eyeglasses and WDW

[Pixiedust34]

I didn't want to hijack the "what happens if your child gets sick at WDW" thread, so I'm starting a different thread on a similar topic.

Has anyone had broken or lost eyeglasses while at WDW? Where is the most convenient place to get a replacement pair if you don't have a car? My ds wears glasses, and doesn't have a spare pair to bring along. I could bring his older pair (a much weaker pair) to hold him over for a day, but he'd need to get his good pair fixed or replaced if anything should happen to them. Our vision insurance won't cover new glasses, so I'd be paying out-of-pocket if we had a glasses emergency.

Has anyone ever dealt with this before?

TIA!

 

[fan_of_small_world]

oops - posted before finalizing...see below

 

[fan_of_small_world]

I can't quote from personal experience at WDW, but I looked at the Lenscrafter's website and they have a store in Kissimmee that is only a few miles from WDW. (You could always take a taxi if necessary.)

LENSCRAFTERS, THE LOOP
3272 N. JOHN YOUNG PARKWAY, SPACE H17
KISSIMMEE, FL
34741 US
(407) 518-0071

In case his glasses are lost or broken (and can't be repaired), remember to bring a prescription from your son's doctor so you won't have to waste vacation time getting another eye exam in order to determine his prescription. I believe that if his exam was within the past year, the Rx should still be valid. If you explain that you're going on vacation and want to take it with you "just in case" they shouldn't have a problem writing another one for you.

I would also suggest getting a strap for his glasses to wear on rides (maybe a "cool" one!). A $3 strap is a much better investment than a new pair of glasses!! LOL (Can you tell that I've worn glasses since I was 4? )

 

[riverbendchick]

This is a great question and great advice. I am also the mom of a daughter who has just started wearing glass and I haven't thought about something happening to her glassess. Where can you find a disney themed strap? All I have found for her is a plain black one. I love the strap idea because she is so active.

 

[Tam1067]

We bought a strap at WDW a couple of years ago because my oldest wears glasses. I think he got it at AK one day. It's black but says Disneyworld on the back; unfortunately, at that time, they did not have anything cool or cute beyond the Disney name. Maybe they do now?

 

[NotUrsula]

You want a Sport Croakie. They are sold all over Florida, in gas stations, grocery stores, Wally World, etc. (If your home is not in a resort area, you can usually find them in sporting goods stores.) They stay put well, and they come in all sorts of cool day-glo colors. They also make glasses float if dropped in water. http://www.croakies.com/eyewearretainers/eyewearsport/default.htm

Next time you get glasses for a kid, try to find a shop that has a 2-for-1 deal on kids' glasses. We pd. $70+tax for 2 prs. We also buy the warranty for DS, that will replace the same Rx at no charge; it cost about $15 extra. We got this deal at America's Contacts & Eyeglasses, but lots of the chains do it (note that LensCrafters does not, but I've always found them overpriced anyway.) Usually the chains that offer this are not one-hr. chains, but once you have glasses the first time, usually waiting a week for a new scrip isn't a big deal. I also got DS a hard case that he keeps clipped inside his school backpack so that he doesn't accidentally sit on them or break them: http://www.shop.com/op/~Witz_Lens_Locker_Dry_Case-prod-20154316-27657476?sourceid=298

This year I also got DS a pr. of Rx swimming goggles. They are not exact Rx; they are sold in standard magnification powers, and each lense is separate, so that you put the goggles together when you get them. He is THRILLED to be able to see while swimming, and I don't have to worry about him messing up his glasses by wearing them in the water. I ordered the goggles from http://www.sporteyes.com/hilco.htm, they cost about $37 with tax and shipping. I just got as close as I could to his Rx; it is good enough since he only wears them while swimming. If his scrip changes, I'll only need to get the lenses replaced; the frame and straps are interchangeable.

Can you tell this kid is really rough on his glasses?

 

[mickeyfan2]

My neice lost her glasses at WDW. The next day we went to lost and found. They did not have them. They said to try back the next day. Well as luck would have it, some lady lost a pair of glasses and thought the my neice's were hers. But when she wore them for a little while she knew the prescription was not quite right, so she brought them back to lost and found. We go her glasses back the next day.

 

[fan_of_small_world]

You want a Sport Croakie... http://www.croakies.com/eyewearretainers/eyewearsport/default.htm

Thanks so much for posting this! The ones they have for kids are so cute...and they have "cool" ones for boys. Luckily, DS and DD don't seem to have my vision genes (DH has 20/20, so they must have his eyes!), but I always get them good sunglasses (polarized ones from LL Bean) and would hate to lose them on the rides.

This year I also got DS a pr. of Rx swimming goggles... http://www.sporteyes.com/hilco.htm, they cost about $37 with tax and shipping.

We joined a swim club for the first time this year...I might give these a try myself. Thanks again!

 

[JennyW]

A long time ago I got some great glasses-holder-onners that are made of thin surgical tubing that you wrap around the ear pieces of your glasses. They are much much better than Croakies or other ones, in my opinion. But I don't know where to find them now. The store that sold them before doesn't sell them any more. Does this sound familiar to anyone?

jenny

 

[NotUrsula]

Re: prescription goggles for adults. That site does sell custom Rx goggles, but I didn't think those were worth the investment for a kid who can be pretty careless. For an adult who is a regular swimmer, investing in having your exact prescription done would probably be worthwhile.

DH had lasik last year, but before that was very close to legally blind. He is only recently getting enthusiastic about swimming, because he never had Rx goggles, and being blind in the water was unpleasant for him. He used to try to wear his glasses when he would not be really swimming, per se, but could never really loosen up and have fun because he was afraid of damaging them. He says that he really missed the joy of swimming for years, and regrets not getting Rx goggles.

Oh, and about the surgical tubing retainer: you could be having trouble finding it because ordinary surgical tubing is illegal to sell in many places, as there is a perception that it enables intravenous drug users. The earpiece tubes on sport croakies are rubber, and they do hold very well. (Croakies also sells cord retainers which have the little loops on the ends; those are not as secure, and are not really meant for sports.)

 

[riverbendchick]

Thanks so much for the website. I plan on ordering my daughter some of the "croakies" for our upcoming trip.

 

[2goofykids]

I have a very vivid memory of my dad breaking his glasses in WDW. We were in line for small world and my dad was switching from prescription sunglasses to glasses, this is back when glasses were still glass. Some how he dropped his glasses and they broke into pieces. Already really upset he bent down to pick up the pieces and out of his pocket came the sunglasses and broke into pieces. Lets just say it was not a happy day in WDW for us. We spent the rest of the day a some glasses shop getting my dad new glasses- this was also before one hour service. The place did get them done for him in I think a day. Now we always tease him that he broke his glasses on small world and not somewhere like space mountain.

Anyway- a strap is a great idea. I do remember seeing some in WDW where they sold sunglasses. But I don't think they were anything exciting. Also bringing his old pair would be a good idea. If something happen to the current pair that would require new frames you could use the old pair's frame and just replace the lenses. Good luck to you!