During a recent visit to Disney World we came to rely on this wonderful facility – the Baby Care Centers – specifically designed to help us parents to take care of our little ones. As any parent can verify just getting out your front door can be an achievement with a baby sometimes, so when you are planning a vacation it’s great to know there are facilities available specifically designed to help make our vacation that little bit easier. So let me explain a little about the Baby Care Centers and why we found them so necessary.
There is a Baby Care Center in each of the four main theme parks. In Magic Kingdom it is situated to the left of Crystal Palace beside the first aid room. In Epcot it is in the Odyssey Center between Test Track and the Showcase Plaza. In Animal Kingdom it is to the left of the Tree of Life, right before the bridge that takes you from Discovery Island to Africa and in Hollywood Studios, it is inside the Guest Relations building close to the entrance of the park. All four Centers will be open during regular park hours and the use of the facilities is complimentary with your theme park admission.
All the Baby Care Centers vary in size and layout however all of them will offer the following facilities in some form:
- A small kitchen or Kitchenette that contains a microwave, a hot water machine, and a small number of disposable bowls and cutlery.
- A feeding area supplied with high chairs and chairs for parents to bottle feed.
- An area that older children can sit and read or watch television while the parents see to the needs of the younger ones. While we visited we did notice a small selection of books and DVDs that seemed to be available for use whilst there.
- Private room for nursing mothers.
- Changing room and unisex bathroom
- A limited number of baby essentials for sale. Among the items for sale you will find baby formula, baby food, diapers, wipes, and some over the counter medications.
When we visited in March 2015 we had Elliot with us – who was 9 months old at the time of our trip. So as you know, the needs of a baby still need catered for regardless of whether you are in the most magical place or not! We found it useful to have somewhere to go where everything is already set up for us to easily prepare his bottle feeds before our onward journey around the park. It was also easy to come back midday to prepare and feed him his lunch in a relaxed surrounding away from the hustle and bustle of the park. It also meant air conditioning for us while we did it! Then once Elliot was fed and watered we were able to get our lunch while he napped.
One thing to bear in mind, although all the Quick Service and Table Service Restaurants at Disney World are extremely accommodating when it comes to children and babies and will assist you wherever possible, the State Law prohibits Disney World’s restaurant Cast Members from reheating any foods brought in by guests, so this would include baby food. However, they may be able to provide boiling water to heat the food up at the table.
All the restrooms in the parks did have diaper changing facilities so it was not absolutely necessary to come back every time to do a diaper change, however, that being said there are more tables in the Baby Care Center facilities and they are generally more comfortable so when we were close we found it better to go back.
If you are planning on using the Baby Care Centers here are a few useful tips that helped us!
- Plan your day. The theme parks are very large so try and plan your day so that you will be near the Baby Care Center when their next feed is due. It is definitely not fun when your baby is wanting his lunch and you are at one end of the park and have to fight the crowds to make it over to the Baby Care Center.
- Be Prepared. Although it is very useful to know they sell some items it will still be more cost effective to buy everything before you come and bring it into the parks. Disney World does permit you to bring food and drinks into the parks. However please note that although glass containers are not generally allowed, baby food in a glass container is an exception to this.
- Be Patient. The Baby Care Centers will always be busier during peak times around lunch and dinner meal times. However as no family stays for too long, the crowds are constantly moving and it was never too long before a high chair and seat became available.
The facilities are all staffed with their own dedicated team of Cast Members ready to help you if needed. All in all we found these centers to be wonderful facilities, even just knowing there was somewhere to take our baby away from the heat and crowds of the rest of the park meant something and if you are planning on visiting with babies or small children be sure to check them out on your next visit. They really will make your life that little bit easier and you can concentrate on having fun with your family!
