Just back comments, tips, misc.

[Belle1962]

Just got back from a trip with DGS (5), DS (23) and his DGF (21).


1. I use the disposable ice packs found in the first aid section of the store. Squeeze to activate and instant cold. Had several with me every day and worked great. For DGS I purchased those cooling strips for fevers. Forgot what they are called--but they come in a box with two pouches inside. The real use being--when your child has a fever--stick to their forehead. I stuck to my DGS neck and he actually liked them!!! He said he was cooler and actually asked for them sometimes.

2. Stayed onsite at Universal for their FOTL access. Worked great most of the time BUT for the bilge raft ride you are dumped into the main line--VERY CROWDED in there--not the best for people with enclosure/space/people breathing on you issues.

3. Stayed at Nick hotel for two nights---DGS had top bunk I had bottom--for the first night. Could not sleep between toilet running, people moving in other rooms and knowing the top bunk was over me and likely to collapse at any minute (LOL). Next night slept in living room on the pull out sofa--which is actually a love seat by my standards. In addition--found the lobby for checkin to be very noisy and "busy"--too much coming at you at one time. People with sensory issues should be warned.

4. Had huuugge issue at Men in Black over backpack/purses. Employees insisted they be placed in lockers and not taken on rides. ALL of our money, credit cards, and most importantly meds, etc were in there--NO WAY. (Some of you know the street values of some meds are unbelievable!!! I don't even leave them in hotel rooms--they stay on my person!!!) So we did baby swap. And these were not huge backpacks--little ones like the teen girls wear and use. After riding I didn't see the big deal---it wasn't wild enough that you couldn't hold it on your lap or even leave it on your back while riding.

5. Having one sit down, ac, be waited on meal a day was worth the cost!!!!!! Some days it was the only thing that kept us sane!!

6. Fantasmic--not sure if they are tightening up or if they just expected crowds but when we got to Fantasmic DGS and I went straight to our seat and DS and DGF went to get drinks and snacks from the concessions. The CM seating us asked if I had more people then just DGS and I said 2 more. The CM very specifically told me 1 person beside me and 2 in front of me and THEN asked the people in the group next to me to move over and sit more in front of the person they were with. The CM said something about trying to keep wc parties together more. Not sure what was going on but then the next party they seated next to me was a dad, his daughter (in a chair) and his son--about 8. He sat next to the daughter and the son sat in front of him. The next group they seated they again made sure the people with that wc sat only or as close to in front of that wc--leaving the little boy with tons of room. Well my DGS usually sits/stands on my chair for Fantasmic so I told the dad his son could sit on the bench next to his dad. (Why make him sit by myself???) Then--they never filled the space. I felt like they were "assigning" space on some predetermined basis---like maybe 2 spots per chair in front of the chair????? Just found it weird and never experience it before. Usually however many people are with the wc person, that's how many spaces they take up--and the ones that get early can 'spread out" more.

7. Afteroon parade at Studios. HC section by TGMR is in direct sunlight. There was only one other wc party and us so we both stayed back BEHIND the w/c section rope in the "shadier" area. This worked great because we knew no one else was going to be in front of us---unless more wc parties came and none did.

8. They emptied a monorail car for me---someone with a sleeping child in a stroller had wheeled the open stroller into one of accessible cars. I know there's a sign that says you may be asked to move but seriously--I could have waited for the next train. Would have been much more comfortable than the frozen silence in our car after they made the stroller family get off and I went in.

9. Carried a large ziplock---2.5 gallon--and just threw my whole backpack into it whenever we went on a water ride.

10. Baby swap worked great for the adults!!!!! On the rides I didn't ride someone would stay off with the "baby' (me) so I didn't have to sit alone and they swapped off.

 

[Talking Hands]

Just got back from a trip with DGS (5), DS (23) and his DGF (21).
8. They emptied a monorail car for me---someone with a sleeping child in a stroller had wheeled the open stroller into one of accessible cars. I know there's a sign that says you may be asked to move but seriously--I could have waited for the next train. Would have been much more comfortable than the frozen silence in our car after they made the stroller family get off and I went in.

Glad they followed procedure on this one. Castmembers are supposed to request someone with a sleeping child to either vacate the monorail or pick up the child and hold them and fold the stroller. Sorry the remaining guests were rude to you. This is an ADA issue.

 

[SueM in MN]

1. I use the disposable ice packs found in the first aid section of the store. Squeeze to activate and instant cold.

I noticed that right now, Target has these kind of instant cold packs in their $1 section.

6. Fantasmic--not sure if they are tightening up or if they just expected crowds but when we got to Fantasmic DGS and I went straight to our seat and DS and DGF went to get drinks and snacks from the concessions. The CM seating us asked if I had more people then just DGS and I said 2 more. The CM very specifically told me 1 person beside me and 2 in front of me and THEN asked the people in the group next to me to move over and sit more in front of the person they were with. The CM said something about trying to keep wc parties together more. Not sure what was going on but then the next party they seated next to me was a dad, his daughter (in a chair) and his son--about 8. He sat next to the daughter and the son sat in front of him. The next group they seated they again made sure the people with that wc sat only or as close to in front of that wc--leaving the little boy with tons of room. Well my DGS usually sits/stands on my chair for Fantasmic so I told the dad his son could sit on the bench next to his dad. (Why make him sit by myself???) Then--they never filled the space. I felt like they were "assigning" space on some predetermined basis---like maybe 2 spots per chair in front of the chair????? Just found it weird and never experience it before. Usually however many people are with the wc person, that's how many spaces they take up--and the ones that get early can 'spread out" more.

I noticed they were doing this in March when we went/ We had my FIL using an ECV, my DD in her wheelchair. My DH and my MIL sat with them and the rest of us were to take up no more than that space in front of them. We had similar last year in March.
The reason for it (I'm pretty sure) is something I have seen happen in other years - one person with a wheelchair has 2 members of their party next to them. That means the next wheelchair "spot" doesn't have a seat to go with it. And, then the rest of their party would often spread out across the row, meaning that if another person in a wheelchair parked, there were no spaces in front of that wheelchair for their party to sit.

Thanks for all the hints - sounds like you had a good time.