Hiya Lucy,
Welcome to planDisney! I've been to Disney World with our toddler since she was four months old (and our son starting at two months old), so I totally get it and am happy to help in any way I can. I still remember watching my now two-year-old's eyes light up when she saw Mickey Mouse for the first time at 4 months old and how sweet all the character interactions were. It was such a magical trip! On the flip side, that first trip also felt overwhelming as I navigated which stroller to bring, how to dress my baby, packing, and everything else in between.
Keeping my baby cool is always a huge priority for me, so much so that before we left for our first trip, I scheduled an appointment with my pediatrician for advice. I recommend starting with that if you are able to since they can always give the most personalized tips for your son. Some of the things that worked best for me, though, are traveling with a stroller fan, breathable fabrics and sun hats, babywearing, and frequent breaks to the
Baby Care Centers (and all air-conditioned experiences).
My doctor always reminded me that little ones can overheat quickly, so if you are feeling warm, then your baby is also feeling the heat. I constantly kept a rechargeable stroller fan on my little one when she wasn't attached to me and often brought it with me if we were standing in queues for attractions just to be safe. That, plus the built-in sunshade on her car seat/stroller, helped quite a lot. I also dressed her in lightweight, breathable fabrics such as bamboo, cotton, or linen. There are so many cute Disney clothes in these fabrics so it gave me an excuse to shop! Just make sure to pack multiple outfits for the day (at least one more than you usually carry with you). Next, I surprisingly did a lot of baby-wearing during that first trip. For one, my daughter hated being in her stroller, but it also allowed me to monitor her temperature more frequently. A sun hat kept her shaded and cooler as well.
My last tip is to take frequent breaks in the air conditioning. I used the Baby Care Centers as much as I could. They allowed me an air-conditioned place to change and feed my babies and take a break from the heat. Each park has one, and they also carry some of those needed essentials like diaper wipes that you tend to underestimate how much you need to pack (available for purchase). Since you are visiting in March, I caution that, in my experience, sometimes the Baby Care Centers can get crowded. So we made a lot of stops at merchandise shops and table service dining when that happened. It almost felt comical how often I would pop into a merchandise location during that first trip, but it was my go-to because there was AC. We also had all of our meals at table service locations (
character dining was my go-to because it gave my four-month-old plenty to look at while I got to enjoy a meal) or indoor quick service locations so that we could keep cool.
I hope this wasn't too much, Lucy, but please come back and see
me if you want to chat more. Your little's safety is your top priority when you are a mom, so I completely understand. If I had to summarize everything for you, I'd say this. Dress him for the weather, feed him frequently, and take more breaks than you would normally take. We spent most of our daughter's first visit either inside or at our resort hotel, but it was worth it to keep her cool. We got to enjoy our resort amenities and activities, which was rare for us, and even though we weren't in the parks from rope drop to close, we made so many incredible memories that trip.
Happy Planning,
Ashley F.