Humidity/heat related breathing issues

[tallen429]

I've read over the GAC policies and I understand the lines are mainstreamed, so here's my question...
If your child needs to wait for an attraction in a cool area due to breathing issues, how is that accomplished when there is no separate line?
Yes, I know many attractions have indoor waiting areas and that's fine, but some don't, or the lines reach beyond the cool areas.
DS didn't come with us last August so this next trip will be the first time we're confronted with sorting out his issues.
TIA

 

[OneLittleSpark]

Do his breathing issues occur because of breathing in hot / humid air, or is it that he has problems when he becomes too hot? The reason I ask, is because there are various things I can suggest to keep him cool, but which would be no use at all if it's the temperature of the air he's breathing.

The majority of outdoor lines are in MK, particularly Fantasyland and the Jungle Cruise; and in AK. A number of these have Fastpasses, so you could use these to avoid the majority of the line using these. With some of the rides, such as Dumbo and JC, the ride itself is outside, so even if there were no line, he would still be out in the heat and humidity. JC is particularly humid, so watch out for this one.

Animal Kingdom as a whole will be a tough park to deal with, as it doesn't have a huge amount of air conditioning, and a lot of it is outside. Try to hit this on an over-cast day, as that will make it a lot cooler, and will also decrease the crowds.

Do make sure you get the GAC, and if you know a line is going to cause you particular problems, talk to the CM at the entrance. If you're polite and reasonable (as I'm sure you will be), they may be able to find some situation that could work. It may be that they are able to issue 'ad hoc' Fastpasses, or for some lines you may be able to send part of your party through the line, and have you and your DS join them at the boarding point. I don't know whether this will be practical or suitable for all of the attractions, and it will probably also vary depending on the crowd levels.

I also suggest you get him a pediatric wheelchair, or a large stroller, to take some of the strain off him. If it doesn't look 'wheelchair-ish', you will need to get a 'stroller as wheelchair' GAC / tag from GS. You will be able to take this into lines and buildings with you, as well as using the designated wheelchair viewing areas for parades. Try and get him one with a sunshade (or getting an umbrella / parasol to fit on a wheelchair) as this will at least help to keep the air around him a bit cooler. You can also rig up a small battery-powered fan on the frame, so that it keeps fresher air circulating around his face.

Does he use oxygen at all? If so, I would suggest you prepare for the fact that he may need to use more than normal at WDW. You should be able to get a stroller / wheelchair that can carry the oxygen tank with him, and I think you can store spare cans at First Aid.

Other than that, the only thing I can think to suggest is that you take it easy, and keep an eye on him, to see when he's flagging. Space out the rides with outdoor lines, and take air-con breaks in between. If you're doing outdoor shows or parades, you can leave half your party saving the spot, while you take your son inside to keep cool. If he needs to lie down, there are beds in the First Aid Centres that Guests can use if they need to. Just tell them that he has breathing issues and needs to lie down for a short while, and they'll show you to a bed.

Good luck, and have a great trip!

 

[tallen429]

Do his breathing issues occur because of breathing in hot / humid air, or is it that he has problems when he becomes too hot? The reason I ask, is because there are various things I can suggest to keep him cool, but which would be no use at all if it's the temperature of the air he's breathing.

The majority of outdoor lines are in MK, particularly Fantasyland and the Jungle Cruise; and in AK. A number of these have Fastpasses, so you could use these to avoid the majority of the line using these. With some of the rides, such as Dumbo and JC, the ride itself is outside, so even if there were no line, he would still be out in the heat and humidity. JC is particularly humid, so watch out for this one.

Animal Kingdom as a whole will be a tough park to deal with, as it doesn't have a huge amount of air conditioning, and a lot of it is outside. Try to hit this on an over-cast day, as that will make it a lot cooler, and will also decrease the crowds.

Do make sure you get the GAC, and if you know a line is going to cause you particular problems, talk to the CM at the entrance. If you're polite and reasonable (as I'm sure you will be), they may be able to find some situation that could work. It may be that they are able to issue 'ad hoc' Fastpasses, or for some lines you may be able to send part of your party through the line, and have you and your DS join them at the boarding point. I don't know whether this will be practical or suitable for all of the attractions, and it will probably also vary depending on the crowd levels.

I also suggest you get him a pediatric wheelchair, or a large stroller, to take some of the strain off him. If it doesn't look 'wheelchair-ish', you will need to get a 'stroller as wheelchair' GAC / tag from GS. You will be able to take this into lines and buildings with you, as well as using the designated wheelchair viewing areas for parades. Try and get him one with a sunshade (or getting an umbrella / parasol to fit on a wheelchair) as this will at least help to keep the air around him a bit cooler. You can also rig up a small battery-powered fan on the frame, so that it keeps fresher air circulating around his face.

