Adult epileptic - What rides can we go on?

[Brandis]

In october we are going to WDW with friends who never have been to a Disney theme park. One of them is epileptic.

Which rides should we avoid at WDW and Universal?

Do they have Epilepsy warnings in the ride descriptions on the park maps? Or is there maybe a separate Handicapped guide map which contains this information?

And how about Fantasmic and fireworks, could they be problematic as well?

 

[KPeveler]

There is a Guidemap for Guests with Disabilities.

It depends on what the triggers are for the seizures. For example, my trigger is exhaustion.

If the trigger is strobe, etc, I m sure someone here will be along shortly with their advice - I know there have been threads like this in the past.

 

[Brandis]

Ah, sorry, I don't know much about this, I thought strobes were always a trigger and that we would have to look out for that.

So I have to ask her what her triggers are.

 

[SueM in MN]

No, strobe lights are actually only a trigger for a small number of people and even then, strobe lights have to cycle at a certain frequency to trigger a seizure. By triggering slower than that, the ‘seizure potential’ of strobe lights can be decreased to almost nothing.

There is a lot more information in post #3 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread. You can get to that thread from the link in my signature of look near the top of this board.
The epilepsy information is in the alphabetized “Conditions and Concerns” area.

To kind of hit the high points:

• There is no information in the Guide for Guests with Disabilities for WDW (mostly because there is very little risk). If you do run into lights, the easiest thing is to look away or to cover one eye - this is so both eyes get different input.
• There are things that lower the seizure threshold (which is the amount of stimulation it takes to cause a seizure) and by avoiding them, you can greatly reduce the likelihood of seizures.
• Dehydration can lower the seizure threshold, so keeping hydrated is important. Many people avoid or limit caffeine, alcohol, diet pop and highly sugared drinks to help avoid dehydration.
• Lack of sleep - not just being tired from walking around, but late nights and early mornings, or changes to your schedule of sleeping can lower the seizure threshold.
• Missing or late medication - it is very easy to loose track of time at WDW and all of a sudden realize it’s 3pm and you missed a noon dose of medication. We set a timer on our phone for DD’s pills.

So, anyway, there may be nothing they need to avoid.

 

[Brandis]

Thanks for your tips, they really helped!

She said light is her main trigger. As for fatigue, she is aware of that and will request a break if she feels tired.

As we fly in from Europe, the time change will probably be an additional challenge for her. But we plan on doing Animal Kingdom on our first day. Since it usually closes early, this will give us a chance to go back to the hotel and relax some more.

 

[SueM in MN]

Thanks for your tips, they really helped!

She said light is her main trigger. As for fatigue, she is aware of that and will request a break if she feels tired.

As we fly in from Europe, the time change will probably be an additional challenge for her. But we plan on doing Animal Kingdom on our first day. Since it usually closes early, this will give us a chance to go back to the hotel and relax some more.

Does she know what kind of light?
For some people it can be patterns of light and dark - anything that resembles stripes (strange as that sounds).
For other people it can be quick regular flickers of light (like some fluorescent light bulbs do when they are starting to burn out).
Some of the links in post #3 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread about epilepsy have information about different light effects on WDW attractions.
Also, some people have problems with lights, but only under specific circumstances, like after being forced to stay awake for many extra hours for a sleep deprived test and/or in the doctor's office with the light close to them, rightin the face and a particular pattern of blinks. If she only reacts to lights under those types of circumstances (ie it took a lot of stimulation to cause a seizure) chances are good that she will have no problems at WDW.

For AK, be aware that most people feel it is the hottest park. It's quite easy to get dehydrated there on a warm day. Air travel can be dehydrating too, so drinking fluid will be important.