Disney Magic travel with baby questions About This Page:

[kcooley]

So, it's been a while since we've been on the Magic and we've had a change in our travel style we have to pay attention to. We now have a baby (6 weeks old this week) to travel with! So, a few questions regarding how the Magic was renovated and we are booked for the Feb 22, 2015 Western Caribbean. We are almost Platinum CC members, so we've been on the ships plenty of times but never with a kid in tow, so we have questions (most related to kids and their accompanying stuff.

(Non-kid question) I have a CPAP. Are there now electrical outlets at the head of the bed? We used to have to bring an extension cord to plug in at the desk.

I know the beds are elevated now so we can put luggage underneath. Will an infant car seat fit underneath?

Is the "fridge" an actual refrigerator now or still a "cooler"?

What is the recommendation on strollers, carseats, etc vs things like Ergobaby carriers?

Is the Babies Travel Lite service worth the price? If you've used it, have you done much more than diapers and wipes? We'll have a 11 month old at the point of the cruise, so I'm thinking about food, Diaper Genie, etc.

My wife will be running the Princess Half Marathon the morning of the cruise. For the sake of cost and convenience, should we book a private car (or limo) so she can rest on the way over and we can leave when we want to head to the port? Is the cost worth it to do that vs the Cruiseline transportation? I told her we could get a limo and she could stretch out and nap on the way to relax.

Suggestions from parents with infant travelers is appreciated.

- Keith

[Constance09]

I have taken my babies of various ages on both Disney cruises and to Disneyworld and Disneyland. Out of all the vacations having the baby on the cruise is by far the easiest. The one thing to remember is that just like having a baby at home has changed your lifestyle so will it change your cruising style. The important thing is that you are prepared to be flexible. We have not traveled on the renovated Magic so I can't answer your questions about it but here are some things that might be helpful.

Some things we discovered when we traveled with our 3 year old son and 18 month old daughter on an 11-med cruise:

Sometimes characters appear while dinner is going on so we would take our daughter for a break from sitting at the table and go see a character and return for our next course. This worked really well when she would start getting antsy. The servers were also great about bringing each course out promptly so we could enjoy all the food before our children's limited tolerance for sitting still would be exhausted. On two occasions they actually plated dessert for us to take back to our room because the children were past done and headed into meltdown. We saved our leisurely dining for when the baby was in the nursery and our son was in the kids club.

We booked the nursery for other times of the day besides just dinner. Often there was great adult only programming in the morning or afternoon that we wanted to do together plus we loved hanging out at the adult pool.

We found out that our daughter could and would sleep through the movies in the theatre. If it was not being used we would roll our stroller in with our sleeping child into the wheelchair seating area and enjoy the movies while they napped with the plan of quickly exiting if our child woke up screaming. Of course if you have a verandah, nap time is also a great time to relax on the balcony with a book.

We found that an umbrella stroller worked really well on board because it didn't take up much room in our stateroom or when walking through the ship. We have never used the diaper delivery service. We always just packed what we thought we would need. The good thing about packing the diapers and wipes is that they decrease during the cruise so there is room for all the souvenirs in your bag on the return trip. We also packed disposable bibs and sippy cups so that we would could throw away instead of trying to wash. At eleven months you may find that your child may be able to eat a lot of table food so that you would not have to bring a lot of pre-packaged food. It really depends on the child. My children were able to eat a lot of soft foods that are easy to acquire from a buffet or server. I would wait until closer to sailing to decide what is right for your child.

This is all I can think of right now but if you have any specific questions let me know. I am trying to remember all of my tricks because we are hoping to sail again this fall with our son now 6, daughter now 4, and new son 14 months.

[lanejudy]

You can request a pack-n-play, diaper genie and bottle warmer (if needed) either noted on your reservation or ask your stateroom host(ess).

I haven't cruised the Magic but believe the new beds are the same as the Dream -- and I don't think an infant car seat would fit underneath. It should fit in the closet. Or I've heard some families even store car seats and/or strollers in the shower (when not in use of course!).

I believe the Magic does have mini refrigerators now.

