suggestions for severely immune compromised travel

[ss0414]

I have searched and read every thread possible regarding assistance for a severely immune compromised traveler and haven't been very successful.
What accomodations would be helpful when traveling with a severely immune compromised person? Is there assistance with regard to waiting in line with groups of people at close contact? In other words, can one be taken to a place that is less crowded to minimize exposure when waiting for a ride?
Dr. has advised that exposure to the sun should be kept to a minimum during trip, resulting from medications. Where is information regardings assistance and waiting areas? Or what assistance is available to keep exposure at a minimum?
Stamina, fatigue are serious issues. However; please do not suggest a wheel chair as children just lost a family member to the same disease and parent can not place the children in more fear/stress at this time. Will use Fast Pass as much as possible.
Any suggestions regarding guest assistance would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Hi and to disABILTIES!

If you click on where it says "disABILTIES" at the top of this page it will take you to the Index. The top item is the "disABILTIES FAQ" which will gives lots of useful information, including information about Guest Assistance Cards.

Note that the purpose of a GAC is not to allow bypassing lines. And you will find that at Guest Relations they will recommend renting either a wheelchair or ECV for stamina and/or mobility problems.

 

[allyphoe]

How old are the kids? The rental strollers will hold even big kids, and are easy to push. As I understand it, you can request the ability to use the stroller as if it were a wheelchair, and keep it with you in line. That will also give the kids some separation from the crowds.

 

[ss0414]

Thanks for the responses.
I know that a GAC is not front of the line access. That is not what I am looking for. I did read the entire GAC board, as well as, every post regarding disabilities. I was looking for constructive suggestions regarding what accomodations would be useful for a severely immune compromised person.
A wheelchair is not an option. But thank you for the response.

 

[Piper]

We need a few more details. Is the person an adult? If a child, how old?

Being in the crowds at WDW--and just having to touch public areas (railings, grab bars in rides, etc.) would be extremely difficult for someone with a fragile immune system. I'm not sure WDW would be a good choice.

 

[Nanajo1]

I'm sure you've thought of these ideas.
List what your needs are in order of importance.
I think waiting away from congested lines would be important then limited sun exposure. When you go for your GAC tell the CM that you need to wait in less exposed setting and out of the sun.
Fatigue issues usually are met with the w/c or ECV suggestion. You can always rest at a First aid station or slip into an airconditioned shop/ show for a quick pick me up.
To minimize germ exposure I would bring hand sanitizer and masks. To limit sun wear long sleeved but airy tops, wear a broad brim hat and bring a small umbrella to use as a parasol while walking around the parks. On a plane
I once saw a mother use the baby handiwipes to wipe down the surfaces her toddler would touch. You might want to bring something like that to wipe the bars of the rides, table tops etc.
If I think of anything else I'll post again.

 

[ss0414]

Being in the crowds at WDW--and just having to touch public areas (railings, grab bars in rides, etc.) would be extremely difficult for someone with a fragile immune system. I'm not sure WDW would be a good choice.

Having been with my daughter in 2002, through the Make a Wish foundation, this statement is harsh. Kids that have gone through cancer treatements, kids with immune compromised systems, people with LUPUS go to DW everyday. What if I made a statement to a parent looking for advice for a child with Autism, that "perhaps lines in DW are too much for your child and therefore, you shouldn't go in case your child has a melt down." What I see, is advice to parents on how to help make the trip more enjoyable for the family. Not, "perhaps you shouldn't go".
It is a place to get away from the sadness that life has handed us, to allow the children to live life for a week with joy. Sadly, my daughter passed away last year, however, the illness still remains in our family.
Today, I am financially capable of taking my children away to help alleviate some of the sadness during this 1 year anniverary of our loss. MAW allows for front of the line access, which is obviously not an option at this time. However, suggestions such as the ones posted by NANAJO1 are exactly what I was looking for. Specifics on how a GAC could help make our trip more enjoyable for my family.
Thanks for the helpful response, NANAJO1.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Having been with my daughter in 2002, through the Make a Wish foundation, this statement is harsh. Kids that have gone through cancer treatements, kids with immune compromised systems, people with LUPUS go to DW everyday. What if I made a statement to a parent looking for advice for a child with Autism, that "perhaps lines in DW are too much for your child and therefore, you shouldn't go in case your child has a melt down." What I see, is advice to parents on how to help make the trip more enjoyable for the family.

