Disneyland/Theme Park Anxiety

[Nathalie_Rae]

Hi everyone This feels a bit scary to put myself out there but I thought this might be a good place to find some help/someone who can relate.

Last year my finace and I went to DLR after my college gradation. I hadn't been to a Disney Park in 7 years and since then I've developed Generalized Anxiety from various life situations. Anyway, I was so excited for the trip, planned for months, stayed up all night with anticipation. Then when we got to the park, I totally shut down. I think the sounds/sights/stimulation was all so overwhelming...not to mention the major life event of graduating, lack of sleep and 15 hour drive from Portland the day before.

Everything left me a wreck. It was like I suddenly had ride anxiety (never had that before since I was a child). I had a panic attack on Pirates (my favorite) and it took me three times to get on TMR (my other favorite!). On top of it, I have a condition called IBS (look it up if you don't know) that can be triggered by stress. That made it very hard to get on rides when feeling so uncomfortable.

That was over a year ago, and I've been going to counseling regularly and feel like my anxiety levels are generally lower. BUT my trip is coming up in about 3 weeks and I'm getting nervous I might not do well again so I wanted to ask if anyone has experienced theme park/vacation/DLR anxiety and what they do to help. WHEW, that was long. But any feedback would be appreciated

 

[SteveH]

I can't help much but my son has some high anxiety issues. I would recommend getting into your counselor asap and talk through things and see if that helps or make a decision. Wishing you all the best.

 

[Nathalie_Rae]

I can't help much but my son has some high anxiety issues. I would recommend getting into your counselor asap and talk through things and see if that helps or make a decision. Wishing you all the best.

I can't help much but my son has some high anxiety issues. I would recommend getting into your counselor asap and talk through things and see if that helps or make a decision. Wishing you all the best.

Thanks for the reply. I do see her weekly to reduce my general anxiety and it’s been helping. My anxiety really only majorly comes out during situation a out of my routine (like travel, concerts, special events etc). So as much as I practice at home I’m still learning to control it on vacation.

 

[Nathalie_Rae]

I should mention I’m not asking for help with my personal problems with anxiety but rather wanted to see if others had experienced this and how they have been able to deal with it.

 

[FCDub]

No advice, but I hope you're able to have a nice trip!

 

[Niltiac]

My partner has anxiety problems.

Before our first trip I looked at maps and anecdotes, and made myself a mental list of relatively quiet spots in various areas of the park so we could "escape" easily, and she said that made a huge difference. There's a thread here somewhere where a bunch of people listed their favorite quiet spots so I've recently added a lot to my mental list. She can't always think clearly when she's overwhelmed so after it gets to a certain point I just have to take charge and bring her somewhere where she can calm down, or make the call that we need to leave the parks.

A big thing she has to remember is to kind of stop and check in with herself throughout the day. She gets little physical signs that a panic attack is building, but with all the distractions in the parks it's easy to miss them. Things definitely go better if we catch the problem early and take a break before it gets bad.

Another thing to keep in mind is to manage expectations. This is something I actually struggle with more than she does. When we're at the parks, I want to get up and out the door for opening, make good use of time, etc., but all of that isn't worth the risk of triggering her anxiety. When we're running late, or we're missing our FP window because we're not up for it, or things just aren't going how I planned, I really have to remind myself to watch my outward queues and relax a bit because my nervous energy affects her. Otherwise a minor setback will turn into something much bigger. If you're the "go go go" person in your group, these are good things to keep in mind. And if someone else is that person, it would be good to have a conversation about to what extent that stress affects you and how you can avoid escalating your anxiety. For us, it's a lot of back and forth. She needs to let me know when she's starting to feel anxious, and I need to take that seriously and really slow things down until she's doing better.

One last thing is just to be aware of your physical health. On vacation we tend to eat sugary foods, walk around in the sun for hours, and push ourselves into exhaustion without even realizing it. If you're doing well physically you'll be better equipped to handle whatever challenges you face, whether it's anxiety or something else.

