Main Street Dreamers

When visiting Walt Disney World during our most recent trip I was over 16 weeks pregnant. Here are some tips and tricks that helped me stay cool and calm during our trip.

1. Ensure that you drink plenty of water.

We are only able to visit Walt Disney World during the summer months due to work commitments, this means that we are also visiting during the hottest months of the year. If you think that you are drinking enough water, drink some more! It’s easy to forget when you’re so busy enjoying the parks, take enough time to stop and drink some water. There are plenty of refill stations around the parks and hotels if you want to bring your own refillable bottle or you can ask for a free cup of ice water from any of the kiosks around the park. Don’t worry, there are PLENTY OF RESTROOMS around the parks. The more you drink, the more you pee and when pregnant that is very often, you’re never too far from a restroom!

• Take enough breaks during the day.

It’s very easy to burn out and over do things at Disney especially if this is your first visit. Make a list before going and prioritise the things that you would like to do more than anything and the things that you are not that excited about. Look for the shade and take plenty of breaks during the day, if that’s five minutes in the air-conditioned shops, a sit down with a drink and some snacks in some of the restaurants or a nap back at the hotel before carrying on with the day. It’s so important for you to listen to your body, don’t be afraid to take those stops, take it easy and break the day up so that it doesn’t become too overwhelming! Those steps soon add up when walking around Disney!

• Look up what’s safe before heading to the parks.

First of all, the most important thing to do is to consult your doctor/midwife and consult with them before heading to the parks, all pregnancies are different and even though the rides note that they are safe for you, your doctor/midwife might not agree due to your circumstances. Do your research beforehand and look at the safety guides for each ride so that you are not disappointed when reaching the entrance and realising that you are not able to ride, take a look at the Disneyworld app – all of the safety information is noted down there. Luckily, I was able to enjoy a lot of the tamer rides at the Disney Parks and did not feel like I was missing out at all, make sure you’re comfortable e.g. some might be safe in regard to the safety information but listen to your gut, if you feel like you don’t want to risk anything then don’t.

• Make use of Genie + and lightning lanes if possible.

One of the things I found most difficult during our trip was queuing in the long lines during the heat. Lightning lanes meant that we were able to get onto the attractions quicker and were able to keep moving constantly which helped as I found standing still for prolonged periods of times quite difficult.

• Be prepared – take plenty of supplies with you.

Buying snacks and drinks at Disney can be quite expensive. Take your refillable mug from your hotel or one you have brought from home and fill it up at the refill stations. Take plenty of snacks with you, I used to feel sick if I was hungry and at times didn’t want a large meal, this ensured that I was able to keep fuelled up without having to buy a full meal. Taking my fan with me to the parks was also a god send to keep cool. Another handy tip is to take a hand towel from your hotel room, run it under the tap in the restrooms, ring it out so that it’s not dripping and put it around your neck! This is the best thing ever when it’s so hot! It cools you down instantly!

• Wear comfortable shoes – you will be walking a lot!

Find some comfortable shoes and break them in before you come away – they will be so important during the trip. I had comfortable trainers with me but found that i felt too hot wearing them during the day, I wore my crocs sandals during our trip and lived in them throughout the two weeks we were out there. It’s down to personal preference and knowing what works for you. Take a pair of comfortable trainers and sandals and see what works for you when you are out there. Nobody is looking at your feet. Everybody is enjoying themselves at the parks, comfort is key. The last thing you want is blisters and torn up feet at the start of your holiday!

Have the best time! You will not regret visiting Walt Disney World when pregnant. Take it easy, don’t think you have to do it all from rope drop to fireworks every night. Take plenty of breaks, enjoy the pools, the snacks and plenty of non-alcoholic drink options and have the best time. Transport is easily available from all of the parks to the hotels which make it easy to head back and take that well-earned nap before enjoying the rest of the day, look after yourself and baby and have a fantastic time!

• Sister 1, Main Street Dreamers