Seasonal & Holidays

Our Stay at the Hard Rock Hotel Orlando

We had the opportunity to stay at the Hard Rock Hotel in Orlando for our last trip to Universal Studios and we had an amazing experience! If you are looking into staying at the Hard Rock Hotel Orlando then hopefully this review of our stay will be of help to you!

I know this post is about my stay at the Hard Rock Hotel but I just wanted to give a little background information on why we decided to choose Hard Rock Hotel…

One of my secrets for keeping your marriage alive as new parents is to spend quality time together, and even try to get away for a day or two. My husband and I were celebrating our 4-year anniversary and we wanted to take a mini vacation for some much needed time together. It just so happens that the Orlando Informer was having one of their amazing Meet Ups around the time that my husband and I were planning to go to Florida. (The Orlando Informer is an amazing group that hosts these exclusive ticketed events in the Universal Studios Florida parks.) This year in June they were having an event that both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure were going to be closed to daytime guests and only open to the event attendees from 5:00pm-1:30 am. So, my husband booked our tickets for the event to celebrate our anniversary. (You can read more on my experience at the Orlando Informer Meet Up here!)

Now, to stay at the Hard Rock Hotel is not cheap, but because we were attending the Orlando Informer Meet Up we were able to take advantage of their discounted group rate for rooms at Universals onsite hotels. We chose to splurge on the Hard Rock Hotel!

Now let’s get down to our stay at the Hard Rock Hotel!

In 4 words- we absolutely loved it! And here’s why:

Location:

Hard Rock Hotel has a fantastic location in the Universal Studios Resort Property! It is the closest hotel to the parks and is literally a 4 or 5-minute walk from the pool to Universal Studio’s main gate. There is a boat that also takes you to City Walk and is a lovely little ride. I’m used to staying at Disney onsite resort where the hotels are usually far from the parks and you need to take a bus to get there so this was a super treat for us!

Service:

The service at the Hard Rock Hotel, in my opinion, is fantastic. They have great luggage services where you can store your bags while you wait for your room and then have your bags sent up to your room when you are ready. The housekeeping service is great as well! We had the option to change our towels and sheets daily or conserve water and reuse them. We received changed towels daily but I opted out of changing the sheets. I assumed the housekeeping was only going to switch the towels out but they also deep cleaned the room every single day. The shower, sinks, trashes and floor was cleaned to sparkling! Even though they didn’t change the sheets they still remade the bed, fluffed the pillows and arranged the throw pillows. Room service was phenomenal and the variety of foods were awesome (and also reasonable).

Staff:

The staff at the Hard Rock Hotel were phenomenal! Every single staff member we encountered were nice, kind, helpful, and always offered a smile. When we arrived the staff at the entrance of the lobby were quick to take our luggage and help us to the check-in desk. The host at the check-in desk was sweet, energetic and very informative. We arrived at 10 am, which is wayyy before check in but the staff was very accommodating and gave us a list of options we could do while we waited for our room. She gave us our room keys and told us she would text me the room number as soon as the room is ready and we can use the keys to enter (bypassing visiting the check-in desk again to get our room keys.) The staff at the pool were super helpful too. They would anticipate when we needed something and would come to us with fresh towels and water periodically. They always held gates open for us as we walked through the pool area and offered us food and beverages. There are waiters and waitresses that go around the pool deck asking if you want to order food or drinks and they bring you what you ordered to your seat- so you don’t have to get up to order food or wait on a line! We also ordered room service and the staff member that can to the room was amazing! She set up the food on the table and arranged our drinks and food for us. I do not have any complaints whatsoever about any of the staff!

Food:

We did not eat at any of the sit-down restaurants in Hard Rock Hotel because we took advantage of being so close to City Walk and ate most of our meals there. We did purchase ice cream at their little market, called Emack & Bolio’s, and it was wonderful. We also ordered room service on the morning of our departure and the breakfast was OUTSTANDING! My husband is not a breakfast person at all and he even said it was the best breakfast meal he’s ever had! He got steak and eggs and it was absolutely fantastic! I had the American breakfast that came with eggs, bacon, hash brown cakes, fruit, and a waffle. The presentation was lovely and the food was delicious!

Pool:

As mentioned in the staff area, the pool staff were amazing. The pool itself is quite marvelous as well! It has a zero-entry side where you can sit and just wade in the water. The pool has an amazing slide too that is so much fun! Every day that we went to the pool there was some sort of entertainment that was fun. The first day there was a live band, the second day there was an entertaining DJ and on the third day there was a team of staff doing games and trivia. There is also a beach area by the pool that has lounge chairs in a sand area with umbrellas. There was a lot of seats but during the pool busy hours, it was kind of hard to find 2 chairs next to each other so I would advise finding a seat early. The Beach Club is a poolside restaurant that has waiters/waitresses who will take your food or drink orders at your chair and bring you the food to where you are. I’ve even seen some people ordering drinks from the pool and the server would bring their drinks to them while sitting in the pool! We loved the pool so much and went every single day of our stay. We would head to breakfast and then go to the pool for a few hours before hitting the parks or we would go to the park early and head to the pool in the evening. We tried to work into our day some pool time every day!

Express Passes:

The Hard Rock Hotel is one of the 3 hotels on the Universal Studios property that gives you FREE Express Passes for Universal Studios and Island of Adventure. If you are unaware of what express passes are- it is essentially a pass that allows you to skip the regular line and leads you straight to the front of the line! The express pass goes for about $180 per person per day if you were to buy it separately. But the beauty of staying at the Hard Rock Hotel is that you get these amazing passes for FREE with your stay. And for every day of your stay! You use your room key as the express pass. When you go to a ride that has the express pass option you simply show your room key and that’s it! My husband and I took advantage of this awesome perk! We are used to going to Disney World and booking Fast Passes and we know that Universal Studios doesn’t have a free version of express passes like Disney does. Every time we visit Universal parks we try to do so in a low season so we don’t have to wait long times because the express passes were too expensive for us to buy. But having these passes for free during this stay was a MAJOR plus! I’m tempted to stay at one of the 3 onsite hotels that offer this perk every time we go just so I can get the express pass!

Room:

We stayed in a Double Queen Pool View Room and it was beautiful! The room came equipped with a Keurig and complimentary hard rock coffee k-cups, a mini fridge inside of a cabinet, a desk and flat screen TV, a wireless phone, 2 armchairs in front of the window, and a bathroom vanity separate from the toilet, sink, and bathtub. There was a large closet next to the door what was able to fit our suitcase and enough hangers for me to hang most of our clothes. The room smelled fresh and clean. We were on the 4^th floor and a little way away from the elevator but the hallway was quiet for most of the time and we hardly ever heard the family next door. We enjoyed the sophisticated music look of the room but also felt it had a very “homey” feel to the room. The beds were so comfortable and the pillows were a soft, fluffy memory foam. Even after being out all night and waking up early for our departure flight we felt rested.

View:

As mentioned, we stayed in a pool view room and it was beautiful! The view was amazing- overlooking the pool with a view of Universal Studios right behind it. At night you can see the park lights and a few of the rides running. We enjoyed waking up and opening the curtains to see the crisp pool below us and the sun rising behind the park rides. We also loved to hear the music from the pool. The first day of our stay there was a live band from 4:30-9:00 pm and it was so nice to hear the band in the distance while in the room. The pool noise is not loud at all- it did not keep us up at night or wake us in the morning. There was no noise that was a nuisance or extremely loud.

