Do NOT put off your Disney World Vacation until your children are older. Here is why Young Children and Disney World can make for a great vacation experience!

Young Children and Disney World

Here are some of our top reasons for taking little ones to the magic at an early age!

Children under age 3 are FREE!

Children under the age of three are free. You heard that right! Something at Disney World is free! In all seriousness though, with ticket prices rising every year and the addition of special hard ticket events that you will want to attend, taking the plunge when your children are still small will give you the chance to experience the magic without adding to the bottom line.

Attractions for the Entire Family

While your infant may not remember their first time on It’s A Small World, you certainly will! Babies are actually incredibly easy at Disney World in that they can nap in a stroller and you can put them on your lap or strap them to your chest on rides. The Magic Kingdom alone has over 20 guest experiences for the entire family, regardless of age or height to enjoy together!

Baby Care Centers

Every park has a Baby Center on site where families can go if they need a cool, quiet place to feed, change or relax with their little ones. They are clean, accessible and even sell the essentials in case you run out or an accident takes place.

Complimentary Transportation for Onsite Guests

If you are staying on Disney property you have access to the complimentary transportation to and from the parks, Disney Springs and your resort. It may not seem like a huge thing, but it can in fact be instrumental in allowing your party to go back to the resort midday for a rest and to recharge. It takes the stress of figuring out how you will get everywhere and just allow you to make memories even before you step foot in the parks.

Ability to Plan Ahead

While all Disney vacations need to have some flexibility, the fact that you can plan out dining and fastpass+ reservations far in advance can help you prepare. This is something that is essential when travelling with little ones. If you know your two-year-old needs to nap at 3 in the afternoon, you can book all of your fastpass+ reservations for early in the day, plan for a character breakfast and be back in your hotel room in time. If you know your four-year-old is dying to meet Mickey and Minnie, you don’t have to leave it to chance by getting and grab a fastpass for the character spot at Epcot.

The ability to pre-plan the must-do experiences for your party and the built-in flexibility with My Disney Experience to make changes as needed, will give you the balance your family needs to enjoy your time.

Themed Resorts

Disney World has the best themed resorts hands down and are an experience to be had apart from the parks. Little ones will enjoy an afternoon or day spent at the resort pool as much as they will on the ride they were looking forward to the most, (trust us). A Disney World vacation does not have to focus on crowds or wait times, which can be consuming and frustrating when corralling small children.Taking advantage of your resort amenities is a must-do regardless of age but especially with younger ones.

Young Children and Disney World go hand in hand, just like Mickey and Minnie!

These are just a few of the reasons why you don’t have to wait to take your first family trip to Disney World. While your experiences will definitely change and grow as your kids get older, start making memories now, you won’t regret it! Remember, you are making memories as parents, too!

Speaking of children and Disney World, here are some great tips on NOT losing your child while visiting!

We have a Facebook group that is totally dedicated to all things Disney and we would love to have you join us!! Just click this link: DISNEY EXPRESS LANE.

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A Guide to Breastfeeding and Pumping at Disney World

Know the Law

First things first, know the law for where you are vacationing. Florida is a very pro-breastfeeding state. Florida law protects the mother’s right to breastfeed in public. The law basically says that if you have a right to be somewhere (i.e. you aren’t trespassing), then you have the right to feed your child there. It is at your discretion to cover up and you do NOT have to nurse your child in a bathroom. I am quite modest and didn’t want to flash anyone during the transition to feed the baby, so I invested in a nursing scarf. This was my favorite: the infinity nursing scarf. Some of you are probably much better at this, so again, use your own discretion here.

Know Before You Go

Now that you know it’s perfectly legal and ok to breastfeed/nurse at Disney World, there are some other important things to note. In my opinion, the most important thing you can do before going on any vacation is to become familiar with where you are going. Check out the airport before you leave or scope out the rest areas on your drive. MCO has some great breastfeeding and pumping pods that make it easy to feed an active eater or pump in a bit of privacy.

Also, really get to know the parks before you leave. Study those maps well and know where your top three rides are located. Then map out where they are in proximity to Baby Care Centers or the rides and attractions that are best for nursing/pumping (those blogs are coming soon). You never know when you will have a hungry baby and we all know a hungry baby quickly progresses to a mad baby.

Baby Care Centers

About those Baby Care Centers… These havens have great air conditioning and dedicated rooms for nursing mothers. They even have places to pump! You can also change diapers here, heat up water for formula or baby food, and even watch a movie with older siblings to give them a break if they are suffering from sensory overload (as my family calls it). Better yet, they have tons of items for sale that you may have forgotten to pack. This is the gold standard for the best place to feed or care for your baby while in the parks.

Pumping

If you are pumping, don’t forget to bring or purchase a portable battery for your pump. There aren’t a lot of outlets in some of the parks. A battery option will save you from being in agony while trying to find an outlet. If you need to save your milk for later, consider bringing a small cooler and ice/gel packs to keep the milk cool. When pumping, it’s a good idea to take a mid-day break so that you can take the milk back and place it in the mini fridge in your hotel.

Utilize Rider Switch

Also, make sure you have a good touring plan in mind. When you schedule Fastpass+ times, look for areas where you can nurse or chill out with the baby while the others ride. If you have an older child, utilize the rider switch option. I recommend nursing the baby while your partner takes the older child to ride. When they return from the Fastpass or stand-by line, hand the baby off for burping and play time, then redeem your rider swap ticket to ride with the older child.

Having a little brother or sister isn’t always rainbows and unicorns, but Disney really gives the older children a great benefit for all those sleepless nights. Rider switch let’s them ride twice so both parents can have a chance to enjoy the ride with their child. Rider switch is good for one adult and up to three additional guests. Find out more about Rider Switch HERE.

Quick Tip: Whoever rides first with the child must remember to ask for the Rider swap ticket at the first AND second kiosk where you scan your MagicBand. If you forget, you are out of luck and the other parent will have to wait all over again in the long line stand by line to ride with the child.

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