Accommodations for IBS?

[belkastrelka]

I have had stress/anxiety-induced IBS since I was fourteen years old. Regardless of my diet, I have an “attack” once or twice a week because I am generally a very stressed, anxious person. Try as I might, I’ve never been able to really get it under control. It’s just something I consider a normal part of my life at this point.

I’m taking my first vacation in 11 years and going to WDW for the very first time in September. As excited as I am, I am very nervous about having an attack at the park what I will have to do to accommodate it. My hope is that I am so relaxed and so happy that my attacks also take a vacation, but doubt it. My attacks come on very quickly and need to be relieved as soon as humanly possible because it causes me extreme, borderline-labor-contraction pain. I worry that this will effect waiting in a queue. I feel like the faster I am in and out of attractions, the more likely I will able to use a bathroom urgently if I need to. Or, so I hope…?

My questions to you all are:

1. Do you think WDW would make a disability accommodation for me? If yes, what kind of accommodation? Have you ever had an accommodate like this?

2. If they made an accommodation for me that effected wait times (someone suggested they might choose to give me fast passes?), would they also apply to my travel partner?

3. How easy is it to find a bathroom in WDW? Are they decent?


Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[OurBigTrip]

I have had stress/anxiety-induced IBS since I was fourteen years old. Regardless of my diet, I have an “attack” once or twice a week because I am generally a very stressed, anxious person. Try as I might, I’ve never been able to really get it under control. It’s just something I consider a normal part of my life at this point.

I’m taking my first vacation in 11 years and going to WDW for the very first time in September. As excited as I am, I am very nervous about having an attack at the park what I will have to do to accommodate it. My hope is that I am so relaxed and so happy that my attacks also take a vacation, but doubt it. My attacks come on very quickly and need to be relieved as soon as humanly possible because it causes me extreme, borderline-labor-contraction pain. I worry that this will effect waiting in a queue. I feel like the faster I am in and out of attractions, the more likely I will able to use a bathroom urgently if I need to. Or, so I hope…?

My questions to you all are:

1. Do you think WDW would make a disability accommodation for me? If yes, what kind of accommodation? Have you ever had an accommodate like this?

2. If they made an accommodation for me that effected wait times (someone suggested they might choose to give me fast passes?), would they also apply to my travel partner?

3. How easy is it to find a bathroom in WDW? Are they decent?


Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

DAS (Disability Access Service) is the form of accommodation you would request - you might or might not receive one. You need to be able to explain why you can't wait in a standard line.

The DAS doesn't reduce your wait time, but it allows you to get a return time, based on the wait time minus 10 minutes. You can return anytime after your return time, and enter the FP+ line. While you wait, you can go on other rides, shop, eat, etc. The DAS is good for the holder and up to five other guests.

 

[minnie mum]

Large, multi stall washrooms are plentiful, at all the parks. They are well marked on the park maps.

You might also take steps to maximize your park days and minimize your standby wait times a couple of additional ways. Check out one of the crowd calendars to see which parks are recommended on each of your days. I use easywdw.com. Their most recommended park will usually be the least crowded. And have a touring plan. A good one will arrange attractions to minimize the amount if time spent in long standby queues. Easywdw has cheat sheets which we have found extremely useful. The DAS can be helpful, but it can only be used for attractions that also have FP. You still need a strategy for attractions that don't have these.

And, if course, you will need to be especially conscious of your diet and hydration. You Really need to keep well hydrated.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

I experience IBS symptoms very similar to yours. What I find most helpful is familiarizing myself with the locations of restrooms in the park and using peppermint to alleviate the abdominal cramping. You can get peppermint oil in capsule form, which is often recommended for people wanting to use peppermint to control IBS symptoms, but I find the old-fashioned "Starlite" peppermints to do the trick. I keep my purse or park bag stocked with them and will use them after eating or when feeling stressed since that's when my attacks happen. Sometimes it will completely stop an attack. Other times it just calms the cramping enough to give me time to get to a restroom. I also use imodium at times, but I reserve that for when I'm having extended periods when attacks are happening daily.

I do find that I have fewer attacks when on vacation. Being away from the stress of work and normal everyday life helps tremendously.

 

[tobikaye]

My questions to you all are:
1. Do you think WDW would make a disability accommodation for me? If yes, what kind of accommodation? Have you ever had an accommodate like this?

I had strong IBS issues in my teens through mid-20s and usually I had no more than a 2-5 minute warning. I went to WDW at least 5 times during this time period and never considered getting assistance. I made sure to stay hydrated and stop by a restroom about every 1-2 hours. If my stomach felt off, I headed for a bathroom. I tried not to get into long lines unless I had recently had a bowel movement or not much on my stomach.

I have made the trip at an older age, mid-30's when I was having a strong flair up of IBS and did mostly what I did in my earlier years, but with some adjustments. Mostly, I made sure to eat smaller, lighter meals during the day so I did not have too full of a stomach.

My questions to you all are:
2. If they made an accommodation for me that effected wait times (someone suggested they might choose to give me fast passes?), would they also apply to my travel partner?

