Disney with Diabetes
Me again!
Time to talk a bit more about my FAVORITE PLACE EVER...Disney.
Disney with diabetes can be very frightening if you are not informed. Thousands, even millions, of people visit Disney parks daily. In order to get your money’s worth, you have to be prepared. However, if you are like me, and living with Type 1 Diabetes, you have to be ULTRA prepared. Sugary foods and miles of walking can lead to some pretty unideal situations for a PWD (Person with Diabetes). After countless trips and an entire semester spent working for The Walt Disney Company in The Disney College Program, I feel I have mastered Disney with diabetes.
It’s no secret that Disney is a huge part of who I am. If you know me personally, you know that I spend far too much money on Disney merchandise. Even if you don’t know me personally, it is extremely evident on my social media that I travel to Walt Disney World every chance I get. My love for Disney began at a very young age, but my obsession didn’t begin until post-Type 1 diagnosis.
During my first trip back to Disney after being diagnosed, I learned about a service that Disney offered for people who had disabilities. The DAS (Disability Access Service) is a wonderful tool that Disney offers to guests who may have difficulty waiting in line. So, you may ask yourself, “How is this relevant to a PWD?” Well, many people aren’t aware that T1D (Type 1 Diabetes) is actually is a disability.
NEWS FLASH: Type 1 Diabetes SIGNIFICANTLY alters my quality of life AND regularly limits my day to day activities.
That being said, the DAS is relevant to someone like me, a PWD, because prior to receiving this service, I had to leave my place in line in order to correct an out of range blood sugar. You might think that doesn’t sound like that big of a deal...a Disney Cast Member will totally let you back in line after, right? Wrong. Yes, Disney Cast Members are fabulous and most of the time they are extremely accommodating. However, it takes time to correct an out of range blood sugar. It’s not like I just take a few sips of a sprite or a shot of insulin and I am good to go. This can cause my party to have to ride without me or lose their spot all together… thus causing a CM to question where we were in line or prohibit us from riding in general (If, for instance, the park was closing or we had to rush to a reservation).
The DAS changes all of that.
With the DAS I can sign up for a return time for myself and my party and then return to the ride’s fast pass line. The beauty in this is that if my blood sugar is messed up, I don’t have to ride the ride immediately. I can wait and ride once I feel “normal” again, as can my party.
This service truly makes my Disney vacation magical Every. Single. Time.
Disney is the one place where I get to feel like I am not a burden. In fact, my family and friends are usually pretty happy to come with me because they aren’t standing in line for hours on hours. It’s nice that in a world where T1D seems to limit life activities and cause stress or anxiety on a daily basis, there is a place to go where you can truly have fun and live life worry free.
Worried about healthy options as a PWD? Fear not. Disney has healthy eating down pact. Yes, there are many sugary, delicious items served in Disney Parks. However, every restaurant and nearly every snack cart, has some sort of healthy option...and they’re GOOD. I can’t say that I am always looking for a healthy option (Ya gotta live a little, even as a PWD *wink*), but anytime I have looked, I have been pleasantly surprised.
Those out of range blood sugars I was talking about earlier? Yeah, they aren’t my favorite thing to deal with when I’m focused on fun, but I can say without hesitation that every time I have experienced a rough low or high in the parks, Disney Cast Members have gone out of their way to get me anything I need and keep me in the shade until I feel better. They do this because they care. Disney cares.
I say all of this to say, Disney with diabetes is totally manageable and WORTH IT. I urge families with diabetes to try Disney for their next vacation (my preference being Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL). You won’t regret it. In fact, you just might end up like me...going every chance you get.
XOXO,
Teg
“Life is composed of lights and shadows, and we would be untruthful, insincere, and saccharine if we tried to pretend there were no shadows. “ - Walt Disney