Hi! I need some advice! My husband and I are planning our first trip to Disney World in September. I just found out I'm pregnant, so I'll be about 9 weeks during our trip. We're staying at Port Orleans Riverside. Is it still worth it to go? Everything is booked and paid for already. I know the big rides (and what would have been my favorites) are out, but is it worth it anyway? It's a lot of money, but we've got the free dining package so I figured it might cost just as much to go somewhere else. I need some input so I can get my husband to agree!

We'd be traveling alone as this was an anniversary trip, so our son was staying at home. I was just curious as to what others thought? I'm leaning towards going still as my last pregnancy was fairly easy-no problems, sickness, or nausea.

Also, if you went while pregnant were there any rides you went on that had an advisory about pregnant women riding? I looked at some of the restricted rides and some seem like they'd be okay to go on even if you are pregnant. Thanks for any help and advice!!
Rocky41102
First trip September 8-13, 2005!!

I would suggest talking to your ob/gyn and find out the suggested limitations.

My personal thoughts would be to avoid the high "G" or turbulent rides.

In MK stay off the mountains and maybe Pirates.
In Studio stay off RnRC, ToT and Star Tours.
Epcot definitely stay off TT and MS and maybe Maelstrom.
AK avoid Primevial Whirl and possibly Dinasaur.

First of all, Congratulations! I am 8 weeks pregnant myself, and will be 26 weeks (6 months) when we go in Dec. I also went at 6mos when I was expecting my now almost 4 y/o son. Disney is no biggie when you are pregnant, just remember to take it easy and drink a TON of water! I suggest getting a canteen-like water bottle that holds 1/2 gal or so - the kind w/ the shoulder strap. Fill it up with ice from the hotel ice machine each morning, then the rest w/ H2O. All the counter service restaurants will give you large cups of ice for free, then you can use the water fountains to fill it up the rest of the way. It's not as tasty as buying bottled water, but it will save a lot of $!

The only rides you will have to avoid are the ones with a height requirement - Space Mtn, Splash Mtn Thunder Mtn, Test Track, Mission: Space, Dinosaur, etc. Pirates and Maelstrom should be just fine.

You will undoubtedly be more tired than usual, so be sure to take it easy and don't push yourself. Sitting on a bench and people watching is one of the best Disney activities ever - see for yourself! Have fun!

Been there, done that, going back.....

I have been there 6 1/2 months pregnant, and 4 1/2 months pregnany and maybe again this go around. Pirates you should be fine on, the others mentioned above I would probably stay away from. Alot of it has to do with being able to be "strapped" in with a huge belly. I went on the King Kong ride at universal at 6 1/2 months and the only problem was with the bar that was digging into the belly. Make sure you note where all the bathrooms are and just take your time.

You will have a blast, especially since you are leaving the little one at home.

Allearsnet.com has a complete section on expectant mothers (http://allearsnet.com/pl/pregnant.htm). Here (http://allearsnet.com/tp/rr.htm) is a list of all rides with restrictions. I myself went at about 15 weeks. I personally won't be traveling to WDW again pregnant. But, your mileage may vary.

Here's another thread you may want to read thru:

Link 1 (http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?t=27634&highlight=pregnant)

First off, Congrats!

Mrs. GusMan was along as far as you when we went a couple of years ago. (Also around the september time line.) Still had a great time even without the "thrill" rides. Just keep well hydrated in the warm weather and use the dining options to eat healthy.

Congratulations!

EONS ago, when my oldest nephew was almost 3, I visited them in Orlando, and we 'had' to take a couple of days to visit Mickey. My sister in law delivered my now 16 year old nephew 2 months after the visit, and we discovered some things on that trip that may or may not still be true. At that point, there were two 'pregnancy warning' signs on the rides. One said 'don't even think about it' the other was 'you might want to skip it'. "We" obeyed all the severe warning signs (which was a bummer because we went the day the Wonders of Life pavillion officially opened and Body Wars was on the severe warning list) - but she rode some of the 'maybe' ones.

