Taking an Infant or Young Child to Walt Disney World

Taking an Infant or Young Child to Walt Disney World

By Christina Mauro

Part 1: Useful information

If you are a parent, you know that traveling anywhere with a child is a process. Babies, in particular, seem to require a disproportionately large amount of stuff to go anywhere. My husband and I have traveled to Walt Disney World many times, so we know how to pack for vacation when it is just the two of us. This year we took our nine-month-old daughter, and having never traveled to Walt Disney World with children, I had a lot of questions!

If you are planning a trip to Disney World with an infant or young child, Part 1 will provide information to answer some basic questions you may have about taking them to Disney World. Part 2 will talk more specifically about our trip, what we chose to do (or not do) and how it worked out for us overall.

Do I need to bring a car seat?

If you are staying at a Walt Disney World Resort and will be taking the Magical Express bus service from the airport to your resort, you will not need to bring a car seat. In fact, car seats are not recommended on the buses, because there is no guarantee that the available seat belts will be able to secure them properly. You will not need a car seat for the Walt Disney World Bus Service either.

If you would like to travel by car between resorts for any reason, such as a dining reservation, the (fairly new) LYFT Minnie Vans are available, each of which have two car seats on board. The Minnie Vans can also take you off property. It is worth mentioning that the Minnie Vans cost significantly more than a regular LYFT, however, if you are running late for a reservation or a FastPass, or want to travel more efficiently between parks/resorts, they would be a good option to consider. Within the LYFT app, the option for a Minnie Van will appear in the same way the app shows an available car, SUV or black car.

If you need to travel off of Disney property and would like to rent a car and car seat to do so, there are several locations on Disney property, including the Dolphin hotel and Disney Springs, where you can rent a car and a car seat.

Should I bring my own stroller, or can I rent one?

You are able to rent strollers for the day in all of the Disney world theme parks and Disney Springs. You can rent a stroller by day, or pre-pay for the number of days you will need to have a stroller in the parks. Strollers can be picked up at Guest Services when you arrive at the park, and must be returned when you leave. You cannot take the stroller out of the park. The benefit to renting a stroller in the park is that you will not have to carry one around or take it on the bus, but the downside is that you would not have one outside of the parks, should you need it.

Something worth noting is that the strollers for rent in the Disney World parks are made of plastic, and are not designed for young children or babies. They do not fold up, and are not adjustable at all. If your child is old enough that they can sit up or hold themselves in a seated position comfortably for a long time, then these strollers might work for you. That being said, my nine-month old would not have been comfortable for a long time in one of the park-provided strollers, even though she can sit on her own for a long period of time.

The daily price to rent a single stroller is $15, and a double stroller is $31. If you rent a stroller in Disney Springs, there is a $100 deposit.

There are also a number of private companies from whom you can rent strollers. Pricing varies by company, and they usually have several options to choose from. These companies will usually deliver the stroller directly to your resort, and pick it up when your trip is over.

Do I need to bring my own Pack and Play for my baby to sleep in?

If you are staying at a Disney resort, they will provide you with a Pack and Play or portable crib upon request. I recommend calling to request one from your resort before you arrive. This way it will be put into your room prior to your arrival.

Is there anywhere on Disney Property where I can buy baby necessities, such as diapers, wipes, or food?

There are a number of places where you can buy baby essentials on Disney property.

I had never paid much attention to what baby supplies were available for purchase in the resort shops. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the shops were well stocked with baby necessities such as diapers, wipes, food, snacks and medications, and the prices for those items were very reasonable, and close to what I would have paid at the drugstore.

Another place you can find baby necessities is the Baby Centers. Like the Disney World resorts, the Baby Centers also have a shop where you can purchase baby and child

necessities. In addition to what you can find at the resorts, you can also buy bottles, pacifiers, formula, food, and toys in the Baby Centers. They also have more types of medications for both babies and children than the resorts.

If you have never been into one of the Baby Centers, I highly recommend checking them out! Firstly, they are air-conditioned. This may not seem like a big deal since a lot of the rides have air conditioned queues, and the restaurants are also air conditioned, but on a really hot day in Florida, taking a short break in an air-conditioned space can make all the difference for you and your baby. Secondly, they are equipped with at least half a dozen changing tables with changing pads and hygienic liners. KoalaCare changing tables are great and all, but nothing beats a real changing pad.

