Tag Archives: Disney world

Disney World in the Summer

Tips on doing Disney World in the summer (with a BABY!). Great tips to read for later!

Tips on doing Disney World in the summer (with a BABY!). Great tips to read for later!

We just got back from a week-long trip to Disney World. We went the last week of June. Yes, summer. I had at least 5 people ask me “you’re going to disney in this HEAT?” or “Wow, good luck doing Disney in the summer”. Summer in Florida is known for being very hot, very humid, very rainy, and super sticky. All of this can make doing Disney World unbearable and uncomfortable. However, with a few tips + tricks you can actually have an amazing + semi-cool trip in the summer!

So here are my 10 tips for doing Disney World in the SUMMER with a BABY!

1// Go at night – When we went to Disney, we didn’t start our day in the parks until AFTER 4:30pm. This may seem crazy to some people, but honestly it’s my best trick for staying comfortable during the summer. After 4:30, the sun is significantly cooler and the majority of the big crowds leaves at this time. Most lines were 30 minutes or less at this time. We would start our day at the park at 4:30 and stay until it closed. Most nights this meant 11pm – but we had extra magic hours (park is open for disney hotel guests only) until 1AM! How’d Gracie do?? Actually awesome! She’s super flexible with her schedule. She ended up staying up late with us, and then sleeping in until 11 AM. During the day you can always check out the different Disney hotels! One day we ate lunch at the Polynesian hotel- it was great!

Tips on doing Disney World in the summer (with a BABY!). Great tips to read for later!

2// Bring a fan – I recommend bringing a clip on stroller fan from home- you’ll probably save a bit of money this way. We ended up forgetting ours, so we picked one up at the park for $15.99. But now it’s mickey mouse themed! So cute. This really helped keep Gracie cool in her black stroller.

Tips on doing Disney World in the summer (with a BABY!). Great tips to read for later!

3// Eat inside – One way to stay cool is by eating inside. Lots of restaurants in Disney World and Disney Springs have outside seating. Cool yourself off a bit by eating inside. Gracie was always happier this way!

Tips on doing Disney World in the summer (with a BABY!). Great tips to read for later!

4// Pack light clothes – Everyday in the park I wore shorts and a tank top. I tried to pack my “coolest” clothes. I packed all my lightweight shirts so I wasn’t extra hot. This helps for baby clothes too. There were some super cute Disney outfits I wanted to get for Gracie but they were just too hot. We kept her in a onsie or a tank and shorts most days.

5// Use the baby care center – Every park in Disney World has an air conditioned baby care center! This is a great place to change, feed, or just cool baby off. They are usually pretty empty, so take advantage of this great space!

6// Take advantage of FASTNESS – If you’re staying in a Disney World hotel, you can set up all of your Fast Passes on the My Disney Experience app. This is so helpful because it really minimizes the time you wait in lines. And, most lines are outside. We never waited more than 20 minutes for a ride- with our fast passes, the rides/character meet-ups were 5-10 minute waits. It’s just not fun waiting in line with a hot & sweaty baby! If your not at a disney property hotel, you can still use the Fast Pass system. You just have to set it up the morning of! Which means you have to be at the park in the Florida heat 🙁 which is my first no, no (see number #1). My advice: stay in a Disney hotel!

Tips on doing Disney World in the summer (with a BABY!). Great tips to read for later!

7// Seek the shows – If you or baby ever gets hot while your there, just slip into one of the shows! Every park has many different show options. Here’s our favorites at each park: Magic Kingdom: Mickey’s PhilharMagic , Animal Kingdom: Finding Nemo, Epcot: Living with the Land (more of a ride), Hollywood Studios: Frozen!

Tips on doing Disney World in the summer (with a BABY!). Great tips to read for later!

8// Go after the rain – Almost everyday we were there it rained around 4pm. This just happens in Florida. We took advantage of the rain and started heading to the park when it started raining. When we got to the park the rain stopped and most of the people had left (because they got rained on). It was perfect!

Tips on doing Disney World in the summer (with a BABY!). Great tips to read for later!

9// Or bring ponchos – Bring ponchos from home. You’re gonna need them. We forgot ours and spent $10 for each one at the park. You can pick these up at the dollar store and save a lot of money. While everyone else is huddled under stuff and waiting in shops, we strolled through the park in our ponchos to our next ride. We had no wait because everyone else was inside waiting of the rain to stop. Consider packing an extra poncho to put over the stroller when your eating or on a ride. That way your stroller doesn’t get soaked outside!

Tips on doing Disney World in the summer (with a BABY!). Great tips to read for later!

10// Frozen drinks! – To cool off in the park you can always get a yummy frozen drink! Or you can bring water bottles that are filled and frozen about 3/4 full. By the time you need your water, it will be nice and cold! We also did this trick for Gracie’s apple juice. We brought a frozen bottle of juice in and it stayed cold until she wanted it!

Disney World is such a magical place! Don’t let the Florida heat keep you from having an awesome trip! I hope these tips help you out!

Tips on doing Disney World in the summer (with a BABY!). Great tips to read for later!