Nobody was trying to be harsh. A child with autism is a hugely different situation from a person with a severely compromised immune system. Yes, the child might have meltdowns, and sure, that might annoy some Guests and frustrate the child and his/her family - but it's not potentially fatal. If neither is your traveling companion's situation, that's not made clear from the title of this thread or the original post.

Given the tens of thousands of Guests visiting Walt Disney World every day, even a 'less crowded' waiting area would not be person- or germ-free, and could be hazardous to the traveler. THAT'S why somebody opined that Disney might not be a good destination.

As for stamina, there's a LOT of walking BETWEEN attractions. The person in question, while reluctant to use a wheelchair, might benefit from an ECV (just remember, NO OTHER RIDERS - only one person, period).

 

[Cheshire Figment]

A wheelchair is not an option.

Stamina, fatigue are serious issues.

I do not know the ages of any of the people involved, and do not know the ages of the children.

I am not being harsh, I am being factual. The official Guest Relation policy at WDW for mobility and/or stamina problems is recommending rental of a wheelchair or ECV.

I realize you do not want to traumatize the children. However, having a person who slows the entire group down will cut down everyone's enjoyment of the vacation.

I know the first time I rented an ECV my wife was very happy as she did not have to slow down for me and I did not have to rest every few minutes.

Basically you have two choices when you go. One is to not have the person who needs it use an ECV or wheelchair. In that case the person will be in pain and possibly after one or two days will not want to go to the parks any more. Or the second choice is to hope the children are more resilient than you imply and rent the wheelchair or ECV.

One choice is to cause physical pain for someone; the other is to cause possible emotional pain. We have made our suggestions; the choice is really that of the person with the disability and not your choice (unless you have the disability).

 

[MarieS]

I know that someone has already mentioned antibacterial wipes and masks to limit germ exposure. We used lots of antibacterial wipes for my youngest son who still puts his hands in his mouth. We wiped off table tops before eating, railings, and the laser gun on the buzz ride among other things and used lots of purell. You may also want to do this first thing at your resort--door knobs,tv remote, etc.

I also wanted to mention the first aid stations. My oldest uses a wheelchair and has stamina issues as part of his condition and first aid was a great place to lie down in the air conditioning and rest. They will give you a cubicle with a cot. We also used this break to take care of his medical needs.

Since a wheelchair/ecv is not an option, the only thing I can think of is to have a plan for the day to minimize walking and take it slow with lots of stops to rest on benches.

Have a great trip!

 

[SueM in MN]

Stamina, fatigue are serious issues. However; please do not suggest a wheel chair as children just lost a family member to the same disease and parent can not place the children in more fear/stress at this time.

I'm not sure why a wheelchair would place the children in more fear or stress and, even though you have written it is not an option, I think it would still be a good thing to investigate.

If the person using it would be benefitted by having their stamina and fatigue aleviated by using a wheelchair, it would benefit the whole family. Even with a GAC, there is a lot of walking involved in a trip to WDW and a wheelchair or ECV (for someone over the age of 18 yrs) is a way to preserve energy for the fun things instead of 'spending' it all just getting around. WDW is very large and estimates are that the average person walks between 3 and 9 miles per day at WDW. Just to walk around World Showcase in Epcot is over a mile, and it's a similar distance to get into the park!
IMHO, it would be potentially more stressful for the children to see the person having problems with fatigue, stamina or pain from trying to walk around than it would be to see the person relaxed in a wheelchair. One way to explain it that works even for pretty young children is to be very matter of fact and equate a wheelchair with something they are familiar with like glasses = "You know Aunt Betty (or who ever) has glasses. That is to help her see. The wheelchair is to help ________ with getting around without getting too tired." If the adults see the wheelchair as scary and stressful, the kids will too. If the adults treat it as nothing to be concerned about, most kids will too.
If you are talking about a child, the WDW strollers are large enough for up to a small 12 yr old; some people get a double stroller to have more room for stretching out. As was already mentioned, you can get a GAC (Guest Assistance Card) that will allow a stroller to be used as a wheelchair.

Another benefit is that the wheelchair or stroller will be a 'buffer' to limit how close others get to the person using it, which should help limit exposure to others.

