TR | Tent Camping (with a baby)

ilovedisneymm

DIS Veteran
Joined
Nov 6, 2014
Well it would just be unnatural for the M Family to not come to Disney in January.

We really didn't think we would want to do Disney in a tent with a baby, but Miss Charlotte has proven to be a golden baby and she really wants to go!

Long story short....

We are building a house!

I really don't like the idea of going away with our house not finished. I really wanted the house to be done by now. Being done quick and done right, I am finding out are two different beasts. Since this is our forever home, and we are doing so much of it ourselves, I have to remember, right is best and slow it goes. We can have a house half done in January and not go to Disney or have a house half done and go to Disney.

We booked a water park hotel with the idea in mind to just get away from the crazy stress of the house build for just a few days. Then, the day after I book the water park hotel, my heart says boooooooo! Then, I start reading up on everyone's trip report and I couldn't cancel fast enough. My heart lies with Fort Wilderness and we need to be there, house half done or not. About midnight, with a late night feeding with Miss Charlotte, hubby and I decided January is the time and Disney is the place we need to be.

Charlotte loves loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on Disney Jr. I can lay her down on the blanket and she loves to watch Mickey & Minnie Mouse. She squeals with delight when ever Minnie Mouse comes on tv. No other show will keep her interest, but Clubhouse sure can. In fact, she can be entertained for 30 full minutes and only starts to yell when it is over. Mother of the Year right here folks! Proud that I sit my baby in front of the tv....Well after four, you do what ya got to do to get something done.

One would think, a six month old wouldn't enjoy Disney, but I think she is going to love it just as much as Grace & Daniel. I think she will love to see the Festival of Fantasy Parade, I think she will love the Dumbo ride, Small World, Little Mermaid, and a meet and greet with Mickey & Minnie. We haven't done a meet and greet with Mickey & Minnie since our first trip five years ago.

Things will be a bit more challenging and a slower go (just like the house) with a baby in tow this trip, but still doable. I will have to take breaks every few hours to nurse or pump, but that's ok. I'm sure they have stations set up for this in the parks. It will be nice to ride some rides this trip, last year I was limited on what I could do.

I told Charlotte all about the meet and greet and the Dumbos and she is beyond thrilled.

Screen shot 2017-01-04 at 2.36.12 PM.jpg

So I booked today, and we leave in about 10 days. I think we can pull if off. Not sure I even want to book fast passes. Those darn things always give me more headache than anything else.

I just want to drive my golf cart around the loops and oogle everyone's awesome set-ups with an adult beverage that I think I have earned. Watch the fireworks from the beach holding hubbies hand. Watch my kids go down the waterside 800 times in a row and love it more and more with each and every trip down (both them and me). Watch my little baby's eyes light up with glee when she meets Minnie.

Most of all, just breathe.

So who will join us January 17 - January 27?
 
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Omg she is BEAUTIFUL!!! I've enjoyed reading your past trip reports and look forward to reading this one! We will be there January 21-31, but we aren't staying at Ft Wilderness this time around. We are staying at a value resort. Maybe we will see you in the parks though! Hope you have a fantastic trip!! Oh and I've gone with a baby a few time (I have 7 kiddos) and it's not as hard as you might think.

Heather
 


so glad that y'all will be going to the best place in the world. The baby is beautiful & so glad all has gone great. We built our house & loved every nail I hit.
 
Congrats Melissa! Pretty exciting. New baby, new house and another Disney trip. Charlotte will love it. Maybe not the drive down, but certainly the Fort and everything there is. Babies are like that. :-)

Have a great trip and I'll be following along with everyone else.

And don't worry about a baby and a tent. My parents took us tent camping at Bull Shoals Lake in Arkansas, in July, when my sister was 6 months old. We all had a great time and continued camping every summer.

j
 


Um, did I overdo the sticky thread updates? I can dial it back if you need me too....

Charlotte looks like she would fit right in at the Fort....

Bama Ed

PS - saw a guy wearing a tshirt at the MK today that said, "I work to pay for my Disney addiction" and my kids wanted to ask him where he got it.....
 
What a beautiful baby girl. Love the eyes! I am sure you, her, and the rest of the family will have an awesome time!
 
I am so excited for you, Melissa. I am sure the whole family will love it. Sad we will just miss you, but look forward to your reports.
 
We leave in 7 days. I have yet to make a single dining reservation, a fast pass, a BBB appointment, heck, I don't even have a plan! Maybe we will just wing it this trip. I really don't like all the preplanning anyway.

This afternoon while feeding baby, and mulling over if I should start a game plan or not, and Grace was in the middle of her afternoon Wildcrats PBS episode (it was on the red panda) she jumps up and gets all kinds of excited. Like it just hit her or something. Anyway, she jumps up and yells, "7 days...we leave in 7 days!!!! I can't wait to ride my scooter around the loop! I'm going to do it everyday 50 times! Oh, I love that. It's like it is zero degrees here (actually 1 today) and I get to ride my scooter like a free bird in the warm air! I can't wait to swim! I want to see all the loops in the cart too." I love her! She is so my kid! Did you hear that? She just wants to have fun at Fort Wilderness. She didn't mention anything about the parks! Wooh hoo! Bless her little heart.

