Tips for Taking Your Heat Sensitive Child to Disneyland

Going to Disneyland is a lot of fun for most children. However, for children who have special health concerns, there are aspects of a trip to Disneyland that can be somewhat challenging. One of these health concerns is sensitivity to heat. Many children are highly sensitive to heat, and can suffer from heat related illness much faster than most other children their ages. Heat related illness can be dramatic and they can include headaches, nausea, vomiting and even loss of consciousness. If you have a child who is highly sensitive to the heat, the following tips for taking them to Disneyland may be helpful to you.

Try to visit Disneyland during cooler months - Obviously, the best way to avoid heat related illness in your child who is highly sensitive to the heat, is to visit Disneyland during cooler times of the year. This strategy makes it unnecessary to prepare for heat related issues.

Spend as little time in lines as possible - Nearly all rides at Disneyland have portions of the line queue set up outdoors. This can be really tough on children who are highly sensitive to heat. Most days at Disneyland are sunny, so even during cooler months a child who is highly sensitive to heat can get too warm standing outdoors in line for a Disneyland ride. The best strategy is to try to spend as little time in line as possible. You can encounter far shorter lines if you can be at the gate when Disneyland opens in the morning. Not only will it be cooler at this time, but it will be a couple of hours before the park gets really crowded, so you will have time to get onto several rides without standing in hot lines. Another way to avoid standing in long lines at Disneyland is to purchase a subscription to RideMax. This program will design an itinerary for you, based on rides you want to go on during your visit, that gets you to certain attractions at the times when their lines are at their shortest. At just $15 for a three month subscription, RideMax is an affordable strategy for just about everyone.

Utilize simple ways to keep your child cool enough to avoid illness - Small things can go a long way in keeping your child feeling well, even if you have no choice but to visit Disneyland during a hot day. Use sunhats and sunglasses, and don't forget sunblock. Keep water handy at all times to ensure adequate hydration. You may want to purchase a handheld personal mister for your child, as well. We have a child who is overly sensitive to heat, and one of the best ways we have found to keep him cool enough to stay comfortable and avoid heat related illness, is to simply take off his t-shirt, soak it in a sink or water fountain, and then put it back on him. This doesn't seem strange at Disneyland because lots of people walk around soaked from water rides.

If your child seems to be experiencing heat related illness while at Disneyland, get them cooled off as quickly as possible by taking them into an air conditioned shop or store. Heat related illness escalates quickly, and can go from just simple nausea to loss of consciousness in just a few minutes. If you need further assistance, tell an employee inside the store, who can call the first aid station for help.