If you’re travelling to Walt Disney World with small children, you have quite a challenge ahead of you. While you’re sure to enjoy many magical moments with your little ones, travelling with your family members can lead to meltdowns, diaper explosions, exhaustion, confusion, and a host of other sticky situations.
Fortunately, Disney knows all about these potential problems, and offers you a one-stop solution to most issues in the form of the Baby Care Centers.
What It Is
This way to Baby Care
The Baby Care Center is a convenient spot for parents with young children where everyone can take a break, get their needs met, and recharge for the next leg of the day. There’s a Baby Care Center located in each of the four Walt Disney World parks. If you have little ones in your party, grab a map and take a moment to locate this essential spot as soon as you get in the park so you can plan at least one pit stop here during the day.
What You’ll Find
Cozy changing tables at Baby Care
The Baby Care Center has everything a parent could need to care for small ones. This includes an entire room filled with changing tables, high chairs for feeding, seating areas for taking a little break, and a family restroom. Nursing mothers will find a special nursing room where they can enjoy a moment of peace and privacy.
If you need to prepare food, the Baby Care Center has hot and cold water, bottle warmers, and microwaves.
Baby Care is ideal for babies, but it’s a beneficial spot for toddlers and preschoolers as well. Disney movies play on a continuous loop, and child-sized tables and chairs offer the perfect spot for reading a story, coloring, or doing another quiet and restful activity.
If you think these activities seem like a waste when you’re somewhere as exciting as Walt Disney World, stop and think about the vacation through the eyes of a young child. Everything is new, stimulating, and exciting. Sometimes, the go-go-go schedule of a Disney vacation can take a toll on even the most seasoned visitors. For a child, particularly a first-time visitor, it can easily get to be too much. Baby Care is the answer.
Goodies You Can Buy
Handy items for sale in Baby Care
Visiting the Baby Care Center in each park is completely free, as is the water and use of the facilities. However, there are also many items that you can purchase here. If you’re running short on diapers, wipes, baby medication, lotion, baby sunscreen, pacifiers, bibs, food, bottles, or any other necessity, chances are excellent that you’ll find everything you need at baby care.
Even the best-prepared parents can find themselves short a diaper, or scrambling to find a lost pacifier for a crying baby. You can spend hours combing traditional gift shops for these items to no avail. Instead, head straight to the Baby Care Center and you’ll find all your needs met in one place.
Planning the Perfect Visit
Services available at Baby Care Centers
Besides offering a wide range of amenities, the Baby Care Center also gives you a quiet, peaceful spot to rest and regenerate. Make the most of your visit with this routine that will help you head out feeling fresh and new.
Start your visit with a stop to the changing room. Unlike the cold, hard tables you’ll find in the restrooms, these tables are padded and covered in sanitary paper. Don’t be surprised to see your baby give you a relieved smile when he or she sinks into the cushioning of this plush changing spot. A sink in the changing room makes it easy to wash your hands when you’re done. This is also a handy spot for wiping down baby’s hands and face to freshen up and remove grime, dirt, crumbs, and the general stickiness you often acquire in this type of busy public spot.
Once your baby is fresh and clean, settle in for a snack. For babies, this could mean a break in the nursing room or a cozy corner with a bottle. Older children can enjoy some baby food from a comfortable high chair complete with tray – a fine improvement from the restaurant high chairs that don’t quite pull up to the table.
Older children can grab a child-sized table and chair and enjoy some fruit, crackers, or even a whole meal. Baby Care is nice and quiet, and even gives you the chance to enjoy a classic Disney film while you eat.
If your children need a longer break, you can snuggle them for a quick nap while you catch the movie, or give them a book or some crayons to simply unwind while you’re there. This is the perfect time to pull out a map and discuss your next stops.
Before you leave, stop in the restroom for yourself and any children who need to go. This family restroom is a quiet, private alternative to the stalls in other areas in the park. If you haven’t applied sunscreen recently, freshen up last thing.
Five Times You Must Stop By
Head to Baby Care to save yourself from potential disasters
Baby Care is a great choice for all your regular breaks with the kids, but it’s especially handy when you’re dealing with a problematic situation. Here are some situations when you’ll definitely benefit from a visit.
- Your child had a diaper explosion that will require a lot of cleanup, preferably in a private space.
- Your kids are so exhausted and overwhelmed they’re on the verge of – or in the middle of – a temper tantrum.
- You notice the kids looking pink and overheated as they melt in the summer sun.
- Your baby is having trouble eating due to distractions.
- You are absolutely exhausted from keeping track of the kids all day and want a place to sit down in the A/C and let them play.
If you never knew about this little gem, your next visit to Disney World is sure to be transformed by your newfound knowledge. Let Baby Care work for you and optimize your visit with a stop at this handy, relaxing spot for families.