Only Con:

Transportation from Airport:

We are used to staying at a Disney resort where there is complimentary transportation from Orlando International airport (MCO) to the Disney resort. Universal does not have a complimentary transportation service. They do offer transportation for a fee- I believe we were quoted $45 per person round trip. We decided to opt out of the transportation that they offered us and just take an Uber to and from the hotel. We did not need to rent a car because we knew we were only going to stay on property for the vacation. Also, we wanted to save money on parking because if you have a car there is a nightly parking fee. We chose to save that money and just put it toward eating on property. But if you have a family and it makes financial sense to rent a car and pay the daily parking fee to be able to get to the nearest store to go shopping or be able to visit other attractions in the Orlando area then do what works best for you!

Overall, we really enjoyed our stay at the Hard Rock Hotel! It was comfortable, clean, and we felt like royalty while staying there. If you ever get a chance to stay at the Hard Rock Hotel in Orlando I highly recommend it!

Have any questions? Feel free to drop me a comment below!

Want to remember this? Save “Our Stay at the Hard Rock Hotel Orlando” to your favorite Pinterest board!

3 Steps to Easily Pack for a Flight with an Infant to Disney World

Family Life

We booked the trip, received the confirmation code, jumped for joy — and then my husband and I stared at each other.

Wait…how in the world are we going to fly to Disney with our one year old for the first time?? My mind was immediately flooded with a million things to do.

Packing for a Disney vacation can be stressful. Packing for any vacation that involves a flight can be even more stressful.

Throw in flying with an infant and you got yourself one overloaded stressful situation…

But don’t worry because it doesn’t have to be!

We’re going to go over all the nitty-gritty packing details and find out the 3 steps we can take to help us EASILY pack for a flight to Disney World (with an infant too!).

The ultimate secret to packing easily can be broken down into 3 steps. Each step is actually a question to ask yourself before you start to pack for the flight:

Step 1: What luggage/bags am I using? Are they in good condition? Am I checking any luggage?

Step 2: What am I packing? Can I fit what I’m packing in the bags I’m taking?

Step 3: Can I maneuver my bags at the airport and on the transportation I am using to get to and from my destination?

After asking myself these questions I was able to make a plan and easily pack for our flight! I was successfully able to pack all my husband’s belongings, my belongings, and Baby L’s belongings in 3 bags. Yes, this included everything we needed for the whole week!

Now I’m not telling you this to brag in any way but to encourage you and let you know how we did it so you can do it too!

How to Easily Pack for Your Flight

Want to easily pack? How did we do it?? Let’s begin!

Step 1: What luggage/bags am I bringing?

Before you start packing, it’s super important to figure out what bags you’re using. This may seem like a remedial question that you can skip right over but I found out the secret to packing easily is to make sure you have a good bag that all of your stuff will fit into.

This is a perfect time to double-check the condition of the luggage.

Is it broken?
Are the stitches still intact?
Do the zippers still work?

If yes, then you’re good to go! If not, then maybe its time to take a trip to the store (don’t forget to check the clearance section first to score a good deal!)

Now is also the time to decide if you want to check luggage or not. Maybe you don’t want to pay extra to check your luggage and you just want to try to fit all your belongings in a carry on size bag.

It’s always best to choose which luggage and which size luggage you want to bring with you before you do anything else.

Don’t forget to double-check your airline’s exact policy on bag dimensions and prices for checked bags or carry-ons.

This is what we brought with us on our trip:

(Remember, we had 2 adults and a one-year-old traveling to Florida from NYC for a vacation of 6 days)

2 Carry On’s- One carryon per adult (me and husband)
3 Book Bags- One book bag per adult and Baby L’s diaper bookbag
1 Checked luggage- we paid the $25 to have the bag checked

Step 2: What are you packing?

The main key to help you easily pack is to actually know what you are planning to pack. This is where a list comes in handy!

Write down everything you need and be sure to pack everything that you need for your trip. I know this is easier said than done but a list will definitely make packing less stressful.

To help you pack I made an awesome Ultimate Disney Packing Checklist for you to use so you don’t forget anything!

If you’re anything like my family, if we don’t use a list then most of our vacation is stopping at places to buy what we forgot to pack. Don’t let that be the case for you!

Be sure to download my Disney Packing List so you can pack stress-free!

What did we pack:

I packed everything on my Disney Packing Checklist! Plus, I also made this super helpful infant master packing list. To get the infant packing checklist you can check out my post– “What to Pack for Disney with an Infant”.

We packed EVERYTHING on these lists in 2 carry-ons and a checked bag! Be sure to check out that post and download the master list for yourself!

It’s also important to keep in mind the luggage that you chose in Step 1 so you can make sure everything will fit. I know some people who get everything out they want to pack first and then choose their bag based on how much they are bringing. Do what works best for you!

What did we put in each bag:

My Carry On: I had all of my clothes and the toiletries for me and my husband. I put all of the liquids in a gallon ziplock bag so I can remove it from my bag upon request at the security table.

My Husband’s Carry On: He had all of his clothes and all of Baby L’s clothes (including diapers)

Checked Bag: We put all of Baby L’s extra stuff that was on our list and all of the things that would not meet TSA carry on requirements. We efficiently packed extra diapers, extra bottles, crib sheet, Disney gear, Lysol spray, extra shoes, sunscreen and everything else on the list.

PRO TIP: We managed to leave a quarter of the checked luggage empty so we had room to bring home souvenirs too!)

My Book Bag: My book bag was my purse so I had my wallet, electronics, and book for the plane.

Husbands Book Bag: His bookbag had all of his gear (chargers, laptop, book). He also downloaded some children’s movies off of our streaming sites so Baby L can watch if she was super fussy at any point on the plane.

Diaper Book Bag: This bag was Baby L’s necessity bag. We packed everything that Baby L would need for the airport, the flight, and the rest of the day.
- bottles for the day,
- the bottle parts,
- premade formula cups,
- sippy cup with water,
- thermos with milk for the day,
- 3 small toys for the plane,
- light muslin blanket for the plane/stroller,
- wipes,
- diapers,
- diaper cream,
- Clorox wipes,
- Happy Baby pouch for a snack,
- extra change of clothes, and
- diaper pad.

I had all of the liquids in one ziplock bag and all of the food in another so when we went through security they can inspect the bag as fast as possible.

TSA prohibits any liquids greater than 4oz in your carry on bag but that does not apply to liquids required for babies. Be sure to double-check the TSA guidelines for yourself before flying with your infant.

To help you pack all of the essentials and prevent forgetting anything, be sure to download your copy of my Disney Packing Checklist! You can access it below!

Step 3: Who carried what in the airport (How we maneuvered our bags)

I know this may be a silly thing to add, but it’s all fine and dandy to pack everything and realize that you have no arms to carry it!

It’s important to be able to not only pack efficiently but know that you can easily handle and maneuver your bags at the airport. After all, you want to make sure that you can get in and out of security, to your gate, and boarded on to the plan as smoothly as possible.

We made sure both of our carry on’s were in good condition to be rolled the whole time. We purchased those luggage’s that have a hard exterior like a box and that could be rolled without tilting it.

So, my husband rolled his carry on and my carry on with his book bag on his back and I had my bookbag on my back while I pushed the stroller. The diaper book bag fits perfectly under the travel stroller and when we needed to fold the stroller up we slung the diaper bag on our backs and held Baby L.

We prepaid for the checked luggage online so when we arrived at the airport we immediately dropped it off and didn’t have to worry about it.

We utilized Disney’s Magical Express:

We were taking advantage of Disney Magical Express so we didn’t have to worry about picking up our checked bags at the carousel.

