Travel with Oxygen
If a passenger needs oxygen during a flight, you must arrange it thru the airline. No passenger supplied oxygen is allowed. Each airline handles oxygen a little differently, so you will need to work with your airline on this. There are also some airlines that do not allow oxygen.
You should be able to find out what you need from the airline website or by calling the airline and asking o speak with someone who deals with disabilities or special needs.
Airlines are required to allow FAA approved concentrators. There will be a list on the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) website and also on the airline website. Portable Oxygen Concentrators remove oxygen from the air and provide it to you at a higher concentration than is present in the air.
Make sure you have enough batteries and supplies for the whole flight, plus possible delays - the current requirement is 150% of the amount you need for the expected length of your flight.
Your doctor may have to fill out some forms for the airline about your need for a concentrator. If you need oxygen during the flight, your doctor will have to fill out some information and prescriptions.
There is more information about air travel in post 15 on page one of the disABILITIES FAQs.
Also check out the links to the TSA in that post to find information about taking your equipment, including portable concentrator and items like a pulse ox
Arranging for Oxygen at your Destination
Call your current oxygen supplier to make arrangements. Depending on the company, your contact person may be in the Social Services, Billing or order department.
*Many oxygen suppliers are part of a national chain, are networked with other suppliers or have contacts with other providers in the Orlando area.
Your current provider will help with:
- finding a supplier who will deliver to your resort
- doctor's orders
- getting what you need in terms or equipment/supplies
- billing your insurance
Oxygen is a prescription item, so your doctor will need to write a prescription. The company you are using will already have one and should be able to help you get this taken care of for the company in Florida.
It should be totally transparent to you, and you should not have to do anything special other than give your dates, where you will be staying and answer some questions about the supplies and equipment you will need.
Parks With Oxygen
Oxygen and concentrators are allowed in the parks. If you have more equipment than you can carry, each park has lockers where you could safely stow some. There is a fee for using lockers.
Each park also has a First Aid Station where you could leave extra supplies or equipment. There is no charge for using First Aid.
The location of lockers and First Aid are marked on the park maps.
WDW Rides with Oxygen
WDW has marked some attractions with warnings. They are marked with a red triangle on the map and also on a sign at the entrance to the queue.
The wording for the general warning is:
WARNING! For safety, you should be in good health and free from high blood pressure, heart, back or neck problems, motion sickness, or other conditions that could be aggravated by this adventure. Expectant mothers should not ride.
WDW does not list anything about oxygen, so there are some you may be able to ride and some not. It will probably depend on the exact equipment you have, how far it can be located away from you and what exactly the set up for that attraction is. You will probably need to talk to a CM at each attraction for a final decision.
You may want to take the specific information about the rides to your doctor for more specific advice.
For some of them, there is a height requirement, so a child on oxygen may not be able to ride anyway. I listed the height requirement for those that have a minimum height.
I do not have experience with oxygen, but have ridden these attractions. Other posters may have actual experience with oxygen, although many people using oxygen would have other conditions that keep them from riding these.
Even if you cant ride any of these, there are still plenty of things without warnings (and without height requirements, for younger guests).
For
Epcot here are the attractions with warnings:
- Mission Space - Minimum height 44 inches. There is a warning for both the more tame (green side) and the more wild (orange side). They are both turbulent with the biggest difference that the orange side spins on a centrifuge as well as moving back and forth. Sudden changes of direction that jerk you around a lot. This is a very turbulent ride and my guess is that oxygen would not be allowed.
- Test Track - Minimum height 40 inches. This has sudden stops, swerves and goes fast. Little neck support. It is not really that rough, so oxygen might possibly work.
For
Magic Kingdom:
- Splash Mountain - Minimum height 40 inches. This has several small drops and one very large drop. The big drop takes you down at a very extreme angle at a high rate of speed (I think you get to 40 mph). At the bottom, your ride car stops abruptly. Most of it is fairly smooth, but during the drops, you can get jostled. It is also difficult to get in and out of because the ride car has very small openings and you would need to step up quite far over the side and lift your equipment over the side. Oxygen might work on this if it can be on the floor of the ride car because backpacks are put there and stay in place.