The ones in this group I remember were Big Thunder - which my nephew LOVED, and when we rode again a second time, my sis-in-law sat out. I'm not sure why (I never asked her, we were too tickled that my nephew 'wanted to go again' when we were a little nervous about taking him on his first roller coaster). (Yes, he had no problem with the height requirement when he was still legally free!)

The other we did was the Indy Cars. She was showing, but not terribly uncomfortable yet, and when she and I got into the front car, they told my brother to make sure and leave 2 extra car lengths in between his car and ours, even when stopped, "because one of the women was pregnant" (like he didn't know!) - She was still at that stage where if you didn't know, you probably shouldn't ask, so that was a little shocking that they said something to him.

No problems with the pregnancy, but in this day and age of being even more cautious, I don't think I'd ride anything that had either level of warning. That said I did glance at the AllEars list - and I think I'd probably still ride Malestrom - and it took me a minute to figure out about Ellen's Energy Adventure - I'm wondering if that one has a warning because of the loud noises.

I say you should still go, relax, (stay hydrated!), and smell the roses a little more than you might have otherwise!

CONGRATS!!!!

I returned from WDW on July 15 and was 9 weeks pregnant. The only trouble I had was the heat. I found that a lot of rides have warnings that are to cover Disney's butts. I rode Splash Mountain, Test Track and the Safari Ride at AK. They both have postings. I also rode both of these rides 6 months pregnant with my first child. It is up to you. I always go with my gut feeling. Just keep in mind though, THERE IS NO REASON FOR YOU NOT TO GO ON PIRATES!
Relax enjoy and have fun!!

I found that a lot of rides have warnings that are to cover Disney's butts. I rode Splash Mountain, Test Track and the Safari Ride at AK. They both have postings. I also rode both of these rides 6 months pregnant with my first child. It is up to you. I always go with my gut feeling.

There are very real and legitimate medical reasons for the warnings on those rides. They are not just there as some sort of a meaningless legal statement. Sure, there is certainly a reasonable possibility that going on turbulant thrill rides during pregnancy will not cause any problems, but it most certainly does place the child at risk. I strongly question whether any Disney rides are worth that risk, particularly when the parks offer so much that is perfectly safe for someone who is pregnant.

-Jeff

Congrats! We went to WDW when I was pregnant and although I couldn't go on many rides, I still had fun. EPCOT is my favorite park over there so I had tons to do. The only problem I had was the humidity and my ankles swelled up to the point I could not walk anymore. My husband rented a wheelchair and pushed me around the parks. It was great :D

If you haven't figured out this from all the other responses- Do not cancel!!!!! This is a wonderful time for you and your husband to spend time together before the baby comes. Believe it or not, I think you will be seeing WDW a little differently as well- through mother's eyes. The magic is even more strong- because it is about hope and fun and families. With all the hormones and worry and anticipation, I think WDW sounds like a great idea right now!

My only concerns would be maintaining good health- as others have said. Do check with your Doctor, stay hydrated!!, rest a lot, eat good food (fruit stands are everywhere- bring good snacks- don't get too hungry or that can make you woosy or ill which you probably already know). I'm so excited for you for on both accounts!

Oh and as you are staying at POR there is a nice little boat to DTD which has some great places to eat, as well as makes a nice break.

I've gone to Disneyland many, many times while pregnant. I think Disney World would be even better while pregnant because there is just so much to see. Definately do not cancel. There are still many rides you can go on as well. One of my favorite stories is when I went on Pirates of the Carribean when I was 8 months pregnant with my twins. I used to walk the treehouse hoping to put myself in labor as well :lol Have a wonderful time! And if you scrapbook you could make a great page about baby's first trip to Disney World.

I would suggest talking to your ob/gyn and find out the suggested limitations.

My personal thoughts would be to avoid the high "G" or turbulent rides.