Furthermore, the Baby Centers have several small rooms for nursing mothers that have locking doors, changing tables and a rocking chair. They have filtered water machines that dispense both cold and hot water for making formula, as well as microwaves for heating food or milk. There are also sinks for cleaning bottles and other baby gear.

I wish I had taken full advantage of the baby centers while we were on our trip, but I did not go into one until the fifth day of our trip. I stumbled upon the one in the Animal Kingdom while I was looking for a bathroom. That particular Baby Center happens to be next to Creature Comforts (aka Starbucks), so my baby got a break in the air conditioning while I changed and fed her, and I got a Venti Iced Chai Latte.

It is also worth mentioning that you can have items delivered directly to your resort ahead of your trip. These packages will be received at the Front Desk and delivered to your hotel room. There is a $5 package handling fee per package received before or during your stay. I looked into this as an option because I knew we would need somewhere between 30-50 diapers, several packages of wipes, and a fair amount of baby snacks and food for this trip, and I knew that would take up a lot of space in a suitcase. We did end up packing all of those items, because we checked our luggage, but if you are traveling with only a carry-on, or are staying for a long period of time, this may be a good option for you.

Rider Switch: what is it, and how does it work?

If you think that visiting Disney World with your small children means that you will have to miss out on your favorite rides, think again! Rider Switch is a service that allows one member of your party to stay with the child/children who cannot ride the attraction while the other members of the party enjoy it. Rider Switch is great because it allows everyone to be able to enjoy a ride and no one has to miss out. The best part is that the Switched member of the party can go on the ride with two additional members from your party! So two lucky friends get to ride twice. An added bonus is that the second group gets to go in via the FastPass+ line, so you will not have to wait in the queue a second time. Here is an explanation of how Rider Switch worked for us on our trip:

My in-laws joined us on our trip to Disney, so there were four adults and one baby in our party. When we went on Big Thunder Mountain, I stayed with the baby while my husband and in-laws went on the ride. Then my father-in-law stayed with the baby while my husband, my mother-in-law, and I went through the FastPass+ line to go on the ride. Rider Swap does take some extra time, since most of your party will be going on the ride twice, so you should factor that into your planning, especially for those rides that have a long introduction in their queue like Soarin’ or Avatar: Flight of Passage.

Traveling with small children can be a stressful experience, but I believe that with enough information and planning, it doesn’t have to be! I hope this information helped to answer some of your questions about taking an infant to Disney World. In Part 2, I’ll talk about our first trip with our daughter, what worked and didn’t work for us.

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Hi! I’m Christina Mauro.  I’m a new mom, a makeup enthusiast, a science nerd, and not so deep down, a Disney Princess… Belle, to be exact.  My first trip to Disney World was in 2012, and I was immediately taken by the magic of the experience, and quickly became a Disney World fanatic.  I love the atmosphere and the rides of Disney World, but my favorite part of Disney vacation is the food! I dream of eating a waffle with Nutella and fresh fruit from Sleepy Hollow in the shadow of Cinderella’s Castle, and I drool when I think about the spare ribs from Morimoto Asia in Disney Springs.  When I’m not at Disney World, I live in Maryland with my husband Jon, our daughter Abigail, and our rescue pup Gabbie.     

Instagram: cbrmauro

Disney's FastPass+ | Everything You Need to Know!

Walt Disney World's FastPass+ System

Tips and Tricks to Help You Plan Your Magical Vacation!

By Tyler Braun

Rock 'n' Roller Coaster and the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror are great FastPass+ options!

Last Updated - April 30, 2020

Walt Disney World’s FastPass+ system is a great way to help maximize your time in the parks! This complimentary benefit allows you to skip the standby line at over 60 Walt Disney World experiences! Using Disney’s FastPass+, you can make up to three FastPass+ selections per day, at a single park, for each day you have a ticket. 

