As you know Jenn is our on staff Professional Walt Disney World itinerary planner and her services are FREE to all of our booked clients! Be sure to check out her new website by clicking her logo above. She is truly a Disney expert. Enjoy!
Since children under three can enter Disney parks at no cost, we tended to visit more often when our girls were in this age bracket. What did that mean for me as a nursing mommy of a baby? I needed places to change diapers and feed with some privacy (I’m pretty prudish). I would try to scout out little nooks and crannies around the parks to snuggle in with my little ones, but it didn’t always work.
Once I thought I found a nice spot in Animal Kingdom and it turns out it was an exit area for a timed attraction. Every 5 minutes three hundred people came walking by me and my nursing baby. . .never blushed so much for so long! ANYWAY.
WDW has you covered. Each park has a Baby Center located inside for your use. Every center has designated changing areas and nursing areas. Each park has a few other pros and cons associated with it. My favorite is in Magic Kingdom, my least favorite is Hollywood Studios.
Let’s start with Magic Kingdom.
Here is what I like. It is located between Casey’s Corner and Crystal Palace. It is themed like Main Street so it has a sweet atmosphere. Strollers are not permitted inside Baby Centers so you have to unload what you need and bring it in, but it’s not a big enough place to bring a stroller in.
Once inside, there are several rooms set up for use and a helpful Cast Member on duty. The first room is the nursing room. No men are allowed in the room and the doors stay closed. The room is dimly lit with turn of the century style lamps and wooden rocking chairs are provided for your use. It’s a small room so during busy times, it might be a few minutes to score a seat. But once you’re sitting and rocking and comfy, it’s all worth it.
Just past the nursing room is the changing area. Large and padded, the changing stations are a welcome relief from the hard bathroom changing areas located throughout the park. There are also toddler size family bathrooms located in this area. It is spacious and well lit. Dads are allowed in this area. If you have two kiddos, he can change one while you are feeding the other!
There are two more areas in this Baby Center. One is a little play room with wooden high chairs and toddler size seats. There is a TV playing Disney cartoons and a small collection of toddler toys. There is also a small, limited merchandise area (of course). BUT the merchandise is baby gear. Need a diaper? Need a jar of puree pears? How about a sippy cup? You can find it here. There is a microwave, sink and fridge in the Baby Center as well. I asked if you can bring in baby food and store it in the fridge. I was told you can but it doesn’t happen often.
Moving on to EPCOT. The Baby Center is LARGE and located in a decent spot. It is on the way to World Showcase from Future World if you decide to head toward Mexico first. It is located between Mexico and the Odyssey Restaurant. This Baby Center has the same rules as Magic Kingdom. Strollers park outside and Dads cannot go in the nursing area. Theming in this Baby Center is pretty absent.
What I do like is the nursing area. It’s just a big room but there are gliders with foot rests and a selection of nursing pillows available for use. The lights are on dimmer switches so you can adjust them when you are inside. The rest of the amenities are the same as in Magic Kingdom. Below is a photo of the merchandise/kitchen area in the EPCOT Baby Center.
When I was using the centers, we would time our moving into world showcase with a feeding. I would march ahead of the group and settle in the nursing area while the rest of my group meandered through Mouse Gear and hit the restrooms located near the Baby Center and then met up with me as we would enter World Showcase.
On to my least favorite Baby Center – Hollywood Studios. First of all, the location is inside Guest Relations at the front of the park. If you want to use the center, you have to travel all the way to the front of the park to get to it. If there is a big line at Guest Relations, you have to either stand in it or make a slew of “Excuse me, heading to the baby center. No I’m not cutting, I’m heading to the baby center. I’m not going to Guest Relations, I’m going to the baby center.” (Not that I’ve ever done that……more than seven or eight times).
Then the nursing facilities are minimal. There are two curtained rooms. Each has a glider and a bench. If there are three moms who need to nurse, one has to wait. I do suggest that if you are bottle feeding, don’t use the private rooms. I have stood outside the rooms and watched moms exit with their empty bottles (I understand pumping and wouldn’t say anything about that, PLEASE pump in a private area). But bottle feeding mommies don’t have to show any skin to feed their babies. (Stepping off my soap box).
The changing area is large and spacious. The changers are padded and provide ample room to change even the squirmiest of child.
The last park – Animal Kingdom – is a middle of the road Baby Center. As I believe the temperature in Animal Kingdom is 10 degrees higher than anywhere else on property, and climate-controlled areas are difficult to find within the park, this Baby Center earns points on being climate controlled. On those hot, steamy days, here is a cool place without crowds to relax.
Ask me where this Baby Center is and I will tell you that I’m not sure! I have to look on the map every time! The area has some animal theming and the changing tables are spread throughout the room – requiring rails. It reminds me of an old time nursery in a hospital.
I must not have spent much time nursing here because I don’t recall much about the nursing area! I tended to nurse out in the park while here because I couldn’t find the Baby Center (my own lack of navigation issues).
If you can’t make it to a Baby Center, I do have a couple of nice places you can sneak a feed. If in Magic Kingdom, head to Liberty Square. To the right of The Hall of Presidents entrance is a little alcove with some rocking chairs. Nice place that doesn’t bring too much attention. In EPCOT – head to France. There’s a little garden on the right in the shape of a fleur de lys – walk along the right side and head back toward the make up/perfume shop. There’s a little flowerbed with a stone ledge to sit on that offers privacy and a lovely view. At Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom I haven’t found THE spots. I am willing to hear others’ thoughts!
Mommies of babies! Baby Centers are your best friends while navigating the parks! Make use of them – if for nothing else than your own piece of mind!