Hello all! We are going to Disneyland with our new daughter, who will be 4 months at that time. I had a couple of questions after reading through some of the other threads:

1. I noticed that many people take their little ones on most of the rides. What do you do with the stroller? We are taking our nice Eddie Bauer stroller with our travel system, and I am a little worried about leaving it. Has anyone had problems with stroller theft?

2. Do you recommend a certain type of baby carrier that works best for the rides? We haven't bought one yet.

and lastly...

3. My mother was reading somewhere else about how people take earplugs for their little ones, especially during parades, fireworks, etc. Our little one loves music, but I wonder if it would be TOO much. Any experience with this?

Thanks for the feedback!

Josh :D

1. Nothing is guarenteed, but stroller theft of personnal stroller seems to be pretty rare. I would not leave anything valuable in it of course.

2. I only ever used the sling style carriers. They dn't let baby see much, but they do let them sleep next to Mom fairly easily.

3. Try to go to the movies once or twice. That shoullgive you a good feel for how sensitive your child is. If they enjoy the movie theater experience they will probably be fine in the park.

1. I noticed that many people take their little ones on most of the rides. What do you do with the stroller? We are taking our nice Eddie Bauer stroller with our travel system, and I am a little worried about leaving it. Has anyone had problems with stroller theft?
GrumpyUTBoi will be along in a minute to tell you to never leave your stroller unattended, or to rent one so that if it gets stolen, its Disney's problem. I've never had an issue though.
2. Do you recommend a certain type of baby carrier that works best for the rides? We haven't bought one yet.
I bring a $20 Snugli. Works pretty well and folds up compactly to save space in the backpack.
3. My mother was reading somewhere else about how people take earplugs for their little ones, especially during parades, fireworks, etc. Our little one loves music, but I wonder if it would be TOO much. Any experience with this?
We sat front and center at the castle for fireworks this summer and Adam (4 months) had no noticeable problems with either the fireworks or the music. I don't even know if you can get earplugs for a 4 month old. If your daughter has a problem you can cover her ears with your hands.

Some unsolicited advice: Ditch the travel system and go with an umbrella type stroller. We use a Maclaren Triumph, as recommended by adriennek. We tried the travel system a couple of time and found it to be way too bulky. Especially if you want to ride the train or monorail. It really helps to have something that folds down to very little and is light. You lose some cargo carrying capacity but the extra maneuverability makes up for it.

Also be sure to take advantage of the baby care centers in DL and DCA. Especially if your daughter is breast feeding.

1. I noticed that many people take their little ones on most of the rides. What do you do with the stroller? We are taking our nice Eddie Bauer stroller with our travel system, and I am a little worried about leaving it. Has anyone had problems with stroller theft?

In the past 7 years that I've been taking my babies to Disneyland I've taken several expensive strollers to the park (most often my Peg Peregos - the single or the double.) I've not had a problem. Matt mentioned UTboi's story but I do have to say it's not common, in my experience.

2. Do you recommend a certain type of baby carrier that works best for the rides? We haven't bought one yet.

RUN do not walk, RUN and buy a Baby Bjorn. You will thank me. Trust me. End of discussion. Best carrier ev-ver. We've had the same BB for 7 years through three babies and all three have been carried in it at DL in line. Love. It.

I've never used ear plugs with my kids.

Adrienne

2. I only ever used the sling style carriers. They dn't let baby see much, but they do let them sleep next to Mom fairly easily.


I found a sling to be a very versatile baby carrier. It worked very well when the Future President of Disneyland was wee little and well into toddler years. As a baby, she was tucked well into it, so she could sleep when she needed to or be adjusted to be able to see. When she slept, she didn't have that floppy sleepyhead that babies often have in other carriers. As she grew, she used it almost like a seat carrier by my hip. It weighs almost nothing and you don't have to be bothered with snaps.

I don't have personal experience with the BB, but it looks like a hassle to me. YMMV, of course.

And as an aside, you don't have to restrict yourself to the Baby Care Center to nurse your baby--you can find any nice spot for that.

And as an aside, you don't have to restrict yourself to the Baby Care Center to nurse your baby--you can find any nice spot for that.
True. But wouldn't you rather nurse in air conditioned comfort, a nice chair, with a CM who will bring you a cup of cool water if you ask, than on a bench in the heat or rain, with passers-by distracting the baby?

My wife has used an available bench to nurse, but the Baby Care Center is preferred.

True. But wouldn't you rather nurse in air conditioned comfort, a nice chair, with a CM who will bring you a cup of cool water if you ask, than on a bench in the heat or rain, with passers-by distracting the baby?

