I will be chaperoning a trip to WDW and Universal and 2 of the teens have insulin pumps. Has anyone been to Universal recently since they added metal detectors to Rip, Hulk, and Dragon coasters? Will they have to remove pumps even though they are attached to the body and then strapped around the midriff under the clothing? I know they can take them off just wondering if they will have to do so. I've also heard that the magnetic based rides at WDW can be a problem in terms of pump functioning--Tower of Terror and Rock n Roller most specifically--is this true? I just want to make sure we are ready for what needs to happen....
Most importantly for pumpers--you would have to find out the manufacturers recommendations. My daughter has been pumping for the past 6 years with an animas pump and most recently with medtronic. Both manufacturers have slightly different recommendations (please see their sites for most recent info).
Animas recommends " Very powerful electromagnets are sometimes used on “free-fall” amusement park rides. Pumps should be removed and not taken on these “free-fall” types of rides. High gravity forces can be experienced when riding on some roller coasters. It is recommended that you disconnect (NOT suspend) your pump while on roller coaster rides."
Medtronic recommends "To avoid potential exposure to strong magnetic fields on roller coasters, remove your insulin pump and put it in a safe place."
One explanation for the disconnect is that a bolus of unknown quantity of insulin can inadvertently be administered in some situations. The site also can advise on what type of imaging machines are acceptable or not for the pump.
When we were last at Disney World, I believe that we only suspended and disconnected the pump for a couple of rides and that was just before we got on our ride (one being the Tower of Terror). The only time we actually disconnected the pump was for Typhoon Lagoon where we left her pump checked in at the first aid station and went back for frequent checks (swimming significantly lowers my daughter's blood sugar). If you are storing the insulin pump in a locker...make sure you have a cold pack to keep the insulin cool. If it gets too warm, it will loose its potency.
To keep a pump secure, we have used something like a "spibelt". You can google it, it is like a running belt but they also make kid size ones for pumpers.
It is unlikely that Universal would tell a pumper they have to remove a medical device because it is part metal. I would be more concerned about the device not being secured or the electromagnetic issue. If you opt to remove a device, perhaps a special pass/card for those with disabilities would be helpful, testing blood sugar before & after and carrying fast acting glucose is a good option.