Disney’s Magical Express is an awesome perk that you get when you stay at a Disney Resort onsite where they transport you for FREE to and from Orlando International Airport and your resort. Disney’s Magical Express comes with another amazing luggage service where they pick up your checked bag for you and deliver it straight to your room!

This means you don’t have to wait for your checked bags at baggage claim- they will pick your bag up for you at the airport and the next time you see it it’s in your resort room!

To partake of this amazing service, Disney will mail you a special luggage tag and all you have to do is put the special luggage tag on your bag. It’s that easy! Each member of your party will receive a luggage tag for a checked bag. Awesome service! (You can find out more about Disney’s Magical Express here on the official Disney World website!)

Disney’s Magical Express Tip:

A super important tip to remember when utilizing Disney’s Magical Express– your checked luggage can arrive at the resort any time of the day after you check-in.

For example, if you arrive at 2 pm and check-in at 3 pm, your checked luggage on the Disney Magical Express can arrive anywhere from 3pm-10pm.

So, this means if you have something important in your checked bag that you’re going to need for the day– be sure to pack it in a bag that is not being checked. Disney advises you to have a “day bag” which has all of your personal items, important items, a change of clothes, electronics, and medications.

I even pack a bathing suit just in case I want to hit the pool. This way there is nothing in the checked luggage that you need for that day. We made sure to have all of Baby L’s important items with us at all times. This is also another reason we chose to put her clothes and bottles in carry-on bags- with the worst-case scenario in mind that we get our bags super late.

Everything worked out perfectly!

We had no issues at all with anything that we packed. We didn’t forget anything and our checked luggage arrived in our room 2 hours after we checked in!

Since I packed Baby L’s clothes in the carry-on, I was able to change her into a bathing suit and enjoy the pool when we arrived too. Make sure not to waste your arrival day and do something fun!

We packed everything in the same exact way when we left and were so grateful we left space in the checked luggage because we bought so many souvenirs! We even had more space because Baby L had used most of her diapers so that left us more room to pack our keepsakes.

Get Your Free Disney Packing Checklist Now!

Don’t forget to download your copy of my free Disney Packing Checklist!

You won’t want to arrive at your vacation and realize you forgot to pack important items so be sure to get the checklist below!

Using this checklist I was able to pack everything that I needed to for my whole family and we didn’t have to buy ONE thing because we didn’t forget to pack anything!

Instead of wasting money on buying things that we forgot, we were able to save that money and spend it on delicious treats and beautiful souvenirs.

And instead of stressing about making sure you have the right items, just download the packing checklist and you’ll be good to go!

So that’s it! Don’t forget– here are the essential questions to ask yourself these questions before you start to pack for the flight that will make packing SO MUCH EASIER!

What luggage/bags am I using? Are they in good condition?
Am I checking any luggage?
What am I packing? (Make a list of things you need.) Can I fit what I’m packing in the bags I’m taking?
Can I maneuver my bags at the airport and on the transportation I am using to get to and from my destination?

I hope these tips help you to easily pack in your endeavor! I know packing can be tedious and a pain but these tips will help you pack in the EASIEST way without wanting to pull your hair out!

We just planned our next Disney Vacation and after I received the confirmation email, I was able to celebrate without the worry of being stressed because NOW I know I have a system of packing that WORKS!

Have a greaaatttttt vacation!! Are there any tips you have that help you and your family easily pack? Share your easy tips below in the comments or feel free to share how these tips have helped you!

P.S Do you love free printables??

Become part of the Mastering Mom Life Insider tribe and get instant, exclusive access to my Mom Treasury filled with FREE printables + worksheets to make mom life easier!

What to Pack for a One Year Old for a Trip to Disney World

Family Life, Family Travel

Taking your one year old to Disney? Congratulations! It’s going to be a blast! One thing you’re going to need is an amazing packing list for taking your baby to Disney. Look no further! Here is everything you will need to pack for a one year old for Disney!

People thought I was crazy that I was bringing my daughter to Disney World for her first birthday! Of course, if you know me personally you would think that it is only natural for me to do this since I am a Disney F-A-N-A-T-I-C!

Now, I’m a packing planner- meaning I plan for weeekkkssss before I start to pack. But this was my first trip packing for a week-long vacation with a baby. And I also had to take into consideration things she would need for flying for the first time too! So, I made a crazy detailed list that was super helpful for me and I wanted to share all of my packing tips and my packing list with you!

Packing for an infant requires some effort but packing an infant for Disney World needs special planning. Needless to say, packing for a one year old for Disney was not easy- but it was successful!

Packing an infant for a Disney trip should be well thought out but also fun! Here’s how to do this in 3 easy steps without wanting to pull your hair out but also making sure you’re packing everything you need to:

Make a list of all the things your baby uses every day (including food).
Make a list of things that you are going to need for your Disney vacation.
Combine all the lists and pack efficiently (weed out what you don’t need for your destination.)

Do not worry because I include ALL 3 of these steps right here in this very post! Following these steps and lists, I was able to bring everything I needed for Baby L and I didn’t forget anything so I didn’t have to spend money at the park or resort buying something that I could have effectively packed.

Not only do I just lay out the steps for easy packing but I also include a printable Disney Infant Packing Checklist for you to have so you can make sure you don’t forget anything! I’m all about making things easier for you so I created an ultimate Disney infant packing list so you can have an amazing vacation without forgetting anything. I used this list twice already and I didn’t have to buy anything when we arrived at Disney because I had everything! Be sure to access the free checklist below!

What to Pack for a One Year Old for Disney

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Let’s begin the packing!

1. Making a List of all the things your baby uses everyday

The first thing you need to do before you start to pack for a one year for Disney is to make a list of things you are going to need. This list is going to change based on your baby’s needs. Include what you need to and make sure to make a list of things your baby uses that isn’t on this list. Make a list of everything, even though you may not bring some things, it’s easier to cross something out than to forget to bring it altogether.

Diapers: Baby L uses about 4 diapers a day. I will plan to bring 6 diapers a day just in case of emergencies.

Diaper cream: Bring what your baby is used to using. Orlando can be hot and humid so you don’t want your sweet one to get a rash. We use Cera Ve Healing Baby Ointment for Treating and Preventing Diaper Rash. You can apply it after every diaper change and your baby won’t get any diaper or heat rash!

Wipes: I order a big box of Huggies Natural Care Baby Wipes for convenience. The wipes come in a big box in 3 refill re-sealable big bags. I usually go through one bag every 20-25 days. I’m going to bring a bag just to be on the safe side. Wipes can be used to wipe hands and face too so I don’t want to under pack them. Also, remember that you are going to need wipes for your diaper bag and wipes for the hotel room. I refilled my diaper bag wipes every day and used the bag of wipes for the hotel room.

Clothes: We’ll go over which clothes are best to bring in the next section because it’s based on when you are traveling to Orlando Florida.

Shoes/socks: Same as the clothes, we’ll go over this more below.

Bottles: Bottles are very important. Think of which bottles will be best for your baby to take on your trip. Baby L uses Doctor Brown’s Wide Neck bottles so I always make sure to pack all of the parts. Try not to switch things up on them. They are already going to be out of their element and in a new place so try to keep things as consistent as possible regarding things that they eat with. Meaning, now is probably not the best time to try a new bottle because what if she doesn’t like it and won’t drink out of it? Chances are, you’re better off with playing it safe. If you want to transition your baby into a new bottle, try doing it at least a month before so she has time to get used to it.

Food/Snacks: What kind of foods does your baby eat on a regular basis? Will it be accessible on vacation? (You can check the menus at Disney world online including kids meals). Maybe you want to try to introduce new foods to your baby a month before so they will be able to eat a variety of different things when they are away on vacation. Is there a special yogurt or fruit that they like? Can you bring it with you?