Actually, no, lol. If it were in the rain, I wouldn't be at Disneyland with a nursing baby ;)

When I was nursing, I never went to Disneyland alone. I would go with my husband and/or friends. I didn't like having to leave them behind to go to the BCC. I like to spend time with my husband. I'm a SAHM so nursing my first baby alone wasn't a luxury, it was a reality 5 days a week. Disneyland time is family time. So if I stopped to nurse on a bench or on iasw or DLRR or POTC, I still get the time with my family and friends.

If I was there with my older children, it let me still be a mom to them when I needed to nurse. We didn't have to disrupt our day so I could feed the baby. Sometimes I could nurse on a bench while they went on a ride and I got to watch them ride. I had a quiet spot, they had fun, I got to watch. It worked out.

Going to the Baby Care Center is nice but I have to go alone and I felt banished to the little dark room all alone. They wouldn't allow me to bring anyone else in with me. Some people treasure the alone time. I'm a person who treasures the time with my family and friends when I'm at DLR.

And you know what else? I'm not a radical person when it comes to politics or religion or even breastfeeding. All three of my sons were weaned by 14 months. Some call that radical, but I wouldn't. But I have a really strong belief in supporting other mothers. And if my nursing in a public place makes one other woman feel empowered to take care of her baby, it was worth it. Or if my nursing in a public place makes one little girl say: "That's what I'm going to do for my children" it was worth it. And if watching my husband support me in nursing teaches my children how to be good fathers, it was worth it.

There's nothing wrong with the Baby Care Center for nursing, but it's just not my first choice for a number of reasons. I was always very comfortable nursing my children quietly wherever I was.

Adrienne

There's nothing wrong with the Baby Care Center for nursing, but it's just not my first choice for a number of reasons. I was always very comfortable nursing my children quietly wherever I was.
Indeed. My apologies if I came off badly. For my wife, the comfy chair, AC, and relative quiet is a plus.

I am actually excited to see the inside of this place! This being our first child, it's one of the few places inside the park that I haven't set foot. She's on a bottle full-time now, so we don't have to worry about the whole public nursing issue. Hopefully our ever-escalating medical bills won't prevent us from going!

Indeed. My apologies if I came off badly. For my wife, the comfy chair, AC, and relative quiet is a plus.

No need to apologize, I just was offering a different perspective. :)

Adrienne

I am actually excited to see the inside of this place! This being our first child, it's one of the few places inside the park that I haven't set foot. She's on a bottle full-time now, so we don't have to worry about the whole public nursing issue. Hopefully our ever-escalating medical bills won't prevent us from going!

Take your camera ;) The changing tables are something else.

Here's a sneak peek (http://www.mouseplanet.com/akrock/hello.htm)

Adrienne

I found nursing alone to be pretty boring too. Even at home I was generally on the computer, watching tv or supervising the older one.

Aside from the nursing issue, you won't find a cleaner changing table in all of DL to change a baby than the Baby Center. I loved that! I'm not a big fan of changing a child in a crowded bathroom, so we timed the changes for when we were around Main Street (when we could).

And a day will come when you won't be changing your child in DL. After 11 years and three kids, we'll be making our first trip without a "baby." The youngest is four so no more bottles, no more diapers! Ever! We do miss the stroller for carrying stuff so we may use our Disney visa for the free stroller in case our "baby" poops out!

Have a great trip.

We made our first ever theme park visit on Sunday without a stroller. It was HEAVEN. The kids are also big enough now to go on some of the rides alone, which meant that after two or three times with us they were able to ride their favorite little coaster an addiditonal 5 times alone.

As far as your earplug question...I have never used ear plugs for any of my kids BUT I do recomend a knit hat that covers their ears. I always brought a child sized one for my baby (nights are chilly) and then turned up the edge so that there would be a double thickness over their ears. It doesn't block the sound but muffles it and takes the edge off...have fun with your first trip with your baby! :D

:D

The Baby Care Center in California Adventure acutally allowed my husband to come in with me when I nursed. He had to leave if someone else came in, but it was nice that they let him join me when no one else was nursing.

Aside from the nursing issue, you won't find a cleaner changing table in all of DL to change a baby than the Baby Center. I loved that! I'm not a big fan of changing a child in a crowded bathroom, so we timed the changes for when we were around Main Street (when we could).

And a day will come when you won't be changing your child in DL. After 11 years and three kids, we'll be making our first trip without a "baby." The youngest is four so no more bottles, no more diapers! Ever! We do miss the stroller for carrying stuff so we may use our Disney visa for the free stroller in case our "baby" poops out!

Have a great trip.

Even though you won't have to change diapers, those little potties in the BCC are the BEST for little ones.

I was sorry when my kids got too big to go there for the potties. Those are the cleanest (and cutest!) potties EVER!

