florida is from £945pp based on a family of four sharing, including “14 for 7 Walt Disney World Ultimate Tickets”, car hire and flights.
See or call 0344 557 3859.