We started saving for our 2018 trip in April of 2017. Originally, we were planning on a September trip, which would have made our final payments due in August 2018. That would have given us 17 months to save. In April of 2018, exactly a year into our planning, saving, and dreaming, we found out we were pregnant.
We thought were were all done having kids, so admittedly, it took us a minute to digest the news. And once we had digested the news, I asked the question that, based on Google search, millions before me have asked. Should I go to Disney World while pregnant?
Now, obviously, the first person you should pose this question to is your doctor. The factors your doctor will be considering includes things like how far along you’ll be during your trip, the number of babies you’re carrying, and any other complications or risks your particular pregnancy poses. But even if you’re cleared by your doctor you may still have doubts. I know I did. Here are some questions to ask yourself before you consider heading to Disney with a baby (literally) on board.
How Pregnant Will You be while You’re There?
Originally we had planned on September, but that would put me in my third trimester. My doctor (gently) encouraged me to consider moving the trip up to the second trimester if at all possible. Truthfully, I was also concerned about my bump fitting on some of the rides in the third trimester. Baby Bee is my third child, so I knew I was going to show sooner rather than later. So we took the advice and moved the trip up to August.
I was 24 weeks pregnant on our trip, which for me, was perfect. I had the energy boost typical in the second trimester, my appetite had returned after months of hating even the sight of food, and my bump was still manageable. My third trimester has been typical third trimester rough and more than once either me or Mr. B has said, “It was a good thing we went to Disney in the second trimester.”
Maybe you’re one of those gals who doesn’t get sick in the first trimester, or works out twice a day up until her delivery date. In that case, do you, girl. But for the rest of us, the second trimester might be the ideal time to visit Mickey and pals.
How Hot Will It be while You’re There?
Moving our trip at my doctor’s suggestion landed us in August. Pals, Florida in August is hot. I knew this, in my brain. But knowing a thing in your brain and feeling like you are literally melting as you drag yourself across the World Showcase in another thing. I still would have made the same decision for this particular trip, but I would definitely recommend looking at the temperatures in years past at your desired vacation time. We know that pregnant ladies run hot anyway (all that extra blood!), so you need to think carefully about what kind of heat you can stand. Especially if you’re thinking about going in the third trimester.
My doctor made the not so optional recommendation that we head back to the hotel for a minimum of two hours every day we were in the parks. During this time, I was to be in the air condition, or the pool, with my feet elevated. While I was initially very annoyed at this and tried to convince Mr. B that doing Carousel of Progress six times in a row could count instead, it ended up being a great thing for all of us. Mr. B said the daily nap was his favorite part of the trip. Even if you’re not pregnant, the parks are hot in August. And people who are hot and uncomfortable aren’t super fun to be around. We left each day after lunch, the hottest part of the day, and returned in the evening, when it was (slightly) cooler and (in many cases) less crowded.
Where are You Staying?
Even before we were pregnant, we were staying on-site. We are the people who swear by the Disney bubble, so we love having our vacation at one of our resorts. But once we knew we were heading back to the hotel for a few hours each afternoon, that on-site location became a game changer.
We have nothing but good things to say about Disney transportation and this trip is no exception. Sure, there was one day we waited 20 minutes for a bus. But there was also the day where we were the only people waiting and a bus that was not going to our hotel picked us up and took us straight back to our stop.
We stayed at Caribbean Beach Resort and spent most of our time at the Magic Kingdom and Epcot. When choosing a resort for your preggo trip, definitely look at which parks you’ll be spending the most time at and which resorts are in the best proximity.
In addition to where you’re staying, it’s also important to look at room requests. The only thing we cared about, literally, was being close to a bus stop. If you’re at one of the more spread out moderates (Caribbean Beach, Coronado Springs, Fort Wilderness, or Port Orleans Riverside) or one of the values, make sure you request a room close to the transportation. And research the room types beforehand. We didn’t know that there are no elevators at Caribbean Beach until we arrived with our double stroller and were told we were on the second floor. Luckily, they were able to find a different room, still close to transportation, on the ground floor, but those are the kinds of things I like to have settled before we get there.
Another pro pregnant tip for your resort room: how close are you to the food? If you’re in the “all the snacks, all the time” stage of pregnancy, it helps to be close to that food court.
Who Are You Going With?
Mr. B is the best dad in all the world. Period. End of sentence. But he can get a little overloaded at Disney, so I knew I needed some back up because between my children, the heat, me being pregnant, and the Disney of it all, I knew it was a lot to ask of him to shoulder it all.
Enter my mother. Having an extra pair of adult eyes, ears, and hands was fantastic and allowed me to do things like skip the second (third, and fourth) spins on the Mad Tea Party. It allowed me to break off for as many bathroom breaks as I needed (which was a lot) without disrupting the flow of everyone’s trips. Best of all, it allowed us to take an evening and do a date night at Disney Springs! If you are going when you are pregnant and can’t take along some help, I would recommend sitting down with your spouse and making a solid plan. Especially if you, like me, are the planner of your family, your spouse is used to you leading the way at Disney. Communicating to them before hand when you need them to step up and take over for you will be immensely helpful when you get there.
Bottom Line: If you can dream it, you can do it.
My disappointment that I would not get to ride Splash Mountain on this trip as well documented. And yes, it is true that you will not get to ride most of the thrill rides, but that doesn’t mean you are cut off from all the fun. There are still plenty of rides, shows, parades, events, and experiences to fill your day. We ended up doing things we usually skipped or forgot about, and we STILL didn’t do everything we wanted to. We ate at amazing restaurants. We had a blast in our resort pool. We met characters we had never met before. There isn’t just one right way to do Disney. If you take all the medical precautions and go with an open mind, you can have an amazing trip. Just like Disney is appropriate for all ages, it is appropriate for all mamas.
Have you been to Disney pregnant? What was your biggest takeaway? What do you wish you knew before you went? Tell me all about it 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!
Jessica S. says
Yes for both my pregnancies, at 6 months, it was not as bad as I expected. I had a wonderful time with my family! Stay hydrated and take breaks whenever necessary! And I didnt feel like I missed out on any rides bc I could still ride any ride a small child could ride. I still experienced everything!
Kristen says
That’s awesome, Jessica! So glad you had amazing experiences on TWO pregnancies. That’s a great tip on the water!