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad - Minimum height 40 inches. This is a roller coaster. Has no head or neck support and you get jostled a lot side to side. Sudden changes of direction that jerk you around a lot. I am quite certain that oxygen would not be allowed here because there is so much movement.
- Tomorrowland Indy Speedway - Minimum height 32 inches. Small, low to the ground gas powered cars. They are loud and smell of gas. Because kids are driving some of the cars, you can get bumped from behind. Even if you dont get bumped, it can be a jerky ride if you hit the guide bar that keeps the cars from going off the path. No neck support. Oxygen would need to fit in the car and not interfere with steering or using the gas pedal.
- Space Mountain - Minimum height 44 inches. This is a roller coaster in the dark and passengers sit one behind the other. I am quite certain that oxygen would not be allowed.
- Goofys Barnstormer - is a short roller coaster and not sure whether oxygen would be allowed or not because it is quite short.
For
Disney Studio
- Star Tours - Minimum height 40 inches. A simulated spaceship ride with sudden dips and other movements. Sudden changes of direction that jerk you around a lot. No neck support. Purses and other items are required to be placed in a net bag under the seat; nothing loose is allowed. My guess is that oxygen would not be allowed.
- Rock N Roller Coaster - Minimum height 48 inches. A roller coaster. Fairly smooth, but very fast and does an inversion. Because of the inversion, I am quite certain oxygen would not be allowed and posters who were on oxygen confirmed this was true.
- Tower of Terror - Minimum height 40 inches. You sit in an elevator and get dropped. It is fairly smooth, but arms and legs will move around. No neck support. My guess is that oxygen would not be allowed because the tank would kind of float during the points where the elevator is rising and slam down as it drops.
For
Animal Kingdom:
- Kilimanjaro Safari - this is a tram ride through a simulated African wildlife preserve. It can be bumpy and my DD is bumped around quite a bit in her wheelchair. No neck support. Purses and other items are placed in net bags under the seats; it is possible oxygen could be used.
- Kali River Rapids - Minimum height 38 inches. This is a river raft ride. The raft is free floating inside a channel and there are several places where the raft can get dropped rather hard. You may get wet or completely soaked. No neck support. Loose items are placed in a covered container in the middle of the raft. This is both to contain them and to keep them from getting wet. Because of this, my guess is that oxygen would not be allowed.
- Expedition Everest - Minimum height 44 inches. A roller coaster which goes backwards at one point. No neck support. It is fairly smooth, but my guess is that oxygen would not be allowed.
- Primeval Whirl - Minimum height 48 inches. this looks pretty tame from the ground, but it is a small roller coaster combined with unexpected and quick turning. There is little restraint and you can get whipped around a lot. My youngest DD almost slipped under the restraint in this. I am VERY certain that oxygen would not be allowed.
- Dinosaur - Minimum height 40 inches. This is a very rough, noisy ride in the dark. It is a simulated time travel ride in a Jeep-like vehicle that goes up and down over simulated hills. Sudden changes of direction that jerk you around a lot. No neck support. I am quite certain oxygen would not be allowed.
These attractions have no warnings, but some people have reported problems with them.
Magic Kingdom
Pirates of the Caribbean - Does have one small drop in the dark. The drop has no turns, so may be OK.
Haunted Mansion - At one point, the doombuggy turns around and goes down an incline backwards. Some people have reported that this short sequence caused an uncomfortable pressure on their back or neck. The doombuggy does have neck support. Should not be a problem with oxygen.
Disneys Hollywood Studios
Toy Story Mania - this is a ride car that goes thru a video game with a number of different scenes. In between each scene, the ride car makes a quick turn which some people find a bit jerky. It should not be a problem with oxygen if the oxygen can be placed on the floor.
Epcot
Many people think that Soarin has warnings, but the only warnings are for fear of heights and possible motion sickness. Minimum height 40 inches.
It is a very gentle simulated hang glider ride, where you are suspended at least 10 feet off the ground. The seat is supportive and feels like a comfortable lawn chair. Loose items are required to go under the seat in a mesh bag, so I am not sure what would be done with oxygen.
Helpful Links:
Portableoxygen.org - helpful website with much information and links
Website about oxygen and air travel
Thread about Portable Oxygen Concentrator
