Wearing eye glasses at the water parks

[SusanDK]

This is going to sound like a really stupid question, but I'll ask it anyway.

The last time I visited Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon, I was a contact lens wearer, and wore them in the water parks without a problem.

I can no longer wear contacts, and now wear normal eyeglasses. I am nearly blind without them and there is no way I would even consider trying to walk around without them.

However, how do others handle wearing glasses on the water park rides? I don't do things like Summitt Plummet, so that's not an issue.

But I like things like Runoff Rapids, Snow Stormers, Mayday Falls, etc. Even in the lazy rivers you can get drenched from overhead!

First, will the CMs allow me onto the waterslides wearing eyeglasses? Also, what does one do to wipe them dry intermittantly? And is it possible to use the waterslides without losing them?

I know this sounds ridiculous but I'm just not sure how to handle this. I wear my glasses when I take water aerobics and go into the jacuzzi at my fitness club, but I always have a towel just a few steps from where I am and can dry my glasses when needed. Of course, neither of those have the waterfalls or wild movements either.

But there must be a lot of people who visit the parks who also cannot be without their glasses.

Susan

 

[shatzjsl]

I'm sorry that I can't answer your question but I just wanted to let you know that you are not alone! I can't see any further than my nose without my glasses. That is one of the main reasons I don't go to water parks. Hope you get a good response for this. Maybe it will help me, too.

Edited to add: Post 900 for me!!!

 

[LBS]

As a fellow eyeglass wearer I appreciate your concerns. I am near-sighted and it is just not feasible for me to try and ride without my glasses. I have prescription sunglasses that I wear at the water parks. I've been twice to Blizzard Beach and have never been asked to take them off. The only rides which will give you a problem are those with a fairly deep splashdown pool. When your head is plunged under water it tends to pull the glasses off. Maybe buy a strap to help keep them on.

 

[Harambe]

I wore my perscription sunglasses all day at Blizzard Beach, went down a few minor tube rides, the lazy river ride, and just bobbed in the pool. No CM said anything to me. I plan on doing Shark Reef next year, and am hoping I can fit the snorkel mask over the glasses! LOL!

 

[lovethattink]

We go to Blizzard Beach a few times a year. I always wear my contacts and sun glasses. My sun glasses are cheap, and they've fallen off on a few slides. My advise to you is not to ride the intense slides without a strap. I know this would be an expensive alternative, but you can get swim goggles in prescription strength.

 

[LoveMickey]

I too wear glasses, but walk around "blind" at the waterparks. I'm just afraid of the glasses some how breaking and then I'd really be up a creek without a paddle.

But I did want to mention this one point.

Snorkeling - you can actually see when you are snorkeling. Everyone always told me 'ah you don't need glasses when snorkeling" I said yea right . Then last year I tried snorkeling for the first time ever. I could see. It was great, I wanted to snorkel all day, cuz you really could see.

Must be something about those masks and the water.

Try it I'm sure you'll love it.

 

[AJKMOM]

This is from someone who has worn glasses for over forty years, you can get a waterproof strap at a sports store that slides over the stems of your glasses. It makes them like a necklace that wraps around your head, and keeps them safe. I have one that is tight, so the glasses don't move, and one that is loose, but keeps them around my neck if they get washed off.

I just went to a local indoor waterpark, and the second one worked great. I think it is called "Turtle" something. I also use my last prescription of glasses, not current, in case I lose my balance in the slide and a lens falls out, our glasses break. Since I haven't worn contacts since high school, I have many spare pairs.

Don't let your glasses stop you from having fun. I worry more about Rock 'n Roller coaster than waterslides.

 

[SusanDK]

Thanks for all the advice! Oh gosh, I just thought of something. My sunglasses are actually just a magnetic clip-on made to fit my glasses exactly. Those are very likely to be washed off so I'll need to be careful there.

Otherwise, I will wear a strap just in case, and that's a good idea about wearing an old pair of glasses that day. I was also wondering about buying a plastic thing like people use for money or other valuables and carrying a cloth to dry off the glasses with.

My husband's going to love walking around with me. He already thinks I look geeky enough with my water slippers.

