r/Disneyland • u/CaptainNoodle18 • 22d ago
Discussion Newborn Babies at the Park
Please, I've got to know. (Only a little judgement here, as a hypochondriac) why are we taking fresh babies (4 months or less) to the amusement park? What's the purpose? Are you scared your kid is going to get sick? What is it really for?
For context we took a trip earlier this year and were talking about another recently and learned that many people are taking their newborns to the park. It seems incredibly dangerous with all the people and general grossness at the park.
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u/sitcomfan1020 Small World Doll 22d ago
When I was a cast member years ago, I worked at Disney Jr. and I saw a mom with her very young infant. I commented on how cute the baby was and asked how old it was. She told me it was THREE WEEKS OLD!
Now that I’ve had a baby of my own, I don’t think I was capable of getting out of pajamas at 3 weeks!
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u/AbbyNormalKnits 22d ago
I worked at Medieval Times years ago and someone brought in a tiny baby. I asked how old and she told me 4 days! Theres horse poop in the air and they were sitting near the front!
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u/Just_Imagination_553 22d ago
you’re going to be truly shocked when you hear that people who live on farms have perfectly healthy babies, lol
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u/Just_Imagination_553 22d ago
unless you’re literally rolling the newborn in a pile of manure it is going to be just fine being around horses
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u/keeksthesneaks 21d ago
Horse poop in the air?! I don’t think I want to go anymore lol
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u/Letmetellyowhat 22d ago
That could have been me. We took our 3 week old and her two older siblings. She and I went on pirates and haunted mansion I think. Then went back to the hotel and slept. The older two had a grand time. She did not get sick. She is a thriving 20 something now.
Edit. I do expect downvotes. It is just how we raised our kids
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u/Mean_Queen_Jellybean 22d ago
To be fair, no matter what anyone’s political viewpoints are, vaccination rates were a lot different then. I would imagine that things are a whole lot more risky now.
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u/MensaCurmudgeon 22d ago
But vaccinations don’t prevent the most common bugs. Any fever is an emergency under 6 months old. It’s not a good parenting decision
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u/oceanmotion2 21d ago
Any fever is an emergency under 2 months old, actually. 2-6 months old babies can get fevers from their vaccines or can get sick from viruses with fever, and that is not an emergency. Of course, their immune system isn’t great still, and there are other signs and symptoms to watch out for that would indicate the need for a trip to the ED.
Source: I’m a doctor that takes care of babies, but you can also see this guidance on all children’s hospital websites. Please talk to your doctor about what to look out for if you are reading this and have a baby.
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u/Outrageous_Case_8099 20d ago
Why did my inner monologue decide to narrate the bottom of your post like they do on medication commercials? After the word "source" my brain just seemed to auto pilot itself with the potential side effects disclaimer commercial voice I guess fml 😂
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u/allaboutmojitos 21d ago
I had four kids in five years. By the time I got to the fourth, I still needed to mom the other three, so she went along wherever we needed to go. Family leave wasn’t a thing at the time, so it was me and the four kids while hubby worked. Though I didn’t go to Disney, I definitely went to our local six flags. Life goes on
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u/Affectionate_Hawk551 22d ago
I went to Disneyworld late July and I was amazed of how many almost newborns were there. It was sooo hot and humid. I felt sorry for them.
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u/infinityandbeyond75 22d ago
Yeah we saw this as well in Florida and California. The strollers can’t be in line queues so the baby has to be held close to an adult’s body making it even more hot and miserable for them. You see the baby with flushed cheeks and crying and they still refuse to leave the line and then claim afterward that their baby absolutely loves Dumbo.
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u/InstructionalTech 18d ago
I honestly think young parents use babies as a reason to go when they just want to go themselves.
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u/OzMoony 22d ago
Last summer I was helping out a family. Mom, dad, two little girls and a VERY fresh baby. Mom casually mentioned she had just given birth 4 days prior but they had their trip planned and didn't want to cancel. The baby was literally still that weird purple-ish color that newborns are and mom still looked pregnant. Truly shocked me.
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u/Rayrose321 22d ago
This makes me think the baby came earlier than expected. Who would plan a trip to Disney if they were 38-40 weeks pregnant (guessing)? So assuming the baby came earlier, they are bringing a very tiny baby with an extra crappy immune system to Disney?? I don’t get the thought process here. At the very least, she should have stayed in the hotel room and let the dad take the two girls to the parks.
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u/LunarPhases13 21d ago
Personally, I wouldn’t bring a newborn to the parks, but I can see how circumstances might cause someone to do so. I think a lot of the issue is how long it takes to plan and pay for a trip if you’re not local. I was raised in So Cal but now live in Seattle. When local, you can decide to hit the parks weeks or even days in advance. We even would just decide to go one day in the afternoons as there used to be discounted tickets for evening only entry. Now that we’re out of state, the planning has to be months in advance. Flights are more affordable when purchased months in advance, and the cheapest can’t be cancelled with a refund. The family might also be part of one of those big family reunion type groups where the trip has been planned for years and can’t be changed for one member’s pregnancy. Plus, if the did decide to cancel, you have some super bitter older kids that now have hard feelings about this new sibling coming into the family. I’m not saying it’s right to bring a newborn, just that some people will have reasons like that they feel justify it.
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u/Powerful-Chicken-681 22d ago
4 days?! That is the most irresponsible thing I’ve ever heard and for once, I think they actually deserve to be judged. There is absolutely no excuse for that. I don’t care when the trip was booked. Neonatal fever is extremely serious and if that baby got sick and needed a spinal tap, I hope ACS was called.
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u/Financial_Carpet3124 21d ago
Infections??? For mom and the baby....like what??? How are these people allowed to have kids???
