The Best Guide to Visiting Disneyland While Pregnant – Tips for a Fabulous Visit

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Are you thinking of visiting Disneyland while you are pregnant?

Are you wondering if that is a good idea? Mention this to some people and they will maybe not share your enthusiasm for visiting Disneyland pregnant!

However, as a mother to three children, I have visited both Disneyland and Walt Disney World many times with a baby bump, and many times also with more than one child in addition.

And mostly the experience is very positive. But I learned a lot along the way!

Here is the ultimate guide on how to make the most of visiting Disneyland while pregnant.

Rides to enjoy and avoid, places to stay, how to minimize fatigue and make sure that you have the best time possible.

Disneyland Pregnancy Myths

Let’s get this out of the way first.

Almost since the very first day the gates to Disneyland opened in 1955 there has been an urban myth.

That if you give birth in Disneyland the baby will get free tickets for life to the park.

Let’s set aside the point that the middle of a crowded theme park is not exactly an ideal place to go into labor.

So where does this urban myth come from? Wishful thinking mostly! The first baby born in Disneyland was Teresa Salcado who arrived on July 4, 1979.

It was rumored that she got a lifetime pass to Disneyland park. However, this has never been confirmed.

A total of only three babies have been born in Disneyland since it opened in 1955.

Another misconception that has gained credibility is that if you are pregnant you should ask for a Disability Access Service Pass.

The DAS Pass is for guests who have difficulty tolerating extended periods in line.

However, this is a service for those with a disability, and most likely pregnancy will not fall into that category. If you are having pregnancy health issues that would warrant a DAS then you should really be rethinking whether or not a trip to Disneyland is a good idea.

How to Cope With Pregnancy Fatigue at Disneyland

It may be the Happiest Place on Earth but it is also one of the most tiring. When you are pregnant is it very important to have realistic expectations of how much you can walk around the parks.

It is very important to take breaks in the shade or inside in an air-conditioned space.

Make sure that you stay hydrated and that you eat when you need to.

You might also think about whether it is worth it to spend a night or two close to the parks so that you do not have traveling time added on to your theme park day.

Also, it can be a great idea to take a rest in the afternoon and then go back out in the evening when the heat of the day is over.

Where to Stay at Disneyland

If you are traveling from a distance to Disneyland and Disney’s California Aventure park you will need to find a place to stay.

Even if you are relatively local it can be a good idea to think about staying overnight.

To get maximum value from your Disneyland visit you need to spend quite a lot of time in the park. This can get tiring even if you aren’t pregnant!

So at least a stay of one night is going to maximize your time and minimize your fatigue.

There are three Disneyland Resort Hotels. All are good, but let’s be honest, pricey choice.

I have stayed at so many hotels over the last 20 years and have had some amazing experiences and some truly terrible ones. Here are my recommendations!

Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa

If you want to stay at the very best, most convenient Disneyland hotel, the Grand Californian is your first choice.

This Craftsman-style hotel is just beautiful. A haven of peace and quiet, located right next to the California Adventure park.

Even if you aren’t staying here (and let’s face it, most of us won’t have that option) take a break in the middle of the day to just sit and relax in the foyer.

This hotel is so convenient to the park it even has its own entrance to California Adventure.

If you are fine with the price, and rooms are available, then this really is the best choice.

CHECK PRICES AT DISNEY GRAND CALIFORNIAN HOTEL

Disneyland Hotel

The Disneyland Hotel is another Disney-owned hotel that is located very conveniently just steps away from Downtown Disney and the parks.

This makes it very easy to go back to the hotel for a rest in the middle of the day. The option just to have a nap while you are pregnant can make all the difference to your enjoyment of your Disneyland vacation.

Standard rooms are 364-415 square feet in the Disneyland Hotel Resort. Each room has either a king-size bed or two queen-size beds and will accommodate up to five people. They are the largest of all the Disneyland Resort Hotel rooms and I think they are the nicest.

If you want to stretch the budget then the Disneyland Signature Suites are incredible.

CHECK PRICES AT DISNEYLAND HOTEL

Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel

This is usually the least expensive of the three Disneyland Hotels.

The location is good, but not as great as the Disneyland Hotel or the Grand Californian. It is a short walk from Downtown Disney.

In Summer 2022 the Paradise Pier Hotel is undergoing a chance with a new Pixar theme.

Another feature that is returning to the Paradise Pier is that it will have its own entrance to Disney’s California Adventure. This is going to make it an even more attractive place to stay. The separate entrance was a great feature of this hotel for many years before it was closed due to the building of the DVC part of Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel.

