Disney World

[zoeg]

Hello!
We are planning a trip to Disney next summer. I know it is very early, but I wanted to get any tips/advice on places you have stayed with your CFer. I have heard something that Disney allows people with CF to not wait in line- is this true for their whole group?! Any hotels that are especially good for vest (I'm a little worried with noise of it). Any tips/suggestions would be great! My daughter is soooo excited- I don't know how she will make it all year waiting!
Zoe mom to Kate wCF

 

[zoeg]

Hello!
We are planning a trip to Disney next summer. I know it is very early, but I wanted to get any tips/advice on places you have stayed with your CFer. I have heard something that Disney allows people with CF to not wait in line- is this true for their whole group?! Any hotels that are especially good for vest (I'm a little worried with noise of it). Any tips/suggestions would be great! My daughter is soooo excited- I don't know how she will make it all year waiting!
Zoe mom to Kate wCF

 

[Anomie]

Its not about having CF or anything. Anyone who doesn't want to wait in line can just get a fast pass and show back up at a ride at a certain time.

 

[Anomie]

Its not about having CF or anything. Anyone who doesn't want to wait in line can just get a fast pass and show back up at a ride at a certain time.

 

[SarahProcter]

This old thread covers the fact that you can get a special pass for a child with special needs (including cystic fibrosis), that covers up to 6 people in your party:

http://forums.cysticfibrosis.com/messageview.cfm?catid=6&threadid=57313

 

[SarahProcter]

This old thread covers the fact that you can get a special pass for a child with special needs (including cystic fibrosis), that covers up to 6 people in your party:

http://forums.cysticfibrosis.com/messageview.cfm?catid=6&threadid=57313

 

[LisaGreene]

Lucky you! I am so jealous. We LOVE Disney. I havea bunch of tips on my site including the details about the special pass and a copy of it so you know which stamps to ask for. Here's the link: <a href="http://www.happyheartfamilies.com/DisneyCFTips.html">http://www.happyheartfamilies.com/DisneyCFTips.html</a> Have Fun!!

 

[LisaGreene]

Lucky you! I am so jealous. We LOVE Disney. I havea bunch of tips on my site including the details about the special pass and a copy of it so you know which stamps to ask for. Here's the link: <a href="http://www.happyheartfamilies.com/DisneyCFTips.html">http://www.happyheartfamilies.com/DisneyCFTips.html</a> Have Fun!!

 

[janddburke]

a quick stop at 'city hall' on your way into the park and pick up a 'special assistance' pass. we even had a note from her doctor which they never even looked at.
this entitled Jess and a party of up to 6 (including her) to get special assistance which usually corresponded to the front of every line. every line.
worked in Universal too. including reserved seats for the shows.

this really helped because we had to take at least 2 trips to the car for meds etc. it was very very hot that week too and we had to make a big effort to keep her hydrated. hard to do when waiting 40-50 minutes in each line

 

[janddburke]

a quick stop at 'city hall' on your way into the park and pick up a 'special assistance' pass. we even had a note from her doctor which they never even looked at.
this entitled Jess and a party of up to 6 (including her) to get special assistance which usually corresponded to the front of every line. every line.
worked in Universal too. including reserved seats for the shows.

this really helped because we had to take at least 2 trips to the car for meds etc. it was very very hot that week too and we had to make a big effort to keep her hydrated. hard to do when waiting 40-50 minutes in each line

 

[katethekid]

I would also suggest contacting the park ahead of time and seeing if they will give you and your family passes for the day to skip the lines. Sometimes they will do it sometimes they won't. It all depends on the person you talk to and what kind of mood they are in. My fiance had Marfans syndrome and they did it for us before towards the end of his life. It really does help you enjoy your day. Just be upfront and honest about the situation, worst they can say is no.

 

[katethekid]

I would also suggest contacting the park ahead of time and seeing if they will give you and your family passes for the day to skip the lines. Sometimes they will do it sometimes they won't. It all depends on the person you talk to and what kind of mood they are in. My fiance had Marfans syndrome and they did it for us before towards the end of his life. It really does help you enjoy your day. Just be upfront and honest about the situation, worst they can say is no.

 

[Ratatosk]

We stayed at a disney resort, so we didn't have to worry about hauling vest and nebulizer equipment into the parks with us. You CAN do that and leave your stuff at the first aid center. The guest assistance passes aren't intended to be front of the line; however, you can get special waiting areas in the shade, use a separate entrance for rides (fast pass) to cut down on wait times.

Our first trip because DS was on liquid oral meds, had issues with vomiting, I packed a messenger bag with extra clothes, meds, jackets, etc. Because of bag checks at the park entrances which takes time, on our last trip, I wore cargo pants and carried enzymes, medications for the day, hand sanitizer & wipes in my pockets. You can go to any food provider in the parks and ask for a glass of ice water, which they'll provide for free.

