Complete guide to Breastfeeding and Pumping at Disney World (plus useful tips!)

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Originally Published Feb 15, 2020, updated July 25, 2023

Are you planning a Disney World trip while still nursing? Breastfeeding at Disney is relatively easy, but the unknowns can be overwhelming if you don’t have all the information you need.

If you’ve been on this breastfeeding ride for more than a few days, you know all too well that each stage of breastfeeding brings its own set of “rules.” From those early days of cluster feeding with a newborn, where it feels like you’re a 24/7 milk bar, to the more curious and exploratory days of toddlers who love to graze while on the move – we’ve experienced it all.

As a seasoned Disney enthusiast, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve strolled through those iconic castle gates. But in recent years, my adventures have taken on a whole new dimension, as I’ve embarked on magical journeys accompanied by my breastfed little ones. Ah, the joys of motherhood and Mickey Mouse combined – it’s a rollercoaster of emotions, laughter, and, yes, sometimes a few tears too (and not just from the kids)!

The even better news is that you can continue to breastfeed at Disney, just like you did at home (SNS, pumping, combo feeding etc) with some simple modifications.

I wanted to talk about helpful tips for breastfeeding because sometimes you need a little preplanning. While the act of nursing is the same- the new environment and the foods and the travel can make for an interesting breastfeeding relationship.

Table of Contents

• Common Questions Answered
• List of Rides and Shows to Breastfeed
• Nursing and Pumping at Disney Springs
• Tips and Hacks for a Successful Trip while Lactating
• Exclusive Pumping (or Pumping without a child)

This post contains affiliate links at no extra cost to you, and I may earn commission on qualified sales, check out my affiliate disclosure for more information and all the legal mumbo jumbo.

Common Questions Answered

Before we dive into all the details, we need to cover a few housekeeping questions. In this quick reference, we’ve got you covered with answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about general nursing and pumping while enjoying all the fun and excitement of Disney World!

Can I bring my breast pump to Disney World and Pump there?

Yes! You can bring your breast pump- I’ll cover more towards the end of this post about where to pump and tips for storing your milk.

You can use a Manual Pump anywhere that you feel comfortable pumping, and you can use an electric pump in the Baby Care Centers. ( I would recommend bringing some backup options in case you are on the other side of the park and not able to get to the Baby Care Center)

Does the Baby Care Center cost anything?

No! The facilities are free to use. If you need to purchase some of the products they have available (like medication, diapers, sunscreen) they do have a price tag. You can see the full details about the Baby Care Center.

Does Disney have Private Nursing Rooms?

Yes, Disney provides Nursing Rooms at Every Park in the Baby Care Center. These are on the map and aer decently easy to find. ALL of the baby care centers are on the left side of the parks when you enter from the main entrance (and everyone but hollywood studios is in the middle of the park)

If you are visiting the resorts however, there are not breastfeeding designated rooms.

There are NO breastfeeding rooms at Disney World Water Parks- Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach.

If you go many of the other places in Orlando (the malls, the science center, the other amusement parks, target) there are nursing rooms at those locations.

The Best Rides and Shows to Breastfeed while on a Disney Vacation

This is a quick reference version, the best of list! To see all the options available (pending safety needs or ride updates) please see this Full List of Locations to Breastfeed or BottleFeed at Disney World.

And to better understand what rides you can go on with baby, See this Magical Guide for Disney World Rides for Babies and 1 Year Olds.

Magic Kingdom

• The Hall of Presidents Show (has air conditioning)
• Country Bear Jamboree Show (has air conditioning)
• Enchanted Tiki Room Show (has air conditioning)
• Play area near Bathrooms in Adventureland

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

• Birds of Flight Show (sit towards the back right)
• The Lion King Show (has air conditioning)
• The Tree of Life, when open, has incredible views and hidden benches. 

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

• Frozen Sing Along (and its 30 minutes of air conditioning) 
• Beauty and the Beast (it’s outside, sit towards the back on the right) 
• Muppet Vision 3D (inside, loud bang at end of show)
• Benches over by Pizzerizzo, or upstairs at Pizzerizzo
• Lightning McQueen Racing academy (has air conditioning)

EPCOT (all inside!)

• Living with the Land Ride
• Seating area inside the land showcase (charging area over by Soarin!) 
• The Sea’s pavillion (inside, outside, Nemo ride) 
• Imagination with Figment (entrance and exit, but not the ride) 
• Pixar Short Film Festival 

Let’s talk about the Nursing and Pumping locations at Disney Springs!

You can find the location there at the visitor center towards the left center of Disney Springs. inside is an office (no label on the door) where you can nurse your baby. It does have windows (that I couldn’t figure out how to close!)

Tips, Tricks, and Hacks for Successful Breastfeeding at Disney World

Disney World is very family friendly so lots of nursing moms bring their babies to the parks! The best way to have a successful breastfeeding time at Disney is to plan ahead.

Recommendation 1: Prioritize Hydration and Electrolytes

It’s a common thing in Central Florida to get Dehydrated because of the hot weather, the humidity, and the excitement in your schedule! But Dehydration is the number one issue when you are producing milk. (Which can cause a lot of issues!) Hydrate as much as possible and nurse nurse nurse those babies (especially under 6 months) because they are trying to deal with the heat change and schedule change as well. 

Get a water bottle and make sure you keep track of how much you drink. I love this one because its stainless steel and insulated so it keeps my water cool. Tumbler type cups are nice- but get one with a lid that seals! It’s not uncommon to drink more than a gallon a day while at Disney. You are moving and the weather is different!

