Prepping for Your Pregnant Disney Trip

Ok, let’s be real, this was NOT the post I thought I was going to be writing four days (!!!) before my 2018 Walt Disney World Vacation. I thought it would be something like, “Packing For Your Trip at the Last Minute” or “What to Do When Your Daughter’s Princess Dress gets Lost in the Mail”.

Being pregnant on our 2018 trip (or, you know, ever again) seemed so far out of the realm of possibility that it never once occurred to me to prepare for it. Surprise! In all my Disney World trips, I’ve never been pregnant. I’ve gone with an 8 month old, gone solo, gone on a Girls’ trip with my mom, gone on couples only trips, as a kid, as a teenager, as a college student, as a poor, single person…So this will truly be a first.

I’m excited to visit the most magical place on Earth while something magical is going on in our lives. Though, it did take me a few minutes to come around to that way of thinking. The third thing I said as we starred at the six positive tests was, “But what about our Disney trip?” (The first thing I said was, “You’re seeing this too, right?” The second thing was, “Do you think six is enough confirmation?”)

It’s not that I don’t think you can have fun at Disney while pregnant. Certainly you can. I’ve gone to Disney under so many different circumstances that I truly believe you can have an amazing time no matter what your variables. It’s just that I have been singing the theme song for Splash Mountain under my breath for the last six months, so excited to do it with my Little Mermaid now that she hit the heigh requirement. It’s just that we were such ballers on our last trip about doing rope drop to fireworks that I was excited to do it again. It’s just that I’m a planner, and I have been planning this trip for over a year and now all my plans have popped like the balloons on Carl Fredrickson’s house.

But once I got my head on straight and we settled into the news, we saw that this pregnancy was offering us the trip of a lifetime. We get to tell our girls the gender of their new sibling with the help of princesses and pirates. We will see and do things we’ve never “had time” for before, since we’ll be saying goodbye to thrill rides. My husband told me last night he had never been on Astro Orbiter and I was like, “How can that be??” Turns out it was just never a priority before. Looking at this trip with new (slightly tired) eyes has been a game changer: my preschoolers have been to Disney as many years as they’ve been alive and there are things they’ve never done! So now we get to do them. Thanks, Baby Bee.

If you’re heading to the house of mouse with a bun in your oven, here are some steps I highly recommend to making sure you have the safest, coolest, most magical time ever.

Talk to Your Doctor. I cannot stress this enough. I reminded my doctor at every single appointment that I was going to Disney in August. She made a note in my file, so that if I have to call this week while we’re gone, her staff already knows that I am out of state and can advise accordingly.

Along with this, your doctor will probably want to identify the nearest hospital and/or emergency room to your resort. This is brilliant and, frankly, never would have occurred to me. Enter that information in your and your partner’s phone so that you have it handy.

Listen to Your Doctor. This is a two parter that will vary depending on your pregnancy and the trimester you’ll be in during your vacation. Part one: Whatever your doctor asks you to do on your trip? Do it. My doctor requested that I take a two hour break in the middle (read: hottest) part of the day at the hotel, preferably in air condition with my feet elevated. Swimming is another alternative. While I first looked at this as a major hindrance (“think of all the time we’re losing!”), I now see it as a great opportunity. We have Park Hopper tickets, so after our rest at the hotel, we’ll be able to hit up whichever park has the lowest wait times and try even more new things!

Walt Disney World is very good about advertising which of their rides are not suitable when you are with child. Some of these are a given (hiiiii, Space Mountain) and some are little less obvious. You should talk about these rides with your physician, NOT listen to people on the internet. (Unless that person is me. Telling you to listen your doctor.) If you Google “pregnant rides at Disney” you are going to get a big can of worms. Maybe someone in their first trimester went on a thrill ride and it was no problem. But that same ride probably needs to be off limits to someone in their second trimester. Every pregnancy is different, so only your doctor can tell you with absolute certainty what you need to avoid.

Try on Your Swimsuit as Close as Possible to Your Departure Date. Your bump will grow. Even in the span of a week, that bump will grow. You don’t want to be caught in a tight, constricting suit on vacation. Try on your suit a few days before you leave, and plan a quick Target run in the middle of your packing, just to be on the safe side. Best case scenario, you have an extra hour to mess around with dining reservations. Worst case scenario, you have to go buy a new swimsuit. If you’re going at the end of the summer, like me, bonus points for getting your preggo suit on clearance. If you are going in the Fall or Winter when swimsuits aren’t as available at the stores, consider buying a new suit during the clearance season in a size up.

Plan Your Outfits and Bring Double. Comfort is the name of the game when you’re pregnant, but let’s be honest, you still want to look cute in all those Memory Maker pics. Occasionally feeling self conscious about the crazy shapes your body has decided to make is part of the pregnancy game, and no one wants you to feel self conscious at Disney World! Plan your outfits in advance, try them on before you leave (see above), and then plan a whole second set, rinse, and repeat. Truth of matter is that you are probably sweating more since you’ve got a passenger hitching a ride. Now double that perspiration in the Orlando heat. You may not change into your second outfit everyday, but it will be nice to have that option.

Pack Any Medication in Your Carry On. For my friends flying, if you’re taking pills for any pregnancy related issue, pack them in your carry on so you don’t run any risks if your luggage gets lost or misplaced. This goes for over the counter meds you need to function, like TUMS. If you can get a note from your doctor verifying you need these meds, so much the better.

Speaking of notes, most airlines don’t like you to fly after 32 weeks. So if you are carrying multiples or presenting farther long than you are, it’ll be helpful to have a note from your doc verifying how far along you are and you’re cleared to travel. Chances are you won’t need it, but it doesn’t hurt to check with your health care professional before you leave.

Don’t forget to check back here next week when I give you the low down on everything Disney as a Pregnant Mama!

Have you been to Disney pregnant? What other great tips do you have for the planning process? Hit me up in the comments!

Kristen B. is wife to the best Prince around, mama to the spunkiest little princesses, and lover of all things Disney. She started her savings journey three years ago and is now dedicated to making her family’s wishes come true one coupon at a time. She is so excited to take her love of saving to the next level and share her journey with you! Click here to catch up on Kristen’s Savings and join in on your own savings adventure!