Hey, friends! Are you looking to take your little on to Disney? Do you feel like you have 1000 questions and 2000 worries about what to do and what could go wrong?

Don’t worry — I’ve been in your shoes, and I’m here to HELP! Not only have I been working here at DFB for over 5 years but I also used to be a Cast Member. So, I happen to know Disney like the back of my hand. BUT I don’t live right next door to Disney. I actually live all the way in Texas. So, I only get to go to the parks every now and then. Because of that, I have to pack and prepare for a Disney trip like most of you likely have to do as well. SO, when I took my then 10 month old to Disneyland for the first time, I had so many questions and stresses. And honestly, I learned quite a few lessons the hard way. I’m here to share some of those struggles so you can avoid then when you take your little(s) to Disney!

Expect the Unexpected

If you’re a parent, then you obviously know that babies and children can be pretty unpredictable, especially when they are in a new place. Will they want to ride in the stroller? Who knows. Will they want to be held? Who knows. Will they want to crawl or walk around? Probably because that happens to be pretty darn stressful for us parents at Disney. Going in with the mindset that things might not go as planned and knowing that your little is going to have plans of their own is the best way to set yourself up for success!

I seriously wasn’t prepared for Emmitt, my son, to want to be down trying to explore at Disneyland as much as he did. He wasn’t walking at the time but was a very quick crawler. He also loved pulling up on things and standing as much as he could. For some reason, I thought he was going to be so chill and just would want to snuggle in the stroller and look around at all of the pretty scenery. Well, I was WRONG. Very wrong. And if you know Disney, you know there aren’t too many areas where it’s easy for a baby to crawl around. This lead to quite a bit of frustration and was something that I wish I would have planned for a bit more.

Lesson: Expect your littles to really want to get down and explore. This is all so new to them. They will want to look but they might want to touch and feel as well.
What I learned: If I were to take an infant to Disney again, I’d bring a few more pairs of shoes/socks so they aren’t caught barefoot when they want to explore. I’d also bring a travel blanket or picnic blanket so there’s a nice cozy spot for them to explore. We spent a lot of time in Toon Town on the grassy area but in the mornings, the turf was really wet and Emmitt would end up soaking wet!

Clean Those Hands!

So, on the last day of our trip, Emmitt became really fussy. I thought he was likely just exhausted from all the go, go, go. But NOPE. When we woke up to head home the next day, we figured out that he had actually caught a really bad tummy bug that had my entire family sick for a week after we got back home.

He had been touching all kinds of stuff throughout our trip, and I honestly hadn’t done the best job at making sure his paci and hands were squeaky clean.

The next time we go to the parks, I plan on washing my hands and Emmitt’s every time someone in our group stops for the bathroom, even if we don’t need to go. I am also going to set a few little alarms to remind me to clean his paci and to put on some hand sanitizer just to add an extra layer of caution. The days are so fast paced, so I’m hoping little alarms will really help remind me to clean his paci and will help keep those germs away!

Lesson: Germs exist, even at the Happiest Place on Earth. (No duh, I know. But my baby getting sick was the last worry I had on my mind when taking him to the parks.)
What I learned: Overdo it when it comes to keeping your babies hands and paci clean!

You might spend a lot of time at the Baby Care Center

I expected to be at the Baby Care Center every now and then but I truly felt like I lived at the Baby Care Centers on my trip. This was OK because the Baby Care Centers truly are nice but I got pretty lonely. Of course, I could have nursed and changed Emmitt elsewhere but this was just the most private and cleanest spot to do it. Also, at Disneyland, you don’t feel like you’re walking forever and ever to get the Baby Care Centers since the parks aren’t insanely huge.

But if you are planning to feed and change your baby at the Baby Care Center, maybe download a few Disney movies on your phone or something. Then you can still feel connected to the magic while you’re having to step away for a bit!

What I didn’t realize and wanted to share for any moms that are needing to pump while in the parks is that Disney cannot store your milk. So if you are needing to keep milk cool, you’re going to need to find a way to preserve it on your own!

Lesson: Bringing a baby to the parks can feel kinda of lonely.
Lesson I learned: Find other ways to feel connected to the magic while you’re feeding your little. Listen to some Disney tunes or watch a Disney movie on your phone. Oh, and if you’re a pumping mama, have a plan for your milk!

These are just a few of the lessons I learned about taking my little to Disney for the first time. I’m taking him to Disney World for the very first time this fall, so I can’t wait to come back to share all my takes and all the lessons I learn!

What tips do you have for taking a baby to Disney World? Let us know in the comments below! 

The post 3 Lessons I Learned the Hard Way About Taking a Baby to Disney first appeared on the disney food blog.