 

[Ratatosk]

We stayed at a disney resort, so we didn't have to worry about hauling vest and nebulizer equipment into the parks with us. You CAN do that and leave your stuff at the first aid center. The guest assistance passes aren't intended to be front of the line; however, you can get special waiting areas in the shade, use a separate entrance for rides (fast pass) to cut down on wait times.

Our first trip because DS was on liquid oral meds, had issues with vomiting, I packed a messenger bag with extra clothes, meds, jackets, etc. Because of bag checks at the park entrances which takes time, on our last trip, I wore cargo pants and carried enzymes, medications for the day, hand sanitizer & wipes in my pockets. You can go to any food provider in the parks and ask for a glass of ice water, which they'll provide for free.

 

[athanasia]

My parents took us to Disney World several times when I was a child and I never had any problems with my CF. We stayed at the resorts and used Disney transportation. The fast pass thing is relatively new and very helpful along with the new disney moble app which is available on iPhone and android phones on verizon (this tells you wait times for all attractions along with the fast pass return time that is being distributed right then). We never used any special passes or anything and were fine. We also avoided going in the summer time because of the heat and humidity and of course the extreme crowds. In PEAK season times, crowds can be so bad that you can only move with them. I have also worked at Disney and have seen these kinds of crazy crowds. I know that during really hot, humid days, they put out mister fans for all the lines to keep people from getting too hot. The free ice water as mentioned above is also available.

What I do when going to the parks (I am going in OCT for my honeymoon) is bring a small backpack bag to keep medications in (this way you can carry it all day and it can go on rides with you and you can turn it around so it is on your front when riding rides) and have a water container to fill at drinking fountains. I do know Disney is really amazing with helping children have a great trip of a lifetime and works closely with 'Give Kids the World' which is a Make-A-Wish resort for when child use their wish to go to Disney World. I don't know about these passes that everyone is talking about because we never needed them but go for it. As I said before, my only recommendation would be to go later in the year when the crowds are less and the weather is a bit less harsh if it would be possible for your family. I understand people go in the summer because of school and all that but remember, EVERYONE has that idea. Those are my recommendations.

Oh yeah, IF POSSIBLE, I also recommend the dinning plan. It is one less thing to worry about and is well worth the value. If you do one of the plans with sit-down dinning, make the reservations ASAP (before you leave if possible) because they get full and make it hard to get in when and where you want to eat.

I wish you the best trip! I hope your family loves it as much as we do and that it truly is a magical dream come true for your princess<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> If you want any other insider tips or anything like that, just ask. My back up plan for the future is to be a Disney Vacation Planner lol.

 

[athanasia]

My parents took us to Disney World several times when I was a child and I never had any problems with my CF. We stayed at the resorts and used Disney transportation. The fast pass thing is relatively new and very helpful along with the new disney moble app which is available on iPhone and android phones on verizon (this tells you wait times for all attractions along with the fast pass return time that is being distributed right then). We never used any special passes or anything and were fine. We also avoided going in the summer time because of the heat and humidity and of course the extreme crowds. In PEAK season times, crowds can be so bad that you can only move with them. I have also worked at Disney and have seen these kinds of crazy crowds. I know that during really hot, humid days, they put out mister fans for all the lines to keep people from getting too hot. The free ice water as mentioned above is also available.

What I do when going to the parks (I am going in OCT for my honeymoon) is bring a small backpack bag to keep medications in (this way you can carry it all day and it can go on rides with you and you can turn it around so it is on your front when riding rides) and have a water container to fill at drinking fountains. I do know Disney is really amazing with helping children have a great trip of a lifetime and works closely with 'Give Kids the World' which is a Make-A-Wish resort for when child use their wish to go to Disney World. I don't know about these passes that everyone is talking about because we never needed them but go for it. As I said before, my only recommendation would be to go later in the year when the crowds are less and the weather is a bit less harsh if it would be possible for your family. I understand people go in the summer because of school and all that but remember, EVERYONE has that idea. Those are my recommendations.

Oh yeah, IF POSSIBLE, I also recommend the dinning plan. It is one less thing to worry about and is well worth the value. If you do one of the plans with sit-down dinning, make the reservations ASAP (before you leave if possible) because they get full and make it hard to get in when and where you want to eat.

I wish you the best trip! I hope your family loves it as much as we do and that it truly is a magical dream come true for your princess<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> If you want any other insider tips or anything like that, just ask. My back up plan for the future is to be a Disney Vacation Planner lol.

