Baby-Friendly Vacations: What You Need to Know and Why Disneyworld is Ideal
An increasing number of new parents are choosing to take a vacation just a few months after the advent of their child’s birth and who can blame them? The first few weeks of parenthood are absolutely tiring and no mom or dad would wish to feel that their life has stopped just because they have welcomed a new life into the world.
Many holiday resorts are more than aware of this post-birth desire for a vacation and as such there are some that make the promise in their pamphlets or on their website that they can provide baby friendly holidays. However, just because a resort is welcoming of infants, this does not mean that they have gone above and beyond to ensure that parents are as comfortable as they could possibly be whilst away on holiday with their baby.
Baby Facilities to Look for
These are just some of the items that a well equipped baby friendly resort will be able to provide to its guests:
- More than a handful of baby changing facilities dotted around the resort
- Changing mats
- Highchairs
- Cots
- Playpens
- Bottle warmers
- Sterilizers
- Baby monitors
- Baby baths and
- Several supermarkets selling baby provisions such as diapers and wet wipes.
If you are ever unable to locate answers regarding whether or not a particular resort has changing facilities and/or a piece of baby equipment that you think you might need while away, you should never be afraid to pick up the phone to ask a representative for further information. After all, the resort wants your hard-earned money and its staff will therefore be as informative as they possibly can.
In addition to the items above, the holiday will no doubt be a more enjoyable experience if there is entertainment specifically for babies and babysitting services – it’s not really a holiday for the parents unless they can take at least a little time off from their parental duties!
Mom and Dad may also wish to enquire as to whether the room which they plan to stay in is dark enough with the blind and/or curtains closed to ensure that the baby can drift off to sleep with ease. Be sure to ask about noise level as well.
Perfect for babies: Disneyworld
One example of a resort that is very well equipped for babies is Disneyworld in Florida as I discovered when I visited the park with my husband, seven year old daughter and newborn son last year.
There are several ‘Baby Care Centers’ dotted across each of the four theme parks that make up the resort and so these are seldom crowded. Each center comprises changing and feeding facilities and changing mats, bottle warmers, microwave ovens and wooden rockers which can used completely free of charge, in addition to a shop from which baby supplies – including baby food – can be purchased. Playpens and/or cribs are also available in every hotel room on request and strollers can also be hired.
I really could not recommend the resorts’ ‘Kid’s Nite Out’ babysitting services highly enough. Fully qualified babysitters can care for infants on your behalf in your hotel room, or they can be hired to accompany you to one of the theme parks, or one of the resorts’ entertainment shows (though a minimum four hour hire applies). The extra pair of hands proved very useful when our little girl wanted to go on a couple of rides that was unsuitable for babies with her father and I.
Even better is the fact that Disneyworld runs a “Baby Switch” operation. This allows one parent to experience a ride that is unsuitable for babies whilst the other parent waits at the front of the line. After the ride has ended, mom and dad swap positions so that the other can enjoy the ride too and so that queuing twice is not necessary.
Infants who are potty trained and aged four years or above can also make use of Disneyworld Children’s Activity Centers in which children complete activities and play games. Younger children can take advantage of the baby swimming pools and the Disney character meet and greets and dining experiences (obviously with Mom and/or Dad present).
The author of this guest post – Kathy Coleman – knows exactly what to look for in regards to baby friendly holidays because she has taken many international and UK family holidays with her own little one on tow.