If you can, great! Pack it! I love the Happy Baby organic food pouches. They taste great and do not have to be refrigerated so I thought they were great for the parks. The Disney kids meals come with 2 sides and the options are applesauce pouch, grapes, carrots, and yogurt.

I ended up buying her a kid’s meal for breakfast (only $6.97 and it came with a drink, Mickey waffles, scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes and 2 snacks) and saving the snacks for the park day.

(Planning what your one year old will eat at Disney world)

Toys/Books: Bring 2 toys they love and 2 books they love. Especially if it calms or comforts them. You want your baby to feel as comfortable as possible. Trust me, sad baby = sad vacation.

Water: Do you need water for formula? Does your baby drink water? Little inside tip- Florida water does not taste very good. Disney will give you free courtesy cups of water but sometimes it does not taste the best. I don’t recommend bringing gallons of water on your trip.

Especially if you’re flying! But I do recommend bringing a filtering water bottle. That way you pour the water in and it filters when you pour it back out! The water bottles in the parks are $3.00 each for a regular Dasani bottle so my filtering water bottle saved me a bunch of money!

Milk/Formula: If your baby is still on formula then bring enough for the number of days that you are there and then some extra. Keep in mind bringing enough for your travel days as well. If your baby is on regular milk and you are staying on the Disney Property there is also a little convenience “grocery” area in your lobby gift shop where you can buy a gallon of milk.

We bought one for our room and it lasted us the week we were there. I used it for her morning and night bottles and then brought milk with me a thermos bottle for her day bottles. You can also purchase milk with your kid’s meals and just use it for baby instead of drinking a soft drink.

Sippy Cups: Don’t forget your baby’s sippy cups. Baby L uses the Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Transition ones with the handles and she loves them! She uses them to drink her water throughout the day.

Specific Utensils: Does baby use special fork or spoons that they like to eat with?

Any Medication/Vitamins: Make sure to bring your baby’s medication or anything that they take every day. Also, bring some extra medication for emergencies. Maybe Benadryl or Tylenol or Zarbees (natural cough suppressant)? Always ask your doctor before administering anything to your baby for the first time!

Check out this money saving post too!

Special Blankets/Stuffed Animals: Bring anything for comfort that you know your baby loves. We brought her fluffy blanket that she sleeps with and her Rapunzel dolly that she plays with. We packed it in the luggage that we checked so it didn’t take up too much room in our carry on’s.

Bath Time Items/Lotion: You’ll definitely want to give your baby a bath at least once a day. When you think about all the places your little one will be in one day and how many things he’ll come in contact with you’ll want to bathe your baby! Your little one will also sweat and just like we want to take a shower and get nice and fresh your baby will too!

Bring baby’s bath soap, lotion or anything else that can be easily packed. We love the Aveeno Baby Calming Comfort Lotion. You can find travel-sized baby soap and lotion at your nearest Walmart or Target.

I’m flying to Orlando so I cannot bring the whole kitchen sink with me but like I said, I write everything down and then crossed off things as I saw fit. I made sure everything I was bringing fit into one under the plane suitcase for Baby L. I brought anything that was essential and left things that I knew she could survive without.

To help you pack all of the essentials and prevent forgetting anything, be sure to download your copy of my Disney Infant Packing Checklist! You can access it below!

2. Make a list of things your baby needs for a Disney vacation

Now, this may seem redundant but a list of everyday necessities is different from a list of things you need for Disney. You’ll see why after we get into the list! Do your research and add things that you think you’ll need if it’s not on this list. Also, research the weather for Orlando, Florida during the time that you are going.

Usually, winters are hot but cooler at night, spring is hotter than winter but not scolding like summer, Summer is super-hot and humid and usually rains for 15 minutes a day but the sun comes right back out. Fall is hot but cooler than spring and hotter than winter.

Mist Fan: It’s pretty humid in Florida (understatement of the year!). I didn’t want Baby L to be dying of sweat and heat in her little stroller so every so often I would have her sit with the mist fan and cool off.

Ponchos/Mini Umbrella: Again, Florida is notorious for rain during the day for a short amount of time. Maybe it will or maybe it won’t but I’ve been there for all 4 seasons and I’ve always experienced some sort of rain. Ponchos were great! I got mine from the dollar store and would buy enough for every day so I can throw it out after I’m done using it and didn’t have to carry a wet bag of plastic around.

I also use them to sit on the floor when I’m waiting for a parade. You can also bring a mini, compact umbrella to keep in your bag. We went once and it literally rained ALL week and each rain was about an hour! Ponchos do the trick when its sporadic, short rains, but an umbrella may help when it’s actually a rainy day.

Travel Stroller: Now I love my stroller but I couldn’t have possibly carried that gigantic, heavy stroller with me all day. If you are staying onsite at a Disney resort then you will be taking the Disney buses to and from the parks. You do not need a car seat but you need to have a stroller that closes easily because you have to close all strollers on the bus.

Be courteous and make sure your stroller closes somewhat small because you don’t want to have a gigantic stroller taking up the whole bus or sitting on someone’s foot.

Diaper Bag Book Bag: I usually have a regular diaper bag that looks like a purse but when we travel we switch over to our diaper book bag so we can swing it on our backs and keep it moving. This comes in handy when you have to close your stroller fast and your hands will be free.

Sunscreen: Don’t forget sunscreen! Florida heat is no joke and you don’t want your sweet little baby’s skin burning. Use the sunscreen that you feel most comfortable with. I love the Babyganics mineral based baby sunscreen. It comes in travel sizes too so it doesn’t take up my whole pocket in the diaper bag but I can reapply it on her whenever she needs it.

Bathing Suit: Don’t forget the bathing suit! I brought 3 for Baby L because I wanted to bring 2 for our pool days and then I kept an extra one in the diaper bag for the parks because every park has some sort of sprinklers and this is great for a hot day!

Towel: Disney provides you with pool towels but I like the pool towels that are bigger and have designs on them so we can leave them on our pool chairs and know it’s ours. I always buy them when the Disney store has a sale for free personalization.

Light Clothes: Based on the weather for the time you are visiting, you want to pack the right clothes. Even when it is chilly, it’s not cold, cold. I always tend to pack lighter clothes that can be layered. That way I can remove or put on clothes based on the temperature that day.

This year we are traveling in Mid-May so I’m packing a lot of short sleeve and tank top onesies with shorts/skirts so I can remove as I need to. Always pack a change of clothes in the diaper bag too, it’ll come in handy!

Ribbon for the Stroller: Disney world is full of strollers! Sometimes it just looks like a sea of heads and strollers! For any ride that you go on with your baby, you will need to leave your stroller in the stroller parking. Sometimes cast members will move the strollers so I always put a colored/patterned ribbon on my stroller so I can know it’s mine.

Also, be sure not to leave any valuables in the stroller when you leave it. This is also when the book bag diaper bag comes in handy so you can just strap it on your back and head on a ride.

You might like this post too!

Comfortable Shoes: If your baby stands or walks then you want to make sure to have comfortable shoes or sandals with you. Make sure it’s nothing where their feet can get too hot but also make sure it has enough of a sole to walk and not fall apart.

Light Blanket: Baby L loves her blanket! I always bring a muslin lightweight stroller blanket for her so she can nap while we are out.

Sunhat: Don’t underestimate a good baby sunhat. I use them all the time when she is not in the stroller and when she is in the pool. It prevents her head from burning too. You can find nice lightweight ones that are water friendly and dry fast.

