Water Parks - Are Water Wings allowed?

[scrappinginontario]

Are children allowed to use water wings and similar items or must they wear a life vest?

Has anyone taken their own life vest for their child?

 

[Kristian]

I'm not sure about Disney waterparks because i've never utelized the waterparks at Disney, but most waterparks do not allow water wings anymore. Most waterparks require that children under a certain height restriction wear a US coast guard approved life vest. You can bring your own life vest, but it also must be US coast guard approved (it will be printed on the inside if it is). We have a life vest for our dd (3) and we've taken it to Great Wolf Lodge, Kalahari Resort, etc and we have actually had several lifeguards check to see if it was coast guard approved, so if your planning on bringing your own, make sure its regulation.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Thanks! That helps me decide to bring our own life vest from home. Ours has Canadian government approval so I'm sure that will be okay. I'll see if I can fit it in our luggage and if not will rent a Disney one. I just think her own will be more comfortable than a Disney one.

Thanks for your help.

 

[phillymummer]

Does Disney make you pay to use a life vest??? At the waterparks I have been too, life vests in all sizes are free to use.

 

[bumbershoot]

Please don't use waterwings (the ones that are not attached to the buoyant torso vest). They can *cause* drowning. The arms can go up over the head, and then the child cannot put their arms back down. Then the inflated part is up above the water, and the head is forced down.

I had just found this out (from the Dis, thank you Dis) and was ignoring it, thinking "pshaw, I'm always in arm's length from DS, it's OK". Not a week later, we were at my brother's in his pool, and I was talking with my brother. DS was in arm's length distance from me. Behind me.

Suddenly my brother is looking beyond me, with a really weird expression on his face. I turn, and DS (in arm's length) has his head under the water, arms above his head, 100% unable to get his body and face up because he couldn't reach the bottom and couldn't pull his arms down b/c of the inflatable wings.

The two steps it took me to get to my son, whose head was under the water, were the longest two steps in the history of the world.

Don't let kids wear waterwings. My brother and I learned to swim with them, but we were lucky. And the problem with luck is that it's not in our control when we will become UNlucky.


OH, and like most drowning cases, he was COMPLETELY SILENT. For those who don't know, drowning is silent. All of the person's (child or adult, doesn't matter) instincts are used in trying to just get the head up, and they don't flail noisily or yell or anything. They become pure animal at that point trying to save their lives, and they are silent.

So if it had just been me and my son, or if my brother didn't have perfect vision and didn't see DS from the far end of the pool, it could have been very very different in outcome and my family's world would have changed that day. (even though he doesn't read here, thank you brother, from the bottom of my heart)

 

[Kristian]

Does Disney make you pay to use a life vest??? At the waterparks I have been too, life vests in all sizes are free to use.

I agree. Usually life vests are free to use and are included in waterpark admission or at least it has been everywhere that I have been. I would call Disney and ask, but I'm sure thus is the case.

 

[maggs1035]

If your child likes water wings I would get a Puddle Jumper. It goes around your arms, and is connected to a ring that goes around the torso. They are allowed at Disney parks because they are US Coast Guard approved. I have found them at Target for $15. They seem less confining than a full life jacket.

 

[aubreysmom09]

If your child likes water wings I would get a Puddle Jumper. It goes around your arms, and is connected to a ring that goes around the torso. They are allowed at Disney parks because they are US Coast Guard approved. I have found them at Target for $15. They seem less confining than a full life jacket.

We have a Puddle Jumper and use it at Water Country USA almost every weekend. Our 2 year old loves it. I got one at target 2 weeks ago for $12 on sale. She seems much better with it than the life jacket.

 

[tenaseewalker]

Disney does have life vests free of charge at High 'N Dry next to Singapore Sal's

 

[MistressMerryweather]

These are the ones Disney uses at the resorts. Probably the same they use at the waterparks?

http://www.amazon.com/Texas-Recreation-Medium-Youth-Safety/dp/B002ITF7HC/ref=pd_sim_sg_1

 

[scrappinginontario]

Thanks so much for all the information and the pics of the life vests Disney uses.

Bumbershoot, I'm so sorry for the terrible moment (that I'm sure seemed like forever!) that you experienced with your son. It's good to learn from what you said.

I think for us I'll bring our life vest from home as it's a Body Glove life vest. I like it because it's outer layer is fabric which will be more comfortable for my DD to wear for extended periods of time. Also, it has 2 leg straps rather than the one that most have. I think it's more comfortable for her too. She wears it often and has never complained. My parents have an inground pool and she wears this life vest when she's in the pool and mommy is sitting on the side.

She is a good little swimmer for a 3yo but given that we'll be at Typhoon Lagoon with the wave pool and the lazy river, she'll need something for safety there and on the water slides we ride together.

Thanks again for your help everyone.

PS - Disney does not charge for life vests but at the water parks although I believe a cc deposit is required. My DD will not need to wear a life vest the majority of the day and I'd prefer not to be concerned that someone will mistakingly pick it up. Ours is unique so that shouldn't happen.