Does he use oxygen at all? If so, I would suggest you prepare for the fact that he may need to use more than normal at WDW. You should be able to get a stroller / wheelchair that can carry the oxygen tank with him, and I think you can store spare cans at First Aid.

Other than that, the only thing I can think to suggest is that you take it easy, and keep an eye on him, to see when he's flagging. Space out the rides with outdoor lines, and take air-con breaks in between. If you're doing outdoor shows or parades, you can leave half your party saving the spot, while you take your son inside to keep cool. If he needs to lie down, there are beds in the First Aid Centres that Guests can use if they need to. Just tell them that he has breathing issues and needs to lie down for a short while, and they'll show you to a bed.

Good luck, and have a great trip!

Thanks for the info. I should have clarified that I mean my teenage son, not my 7 year old, so a stroller is out. LOL! *wink*
He doesn't use oxygen.

His body will be effected by the extreme heat (and cold in winter) and he breaks out in hives. His breathing will be harder in the extreme humidity. So basically, it's both.

To be honest, we haven't attempted a trip like this in.....well, ever. We actually have travelled extensively but never in the extreme temps.
Walking won't be too bad because we can always pop into a shop if he gets uncomfortable or labored and he'll cool off. It's really the standing I'm nervous about. He will be ok if he is inside. I'm definitely getting the GAC and hoping we don't need it much.

 

[livndisney]

Thanks for the info. I should have clarified that I mean my teenage son, not my 7 year old, so a stroller is out. LOL! *wink*
He doesn't use oxygen.

His body will be effected by the extreme heat (and cold in winter) and he breaks out in hives. His breathing will be harder in the extreme humidity. So basically, it's both.

To be honest, we haven't attempted a trip like this in.....well, ever. We actually have travelled extensively but never in the extreme temps.
Walking won't be too bad because we can always pop into a shop if he gets uncomfortable or labored and he'll cool off. It's really the standing I'm nervous about. He will be ok if he is inside. I'm definitely getting the GAC and hoping we don't need it much.

I have heat issues as well. I can tell you not many lines have another place to wait. There are a lot of lines where he will not be inside. I strongly recommend using fastpass as much as possible. That will help minimize the standing in line. I would also suggest getting to the parks early and trying to avoid the heat of the day. A good ride plan may help more than a GAC. Gac is not intended to shorten the wait in line and may actually increase the wait.

You may also want to make note of the locations of the First Aid centers in each park. They have air conditioned curtained areas that may help him cool off.

 

[Earstou]

Due to Chiari and asthma, I have breathing issues. Not on oxygen yet, but will be in the future.
For me, the biggest problem is walking distances, such as in and out of the parks. The days that were worst were the mornings after heavy night-time storms. Sometimes having a sunny day seemed to burn some of the humidity off, cloudy days seemed worse to me.
Just standing in the lines doesn't seem to bother me usually. I used an ECV last trip which really took care of the distance issue. I also used TourGuideMike, which cut down on the waits in line (which may be why the lines didn't bother me).
A small handheld battery-operated fan might help, too, as having cool air blown on the face can help (tip from my pulmonologists office).

 

[OneLittleSpark]

Thanks for the info. I should have clarified that I mean my teenage son, not my 7 year old, so a stroller is out. LOL! *wink*
He doesn't use oxygen.

Oops, my bad! I can see that he might be a little reluctant to use a stroller then! You might want to consider getting him a wheelchair, as the heat will probably reduce his stamina. You can easily cover 8-10 miles a day in Disney, which is hard enough for people without disabilities and challenges to deal with. I suggest you talk to him about it before you go, and see how he feels about the idea. If you decide to try touring without a chair, then you can always get one later in the trip if needed. Each of the resorts has a limited number of chairs which you can rent for the length of your stay, or you can rent one each day in the parks. Be prepared that AK is bigger than any of the other parks, and is generally a lot more humid, so you may just want to rent a chair for this park, even if not for the others. Oh, and let him 'pimp his ride' to make him feel more comfortable in it.

His body will be effected by the extreme heat (and cold in winter) and he breaks out in hives. His breathing will be harder in the extreme humidity. So basically, it's both.

Right, well there are all sorts of things to do to keep cool in the parks. Battery powered fans are good to provide a quick cooling blast, but probably won't be enough to keep him going all day. Obviously, make sure he stays well hydrated at all times, and keep checking in with him that he is still doing OK (you know how men can be about 'struggling on' ). It might be best if he skips Tom Sawyer's Island, as it's very easy to over-heat there, and there isn't any air-con quickly available if it gets too much. As he's 15, he might be old enough to go off and do a few things on his own, while you and the other children do the island.

