Breastfeeding at Walt Disney World: Frequently Asked Questions
Walt Disney World is obviously a popular vacation destination for families with young children. That means that there will be plenty of parents looking to breastfeed their babies. Here’s what you need to know.
I’m breastfeeding my baby. Can I do this in the Disney World theme parks?
You are welcome to breastfeed your baby anywhere you feel comfortable at Walt Disney World. Florida Public Health Law 383.015 states: A mother may breastfeed her baby in any location, public or private, where the mother is otherwise authorized to be, irrespective of whether the nipple of the mother’s breast is uncovered during or incidental to the breastfeeding.
So there are no specific places I have to go to feed my baby?
That’s correct. Feel free to feed your baby anywhere in the parks and resorts. That said, there are some places where you might be more comfortable than others.
Disney World in the summer is approximately as hot as the center of the sun. Double that estimate if you’ve been carrying a toddler all day and then resting her hot body against your hot body. Given this outdoor weather situation, you may prefer to feed your child in an indoor, air-conditioned, location.
What are the best indoor spots for breastfeeding?
Many moms like to feed their babies during show-style attractions. Some of the most popular spots like this are:
- Hall of Presidents (Magic Kingdom)
- Mickey’s PhilharMagic (Magic Kingdom)
- Carousel of Progress (Magic Kingdom)
- Country Bear Jamboree (Magic Kingdom)
- The American Adventure (EPCOT)
- Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival (EPCOT)
- Festival of the Lion King (Animal Kingdom)
- For the First Time in Forever Frozen Singalong (Hollywood Studios)
- Muppet*Vision 3D (Hollywood Studios)
The above attractions are all indoors, stationary, and longer than ten minutes. Additionally, there are a few gently moving rides where you could easily work in a quick feed. Among others, these include:
- It’s a Small World (Magic Kingdom)
- Under the Sea (Magic Kingdom)
- The Seas with Nemo and Friends (EPCOT)
- Spaceship Earth (EPCOT)
- Living with the Land (EPCOT)
- Na’vi River Journey (Animal Kingdom)
I prefer more privacy. Are there comfortable indoor spots to breastfeed that are not part of attractions?
Absolutely! Each of Walt Disney World’s four theme parks have a dedicated Baby Care Center, designed for the comfort of parents with small children.
The Baby Care Centers are each equipped with changing tables, a family restroom, some basic equipment for heating bottles, and a few nursing rooms where you can feed your baby discreetly.
Is there a fee to use the Baby Care Centers?
Nope. Use of the Baby Care Centers is free. They do have some items available for a fee such as extra diapers and wipes, bottles, etc. But if you just want to sit with your child, there’s no charge.
Do I have to make a reservation for the baby care centers?
No. There is no mechanism with which to make a reservations. Space is available on a first-come first served basis.
Where are the Baby Care Centers located?
The Baby Care Center locations are noted on the park maps.
- Magic Kingdom: Go to the end of Main Street and hang a left past Casey’s Corner hot dogs. The Baby Care Center is between Casey’s and the Crystal Palace. Note: Currently (mid-2021) the Magic Kingdom Baby Care Center is undergoing a refurbishment. There is a temporary location in Tomorrowland, near the Carousel of Progress. The regular space is expected to reopen during fall 2021.
- EPCOT: The Baby Care Center is in the Odyssey building (also known as the Epcot Experience building). Technically this is in Future World, but it’s really quite close to the Mexico pavilion. Find the path just past Test Track that looks like it’s heading to Mexico and you’ll see the building that also houses the first aid center.
- Animal Kingdom: It’s in the building next to Pizzafari. Bear left around the Tree of Life, pass Pizzafari, and it’s on the left.
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios: The Baby Care Center is immediately inside the front entrance to the park. Walk in, turn left and hug the turnstiles. It’s in the same building as Guest Relations.
Note: There are no Baby Care Centers in the water parks or at Disney Springs.
What’s in the Baby Care Center nursing rooms?
The lighting in each location is either kept low or is dimmable. At Epcot and the Magic Kingdom the nursing room is a group area with 4 chairs. At the Animal Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios the nursing rooms are private. Some of the Baby Care Center nursing areas have wooden rockers and some have padded glider chairs.
I’m pumping for my baby. Can I do this at the Baby Care Center?
Yes. All of the nursing rooms have outlets and you’re welcome to use your breast pump there.
Can I store expressed breast milk at the Baby Care Center?
Unfortunately, the Baby Care Centers cannot store expressed milk for you. You can, however, get a supply of free ice at any WDW quick service restaurant. Bring a small cooler and Ziplock bags with you if you plan to do this.
Can I leave my breast pump somewhere in the parks?
Depending on the size of your pump and how much you’re carrying, your best bet might be to leave your pump in a storage area of your baby’s stroller. If you’d prefer to keep it secured, there are lockers available for guest use at all WDW theme parks and water parks.
Is there somewhere to store pumped breast milk at my hotel?
Every Walt Disney World hotel room is equipped with some form of refrigerator, so if you’re in your room and just need to keep milk cool for a bit, then you’re all set. Most rooms have a dorm-sized fridge that only has a refrigerator compartment. Some rooms, notably the Disney Vacation Club 1, 2, and 3 bedroom villas, have full-sized refrigerators with standard kitchen freezers.
If you’re in a room with just a refrigerator and you want to freeze milk, speak with the concierge at your hotel. All WDW hotels have large freezers in the luggage storage areas (for guests who are receiving grocery deliveries). If your milk if properly packaged and labeled with your name and contact information, they may be able to place it in the hotel freezer for you.
What have your experiences been with breastfeeding at Walt Disney World? Let us know in the comments.
I was just at Disney World and had to pump in the baby care centers both at Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom. There is only one center per park, with varying facilities. They work but none were great experiences. Hollywood has a couple small corners behind a curtain. Magic Kingdom is one big room with chairs in a circle. None of the centers have ice either. For a point of comparison, we also spent a couple days at Universal Studios where you get a private nursing room, ice available from the centers, and they even offered to store the milk while in the parks. They also had 2 centers available per park.
I thought Disney would be more baby friendly but was pretty disappointed.
-Regarding Epcot, old-timers will always call it the Odyssey building, but it’s currently labeled on park maps as “The Epcot Experience.” It’s also not brown any more :-).
-If you’re navigationally-challenged, you can easily see the location of the four baby care centers in the My Disney Experience app. If you just search for “baby” (tap the magnifying glass), the first result is “Baby Care Centers.” Tap on that result, then tap again on “Find on Map.” The map will show a zoomed out view with all four locations marked, and then you can zoom in on your park of interest to see the exact location (including the temporary one in Tomorrowland mentioned above).