need advice..touring plans..and more..

[Susycakes]

Hi All,

We are planning a trip to Disneyland and California Adventure in Sept...I've never been there..we went to WDW back in 2005 for our 1st anniversary ..
I need to be smarter about this trip. I have a double lung transplant..So, I am immunosuppressed (try not to be in confined spaces with a lot of people, careful what i eat..etc) and I am extremely sensitive to the sun (med side effects)..and I can not stand or walk for long periods of time. Even though during that trip we did get a GAC, it did not solve all my issues. My first mistake was going to Florida in July. I was nauseated and had bad headaches the entire time because of the sun, and overall very uncomfortable... For some rides the GAC was great (when there is a place to sit and wait) and others it made matters worse (when you have to stand in the sun..). We did utilize the first aid stations for rest and a/c when breathing became difficult.

I don't want to have to get a wheelchair. Is DL in september very hot and humid? Also, i keep seeing the rec's for touring plans..i would like to do this for this trip to save me a lot of heartache. I googled it and only found a website that charges for the info. is there a free resource? is it worth it to just pay for it? Also, is there a list of rides that have areas you can sit and wait? I may just plan to forgo rides that will be too difficult for me to wait for.

TIA for any help anyone can provide me.

Susy

 

[Bete]

but for starters a scooter may work for you. You can for an extra fee get one with a canopy at some places. Disney parks would not have any scooters with a canopy. You would have to rent off site to get the best deal there. Use suntan lotion and reapply it through the day at the parks; bring a bottle with you to the parks. You can also buy an umbrella hat that attaches to your head; so, you are hands free. They are cheap and will keep a lot of the sun off of you. I would wear sunglasses, too. Think about getting some UV protected clothing, too. Wear long sleeves and slacks. There are portable misting fans that may help, as well. I would tend to go to the parks in the morning and evening and take a rest in the afternoon at your resort. You will find this to be manageable there; you will accomplish enough. Alternate your activities between doing rides, shows and eating. This will allow for rest periods and you won't be in the sun constantly.

Disneyland is easier in my opinion than WDW. Everything is not as spread out; so, it's better there to navigate the parks. Temperatures are better, too and it's less humid most of the time. I think you will have mostly high 70 degree weather there in September.

Unfortunately, a GAC is not a cure all for all situations. It's better to have one, but it won't be a perfect answer. I feel Disney does a very good job in this department, but there are limits of what can be done. You may have to talk to CMs at each ride and find out exactly what to expect; so, you can make a good decision to ride or not. There are some rides that are the same as WDW; so, this may help your decision making process there.

By the way, welcome to the DisBoards.

 

[KerBear]

I know there isn't nearly as much info out there for Disneyland, so I thought I would help with what I can. California in September is NOTHING like Florida in July! It will still be warm in early Sept, later in the month it gets harder to know, but it is not humid here like in FL, and temperatures won't be higher than upper 70's maybe low 80's.
I am not sure about touring plans, we have never used them for Disneyland, if you would like I can send you a set of maps that might help with planning, just pm me your address.
I know that most of the rides that are considered accessible and don't have an alternate entrance have "return" cards, like a handwritten fastpass, so you can spend your designated wait time sitting in the shade, or in a shop with a/c.
I also recommend a scooter, I finally gave in and got one for a multi day trip with family and was able to enjoy myself, not having to stop and rest every 20 minutes was wonderful! Renting in the parks is $$$, but I found an offsite place called a scooter 4 u (google them) that delivered one to my hotel, and the cost for 3 or more days is $35 a day. If you don't want to use it all of the time, park it and take the key with you, do a few rides and come back for a ride to the next!