FastPasses can be made starting 60 days prior to your arrival date (30 days if you’re staying off property*), starting at 7:00AM Eastern Time. Your first day is the best time to try and reserve those hard-to-get FastPasses for things like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Frozen Ever After, and the new Avatar rides!

Magic Kingdom has a straightforward selection system, where you can reserve three FastPasses at any of their attractions. Hollywood Studios, Epcot, and Animal Kingdom have a tiered system. They have a list from which you can pick one attraction (the top attractions in each park) and you can pick your other two FastPasses from a second list of less popular attractions.

Once you’re in the parks, you’ll then use your MagicBand to enter the FastPass+ line during your 1-hour arrival window.

Generally, I advise trying to reserve your FastPasses for the morning, as once you use your initial three FastPasses, you’ll be able to add more for later in the day! You can add more by using the My Disney Experience Mobile App or by visiting a FastPass+ Kiosk where a Cast Member can assist you in planning. 

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Epcot | Walt Disney World

FastPass+ Options

As I mentioned above, Magic Kingdom has a straightforward FastPass+ selection system, and you can reserve three FastPasses at any of their attractions, based on availability. Hollywood Studios, Epcot, and Animal Kingdom all have a tiered selection system.  Below you will find all of the current attractions in Walt Disney World currently eligible for Disney FastPass+. For Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom, I have broken down the attractions into Tier 1 and Tier 2. When selecting your FastPasses, you can pick one attraction from Tier 1, and you can pick two attractions from Tier 2.

Magic Kingdom Park

The Barnstormer 

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad 

Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin 

Dumbo the Flying Elephant 

Enchanted Tales with Belle

Haunted Mansion 

“it’s a small world” 

Jungle Cruise 

Mad Tea Party 

The Magic Carpets of Aladdin 

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh 

Meet Ariel at Her Grotto 

Meet Cinderella and Elena at Princess Fairytale Hall 

Meet Mickey Mouse at Town Square Theater 

Meet Rapunzel and Tiana at Princess Fairytale Hall 

Meet Tinker Bell at Town Square Theater 

Mickey’s PhilharMagic 

Monster’s Inc. Laugh Floor 

Peter Pan’s Flight 

Pirates of the Caribbean 

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train 

Space Mountain 

Splash Mountain 

Tomorrowland Speedway 

Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid 

Epcot

Tier One (You may select 1 of the following)

Frozen Ever After 

Epcot Forever

Soarin’ Around the World

Test Track 

Meet Disney Pals at the Epcot Character Spot 

Tier Two (You may select 2 of the following) 

Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival

Journey Into Imagination with Figment

Living with the Land

RELAUNCHED! Mission: Space

The Seas with Nemo & Friends

Turtle Talk with Crush

Spaceship Earth

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Tier One (You may select 1 of the following)

Millenium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run

Slinky Dog Dash

Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway

Tier Two (You may select 2 of the following)

Toy Story Mania! 

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 

Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith 

Alien Swirling Saucers

Disney Junior - Live on Stage! 

For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration 

Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! 

Muppet*Vision 3D 

Star Tours - The Adventures Continue 

Voyage of the Little Mermaid 

Beauty and the Beast - Live on Stage 

Fantasmic! 

(FastPass+ is not currently offered for Rise of the Resistance in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Rather, they have a Boarding Pass system - more on that below.)

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park

Tier One (You may select 1 of the following)

Avatar Flight of Passage

Na’vi River Journey 

Tier Two (You may select 2 of the following)

Dinosaur 

Expedition Everest - Legend of the Forbidden Mountain 

Festival of the Lion King 

Finding Nemo - The Musical 

It’s Tough to be a Bug! 

Kali River Rapids 

Kilimanjaro Safaris 

Meet Favorite Disney Pals at Adventurers Outpost 

Primeval Whirl 

Rivers of Light 

All rides and FastPass+ selections are subject to availability. 

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Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is a great use of a FastPass!

FastPass+ Suggestions

It’s all well and good to see all of the rides, attractions, and other experiences listed out, but what what should you select? Here are a few suggestions to get you thinking about what you may want to reserve! 