WDW will accomodate keeping someone out of the sun, but most of the queues are shaded at least to some extent, so this might not help that much. Also, you will still have to worry about the sun when going between attractions.

I think you/they need talk to the doctors regarding what to do to limit exposure, other than the things listed in this thread. While you do want to limit exposure to people with cold like symptoms, many of the infections that people with severly compromised immune systems get are from germs that they carry around in their own bodies. No matter how careful you are to avoid 'outside' germs, you can't avoid the ones from the germs 'inside'. So they will need to be prepared for the person possibly getting ill while at WDW; things like bringing information from the doctor about the medical history; getting suggestions from the doctor about who/where to go if the person becomes ill.

Another thing that would be helpful (potentially more helpful even than a GAC) is to know when different places are busy. Even in busy times like Easter, it's possible to go to all the Fantasyland attractions with very short waits if you can get there early after the parks open. Then, by the time the park starts getting busy, you can leave and go back to the resort for a rest during the busier and hotter time of the day. Things like Tour Guide Mike and some of the park touring books can help you figure out busier times and days so you can avoid them. Some of the advantages of doing that is you will be able to see more in a shorter amount of time, an easier time getting around and with less exposure to other people, since the crowds are lower.

The person may also have a time of day that is better for them. Some have lots of energy early in the day and then get more tired as the day goes on. Some people take a while to get going in the morning, but improve as they loosen up/ wake up. Working against the person's normal 'flow' will take more energy.

The last thing I can think of is to plan your days according to the weather - if it's a really hot day, that will zap energy, so you want to plan for an earlier day or plan to come back to the park for the evening when the sun will be down and it will be cooler.

 

[6gr8kidz]

One suggestion I would make is maybe have the child wear a mask while standing in line. When he/she is out and about walking I wouldn't worry too much about germs. I would make sure hands are washed, etc. However, a mask may help while they are standing in the line. I would try to get a GAC or fast pass.

My daughter has JRA and was on a chemotherapy drug and a new biologic drug called Enbrel and these are things were used to do. We never used it at Disney but when she would get a fever in the evenings we would have to take her to the ER. I would make her wear a mask so she wouldn't pick up something else.

I would make sure that sunscreen is applied and applied often throughout the day. When a med says to stay out of the sun, it is not kidding. I got blisters one time when I was on antibiotics.

I hope you have a wonderful time.

 

[dclfun]

I have to agree with what Sue mentioned about the use of a w/c. I know the OP has said it is not an option but if the children are fearful, then they will know what's going on anyway with the person who has the immune issue. I know when my husband was dying we tended not to talk about it to spare our children from worry but that was our issue as adults- my children would have benefitted more from a more open discussion and airing of feelings before he passed away. I use a power wheelchair every day. To me it is "life", not death, not disability...it allows me to be the same in terms of getting around like eveyone else. If you approach using a chair with joy of being able to do more and talk about it before the trip, then the emotional connotation might be different. I would also echo the suggestions to ask for a GAC to wait out of the sun or in a less crowded area, but there aren't always places where that kind of request can be accomodated. Some of the lines are always in the sun, and many don't have an alternate waiting area. I would think a w/c or stroller if it's a child would allow a buffer zone for others bumping into or touching the immune compromised person. I don't think anyone intended to be harsh but we're concerned about the potential health risk and ability to enjoy your trip. Meanwhile I'm so sorry to hear that you lost a child. There can be nothing more devastating.---Kathy

 

[trolleyfanma]

We travel with DD who has an immune deficiency. Some things that have been mentioned are great suggestions. I am not sure what exactly the immune problems you are facing but what we do to try to limit exposure is:

Use TourGuide Mike's suggestions for least busy times.
We carry the large bottles of Wet Ones and Purelle.
DD (age 8) sat in a stroller most of the time but always when moving through a busy area.
She sits in the stroller to eat any CS meals. But we still use CLorox wipes to clean the tables and seats.
When standing in line- she usually has something to hold on to so she is not touching the rails. Silly Putty is great for that!
If someone is visibly sick or coughing in line we leave the line. We've had to move many times in some of the shows to get a seat far away from coughers.
Purelle the hands after every ride.
Whenever we eat at a TS we clean the table and her chair.
Also after every character interaction she cleans her hands.
As suggested above, the hotel room gets a complete wipe down with Clorox wipes (the plane seats also). The kids help us out and each have an area to clean-lightswitches, phone remotes, etc..)
ANother thing we do is rent a car- to avoid riding crowded buses.