In MK stay off the mountains and maybe Pirates.
In Studio stay off RnRC, ToT and Star Tours.
Epcot definitely stay off TT and MS and maybe Maelstrom.
AK avoid Primevial Whirl and possibly Dinasaur.

I went to DLR 5 months PG. I say avoid the rides that have warnings for PG women. It isn't like the CMs are going to be able to tell you not to ride because you are PG, you more than likely won't be showing that early on.
I see nothing wrong with riding POTC. There are no warnings and they allow kids of any age on that ride. Heck I have breastfed both my kids while on the ride.
I say enjoy yourself. Especially this break with your DH before the baby comes. I did more shopping and eating when I went while PG!

On our annual trip to DL, two years ago I was 4 months pregant and I checked with the doctor before we even started to book. Like you, I didn't want to go and miss out. I have always had very "worryfree" pregnacies and he told we to stay away from the rides that stop and start really fast and to avoid getting jerked around. My doc loved DL as well and even gave me the go ahead on splash. However that was the "thrilliest" ride I did!!!

I went in 2002 when I was 7 weeks prego and queasy as a you-know-what. I asked ob before I went and all he said was, have fun. And I went on EVERYTHING! PotC, Space Mountain, Screamin, Indiana Jones, was awesome!! Indy left me sore all over and Space Mountain made me veeeeeeeeeeeeery queasy, but other than that, no probs! My sister-in-law also went with me and was 11 weeks pregnant at the time and did everything I did, as her ob said to have fun as well. Best word of advice-don't do anything you aren't comfortable doing. Our instincts are usually the best bet to follow. :-)

I went in 2002 when I was 7 weeks prego and queasy as a you-know-what. I asked ob before I went and all he said was, have fun. And I went on EVERYTHING! PotC, Space Mountain, Screamin, Indiana Jones, was awesome!! Indy left me sore all over and Space Mountain made me veeeeeeeeeeeeery queasy, but other than that, no probs! My sister-in-law also went with me and was 11 weeks pregnant at the time and did everything I did, as her ob said to have fun as well. Best word of advice-don't do anything you aren't comfortable doing. Our instincts are usually the best bet to follow. :-)

I think you both need to find new, more competent ob-gyns...

-Jeff

I went in 2002 when I was 7 weeks prego and queasy as a you-know-what. I asked ob before I went and all he said was, have fun. And I went on EVERYTHING! PotC, Space Mountain, Screamin, Indiana Jones, was awesome!! Indy left me sore all over and Space Mountain made me veeeeeeeeeeeeery queasy, but other than that, no probs!


Ok, you get my soapbox. You were lucky. The first trimester of a pregnancy is the trickiest and the one where most problems occur. Implantation is happening at that time. Based on my research and interviewing several medical professionals, I would never ever ever ever ever encourage a woman to ignore Disney's recommendations that they stay off of the roller coasters and fast rides such as the mountains, Screamin, IJ, etc.

POTC is not a 'recommended not to ride' attraction for pregnant women, just FYI. Obviously, potterphreak's doctor told her to go for it and that was his choice- I'm not saying she was a bad person to do so or anything like that. I went through a horrible miscarriage (oxymoron) with my first pregnancy and I wouldn't risk that for anything or wish it on anyone.

There's many things pregnant women can do at Disney theme parks. The faster jerkier rides are just so not worth the risk, IMO.

Adrienne

Thinking about it, I realized that my previous response was a bit flip and maybe I should give one that is a bit more reasoned. While I honestly don't think a competent, well-informed ob-gyn would ever advise a woman at any stage of a pregnancy that going on the thrill rides at Disneyland is fine, I also suspect that the doctors in this case may not have actually really understood what they were being asked.

How much detail did you really go into when discussing this with your doctor? Did you just say that you were going to Disneyland and ask if there were any restrictions you should keep in mind or did you actually describe in some detail the various rides that you were considering going on?