Magic Kingdom Park

In the Magic Kingdom, I definitely suggest trying to get FastPasses for Seven Dwarf’s Mine Train! It’s one of the newest rides in Walt Disney World and can be one of the hardest FastPasses to find. It’s a thrilling, yet amazingly smooth ride through a mine where a “million diamonds shine”! The three “Mountains of the Magic Kingdom” (Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, & Big Thunder Mountain) are also good rides to use a FastPass, as their lines tend to be pretty long all year. Both Peter Pan’s Flight, Haunted Mansion & the Pirates of the Caribbean are also known for having long wait times, so if those are “must-do” attractions for you, it may be worth considering using a FastPass for either of these. “it’s a small world” is, of course, a classic, and provided you don’t mind the incessant singing of children ringing in your ears for the rest of the day, this is a great attraction for the kid in all of us! 

Epcot

Epcot has three of my favorite rides in all of Walt Disney World! Soarin’ takes you on a journey across the world and gives you a bird’s eye view of some of the most iconic places on earth such as the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Taj Mahal in India, and the Great Pyramid in Egypt! Test Track takes you inside a computer simulator to test a concept car, and the brand new Frozen Ever After ride in the Norway Pavilion takes you to visit Anna and Else in Arendelle! All three of those rides top my “must-do” list! Another really cool attraction is Mission: Space! It takes you on a ride to Mars and you really feel like you’re blasting off into space! There are also other classic attractions, such as Spaceship Earth, located inside the “Epcot Ball” and Living with the Land!

Disney’s Hollywood Studios 

If you are into thrill rides, this is the place to be! The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster are two of the most intense and fun rides in all of Walt Disney World! If you’re fans of Star Wars, this is definitely the place to be! Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run let’s you and a small crew pilot, “The Fastest Ship in the Galaxy”, the Millennium Falcon! And yes - it really feels like you’re flying! Rise of the Resistance is a fantastic, innovative new style of ride that combines incredible storytelling with a fantastic and thrilling ride. Talk about immersion! Star Tours is a really cool motion simulator ride that makes you feel like you’re flying through space! Toy Story Mania is also tons of fun, and since it’s a game you can compare scores and see who’s the all-time winner! Slinky Dog Dash is a family-friendly roller coaster with lots of fun twists and turns. Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway is a whirlwind of a ride that takes you into the cartoon world on a “leisurely” drive with Mickey & Minnie! One of my favorites is the Muppet*Vision 3D. It’s a little (ok a lot) silly, but it’s really funny and the technology is still cool! I would suggest not using a FastPass+ on Muppet*Vision 3D because there generally is not a long line. Finally, at the end of the day, Fantasmic! is the perfect way to end the day at Walt Disney World and my personal favorite nighttime show. A few suggestions - you shouldn’t need to use a FastPass if you get to the line early enough. I would suggest going to the later show if everyone has enough steam left, because it tends to be less crowded. Finally, try and sit as close to the middle as possible, but not in the first 10 or so rows, because you’ll get wet from the water screens! 

Rise of the Resistance Boarding Pass System

Rise of the Resistance is amazing and definitely worth the hype! However, instead using the FastPass+ system, it is on a Boarding Pass System. As soon as the park opens, you’ll need the be on your phone getting a Boarding Group for later in the day. Once you have your Boarding Group number you can go about your day. You can use other FastPasses, hop in a standby line, shop, or simply hang around Hollywood Studios. If your Boarding Group is a higher number you can also leave the park and come back later in the day. Throughout the day you can watch the Boarding Group numbers on the app. Once your number is called you will have a 2 hour window to ride. This system has its benefits and its drawbacks. I suggest you get to Hollywood Studios AT LEAST 30 minutes prior to opening so you can ensure you are past security and the MagicBand scanning area and in the park. One benefit of this system is that you can get a Boarding Group for Rise of the Resistance and still use your three other FastPasses for other rides - so essentially you’re getting four FastPasses at Hollywood Studios. 

