The Ultimate Guide to Bringing Your Baby to Disney World

Where to Stay

 

Disney Resorts are among the most family-friendly of all hotels.  They provide the added benefit of Extra Magic Hours, allowing you more flexibility in planning your time in the parks.  Whether you stay at a Value, Moderate, or Deluxe Resort there are many options that will meet your needs.

When determining which resort and room are right for you, make sure you check the maximum occupancy.  The good news here is that you are allowed one additional infant in any room (i.e. if the room sleeps 4 adults, you are allowed 4 adults plus 1 infant).  However, if you are traveling with more than one child under 3, the others will count towards the total (e.g. 2 adults with 4 children ages 10, 6, 1, and 2 months would require a room for 5).

Disney Resort hotels offer a wide range of amenities that can make your trip go much more smoothly.  Here are some features to consider:

Proximity to the Theme Parks

Most families with young children spend the majority of their time at Magic Kingdom, so check out resorts such as Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, and Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.  If you’ll spend more time in Epcot, try Disney’s Beach Club Resort, Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, or Disney’s BoardWalk Inn.  And if you’ll be in Animal Kingdom, there’s no better place than Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.  These options will get you as close to the parks as you can be, significantly cutting down on transit time.

Monorail Access

Complimentary transportation is offered throughout Walt Disney World Resort, but keep in mind you’ll have to be prepared to fold up and stow your stroller on all buses, trams, and boats.  The one exception is the Disney monorail service which allows you to simply roll your stroller on-board.  The three resorts located on the monorail path are Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, and Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.  The resort monorail drops you off at the Transportation and Ticket Center where you can board a separate monorail to either Magic Kingdom or Epcot.  It is also the fastest way to travel between those theme parks and your resort hotel.

Walking Access

If you’d like to limit use of the transportation systems, several resorts offer walking access to the theme parks.  A sidewalk connects Disney’s Contemporary Resort to Magic Kingdom and takes only about 5 minutes.  You can also walk from Disney’s Beach Club Resort, Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, or Disney’s BoardWalk Inn to Epcot’s International Gateway entrance (note: the World Showcase side, not the main entrance).  This would allow you to keep your child in his/her stroller en route to the parks.  Additionally, you can choose to drive to the parks and walk from the parking lot to any of the entrances (except for Magic Kingdom where you can walk to the monorail station instead).

Kitchens & Kitchenettes

While all Disney Resort hotel rooms come standard with a mini-fridge and a vanity sink, only suites, cabins, or villas come with options for a microwave or freezer.  You can find a kitchenette (mini-fridge, microwave, sink) at Disney’s All-Star Music Resort Family Suites, Disney’s Art of Animation Family Suites, or at any of the Deluxe Villa studios.  You can get a full kitchen at the Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort or at any of the Deluxe Villa Resorts (1-Bedroom or larger).  Full kitchens include a full-sized refrigerator and freezer, a dishwasher, a stove/oven, a toaster, and a microwave.  If you’re a nursing mother requiring proper milk storage or a bottle-feeding mother with a lot of bottles to clean, these can be great options.

Laundry Facilities

All Disney Resorts have self-service laundry rooms that accept coins or credit/debit card.  Detergent is available for purchase and they’ll even send you a text message when the cycle is done so you don’t need to check repeatedly.  If you’re traveling with several small children or spending more than a few days on your trip (which I hope you are!), you might want to consider a Deluxe Villa.  1-Bedroom (or larger) Villas provide an in-room washer/dryer and a complimentary single-use box of detergent.  Knowing you’ll have laundry services available lets you pack less (potentially lowering airline baggage fees) and save room for souvenirs.  You can also hand wash items in the sink and hang them to dry on the pull-out drying line in the shower.

Space for Baby

If your baby needs a quiet, non-distracting space to sleep, you might want to consider a family suite, cabin, or villa that will provide a separate bedroom and living area.  This is great if the family wants to stay up past Baby’s bedtime or someone just needs a nap.  Another option is to place the pack n’ play behind the curtain in the sink area (when available) in order to shield the child from some of the activity in the room (this is what we did when we stayed at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter).  Remember that a crib or pack n’ play will take up some space in your room so you may appreciate the extra space that a Moderate or Deluxe Resort offers over a Value Resort.

No matter which Disney Resort you choose, you can request a portable crib (i.e. pack n’ play) or a high chair for the room.  You can make the request when you book your trip, but it doesn’t hurt to verify your request at check-in.  If you’re staying in a Deluxe Villa both items will automatically be provided in your room.  If you would prefer a full-sized crib for your child, you can rent one from Kingdom Strollers and have it delivered (and picked up) directly to/from your resort.  They also offer inflatable toddler beds and crib rails.

What to Bring –>