Hi, Kara!
I’m so glad you asked this question. As a fellow babywearer myself, I’m thrilled to help you! I’ve been exploring the parks with my son and daughter since they were young infants, and baby carriers (especially the soft structured carrier style) have been a lifesaver.
I've been able to keep my babies in their carriers on most
attractions that don’t have a minimum height requirement and can accommodate little ones. On attractions with lap bars (such as Haunted Mansion, Peter Pan’s Flight, and The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel's Undersea Adventure), safety procedures require that the baby fit under the bar on your lap, and I’m sometimes asked to flip the baby to a forward-facing position if there is a lap bar. If that’s the case, I take my seat in the ride vehicle, unlatch the carrier’s shoulder strap, and forward-face her on my lap but keep the carrier’s waistband strap buckled. That way I can pop the baby back into the carrier and close the upper buckle quickly after exiting the attraction. I am typically not asked to remove my daughter from a carrier or switch her to forward-facing on attractions that have bench-style seating, such as “it's a small world,” Pirates of the Caribbean, Jungle Cruise, and Dumbo the Flying Elephant.
The Baby Care Centers might also be a helpful for you while exploring the theme parks. They provide full-size changing tables, high chairs, private nursing spaces and baby food prepping areas with a sink and microwave. You can find the Baby Care Center in Disneyland Park at the end of Main Street, U.S.A., next to First Aid. In Disney California Adventure Park, it’s next to Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop in Pacific Wharf. I hope this helps, Kara. Please visit again with any other questions you have as your pixie-dusted planning continues!
Wishing you magic,
Courtney