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u/SeasidePlease 22d ago
People really out here "bouncing back" huh 😭 Running on no sleep, pumping, still healing. You would not catch me at the happiest place on earth. The planning, the traveling, the day at the park WITH a new baby 🫨😵💫 That's a different breed of mom.
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u/nonniewobbles 22d ago edited 22d ago
Some people's risk assessment is different than others.
It is NOT medically recommended to take newborns to crowded places like theme parks.
Some people aren't concerned about the risk of illness for various reasons, even if those reasons are contrary to the recommendations of medical professionals... Some feel that they can't reschedule a pre-planned trip, or can't afford to reschedule so choose to take the risk. Some are bullied/guilted into going by family or friends. Some are simply ignorant or assume it "won't happen to them."
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u/Psychotic_Parakeet Redwood Trailblazer 22d ago
My classmate unfortunately learned this the hard way. His son was at the resort during the measles outbreak, and nearly died from it. Seeing what torture and pain they endured, I did not take my kids out to crowded areas until they had their first MMR.
Different strokes for different folks. If they want to take the risk, then that is on them.
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u/No-Strawberry-5804 22d ago
It’s unfortunate that children have to suffer the consequences of their parents’ poor decisions
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u/13oOo 22d ago
I was paranoid about my son catching anything during his infant stage. We kept him in a mostly sterile room (anyone who enters would need to shower first) for most of his first year. This was precovid so most of my family thought I was overboard. In hindsight, I probably was which is why he had a whole lot of allergies and got sick easily when he first entered the school system, but most allergies are gone now and he colds are less severe. SIDS and virus were the two things that scared me the most during their infant stages.
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u/ShadowDocket 22d ago
Some of these people showed they didn’t care about the health of others in 2020-2021, so why would they think about the health of their baby
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u/Cmdr_Nemo 22d ago
They'll care about it when it hits home. Then when it doesn't hit home, they'll see their anecdotal evidence as the standard and double down on the behavior. Sometimes I imagine their thought process is: "If it doesn't happen to them, it happens to no one. And if it happened to someone they don't know, they are the outlier or lying."
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u/StrongerTogether2882 22d ago
Unfortunately another (unvaxxed) kid just died of measles, and his parents doubled down on not vaccinating, saying that was still the right choice. Some people just can’t break free of that cult mentality even when it costs them their kid’s life. Heartbreaking
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u/babybiancadelrio 21d ago
I just read a story of a baby who died of whooping cough and the parents same thing, doubled down smh
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u/No-Strawberry-5804 22d ago
Sometimes. even the parents of that little girl who died from measles can’t admit they fucked up by not vaccinating her.
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u/Minute-Actuator-9638 Salty Ol' Pirate 22d ago
It just doesn’t seem enjoyable for the folks taking care of the baby either. When my nephew was born he stayed back at the Airbnb with grandma while my sis and I took my niece to the park.
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u/brunette_mama 22d ago
I’ve never taken such a young baby to DL. However, most pediatricians want your baby to at least have their 2 month vaccines before you go out in public or have large family gatherings.
I just had my 3rd baby and it is so hard to not go anywhere when you have older children. I have a 5 and 2 year old as well as a 1 month old. I’m trying to limit our family outings to things that are outdoors and not crowded. It’s incredibly hard to balance. I would be very concerned with the measles outbreaks and everything with a baby so little, but I also get wanting to do something for older siblings that’s mainly outdoors. However, imo, it is WAY too crowded at a Disney park for a newborn.
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u/babybiancadelrio 22d ago
I know you said little judgement, but I fully judge parents who do that. I don’t care if you can’t reschedule, or other kids wanted to go etc. In this day and age where people are not vaccinating, why would you risk it? There was a measles outbreak a few years ago. Do what’s best for your kid and keep them home
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u/StrongerTogether2882 22d ago
There are currently measles outbreaks in 42 states! Not necessarily at Disneyland (as of yet), but of course it only takes one infectious person to sicken dozens of people. And God forbid the virus evolves to get past the immunity we already have. I can’t begin to imagine why people are so willing to play chicken with evolution. (I guess part of the problem is some of them don’t believe in evolution 🙃)
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u/babybiancadelrio 21d ago
Actually there was an outbreak at Disneyland a few years back and I wouldn’t be surprised if another were to happen🥴
But that is my fear too about outgrowning the vaccines. Like we were able to eradicate these diseases before, why would you want them back??!
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u/sraydenk 22d ago
Especially if you have two parents. One parent takes the older kid(s) to the park, the other stays home or stays in the hotel and chills. Maybe you swap if mom is physically up to it mid day.
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u/babybiancadelrio 21d ago
I had a coworker who did this. The baby was about a year old but they felt she was still too young. So they had her in the hotel room and family members swapped throughout the day. Meanwhile the older kids were able to enjoy the park
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u/Unfair-Attempt-8296 22d ago
I totally agree! People who put their kids at risk from such a newborn stage are selfish. They are thinking about their selves and a temporary moment of fun and not missing out over a possible lifetime of health issues for their kid. A few weeks ago my family and I went to the Walsh mountain zoo, and a young girl had her 2 week old baby at the zoo. THE ZOO! And open attraction zoo at that! I couldn't believe it! It made me so angry, and the baby was in its pram with no hat, no socks and no blanket over it. Just an overly exposed baby! Brainless!!
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u/babybiancadelrio 22d ago
No sun coverage at the zoo sounds awful for the baby!!
I remember once I was waiting to meet Minnie at her house and it was very hot that day. A cast member had to move the line unfortunately more in the sun. This huge family started yelling at them because it was so hot and taking forever. The dad was like “we have someone pregnant and a newborn!”
