WDW w/infants!

[Lover_of_Disney]

Our next Disney vacation we will be traveling with a 8 week old infant and will probably be gone for about 2 weeks. We are thinking about bringing along a nanny which will be someone we know very well. I know we should pay her expenses as long as a stipend but should we book her a separate room. We are staying at BC concierge and it isn't exactly economical to just book an "extra" room however, I would like some privacy.

We enjoy dining at WDW and didn't think we should drag an infant into every restaurant. What about the child care services the resorts offer. Anyone have any experience??

Next question, we will be arriving via airplane. I know the resorts offer cribs however we would like to bring something of our own. What do you recommend?

Also, does anyone know of a packing list for infants???

Thanks!

 

[AspiringCindy]

As far as the baby care question: We have used the fairy godmothers to babysit in our hotel room at night and were very happy with our service. However, I think I would hesitate with such a young infant. Our children were 4 and 5 at the time!

 

[campingcorgi]

There is a section on WDWIG.com that deals with taking infants to Disney. That may help you. I can't really help with the other questions, though.

 

[kangaroodle]

I took both my children to WDW when they were infants. My daughter was 12 weeks old when she first went and my son was 5 months old. The cribs that are provided are Pack and Plays. (I don't think I'd lug my own crib!) They worked well for us. If you have one at home bring the crib sheet along that comes with it because I didn't always get one and just got a regular sheet to put on the crib. Also bring your own baby blankets. As far as dining with an infant, it is far easier than dining with a 2 or 3 year old! I guess it depends if your baby cries alot. Mine both did very well if I fed them before we ate. They always slept right through our dinner---just pulled the stroller right up to the table. At 8 weeks old babies sleep alot so that should work out fine. Another tip is to bring your own stroller. You will need it at the airport (if you're flying), around WDW other than the parks, and also the strollers at the park are not really suitable for an infant as they don't recline. Also, if you are flying, you can bring your strooler right to the gate and check it there. It is called "gate-check". It will also be waiting for you when you get off the plane! Sorry I'm rambling, but if you are breastfeeding, alot of the "dark rides" like Hall of Presidents, Universe of Energy or even Little Mermaid are great for breastfeeding! Have a great trip! It is really easy to do WDW with that young of a baby!

 

[jenny2]

I totally agree with kangaroodle... it's SOOOO much easier to dine with an infant than with a toddler/preshooler, LOL!! Infants are super portable. Basically they're happy just being with you. We took our son when he was 10 weeks old and he was fine. He slept most of the time

 

[bness]

We went down last year with our 8 month old. We rented a double stroller from A Baby's Best Friend www.abbf.com
The price was reasonable, it was at our resort when we arrived, was spotless, and to return it all we had to do was take it to the baggage area before we left.
They have a large assortment of items you can rent. They bring them all to your resort and pick them all up. Our stroller was exactly like the one I have at home and in PERFECT condition. I've talked with the lady that runs the business and she says she is very picky about things being clean. It is a business run by a wife and husband, very dependable.

 

[catwho]

With an infant so young you may not be able to leave your baby for too long if you are breastfeeding. And I found taking a small baby to places was so easy. They sleep and nurse and gurgle. I wore my babies in slings or front carriers for practically the first year of their lives and they were always very content babies. We also slept with our baby and so never needed to worry about a crib (didn't even have one in the hosue with our last two children) I just couldn't justify the added expense of an extra room and having to pay for an extra adult to come along to take care of such a young baby. They are so little trouble at that age.

 

[katiemegcz]

I took an infant 2 years ago...

Yeah catwho-I am a sling mom too, and don't know how people live without them! You can stuff them in your diaper bag when not in use, and your baby doesn't miss out on cuddle time. Nursing was a breeze-plenty of dark shows and parent stations.

The nanny issue. I was a nanny in college, and loved the family I worked for, but would have been very uncomfortable sleeping in the same room with the adults. As a mom now, I would feel crowded with a non-family member in the room. I understand the expense is great. IMHO I would choose no nanny over nanny in my room.

I am not certain about this, but I don't think there are babysitting services available for children under 12 weeks old. Most services consider that the earliest age to provide safe care.

But don't lose hope! We had a blast, baby and all. CMs accomodated all of our dining needs, and we took full advantage of the baby swapping. I highly recommend a sling for ride lines. Be sure to plan plenty of time out of the sun, and get a high-SPF waterproof sunscreen and head cover.

Hakunamata!