For a video of how this system played out when I rode it, click here.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park

Both Expedition Everest and DINOSAUR hold the top spot for my heart in Animal Kingdom. They’re both thrilling, but in very different ways. Expedition Everest is a high-speed roller coaster that takes you into the Legend of the Forbidden Mountain where the Yeti lurks! DINOSAUR takes you back in time to save an iguanodon right at the brink of extinction. I hope you make is back in time! Kilimanjaro Safaris is a neat way to see some wild African animals up close! It’s Tough to be a Bug is a show that takes place inside the Tree of Life! It’s a 3D show that has laughs for everyone. One of my favorites in Animal Kingdom is Primeval Whirl! It’s not often talked about, and it’s one of my favorite hidden gems in Animal Kingdom! The lines tend not to be very long, and it looks like a “kiddie” ride, but it’s really a blast! The cool thing about Animal Kingdom is there are lots of trails and hidden walkways with animals all around. There are the Discovery Island Trails, Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail, Maharajah Jungle Trek and more that are really cool ways to see the animals. Finding Nemo the Musical and Festival of the Lion King are also both great shows. The new world of Pandora also has two rides with FastPass+ capability. The first is Avatar Flight of Passage, on which you soar on the back of a mountain banshee during a thrilling ride over Pandora! The second is the Na’vi River Journey, where you venture deep into a bioluminescent rainforest in search of the Na’vi Shaman of Songs. These are on a tiered system from which you can only pick one for the FastPass+ system.

How to Make FastPass+ Reservations 

Here are some step-by-step instructions on how to make a FastPass+ reservation online! 

1. After logging into your My Disney Experience account on a computer, select “MyDisneyExperience” from the home page in the top right corner. Once you log in, you may already be on that page. At the top it will say “Your Name’s Plans and Tickets”, that’s how you know you’re on the right page. A little ways down the page, you’ll see five circles that say, “Friends and Family, Resort Hotel, Park Tickets, Dining and FastPass+”. Hover over the circle where it says “FastPass+” and click “Make a Selection”.

2. On the next page it gives you a bit of info about FastPass+. Click “Get Started”.

3. Next, select your FastPass+ group members. You can use the “select all” button to easily choose everyone. Click “next”.

4. Select the date you wish to make FastPasses for, and select the park you wish to visit that day. All three of your initial FastPasses will have to be at that park, even if you have Park Hopper tickets. Click “next” after you make your selection.

5. You’ll then see all the available FastPasses and times listed out. At the top of that screen you can narrow things down by selecting a general time (morning, evening, etc) or a specific hour. You can also select a specific ride and see all the available times for the day. Once you select a FastPass+ and a time, you’ll confirm all the details on the next screen. Once you reserve your FastPass+, you’ll see the options to “Continue on Same Day”, or “Select Different Day”. After you make all your FastPasses, you can go back to your My Disney Experience homepage (where it says “Your Name’s Plans and Tickets”, and you’ll then see all your FastPasses listed there!

You can also make FastPasses on the My Disney Experience app if you prefer. It’s all the same steps, but just via the app. Disney has set it up so it walks you through step by step what to do, so it’s really pretty easy!

Additional FastPasses

A lot of people have asked me about acquiring additional FastPasses. Currently there is actually no way to buy any more than the three you have per day. Once you redeem your initial set of FastPass+ selections (or the last arrival window has passed), you can make another FastPass+ selection for the same day at an in-park kiosk or using your mobile device, up to park closing. After you redeem your additional FastPass+ pick, you can make more selections, one at a time. If your ticket includes the Park Hopper Option, after you use your initial FastPass+ selections at the first park, you’ll be able to make additional FastPass+ selections (one at a time) at a kiosk or using the mobile app at the second park you visit that day, up to park closing. 

So there you have it! A brief overview of Walt Disney World's FastPass+ system! What tips and tricks do you have for using Disney’s FastPass+ system? Comment below!

Are you wanting to head out on a Walt Disney World vacation, but you don’t know where to start? Contact me to find out how I can personally assist you in planning your own magical adventure! Follow the link below to fill out a no-obligation quote form for People Mover Travel! When you book through me, you get an expert Disney planner that can book your resort, park tickets, transportation, and even all your dining & FastPass+ reservations. The best part, I work for you for free! 

Walt Disney World Quote: https://www.peoplemovertravel.com/walt-disney-world-quote

*There are a select few Walt Disney World Good Neighbor Hotels that also offer the 60 day FastPass+ booking window.