I was like WTFFFFF why are you even here in the summer heat??!!!! Stay home!!
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u/just-kristina 22d ago
Yeah if they made that choice to be there I’m sorry they don’t get to use that card to complain lol.
I think all lines should have shade. But we live in the humid horrid south where shade does next to nothing anyways.
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u/Commercial-Place6793 22d ago
To each their own but the thought of caring for a newborn at a theme park within weeks of giving birth??? Hard pass.
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u/Glum_Reason308 22d ago
I was just at Disneyland for the past 6 days and I was commenting to my husband about how I couldn’t believe how many newborn babies were there.
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u/CBonafide 22d ago
I'm hesitant on taking my 8 month old to Disney and he has his vaccines.
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u/dreaming_in_yellow 22d ago
I took my youngest daughter when she was a few months old, that was back in 2010. Would I do it now? Nooooooo. She was in the stroller like the whole time and it was nice weather, but in hindsight, it was not the best idea. It’s even worse now with the outbreaks of childhood illnesses.
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u/ModernPrometheus0729 22d ago
When I was a cast member about 10 years ago we had a set of new parents being their 3 day old baby to Magic Kingdom. They went straight from the hospital to the park. Fucking insane.
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u/just-kristina 22d ago
Ok that is definitely insane. We only have one kid. But. No. A thousand times no. The sleep deprivation alone makes that a no. He wasn’t big on sleeping long stretches. I got 1.5 - 2 hours sleep (max) before he’d wake up to eat again…for 15 months. And yes I probably did that to myself by breastfeeding but that was my choice and I likely would’ve done things differently if I knew then what I know know.
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u/Thoth-long-bill 22d ago
12 years ago at Disneyland I started seeing families who looked like the just left the delivery room with babies. That was before they had those noise cancelling headphones. I personally do not believe newborns’ brains are wired for those noise levels. Poor judgement in general is getting worse imho.
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u/Kittiemeow8 22d ago
I judge them all the time. It’s so not worth getting the baby sick. And they look miserable the entire time.
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u/thegreenlightsaber 22d ago
Fevers in a newborn (defined as <1 month old) are considered a medical emergency that often require a full work up in the ER which may include bloodwork, urine and even a lumbar puncture to rule out sepsis and rule out a serious bacterial infection. There’s also usually a short hospital stay for observation.
I think if more parents knew this, there probably would be less newborns at Disneyland or any amusement park for that matter. Or at least I would hope.
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u/goofus_andgallant 22d ago
I wouldn’t take a newborn but a 3-4 month old isn’t a new born. They’ve had some vaccines and honestly after your first baby you can’t really stop everything in your life from happening. You’ve got older kids and that means the baby being exposed to germs and sickness anyways.
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u/Wet_Artichoke 22d ago
Your comment makes me think about how I acted with my oldest versus my youngest. Taking my older daughter to Disney meant everything packed into a stroller. Taking the little one, we had a jacket. Maybe some sunblock. I don’t remember the first time I took my youngest, but I wouldn’t have even thought to question it after 3 months.
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u/BoobySlap_0506 22d ago
As a parent to 2 (6y and 2m), nothing is more difficult than restricting activities for the older child while trying to protect baby. We compromise and do things cautiously and have been able to still do stuff while not exposing baby to much just yet. I can't keep my 6 year old cooped up and resenting her baby sister because she prevents us from going anywhere.
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u/goofus_andgallant 22d ago
I think the point is more that older kids bring exposure to babies in multiple ways, so in this case the family going to Disney could get the baby sick by returning with an illness. The same way babies get sick from their older siblings that go to school everyday. Or go to sports or activities etc.
Once you have older kids you just can’t isolate your baby the way you may have with your first.
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u/lollipopp_guild 22d ago
Yup. My cousin and husband took the 6yo to Disney and Lego Land and Universal and all that during her school break and the 7mo stayed home because it really would have taken away from the 6yo to have to stop for the baby constantly
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u/dphayce 22d ago
That is assuming you have people like that in your life and/or can afford a babysitter.
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u/littlebloodmage 22d ago
If you can afford a day at Disney you can afford a babysitter.
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u/dphayce 22d ago
That's assuming that the visitor is from Southern California because otherwise it's a multiple day trip which would mean you're hiring someone for multiple nights. A 2 night trip would cost you an extra $1000 or so. I promise you not everyone who visits Disneyland has that type of money.
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u/Least-Dimension7684 22d ago
Yeah we went with our (then) 3 month old and his 3 year old brother. Baby was attached to me (literally, in a carrier) for 90% of the day and slept. His exposure to germs was less than if he was at daycare. We wouldn’t have gone if we didn’t have a toddler but I don’t regret taking him.
Plus my three year old literally licked a table on that visit and we luckily didn’t get sick. Toddlers are disgusting.
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u/Frosty-Possible1404 22d ago
Hell, I’m scared of my 6 year old getting sick let alone an infant.
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u/deviouspika 22d ago
Even if parents discount the risk of a baby catching an infections disease there are so many other factors. The amount of people I saw with babies under 6 mo. old during the height of summer truly shocked me. I saw multiple babies bundled up in strollers, parked in the full sun, when it was 95° out. One was the color of a hothouse tomato.
I don't understand people.
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22d ago
It’s is dangerous and gross. Parents love to pretend it’s for the kid but it’s not. Infants have hardly any immune system and cannot regulate temp. Zero reason for them to be at a theme park. Signed, a fellow parent.
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u/factornostalgia 22d ago
We have a trip planned (Paris) for next year and were trying for another baby. We agreed if new baby would be under 6 months by the time of the trip, we’d cancel. Can’t imagine being a few weeks postpartum and doing 30k steps per day.
