Wanted to throw this out there to parents visiting DCA... I was told in the baby center that there is NO microwave for parents' use in the entire park!! The DL baby center does have one, but not DCA. Very lame! So plan meals accordingly. We brought the microwavable Gerber Graduates Lil' Entrees thinking they'd be great-- just heat and serve a yummy healthy meal. My guy ate it cold!:( He didn't mind though, loves his pasta regardless!

Super lame to have no microwave.

I believe that White Water Snacks in GCH has a microwave. Not the most convenient, but it's an option.

Ok, I might not be popular for this but I'll say it anyway:

I'm not that upset about this. A Gerber little kid's meal isn't going to be all that healthier than buying a child's meal in the park. There are many locations that sell fresh fruit that little ones can eat. I've done this with all three of my sons and the fruit portions are usually big enough that the rest of us can have a nibble or two for a healthy snack option for us.

My kids love picking out the shredded carrots from our salads and other veggies off of our plates. There's lots of opportunities to get cooked vegetables (since babies can't eat raw carrots, obviously,) or fresh fruit in the parks.

A kid's meal with chicken nuggets supplemented with fruits & vegetables from elsewhere won't be much less healthy than a sodium packed Gerber entree. High chairs are rather readily available at the DLR restaurants, too, and it doesn't require making a special trip to the baby care center to heat it up or feed the baby.

Now, I nursed my kids so warming water for formula wasn't an issue for me. Microwaves and expressed milk are not friends. The only use for a microwave is to warm water to put the bottle in if you need to warm it. I never had a problem getting a cup of hot water in a restaurant if I needed it. And most material I've read advises against warming water in a microwave for formula, too, or from warming pre-mixed formula in a microwave.

It's been awhile since I've been in the DCA BCC - do they have a hot pot available to warm water if needed? That's the main concern I'd have for making baby feeding more convenient for parents.

Adrienne

I was thinking exactly what you wrote, Adrienne.

I assume that they have hot water in the DCA Baby Center, correct? If so, we'll be alright. We make formula using warm running water, never the microwave. Is this true?

We make formula using warm running water, never the microwave. Is this true?

Yes, they have sinks so they have warm running water.

Adrienne

Yes, they have sinks so they have warm running water.

Adrienne

Makes sense...but since my little girl came, I have made a catalog in my head of which faucets I am around with regularity that inexplicably DON'T have hot water. Thanks for the good news!

Ok, I might not be popular for this but I'll say it anyway:

I'm not that upset about this. A Gerber little kid's meal isn't going to be all that healthier than buying a child's meal in the park. There are many locations that sell fresh fruit that little ones can eat. I've done this with all three of my sons and the fruit portions are usually big enough that the rest of us can have a nibble or two for a healthy snack option for us.

My kids love picking out the shredded carrots from our salads and other veggies off of our plates. There's lots of opportunities to get cooked vegetables (since babies can't eat raw carrots, obviously,) or fresh fruit in the parks.
A kid's meal with chicken nuggets supplemented with fruits & vegetables from elsewhere won't be much less healthy than a sodium packed Gerber entree. High chairs are rather readily available at the DLR restaurants, too, and it doesn't require making a special trip to the baby care center to heat it up or feed the baby.

Now, I nursed my kids so warming water for formula wasn't an issue for me. Microwaves and expressed milk are not friends. The only use for a microwave is to warm water to put the bottle in if you need to warm it. I never had a problem getting a cup of hot water in a restaurant if I needed it. And most material I've read advises against warming water in a microwave for formula, too, or from warming pre-mixed formula in a microwave.

It's been awhile since I've been in the DCA BCC - do they have a hot pot available to warm water if needed? That's the main concern I'd have for making baby feeding more convenient for parents.

Adrienne

I know a lot of parents who come to DL or DCA think about:

A. Being able to bring their own foods into the park because: 1- we assume there aren't that many meal options within the park for babies, 2- if there are options (supplements not full meals), they're probably ridiculously priced (like the $1.75 bananas :rolleyes: ), 3- their child may have certian diet restrictions, allergies, etc.
B. Having the means to heat up foods.