Disney Gear: After all, you’re going to Disney! Try to bring as much Disney themed things you can find that way you don’t have to buy things when you get there. I found great Disney onesies and tank tops/dresses at Walmart and Marshalls before my trip.

When I got to Disney I saw their baby apparel was over $20 for some items! Baby L fit right in with all of her Disney gear and mommy got to save a fortune!

Autograph Book/Sharpie: If you are taking your baby to meet characters at a character reservation or at the parks then you’ll definitely want to bring something for them to sign!

Crib sheet: if you are staying onsite then you will most likely be requesting a pack and play for your baby to sleep in. Baby L is accustomed to sleeping in pack n plays because when we stay at my mom’s house she uses one. If your baby never slept in a pack and play I recommend getting your little one used to it before the trip that way they can enjoy a full night’s restful sleep.

Disney provides pack n plays with mattresses and sheets. I always bring my own sheet and blanket for Baby L to feel comfortable and it makes her feel at home.

Lysol Travel Wipes: I’m not a compulsive person (though my husband would say otherwise) but I am a bit obsessed with everything being clean. So, add the fact that the thousands of other people have touched the same tables and chairs that my daughter is going to be eating at- can drive me a little insane. I always have in the diaper bag a pack of travel Lysol Disinfecting Wipes so I can clean down the high chair and table that we sit at.

I also use it to clean down any surfaces that Baby L will be sitting at for a while. Disney Cast Members do an AMAZING job at keeping things clean so there are sometimes when I don’t worry too much about it. Only if I see the table is dirty or something do I really do a huge clean down.

Lysol Spray (Travel Size): Like my Lysol wipes, I also carry a Travel-Sized Lysol Disinfecting Spray with me. I use it to spray down her travel changing pad every time she uses it. I also use it to sanitize the remote, door knobs, phone, faucet knobs whenever we check into a hotel.

Disney Mouse Keeping does a great job at making sure the rooms are clean so I don’t go crazy cleaning everything like I would if I were somewhere else.

Swimming Diapers: Of course if you want your baby to go into the pool you’re going to need to have swimming diapers. They are a bit expensive at the resort so I packed 6 swimming diapers with me and it was the perfect amount. I planned to use 2 per day for the 3 days that we were going to be in the resort hanging out.

Travel Size Dish Soap/Sponge: If you are staying at a Disney Resort in a regular guest room (not a suite or studio room) then you will definitely need to bring some sort of soap to clean and disinfect your baby’s bottles. I have only stayed in regular rooms that only have one sink (the sink in the vanity area of the bathroom) and having soap was a lifesaver! You want to make sure you have something to clean your bottles and dishes with. You may even want to bring a sponge or bottle brush.

Pop Up Hamper: This is not a necessity but definitely will come in handy. When you have a couple of adults and a baby in a room- you will have A LOT of laundry. You don’t want to just stuff all the dirty clothes back in your suitcase or in a plastic bag. So I always bring a popup hamper that folds flat but then pops up into a tall hamper.

This keeps all of our dirty laundry in one area. If you choose to do laundry in the hotel then it can also be an easy way to carry your laundry to and from the machines. I purchased this Mesh Popup Laundry Hamper that is portable, has handles, and collapses easily for storage and packing in your luggage.

Remember you don’t want to over pack but you also don’t want to forget necessities!

3. Combine your lists and start packing

Step 3 to helping you pack for a one year old to Disney is to combine those lists! Take the 2 lists you make and combine them into one master list. Then figure out your luggage. Are you bringing just carry on’s? Are you bringing suitcases to go under the plane that you are going to check in? How much you bring depends on how you are going to transport it.

How We Packed It All

You can read all about how we packed our things on this list in 2 carry on size bags and a 1 checked luggage here (3 Steps to Easily Pack for a Flight to Disney With an Infant)!

I recommend packing little by little about a week in advance. If you have to clean things then do laundry throughout the week. If things are clean then start placing it in piles throughout the days. You can’t imagine how much time this saves and how much of a headache you’ll prevent on packing day!

Recheck everything on your list and ask yourself do you really need it? Will your baby use it throughout the vacation or just once or twice? Don’t compromise on the things your baby loves! Pack those things and weed out other things that will just take up space.

Don’t forget to download your copy of my Disney Infant Packing Checklist! You won’t want to arrive at your vacation and realize that you forgot to pack important items so be sure to get the checklist below! Instead of stressing about making sure you have the right items, just download the packing checklist and you’ll be good to go!

Get Your Free Disney Infant Packing Checklist Now!

Well, there you have it! Here’s an easy way to pack your infant for a Disney Trip! I hope this list is able to help you easily and effectively pack for your awesome trip to Disney! Have a greaaatttttt vacation!!

Do you have any other tips for helping pack your kids for vacation? Share them in the comments below!

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Tips For Taking Your One Year Old to Disney World

Family Travel

Some may think taking a one year old to Disney is insane- I think it’s awesome, though not for the faint of heart!

To take your baby to Disney you’ll need the best tips and tricks up your sleeve to make your trip smooth and effortless.

Thankfully I braved taking my 13-month daughter to Dinsey and found some awesome tips (even though most were by trial and error) that will make your trip not only fun but magical!

Originally, we were going to wait to take her to Disney until she was at least 18 months old but we found an awesome deal for a stay at All Star Movies in May for a 5-day, 4 night stay for only $73 a night. We just couldn’t pass it up!

Along with tips for taking your one year old to Disney World, I also include a free infant packing list for taking your baby to Disney! After all, no vacation will be good if you forget to pack all of the essentials.

And I’m alllll about helping families make sure they have the most fun as possible together. Be sure to download my Disney Infant Packing Checklist below!

Here was our Disney Vacation Plan for that Week:

Day One: Arrive/Resort Day

Day Two: Magic Kingdom

Day Three: Chef Mickey’s/Epcot to Animal Kingdom

Day Four: Resort/Disney Springs

Day Five: Travel

You can read about our specific plans for some days by clicking the links above! I also included all of our roadblocks so you can learn from my mistakes 😉

We decided to only buy a 2-day park hopper ticket because I didn’t want to push her too much to be out all day for 5 days in a row (this is also one of my tips but you’ll read more about this below).

It was also Baby L’s first time flying so I wanted our travel days to be light and restful. The 2 park days were successful and the perfect amount of time to be in the parks with her for the first time.

Anyway, enough about me! Let’s jump right into the tips and tricks to bringing your one year old to Disney World!

Tips to Bringing Your One Year Old to Disney:

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1. Pack the Right Items

In order to bring your one year old to Disney stress-free, packing the right items is number one.

I have another post, “What to pack for your One Year Old for a trip to Disney” that you can read here! These items got me through the vacation and I didn’t have to buy anything for Baby L except for cold/perishable snacks that I wanted to buy for her in the park when it was hot.

To help you pack all of the essentials and prevent forgetting anything, be sure to download your copy of my Disney Infant Packing Checklist! You can access it below!

You can also check out a post about packing for a flight a super easy way here- ” 3 Steps to Easily Pack for a Flight to Disney with an Infant.”

2. Plan effectively

I am an avid planner! I love to plan things months in advance and have lists and lists of things to pack, what we are doing each day and at what time.

But I couldn’t do that this trip because I didn’t want to overwhelm Baby L. On the other hand, I also didn’t want to under plan and lose out on great opportunities.

I found that the perfect “sweet spot” of planning this Disney trip was to plan:

which dates we were traveling,
book the Fast passes 60 days in advance,
and plan 1 special meal reservation.

That was it!