 

[mamaScarlett]

You head to Guest Relations-in Magic Kingdom this is in city hall, to the left just past the entrance. In Hollywood Studios it is also to the left just past the entrance. In Epcot it is just under the big Epcot globe. In Animal Kingdom it is to the left after you enter, in the same building as the bathrooms. All guest relations have big blue letter "i" on them.
You don't need to make any prior arrangments, actually this isn't even possible. Bring a letter from you doctor. All it needs to say is that your child is a Cf patient, has issues with heat and standing long periods of time, please allow this family to not wait on lines. You will probably not even need the letter, but in all the times I've gone its been handy a couple times, just in case you get a cranky cast member.They will give you a guest assistance card.
It is not a NO LINE card. It will take you to a special entrance at each attraction, or through the fast pass entrance. It will reduce your wait time significantly-at times you won't have a wait. I only mention this bc when they give you the guest assistance card, they clearly tell you this is not a 'no line' card. So don't be surprised. No one has a no line card, not even the most of disabled people. However, Disney does their absolute best, especially with kids so this card will really help you.
With me and my kids its really helpful, bc we can do the parks in about half the time, so I can get back to the hotel mid day for my treatment.
You can also bring your child's nebs, vest, meds, whatever to first aid, leave them their, and do therapy there if you need to.
Get the disney fan spray bottle when you get there. Its like $12, but its battery powered and keeps them cool and works alot better than walmart ones.
My other tip is take breaks. Don't feel like you need to go on every ride. Lots of dining options are outside-Find the airconditioned indoor restaurants and make some type of plan to have breaks there. (if you want to know where some of them are in each park, just let me know) And eat good-half the fun of Disney is the FOOD!
If you stay on Disney property, when you book your hotel (or if you already did, call back and tell them) you are a special needs family and you're celebrating a milestone..reunion, acheivement, whatever. They will give your kids a cool mickey pin recognizing that and a few other treats. If they wear the pin through the park, cast members will notice it and give your kids little treats or special greetings.
Enjoy!

 

[mamaScarlett]

You head to Guest Relations-in Magic Kingdom this is in city hall, to the left just past the entrance. In Hollywood Studios it is also to the left just past the entrance. In Epcot it is just under the big Epcot globe. In Animal Kingdom it is to the left after you enter, in the same building as the bathrooms. All guest relations have big blue letter "i" on them.
You don't need to make any prior arrangments, actually this isn't even possible. Bring a letter from you doctor. All it needs to say is that your child is a Cf patient, has issues with heat and standing long periods of time, please allow this family to not wait on lines. You will probably not even need the letter, but in all the times I've gone its been handy a couple times, just in case you get a cranky cast member.They will give you a guest assistance card.
It is not a NO LINE card. It will take you to a special entrance at each attraction, or through the fast pass entrance. It will reduce your wait time significantly-at times you won't have a wait. I only mention this bc when they give you the guest assistance card, they clearly tell you this is not a 'no line' card. So don't be surprised. No one has a no line card, not even the most of disabled people. However, Disney does their absolute best, especially with kids so this card will really help you.
With me and my kids its really helpful, bc we can do the parks in about half the time, so I can get back to the hotel mid day for my treatment.
You can also bring your child's nebs, vest, meds, whatever to first aid, leave them their, and do therapy there if you need to.
Get the disney fan spray bottle when you get there. Its like $12, but its battery powered and keeps them cool and works alot better than walmart ones.
My other tip is take breaks. Don't feel like you need to go on every ride. Lots of dining options are outside-Find the airconditioned indoor restaurants and make some type of plan to have breaks there. (if you want to know where some of them are in each park, just let me know) And eat good-half the fun of Disney is the FOOD!
If you stay on Disney property, when you book your hotel (or if you already did, call back and tell them) you are a special needs family and you're celebrating a milestone..reunion, acheivement, whatever. They will give your kids a cool mickey pin recognizing that and a few other treats. If they wear the pin through the park, cast members will notice it and give your kids little treats or special greetings.
Enjoy!

 

[dmarie781]

i agree we spent a week there and had a letter from our doctor and never waited in line. Staying in Disney is the only way to go. You get to get into some of the parks early or can stay late if your a park guest. i like Port Orleans as you can take a nice Boat ride to Downtown Disney. I'm a Florida girl in the know<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> The Magic Kingdom is the best. Animal Kingdom very crowded and has some nice attractions but not worth the money unless you get a park hopper pass. Have fun!

 

[dmarie781]

i agree we spent a week there and had a letter from our doctor and never waited in line. Staying in Disney is the only way to go. You get to get into some of the parks early or can stay late if your a park guest. i like Port Orleans as you can take a nice Boat ride to Downtown Disney. I'm a Florida girl in the know<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> The Magic Kingdom is the best. Animal Kingdom very crowded and has some nice attractions but not worth the money unless you get a park hopper pass. Have fun!