Restrictions for Sun Exposure

[BamaFan121s]

I'm hoping for some insight from some of you wonderful members. We are traveling to the World in 24 days (yay!). Currently, my daughter is on doctors orders that she is to have as little exposure to the sun as possible. (ideally none) We are planning on lots of early mornings, late evenings and long mid day breaks at the resort. We will be getting a GAC while there due to her current, compromised situation--hopefuly we won't be in the park during any point when she would need it, but just in case...

My question is, how does Disney accomodate for this type of situation? For rides with lines in the sun, will there be another sun free area they will allow her to wait, or? We aren't even going to attempt any day parades--got the PPP parade though! I'd like to form as much of a 'game plan' as possible ahead of time, so if anyone could share their experiences with this type of situation, that would be great!

 

[Schmeck]

I have to avoid the sun as much as possible as well - and we plan our WDW trips for August. People think I'm crazy until I point out the extended evening hours, and the fact that it's too hot and muggy to be outside for more than it takes to walk to the next attraction that has AC...

We tour the same way you have planned - we get there early morning, leave midday (or even earlier) and come back during the evening. I've found most of the queues to be completely shaded, and have never needed a GAC for shade. We use FP regularly. One thing to note - you'll be spending time waiting for buses, and walking between the attractions, and that exposes her to a lot of sun right there. Make sure she has a wide brimmed hat, and lots of sunscreen (if she can wear sunscreen). I've found wearing long flowing skirts (rayon) to be just as cool as shorts, and it keeps my legs protected. I'm careful to remember to put a lot of sunscreen on my feet, ankles and lower legs!

 

[karliebug]

Most of the lines are shaded. I put a big floppy hat on my daughter. Looks ridiculous, but does the trick. We did get a GAC that says she can wait in the shade, but it was of limited use.

 

[BamaFan121s]

Thanks for the suggestions! Yes, we will be loading up on sunscreen. (I didn't even know they made SPF 65!) We have her a a few hats and will be getting her a few more. Not worried s'much about her legs, just her face. And we will be getting her a stroller while we are there so she can sit back in the shade.

 

[BlondeTink33]

BamaFan121s I was actually looking at sunscreens yesterday and I saw one that is SPF 85! I couldn't believe it.

 

[BamaFan121s]

BamaFan121s I was actually looking at sunscreens yesterday and I saw one that is SPF 85! I couldn't believe it.

I definately have not seen any w/ that much coverage, but will be keeping an eye out for some. Where did you see it?

 

[BlondeTink33]

it's Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Sunblock, SPF 85 and they make a SPF 70 ... and Aveeno makes a SPF 70. Walgreens, CVS, any kinda drugstore should have them or be able to order them for you

 

[BamaFan121s]

Awesome...thanks!

 

[amesv]

what about a great big umbrella? My son used to take meds for seizures (1 year off the meds and seizure free!), and one of the side effects was increased sun sensitivity. Add that to his (inherited from Mom) glow-in-the-dark whiteness and we had to be really careful. Dathan also has cerebral palsy and I used to attach a big golf umbrella to his wheelchair. It worked great and provided a bit of shade too.

 

[PatMcDuck]

If she is in the stroller, you really do have to worry about her legs, and tops of her feet if she wear sandals. We have been surprsed by that with my son, who is very fair and uses a wheelchair at WDW. Normally if he is walking, those areas are safe, more or less.

I also have another child who needs to be out of the sun (it could even trigger a relapse of her rheumatological disease). We went to WDW last August, and did ok, no sunburn. DD was 15 then, and she said she felt more at ease and could relax when we were out in the evening. We used FP as much as possible. Both of these kids I mentioned were in wheelchairs so we did not really need a GAC. (we were quite a sight with 2 teens in wheelchairs)

The worst wait (sun-wise) was at Nemo show in AK. They really need to put up some fabric shades there, for all the guests.

 

[SueM in MN]

If she is in the stroller, you really do have to worry about her legs, and tops of her feet if she wear sandals. We have been surprsed by that with my son, who is very fair and uses a wheelchair at WDW. Normally if he is walking, those areas are safe, more or less.

My DD has had some surprise burns on the tops of her legs. We're really careful to either have her wear capri pants or lots of sunscreen now.

 

[Schmeck]

And even in my long skirts I have to make sure I have lots of sunscreen on my legs - the pavement reflects light, and there's some odd bumpy rash people have been getting on their legs at WDW from reflected light.

 

[BamaFan121s]

If she is in the stroller, you really do have to worry about her legs, and tops of her feet

My DD has had some surprise burns on the tops of her legs.

And even in my long skirts I have to make sure I have lots of sunscreen on my legs

We always cover her head to toe in sunscreen in any case, but in this particular situation if her legs see the sun, it's no biggie--it really IS only her face that we are having to keep completely sun free. Thus why I think it will be best if she is sitting back in a stroller w/ her head completely in the shade when possible, vs walking.

We know better than to even attempt waiting for any shows or parades. And we are well seasoned in using the FP system.

We were advised by a CM that they could help out and provide certain accomodations to help out, Basically, I was just wondering what 'accomodations' to expect and what others had experienced so I could better plan.

 

[SueM in MN]

We were advised by a CM that they could help out and provide certain accomodations to help out, Basically, I was just wondering what 'accomodations' to expect and what others had experienced so I could better plan.

The accomodation would be a place to wait out of the sun if the line is in the sun. Since most of the lines actually do have shade/roofed areas, accomodation is usually not needed. In most cases, the area once you actually get into the line is covered, but if the line extends outside of the 'defined' queue, that area is not covered. Since the area outside the queue is not part of the line, part of your party can wait until the line reaches the 'beginning' of the queue and then join once you reach the covered area.

There are a few bad lines (Finding Nemo at AK is one) where there is no shade anywhere in the line. That's where you would talk with the CM. We usually deal with it just by turning DD's wheelchair so that her back is to the sun or we are shading her with our bodies. The situations where that doesn't work is when you ask the CM for assistance.
They may have you wait in the same area, but out of the sun or they may give you a sort of hand written Fastpass that gives a return time.

I know there have been a lot of complaints from people in general about the lack of shade in the Nemo line, so I would expect that line probably will get covering at some time.

 

[Schmeck]

Would there be a Nemo show either early enough or late enough that the sun is low enough for a bit of shade on the edges of the queue, or at least not at 100% potency? We haven't been to this show, nor did we make it to a tarzan show, so not sure what the queue looks like...

 

[BamaFan121s]

Would there be a Nemo show either early enough or late enough that the sun is low enough for a bit of shade on the edges of the queue, or at least not at 100% potency? We haven't been to this show, nor did we make it to a tarzan show, so not sure what the queue looks like...

The queue for the Nemo show has always looked like a nightmare every time we've seen it.
(Not really an attraction we care to visit anyway, so...)

 

[SueM in MN]

The queue for the Nemo show at AK is totally outside with no shade. The theater for Nemo is where the Tarzan show used to be; Tarzan was an open air theater with a roof. Nemo is actually in the same spot, but they re-built the theater and it is a full building with air conditioning.

We went at about 2pm and managed to keep DD out of the sun by facing her wheelchair so the back of it was to the sun and then we also placed our bodies so our shadows fell on her. She has no canopy or umbrella on her wheelchair, but doing that kept her out of the sun.
Since you will have a stroller with a canopy and are mostly worried about sun exposure to your DD's face, I would just do that. You will be able to keep the sun totally off your DD's face just by which direction you face the stroller.