Tips about Health

If renting a scooter (through Disney or off-property) bring your own keychain. I recommend a coil bracelet- type of keychain. That way you can put it on your wrist whenever you park your scooter and you won't lose your key. I bought mine at Wal-Mart (in the jewelry section), but I've also seen them on Amazon.com. Cost is about $2.00. With all the hustle and bustle while on vacation, this prevented my mom from losing her key. - Stephanie Cornell

If you have a handicap tag/placard on your cars at home, and you're planning to rent a car at Disney World, don't forget to bring your tag with you to use on the rental. We were able to park in the VIP parking areas of the parks for free each day, first row if we got there early enough. - Rita Thomason

EDITOR'S NOTE: This tip in AllEars® Issue #889 gave the impression that vehicles using a handicap tag or sticker were granted free theme park parking. While it is true that there is special parking for those with such a hang-tag or sticker, parking is free only to Disney-owned resort guests or annual passholders.

I've taken my son to Walt Disney World twice and we've always used a medical alert bracelet. I'm always afraid someone will say, "Aw, poor lost boy, have a cookie." As he has both peanut and egg allergies, that could be deadly. I got him a bracelet with a train on it, which he thinks is awesome. Not only can he not get it off (I can barely get it off myself), but he loves it. After our last trip, he wore it for two more weeks before he let me take it off. - Shawna

I think most people going into the parks don't realize just how much they walk. I recommend stretching out all your muscles at the end of the day, holding the stretches for 20 seconds. Going hard a full day in Disney could leave you sore, especially if you're not used to walking 5+ miles a day. - Shannon Ashleigh

I think most people going into the parks don't realize just how much they walk. I recommend stretching out all your muscles at the end of the day, holding the stretches for 20 seconds. Going hard a full day in Disney could leave you sore, especially if you're not used to walking 5+ miles a day. - Shannon Ashleigh

If you have dietary concerns, don't assume you know your "safe" foods, especially at buffets. When recently dining at Cape May Cafe for dinner, I told the chef that I had a shellfish allergy. Surprisingly, he warned me not to eat the steamed corn or steamed potatoes -- they are both steamed with shellfish/fish. The chef offered to make them separately for me, saying it would take only 15-20 minutes.

Another time I was unable to have the chicken dish at Yachtsman Steakhouse because it was fried with seafood.

A friend was also at a buffet with an onion allergy and told not to eat the corn as it was steamed in a broth that contained onions.

Better to be safe than sorry! Be sure to tell the hostess, server and if needed, ask for a chef. - Deb Wills

My daughter is severely allergic to some laundry detergents, so much so that she ended up in the ER twice in July covered in hives from head to foot due to allergic reactions when we were on vacation. The first night we were at our Disney hotel last week I noticed her scratching and moving around a lot. I quickly realized the sheets were bothering her, even though we have stayed at Disney on many other occasions without issue. The next morning I went to Guest Services and they were only too happy to change out all the bedding on our beds with items washed in a specialty detergent designed for those with sensitive skin. From then on she slept peacefully and I didn't have to be concerned that this vacation would once again send us to the ER! One more reason to love Disney! - Catherine

Last year we traveled to Walt Disney World and stayed at Bay Lake Tower with a Magic Kingdom view. Our son, who is a veteran and has PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), was especially sensitive to the loud noises and explosions throughout the parks. I never realized how noisy some of the attractions were. We could hear the explosions of the fireworks from our resort hotel. The Indiana Jones Stunt show is another attraction with loud and sudden explosions. These noises that some of us may take for granted can be unsettling for those who have recently experienced combat. - Kim Bieler

For those who use a mobility scooter, pack a BBQ cover. When you need to leave your scooter outside, cover it up and if there is a rain shower you will have a dry seat to come back to. - Cindy Waters-Goodman

We are heading to Disney World for our first trip ever in just a few days. My 9-year-old daughter has Type 1 diabetes and I've used AllEars.Net to research restaurants and menus. I want to pass along something new we just found out from our endocrinologist this morning. Mickey Mouse has a new friend, Coco the Monkey, who's a Type 1 diabetic! My daughter was so excited to hear about this, especially with our upcoming trip... I understand Coco has been a part of the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and carries her diabetic supplies in a backpack, and wears a diabetes bracelet, too. Our doctor gave us a free book about Coco -- ask for one for your child at your doctor's office. Thank you Disney and Lilly Diabetes for bringing this very important issue to the public's attention and making a friend of Mickey's seem as normal as all the kids with diabetes want to be. - Sheila Meyle

For more information: www.diabetesdaily.com/voices/2011/07/meet-coco-1st-disney-character-with-diabetes/

My husband uses an ECV to get around the parks. After several trips to the parks, we came up with an easy way to attach our hotel refillable mugs: a shoestring! Usually the basket in front of the ECV is full of other things, so attaching our cups with a shoestring or cup holder is essential. - Judy Shock

We all remember to notify our credit card companies before we leave home to let them know we will be out of town so we can use those cards. Something I failed to remember, though, was to notify the company that manages my health insurance "Flex Spending" debit/credit card that I would be in Orlando! Of course, the fourth day into our vacation I got sick. My physician called in an antibiotic to Turner Drug (which, by the way, does not accept any form of insurance). Turner Drug would have accepted my flexible spending card, but it was declined since I hadn't updated it with my traveling details. Also, you don't get a traditional receipt that you can turn in for reimbursement -- that fee was charged on my resort bill. I can't imagine trying to recoup that money with a Disney Resort receipt! - Peggie Radke

For all those with peanut and/or tree nut allergies, make sure you have a meal at the Be Our Guest Restaurant (which was breathtaking, by the way). The chef advised us that no nuts are used on premises, and although the bread was made in a facility that may have resulted in cross contamination, ALL of the desserts were safe for those with peanut/tree nut allergies! My son was able to pick his own cupcake for dessert, and I'm not sure who was more excited -- him or me. The chef just had to prepare the cupcake without the garnish, which did not take away from it at all. Not to mention the cupcakes are amazing! I would highly recommend Be Our Guest, as most other sit-down restaurants are only able to offer ice cream without the Mickey sprinkles for dessert! - April Slavin

My family, which includes my 4-year-old son who has a peanut and tree nut allergy, recently visited Disney World. I did my research and contacted the Special Diets and Dietary Needs cast members prior to our visit, I noted his allergy on all of our Advance Dining Reservations (ADRs) and made sure we mentioned it at all quick-service meals. I am happy to say everything went great! The only minor issue we ran into was at all of our ADRs, some type of bread or rolls were served before dinner and if they were not made in the restaurant, there was no guarantee that they didn't contain any nuts or were cross-contaminated in the bakery. It doesn't sound like a huge deal but when you are a hungry kid and everyone else is eating, it is tough. If I had known this in advance, I would have brought some crackers or something for my son to snack on. Also, a lot of the desserts are not made in the restaurants, so we ran into the same concern there. - Stacy Hearn

All Resorts - If you have diabetes, let the cast member know that you will need a special container for used medical supplies when you check in to your hotel. After checking in at Boardwalk, within 10 minutes housekeeping was at our door with a small haz-mat container. One less thing to worry about! - Judy Peek