Disney Fantasy It’s a Small World Nursery…
You’ll want it to be a small world after all š
One of the facilities I was most interested to check out on our Disney Fantasy cruise, was the It’s a Small World Nursery. Not every family resort or cruise offers infant and baby care, but if they do it’s usually pretty good. Disney Cruise Line‘s Disney Fantasy was no exception.
It’s not free, like at Beaches Turks & Caicos, but it’s not a full day rate like at Club Med. In fact, the pay-as-you-go rate of $9.00 US per hour is incredibly reasonable. Bub couldn’t wait to go!
The Right Age & Stage
Since he was just shy of his third birthday, I was a little worried that he would find the area a little too babyish. Not the case! He really seemed to enjoy the smaller scale of Small World. When his dad went to pick him up after an hour, he didn’t want to leave…
A good sign, I think!
We let him stay for another hour š
It’s a Small World Nursery’s Policies & Procedures:
I spoke with Manda, one of the lovely staff members, about the policies that It’s a Small World Nursery follows. For infants aged 14mos. and younger, the ratio of staff to babies is 1-4. For older babies aged 14mos. and up, the ratio is 1-6. There is usually a staff of 8 standing by, but they can always call someone in if things get busy.
On the Disney Dream, the maximum number of babies they could manage was 28. Manda anticipated the same for the Disney Fantasy. Reservations are recommended, but they take walk-ins as capacity allows.
Procedures & Pricing
As with the Oceaneer Club and Lab, you pre-register your kids online. Check under āMy Cruise Plansā in your online cruise profile for the option for registering. Wristbands are not given for the little ones.
The It’s a Small World Nursery is open from 9am to 11pm. Sometimes it opens as early as 7am. They offer open house time during the first two at-sea days.
The fee is $4.50 US for 30 minutes or $9/hour for your first child. Then, it is $4 for 30 minutes or $8/hour for every additional child. Notify them at least 4 hours in advance if you need to cancel or you will be charged the the full amount of your reservation.
Dropping Off…
When dropping off your baby, you leave their food and/or bottles, diapers and wipes, and napping instructions. If your little is not exactly thrilled with being left, the staff will comfort and distract. Manda advised that most usually calm down within a few minutes. However, they page parents for further instructions if the baby cannot be comforted after 15 minutes. If your little cannot be comforted after 30 minutes, the staff will page you to come pick them up.
Illness or Injury
If your baby or toddler falls down and goes boom while in the Disney Fantasy It’s a Small World Nursery, staff will administer ice packs and/or band-aids, and call you straight away. Usually the children are fine to stay but the staff leaves that decision to your discretion.
If a “protein spill” happens (Disney-speak for vomit!) they will call to come pick up your child right away. They can return to the nursery once you’ve received clearance from the medical team. They need to determine if the “protein spill” was a one-time upset stomach, or a virus that could affect the staff and other attendees of the nursery.
How much does It’s a Small World Nursery cost?
The cost of the It’s a Small World Nursery is $9/hour. This is remarkably reasonable, I think, considering the level of care and quality of the surroundings. It’s spotless, and the various zones are so nicely decorated and soothing (and clutter-free). It makes me wish our daycares at home could maintain that level of cleanliness and tidiness.
One thing I noticed about the staff at It’s a Small World (and most of the kids’ staff, actually) is that they’re mostly Brits, Aussies, and Kiwis. I think it’s the accent (think Mary Poppins) that inspires extra confidence in the child care department.
Feeling Confident As a Parent
I wasn’t able to utilize baby and kids clubs at resorts until my firstborn was past the age of two. But that’s me and my helicopter parent tendencies, not lack of confidence in any of the facilities.B ub did great at FDR Resort and his vacation nanny in Jamaica when he was 16mos. But my mother-in-law was also there with him. And I recognize that other (most?) parents are not as hover-y as I am.
Plus, having more kids often means A) you’re more relaxed about leaving them in the care of others; and B) you’re in more need of a break! Knowing there are resorts and cruises like Disney Cruise Line that offer exemplary infant and toddler care is a real bonus for parents who just need some grown-up time.
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See Also:
- Disney Cruise Lineās Disney Fantasy Cruise
- Character Dining with Toddlers
- Disney World Tips & Tricks for Visiting with Three Young Kids
- Tips for Disney with Toddlers
- Can You Enjoy Walt Disney World If You Hate Theme Parks?
- Best Walt Disney World Rides for Babies & Toddlers
- A Complete Guide to Canadaās Wonderland with a Baby or Toddler
[…] 3 years of age, for an additional fee of $6.00/hr. Reservations are recommended for the It’s A Small World nursery, but walk-ins are usually accepted without issue if the ship is not at capacity. For the tween set, […]