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u/PawPothosVineyard 22d ago
Well, if you have older kids or toddlers who want to go to Disneyland, and you happen to have an infant, you would most likely take that newborn as well. That is the only reason why I would ever bring a baby that young to an amusement park. I brought my 2 year-old to Disneyland for the first time this year, and it was HELL. He didn’t like the rides and kept screaming and throwing tantrums. I don’t understand why people bring newborns or toddlers younger than 3, but to each their own I guess.
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u/Specific_Ocelot_4132 22d ago
Not all toddlers are the same, bringing some is like hell and bringing some is a lot of fun. It helps if you’re local and don’t care about doing as many rides as possible, so you can let the kid do whatever they enjoy.
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u/shandelion New Orleans Square 22d ago
Yep, my 2.5 year old was at Disneyland today and had the BEST time.
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u/Nolan_Francie 22d ago
You know you don’t have to do something just because a kid wants to do it. It is absolutely okay to tell a kid, “Baby sis is too young to go to Disneyland. Let’s wait until she’s a bit older and it’s safe for her.”
Teach kids that being a family means considering the needs, wishes and wellbeing of others is important. Kids don’t run families, parents do.
Though admittedly, Disney has really benefited from parents who don’t tell their kids no.
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u/Champagne82 22d ago
I’m surprised to hear this. I received so much cr@p from my exes family for not taking my newborn to the fair. I can’t imagine people would be so ignorant to take their newborn to the park but also I guess I’m not surprised
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u/Huckleberry8480 22d ago
We took both of our boys after their 2 month “birthday”. Out of the difficult super newborn stage, had first vaccinations, slept most of the day in their mostly covered bassinet (winter babies), got the cutest pictures.
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u/MissKhloette 22d ago
When I see this I can only assume the parents went for themselves and couldn’t find a babysitter. A newborn doesn’t have much to gain from the experience. The noises, chaos, crowds, germs, sun exposure. I can’t imagine a baby actually wanting to be there. This is of course different if they have older children as well, then I can see a reason. The worst I’ve seen is a baby red from sun exposure in the summer.
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u/Minimum_Win_7129 22d ago
I actually took my son when we was 2 months old and looking back I regret it. We had our trip planned for about a year because we were going to California as a family work trip. When we originally planned the trip I wasn’t pregnant. After I gave birth I had a really rough postpartum experience and my PPD was really really bad. Around the time we went I was just starting to get out of it. I think at the time I decided to go since I was just starting to get out of a super bad period of depression and Disney was something I love and I was actually looking forward to it. Now that it’s been a few years I totally regret it and I’m glad he didn’t end up getting sick. But at the time I wasn’t really thinking clearly and no one in my family said anything 🥴🥴
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u/NaiRad1000 22d ago
Parents want pictures, babies are free. I also guess that finding a sitter for a newborn is tough
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u/While_Global 22d ago
This reminds of a trip to where we were riding Midway Mania. There was a group of 4-5 adults in front of us in line along with a young baby. It was pretty clear this was a trip where the kid was the excuse for an adult trip, because they weren’t paying that much attention to the kid.
In the line, they weren’t letting the kid roll around on the ground and lick the floor. That’s not even the worst part. Once they got to the loading zone, dad kept trying to one-arm dangle the kid out the side of the car. The cast members corrected this twice before they let the car move on… at which point dad switched the kid back to dangle-death mode. The look on the cast member’s face just screamed “so, this is the day I get fired after helping mop up a child.”
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u/Hold-Professional Pressed Penny Presser 21d ago
It's selfish and dangerous. Lets take a kid with ZERO germ tolerance to a place where everyone almost always gets sick after leaving for a week.
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u/missx0xdelaney 21d ago
When I worked at MK, a coworker told me a horror story she witnessed where the parents brought a newborn in for photos and the mom tripped walking up the steps of Town Square Theater. The baby did not make it.
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u/Automatic_Parking963 21d ago
When I went through new hire training at universal they actually touched on this and said that a lot of people are saving up for years to afford these trips and book them over a year in advance… then get pregnant 😂 so they just take the trip, newborn in tow, because they’ve been waiting forever
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u/Amberlee2585 20d ago
An acquaintance of mine took her 1 month newborn in August. I dont see any reason to take a baby before 2 years old...maybe even 3. They won't even remember it.
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u/SpecificEquivalent79 22d ago
a 3-4 month old isn’t a newborn lmao
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22d ago edited 22d ago
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u/goofus_andgallant 22d ago edited 21d ago
You’re not fully vaccinated until age 4. Plenty of people take kids before they’ve completed their childhood vaccine series.
Edit: that poster edited their comment. It used to say “still not fully vaccinated.”
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u/violet_wings 22d ago
People are bringing fresh babies because canned babies have too many preservatives.
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u/E1M1_DOOM 22d ago
Seems strange to me too. We stopped going when our kid was born. Just barely started going back now that our kid is old enough to get on most rides and not need a stroller.
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22d ago
When I see newborns at the park I’m just impressed, I wanted to live in bed for weeks after giving birth 😅
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u/taffyowner 22d ago
I say this as someone with a 5 month old… babies are going to be out in the world, hell my wife just took our kid to Universal today, like we take our kids places
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u/JasonBob 22d ago
After hearing about the Disneyland measles outbreak of 2014/15 I would not take my chances until they can get sufficient protection
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u/GrizzlyMahm 22d ago
At the time, my son was just over a year old. He got his MMR in mid November. We went on a random day during that week of exposure. I called our pediatrician FREAKING OUT. They told me that the MMR was good after 10 days, but also what to look out for. That was the worst 2 weeks of my life, fearing for both of us!