And I always loved snagging a free cold cup of filtered water there too. Mmmm.

Even though you won't have to change diapers, those little potties in the BCC are the BEST for little ones.

Uh, I'm pretty doubtful that a 4-month-old will be potty trained...

-Jeff

Uh, I'm pretty doubtful that a 4-month-old will be potty trained...

But mkraemer was quoting answering cindyland's post and her youngest is 4-years-old...

After 11 years and three kids, we'll be making our first trip without a "baby." The youngest is four so no more bottles, no more diapers! Ever!

;)

Adrienne

Uh, I'm pretty doubtful that a 4-month-old will be potty trained...

-Jeff


Hey, you never know. My baby has mad skills... :D

1. Your stroller should be perfectly safe in Disneyland... I take an expensive one all the time and never think twice about leaving it (stocked with our belongings) while we're on rides. You probably won't want to use the whole travel system in the parks though... I agree that a smaller stroller is best, but not a traditional umbrella stroller - make sure it reclines, has a sunshade and plenty of basket space for all of your Disney Loot!

2. I disagree wholeheartedly with Adrienne on the Bjorn - my personal favorite for Disneyland (and almost anywhere else) was a Maya Wrap Pouch. It is extremely versatile, you can position your baby many different ways very easily, you can nurse without removing him/her, and you can fold it up and put it in your diaper bag when not using it, it takes up almost no room at all, about as much room as a receiving blanket, maybe less.

3. Max has always needed earplugs when around loud/sudden noises, they bothered him a lot when he was younger, he's gotten better, but he's almost 4 now and I'll still be taking earplugs for him... the best ones I found were the moldable wax ones that you simply press over the opening to their ears - they don't go into the ear canal at all, just seal off the opening - they are mostly used for swimming, but help with noise too.

I'm with Wendi on the Maya Pouch; my wee Celeste is four months old and we just did three days at Sea World with her in there, snug as can be. Personally I never mastered nursing with her in the pouch (or any other sling) but it's still as convenient as can be - I carry her everywhere in that thing. We don't even own a stroller for her.

My husband loves the Bjorn, but it's not comfortable for me. I thought it was because I'm big-chested, but my sister is just as well-endowed as I am and she liked it just fine.

3. My mother was reading somewhere else about how people take earplugs for their little ones, especially during parades, fireworks, etc. Our little one loves music, but I wonder if it would be TOO much. Any experience with this?


When my cousin's daughter was small she used the ear muff style ones. She liked them better than ear plugs because nothing goes in the ear. I don't know how they would fit on a baby though.

Ok so I just have to share - I was with a friend who wanted to have someone around while she nursed - we girls love to chat. After her nursing session in front of the fireplace at the GCH... we walked through the lobby into DTD ... Having a great time, felt something on the back of my leg, turns out that I had her nipple shield that she uses for nursing stuck to the back of my leg the whole time!!!! LOL.... We laughed so hard to the point we were crying ...still can't figure out how it got on the back of my leg and managed to stick.Actually, no, lol. If it were in the rain, I wouldn't be at Disneyland with a nursing baby ;)

When I was nursing, I never went to Disneyland alone. I would go with my husband and/or friends. I didn't like having to leave them behind to go to the BCC. I like to spend time with my husband. I'm a SAHM so nursing my first baby alone wasn't a luxury, it was a reality 5 days a week. Disneyland time is family time. So if I stopped to nurse on a bench or on iasw or DLRR or POTC, I still get the time with my family and friends.

If I was there with my older children, it let me still be a mom to them when I needed to nurse. We didn't have to disrupt our day so I could feed the baby. Sometimes I could nurse on a bench while they went on a ride and I got to watch them ride. I had a quiet spot, they had fun, I got to watch. It worked out.

Going to the Baby Care Center is nice but I have to go alone and I felt banished to the little dark room all alone. They wouldn't allow me to bring anyone else in with me. Some people treasure the alone time. I'm a person who treasures the time with my family and friends when I'm at DLR.

And you know what else? I'm not a radical person when it comes to politics or religion or even breastfeeding. All three of my sons were weaned by 14 months. Some call that radical, but I wouldn't. But I have a really strong belief in supporting other mothers. And if my nursing in a public place makes one other woman feel empowered to take care of her baby, it was worth it. Or if my nursing in a public place makes one little girl say: "That's what I'm going to do for my children" it was worth it. And if watching my husband support me in nursing teaches my children how to be good fathers, it was worth it.

There's nothing wrong with the Baby Care Center for nursing, but it's just not my first choice for a number of reasons. I was always very comfortable nursing my children quietly wherever I was.

Adrienne