DISNEY TRIP JANUARY 2016

DISNEY VACATION JANUARY 2016 || Gracefulmommy.com

DISNEY VACATION JANUARY 2016 || Gracefulmommy.com

We had so much fun last trip for Gracie’s first Disney World Vacation, that we had to come back! This was sort of a last minute weekend getaway, but that’s what is awesome about having annual passes! This trip was so fun with Gracie. I think she was even more observant than last time. She went on more rides than last time, too!

One of my new years resolutions is to learn how to do videography. So, during this trip I made sure to video a lot more! Check out my first YouTube video below!

I can’t wait to get even better at making videos. There are so many memories saved when you record those special moments. I also took a million pictures. Check out my favorites:

DISNEY VACATION JANUARY 2016 || Gracefulmommy.com

First, can we talk about how cute this outfit is!? Aunty Kaity’s friend and her mom made this for Gracie! HOW SWEET!

DISNEY VACATION JANUARY 2016 || Gracefulmommy.com

DISNEY VACATION JANUARY 2016 || Gracefulmommy.com

DISNEY TIP: If you ask any Disney photographer for a magic shot, they will put something special in your photos (like Tinkerbell!!)

DISNEY VACATION JANUARY 2016 || Gracefulmommy.com DISNEY VACATION JANUARY 2016 || Gracefulmommy.com

Gracie’s newest trick is waving! She is still figuring it out, but here she was waving at Repunzel. SO CUTE!

DISNEY VACATION JANUARY 2016 || Gracefulmommy.com

DISNEY VACATION JANUARY 2016 || Gracefulmommy.com

DISNEY VACATION JANUARY 2016 || Gracefulmommy.com

We took Gracie on the Carousel this time. She loved it!

DISNEY VACATION JANUARY 2016 || Gracefulmommy.com

DISNEY VACATION JANUARY 2016 || Gracefulmommy.comDISNEY VACATION JANUARY 2016 || Gracefulmommy.com

We also took Gracie on Dumbo for the first time. I think this was her favorite ride. She loved the wind blowing in her face. It was actually my first time on the ride, too. Super fun! DISNEY VACATION JANUARY 2016 || Gracefulmommy.com DISNEY VACATION JANUARY 2016 || Gracefulmommy.com DISNEY VACATION JANUARY 2016 || Gracefulmommy.com

DISNEY VACATION JANUARY 2016 || Gracefulmommy.com

Gracie loves the bus rides at Disney. She gets really relaxed and sometimes falls asleep. AWWW!

DISNEY VACATION JANUARY 2016 || Gracefulmommy.com DISNEY VACATION JANUARY 2016 || Gracefulmommy.com DISNEY VACATION JANUARY 2016 || Gracefulmommy.com

Look at Gracie staring at that tiara! Hint hint- Daddy…. I think Gracie needs one of those.
DISNEY VACATION JANUARY 2016 || Gracefulmommy.com DISNEY VACATION JANUARY 2016 || Gracefulmommy.com DISNEY VACATION JANUARY 2016 || Gracefulmommy.com DISNEY VACATION JANUARY 2016 || Gracefulmommy.com DISNEY VACATION JANUARY 2016 || Gracefulmommy.com DISNEY VACATION JANUARY 2016 || Gracefulmommy.com

DISNEY VACATION JANUARY 2016 || Gracefulmommy.com DISNEY VACATION JANUARY 2016 || Gracefulmommy.com

We had so much fun at Disney World for Gracie’s second visit. If you didn’t watch the Disney Vacation video yet, check it out below:

Breastfeeding in Disney

Breastfeeding in Disney- Great ideas for the future! Gracefulmommy.com

Breastfeeding in Disney- Great ideas for the future! Gracefulmommy.com

We just got back from a 5 day trip to Disney World with our 5 month baby, Gracie. While on the trip, Gracie was exclusively breastfeeding (we started bananas the day we got back!). I quickly learned where the baby care centers in each park were. However, it’s not always easy to get to the baby care centers (especially if baby needs to eat ASAP)… so I found other great spots to nurse. Here’s what I learned about breastfeeding at Disney!

Breastfeeding tips for Disney World. Some great tips I never thought of. Gracefulmommy.com
The feeding room of the Magic Kingdom baby care center!

Breastfeeding tips for Disney World. Some great tips I never thought of. Gracefulmommy.com

It’s allowed ANYWHERE. You can feed your baby anywhere in Disney. Actually, you’re legally allowed to nurse your baby in anywhere in the state of FL. I also asked a cast member and she said they aren’t allowed to ask a nursing mom to move somewhere else while feeding. That’s awesome!

BABY CARE CENTERS. I love the new movement of normalizing breastfeeding. I think it’s awesome that more and more women are choosing to nurse their babies in public. While I’ve fed Gracie in public multiple times, I prefer some place more private. Actually, Gracie does too. She gets easily distracted while feeding, so I like finding quiet spots to feed her. In Disney World, there is a baby care center in EVERY park. They are all centrally located and they are all pretty similar. We went to each park on our trip, and I nursed Gracie in every baby care center. Not only do the baby care centers have a designated nursing room, but they also have a changing room, feeding room, and play room. They also each have a little store in them to buy diapers, wipes, medicine, and baby food!