I have stayed many nights at the Paradise Pier over the last 20 years. And largely I have been a fan. Well, I was for about 15 of those years when you could get a “reasonable” rate to stay here.

However, in recent years the price for this is mostly average apart from its location and minimal Disney perks have just been too much to pay.

Hopefully, the new Pixar theme will take this Disneyland hotel to a new and much more appealing level.

CHECK PRICES AT PARADISE PIER HOTEL

Offsite Disneyland Hotel Resorts

I admit that I didn’t quite know how to title this section. If you have ever visited Walt Disney World there is a very clear distinction between off-site and on-site Disney World Hotels.

With Disneyland area hotels this isn’t quite so clear. There are many many hotels in Anaheim to choose from. Once you start looking it can be very overwhelming.

By offsite, I mean not owned by Disney and not located on Disney property.

However, there are some Disneyland area hotels that are located very close to the parks.

Some are closer in terms of walking distance to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure parks.

I have stayed in many hotels in the Disneyland area. The great and the not-so-great. Here are some of my favorites:

SpringHill Suites Anaheim Resort

This is a great choice of hotel if you are looking for a place to stay when you are visiting Disneyland. It is a short 10-minute walk to the parks – a reasonable distance if you are visiting when you are pregnant.

The rooms are a good size, with modern decor and that all-important fridge and microwave which is useful if you want to save some money on food. The SpringHill Suites Anaheim is also very close to a large CVS so it is easy to pick up snacks and quick microwave meals.

One great feature if you already have kids, is that some of the rooms have bunk beds.

There is a free continental breakfast, but that certainly isn’t a reason to book here. It is minimal, but it does save money if you are fine with it being fairly basic.

CHECK PRICING OF ROOMS AT SPRINGHILL SUITES ANAHEIM

Courtyard Marriott Theme Park Entrance

This is one of the newer hotels in the Disneyland Resort area and it is one of my favorites. The rooms are huge at 530 square feet, the location is good and the hotel pool is fabulous with slides and a playground.

Double sinks, walk-in showers, bunk beds, and the rooms sleep 6.

What more could you want?

This is a great hotel and welcome addition to the collection of less-than-desirable hotels that Anaheim has offered over the years.

It is in the higher price range for hotels close to Disneyland, but if you are pregnant you deserve the splurge. Particularly if you have kids this is an ideal place to stay,

Best Western Plus Park Place Inn

You really can’t beat this location if you want a hotel close to Disneyland. It is right across the street from the Disneyland and California Adventure theme park entrance.

It’s a clean, modern hotel with very easy access to Disneyland. If you want to stay very close by on a budget this is the one for you.

The big advantage if you are at Disneyland while pregnant is you can so easily walk back to the hotel from the parks and have a rest. This can so make the difference between being stressed and tired on our Disneyland visit when you are pregnant and actually having a great time.

The bathroom really is nothing to get excited about. You could be in any hotel anywhere. It’s functional.

Continental breakfast is included and it’s fine. That’s all I can say. It will save you some money eating in the parks but it’s nothing more than fine.

CHECK PRICES FOR BEST WESTERN PARK PLACE INN

Disneyland Rides When You Are Pregnant

I wanted to start with the Disneyland rides you can actually experience when you are pregnant rather than pointing out the ones that you really shouldn’t (although I will cover that later).

There is so much you can still experience in Disneyland pregnant that you will still have a great experience.

There are many Disneyland rides that are fine to enjoy while pregnant.

These are the rides in Disneyland that are fine to ride when you are pregnant. However, some may be more challenging than others and I will go over that in detail later.

• Alice in Wonderland
• Astro Orbitor
• Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
• Casey Jr. Circus Train
• Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes
• Disneyland Monorail
• Disneyland Railroad
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant
• Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
• Haunted Mansion
• “It’s a Small World”
• Jungle Cruise
• King Arthur Carrousel
• Mad Tea Party
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• Mark Twain Riverboat
• Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Pinocchio’s Daring Adventure
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Sailing Ship Columbia
• Snow White’s Enchanted Wish
• Storybook Land Canal Boats
• Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room

You can see that’s a pretty big list of what is perfectly fine to experience for Disneyland pregnant moms.

It does take some planning, but you really can have a great experience.

Even though in theory the Mad Tea Party, otherwise known as the Teacups, is one that some will enjoy whilst pregnant, it can be intense.

You will certainly want to avoid that one if you have morning sickness or any pregnancy-related nausea.

Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, Pinnochio’s Daring Adventure, and Snow White’s Enchanted Wish are all rides that you may want to skip as well. They are all the traditional Disneyland dark rides that have some small bumps and twists and turns.

These rides also have lap bars which may make the ride very uncomfortable, depending on the size of your baby bump!

Astro Orbiters is another one that you have to be cautious about. Certainly don’t ride if you have nausea as this one spins and flies at a slightly worrying angle. The ride vehicle is a bit difficult to get into as well. And the line can be very long.

If Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes is actually open you may want to think twice about this one too. It is exactly what it says it is. A canoe. Use your judgment if you want to paddle a canoe right now!

The Storybook Land Canal Boats is a very slow boat ride but can be difficult to climb onto. Have a good look from the line and assess whether you are going to be fine getting in and out.

The Disneyland Railroad can be an excellent choice as you can have a long rest on it if you need to. You can stay on all the way around the park, and indeed more than once around if you want to take the weight off your feet.

Be aware that Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage has a narrow steep staircase to negotiate. It’s fine once you are in the ride as all you do is sit on a bench and look out the window, but actually getting to that point might be a problem.

A ride on “It’s a Small World” is a great opportunity to get out of the sun and rest on a long ride. It is a chance to spend some time sitting down in a nice, air-conditioned space.

The Enchanted Tiki Room is an attraction that you really must experience. It is a traditional and nostalgic Disneyland attraction that has been in the park since it opened. It is also a really good place to take a nap! Try and get a seat at the edge of the room so that you can lean against the wall for a more comfortable experience.

Pirates of the Caribbean is a longer ride, but the line usually moves very quickly. So don’t be
intimidated if you see the line coming out from the tunnel under the bridge. There are 2 drops on this ride but both are short and not steep.

Rides to Avoid at Disneyland While Pregnant

Some of the rides at Disneyland should be avoided if you are pregnant. They can be bumpy or have sudden drops.

• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Gadget’s Go Coaster
• Indiana Jones Adventure
• Matterhorn Bobsleds
• Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run
• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
• Space Mountain
• Splash Mountain
• Star Tours – The Adventure Continues

Don’t be tempted to ride on these attractions at Disneyland when you are pregnant. Even if you are in your first trimester it just isn’t worth the risk.

Disney’s California Adventure Rides When You Are Pregnant

You really need to think carefully about whether or not to visit Disney’s California Adventures when you are pregnant.

I know it might be controversial to say this, but you are in reality going to be very restricted in what you can do. There simply isn’t as much to do in California Adventure as there is in Disneyland. And you are going to have to sit out quite a lot of the best rides in the park.

These are the rides you want to avoid while pregnant and visiting Disney’s California Adventure.

• Goofy’s Sky School
• Grizzly River Run
• Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission BREAKOUT!
• Incredicoaster
• Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree
• Radiator Springs Racers
• Toy Story Midway Mania
• Silly Symphony Swings

There are other attractions in California Aventure Park that you can enjoy while you are pregnant.

Disney California Adventure Rides to Enjoy When You are Pregnant

There are some attractions that are still fine to enjoy:

• Animation Academy
• Beast’s Library
• Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind
• The Little Mermaid – Ariels Undersea Adventure
• Jessie’s Critter Carousel
• Sorceror’s Workshop
• Turtle Talk with Crush
• Pixar Pal A Round
• Monster’s Inc Mike and Sulley to the Rescue

The park is smaller than Disneyland. So there is definitely less walking to do. However, there is also less to see and experience if you are pregnant.

General Advice for Visiting Disneyland Pregnant

The weather at Disneyland is quite often hot enough to be a challenge! Always bring a hat and sunscreen.

Take every chance you can to get into the shade and take rests in air-conditioned spaces.

There are lots of shady spots outside in Disneyland as well. These are great places to have a rest and indulge in some people-watching.

Make sure that you keep hydrated. There are lots of water fountains in Disneyland so take your own water bottles to keep refilling.

Remember too that you can take snacks into Disneyland. For complete details of what is OK to take and what is not then see the complete guide below:

There is a Baby Care Center in both Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure. If you need an area to rest you can always use this facility.

There are plenty of benches to sit on around each park. Many are not in the shade though, so one idea is to bring an umbrella or parasol with you to keep you from being exposed to the sun for too long.

More Disneyland Tips

Here are some more guides to help you have a great time in the Happiest Place on Earth

What are the Best Disneyland Rides for Toddlers?

What Should You Not Miss at Disneyland?

How Many Lands Does Disneyland Have?

Disneyland Single Rider Lines – How To Save Time in Line