Pumping in Disney

slwprincess

Well, it wasn't as awful as I had imagined.  We were only there for 2 days... I imagine it would have sucked much more if this had been a longer trip.  This trip was for DH's birthday- he wanted to be there for the Star Tours grand re-opening.  We needed a break so we left the kiddos w/ the grandparents.  We stayed at the Polynesian which was awesome.  Only problem was that we got there too early so our room wasn't ready and I hadn't nursed in over 4 hours- ouch.  I had called ahead to verify that there would be some place for me to pump and they said there were private changing rooms by the pool.  This was not true.  So I explained my predicament to one of the DVC reps in the lobby and apparently I picked the right person.  She told me she had nursed 5 kids and her daughter was currently exclusively pumping for twins.  She hunted down a manager and he came to the rescue.  Took us to their "show" room where they test out new bedding/decor/etc.  Pretty cool! 

Pumping in the Magic Kingdom was not so cool.  They do have a baby care center but the nursing room is a big room with several rocking chairs but its not private at all.  After the 4th mom/baby came in, I gave up and left :-(  I'm a nervous pumper anyway, there is no way I can do it in a room full of people!  So we ended up leaving the park early that night b/c I was so uncomfortable.  Hollywood Studios has a much better set up with private rooms.  That baby care center is smaller though, so it got cramped later in the day and I had to wait about 20 min for a room. 

So it is do-able if you ever find yourself in that predicament!

UGAbride

Oh gosh, did you have to carry your pump with you??  I hadn't really given this much thought, but we'll have our 5 month old with us in September and that stinks to have to stand in line just to nurse the baby  

slwprincess

UGAbride:

Oh gosh, did you have to carry your pump with you??  I hadn't really given this much thought, but we'll have our 5 month old with us in September and that stinks to have to stand in line just to nurse the baby  

Yes, we took my pump in a backpack.  That was no big deal- its light.  I have the Ameda Purely Yours.  You really only have to stand in line for a private room.  There were benches and chairs for you to sit and nurse w/ a cover which is what I did when we had Sophie there in Feb.  Or I would just pull on the cover and nurse her on a bench in the park- but it was cooler then.  Its nice to have the air conditioned spot in the summer to take a break from the heat.  Now, if you have a distractable baby who needs quiet/private room, then try to avoid the lunchtime rush and immediately after- that's when it was crazy.  The rest of the time it was quiet and not busy at all.  Animal Kingdom has the biggest/best baby center with large private nursing rooms and a huge communal resting area w/ benches and all that.  Hollywood Studios is definitely the smallest.  I haven't been in the one at Epcot- or at least I don't remember it. 

hthomas02

thank you for all of this info!  we were JUST talking about this last night what I was going to do when we didn't bring the baby into the park with us!  Thank you!!!

Daisy22

The one in Epcot is like Magic Kingdom in that the nursing room is just one big room with rocking chairs.

 I've gone with nursing and exclusively pumping. The nursing times were way easier. I'd just find a bench somewhere to nurse Bailey or Bryce. In February through I had already gone to exclusively pumping for Bryce and doing bottles. That trip was a little more difficult. I took a hand pump into the parks with me to use at least once in the nursing rooms. I got up at 6am to pump in our room then pumped again before we left for the day then hand pumped at least once in the parks. Thankfully the boys needed naps so we were back in the room by 1-2 so I could pump there during naps. Animal Kingdom has the best set up that's for sure with the big rooms. It was really nice.

UGAbride

Thanks for the info!  Good to know about the nursing being easier, hopefully we will still be going strong at that point.  I just have so much crap with me when I pump, between the pump itself, the bottle/shields, and then a cooler for the milk itself.

slwprincess

UGAbride:

Thanks for the info!  Good to know about the nursing being easier, hopefully we will still be going strong at that point.  I just have so much crap with me when I pump, between the pump itself, the bottle/shields, and then a cooler for the milk itself.

As for storing the milk, I took this little softsided cooler bag that came in the free Similac bag they gave me at the hospital- it was the perfect size.  We had a couple of ice packs the first day but no freezer (only fridge) in our room so we had to put some ice in a milk bag instead on day 2.  I just asked for some more ice at lunch and refilled it and it lasted till we went thru security at the airport that evening and I dumped it.  If you can get a room w/ a fridge AND freezer, that would be ideal.  There are sinks/soap in the baby center so just 1 set if pump parts will work.  Nursing is definitely the easiest way to go, but I would also take a hand pump just in case.  I remember Gavin got way too distracted down there and I couldn't get him to nurse at all- only take a bottle.  If I hadn't had my hand pump, that would have been BAD!

Daisy22

I had the same similac pack that slw is talking about. It was small and easy to carry. I had ziploc bags that I kept dirty parts and bottles in and one with clean stuff. I then just washed them in the hotel room when we got back.