That's simply where I was going with my post. I thought it was bizarre that the DL BCC had a microwave, and the DCA BCC did not. I would've liked to know before hand so I that I could have been prepared. Hopefully I gave some parents some useful info!! :)

Having said that, it's obvious this thread veered off on another tangent. Plain and simple: what we all choose to feed our children is a matter of choice. And I know I'm not the first or the last to bring in --gasp-- commercial baby food. Oh, the horror. Sometimes, even if families foster very healthy diets at home (lots of fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, no red meat, yadda yadda, blah blah blah), there are occasions when they'll step out of the box just for a moment and think about what would make the day easier. 10 hours in an amusement park equals LOTS of things to bring for baby... we all know this. On top of all the diapers and wipes, extra clothes, bottles of water, formula, etc., its very difficult to conveniently and safely pack fresh and ready to serve foods within the space of my diaper bag. Kudos to you for serving your kids fresh fruits at the park, but if your kids were truly going to eat healthy meals they would need much more than apples and shredded carrots, and I am not about to create a baby meal time scavenger hunt by searching one café for a whole grain muffin, a fruit stand for a banana, and then a restaurant to see if I can purchase plain, steamed carrots. Its not happening, and I highly doubt there are parents anal enough to create a hectic day at Disneyland just to fabricate a fabulous meal for their little one who is crying and hungry for food. Jiminy Cricket…. give parents a break.

I believe its safer to assume that one Gerber Graduates Little Entrees probably has much less sodium and fat than the DEEP FRIED chicken nuggets and the goopy, cheesy mac and cheese they serve at DL. Those foods are intended for older children, whose palates are accustomed to not only high flavor but also high sodium, high fat, high sugar, high (fill in the blank... we could be here forever). And those items ARE high in sodium, fat, etc. There's no way I'm going to believe "a kid's meal with chicken nuggets supplemented with fruits & vegetables from elsewhere won't be much less healthy than a sodium packed Gerber entree." Gerber grads may not be prime choice for the ultimate, healthy baby meal… I know this. Some perks of Gerber Grad meals?? No preservatives, artificial colors or flavors, no nitrites... bite size easy to handle chunks and pieces... made and created for young ones... all packed in convenientpackages, jars, and microwaveable trays.

Whatever. I'll get off my soapbox too. Bottom line: There's a microwave at DL BCC but not at DCA BCC. Whatever you choose to warm up is your business.

Having said that, it's obvious this thread veered off on another tangent.

Like I said, I didn't expect my position to be popular. As for a "tangent", I would like to think of my post as a helpful suggestion for how to cope at DCA without a microwave. That would take care of point A-1, for parents who don't assume there are many meal options for children in the parks, I just gave them some "how to cope without a microwave" alternatives.

As for the prices at the theme parks, (and again, I know this won't win me any popularity contests,) if I'm going to a theme park, I have to plan for high prices of food. If I don't want to pay $1.75 for a banana, I can bring my own and I won't need a microwave to eat it.

And as for "give parents a break" - I am a parent. I've been schlepping diaper bags, strollers (single and tandem) and backpacks to Disneyland and DCA for approaching 8 years now. I used to bring cloth diapers to the park with my youngest. Believe me, I know about a very tightly packed diaper bag, LOL!

I do bring my own snacks, by the way. I've brought in sandwiches, too. When I bring in "more than snacks," I usually keep my homemade picnic small enough to fit into a soft-sided cooler and if I can't, we can plan ahead to store a cooler in a picnic area locker, my car or my hotel room. Crackers (you can get whole grain crackers if that's a health issue for you,), string cheese, fresh fruit, milk, 100% juice boxes, water bottles, etc. The list looks long but they really don't take up much space in a backpack and the stroller helps carry the backpack/diaper bag. (I just put the water bottles in the basket of the stroller, no need to have to carry those in the backpack.)

I knew not everyone would agree with my position, but I didn't realize I was going to get accused of getting on my soapbox. I mean, my soapbox really IS very well worn and notorious around here, but usually when I get on the soapbox, my posts are much longer and I tend to announce it myself ;)

Adrienne

LIKE I SAID.....
There IS a microwave at the Disneyland Baby Care Center.
There IS NOT a microwave at California Adventure.

If you weren't on your soap box before, you sure jumped on during your last post.

This was about a microwave. Not you.

Unless something changed recently, I don't believe the DL Baby Care Center has a microwave either. Both Baby Care Centers used to have them, but they replaced them with steam-based bottle warmers a while back.

-Jeff

I can't believe there's no microwave at DCA!

What about the children? Doesn't Disney care?

Both Baby Care Centers used to have them, but they replaced them with steam-based bottle warmers a while back.

So both Baby Care Centers have bottle warmers? Thanks for the info, Jeff.

Adrienne

I know a lot of parents who come to DL or DCA think about:

A. Being able to bring their own foods into the park because: 1- we assume there aren't that many meal options within the park for babies, 2- if there are options (supplements not full meals), they're probably ridiculously priced (like the $1.75 bananas :rolleyes: ), 3- their child may have certian diet restrictions, allergies, etc.
B. Having the means to heat up foods.