Before anyone gets on me about be a germ-a-phobe I must say that with 3-4 trips each year for the past 4 years, DD has gotten sick only once and that was thanks to mold in our room.

I think that with the mobility and fatigue issues a stroller/wc/ECV is the best option. Can you talk with the child and point out some plusses to having wheels at WDW? Maybe even decorate it with a toy or something to make it special. We never know when DD is going to tire out on us- I could never carry her around a park. SHe once fell asleep on the Safari ride. We've had to retire our stroller so I don't know what our next trip will be like w/o one.

I hope that I've helped to give you some ideas.

 

[Kirlinale]

I found the WORST place for germs were on the TRAMS & BOATS , they usually got packed in like sardines , of course exiting the parks after fireworks or shows. If severely immune compromised I would suggest using a mask during these times especially.

My daughter was on chemo during our last trip, and is also on a TON of meds that lower her immunity .

I agree with the purell, wipes (especially for restrooms). We rely on a wheelchair (DD has an inoperable brain tumor and intractible epilepsy) so often times she needs to be in one for medical or endurance/mobility issues plus she is 5 so there is no problem for her to be in it.

Drinking lots of water helps too.

Some of the shows were really bad for germs .. especially the closed in kind like Tough to be a Bug.. so I would again, highly consider using a mask during this time. Some kids , I am not sure of the age, use a bandana style that looks less clinical.

Of course wiping the handrails of rides, tables, chairs etc..

I also found the Gift Shops to be incredibly difficult for Germ Patrol.

I don't know how old the person is and again I am not suggesting a Wheelchair, but if a small or medium sized child a Double stroller rental can help for rest, and escape from the sun.. no medical stigma really attached to that unless of course it is an adult or older teen/child ..then I would suggest first trying it without a chair and if necessary you can always try to get one.

I can't think of anything else.. I just remember our tram ride with a kid who kept telling his mom he was going to 'FROW UP' and she said.. you prob have the stomach bug that XXX had .. OY.. I jumped off at the next station.. next ride she wore a mask!!!

Nicole

 

[ss0414]

Thanks for the helpful suggestions over the last few days. And if you posted and have an ill child or family member, please know that my thoughts are with you.
Best wishes

 

[SueM in MN]

thank you for your thank you.

Another thing I thought of if you want to avoid the look of a wheelchair if it is an older child or a smaller adult is a special needs stroller or a transport chair.
Special needs strollers will generally hold someone up to about 105 pounds and look like giant umbrella strollers.
Transport chairs look sort of like a wheelchair, but have 4 small wheels instead of 2 large wheels and 2 small wheels.

There is information about renting both of those in the disABILITIES FAQs thread near the top of the board.

 

[5dwarves]

I realize that this thread hasn't had any activity for about a week, but I wanted to help too... My DS had a transplant last year and is immuno compromised as well, as a result of his anti rejection meds. He had his transplant his kindergarten year and returned to school for first grade. Boy was I ever nervous about all the bugs that kids brought in to school with them and "shared". His transplant coordinator told me to have him shower and change clothes when he got home from school every day...just in case. She even suggested that all my kids change clothes after school in the event one of their class mates had a bug. With the exception of my son's med appointments and various testing; we didn't have any sick days from school this year for any of my 5 children. If you are staying at the resort and taking a nap break or rest every day, it might not be a bad idea to clean him/her up and have everyone change clothes.

I know several others have suggested strollers. My DS is 8 and weighs about 60 pounds; his youngest little brother is 5 and weighs about 50 pounds. We are renting a double stroller for the two of them for stamina reasons. Even if your child is larger he/she may be able to fit cross wise in a double.

I hope that your family has the most magical of vacations.

 

[ss0414]

Thanks for the very helpful suggestions. I have worked a plan out with my physician in order to alleviate as much sun and exposure to others as possible.
I have scheduled ADR's during the most sunny part of the day, will use early and late entry as much as possible, and will relax at the hotel pool (under shade) most of the day.
I also rented a car, which I have never done, so to alleviate bus rides as much as possible, and permit more time for attractions.
This thread has been helpful for the most part and I thank all of those who gave consideration to our issues.
Thanks again.