Summer Disney World Babymoon: Honest Review

For years, my husband and I have visited Walt Disney World. Waiting to go with littles was never an option. We always enjoyed the freedom of adults-only Disney trips.

But we were very excited to discover our own Mouseketeer would be arriving this fall! And we quickly made Babymoon plans. We’d be going to Disney World for that last pre-child adventure.

Photo: Moby

Unfortunately, my second trimester traveling window occurred this summer. (And this summer has been very hot.)

But our pregnancy couldn’t be planned any more than the weather forecast. If we wanted a Disney Babymoon, July was the time to go. So, we did.

Now that we’re home and recovered, I’ve had time to gather my thoughts. Were we crazy to take this trip? Is Disney World still a good value for expectant mamas? Check out my honest takeaways from this getaway.

We Rarely Purchased Genie+ (It Was the Right Call)

For this trip, the new Multi-Pass system hadn’t been released yet. And until this trip, we were frequent Genie+ buyers.

We hated the early wake-up call/additional cost but couldn’t resist short ride queues. But as a pregnant lady with limitations, buying Genie+ made little sense. 

Photo: Disney

Most pregnancy-friendly rates had low to reasonable wait times. And longer waits didn’t bother me. With fewer attractions to ride, I had more time to “waste”.

We only made an exception for The Magic Kingdom. Not only does that park have the most rides, but it also has the most pregnancy-approved rides.

Without Genie+, I never would’ve walked onto The Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, or The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh so quickly. We truly needed it.

However, for the other parks, Genie+ is unnecessary for pregnant riders. Not having it elsewhere really allowed me to take my time. I never felt rushed racing to attractions on opposite ends of the park just because I technically had a Lightning Lane to use.

The benefit simply wasn’t there.

We Stayed Deluxe (It Was Worth Every Penny)

Until recently, we never stayed above the Moderate Tier. (We only stayed at a Moderate once because the Skyliner Gondolas were down for yearly maintenance.)

We always awed at the beauty of Deluxe Resorts but never saw the value. After all, we were only in our room to sleep and shower. Why double our trip cost for ritzier amenities?

For our Babymoon though, staying Deluxe was the right call. When shopping, we selected the Beach Club Resort for its dining options, exceptional pool, and proximity to both Epcot and Hollywood Studios.

Staying in this Deluxe resort came in handy for our daily breaks. Staying in this tier meant we finally had access to Extended Evening Hours. (This made it even easier to justify midday naps.)

The Beach Club also offered features we hadn’t experienced at Pop Century. Features like daily Mousekeeping and access to Bell Hop Services were pure luxury.

It may be a while before we splurge again, but the pampering was needed. After surviving a half day of Florida summer heat, the Beach Club was a daily lifesaver. Pregnancy was the perfect excuse to finally treat myself.

We Paid for a Capture Your Moment Photo Session (I’m Obsessed with the Pictures)

To be honest, it’s been years since I’ve purchased Disney photos. My digital library is already full of the same Disney shots.

When a friend recommended I pay for professional photos, I was skeptical. Photo Pass Photographers are great, but the experience is always rushed because it has to be.

But booking a Capture Your Moment session is a different story. For a twenty-minute session, you are assigned a photographer and an assistant. You pick the park and a specific location.

As soon as we met with our personal photography team, they already had ideas for unique Fantasyland/Cinderella Castle spots and a list of candid shots/poses. The session was efficient but organic.

The photographers were warm and friendly, making us feel completely at ease. And this came through in our photos!

In the end, we walked away with over seventy photos. It’s been a couple of weeks since the trip, and I still don’t know which one I’ll print! I highly recommend this add-on for extra special trips.

Photo: MickeyTravels agent Erinn Mahoney

I’ll treasure these photos forever.

Visiting Hollywood Studios Was Kinda a Bust (Not Sure I’d Visit Again During Pregnancy)

Before the trip, I made an extensive list of what I could and couldn’t ride. While Magic Kingdom had a long list of safe attractions, Hollywood Studios’ list was much smaller.

Granted, there are plenty of shows and character photo ops to fill in the gaps. But this didn’t feel that useful in the summer.

With swelling feet, achy knees, and 90+ degree weather, I didn’t have it in me to ping pong around the park. It was just too much walking.

Normally, Hollywood Studios is my favorite park. I couldn’t deny my husband his favorite thrill attractions, so I often found myself on benches or wandering through gift shops as he rode.

Don’t get me wrong. I still enjoyed being there. Being able to ride Minnie and Mickey’s Runaway Railway and see Fantasmic! are favorites of mine.

But Hollywood Studios just has the most restrictions. In the future, maybe I’ll opt for an extra pool day instead.

I Encouraged my Husband to Still Ride the Best Rides (I Have No Regrets)

To clarify, my husband was a trooper. He kept me hydrated, made sure I took enough breaks, and never complained about our ride restrictions.

He’s also been a trooper at home. He’s been pitching in more with household chores, he’s setting up the nursery on his own, and he’s keeping me fed despite my food aversions.

So, I didn’t want this trip to just be for me. I wanted it to be for us. I wanted it to be a reward for surviving pregnancy thus far.

Even though he wouldn’t complain, I still didn’t want him to miss his favorite rides. So, I entertained myself while he rode things like Tron Lightcycle Run and (my favorite) Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.

There was a twinge of sadness that I couldn’t go, but that dissipated quickly. Overall, it felt good and reminded me that small sacrifices are crucial to motherhood and completely worth it.

So, was our Disney Babymoon an overall success? Yes. Am I also looking forward to a post-pregnancy trip? Absolutely.

But this was a special trip that will live in our hearts. Thanks for the memories, Disney!

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Featured Image: LucasFilm