When choosing a Water Bottle or Tumbler, consider a few things. A.) You will want a sealing lid for several reasons! (you need to close up the stroller on the transportation buses and trams, nice to have a straw, bugs) B.) It should be able to hold enough water, but not too much that it’s heavy or a burden to fill up. 44 ounces or less is my recommendation. C.) It’s easy to travel with, which means you might select a Hydration Bag, a collapsible option, or one that isn’t insulated.

To see all the places you can refill your water bottle, head to this handy guide!

Recommendation 2: Using the Baby Carrier as an easy way to Nurse (My Number One Hack!)

My favorite Disney hack. This is very useful and mostly discreet.

It can be done anywhere and most people wont even notice. Sometimes I throw a onesie over my exposed breast and then you really can’t tell what I’m doing. Plus, then you can nurse baby to sleep, which is so useful at Disney because they are so distracted! 

I’ve gone with a few different carriers and I love them all! An Ergo 360 is great for newborns and a Lillebaby airflow is a MUST have for comfort and coolness (its made of mostly mesh!) And a Lillebaby Toddler for my bigger kids. Also! Lillebaby has a super cute Disney collection that makes the carriers that much more fun!

Some of the budget friendly carriers (like Infantino or Baby Bjorn) are not easy to breastfeed in, so check out the ones I posted above, or look at youtube videos to see which one might fit your needs! There are plenty of BST on Facebook where you could score a carrier for your trip, It is a must have accessory.

Learn The Pros and Cons of Babywearing at Disney World

Recommendation 3: Let’s talk the Best Covers to use at Disney World

Florida is HOT and humid. It is seriously sticky! There are a few places in each park that have benches and shade, but you might not be the first person there (if there is any room to begin with!)

If you like using a cover, make sure it is the most breathable one you can find, like a muslin blanket. I recommend this one here. I also recommend setting up a small fan- it works double duty when you aren’t nursing. You won’t regret having it! 

Most importantly, schedule sit down meals for lunch if you can. Quick Service areas aren’t always air conditioned, and it’s also possible that the air conditioned sections will be full! If you need some A/C (like going in the summer) please think ahead when planning your meals and keeping cool.

Recommendation 4: Baby Care Centers to the rescue (and why they are the best place for parents!)

Is baby too distracted? Too hot? Is mom needing a quiet place? Are you an exclusive pumper? The baby care centers have dedicated breastfeeding rooms. Find them on the map or the app and get that milk flowing! 

If you ‘tube feed’ baby your breastmilk or baby has some specific needs, the staff at the Baby Care Center is SO helpful. Seriously, they might be the nicest people in the park. My son has some allergies so when he was younger I always relied on the staff to help me with specific questions.

How to stay on a schedule while on Vacation

Above all, assume that baby is hungry. You are in a weird place, weird food, weather changes, sleep changes. You might experience some cluster feeding, or a weird latch, or you might turn into a milk machine. Things will go back to normal once you get home, I promise! If you want to be successful at breastfeeding the worst thing you can do is introduce formula.

Recommendation 5: Bring a manual pump- Just in Case!

Do you have dreams of hiring a baby sitter at Disney and sneaking off? (yes, Disney has babysitters available for hire!!!!!!) Are you going with some family members that might want to take baby so you can have a few hours of alone time? Are you an exclusive pumper?

BRING a manual pump! Seriously, please just do this. It will be so much better to know that you have it and not need it, then need it and not have it (or you could Amazon it in)

My first would get so distracted at Disney that I would be forced to pump at the park just to get some relief, then nurse him for an hour when we got back to the resort. I am SO thankful I had the medela manual pump available to take the edge off.

Are you an exclusive pumper? Leaving Baby at home? Do you need to combo feed?

I would consider, at least for the trip, a hands free wearable breast pump. And if you already have one, make sure to bring it with you! You can pump while eating your meals and during some of the (non-ride) based attractions.

I was an EP’er for a few months with my first and my other tips is to BRING EXTRA. Bring extra everything because you don’t want to stop your trip to run to the store for something.

If you are a combo feeder- the baby care center will be your best friend! You can prepare bottles there, make food there, and have room to breastfeed/pump while taking care of baby.

Tips for Storing Milk

I recommend bringing a collapsible cooler with lots and lots of ice packs! There is no fridge AT THE PARKS to store pumped milk at Disney.

Most of the rooms have a small fridge, and you can ask for a room with a fridge for a medical accommodation.

*** You cannot bring loose ice into the parks (it needs to be in bags so they can see inside, and see the bottom of the cooler)

Following a Pumping Schedule

Follow breastmilk best practices, you know that fresh milk can stay at room temp for several hours, so use that to your advantage- especially at night.

I would recommend pumping in the morning before the parks. A cooler for the mid morning and early afternoon pump. Then go back to the hotel- drop off the milk and then pump later that night (without a cooler) and just throw the milk in your bag for putting in the fridge later.

*****DON’T THROW AWAY YOUR MILK*****

Have more than you need? Get in touch with ‘Eats on Feets‘ or ‘Human Milk for Human Babies Central Florida‘ (or La Leche League Orlando) to donate your milk. Lot’s of parents in this area would be so grateful if you can’t take it home!

Do you have a baby that can’t tolerate certain foods?

All three of my kids have had FPIES (originally we thought they had MSPI) and Disney World is our safe place to eat and play! You can discover lots of allergy advice and tips for doing disney with dietary restrictions for you or your kids.

Conclusion

As a Mom that’s breastfed three babies (and combo fed ) at Disney World, I can tell you that it works and it’s doable (and I want to say easy, but don’t want to jinx myself!).

Other Articles for Baby Care, Pregnancy and Toddlers at Disney World

The Best Rides for Infants, Toddlers and Pregnant Mommas at Disney World

Cloth Diapering- the Ultimate Disney Guide

Surviving Pregnancy at Disney World

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