Diabetes and Disney World?

[Geoff_M]

We are planning a WDW trip for this August. It's not our favorite time of the year to go due to the heat, but it's the only time we could make work with our college-aged son and his girlfriend and their summer work schedules. We have an extended family member that was interested in coming, but they've since gotten cold-feet due to their Type I Diabetes. This person uses an a Novoject insulin pen, and the instructions say that the pen must be kept below 85 degrees. The family member thinks that a week of eating out in the parks and having to take their pen out in the heat "won't work".

My wife and I are not diabetic, so our knowledge is limited on the subject, but I suspect that Southern Type I Diabetics have likely come up with working strategies that allow them to enjoy time outside of the home without worrying about spoiling their medication. Can anyone in a similar state share their experiences? Thanks.

 

[karriealex]

I have seen insulated insulin pen cases which would solve the problem of having it in the heat. Best place to look for it would be Amazon. They have a lot of them. Also at every sit down at Disney the chef will work with your family member on their dietary restrictions. If they want to go with you it is totally doable. I am a type two who used to be on shots so I have a lot of experience. I now wear a pump so it is a little easier.

 

[lanejudy]

My DH uses FRIO wallets for his insulin. We got it from www.coolerconcept.com. Never had a problem with it getting too warm. Your relative will want to bring plenty of testing supplies and test frequently. Lows are more likely than highs due to all the activity, so carrying snacks with them is a must.

There are several threads here on the disABILITIES Forum about managing diabetes on a WDW vacation. You might point your relative here for some suggestions.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[buffettgirl]

It sounds more like they're using that as an issue not to go.

Like others said, the options to keep pens cold are pretty endless, but one of the easiest methods is the Frio wallet. Taking it out for the 2 seconds it takes to inject won't be harmful.

 

[calngavinsmom]

Hello! We used the Frio products when our son was on the pens and they work great! He is on the pump now but we still use the frio to keep his insulin vials cool during transport (we drive to Disney from Ontario, canada). If that is the only thing holding him back, this would solve the problem for sure!

 

[ttintagel]

Frio wallets are great, and you can also ask to leave your insulin at the First Aid station in the park. As far as eating out goes, I'd bet your relative is better at estimating carbohydrate counts in restarants than they think they are. You can assure them that many Type I's enjoy WDW and make it work, but it's possible that others are correct that they'd really rather not go after all.