That's simply where I was going with my post. I thought it was bizarre that the DL BCC had a microwave, and the DCA BCC did not. I would've liked to know before hand so I that I could have been prepared. Hopefully I gave some parents some useful info!! :)

Having said that, it's obvious this thread veered off on another tangent. Plain and simple: what we all choose to feed our children is a matter of choice. And I know I'm not the first or the last to bring in --gasp-- commercial baby food. Oh, the horror. Sometimes, even if families foster very healthy diets at home (lots of fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, no red meat, yadda yadda, blah blah blah), there are occasions when they'll step out of the box just for a moment and think about what would make the day easier. 10 hours in an amusement park equals LOTS of things to bring for baby... we all know this. On top of all the diapers and wipes, extra clothes, bottles of water, formula, etc., its very difficult to conveniently and safely pack fresh and ready to serve foods within the space of my diaper bag. Kudos to you for serving your kids fresh fruits at the park, but if your kids were truly going to eat healthy meals they would need much more than apples and shredded carrots, and I am not about to create a baby meal time scavenger hunt by searching one café for a whole grain muffin, a fruit stand for a banana, and then a restaurant to see if I can purchase plain, steamed carrots. Its not happening, and I highly doubt there are parents anal enough to create a hectic day at Disneyland just to fabricate a fabulous meal for their little one who is crying and hungry for food. Jiminy Cricket…. give parents a break.

I believe its safer to assume that one Gerber Graduates Little Entrees probably has much less sodium and fat than the DEEP FRIED chicken nuggets and the goopy, cheesy mac and cheese they serve at DL. Those foods are intended for older children, whose palates are accustomed to not only high flavor but also high sodium, high fat, high sugar, high (fill in the blank... we could be here forever). And those items ARE high in sodium, fat, etc. There's no way I'm going to believe "a kid's meal with chicken nuggets supplemented with fruits & vegetables from elsewhere won't be much less healthy than a sodium packed Gerber entree." Gerber grads may not be prime choice for the ultimate, healthy baby meal… I know this. Some perks of Gerber Grad meals?? No preservatives, artificial colors or flavors, no nitrites... bite size easy to handle chunks and pieces... made and created for young ones... all packed in convenientpackages, jars, and microwaveable trays.

Whatever. I'll get off my soapbox too. Bottom line: There's a microwave at DL BCC but not at DCA BCC. Whatever you choose to warm up is your business.


Just wanted to say that I agree! Yeah, the Gerber Graduates might now be perfect...but I really think they'd be better than chicken nuggets! My dd really liked the little chicken and carrot filled ravioli by Gerber Graduates. Add some other fresh fruits etc. and that is way better. Especially while at DL. I was interested in this thread because of the microwave- we like to bring soup to add a little variety to our kids meals while on vacation (when all they eat is Mac n Cheese, and all the basic kid meals. There are lots of healthy soups they will eat and it seems a bit healthier than chicken nuggets, etc everyday! Good to know there is a microwave at least in DL...dd4 just loves soup. :)

I guess I'm having a hard time understanding the purpose for a microwave at DCA.

If it's for warming baby bottles, they seem to have that taken care of with the bottle warmer. Did you know that the water in the Baby Care Centers is filtered to make formula-making easier?

If it's about having food that a toddler will eat, I think there are lots of ways to buy food at Disneyland that toddlers will eat.

If it's about having food that is "healthier" than a traditional kids meal, I don't see how a microwave at DCA achieves that goal. I'm sorry, nothing is going to convince me that any processed food product off a grocery store shelf (that doesn't require refrigeration, no less) is all that much healthier. And I know there are healthy options that don't require refrigeration. Yes, eating healthy does require doing a little research before going on a vacation.

If it's about a special diet, one thing that Disney is well known for is that people can contact the chefs ahead of their vacation to discuss special dietary restrictions. And I've often been able to make special requests at Disney restaurants to have menu items adjusted, without calling ahead.

If it's about saving money and bringing in your own food, I think there are many foods that can be brought in that don't require microwaves. And I don't feel bad that DCA doesn't offer a microwave for this need. They're a business. Why should they?

In addition, many local motels and hotels offer microwaves in rooms. I have to think that if you're staying that long that budgeting for food is an issue, a trip back to the hotel for lunch and a nap isn't an unreasonable thing to do?

Now, before anyone goes out and tries to make this about me and my soapbox, I just want to say that I'd like not to be a distraction to this discussion. I think that comments about my soapbox aren't conducive to the discussion and distract from the topic.

Adrienne

And I don't feel bad that DCA doesn't offer a microwave for this need. They're a business. Why should they?

Well, for one reason, it appears that a decent number of DLR customers want one. Good businesses try to satisfy their customers.

