Being Diabetic at Disney

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Last May when I was diagnosed with Type One Diabetes, some of my first thoughts, as an Annual Passholder, was how is this going to affect our Disney trips? Will I be able to bring in all of my medical supplies? How will this look going through security? What if my blood sugar goes low when I’m in line for a ride? Will I still be able to have a churro? During a very overwhelming time, I quickly found comfort in finding out that Disney is so accommodating, supportive, and makes it so easy to go to the parks with Type One Diabetes!

Only two months after the diagnosis, we packed up our bags and headed to our home away from home, Disney, for the Children with Diabetes Friends for Life Conference. At the conference, we learned so much and more about the world of T1D and about the resources to navigate this new adventure, but my favorite nugget of information we found out was that Disney does something called “Disability Access”. Disability Access is actually quite easy to set up for you and your party; you simply ask a Cast Member where you can register for the Disability Access (all parks are in different locations), head to that spot and let them know you need to have Disability Access to your MagicBand, they take your picture, set up your profile, and boom, all set for 60 days and until you have to renew.

Once you’ve set up your MagicBand, utilizing this amazing access is just as easy! You head to an attraction, find either the blue umbrella, or the Cast member doing FastPasses and let them know you need to add this attraction to your Disability Access, they ask how many in the party, and then give you a return time. The return time is typically the duration of the current posted wait time; so let’s say you get to Splash Mountain at 10:30 am and it has a posted wait time of 30 minutes, your return time will be around 11:00 am, or sometimes earlier! I know you may be wondering, can you use this in combination with your FastPasses, and the answer is yes - the Disability Access acts as a “fourth FastPass”.

Throughout this new Diabetic journey and visiting Disney, I have also found security to be a breeze. As you can imagine, in my bag(s) I have to carry a lot – ranging from insulin vials, syringes, needle caps, juice boxes, granola bars, Glucagon, etc. and security is always very respectful when we let them know our bag contains medical supplies. Personally, I wear both a CGM (continuous glucose monitor) and an insulin pump, and neither ever set off the alarm going through the metal detector – much less invasive than the airport, which is a different story!

Luckily at Disney, there are plenty of surfaces (trashcans, rock walls, tables) to “set up camp” for times I may have to do a finger stick or even do a manual injection, and luckily for times like these, all bathrooms have sharps containers. This is great so I am not carrying around a needle cap that may need to be tossed and confusing it for a new one, or so I’m not carrying around bloody alcohol wipes or tossing those in the trash and freaking people out!

A lot of people ask if being diagnosed has changed the way I eat and my diet, the short of the long is yes and no. Can I still eat a Dole Whip or a Mickey Pretzel? Of course. Should I eat a Dole Whip, Mickey Pretzel, Churro, Non-Diet Soda, Popcorn, and more in one sitting? No. Like most things in life I just have to be aware and make smart decisions and know that if my blood sugar starts to go low, I have a plethora of choices to bring me back up!

Almost a year ago, I was so uncertain about where this adventure would take me. It has taken me a lot of places, it has been a major learning curve, but it has not taken me away from my happy place.

Here’s to being diabetic at Disney, many more memories, and many, many more Mickey Ears ice cream bars!

Love and glucose

Nicole (Guest blogger, find more HERE)