3. Don’t over plan

(This may seem like it contradicts the last tip but don’t worry, it doesn’t!)

The best thing about this trip was I didn’t have to overly plan because I didn’t want to jam pack our day and make Baby L suffer. The last thing you want is to burn out your poor baby with scheduling something every hour that you forget to enjoy the moment.

Don’t get me wrong, I love scheduling fast passes back to back and running around like a madwoman- but I couldn’t drag my poor baby along with me in my madness!

If you check out our posts at the top of the page you can see how we did each park for each day of our vacation and it was perfect for us!

4. Pack Smart

Pack your diaper bag with as little as possible without sacrificing necessities.

Here’s a list of everything that we packed in our diaper bag when taking our one year to Disney:

6 diapers for the day
Diaper cream
Refillable wipe pouch
Clorox disinfectant wipes travel packet
Mini Lysol spray
Change of clothes
Sunhat
Muslin blanket
Bottles
Travel Formula cups
Travel thermos for milk (instead of buying milk every time she ate we bought a gallon of milk to leave in the room and just refilled the thermos every day. It saved us about $9 a day)
Sippy cup with water
Baby Sunscreen
Baby Bug Repellent

Use a Diaper bookbag:

We brought a diaper book bag with us so it was easier to just sling on our back when we had to close up the stroller. It also fits better in the stroller storage basket and we even hung it from the stroller handles and it didn’t bother us at all.

Bring a lightweight blanket to shield the sun (or towel):

The Florida sun is no joke. Even with the largest stroller sun visor, the sun didn’t get entirely blocked out! We brought a lightweight muslin blanket with us to drape over the stroller when she napped.

I also saw some people who brought a thin towel with them and they placed it over the stroller to block out the sun when their baby napped too.

You don’t want the bright sun waking your baby up after 5 minutes of falling asleep! It’s also quite noisy in the park and having something over her stroller kept some of that noise out.

5. Pack a change of clothes in a Ziploc bag

We took our one year old to Disney World during Florida’s wet season so there was a rain shower every single day.

One evening there was a steady downpour for about 4 hours and even though the diaper bag is “water resistant”, because it poured for so long the bottom of her bag got soaked- including her change of clothes.

So when Baby L got drenched from the rain, we had to buy an outfit for her at the gift shop.

Needless to say, I learned my lesson and began to pack her extra clothes in a sealable bag to prevent her extra set of clothes from getting wet.

It’s been a major success ever since!

6. Bring ponchos/rain shield for the stroller

Talking more about the rain…be sure to bring the rain shield for the stroller and extra ponchos.

We buy the cheap ones from the dollar store or Walmart because I’m not fond of reusing ponchos. There’s really nowhere for me to store them for the rest of the day after they are wet so I prefer to throw them out and just use a fresh one the next day.

7. Be flexible

Taking your one year old to Disney is definitely going to require you to be flexible.

If you’ve been around my blog you can probably see that I am a bit of an avid planner…but one thing I learned with this trip was to be FLEXIBLE.

My main priority was to keep Baby L comfortable at all times.

So if we had to change a Fast Pass time so that we could eat or to wait until she woke up then that’s what we did.

There were some days that I wanted to wake up earlier to go to the park but it just so happens that morning Baby L decided to sleep in 45 minutes more than she normally does.

Granted, we had a really long day the day before so she was tired just like the rest of us! With all that said, I learned to be flexible and just go with the flow of the day.

Trust me- it will save your sanity!

8. Know when to ride

Go on rides in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid the high sun and high crowds mid-day:

I’ve been to Disney about 20 times in my life so I usually have an amazing plan for Fast passes that let us use about 6 or 7 Fast passes a day.

What I do is plan my fast passes for the morning and after you complete your initial 3 fast passes you can schedule more. So by the afternoon we keep getting fast passes for the next rides and we end up riding most of the rides without waiting on lines!

But having an infant with us changed this plan.

I chose to schedule the Fast Passes for the afternoon.

Why?

My thought was, if we get to the Magic Kingdom early we can go on rides with hardly any wait time because the park is still practically empty. Then when the high sun and high crowds are out in the afternoon we wouldn’t have to worry about lines because those were the hours I had Fast Passes.

My plan was to either be on a ride or in a restaurant during the afternoon hours so Baby L wasn’t overheated.

This plan worked perfectly!

Check out this article too!

9. Have lunch at low times between 2-3pm

To avoid crazy food lines and packed restaurants it was best for us to eat lunch at an off time which we found out is usually between 2-3pm.

This worked out perfectly for us because Baby L eats at 2:00 so we were able to take a break from the strong sun or sun shower and eat.

People usually eat lunch at 12 or 1 so when everyone is on the rides, by 2-3 we were already done with most of our rides and enjoying a nice meal.

10. Have a rest day and enjoy the pool

I cannot tell you how much Baby L enjoyed her pool day! She was amazing at the parks but I didn’t want to drag her to parks 4 days in a row and tire her out where she gets cranky and doesn’t enjoy herself. So, we decided to have a pool day and enjoy our resort.

We stayed at All-Star Movies so we walked around and took pictures in the Toy Story area with Woody and Buzz and then took pictures with the 101 Dalmatians statutes.

We jumped from the main pool to the baby pool and went to take naps and then headed back to the pool.

We also used that evening to go to Disney Spring and grab a nice dinner and snacks! We also saved money because we didn’t have to buy another day of park tickets.

RELATED READING: Our Stay At Disney’s All-Star Resort with a Baby

11. Use your travel days to relax/set up for next day:

We chose to have a midmorning flight so we can arrive at the resort in the early afternoon to have the rest of the day to relax and enjoy the resort. We were also taking Baby L on the plane for the first time so I wanted to be able to just go to the resort and let her relax.

I didn’t want to drag her to her first park when she was up early in the morning and was on the plane for 3 hours. We took the afternoon we arrived to unpack, set up her crib, get our park bags together for the next day, explore our resort and take a dip in the pool.

We were in bed early enough to get a good night’s sleep and Baby L slept through the whole night and woke up refreshed and ready for her first park day.

12. Plan your park hopping in advanced

If you are planning to park hop I always suggest planning your park hop day in advance to see when you want to hop and where you want to hop. Park hopping is awesome and I love being able to go from park to park.

Park hopping with Baby L was fine, but I think it flowed so smoothly because I planned our park hopping around her mealtimes and naps. This was she was sleeping on the bus and monorail and got to be awake at the new park.

13. Be mindful of baby’s nap times

Talking about nap times…. I am a strong believer in the nap.

I’ve had Baby L on a schedule since she was one month old and she has had steady naps and a steady bedtime all her life. I’ve seen time and time again the benefit of having her on a schedule. But just because your baby is on a schedule doesn’t mean you can’t take him out!

My family was concerned that Baby L wouldn’t do well at Disney World because if I followed her schedule so rigorously, she wouldn’t be able to enjoy herself.

But with any vacation, any routine or schedule will get altered. So I always made sure to try to flow with her routine. I never sacrificed her comfortability so we can be able to do something.

Thankfully, her naps worked out perfectly every single day!

Being mindful of her nap times was like finding gold!

If she didn’t nap she was fussy and cranky. So, we stuck to her regular nap times and just reclined her stroller for her to be able to sleep.

At her nap times, I walked around with her in a quieter area and kept pushing her until she got drowsy.

It worked like a dream!

That way, we didn’t have to sacrifice being her naps at the park– and we didn’t have to sacrifice the park for her nap.

14. Keep your feeding schedule as close to normal as possible

Just like the nap schedule, try to keep your baby’s feeding schedule as close to what they are used to.

