Must-Haves for Disney World with a Baby
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Planning a trip to Disney World with a baby? Good for you! I will never talk anyone out of this decision as we have done it and had an amazing time! Just be prepared with baby items and patience.
In addition to your standard baby packing items, here are a few extras to be sure you have, no matter what time of year for a successful trip to Disney World with a Baby.
Disney onesies
Let’s start with the fun stuff! Even babies need cute Disney gear for their Disney World visit. Save money and buy cute yet comfy Disney onesies and outfits in advance. This allows you to be sure they fit, and have them all washed for baby’s sensitive skin before your trip.
Onesies are versatile for weather changes too. You can throw pants over the onesie for a chilly morning or switch to shorts if it gets warm. Chilly afternoon or evening? Add a hoodie or light jacket. Bonus, onesies are usually soft, breathable cotton and fold-up tiny. This allows you to pack a few in your park bag in case of the inevitable blowout situation!
Shop Your Favorite Disney Onesie:
Feeding Supplies
Baby is dressed for Disney, now let’s get down to business. Whether your baby is breast or bottle-fed, purees or formula, bring it all! Be sure to have enough of whatever you may need, plus extra just in case. This is especially true if flying with a baby to Disney World. Check out my Must-Haves for Flying with Baby post for more information.
Breastfeeding at Disney World
If you are a breastfeeding Mom, bring whatever supplies you may need to the parks. You are absolutely allowed to breastfeed in public at Disney World, or for some airconditioned privacy, there are Baby Care Centers located in all 4 Disney World parks offering private nursing rooms with rocking chairs, changing tables, restrooms, kitchen, and other amenities.
If you use a breastfeeding cover to keep an easily-distracted baby focused, bring it! Talk about an easy place to be distracted with so many new sights and sounds.
Pumping at Disney World
If you are a pumping Mama, again, bring all of your supplies with you. Don’t rely on them being available, especially in the situation. Every room in a Walt Disney World resort has a small fridge to store your breastmilk.
Don’t forget your bottles, any pump cleaning supplies you may need, battery packs if needed, etc. My must-have while pumping was my pumping bra, I literally could not position the flanges properly without it. Those are the little things you don’t want to forget.
For the parks, bring a refrigerated cooler bag with you to keep breast milk bottles chilled, unless you are pumping and serving to baby within the recommended time frame. FYI, Kingdom Strollers includes a cooler bag with their stroller rentals.
Formula Fed Babies at Disney World
The formula shortage seems to be improved but please be sure to bring extra formula on vacation to ensure you don’t risk running out and having a stressful situation. This is especially true if your baby requires a specialized formula due to allergies or medical conditions.
I’d advise bringing water bottles to the parks to mix formula if you use powder, so you aren’t hunting down water with a screaming, hungry baby. I love this Dr. Brown’s Formula Dispenser for plane travel and outings. It holds 3 bottles worth of powdered formula, to avoid you having to bring a big container. Also with the potential for major humidity at Disney World, this avoids risking your entire container being affected.
Babies Taking Purees/Modified Solids
If you are comfortable just mashing up whatever you happen to order at Disney World for your baby, go for it! But if your baby needs specific purees due to allergy concerns, or maybe you’re just starting purees and are nervous, bring your own.
Pouches of purees are easy to travel with, and if your baby prefers them cold they can go right into your cooler bag in the stroller to stay cool. If you need baby spoons, bring those too as they are not readily available.
Stroller
Disney World involves so much walking! Like 10+ miles per day most days, and we don’t even stay late at the parks for fireworks. With the potential for high heat and humidity any time of year, carrying a baby all day will be hot and sweaty, in addition to heavy no matter how small your baby is.
If you have a child who will fit in a stroller, bring or rent a stroller. You will thank me later.
Lady A was 7 on our most recent Disney World trip and still rode in the stroller. It was also a hurricane, so the stroller was a way to stay dry. But even on our sunny days, she chose to ride. Strollers keep your kids contained and safe while letting you move more quickly around the parks.
Kingdom Strollers Stroller Rental
Our home double stroller is a Double Bob. While this is an amazing stroller, our version does not stand up when folded so we choose to rent from Kingdom Strollers when we visit Disney World.
We have rented from Kingdom Strollers for all 3 of our Disney trips and have had amazing experiences each time. We typically rent the Mini GT Double stroller, but we reserved too late last trip and tried a City Mini Double which we also loved. Both strollers recline all the way back, perfect for napping babies.
Kingdom Strollers representatives come to your resort to drop off and pick up your stroller during the time frame you choose. Recently Kingdom Strollers started airport pickup/dropoff right at MCO too. At drop-off, the representative will also show you how to use the stroller including folding and unfolding it, which is huge with an unfamiliar stroller.
Kingdom Strollers includes a free drink holder/parent console and free rain cover and cooler bag with each rental. I can say from experience the rain covers can withstand a Category 1 hurricane wind and rain, keeping the kids dry inside!
Additionally, rain showers happen often in Orlando so the rain cover will protect your stroller if it rains while you are on rides, eating meals, or just away from it and cannot move it to a protected area quickly in a rain shower.