Susan

 

[SusanDK]

Originally posted by LoveMickey
Snorkeling - you can actually see when you are snorkeling. Everyone always told me 'ah you don't need glasses when snorkeling" I said yea right . Then last year I tried snorkeling for the first time ever. I could see. It was great, I wanted to snorkel all day, cuz you really could see.

This reminds me of when I was in Hawaii. You can rent snorkel masks with different magnifying strengths in them so that a near-sighted person can see. I did this, but looked kind of silly wearing my snorkel mask even when sitting up on the beach.

I never even tried a snorkel mask without a magnifying lens; never heard that a near-sighted person could see out of it regardless but that's good to know.

Susan

 

[RC Fan]

Sorry!

Double post!

 

[RC Fan]

I went to both waterparks last time and had no problem. They do get very water-spotted often so I just went into the bathroom and washed them with a little liquid soap and water.

Probably the place your glasses are most in peril is the wave pool at TL.

I did swim with the sharks as well, but my glasses did fit under the mask.

 

[gigi1313]

i'm a regular glasses-wearing-water-park-visitor and i typically wear my old (last pair) of glasses w/a string thing and i have never had a problem... as far as what to dry them with... i will just use my towel, a napkin from a concession stand, or let the sun dry them... it's no biggie...

i had more of a problem w/my glasses on space mountain!

 

[SusanDK]

Thanks, everyone. I'm really glad to hear this hasn't been a major problem for anyone and that others do wear their glasses at the water parks.

It's our first trip to Florida in four years and I'm looking forward to it, hoping for great weather in early December.

Susan

 

[goofy4tink]

We wear our glasses in the water parks also. We do use the Croakie things tho. We have tight fitting ones for the water parks, looser librarian old lady types for general purpose wear and even bought some that will float if they fall off!!! Hasn't been a problem yet.

As far as being able to see without your glasses while snorkeling. My dd had prescription goggles for use at WDW due to the high chlorine content of the pools. But she found that she sees just fine with regular swim goggles in the water. It has to do with the water magnifying everything!!

 

[Kallison]

Hi Susan -- I wore my eyeglasses to the water parks last trip. Usually I just kept them on my face and sometimes the CM would ask me to remove them at the top of the slide. I just stuffed them in my front of my bathing suit in the cleavage area (I'm a B cup, so don't be thinking that is what was holding them in - lol!) Usually once I started down the slide I would take them out of my suit and stick them back on my face. I never, ever had a problem when hitting the water, they never fell off my face. I know your problem, I can't see without my glasses either and I feel very vulnerable without them. This trip I'm going to use my old prescription, just in case I'm not so lucky again.

 

[crazelion]

I would be very careful with glasses in the water. My friend and I was a at local waterpark and she wear glasses I like do lost here a lens out her glass on the lazy river ride when someone flip her over. She could not found her lens. I on the other hand walk around the park blind as a bat. I put my glass in my locker.


I going WDW this Summer myself for a week i facing the same problem. I am just walk around the park blind all day and rent a locker.

 

[NotUrsula]

Croakies are your friend. DH adores waterparks, and we visit them as often as possible. DH is also legally blind without glasses, so he wears a Croakie at all times when at theme parks or in water parks. Note that Croakies are bouyant enough to float the glasses if they slip off; that is important.

If your glasses' lenses are loose, take them to the shop and have them tightened. Lenses should NOT be able to pop out easily, and should not come out at all if the frames are not heated up first.

 

[DisneyPete]

I used to just wear an old pair of glasses at the water parks until I had kids. Now that they are getting older and often split up I found that I couldn't see them when we were in the pools and that made me very uncomfortable.

So I went the prescription goggle route. For less than a $100 I have great vision and polarized & tinted lenses in a swim goggle I can wear all day and see the kids everywhere.

I got mine at a local optician but you can do a quick Google search for "prescription swim goggles" and a hundred options will show up.

I, and my wife who doesn't have to chase all the kids, give them a big thumbs up!

 

[klahr]

As a glasses wearer I understand the concern. goofy4tink beat me to the punch, get a strap that floats. As a "high speed-low drag" teen that enjoys speed slides and the like, you gotta have a strap that floats. It will save you that frantic (and blind) search after splashdown on a dark slide. It goes with out saying, make sure all screws are tight, and consider super gluing them. A lost lens is almost impossible to recover.

Drew

And they do have prescription goggles; I'm wearing a pair in the picture below.