Over a year and a half ago I was feeling pretty good on my new meds for indolent systemic mastocytosis (SM), so I thought a trip to Disney World would be a wonderful idea for my oldest granddaughter, Mac, who is now nine. We secretly planned the trip for May 2025, and she learned about her surprise on Christmas morning 2024.
We just got home from that trip. This last year has been rough on me, but I found it in me to go. We hit all four theme parks within Disney in four days. It was tough, but I did it.
I learned a few things while I was there that might be useful to anyone with a rare disease who wants to visit Disney.
Preparing for a day at the park
First off: don’t forget your meds. Take them with you if you plan on being in the park in the evening (which you should!). I also took Benadryl with me, and my other antihistamines.
Don’t forget to apply and reapply sunscreen. And now you are ready to head off to the park in the sweltering Florida heat.
Staying comfortable in the sun
I took a personal fan along, and we purchased a misting fan while there. That made a huge difference when sitting in a shady area with no breeze.
I also took a refillable water bottle. Did you know that you can get free ice water at the booths around the park and in the restaurants? They make it so convenient to pour right into your own bottle. You can also enjoy the air conditioning in the restaurants. There are several big enough that you can sit down and cool off without taking away any tables from guests there to eat. I had to do this quite often.
Wear comfortable shoes! And if you plan on doing any of the water rides, wear some that will dry fast and not rub blisters. With all the walking you will be doing, your feet staying comfortable is important.
Powering through to the fireworks
The last thing I needed was sheer will power. It took everything in me to make it. Honestly, if not for the good Lord giving me the strength and determination, I would never have made it. Magic Kingdom was our favorite, and Mac wanted to stay. So, Mimi agreed that we would stay and watch the fireworks while the “adult kids” went back to the resort with her baby sibling.
Before nightfall, we had the best time riding the same rides I rode when I visited Magic Kingdom with my Granny when I was around seven. That was around 50 years ago. We rode the carousel. It was built in 1918 and moved to the park in 1971. Then of course we rode Dumbo the Flying Elephant, and lastly — the spinning teacups.
Here is a hint!! Do not get on the spinning teacups ride with a child who likes to spin. I begged her to stop, which made it even more fun for her to spin us faster. We got off, and that was it for me and riding rides. So, we went shopping instead while waiting for the 9:20 p.m. fireworks show to start.
I was so tired waiting for the show to begin. It was standing room only in the sea of people in front of the castle. But when it started, I was thrilled we stayed. I have never seen anything like it before. The whole castle lit up, and the fireworks were timed with the music being played. If you go to Disney World, do not miss the fireworks. Just be prepared that the wait is terrible. You are already tired and your feet hurt.
Will I go again? I am already planning a trip to Universal Studios, but this time I am going to go in the winter. Florida winters are not cold, but they also are not 100 degrees out, either.
In the end, it was all worth it watching MacKenzie’s face light up and seeing her have so much fun. Through her eyes, it was truly the most magical place on earth.
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