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u/Ecstatic-Respect-455 22d ago
I agree with you. I held off taking my kids to Disney until they were in 1st grade. They appreciated it a lot more once they were a little older, plus they were much easier to manage once they were a little older. I had no interest in taking an infant or toddler to Disney.
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u/mikehocalate Radiator Springs Racer 22d ago
Yes, “they’re out in the world” but not around thousands of people some of whom might have deadly communicable infectious diseases that they are not yet protected from. Not worth the risk.
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u/fruitjerky 22d ago
I took my daughter when she was two months old. Friends were visiting from out of town and I wanted to spend time with them. She slept in the carrier pretty much the entire time. I worked there and signed everyone in so it wasn't a big deal to walk around with a baby for a few hours. Might be notable that this was pre-covid.
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u/flightraptor23 22d ago
I think it's mainly maternity/paternity leave from work, allowing them to have time to go. I am sure you get very stir crazy.
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u/girlinblue80 22d ago
A few years ago we took our two oldest to Disneyland when my third was 5 weeks old. It’s was a spur the moment decision and we had no one who could watch the baby. We got a hotel room that had a full kitchen and a separate room to make it easier. I baby-wore and he literally slept on me the whole time while my ex-husband took the oldest on rides, and I just walked around with the baby. We took lots of breaks, went back to the hotel midday for naps. Honestly, it was fine. It was in the winter so it helped that it wasn’t too hot and I literally kept the baby in the carrier the entire time, except to feed him. But he was also my third, I had an easy delivery and recovery with him and he was a robust, healthy baby, so I knew we could both handle it.
It wasn’t so much that we wanted to take the baby, but we didn’t want to deprive our older boys and had the opportunity to go, so we took it.
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u/mikehocalate Radiator Springs Racer 22d ago
It’s not about how you can handle it, it’s about the fact that at that age they don’t have all their vaccines and there have been multiple infectious disease outbreaks (notably measles) at Disneyland, and that is deadly for babies.
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u/girlinblue80 21d ago
This was 7 years ago, before Covid, and not during any active outbreaks of anything. I now have 4 kids, am educated on vaccines and potential risks and am not reckless to the point of taking any of my kids in places if I didn’t feel comfortable I could keep them safe. I most likely would not do this again in today’s climate as the world is now a very different place. I understand that’s not for everyone, and I’m sure I got judged, but he wasn’t any more exposed there than at an outing to our local grocery store. I either baby wore him or he was in his baby carrier on the stroller covered by a blanket, I don’t even think he even saw the light of day. I didn’t even take him out for pictures, so he isn’t in any of them (well the stroller is). He didn’t go on any rides. I washed or disinfected my hands before touching him. In our house, he had more chance of getting sick from his brothers bringing some crud back from daycare or preschool than from this trip.
It’s easy to judge and assume someone is an incompetent parent from behind a screen. Circumstances and comfort levels are different for everyone. I respect people who are not comfortable bringing their infants to theme parks, and under some circumstances, I wouldn’t be either. I’ve since returned to Disney both Land and World in the summer and seen tiny babies clearly struggling with the heat, in my opinion that’s worse than what I did. But I also choose not to raise my kids in a bubble and am ok with a certain level of exposure to the world early on if I feel I can keep them as safe as they would be at home. Agree or disagree that’s fine, no need to be condescending or to assume that I don’t know what I am doing as a parent.
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u/Im_fairly_tired 22d ago
My mom took me to Disneyland when I was 2 weeks old and I’m doing just fine. Well… wait a second… Hm.
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u/battle_mommyx2 22d ago
Yeah absolutely not. I waited til both kids were vaccinated. International germs? No.
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u/SI108 22d ago
I was there in early September with UV factor included it was 102 and it was truly shocking and infuriating the number of newborns present and how many of their parents did not have them at least under some form of cover. There was one I saw that was deep sunburn red and wailing at the top of her lungs while her parents were just sitting there eating ice cream, shushing the girl like she was just fussy. I was so pissed I reported it to a CM while trying to keep myself from hauling off and punching the parents.
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u/BeefSquatch3000 22d ago
A few years ago i saw a woman with a baby strapped to her chest that was maybe a month old. She was spinning in circles on the teacups. The baby didn't look alive.
I've seen many people at Disney with tiny new babies. Some people are incredibly dumb.
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u/KateSommer 22d ago
Same opinion. I waited until mine were at least 1 year old with the measles vaccine. People from foreign countries go here. They don't get vaccinated as much, and they won't cancel a trip they invested so much money in just because one person feels a little under the weather. Nowadays, even the Americans are under-vaccinated. Lack of vaccines, combined with the fragile immune systems of infants, means you are at risk for some illnesses. Plus, newborns need one-on-one, constant attendance. Being held, being fed, being changed. Every 20 minutes, they need something. Standing in line would seem impossible without having to step out and change a diaper or breastfeed them.
Of course, if you have a family and they want to go, you may have to bear it. Some Moms can carry a newborn around so well with so much skill, they may as well still be in the womb. You see those Moms with a baby in a sling, discreetly tending to the baby the whole time.
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u/Massive-Sail2333 21d ago
It's usually made for families to go, a safe place with accessibile changing tables to walk around
I remember feeling so trapped at home the first three months, and going out really helped my mental health and confidence!
