Tips about Health and Magic Kingdom

Magic Kingdom - After my trip to the World last week with my sister, I have a couple tips.

1) A lot of people leave the Magic Kingdom right after Wishes, but if you wait a little bit longer, you'll be treated to a replay of "The Magic, the Memories and You" on certain nights (and not just Extra Magic Hour nights). Best of all, you'll get excellent views during the second show! Last Thursday, Wishes was at 10 p.m. and the park would close at 11 p.m. We stayed around for a while and they announced they would be replaying TMTMAY. Since the Hub was virtually empty at that point, we could just lie down in front of the castle and watch as it was filled with magic all over again. That moment was one of the highlights of our trip!

2) Your writer Jack Spence always says to stop and smell the roses, and we took his advice to heart on this trip. We're glad we did! On Monday during EMH night, we were walking about Frontierland when we noticed the checkers board in front of the Shootin' Arcade. Our initial reaction was to just keep going to the next ride (we can play checkers while at home, right?), but then we decided to pause and play a little. It was so much fun! At one point a cast member stopped by to ask who was winning. In the end I won, and now my sister wants revenge on our next visit. That brief "stop and smell the roses" moment has now turned into a tradition that we'll have to repeat on our next trips to the World. - Patricia Ogura

We bring earplugs with us for use in some of the noisier ride queue areas and the rides themselves (e.g., Test Track, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, Space Mountain), especially for older members with us, and youngsters with sensitive ears. Works great, takes some of the "scare" out of the rides for the younger ones, buffers some of the loud music and sounds. - Mike M.

When I have a few pills to be taken while in the parks, I put them in a contact lens case with screw-on lids. The case is small and fits easily in a zipper pocket or waist pouch. Since the case is made to keep liquid inside, it is also waterproof and keeps pills dry! - Mary Vinson

It has been brought up before about the different trigger smells that affect asthmatics, but no one's mentioned the skunk smell from the ride Journey into Imagination with Figment. I have tried it twice and both times it left me happy that I have my emergency puffer with me at all times. I never really have problems, but this one ride really throws me for a loop. None of the other smells from rides or shows have this affect on me. - Kerry

Toothpicks/dental floss are a must for us. My husband always seems to get something caught in a tooth that ends up bothering him. I get the tiny travel size floss, which is perfect for carrying in my bag in the park. - Sandy

We are from Houston so we are pretty used to the heat, but for our last three trips we've brought cool packs for the back of our necks. You freeze the inserts and can keep extras in a small ice chest in the bottom of the cooler. This year we also got a 12x12 cool pack that we will use behind our one year old's back while she is in the stroller to keep her cool. - Gretchen

Our first trip to Disney my daughter got sick. Medicine in Disney is quite pricey. I always bring medicine with us now for 'just in case' emergencies! - Kelly

After my son's first trip to Disney when he picked up a nasty stomach bug, we've since learned to pack a travel-sized hand sanitizer to carry with us inside the parks. We use it to disinfect hands not only before eating, but also after EVERY encounter with the characters. When you stop to think about all the children who are touching and kissing Mickey, it just makes sense. My son stayed well all the way through the subsequent two visits to Disney. I can't say for sure that's what kept him well, but it certainly couldn't have hurt! - Terri in Bermuda

If you have a personal walker, wheelchair or crutches you are currently using, and you want to rent an electric wheelchair at the theme parks, they will hold your personal devices in the rental area with your name on them, until you return and check your vehicle back in. They also have "courtesy wheelchairs" that you then can use to get to the buses or parking lots. This was good to know, as I was wondering what to do with my mom's walker once we rented an electric scooter. - Amy

At Magic Kingdom, there is a small bench big enough for two kids at the very back of the WDW train, where my kids love sitting. You might have to wait for someone to get off at a stop to get a turn. And, if the cast member/conductor in the back doesn't ask, don't be shy to ask if your child/children can help out by saying, "All aboard!" And then ask for the "Railroad Guest Conductor" card. - Annette Reifsteck-Chalk

If you are planning to rent an ECV and have the use of only one hand, make sure you have a conversation about that when making the reservation. My family rented an ECV for my sister, whose right hand is paralyzed, and it never occurred to me to ask for an ambidextrous ECV. The "forward" mechanism was controlled with the right thumb, requiring her to use a digit on the left to PULL the mechanism toward her while steering. By the end of the trip, her left hand was really ragged! The fellow from the rental company suggested renting a motorized wheelchair powered by a joystick next time, but warned that the company doesn't like to rent them to people who don't already know how to maneuver them, as they are difficult to handle. I'll remember that next time. Nonetheless, the ECV made SO much possible for all of us on this trip. It was well worth the investment, operational difficulties notwithstanding. - Susan Barnaby

To survive large crowds, I suggest that you go out early, at the time the parks open. Bring just a snack for breakfast if you can't manage to get up early enough to eat breakfast at your resort. You then will have 3-4 hours of park time before lunch. Since lunch is when the crowd volume really picks up, this is when you should go back to your resort to refresh and relax by the pool, or you could go shopping. Then go back to a park after you eat dinner. Leave the park before any fireworks shows to avoid long waits at the bus stops. Of course, if you want to experience more, then you will have to get out in the crowds. I've been so many years (at all times of year) and I've learned my lesson. The one thing that will drain your energy and make you more ill and fussy, is fighting a crowd daily. That's no vacation. Find time to rest and relax. - Melody Moore

Magic Kingdom - My son is afraid of fireworks, but we wanted to stay in the Magic Kingdom. A cast member directed us to the Baby Care Center. The walls are soundproof for nursing moms. There was a TV and lots of books to entertain him. My son didn't hear a thing, and the rest of the night was tons of fun! - Mary Locker

When our 6-year-old broke her arm, we thought that swimming would be out of the question, a fact that, when discussed, brought nearly as many tears as the original injury -- until we were told about the waterproof cast materials they have! The office charged us a little out of pocket as insurance doesn't cover this "luxury" item, but it is well worth it. She can shower, wash her hands, and even swim -- something that is a necessity on those hot steamy Florida days! (There are also heavy rubber cast covers that I was investigating prior to finding out about the waterproof casts. My friend has used them and they work very well also.) - Naomi

Magic Kingdom - I read about another reader having problems making reservations for the Harmony Barber Shop. I called 407-WDW-PLAY and the cast member helped me immediately, there was no confusion. She also told me that there are some appointments available BEFORE 9 a.m., some days as early as 8:05 a.m. Might give you a head start on your Magic Kingdom day. - Marianne