First Disney Trip

Jackson's first Disney trip was yesterday and we had a blast! I wanted to share some tips and tell you why I'm glad that we brought our 5 month old to Disney.  (Affiliate links below)

Tip #1:  Pick the right park.  We went to Magic Kingdom because they seemed to have the most baby friendly rides.  We went on Dumbo, Under the Sea, Jungle Cruise, It's a Small World, and Haunted Mansion.  It's a Small World was definitely his favorite!  There are many, many other baby friendly rides, but there's never enough time for everything.  To give you a good idea, we were at the park for about 5 hours and went on 5 rides, so about a ride an hour.  We also saw, The Muppets Present Great Moments In History, which I highly recommend.


Tip #2:  Pack your gear (though if you forget something, you can always stop into the Baby Care Center and purchase whatever you need).  Here's what we brought with us:

• Diapers (I always bring one per hour, just in case)
• Wipes
• Stroller fan - I like the Dream Baby fan because separates into 2 pieces for easy packing
• Frogg Togg Cooling Mat - this was the by far the best thing we brought with us!  We only brought one for Jackson, but I purchased one for both my hubby and myself after we got home
• Rain cover because no one wants to deal with a wet stroller
• Water (I like to freeze a few bottles the night before so that I have ice cold water throughout the day)

Tip #3:  Bring your own stroller.  I liked having our own stroller because it was something that Jackson was familiar with and I wanted a stroller that reclines to allow him to sleep throughout the day.  If you're looking for the perfect park stroller, I HIGHLY recommend checking out the Maclaren Quest.  

Tip #4:  Get your little one their "1st Visit" pin.  These are completely free and make for an excellent souvenir.  You can ask any Disney cast member at Guest Relations or in any retail store. 

Tips #5:  Be prepared to "park" your stroller.  Each ride has a designated "parking" area where you will need to leave your stroller.  You will want to have any valuables in a "go bag" that you can easily take with you, so that you don't worry about anything being taken while you're on the ride.  I love my Under Armour Ozsee Sackpack.

Tip #6:  If you're like me and want your little one sporting some Disney apparel, I'd strongly recommend buying it ahead of time - it will save you some money.  Amazon has a large selection of Disney baby clothing.  

Tip #7:  Get a FastPass!  If your little one is anything like mine, you won't want to spend time standing still in a line (especially in the Florida heat).  Having the FastPass really was a lifesaver!

Tip #8:  TAKE LOTS OF BREAKS - seriously!  Even with only 10 minutes or less waits for rides (thanks to the FastPass), we only did about a ride an hour.  We made our way to an air conditioned restaurant or store in between each ride and took decently long breaks.  Every other break we changed Jackson's diaper and fed him.

Tip #9:  Don't forget the sunblock - for both the adults and the kids.  Before going, we asked our pediatrician if we should or shouldn't use sunblock on Jackson.  They said that after 4 months, it is safe to use, but you just need to be careful not to get any on their hands.  We were also reminded putting sunblock on a baby isn't a free pass to have them baking in the sun all day, but more of an added layer of protection.  We use Babyganics Sunblock for Jackson and love it.

Tip #10:  Babywear (if that's your preference).  We brought our Baby K'tan Active and it was perfect for the park.  When we wanted a break from the stroller and wanted Jackson to take a nap, I could just pop him into the wrap and walk around a wonderful, air conditioned gift shop.

Tip #11:  Most importantly, have fun and don't forget to take lots of pictures!

Maclaren Quest Review

We started with the Chicco Bravo Travel System (affiliate link), which was super convenient.  I loved that you could just snap the carseat into the stroller and go. Or if you're running a quick errant that doesn't require the stroller, you can just carry in the carseat.  However, with our Disney trip approaching, we were longing for something more compact and lightweight.  And with Jackson getting heavier and heavier, the convenience of just grabbing the carseat for a quick errand was fading.   

This led us to the Maclaren Quest (affiliate link).  It's compact and folds up like an umbrella stroller and weighing in at 12.6 lbs., it's not much heavier than one.  When folded, the Maclaren Quest sports a very convenient carrying strap.  

Unlike an umbrellas stroller, it actually has some storage.  There is storage both below and on the back of the stroller.  When going to the mall or the grocery store, I find that there is enough storage space that I don't need to carry in the diaper bag, which is an added bonus.  

The stroller has a 50 SPF waterproof sunshade featuring a peek-a-boo window so you can protect and check in on your little one.  Additionally, the stroller comes with an easy to attach rain cover, which is compact enough to stow away in the strollers basket.  

For safety, the stroller has a 5-point harness and 4 wheel suspension.  And finally, my favorite feature, the stroller has multiple reclining positions.  It can fully recline to allow your little one to sleep safely and comfortably.