The way I see it, I'm a parent who just dropped $200 to get my wife and 2 kids into DCA. I've got food I need to heat so my kids can eat and get back on the rides. Hey Iger, gimme my microwave oven!

adriennek... I would have to say that the biggest distraction is your inability to stick to the main topic.

The use and importance of microwaves is subjective. My goal was to be helpful to those who may need a microwave at either park. I wanted to share my experience and help parents on a topic that hasn't been discussed. Being helpful and sharing tips is what this board is about, right??? I see you have much to share about child nutrition, DLR, parenting, and such. That's great and all, but really, seriously... all's fine and well in this thread, and the constant flip flopping of Gerber Graduates versus fast food is not necessary. Again, for the 3rd time: this a microwave topic.

I see you don't need a microwave on your trips... I get that. As you've so clearly stated: "I guess I'm having a hard time understanding the purpose for a microwave at DCA... I don't feel bad that DCA doesn't offer a microwave... I won't need a microwave to eat... Ok, I might not be popular for this but I'll say it anyway: I'm not that upset about this." (In regards to DCA not having a microwave)

Is there something deeper going on here?? Perhaps you've had bad experiences with microwaves. Burnt popcorn...uneven results while defrosting a frozen chicken... fear of 1600 watts in RF energy with no kind of shielding?? :confused: Really, microwaves ARE okay. Its alright. There, there...:crying:

This thread is obviously of no use to you.


Why stay??

I am really surprized that noone has brought up the issue of safety (think lawsuits) and microwave use.

Although microwaves heat food quickly, they are not recommended for heating a baby's bottle. The bottle may seem cool to the touch, but the liquid inside may become extremely hot and could burn the baby's mouth and throat.


Also, the buildup of steam in a closed container, such as a baby bottle, could cause it to explode.

Almost all baby centers in stores and community centers around here have replaced microwaves with bottle warmers.

I also think it might have something to do with the research that proves microwaving plastic can leach the plastic of known cancer causing chemicals. They have not YET proved that microwaved food will give you cancer but they know that it the plastic releases something called dioxins and DEHA (or something I can't remember). I know a bunch of internet chain letters went around about the cancer stuff and why would Disney want to take a risk a lawsuit??? After all you are not really supposed to bring food in right?(I am sure someone will correct me is I am wrong) It seems like a logical thing to do is skip the nuker and put a bottle warmer.

I am really surprized that noone has brought up the issue of safety (think lawsuits) and microwave use.



Then why does DISNEYLAND offer it, while DCA does not:confused:

I am really surprized that noone has brought up the issue of safety (think lawsuits) and microwave use.

I mentioned that microwaves are not appropriate for heating bottles.

Darkbeer: I wouldn't be surprised if the DL still has their microwave merely because it hasn't broken yet. If they have steam bottle warmers, I wouldn't be surprised if they don't replace it once it breaks.

This thread is obviously of no use to you.


Why stay??

I could really do without the hostility and the patronizing language. Seriously.

My job is to read these forums. My job is to help people on these forums. If you or anyone with a need would answer any of my questions, I would like to help. Whether or not you believe that is not my problem.

You have identified a problem: There is no microwave at DCA for parents.

Apparently, your purpose for the thread was to warn other parents.

I would like to try to help other parents. Ok, there's no microwave at DCA, let's try to problem solve ways to go to DCA without a microwave. If the point of this thread was to alert parents, let's gather strategies for dealing with the situation.

Surely it would be a more productive use of this thread than continuing to berate or attempt to belittle me.

Adrienne

Well, most of us know the Little tods are WAY past the microwave warming of anything besides Bagel Bites or Hot Pockets and the occasional Peep. I don't know if Disneyland had a microwave in the baby center when the boys were small enough to need baby food. I never felt the need to bring along more than the occasional jar and there's plenty out there that doesn't require warming.

The diaper bag usually contained, along with cloth diapers (yes, cloth!) bananas, carrot sticks (once they had teeth), jars of most types of baby food. I never had anyone in a DL kitchen establishment refuse to warm food for us, in fact if I didn't ask they would offer. As they got older there were many places we could eat at the park where appropriate food was available, even to be shared from our meals.

I'm sure you find the lack of nuking ability at DCA annoying, but people visited Disneyland with infants and toddlers for, what...25 or 30 years without having a microwave in sight. There's more than one way to skin a cat...or feed a youngster.

-TLMt

Then why does DISNEYLAND offer it, while DCA does not:confused:

Disneyland doesn't have one either. As I stated earlier in this thread, both parks removed the microwaves from their Baby Care Centers and replaced them with bottle warmers several months ago.

-Jeff

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