When Your Health Takes a Vacation…Without You

Annette Miller4.30.19You have likely spent months planning every detail of your vacation and envisioning all the fun that your family will experience. In all that time, I bet you never imagined that someone would experience a health problem. They are, thankfully, rare – but they can happen. Here are some tips to help you get through these challenges if they should sneak into your vacation.

1. Prevention and preparation. Some health-related issues can be prevented. If you have regular prescriptions, make sure that you bring them with you in their original packaging. The Parks can also take a lot out of the healthiest among us. I always start taking vitamin C about a week before the start of my vacation to help boost my immunity. I also take a refillable water bottle and powdered sports drinks with me into the Parks to make sure I stay well-hydrated.

2. Seek help early. If you begin to feel unwell, chat with the closest Cast Member about it. They can direct you to First Aid, provide tips (such as learning that restrooms are the coolest location in any of the Parks, so they can help you minimize the impact of too much sun), or call for assistance.

3. First Aid. Every Park has a First Aid station where you can be treated for any minor problems or accessed to determine if you need additional treatment. The Cast Members are friendly, knowledgeable, and efficient. (They want you to get back to the fun of your vacation as much as you do.)

4. If you are traveling with children, try to remove them from the situation if possible. Send them with another adult to enjoy a ride or snack while you seek care. If this is not possible, ask Cast Members to distract them. (They asked my son for vital information about the patient and where we were staying, then kept him talking about what he had experienced so far and what he still hoped to do.)

5. If your health concern is more than First Aid can handle or happens in a different part of the Park, Cast Members will gladly call the paramedics for you. There is no charge for them to come out and assess you and no charge for transportation to the hospital, should that be necessary. In fact, they won’t even ask for your insurance information.
6. Yes, plural. There are four different medical centers located throughout the Walt Disney World property. Whether you are driving yourself or being transported, there will be a location close to you. (Be sure to check out my blog post about our recent visit to Celebration Health for more detailed information on this.) Each of the First Aid locations and the front desk at your hotel will have a brochure showing a map of the different locations.

7. If you need to have a prescription filled, there are a few options available. You can either find a pharmacy and go there to have it filled, or you can ask the front desk to help you place an order with Turner Drugs. Turner is a local pharmacy that will deliver to your hotel. They will also deliver over-the-counter medications and cases of bottled water. There is a small delivery fee, so take advantage and request whatever you might need. Be aware that they do not accept insurance, but they will help you with reimbursement forms you can submit once you return home.

If you have questions about health-related challenges, please feel free to reach out to me. I have experienced a variety (either personally or with members of my travel party) and am happy to share those experiences to help improve your vacation. I can be reached by email at annette@wishesfamilytravel.com or by phone/text at 734-730-3869.I wish you happy, healthy travels!