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Breastfeeding

Nursing at Disney

Dear readers, I have a confession: I’m one of those Disney people. Sorry, not sorry?

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Anyway, during my first trip to Disney World with a nursling, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Disney is very nursing friendly, even during the high season! My toddler (19 months) was only nursing three times a day at home, but while at Disney he wanted to nurse a lot more, and I was happy to oblige. Luckily, I brought enough Bun tank tops to make it through the week.

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So without further ado, here’s the scoop:

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Nursing-Friendly Attractions

Yes, you can nurse on attractions! Not Space Mountain, obviously. But there are several attractions that are dark, quiet enough, and safe and comfortable to nurse on, and we tried them all! I got to enjoy the Disney magic, and baby got to relax and refresh. It was perfect. Here are the attractions I recommend for nursing:

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Magic Kingdom

  • The Carousel of Progress (Tomorrowland). An oldie but a goodie. The theater rotates, but you stay in your (comfy enough) seat the whole time (about 20 minutes). Also, this attraction isn’t the most popular, so lines and crowds are not an issue.

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  • Tomorrowland Speedway (between Tomorrowland and Fantasyland). (Do not confuse with Epcot’s Test Track, which has speeds of up to 65 MPH!!!) There is a viewer section with bleachers to the right of the entrance — a calm, shaded place to wait for your racers and hang out/nurse for as long as you please. When we were there, even at busy times, it was practically empty. The metal benches are a little cold, but there’s plenty of space.

 

  • The Tiki Room (Adventureland). This is another charming classic that rarely (maybe never?) has any wait or crowds. I had no problem nursing on the bench seating throughout the whole thing.

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  • Country Bear Jamboree (Frontierland). Baby was rapt with attention at this wonderful show, but you could totally nurse comfortably on the bench seating while it goes (15 minutes).

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  • The Hall of Presidents (Liberty Square). Comfortable seats and an enormous, dark, cool theater make this an ideal nursing spot. It doesn’t get too crowded, either. The show (20 minutes) is very good. Shows are every half hour. 

Epcot Center

  • Turtle Talk with Crush (The Seas). Baby slept in the carrier for this adorable 15 minute interactive show, and it was a bit crowded, but we could have made it work on one of the benches if needed. (BTW, I strongly recommend bringing a carrier to Disney even if you have a stroller, as strollers aren’t allowed in many lines/shows.)

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  • The Land Pavilion. There are several decent wooden benches in The Land pavilion (as well as just outside the Soarin’ ride) that I nursed comfortably on.

Other Good Nursing Spots

  • Benches. Benches are everywhere, and like plenty of other moms I spotted on them, I found them perfectly comfortable for nursing. The ones outside the exits for rides (Test Track, Soarin’, Splash Mountain, and Space Mountain, to name a few) tend to be empty and quiet, and you don’t even get a second glance from people exiting the ride. There are also some good quiet spots near stroller parking, and on the walkways leading up to Cinderella’s Castle.

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  • Nursing on the go. My sister and I were amazed to see a mom power walking down a very crowded Main Street, kids and husband in tow, with a latched-on, nursing newborn in her arms. You go, girl! But such a maneuver is much easier with a baby carrier. If you haven’t nursed in a carrier, I highly recommend it — it’s super convenient and discreet in a pinch! (It would probably work great while waiting in all the lines or watching a parade, too.) The Moby wrap is especially great for this. If you are using a more structured carrier (e.g., Ergo) you can loosen the straps until baby is at nipple level and nurse away. Practice before you go.

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  • Baby Care Centers. Disney also provides dedicated Baby Care Centers, sponsored by Huggies. Learn more here. I remember seeing signs that said some had free diapers as well. Well done, Disney World! I never had the need to check one of these out, but it’s good to know they’re there, and they’re probably very handy for pumping, hot weather, or long days in the park.

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A Word on Little Kids & Rider Switch . . . 

NOTE: Disney has just discontinued its FastPass system, so it is unclear how the Rider Switch will work with the new Lightning Lane system. I will update the below when I learn more!

 

If you have a little one with you who can’t or won’t go on a particular ride, you can ask the Cast Member at the entrance for a Rider Switch pass, whether you are going in the Fast Pass or Stand By line. The Cast Member will give you a card that allows you to return to the ride via the Fast Pass line, regardless of whether you were riding Fast Pass originally. Here’s the amazing part: the card can be used for up to three guests, any time up to its expiration date, which in our case was not until the end of the week.

 

Using this method, we did not wait in any lines but rode a ton of rides, and our older kid was able to go on many more attractions. It was awesome, and was such a nice accommodation to make visiting the park with a baby go smoothly.

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You can read more about Rider Switch on my favorite Disney blog, Walt Disney World Prep School. This site is a must-read if you’re planning a trip to Disney — and it’s where I first learned about Rider Switch.

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If you’re planning on nursing at Disney, I hope these tips help you — and have a magical time!

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