If you need to take a break in the air-con, you can stop in to any of the shows; have a drink and snack in a restaurant (or just go in to sit, during their quieter times); wander around a shop; or go to the First Aid Centre. There are also various quiet, air-conditioned places where you can take a longer break, such as the old cinema right in the back of the Kodak building in MK, which shows Disney cartoons.

One thing that might help him, is a bandanna with cooling gel crystals. MiraCool is one, Polar Breeze is another, or if you're handy with a sewing machine, you can buy the crystals and make your own. These things are good, because you don't have to have ice or a fridge to use them; you just soak them in cool water for about half an hour, and they apparently stay cool for ages.

I've got to go now, but I hope this helps!

 

[jmartinez1895]

If you do use a stroller as a wheelchair, I just wanted to let you know abou this. Our son has asthma and we have to be extra careful in a crowded line with him in the stroller because he is lower to the ground and people tend to close in on the strollers and it cuts off some of the sir flow. We found this out the hard way, so I just wanted to make sure that you keep an eye on that. When our child starts getting cut off like that we will bring him out of the stroller hold him for a while. My husband has even put him on his shoulders so that he coudl be above everyone and get some fresh air. If you tell guest services about his problems they hould be bale to offer some form of help. It may not help on every ride, but if it helps on just one then it's worth it.

 

[SueM in MN]

I think you will probably find that a touring plan service like TourGuide Mike or Ridemax, along with using Fastpasses will help you even more than a GAC. (I'm not saying not to request a GAC, but as some of the othe posters mentioned, there are limits to the assistance it can give).
TourGuide Mike was a VIP tour guide at WDW who learned a lot of hints while working in that job. He set up his own service to help people plan their trips. He is a Theme Parks Board sponsor and you can find a link to his website on the top of that board. I don't know exactly how Ridemax works, but my understanding is that they use data about attraction waiting times from the past, along with some formulas that predict what will happen day to day.

Many people who have used GACs in the past have been posting in the past year that using one of those touring plans helped them more than a GAC. With a good touring plan, they said they never waited more than 10 minutes for anything. Because those touring plans send you to the least busy part of the least busy park, you can see more in less time. You also will have an easier time getting around because there will be less people.

A couple other suggestions besides what have already been posted:
- Epcot is a good park for a warmer day because many of the attractions are longer, keeping you out of the heat. Some attractions (like those in The Land) have the queue completely inside in the air conditioning.

- Most queues are at least covered from the sun and some (even outdoor ones) are air conditioned. Until you reach the actual roped off or chained off area, it is easy to join the line, so your child could wait in the shade until you reach that point and then join you in line.

- AK does feel warmer than the other parks, so we save it for a cooler day. Because many guests get there early in the day and make it a 1/2 day park, there are things that you can typically go on late in the day that had long lines earlier (things like Dinosaur and the Safari - although the wait for Safari in the afternoon with a wheelchair or ECV may be longer because less accessible trams may be running).

- Only one person has to go to get Fastpasses. Send your fastest or fittest person with all the park passes to get Fastpasses. That way not everyone has to travel all over.

- Use EMH to avoid heat and crowds. Even during the busiest times, it is cooler in the morning. By going to the park that is open early for WDW resort guests, you can get into the park and see a large number of attractions when it is cooler and less crowded. If your teen is not a morning person, aim for evening EMHs or if you are going during a busy time, the park that is open late. We have ridden Soarin' at evening EMH over and over again with no wait (just the time it took us to walk from the exit to the boarding area).

- Plan what is most important to you/your family to do and don't try to do everything. You want to hit the most important things and if you have time or energy left, hit the next in importance things. Even on a long trip, it's hard to get everything in and everyone will just get worn out trying.

- The resorts close to the park you are visiting may make good cool down and get out of the sun areas. You can take the WDW transportation to the closest one - use the monorail or boats to visit one of the MK area resorts. THere are boats that go to the Epcot area resorts from Epcot and the Studio. AK Lodge is a bus ride away from AK.
You won't be able to use the pools, but all the resorts have a game room where a teen might enjoy spending a few hours in air conditioning. You can look at the resort while he plays and then head on back to the park after getting cooled off.

 

[peemagg]

There are also cooling vests out there that he could wear under his clothes. This might be another option for him. If he can stay cooler, maybe the rest of the humidity won't affect him as much. They have ones out there that are made for people who have MS, so they might be lighter weight than some.

 

[blessedmom4]

My daughter has heat related issues and her wheelchair does allow us to take her places she couldn’t handle under her own steam. We did come across some areas that were out in the open and if we encountered a helpful CM, they helped find a cooler place for her to wait. In addition, we took advantage of the First Aid stations in EACH park to allow her a place to lie down, cool off and rest. I even took her in there to access her feeding tube to give her extra fluids to hydrate her. The nurses on duty were also very kind and helpful as well…just a thought if you need a place to regroup.