I ordered some new walking shoes for hubby and went a little clothes shopping for me and the kids last night. Trying to figure out a good secure sleep option for Charlotte. They make these fold up in-bed co sleepers, but are pretty pricey and have all these bells and whistles. I just need a secure safe spot for her. I don't need it to vibrate and play music. Why must everything be over the top these days??? Also need to get a baby wearing wrap or more heavy duty stroller. In the past we have used the old double BOB stroller. Pushes like butter for six years now! Got it when little Daniel was an infant. Still used it last year and it was pushing over a combined 100 lbs. Paid more for that thing than my first car. It has proven to be worth its weight. But that stroller would be overkill for a 12 lb little bitty. I love it cause it has a single wheel on the front and kind of makes its own path when pushing it. People get out of the way :) Right now, I just have a little light weight umbrella stroller that I have only used a few times when having to go to grocery with all the kids in tow. It came in handy during harvest. I am a bit worried that she would be more exposed to the crowds in that thing. It would be to easy to topple over. Parades and at night, no way!
Not going to even bring it. Maybe we will just carry her everywhere. I don't know. Of course, the double BOB would provide a second seat if and when another child needs a break. I wouldn't have to buy a third stroller and she would be really secure in it. And just like that, I think I just talked my option over and now will bring the double BOB. Not sure how many days we will do in the parks. Will see. I also need to order a screen tent as it will just be the one cabin style tent this year. Between the squirels and the nightly raccoon, they did the kitchen tent in last trip. Did I mention in my last report, a raccoon would sneak in each night to the kitchen tent and eat pop tarts? Each morning the tent zipper would be slightly ajar and some food item would be missing with the wrapper evidence near by. After a few nights, hubby spied the colpurate. Squirrels tore up the mesh screen on both trips and well....bye bye kitchen tent. So I'm thinking just a simple pop up screen tent for the kitchen supplies. I plan to simply as much as I can with our set up this trip. One or two plastic tubs should hold the food just fine.

So much to do, so much to pack, so much to clean...I just want to sleep.
 
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I think it will be a great time for you Melissa. Things like ADRs will be relatively easier to get on short notice or even the night before you want to dine because it's a low crowd period. The exception to that will be the MLK 3-day weekend time but other than that, it should be great.

As I sit here this morning, I'm reminded to say bring your rain gear, summer clothes, winter clothes, and a Hakuna Matata attitude and it will be wonderful.

Bama Ed
 
Yes bring the BOB. We had a single Bob 2006 model for 8 years I think. It was definitely worth every penny paid. That was the baby item I felt the saddest about selling. Lol. It even worked for 2 kids in a pinch when they were small. One person could sit in the foot rest spot.
Would the baby sleep in a pack and play? We had a compact, no frills one we found to use in the camper. Not sure if they still make it.
 
Melissa,

Although I am not a big poster, I have wanted to say how much I enjoy reading your "camping at Disney" posts.

Thanks so much for sharing your happy times.

We are considering going back to Disney sometime later this year. If we do-you inspire me to post.
 
I haven't tried it yet, but was reading on a camping blog of a lady using a dog bed for a "crib" in the tent. Well padded and warm! Might be an option!

Can't wait to read your report. We just found out we are expecting our 3rd and we opted to cancel our early February trip and wait till after the baby is born so we will likely be headed to Disney with a 6 month old next February! Have a great time, I will be living vicariously through you :)
 
Well it would just be unnatural for the M Family to not come to Disney in January.

We really didn't think we would want to do Disney in a tent with a baby, but Miss Charlotte has proven to be a golden baby and she really wants to go!

Long story short....

We are building a house!

I really don't like the idea of going away with our house not finished. I really wanted the house to be done by now. Being done quick and done right, I am finding out are two different beasts. Since this is our forever home, and we are doing so much of it ourselves, I have to remember, right is best and slow it goes. We can have a house half done in January and not go to Disney or have a house half done and go to Disney.

We booked a water park hotel with the idea in mind to just get away from the crazy stress of the house build for just a few days. Then, the day after I book the water park hotel, my heart says boooooooo! Then, I start reading up on everyone's trip report and I couldn't cancel fast enough. My heart lies with Fort Wilderness and we need to be there, house half done or not. About midnight, with a late night feeding with Miss Charlotte, hubby and I decided January is the time and Disney is the place we ote to be.

So were packing up the family and movin to Beverly........I mean Disneyyyyyyyyy. I mean for 10 days anyway.

View attachment 213410

Charlotte loves loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on Disney Jr. I can lay her down on the blanket and she loves to watch Mickey & Minnie Mouse. She squeals with delight when ever Minnie Mouse comes on tv. No other show will keep her interest, but Clubhouse sure can. In fact, she can be entertained for 30 full minutes and only starts to yell when it is over. Mother of the Year right here folks! Proud that I sit my baby in front of the tv....Well after four, you do what ya got to do to get something done.

One would think, a six month old wouldn't enjoy Disney, but I think she is going to love it just as much as Grace & Daniel. I think she will love to see the Festival of Fantasy Parade, I think she will love the Dumbo ride, Small World, Little Mermaid, and a meet and greet with Mickey & Minnie. We haven't done a meet and greet with Mickey & Minnie since our first trip five years ago.

Things will be a bit more challenging and a slower go (just like the house) with a baby in tow this trip, but still doable. I will have to take breaks every few hours to nurse or pump, but that's ok. I'm sure they have stations set up for this in the parks. It will be nice to ride some rides this trip, last year I was limited on what I could do.

I told Charlotte all about the meet and greet and the Dumbos and she is beyond thrilled.

View attachment 213409

So I booked today, and we leave in about 10 days. I think we can pull if off. Not sure I even want to book fast passes. Those darn things always give me more headache than anything else.

I just want to drive my golf cart around the loops and oogle everyone's awesome set-ups with an adult beverage that I think I have earned. Watch the fireworks from the beach holding hubbies hand. Watch my kids go down the waterside 800 times in a row and love it more and more with each and every trip down (both them and me). Watch my little baby's eyes light up with glee when she meets Minnie.

Most of all, just breathe.

So who will join us January 17 - January 27?
 

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