We are entering uncharted territory.

My husband and I are going to Dland for the umpteenth time as adults, third time with our son (4) and first time with our baby girl (10 months when we go in Oct).

We received the rude awakening of parenting in the park on our first trip as parents when my son was barely two. We only had one day to visit and left the park early at 4, exhausted, not one E ticket ride under our belt and realized our universe had altered. (Our son had a blast regardless of our shell shock, dashing to the Peter Pan line instead of Splash Mountain.)

Next time, a year ago Easter, we had three days and it was glorious, with our son riding everything he was big enough to get on, and wanting more. A dream trip.

Now, comes the sister. We will be there 3.5 days and as a first, staying at a resort property, Paradise Pier. We know our world will shift again, since now, one of us has to stay with the baby while the other accompanies our son. He'll get the best deal, since he'll probably get to go twice on everything, once with mom, then dad.

However, I still want to go on some rides as a family. My questions (sorry for being so winded) are what experience has anyone had going on some of the rides with older infants? I saw and earlier post about toddlers (and the ensuing debate). She will need to be held in our arms and won't be able to sit next to us. I had great visions of Small World, but that looks like it will be down. Pirates seems a bit much, I think the HH may be doable. I don't know if the FL rides with the strobes will disturb her or not. Jungle Cruise should be fine.. Anyways, any advice for both DCA and DL would be appreciated, so we can plan.

My son went to the park for the first time at 6 months and my daughter at 2 months. To be honest, the rides were just so second nature to me that I never thought about them scaring the kids. We took both my children on everything they could go on that did not have a height requirement. Luckily, my kids weren't afraid and I didn't scar them for life.:D Thankfully, neither one of them have gone through being scared of the rides.

Had I thought our trips thru, I probably would've started on rides that were out in the open and knew they would probably like (Casey Jr., Dumbo, Carousel, Storybookland Canal, Jungle Cruise), then work up to the less scary dark rides (Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh). Once you see how that goes, try the bigger dark rides.

Make sure you take advantage of baby switch. That's a great program.

At DCA, the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail is a great place for the whole family to hang out. The larger slides have a height requirement (I still can't figure out why) but there are smaller slides. There's also water areas (depending upon the weather when you are there) that most kids seem to enjoy. There's a carousel on Paradise Pier as well. Although the rides are extremely short, Bug's Land (or whatever it is they call it) has some rides the little one might enjoy. My daughter will ride Heimlich's Chew Chew Train again and again and again.....

Again make sure you take advantage of baby switch at DCA.

Have a great trip!

Originally posted by Tiki Junki
However, I still want to go on some rides as a family. My questions (sorry for being so winded) are what experience has anyone had going on some of the rides with older infants?

Well, we've had APs for about 8 years now and my kids are 2 and almost 5, so I guess the answer to this, for me, is "lots." :D

I saw and earlier post about toddlers (and the ensuing debate). She will need to be held in our arms and won't be able to sit next to us. I had great visions of Small World, but that looks like it will be down. Pirates seems a bit much, I think the HH may be doable. I don't know if the FL rides with the strobes will disturb her or not. Jungle Cruise should be fine.. Anyways, any advice for both DCA and DL would be appreciated, so we can plan.

May I ask why you have Pirates as a probably not? My babies were fine on Pirates. Matthew didn't think it was scary until he was 2. Spencer has never had a problem on it. Actually, I found that Pirates was a great "put the baby to sleep ride." (Along with HM.) If my kids were near falling asleep, I'd take them on Pirates and rock them to sleep. It's slow and dark. By the time we got to the village scene, they were often asleep or too far gone to come back.

If HM is doable, IMO, Pirates is, too.

Baby Care Centers are delightful places. Do visit them whenever you can. The DCA BCC even has an adult potty, too.

Adrienne



I think babies under 1 are actually a bit easier at DLR than those near 2 and older.

I have two sons and have taken the older one when he was 10 months and both when the older was 3 years and the baby was 4 months (we will be there with you in Oct this year!). Each trip has a different feal as the boys are growing. Just as you are thinking, our 3yo got to go on twice as many rides as anyone, and he loved it. The baby got to spend a lot of time hanging on my tummy, and he loved people watching - it all works out pretty well.

The young guys don't know that they are supposed to be scared of the dark, skeletons, witches, speed or heights yet. I think they process it as more artifact than analogy. I wouldn't hesitate taking the little ones on Pirates, they get big eyes and look at the stuff that we often miss - like a bird. They are focused on objects, sounds and colors, not the story lines.

We tried what most people suggest - work the kids up the thirll ladder. It is a great barometer and you may be supprised at their reactions - like my 3yo holding his arms up, mouth agape and in heaven for the entire length of BTMRR. Even though he got to ride it (20 - 30?) times in a week.

Thank you all for your replies. I am feeling more excited, if that is possible.

I wasn't sure about Pirates because I could not recall seeing an infant on that ride before. The drop had me a little worried, but at 3 months she's already been on a 10 hour plane ride to London, with turbulance, (in a car seat and yes they do need to be rear facing). I am glad to hear that there are more rides than I had considered that we can all do.

The capper is my husband measured our son last night. Either we measured wrong on his birthday, or he grew another 1.5 inches in the last month. Either way he will be able to go on BTMRR, Splash and Star Tours. If only Space Mountian were open, my husband would feel like he was completeing one of the most important and awesome duties as a father; teaching the boy which line to jockey for, when to raise his hands, how many turns to the left before the right one comes up (Or is it the other way around?)

Thanks again.

Okay, I've been in your shoes, and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. You've already adjusted to the shock of Disneyland with children, now you just have a second one to bring along. You are a small family of 4 and can ride every attraction together with the baby in your lap except the ones with height requirements. You can even all fit in the HM together I'll bet. I think you should take her on every single ride except when she'd rather be napping or eating, then go to the E ticket rides and get a baby switch pass and you go on it with your son again after Dad goes, or vice versa. She'll be at an awesome age wherein everything will fascinate her, especially colors and music, so take her to the Aladdin show and let her see the parades if you can.

You are going to have a blast, enjoy yourselves!