Depending on how your baby eats maybe this means you need to have a sit-down meal when your baby eats so they can have solid food.

Or maybe this means just giving your baby their bottle. Or maybe you have all your food with you in the diaper bag that they can eat while you are touring the park.

Whatever works best for your family!

I found that eating when she was used to eating and not letting her get hungry and cranky, worked best for us.

We had snacks on hand for her and food that was good on the go. We had 2 sit-down meals a day, whether we ate at a quick-service restaurant or a formal restaurant.

Every hour or so I would give her a snack just to keep her energy up and I made sure she was hydrated.

Disney also had great snacks you can buy like yogurt, apples, carrots, string cheese, and grapes.

15. Take a travel stroller with good sun canopy and that reclines

Making sure our stroller had a good sun visor and was able to recline back for her to nap was a priority for me.

I absolutely love my everyday stroller but it’s too big to lug around the airport and the Disney buses so we had to find a travel-friendly stroller.

It’s also a plus if the stroller is easy to fold/close because you’ll need to close the stroller when you use the Disney buses.

The recline function was a huge factor because Baby L was able to take her naps. And having a good sun visor on the stroller will help block out the strong Florida sun.

16. Do not keep baby up past normal bedtime for 2 days in a row

We learned from experience that if your baby is up all day and goes to bed later than normal one day it’s always best for the next day to have an easy day and have your baby go to bed at their normal bedtime.

We made the mistake once of pushing Baby L to be out late 2 days in a row. We planned our vacation where one day was busy and one day was restful and it worked so well!

17. Sun hat and sunscreen will save the day

If you don’t know this, the Florida sun and heat is relentless!

We had a sunhat for Baby L in the diaper bag and we put it on her every time she wasn’t in her stroller being covered by the stroller visor.

We applied organic baby sunscreen every hour to her arms, hands, feet, legs, face, and neck. She got a little tanned but successfully no sunburn!

18. Kids meals are the way to go

Food wise, taking your one year old to Disney is easy!

I absolutely love Disney’s kid’s meals! Not only are they affordable but they come with so many items and have a great number of options for all dietary needs.

For every kid’s meal, you get the main entrée with a side, a choice of 2 snacks, and a beverage.

Anytime we would order a kid’s meal we would save the snacks and she would eat them throughout the day. When I wasn’t that hungry I would order a kid’s meal for myself too! They are between $5-$7 and include all of those items!

19. Stay calm and baby will be calm

I can sometimes get a little overwhelmed and it doesn’t do well for my family.

I learned that I have to stay calm and every time I want to lose it (and God knows there are many times that I want to!) I just breathe and try to handle the situation to the best of my ability.

Along with being flexible on vacation, it’s also important to stay calm.

There’s going to be a million things that can change or have the ability to be messed up and when you’re traveling with kids there are always bound to be some accidents. The good news is that when we stay calm our children have a higher chance of staying calm.

And you don’t want to ruin your vacation with grumpy kids, grumpy spouses, and ultimately a grumpy family. You’re not paying to have a grump vacation!

20. Show baby the sights and rides

I absolutely loved showing Baby L around.

She would look in amazement at the characters, rides, pictures, lights, and everything else! We made sure to point out characters, pictures, lights, buildings- everything we can possibly point at. She loved the rides and loved looking around. All she did was smile and laugh!

It was the best time!

21. Take lots of pictures

This is my favorite tip! Take pictures of everything and anything! My motto is “take it even if you won’t need it because it better to take it than to be without it”.

It’s always easy to delete pictures you don’t want but it’s impossible to go back in time to take a picture that you wished you did.

You’re one year old might not remember this trip but they’ll have the amazing pictures to look back on to show them how much fun they were having.

There you have it! I hope these tips help you in planning to take your one year old to Disney World. We had an amazing time and it was so successful that we already are planning to go again when she turns 2!

Don’t forget to download your copy of my Disney Infant Packing Checklist! You won’t want to arrive to your vacation and realize that you forgot to pack important items so be sure to get the checklist below!

Instead of stressing about making sure you have the right items, just download the packing checklist and you’ll be good to go! Have a greaaatttttt vacation!!

Get Your Free Disney Infant Packing Checklist Now!

What are some of your favorite tips for taking your little one to Disney? We’d love to hear them! Share your tips below in the comments!

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What My Baby’s Daily Schedule Looks Like

Baby Routines

Having a schedule for your baby is so important! We talk more about the awesome reasons to have a schedule for your baby here (Why Having a Baby Schedule is Important). But what if you’re totally convinced that you need a daily schedule for your baby and have no idea what it should look like??

Question Answered! Here is a sample daily schedule for your baby that I used for Baby L from birth. I adjusted the activities and times as she grew and took away some naps and feedings as she got older.

Want a place to track your baby’s daily schedule?? I’m here to help! I created a Daily Baby Schedule Template for you to write down all of your baby’s feedings, naps, and activities. Having a place to easily track your baby’s day is a HUGE help when you’re trying to figure out your baby’s daily schedule, nap schedule, and feeding schedule.

My Daily Baby Schedule is super flexible and easy to use because all you have to do is plug in the what activity your baby is doing at what time and for how long and you’re done! Be sure to download your copy of my free Daily Baby Schedule Template!

I’m not going to use specific times in this daily schedule but just specify activities so you can accurately use this as a template for your daily schedule. The time of the schedule also doesn’t matter because it will change from day to day depending on when your baby wakes up and starts their first initial activity of the day. We want to focus on each activity and length in between each one. Not exactly focusing on the exact clock time of the activity.

Important Schedule Tip: You want to be feeding your baby around every 3 hours and having no more than 2-2.5 hours in between each nap. Following the length of time between each activity is what will help you create your schedule- not the clock time.

(For those of you are interested in times, I will include times in parenthesis in case you wonder how the schedule timeline is). I suggest writing down everything your baby did during the day, documenting when they woke, when they ate, how much they ate, how long they are sleeping and so on.

Sample Daily Schedule:

Morning

Wake: Baby wakes in the morning. If your baby is still waking for an early morning feeding and going back to sleep, that’s fine! Just add that to your schedule first. (Wakes at 7:00 – 7: 30 am.)

Feeding: Baby should eat a full feeding. You can read more on full feedings here. (Starts feeding between 7:45 – 8:00 am.)

Playtime: Play for a small amount of time or read a morning book until baby shows tired cues (rubbing eyes, yawning). This is usually no more than 45 minutes in my experience. Use this time to set a schedule for what you would like to do every morning with your little one. Make sure its time you have together, good body and eye contact so you can continue to bond. (Activity time from 8:30 – 9:00 am.)

Nap: Put baby down for a nap. Take note of how long baby naps so you can see if there is a pattern for the next couple of days. This will help you with your nap schedules. (We talk more about nap schedules here). This nap is also the second to be dropped when your baby is about 10-12 months old. When this nap is dropped the next nap will get longer. Another side note for nap times- I never let Baby L be up for more than 2-2.5 hours. I find this is the optimum time between naps for her to have time to play and still be tired enough to nap but not overtired. (Start nap routine at 9:15 am.)

Mid-Morning

Wake/Feeding: Depending on your baby’s age, this is the feeding that usually solids are introduced. It serves as their “brunch” but does not substitute milk. (Your baby will sleep between 45 minutes to an hour so wake time will be around 10:00 – 10:20 am and each feeding is about 3 hours apart.)

Playtime: Feel free to insert here what you would like your baby to be doing. Maybe it’s time on a play mat or a swing. Or maybe its tummy time or time you play together. Maybe it’s a combination of everything. You can also mix things up and do one day a week a different activity. Be creative! Make sure to check for hunger cues like you did in the morning. (This playtime is usually a little longer than the first activity of the morning. I usually start this playtime activity around 10:30 – 10:45 am.)