I think someone above might have give an overview of the DAS, but here are the basics.
I believe thread explains it it more detail:
http://www.disboards.com/threads/wd...15-digital-das-on-tickets-magicbands.3178976/

My questions to you all are:
3. How easy is it to find a bathroom in WDW? Are they decent?

The bathrooms are usually easy to find and normally pretty well kept. The issue is that some are busier than others so you might have a line when you get to the bathroom. The bathrooms are labelled on the park maps.

 

[LilyWDW]

You may or may not be able to get a DAS. No one here can tell you 100% for sure. You will need to go to guest relations and explain why you are unable to wait in the standard queue. It is also important to remember that even with a DAS there will most likely be a wait of some period as you will then go through the FP+ line. At times this line, when busy, can also be 20 minutes.

 

[gap2368]

I have had stress/anxiety-induced IBS since I was fourteen years old. Regardless of my diet, I have an “attack” once or twice a week because I am generally a very stressed, anxious person. Try as I might, I’ve never been able to really get it under control. It’s just something I consider a normal part of my life at this point.

I’m taking my first vacation in 11 years and going to WDW for the very first time in September. As excited as I am, I am very nervous about having an attack at the park what I will have to do to accommodate it. My hope is that I am so relaxed and so happy that my attacks also take a vacation, but doubt it. My attacks come on very quickly and need to be relieved as soon as humanly possible because it causes me extreme, borderline-labor-contraction pain. I worry that this will effect waiting in a queue. I feel like the faster I am in and out of attractions, the more likely I will able to use a bathroom urgently if I need to. Or, so I hope…?

My questions to you all are:

1. Do you think WDW would make a disability accommodation for me? If yes, what kind of accommodation? Have you ever had an accommodate like this?

2. If they made an accommodation for me that effected wait times (someone suggested they might choose to give me fast passes?), would they also apply to my travel partner?

3. How easy is it to find a bathroom in WDW? Are they decent?


Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

1 they might give you accommodation for this. Disney has something called the DAS, this allows you to go to a ride that has a wait time more then 10 minutes when you go to a ride that has a wait time that is more them 10 minutes they will take the wait time -10 and this is your come back time ( or any time after) you then go through the FP line which in normally 10 minutes.

when you go to GR they will ask you ( or something smiler to) what kinds of accommodation do you need in line?

2 you can have up to 5 people on your DAS card but you as the DAS holder have to go on the ride to use it.

3 there are plenty some are nicer then others when you are a GR ask for a map and a pen to mark the bathroom some CM might be able to tell you what bathrooms are less crowded as they might be a little further

if you do need to leave a line have someone go with you and to talk to the CM at the exit just so they can tell the CM why you had to live the line I have found when I need to leave a line they are willing to give me a FP so when I am able to get back in the line I can. but you have to let a CM know ( they are really good but not mind readers) do not feel bad about leaving a line it happens say excuse me i am sorry you know this goes a long way. if you can rejoin you group in line then do so but just as going out be nice going back in most people have a problem when you have not been in line and join your group but if you have been in line and have to leave then most are fine with this.

book your FP as soon as you can for the must do rides ( your top 3) this will help a lot with wait time. get to the parks at rope drop as most lines are walk on

 

[DisneyOma]

If you can go days and days without an attack, I'd play it by ear. Since you state that you have one or two attacks a week, wouldn't that mean that if you went on a 7 day trip to WDW, you might have only one or two instances during the whole trip where you would have to get out of a queue to use the restroom?

I'd worry more about what to do if a sudden urge came on during an attraction -there are some pretty long ones, and some that you cannot get out of, no matter what. Do not go on Ellen's Energy Adventure, or Living with the Land, etc. Check the WDW website to see how long some attractions are.

 

[TxWriterMama]

Even with a DAS, if you could get one for IBS, the lines are still long on some rides. A DAS works like FP+ so you use the FP+ entrance and then join that herd of people queuing for a ride. In busy times, those waits can be very long, especially at a ride like 7DMT. Getting out of there and to a bathroom is no easy feat. I would suggest going at the least busy time possible, especially late night EMH if they're available, or timing your visit with one of the parties or after hour events. We do this with kiddo because of her issues with lines and crowds. Even with a DAS, it's no cake walk.

And DisneyOma's point about the rides you can't get off of that are long is a good one. On her first IASW ride, kiddo decided to announce 10 seconds into it that she had to pee. >.< That ride is like 10 minutes long! I had to pick her up and RUN to the Rapunzel potties when we got off.

FWIW I also have some serious autoimmune stomach problems of the regular hospitalization type. I make sure to be especially kind to my stomach the week before leave--no gluten, no dairy, no soy, minimal sugar, no nightshades--and I drink a LOT of water. When I'm at WDW, I am very careful with what I eat, avoiding anything and everything that might aggravate my tummy. I also make sure I'm very familiar with all the bathrooms in the parks. By far, AK is the hardest park to navigate when it comes to bathroom issues. They aren't easy to find and are spread out pretty far. MK is a dream when it comes to bathrooms. They're tucked away around every corner basically.

Whatever you do, good luck and I hope you enjoy your trip!