Breastfeeding tips for Disney World. Some great tips I never thought of. Gracefulmommy.com

Breastfeeding tips for Disney World. Some great tips I never thought of. Gracefulmommy.com

MAGIC KINGDOM// The baby care center in magic kingdom is located right next to the Crystal Palace restaurant. It’s also right by the first aid building. You can’t bring your stroller in this one, but there is stroller parking right outside the door. This baby care center has super comfy recliners! I could’ve sat in these for a whole hour. Seriously so comfy- they are like lazy boys. The changing room in this center has (I THINK) 5 changing tables. The feeding room has plenty of high chairs.

HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS// The baby care center in this park is located right after you enter. It is right next to guest relations. You actually can bring your stroller into this one, but I wouldn’t because this is the smallest baby center. There is one private nursing room with one recliner and a bench. There is a main room with a TV and a few high chairs and couches. And there is a changing room with two changing tables.

EPCOT// The baby care center in Epcot is located between Test Track and the World Showcase. It is right next to the first aid door. You have to park your stroller outside before going into this one! The nursing room has 4 rocking chairs, with side tables. There is a changing room with 3 changing tables. There is a feeding room with highchairs and there is a play room with a TV and even a coloring table.

Breastfeeding tips for Disney World. Some great tips I never thought of. Gracefulmommy.com

ANIMAL KINGDOM// This baby care center is located to the left of the tree of life, right before you cross the bridge to Africa. I like this baby center because they have three private nursing rooms. The nursing rooms actually have a changing table in them! That was awesome. Additionally, they have a changing room with 6 changing tables. They also have additional rooms for feeding and hanging.

Breastfeeding tips for Disney World. Some great tips I never thought of. Gracefulmommy.com
This is a changing pad in the private nursing room in the Animal Kingdom baby care center!
Breastfeeding tips for Disney World. Some great tips I never thought of. Gracefulmommy.com
Does anyone else think the cow + cat picture is a little funny in the nursing room?

The baby care centers are so CLEAN. Every time I went into one of the baby care centers, I saw a staff member disinfecting the changing tables and counter tops! I think they have someone in there designated to that task! I loved seeing that. Also, there is clean paper to place on the changing tables prior to changing your baby. I thought that was awesome.

Breastfeeding tips for Disney World. Some great tips I never thought of. Gracefulmommy.com

You can probably tell- I love the baby care centers! I love that Disney offers this to moms! They are not just for nursing moms, but for all moms- even with older kids. Take advantage of the peaceful, cold, and dimly lit rooms!

Nurse on rides and in shows. Even though the baby care centers are located in the center of each park, sometimes it’s not possible to get there in time. When Gracie was hungry that instant, I just nursed her on a ride or in a show. All of the parks have great rides and shows for nursing. Here are some of my favorites!

MAGIC KINGDOM// Hall of presidents, Haunted Mansion, Winnie the Pooh, PeopleMover, Carousel of Progress, or the train!

HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS// Frozen sing-a-long or the Great Movie Ride

EPCOT// Journey into Imagination with Figment, Living with the Land, or Finding Nemo

ANIMAL KINGDOM// It’s Tough to be a Bug or Finding Nemo the Musical

Nurse in other spots. If you look carefully, there are perfect areas in the park for nursing that are almost private. There are some great nooks that no one goes by! I fed Gracie in one of the dressing rooms because it had a nice bench in it. I also fed Gracie in the gift shop by Space Mountain.

Breastfeeding tips for Disney World. Some great tips I never thought of. Gracefulmommy.com
Feeding Gracie on the Magic Kingdom train!

Other tips. I personally hate nursing covers (and so does Gracie). And in Florida, they just get way too hot. So, to be discreet, I always wear a cami and a looser shirt. That way when I lift my top shirt up from the bottom, my cami underneath is covering my stomach. I can pretty much feed Gracie with no skin showing. Also, if you’re more coordinated than I am, you can always bring a wrap or baby carrier to feed your baby in! If you are pumping, you don’t have to carry your breast pump around with you! Drop it off in the first aid building and they will keep it for you!

Don’t worry! For the most part- no one will bother you in Disney World when you’re feeding your baby! In fact, when I was feeding Gracie- all I got were some sweet smiles and nods from fellow moms. Honestly, no one really knows or cares what you’re doing if you’re being discreet. And besides, you have the right to feed your baby ANYWHERE you want! So don’t worry!

* EXTRA TIP * A few times, we were late for our FastPass because I was feeding Gracie. If you tell the cast member why you were late, they will still let you go (even if you are a few minutes late!). So don’t worry about RUNNING to the next ride!

Breastfeeding tips for Disney World. Some great tips I never thought of. Gracefulmommy.com
Changed Gracie into her nighttime outfit in the Magic Kingdom baby care center!