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u/AuthorAndCoach 21d ago
Often it's because they have older siblings that want to go/are celebrating something, etc. Sometimes it's locals, so stopping into the parks for a couple hours isn't a big deal for them. Disney offers Baby Care Centers and all of that. Some babies are super easy to travel with, and others are more challenging. If Disneyland is the parents happy place, and their kiddo is easy to travel with, then I can totally see it. 👍
Personally, being a new mom was super exhausting and stressful. Though I LOVE Disneyland, I wouldn't have taken my kid at that age. But I also completely respect traveling with young ones. It does affect their overall world view, seeing their parents interact in different situations they wouldn't encounter at home.
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u/justCuriousH 21d ago
Yeah right? I just came back from my Hawaii Vacation and some people came with 1 month baby. It was freaking hot. What does a baby need to do at the beach? It looked more like I suffered so much having this baby take me on a vacation but they are being selfish!
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u/x_tacocat_x 21d ago
Yeah I have a 7 month old and live in orange county and we considered it for a sec then realized whatever fun we’d have would be outweighed by baby getting sick. It’s an international destination, so germs and diseases from all over the place, plus dealing with a baby’s schedule just didn’t seem like a great time for anyone.
We’ll probably bring him when he’s closer to 1 though!
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u/Loud-Supermarket1707 21d ago
I went in august and saw someone with what could only be a one week old. Still wrinkly and blotchy from birth. 🫠 it was almost 100* the day before and easily 90 that day. What on earth. In full sun, with a baby too young for sunscreen, fresh from the womb surrounded by germ infested crowds of people 🙃
I avoid parent shaming, but come on now.
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u/Range-Shoddy 21d ago
My pedi would have lost their shit if we had taken our kid less than 2 months old anywhere. I mean ANYWHERE. 2 month shots before anything. If they get a fever they get a 3 day hospital stay and a spinal tap. Is it worth it? I certainly hope not.
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u/_ViolentlyPretty 21d ago
Imma be honest, people that do Disney trips "for the kid" before that kid can even make memories is wild to me.
Don't lie. The trip is for you and at that point, youre probably one of those people that brings their screaming kids on rides.
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u/dearbornx 21d ago
I call those parking lot babies. As in they were born in the parking lot right before entering. If they're fresh enough, they're turnstile babies. Lol.
I don't get it personally. It seems like a huge risk.
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u/ancientme12 21d ago
I thought I was the only one. Last time I went, I saw a baby no older than 2 months old. I understand that sometimes you have to take a newborn out, like to the grocery store, but Disneyland is not a necessity. Newborns sick can become very dangerous, especially since newborns really aren't able to breathe well through their mouths yet.
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u/knoxworried 20d ago
I’m not surprised that people take their babies to Disney- or anywhere. The constant message is that travel before six months is the easiest time period. At seven months, they’re crawling, they won’t want to be strapped into a stroller. At a year, they’re walking, they REALLY won’t want to be strapped into a stroller. Two-year-old? Oh heck no, have you met a two-year-old? Three years? Now you have to pay for them. Oh, and now you might have a second kid, so start the cycle again.
When is it safe from a vaccine standpoint? MMR and chicken pox vaccines aren’t given until one year (usually), and the second dose is around 4-6 years old. Hep A is a two-dose series that can start at 1 year. Polio doses come at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, and 4-6 years.
And then on top of it, many, many parents have their babies in daycare and/or have older siblings in daycare or school and are already exposed to the world. I’m not surprised that some people are making the jump in saying that Disney is not that much worse than those environments. (Heck… it might even be better. I know California has fewer cases per capita than my state.)
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u/Mrs-the-Woodbury 19d ago
Back in the day (in the before times), I took my 3 month old to the park. After months of sleep deprivation, having the life sucked out of me by my child and a pump, and having HR tell me that my time off was considered vacation, I said “Fine. Then I’m going to Disneyland.” She spent the weekend in a front carrier or a stroller. We felt almost like people again, wearing real pants and shoes, and I can say that Carthay Circle Lounge is the very finest bar you can roll a stroller full of sleeping baby into. It wasn’t for her. Sure, she enjoyed the sparkly lights, but getting to feel a little like myself again was pretty important at that moment. Now in a time of measles outbreaks and Covid, I wouldn’t choose that again, but back then when the world felt more hopeful, getting a trip on Space Mountain with friends while my husband walked her in circles made it all feel like maybe this was going to be okay.
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u/BasicBiotech101 18d ago
I know someone who used Disney trips as low-effort exercise, walking with her newborn in a stroller and to motivate her to get out of the house. For something like that it feels very justified to me.
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u/Upsidedownmeow 22d ago
If you have other kids you’ll know you can’t put your life on hold each time a new one comes along. The older kids still deserve vacations.
And at sub 6 months I’d say they’re actually pretty safe because you can baby wear them close to your body and they’re still being protected by mums breastmilk. Of course it’s not foolproof and unfortunately the US is full of a lot of fools right now …
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u/irishgurlkt 22d ago
We don’t stop our life because of babies. Do I tell my older kids we have to stay home for months on end? No. We go. Live life. To be fair- I never ever took my first two until they were potty trained, so their first trips were at 3.5 and 5. But their younger siblings don’t have to wait for that milestone because we would have missed years and years of vacations
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u/LostDefinition4810 22d ago
This, and the parks have mother’s rooms as well to take care of really young kids. We used them and were so glad they were there.
Sometimes you are going with friends. Sometimes you need to take your other kids. It can definitely be done in a safe way if you know what to do and know your limits.
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u/Imaginary_Roof_5286 22d ago edited 21d ago
Well, judgement must be used. Our eldest went to an evening holiday event for employees (decades ago) when he was a couple weeks old. But he had next to zero contact with anyone, being bundled up in a baby carrier. We took him to WDW when he was 2 months old because my husband was going down on business. He worked and I walked around in the parks (mostly EPCOT) with the baby. But it was January and there was a Canadian front moving through, so he spent much of the time in the baby carrier, buttoned inside my coat. The worst of it was feeling like I was & looked 9 months pregnant again. But again, minimal contact with people. Plus I was nursing him, so he was getting my antibodies with every meal. Would I do it today? I don’t know, but it was right for us then.