Check Kingdom Strollers’ Availability During Your Vacation by clicking below:
Stroller fan
If you have a baby, or child of any age, who will be napping in that stroller, bring a stroller fan. We have been to Disney the first week of April with 90-degree weather and 90% humidity by 8 am!! A stroller can quickly turn into a sweaty mess, especially if there is no breeze. We love this SkyGenius Clip-On Stroller Fan from Amazon, it charges quickly via a USB port and has held a charge for multiple park days if we forget to charge it in between.
On one trip we became overconfident and didn’t charge the fan. It died in the parks on a very hot day so we had to buy one at Disney because it was too hot in the stroller for our little guy’s nap. The Disney fan was quite expensive and died before the end of the day. Learn from my mistake-bring your own and charge it every night!
Baby Carrier
If you use a baby carrier at home, I would strongly advise bringing it to Disney World. Yes, you will have a stroller. But there are designated stroller parking areas on site, meaning you will be carrying your baby around from the parking areas to attractions and during meals (stroller parking is outside for most areas).
I swear by my LILLEbaby Airflow Baby Carrier for Disney World trips. The Airflow isn’t as hot as other carriers, which is perfect for Florida. Baby J spent a lot of time in the carrier on his first two trips. You can even carry babies onto some rides in the carrier, as allowed by cast members.
On his first trip, Baby J actually fell asleep on the Safari at Animal Kingdom in the carrier and had a lovely nap! If I hadn’t had the carrier, I would’ve been stuck with him napping in the stroller while my husband and Little A experienced the ride to avoid disturbing a very tired baby’s nap.
At age 2 years, Baby J napped in his carrier during his second Disney World vacation. The LILLEbaby Airflow Complete I have can be used on babies and toddlers between 7-45 pounds so we got a lot of us out of it.
Shop LILLEbaby Complete Airflows:
Sun hats
Florida sun does not mess around and try as you might, baby will end up in the sun at some point. I love these sun hats by iplay with Velcro or ties under the chin. Available in baby and toddler sizes, they stay on even on rides and have a wide enough brim to cover necks as well as faces.
Sunscreen
Have you ever had to buy sunscreen at a Disney resort hotel? Trust me you don’t want to!! It is insanely expensive and they may or may not have a brand you know and trust on hand, especially if you use/need organic or sensitive skin sunscreen.
Stock up on big sunscreen containers to pack in your checked bags, and a couple of smaller ones (less than 3oz per TSA) in my pool bag/carry-on that we bring on the plane in case something happens and our luggage isn’t available right away.
Swim Diapers
Swim diapers are required by Disney World Resorts and they are incredibly expensive to buy there. I swear by these Huggies Little Swimmers.
Extra Diapers and Wipes
I tend to bring double the amount of diapers I think I will need. You only have to carry them all one way, as most should be used up on the way home, and they are truly a necessity that you can’t get around.
This especially applies if your baby needs specific diapers or wipes for sensitive skin. While Disney World resorts do stock diapers and wipes, they offer limited brands.
Worst case, you can always order diapers and/or wipes from Insta Cart and have them delivered straight to your resort if you don’t have a rental car or want to Uber to a local grocery store.
Tylenol/Motrin
As someone whose baby developed hand, foot, and mouth while at Disney World, I cannot even tell you how important it is to have Motrin (if your baby is over 6 months and your doctor advises it’s okay) and Tylenol on hand. I also travel with Benadryl, just in case of an allergic reaction.
Ask your child’s pediatrician for the appropriate medications and doses (write the doses down) to bring with you. I carry all medications on the plane with me in case of lost luggage.
Little J developed a high fever in the middle of the night at Disney World during one trip. It would have been a nightmare if we didn’t have medication in the room for him. Our resort did not have a 24-hour store. So someone would have had to Uber somewhere in the middle of the night to grab it. Disaster!
Disposable Table Covers
Traveling with a baby who eats their puffs, Cheerios, etc off the tabletop? Stock up on these stick-on placemats that keep baby’s food clean and peel off when you’re done, taking the mess and crumbs with them. These placemats even come in a gender-neutral, Disney-themed Winnie the Pooh print!
We have used them in many restaurants, including at Disney World, and never had an issue with residue left on the table either, unlike other brands we have tried. This will save you the stress of baby throwing plates on the floor or scouring the table to make it as clean as possible only to have them rubbing their food into the one spot you missed. They are also cute with little games and bright images for babies.
Disney World with a Baby
I hope this list of must-haves for your Disney World trip helped you pack and prepare. Remember, if you forget something, don’t panic. You are in Florida and there are plenty of stores and pharmacies nearby, but honestly, the Disney resorts have most things available, just at a premium price and maybe not 24/7.
Disney World with Toddlers
If you are traveling to Disney World with a baby and a toddler-aged big brother or sister, don’t forget to check out my post full of practical Tips and Tricks for Disney World with Toddlers.
I cover everything from scheduling meals and planning outfits in advance to catering to your family’s strengths and accepting what you cannot plan. Having traveled to Disney World with a toddler multiple times, and two toddlers at once, I can say from experience it is exhausting but an incredible experience that I will treasure forever!
