Baby's first time!

Hello all! I am a first time poster here who would love your help. My husband and I are big Disney fans who have spent lots of time at DLR. However, we have not been there since we had our baby girl, who will be 11 months old when we visit Nov 27-29. Do you have any tips, thoughts, or suggestions? I am SO excited to share this with our little sweetheart!

Just traveled with my sister to Disney World, where should brought her 8 month old son on his first Disney trip. She located the baby care centers for breaks and generally went back to the hotel room after lunch for a nap. We didn’t see nearly as many attractions as in years past, but she and her husband did well to prevent any major meltdowns. As a result, my best advice is just to not push things and stay in the park too long each day.

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My youngest son was about 13 months when we took him. We had older kids so we had to keep the balance between them all. With just your little girl, it should be easier for you.

I would plan around her naps and sleeping schedule as best you can. Even now with older kids we plan for an afternoon break. It helps keep the crabbies away.

One of the great things about Disney is that there are so many rides you can ride together. That helps a lot.

We also spent a lot of time exploring the little things. Some examples were, watching ducks, slash fountains and play areas. He loved the aquariums in Epcot and the Garden railroad in Germany.

Be prepared that she may or may not like characters, especially the face characters. Some little ones love them and others are terrified. My kids were not fans when they were younger.

I would be cautious of 3D shows like Mickeys Philharmagic. They are loud.

If you brave the fireworks, I would stay to back to give yourself a quick exit if she’s afraid. Plus, it is not pleasant in the mob of people and even less so with a baby.

I think what my son loved the most about his first trip was the pool and Splash fountains at the hotel. He just loved it and I have great memories. Just watching him enjoy it.

Just enjoy watching what catches her attention and cherish every moment.

Have a great trip!

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I’ve taken a 6 week old to DL. It’s a great place for babies because you can take your baby on any ride without a height requirement, which are quite a few. Work around your baby’s schedule. You don’t have to go to the baby center. There are a lot of secluded spots around DL to just let your baby sleep in his stroller. I was there last spring with my nephew’s family, who DS was just 13 months old. I took care of him when they, with their DD4, went on bigger rides or when he was sleeping. I would recommend going back to the room mid day for a real nap. Otherwise she probably will give out before the evening shows.

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Thank you so much everyone! We will definitely be taking the advice on afternoon naps back at the hotel. We are staying a little over a mile from DLR, but it is a short walk from the Toy Story parking lot, so we are planning on using the buses from the lot to get back and forth. We are unsure if she will like the characters or not. She has NO stranger danger and rarely gets very scared, so we will see. Good tip on the loud noises at Mickey’s Philharmagic. I didn’t think about that. We are very excited to see her little face. She is a super smiley baby and she always gets excited by music and bright colors, so Disneyland seems like the perfect place for her!