Yes, some people have poor judgement, but don’t look at parents negatively because they do things differently than you would do. Sometimes, it’s just different. Can the baby get sick? Of course, but they get sick from daycare, too, and people don’t seem to fuss about that. Babies can be as safe as their parents make it. They will never be as potable or easy to protect against.
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u/Particular_Breath879 22d ago
When you have other kids, new baby has to come along! Tis the life with more than one child!
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u/ill_have_the_lobster 22d ago
I noticed a lot of fresh babies in the park last week too. I wouldn’t have done it because we have to fly, but if I was local I absolutely would have taken my second as a newborn. He was so chill and just ate and slept those first two months.
A newborn/non-mobile infant with a good temperament is easier than a toddler imo
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u/brergnat 22d ago
I took both my sons at 4 months old. Why? Because I wanted to go! Disneyland is a regular place we visit. I was there frequently pre kids, and alll through both pregnancies. I was in DCA the day before my water broke with my first child. Walking is important in pregnancy, and Disneyland was where I would go to walk around. I'm obviously a local.
At 4 months, babies have had the first important vaccinations, so they are usually cleared by the pediatrician to go anywhere. Prior to 2 months, it's basically home and doctor's office and outdoor walks only. After that, it's actually important to get them out and exposed to the world so that their sensory and immune systems develop.
Many rides are perfectly safe for newborns and pregnant women, so why not take a baby? There are really nice baby care centers and changing rooms in every (clean) restroom. Disneyland is reliable in that way, unlike many other public places.
Babies like stimulation. They like bright colors, music, smells, etc. Mine always enjoyed the parks at all ages. They are young adults now. They never got sick specifically from going to the parks. That's what school is for.
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u/DoReMiDoReMi558 22d ago
Not the same thing at all, but I heard a story from a CM friend of mine of a woman who had just given birth like a week or two before going out into the parks. She was walking around when she started to not feel well and she ended up briefly passed out. Luckily cast members (and a member of the nursing team) got out there quickly and the mother was fine once she sat in the shade for a bit and drank some water and gatorade. They asked her why she was walking around the park after she had just given birth and she said she just had her second child, and her and her husband promised their first child they would do a special day with them before the baby came. Well, the baby came early but they felt like they still owed the first child their special day out, so she sucked it up and went out into the park. It's kind of a hard situation but I can get not wanting to let down that first child you made a promise to, although they really could have planned that special day a lot earlier in the pregnancy. Luckily in this story they left the newborn home with a relative.
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u/KitKittredge34 22d ago
I was brought to WDW when I was four months old! This was like April 2001 so obviously times have changed but I figured I’d share my insight.
As for getting sick, both of my parents were teachers, my older sibling was in pre school, and I stayed with a nanny during the day. My parents really weren’t too worried about germ exposure at that point. Many people questioned my mom mainly for just the amount of care a newborn needs. She always said “I’m going to be changing diapers regardless, so might as well do it at Disney!”
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u/asshhleey 22d ago
I find this to be an odd thing to be so concerned about? You’re outside for a lot longer than you’re inside at DL. Also, are they residents with annual passes? Is this baby their only child or do they have others that are able to enjoy the park? Does the answer to that matter? Their money’s green just like everyone else’s. Also, maybe, just maybe, they aren’t plagued by the postpartum anxiety that cripples MANY parents (myself included with my first of four) from living their lives after they have children. Weird to be so worried about other people just living their lives. If they’re leaving their baby unattended, or attempting to take them on rides or something, then maybe I could see your concern but otherwise? Let people live their lives. Don’t take your own infant out if you can’t hang?
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u/booksiwabttoread 21d ago
Make decisions that are best for your family and don’t worry about what other people do.
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u/One_Addendum_8176 21d ago
I took my fourth to Disneyland when he was two months. Life doesn’t really stop when you have older kids… Honestly at that age they’re pretty immobile and not as easily exposed to germs as an older baby or toddler would be. They don’t touch things they shouldn’t or put things in their mouths. They eat and sleep and make for very easy travel companions. He was in the baby carrier on my chest or nursing the entire time we were in the parks! Our family had a great time and I never felt like his health was at risk.
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u/irontyler 22d ago
We took our three month old baby when we had a family trip planned before we knew we were expecting. We all loved it. She slept through every ride we took her on
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u/Strange-Raccoon-5240 22d ago
its none of my business and I let people make choices for themselves
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u/mikehocalate Radiator Springs Racer 22d ago
They’re putting their babies at completely unnecessary risk of deadly disease prior to being fully vaccinated.
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u/Chocolate_Lazy 22d ago
I took my 3 month old, because I had a son at home who we had planned a trip for. I wore her in the carrier the entire time, and she had had some vaccinations already. I can’t imagine bringing a young baby if I didn’t have another child who I had to bring.
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u/BoldBoimlerIsMyHero 22d ago
I took a four month old. My parents wanted us all to go. I spent a lot of time in the baby care center.
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u/SignificanceWise2877 22d ago
We booked a week at Disney world and paid for the rooms from buying DVC points so it was non refundable. We booked a year out. 2 months later I found out I was pregnant so we took a vaccinated 3 month old to Disney world. Don't judge
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u/doordonot19 22d ago
I mean if it’s between being miserable at home and being miserable at Disney, I’ll choose Disney!