Nap: Put baby back down for a nap. Be sure to continue to take note of how long she sleeps. (I start the nap routine roughly 2 hours after the last nap routine, which is around 11:45 am – 12:00 pm.)

Early Afternoon

Wake/Feeding: If your baby is old enough for solids this feeding is usually still all milk and they do not eat solids at this meal time. (I start feeding my baby around 12:45 – 1:00 pm.)

Playtime: Another opportunity to include some sort of activity. Maybe this is the time you want to take your baby out for a walk or playtime in the park. Or maybe you want to run errands. Don’t feel boxed into staying home to follow the schedule by the minute. Do something you and baby can enjoy together! (Playtime is 1:30 – 2:30 pm.)

Nap Time: Put baby back down for a nap. Be sure to continue to take note of how long she sleeps. (I start my nap routine again at 2:45 – 3:00 pm.)

Afternoon

Wake/Feeding: If your baby is on solids then this meal is considered “dinner”. Or if your baby is on a combo of milk and solids then you can feed him milk first then use the activity time as the mealtime sitting int he high chair at the table. (This time can be anywhere around 4:00 – 4:30 pm.)

Playtime: Usually the baby’s mealtime is incorporated into this activity. Maybe you want to sit at the table and eat dinner together as a family activity. It’s great to introduce baby to table time as a family. Simply pull up your baby’s high chair or seat to the table! (This is usually around 5:00-5:30 pm.)

Nap: Depending on how old your baby is, this nap may be a short cat nap or this usually one of the firsts to drop. When this nap is shorter or dropped, your baby’s bedtime will most likely be a little earlier. Knowing your baby’s cues comes in handy here! (If your baby is still taking this nap then it will be a short cat nap starting somewhere around 6:00 pm.)

Evening

Night Time Routine: Having a night time routine that you do every night before your baby goes to bed is very beneficial. Doing the same thing every night before your baby goes to sleep helps your baby understand that it is time for nighttime sleep, which is different than naptime sleep. Nighttime sleep will begin to stretch longer and longer as your baby grows. (If your baby is still taking that last cat nap then they will be up around 6:45 pm and have a little activity.

You can begin the bedtime routine during this activity such as a bath or reading books together. If your baby is still taking the last nap then the naptime routine will start at around 8:00 pm. if your baby is transitioning and dropping that last nap then the bedtime routine will begin at 7:30 pm.)

Feeding: This is the “last” feeding of the day. If your baby is still waking for a midnight “dream feed”, that’s fine! Usually, this is considered the last feeding of the day that the baby is fully awake until the next day where your schedule starts all over again.

Down for the night! (I followed this schedule from the first month since my daughter was born and she was sleeping 9-11 hours through the night by 4 months old!)

Be mindful that your baby’s times for this schedule will change based on their age!

As I mentioned above, be aware that your baby may not follow an exact “time” each day in their schedule. Your schedule will be different some days based on what time your baby woke up in the morning. Don’t get too hung up on the time factor of the schedule- the goal is to follow the full feeding and nap schedule, which should be eating around every 3 hours and being awake for 2-2,5 hours in between naps. If you are following that pattern on a daily schedule then your baby will be good to go!

As you can see above, your overall schedule will consist of 2 different schedules- a feeding and nap schedule. To find information on How To Know Your Baby’s Feeding Schedule, click here. If you need information on How To Start Your Baby on a Nap Schedule, click here.

Don’t forget to download your copy of my free Daily Baby Schedule Template so you can track your baby’s feedings, naps, and activities for yourself! Track all of your baby’s activities on one sheet- simply print out a new one each day or print out one and use it as a dry erase sheet by laminating it or putting it inside of a frame!

I created the Baby Daily Schedule so you can create your own schedule. I know how difficult it is to try to follow someone else’s schedule and after trying to follow someone else’s schedule for a few weeks, it just wasn’t working for me. So started from scratch and simply wrote down everything my baby did each day for a week. Then I tracked the following 2 weeks and saw an amazing pattern that ultimately became my baby’s schedule!

It was so easy to do once I started using my own daily schedule tracker and followed what my baby was already naturally doing. I hope I can help you start a schedule too! It’s really easy- just download and print the Daily Baby Schedule Template and write down each activity that your baby does, such as feedings, naps, and playtimes. You’ll start to see an amazing schedule form before your eyes! Be sure to download the Daily Baby Schedule!

Get Your Free Daily Baby Schedule Template Now!

Having a schedule for your baby comforts them by giving them something they can expect daily- this, in turn, will benefit both you and your baby greatly! Remember that everything takes a little trial and error and that most things will take a while to adapt to. So definitely keep that in mind as you are beginning your schedule.

Feel free to move things around that you feel are not working or implement more things that you see do work. Also, know that having a schedule will not magically “fix” or “change” your baby. Read your baby’s cues and learn with them as they grow!

You can do it!

Want to remember this? Post “What my baby’s daily schedule looks like” to your favorite Pinterest board!

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Seasonal & Holidays

Now let’s get down to our stay at the Hard Rock Hotel!

Location:

Service:

Staff:

Food:

Pool:

Express Passes:

Room:

View:

Only Con:

Want to remember this? Save “Our Stay at the Hard Rock Hotel Orlando” to your favorite Pinterest board!

How to Easily Pack for Your Flight

Step 1: What luggage/bags am I bringing?

This is what we brought with us on our trip:

Step 2: What are you packing?

What did we pack:

What did we put in each bag:

Step 3: Who carried what in the airport (How we maneuvered our bags)

We utilized Disney’s Magical Express:

Disney’s Magical Express Tip:

Everything worked out perfectly!

Get Your Free Disney Packing Checklist Now!

P.S Do you love free printables??

What to Pack for a One Year Old for Disney

1. Making a List of all the things your baby uses everyday

Check out this money saving post too!

2. Make a list of things your baby needs for a Disney vacation

You might like this post too!

3. Combine your lists and start packing

Get Your Free Disney Infant Packing Checklist Now!

Wait! Do you love free printables??

Here was our Disney Vacation Plan for that Week:

Tips to Bringing Your One Year Old to Disney:

1. Pack the Right Items

2. Plan effectively

3. Don’t over plan

4. Pack Smart

Use a Diaper bookbag:

Bring a lightweight blanket to shield the sun (or towel):

5. Pack a change of clothes in a Ziploc bag

You might like this article too!

6. Bring ponchos/rain shield for the stroller

7. Be flexible

8. Know when to ride

Check out this article too!

9. Have lunch at low times between 2-3pm

10. Have a rest day and enjoy the pool

11. Use your travel days to relax/set up for next day:

12. Plan your park hopping in advanced

13. Be mindful of baby’s nap times

14. Keep your feeding schedule as close to normal as possible

15. Take a travel stroller with good sun canopy and that reclines

16. Do not keep baby up past normal bedtime for 2 days in a row

17. Sun hat and sunscreen will save the day

18. Kids meals are the way to go

19. Stay calm and baby will be calm

20. Show baby the sights and rides

21. Take lots of pictures

Get Your Free Disney Infant Packing Checklist Now!

Wait! Do you love free printables??

Sample Daily Schedule:

Morning

Mid-Morning

Early Afternoon

Afternoon

Evening

Get Your Free Daily Baby Schedule Template Now!

Want to remember this? Post “What my baby’s daily schedule looks like” to your favorite Pinterest board!

Wait! Do you love free printables??