While I’m quite sure that if I invited a free-for-all-brawl on the merits and sins of taking a baby to Disney the teams would fight to the death defending their views, the truth of the matter remains that some people just want to go to Disney with their baby. And no matter what your stance on that thought is, the fact remains that arguing the point isn’t really going to help the person who is looking to go anyways nor is it going to help the parent looking to get some solid advice on what the parks have to offer them in terms of entertainment and survival.

If that parent is you, then you are in luck, because today’s post is meant just for you! Whether your concerns rest with what rides you’ll have to (possibly) say goodbye to riding or with finding a quite place to feed baby, I’m here to let you know that you definitely aren’t the first person to go to the parks with a baby in tow and you definitely won’t be the last. This means that you can rest assured knowing that Disney is happily prepared for you, just as you are trying to be for baby. So without further ado, let’s get to the fun stuff!

Enjoying the Parks

If you are wondering how many of the major rides you’ll have to miss out on when you take your precious bundle along with you, get ready to let out a sigh of relief when I tell you the answer is practically none! Thanks to a great system called Rider Switch (commonly referred to as Rider Swap), Disney has come up with a way to make sure that both parents of small ones are able to experience all the big rides, even if the smaller ones can’t themselves.

How it works is you have your entire party arrive at the queue together and let a cast member know you’d like to participate in the attraction using rider switch. Your group will then be divided into two parties and while the first part of the group stands in line, the other will wait in a designated waiting spot. When the first parent/group disembarks off the ride, they switch watching the smaller ones and the second parent then gets to ride the attraction without standing in line again. This does mean that each parent will probably enjoy the attraction individually so be aware of that, but at the same time, it allows for someone to always be with baby while still getting to enjoy the rides.

That said, many may be surprised to find out that a whole LOT of rides at Disneyland Park and the Magic Kingdom are baby friendly. Yes, they aren’t going to be rip roaring attractions flinging your bodies into one another, but they are something that can be an exciting experience to share with baby. And often, a chance to sit down and enjoy some air conditioning!

Where to rest/feed baby

Another concern often comes with figuring out just exactly how feeding time is going to come into play and what happens when it’s time to just give yourselves a rest. Well! Once again, Disney has you covered. Each and every park (though unfortunately not either Downtown Disney location) offers Baby Care Centers for you and your family. At these locations there are nursing rooms available, kitchens with microwaves, ovens and sinks and a place to sit and relax while watching some Disney themed television. I know multiple parents who make these stops a must even with their younger toddlers since having a quiet place to take them to really recharges the whole family.

Basic things to know

Now, aside from the two major points discussed above, there are some little things to be aware of when taking baby to the park. Please know that there is such a thing called stroller parking and it makes perfect sense if you think about it. There are TONS of strollers at Disney and if everyone was just allowed to abandon their stroller where ever they saw fit before boarding an attraction, the sidewalks would be a nightmare. Because of this, there are generally designated spots for where strollers can be left. That said, due to the fact that the amount of strollers can increase phenomenally while your family is in line, often times cast members have no choice but to rearrange parking in a manner safest for all guests. This may mean your stroller may get moved from where you parked it. Remember that and save a poor cast member some guff as its their job and it can be a very daunting one at times.

And while we’re at it, let’s bring up one last stroller topic before moving on.  While you won’t need to fold your stroller before boarding any of the monorails, do be aware that you will most likely need to do so for the buses. Now, this isn’t a 100% percent all the time rule but quite often the room on the bus becomes standing room only and the driver may ask you to fold the strollers. So, be prepared for this and have a stroller folding plan ready to spring into action when using the buses.

Then finally, the last pieces of advice/information to share has to do with knowing that Disney tries it’s best to have you covered. They have Pack N Plays in all of their resort rooms, high chairs ready at the restaurants and even supplies ready for purchase at the Baby Centers and often the stroller rental locations should you find you’ve forgotten something.

Oh, and one last thing…

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it one last time. Disney really does do it’s best to have you covered. Millions of people visit the parks every year and they want EVERYONE to have fun, even the parents 😉  So, don’t worry too much and instead focus on how much fun it’ll be to have baby along with you to a place full of smiles and memories!