By:
Rebecca Farrell (Follow me on Twitter @RMZFarrell)
Dear
readers, as you have likely noticed from my recent blog posts, my husband and I
are expecting our first child later this year. The little man, due in
mid-October, was also the reason we recently changed our Disney Fantasy Western
Caribbean Cruise to a 9-day Contemporary Club Level stay (read more about it
here).
**For Jenn's Pregnant Touring Experiences, Click Here**
So
while I’m sorry I can’t be blogging about the Mayan ruins at Tulum or a memorable
meal at Palo, I am pleased to be able to share some unique insights with you
about enjoying Walt Disney World with a baby on board.
But
before I get into the specifics, I have to share this little tidbit – I have
always been amazed at the number of VERY pregnant women I see wandering around
Walt Disney World. Frankly, I admire them and don’t know how they do it. I have
never been so tired in my life! OK, now we can move on…
Accommodations: Stay Close!
This
was a no-brainer for us as we knew that a deluxe resort with a great location
was an absolute necessity. Prior to
switching our trip around, we had already booked in three nights at the Club
level of the Polynesian, our favorite resort.
When we changed our plans, we found a more cost-effective option was the
Club Level at the Contemporary, and we were pleased with our choice.
Being
close (walking distance) to the Magic Kingdom cut down on a lot of waiting
around for Monorails and buses, especially important because my doctor didn't want me on my feet all day. Also, when it came time for a mid-day break to swim
and nap, we could be back at the hotel inside of 15-20 minutes.
My advice:
Try to stay close to the parks
Take a mid-day break
Determine your tolerance for an evening park return on a
case-by-case basis
Be Prepared for: Flexibility and
Disappointment
I had
NO idea how much this pregnancy would wear me out. Even at only 16 weeks
pregnant, I was so tired after a morning in the parks that I barely had the
energy to sit up a dinner much less go back to a park in the evening. I even designed our itinerary with only five
(5) park days out of eight (8) days on the ground at Walt Disney World, but
that didn't seem to be enough!
My new
level of tired (and, let’s face it, cranky) meant being flexible with several
dining reservations, missing out on evening live sets by Off Kilter and the
British Revolution, and even skipping IllumiNations fireworks for the first
time EVER. Was it disappointing? Sure, and in the heat of the moment I may even
have shed a few tears, but I know we’ll be back some day and we've done it all
before.
The
weather during our trip also meant that we ended up skipping a day at Animal
Kingdom when mother nature was kind enough to make it rain ALL DAY and adding a
day at Epcot instead. We figured we’d rather spend more time with the manatees
at the Living Seas than be soaked to the bone during a Central Florida monsoon.
Finally,
I was glad we decided NOT to invest in park hopper tickets because we never
would have received our money’s worth on this trip. One park a day was all I
could manage.
Below
is a grid with how we spent our time on this trip, using the TouringPlans.com
crowd calendar so we didn't hit any park on an over-crowded day:
Day
|
Activity
|
Saturday
|
Flight
to MCO, dinner at hotel
|
Sunday
|
Epcot
|
Monday
|
Magic
Kingdom
|
Tuesday
|
Break day – Massages at Grand Floridian
|
Wednesday
|
Magic
Kingdom
|
Thursday
|
Break day – Hung out at hotels due to rain
|
Friday
|
Epcot
|
Saturday
|
Epcot
|
My advice:
Plan an itinerary that allows for flexibility
Listen to your body
Remember that you WILL be back some day with your little
one!
Expectant Mothers Should Not Ride
I was
already prepared not to be allowed to go on quite a few rides in my condition, but
I certainly didn't hold my husband back. He enjoyed a few of those on the “no
no list” while I took a snack break on a nearby bench. By the way, being pregnant is an EXCELLENT
reason to indulge in park pretzels and popcorn if I do say so myself!
Following
is a list of rides that expectant mothers should avoid due to jerky motions,
potential for motion sickness, etc. (Note – this list was compiled from several
sources – always speak to your doctor about what is safe):
Park
|
Location
|
Ride
|
Magic
Kingdom
|
Tomorrowland
|
Space
Mountain
|
Magic
Kingdom
|
Tomorrowland
|
Tomorrowland
Speedway
|
Magic
Kingdom
|
Tomorrowland
|
Stitch’s
Great Escape
|
Magic
Kingdom
|
Frontierland
|
Big
Thunder Mountain Railroad
|
Magic
Kingdom
|
Frontierland
|
Splash
Mountain
|
Magic
Kingdom
|
New
Fantasyland
|
Goofy’s
Barnstormer
|
Epcot
|
Future
World
|
Mission:
Space
|
Epcot
|
Future
World
|
Soarin’
(this has to do with the harness that hits your abdomen)
|
Epcot
|
Future
World
|
Test
Track
|
Hollywood
Studios
|
Echo
Lake
|
Star
Tours
|
Hollywood
Studios
|
Sunset
Boulevard
|
Rockin’
Roller Coaster
|
Hollywood
Studios
|
Sunset
Boulevard
|
Tower
of Terror
|
Animal
Kingdom
|
Africa
|
Kilimanjaro
Safaris
|
Animal
Kingdom
|
Asia
|
Expedition
Everest
|
Animal
Kingdom
|
Dinoland
U.S.A.
|
Dinosaur
|
Animal
Kingdom
|
Dinoland
U.S.A.
|
Primeval
Whirl
|
My advice:
Talk to your Doctor about your trip
Don’t do anything stupid
Take a break for a snack while others in your party go on
rides you can’t
Our "Souven-Ears" - can't wait to wear them on our first Disney trip as a FAMILY!
We went to Disney World when I was 7 months pregnant with our first child. Oh and did I mention that it was the end of July? It was a long planned family trip and I didn't want to miss it. I talked to my doctor and he was fine with the trip. His only special instruction was to drink a TON of water. I think I used every single bathroom in Disney World!
ReplyDeleteWe took breaks(naps) in the middle of every day which really helped. It gave me enough energy to head back out to a park most evenings. It was so hot during the day that I much preferred going to the park in the evening anyway.
My only other words of wisdom would be that it's ok to cry in an EPCOT bathroom because you are just SO.FREAKING.HOT. Cool yourself off with some water and march yourself back to the monorail.
Amy you're right! We went when my wife was around 8 months and without the afternoon breaks I don't know if she would have been as happy. She actually kept a water bottle that all of the counter service places allowed her to fill up for free with water and ice.
ReplyDeleteYou don't even need your own water bottle - they will give you a free cup! This is one of my most basic tips! http://www.disneybabiesblog.com/2011/09/tips-to-beat-heat.html
ReplyDeleteI am in month six of round two pregnancy. We live an hour away from Disney and go at least once a month. Our next trip starts Monday and we will be there through New Years Day. Yes, me, my baby belly, and my 2.5 year old are going to ring in the new year with the 10s of thousands at the Magic Kingdom. We end up being at the park from 7am - 3am. It's a long day. When we did this same trip during my first pregnancy, I learned a few tricks. Use the longer shows to take naps; The Carousel of Progress, The Hall of President's, and The Country Bear Jamboree. Don'e be afraid to look silly; find a bench and put your feet up. But most importantly, talk to your spouse; tell them what you need, what you want and how you are feeling. I know I will cry at least three times during our 30 hour day at Disney, but I also know my husband will understand and hold my hand and make me smile.
ReplyDelete