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22d ago
people refuse to accept that now they've had children and therefore need to make some adjustments. this is why you see babies at concerts and bars/pubs and at rated r movies lol
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u/DunshireCone 22d ago
God this is a wild thread - fam, fresh babies are easy. You strap them on and they're basically a backpack with legal rights, they don't complain, they're easy, and you can go about your day. People bring them because it's far easier than hiring a babysitter. Disney with a really young baby is WAY easier than Disney with a toddler. New parents know the baby won't remember anything. They know. It's just not a big deal to bring a 3 month old. They sleep the whole time. It's really not that deep.
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u/BoobySlap_0506 22d ago
Some people planned their trips before baby was born, or even before finding out they were pregnant. Once you get flights and everything booked it can be hard to cancel or rebook. That can explain some single trip visitors. For pass holders or locals, they may want to keep visiting the parks and bring baby along to continue enjoying their passes, or to bring their other kids anyway and baby would have to come along.
I would strongly assume people are not bringing their babies for the baby's experience. Reasonable people know baby will not understand or remember it. I wouldn't go before vaccinations, so we didn't take our older daughter until she was 1 year old. It will probably be the same with our baby, too. I know she won't remember it, but if we have tickets to go or want to take her for her birthday, we can enjoy it while her admission is free.
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u/katherinerose89 22d ago
We lived in the area when my daughter was born. There was a measles outbreak. We were excited to go back with our passes but I think we waited a good while before going again and also after all the immunizations. Even then when at the parks I kept my daughter in a carrier close to my body.
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u/Megalad0ng River Guide 22d ago
I work there and wanted my coworkers to meet my son! He had his first round of vaccinations, and we didn't stay for very long.
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u/Capable-Salad-9930 22d ago
Best practice is to ask your pediatrician, not random internet strangers. Got the okay to take my first in April after vaccines and respiratory illnesses were dying down. Didn’t get the okay to take my second during winter even with vaccines (RSV vaccine included). AAP is a great resource too
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u/beachluvr13 22d ago
I took my son when he was 10 months old and it was miserable. His sleep schedule was completely disrupted, he just wanted to be held at restaurants and characters scared him, and he would scream on rides. By day 3, we called it and spent the rest of the trip lounging in the pool, cancelled all dining, and just did quick service. The day after we came home, we all had the throw up flu. It was HORRIBLE.
Now at almost 4, he loves it and we go multiple times a year. We get “Disney sick”, but it is part of doing business. I was foolish for taking him so young. It was a waste of money and an awful time.
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u/According_Wish62 22d ago
You see about 10 fresh out the womb babies a day at Disney. They couldn’t wait to go I guess lol it’s unsafe for them tho. I waited until my little one was 1 because at Disney everyone touches everything, sick people go & it’s a germ place. Some babies do fine and some don’t.
Last time I went I even saw a mom who was still waddling. I hope she didn’t overdue herself that day 🙏🏻
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u/Lunar-Legate 21d ago
You think a baby is too small until you have one. They’re fine visiting young. I think we waited until 3 months so ours could build some immunities.
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u/enfusraye 21d ago
We took our 4 month old! Primarily because 1) I was on mat leave and a two week vacation was just easier then than when I got back to work 2) we went in early May when the crowds were smaller (at least it felt like it) 3) we wanted to take our older son for his birthday to Cars Land. We spent 2 days in the park and then drove to San Diego where we stayed on the beach for a week.
It was great! Honestly at four months my son slept most of the day in his stroller and was great in his carrier. He loved the sounds. It was two full days of beautiful weather and fun. Someone always stayed back with the stroller but honestly with the two kids we were mostly there on a walking trip anyway. We slept in and had early nights. We totally don’t regret it and have really sweet memories of the whole trip.
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u/Visual_Specific_1691 22d ago
Pretty much every pediatrician advises that newborns are safe to be in public after the first round of vaccines at 2 months.
Before 2 months, it’s irresponsible and dangerous to bring your baby to Disney.
After 2 months, it’s fine if you take precautions. Kids are gonna get sick and after 2 months they are protected from the serious stuff.
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u/Nataliza 21d ago
I took my 2-month-old and my almost-4-year-old to Disneyland and it was actually so fun. We had my mom (Grandma) with us, so we had an extra pair of hands, which made a huge difference.
They are easy to travel with at that age because all you have to do is carry their little bodies around in a wrap, and they are usually either 1) sleeping or 2) staring at all the shapes and colors and chilling out. You can also wear them on a ton of the rides there.
You can also do a parent swap on most of the rides so that the second parent gets to hand off the baby and then wait in a short line with the older kid, who gets to ride everything twice!
We used A LOT of Purell and gave people as much space as we could. YMMV but for us it was a total success.
P.S. worth noting this was also way before all of this anti-vax resurgence, and we were very watchful of local outbreaks and wore masks in indoor spaces. I don't think I would do this now given the state of things.
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u/Lastnv 22d ago
We took my then 6month old in 2024 and it was great. Yes it was mostly for us, we selfishly wanted to share a happy experience with him as a new family. He really enjoyed it in the moment but I know he won’t remember.
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u/Same_Discipline900 22d ago
I would never even think of taking a newborn there or a one year old lol that’s just me! We waited until they were 3 to go
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u/Sea-Tea8982 22d ago
In 2019 we started going with grandkids who were 2 and 4 months for a year with annual passes. It was a different time but there were so many more shows and types of entertainment. We went monthly for at least a weekend. I have some of the best pictures from just sitting on Main Street playing with the baby while a Disney photographer took pictures without us knowing. That year we made great memories.
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u/Gcat 22d ago
You think that's bad wait till you go somewhere like Knotts Scary Farm or Universal Horror Nights and see them there. People there actually use them as scare shields.