I have very strong doubts that any ob-gyn would ever advise a patient that a rides like Indiana Jones or Space Mountain are safe during preganancy, but I definitely believe it is very possible that a doctor might not be familiar with what those rides actually are or even with the fact that they exist at all. Many people that never have been to Disneyland and only know the park by reputation believe that all the attractions there are generally comparable in intensity to "It's a Small World". I would tend to guess that the ob-gyns in question had no idea that Disneyland actually has turbulant, intense thrill rides in addition to the more family-friendly attractions.

-Jeff

Hey Jeff, thanks for the advice! LOL I have had 2 miscarriages in my past (waaaay before the DL trip) and was informed that they were due to chromosonal problems, not anything I might have done. I understand where you are coming from, but really, it's a choice I thought I was informed enough to make. 2 totally different OBs, same town, different offices, gave 2 pregnant women the exact same advice, we thought we were safe. Luckily we both had no "real" problems with our pregnancies. Maybe the doctors didn't know what they were getting us into, we asked if we could ride the rides and if there was anything we needed to avoid, and we both got a resounding thumbs up. Was just telling the original poster to follow her gut.

Flame away....
PS-Just my 2 cents, why are MEN so quick answer these kinds of questions? They have no idea what it is like to be pregnant. I would never think to answer someone asking about a vasectomy or getting kicked in the no-nads. Not trying to start a war, but sheesh!

PS-Just my 2 cents, why are MEN so quick answer these kinds of questions? They have no idea what it is like to be pregnant. I would never think to answer someone asking about a vasectomy or getting kicked in the no-nads. Not trying to start a war, but sheesh!

We are talking about the safety of the baby, not about the woman's comfort. I'm a father, so that is certainly something that I feel entitled to have a strong opinion about, particularly after my wife and I worked >together< to get through a fairly high-risk pregnancy.

While it was ultimately your own decision, of course, I most definitely cannot understand risking the life of a child for a little bit of personal entertainment. I very much feel that you were giving very bad advice to the original poster and I couldn't help but speak up.

-Jeff

PS-Just my 2 cents, why are MEN so quick answer these kinds of questions? They have no idea what it is like to be pregnant. I would never think to answer someone asking about a vasectomy or getting kicked in the no-nads. Not trying to start a war, but sheesh!

Many men are very much partners with their wives and co-parents. They might not be able to tell you what exactly pregnancy, childbirth, etc feel like, I can tell you that my husband was there every step of the way and can very well describe many of the things I experienced, based on my communication with him.

And, no, I couldn't tell you what a vasectomy or getting kicked in the groin feels like, but I could tell you about what a vasectomy entails, describe what I've been told (in detail) it was like to experience, and I can describe the recovery process based on the level of closeness I had with a person who had one.

Adrienne

Well Rocky,
I say take it easy if it your first kid just dont go space mountain or any fast ride.Im sure you dont want any problems in the prengency if you can prevent it.I say see all the shows you can.I say go and have fun and enjoy the trip

As I said up above, I will be 6 months along when we visit WDW in Dec. This is my second child, and a pregnancy that took forever to conceive. Although I know the warnings Disney gives are simply suggestions, there's no way I would ever dream of doing anything that could possibly harm my unborn child. I don't feel like I will be "missing out" on the big rides, I'm actually looking forward to having some quality "bench time" to people watch in one of my favotite places on earth!

(Ok, I am a little bummed I won't be able to the Safari ride at AK, but that is something I am willing to give up for the sake of my baby. Besides, it gives me an excuse to come back!)

Flame away....
PS-Just my 2 cents, why are MEN so quick answer these kinds of questions? They have no idea what it is like to be pregnant. I would never think to answer someone asking about a vasectomy or getting kicked in the no-nads. Not trying to start a war, but sheesh!

Many men are ob/gyns as well. :)

And, vasectomies...I know two men, very personally...who have had them done. I helped 'nurse' them to full recovery. :D :eek:
Quite a different experience than giving birth though... ;)