The MDRs are great about pureeing almost anything for the baby. So unless you have specific need for a specific baby food, for an 11-month-old I'd just go with what's available onboard as finger foods and request puree.

As for the CPAP...I'm not sure about outlets but wanted to mention DCL has a new rule about NO extension cords. It could be confiscated if you bring one. I believe you can note your reservation that an extension cord is needed "for medical purposes" and one will be provided free.

Enjoy your cruise!

[Dave Marx]

Originally Posted by kcooley

(Non-kid question) I have a CPAP. Are there now electrical outlets at the head of the bed? We used to have to bring an extension cord to plug in at the desk.

Yes, there are outlets at the head of the bed now.

I know the beds are elevated now so we can put luggage underneath. Will an infant car seat fit underneath?

Not very likely. The closets haven't changed, and neither has the space under the desk (we used that for our son's car seat).

Is the "fridge" an actual refrigerator now or still a "cooler"?

It's a bit cooler than the old coolers, but still no freezer compartment. Don't count on "ice cold."

What is the recommendation on strollers, carseats, etc vs things like Ergobaby carriers?

This is a function of your excursion plans, among other things. On board, definitely a stroller. Something compact but still comfy. There will be times you'll want your child to nap while accompanying you for various activities. If you get late dinner, this is especially useful. Car seat is unlikely to get any use, other than traveling to/from Port Canaveral. A child carrier (backpack could be most practical at 11 months) is a help if you'll be going "off-road," cobblestone streets, etc. - anything other than smooth pavement (beaches are not the best place for wheeled vehicles).

Is the Babies Travel Lite service worth the price? If you've used it, have you done much more than diapers and wipes? We'll have a 11 month old at the point of the cruise, so I'm thinking about food, Diaper Genie, etc.

Haven't used the service - it came along too late for us to need it - but I haven't heard bad things. It's really a matter of how much you want/can afford to carry. Baggage fees being what they are on the airlines these days, you have to be careful about what'll push you over the edge. If you're buying an airline seat for your child, then this is less of an issue, but if you're lap-carrying (not that I recommend it), then it'll be harder to avoid baggage fees. Diapers and wipes are expensive when purchased on board - they'd be at the top of my list for Babies Travel Lite - you never seem to carry as much of those as you need. Food-wise? We were able to feed our son, who turned 1 year on a Panama Canal repo, completely from the menu - between the kids menu and the adult menu, there was plenty he could eat.

My wife will be running the Princess Half Marathon the morning of the cruise. For the sake of cost and convenience, should we book a private car (or limo) so she can rest on the way over and we can leave when we want to head to the port? Is the cost worth it to do that vs the Cruiseline transportation? I told her we could get a limo and she could stretch out and nap on the way to relax.

I don't know the schedule for the Half Marathon, but by the time you got back to the resort, you might be pressed for time with DCL transportation. Those buses usually leave between 11:30 and 12:30, and you have no control over the pickup time at your resort. Stress over getting back to the resort in time, relaxation, space... A town car service seems a no-brainer to me in these circumstances, though it is not going to save you money. You might take the town car one way, and use DCL transfers for the trip back to the airport. A stretch limo or luxury SUV will be substantially more expensive than a town car, but the leg room may be worth it.

[Donald_Quackers]

Originally Posted by kcooley

(Non-kid question) I have a CPAP. Are there now electrical outlets at the head of the bed? We used to have to bring an extension cord to plug in at the desk.

I have a CPAP, and would also recommend you call DCL or your TA and have it noted on your reservation. Disney provided me with a gallon of distilled water, but I was on the Fantasy and there were outlets next to the bed nearest the door. I would be surprised if Disney didn't provide an extension or some manner for you to plug the machine in.

[hrhkat]

I have run the Princess Half and I have cruised. I am going to highly recommend a car service whether it is a town car or limo afterwards to get to the cruise. It will be tough to get back to your WDW hotel after the race - many runners and supporters all trying to use the bus system. You will need to have everything packed and ready to go to meet the DCL bus plus a baby in the mix. Yikes. Also - if she is tired and sore, there is nothing worse then be cramped into a bus seat for an hour drive. If you have the money - I'd splurge on a limo!