 

[Nathalie_Rae]

Another thing to keep in mind is to manage expectations. This is something I actually struggle with more than she does. When we're at the parks, I want to get up and out the door for opening, make good use of time, etc., but all of that isn't worth the risk of triggering her anxiety. When we're running late, or we're missing our FP window because we're not up for it, or things just aren't going how I planned, I really have to remind myself to watch my outward queues and relax a bit because my nervous energy affects her. Otherwise a minor setback will turn into something much bigger. If you're the "go go go" person in your group, these are good things to keep in mind. And if someone else is that person, it would be good to have a conversation about to what extent that stress affects you and how you can avoid escalating your anxiety. For us, it's a lot of back and forth. She needs to let me know when she's starting to feel anxious, and I need to take that seriously and really slow things down until she's doing better.

THIS. This is extremely helpful. I really beat myself up last time which was much worse than any anxiety I had. And it’s funny I’m a “go go go” type of person AND a chill out type of person. I like to slow down when needed and be on the go when needed. My fiancé is super go with the flow, so I’m really my own worst enemy here lol. We planned to spend a few hours our first day just going slow, taking in the details of the park so it’s easier to adjust to it all. Last time we rushed to rope drop and rush on Pirates and BOOM. Panic.

 

[j9isawesome]

I have really bad anxiety and get panic attacks frequently and crowds are one of my biggest triggers. Things that help me- controlling the controllables: memorize the map and park layout, make dining reservations or know where I want to eat in advance, know where the closest bathrooms are, know where the closest quiet/low crowd areas are in case things get too overwhelming. If I feel myself getting frazzled I take a break, I take lots of breaks. Breaks don’t have to even mean leaving the park, it could be finding a quiet place to just sit and refocus or watching the Frozen play, it could be grabbing a yummy snack or drink in a chill bar at DCA or taking a walk through the DL hotel or Downtown Disney just to switch things up and escape the worst of the crowds. I go with trusted friends and family and I let them know in advance that I have health issues that probably won’t but could result in me having to pass on a ride or excuse myself from a line and meet back up in a bit. Chill places to have a break without actually leaving- lower level of hungry bear restaurant, covered seated area next to old motor boat ride and small world, Tom Sawyer/pirates island in DL and in DCA the path next to GRR past the smoking area is still nice, the adventure trail next to it has some chill spots and can be a nice walk, boardwalk pizza and pasta almost always has plenty of empty shady seats and there’s often live music. Everyone is different and I have more issues than just anxiety but getting a DAS really helps me because I really struggle with lines. If lines are an actual trigger/issue for you then you might want to ask at city hall it they think a DAS pass would be helpful/appropriate for you. It would be good to talk to them if you felt up to it anyway because they’re usually happy to mark up a map with quiet “escape” spots and offer other help and suggestions. You and your doctors/counselors are going to know what’s best for your needs but if there are things that help you (like always having water, or keeping snacks on you, or a certain helpful app on your phone, or if you take meds) just make sure you bring that stuff with you either in a bag or in a locker so you don’t have to worry. Like for me for example getting stuck on a ride is a huge fear but if I have my meds and a bottle of water with me at all times then I don’t end up actually needing them and feel fine just knowing that they are there just in case. When Tower of Terror in Euro Disney broke down and I was stuck in the dark with no info in English for ages, having my phone on me and being able to turn on the flashlight really helped me, and a bunch of French kids, get through it. Good luck and I hope you have an amazing trip

 

[Niltiac]

Oh look, apparently I saved the link to that thread about quiet places. Hope this helps.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/where-is-your-favorite-quiet-spot.3640532/

 

[Nathalie Olds]

I have really bad anxiety and get panic attacks frequently and crowds are one of my biggest triggers. Things that help me- controlling the controllables: memorize the map and park layout, make dining reservations or know where I want to eat in advance, know where the closest bathrooms are, know where the closest quiet/low crowd areas are in case things get too overwhelming. If I feel myself getting frazzled I take a break, I take lots of breaks. Breaks don’t have to even mean leaving the park, it could be finding a quiet place to just sit and refocus or watching the Frozen play, it could be grabbing a yummy snack or drink in a chill bar at DCA or taking a walk through the DL hotel or Downtown Disney just to switch things up and escape the worst of the crowds. I go with trusted friends and family and I let them know in advance that I have health issues that probably won’t but could result in me having to pass on a ride or excuse myself from a line and meet back up in a bit. Chill places to have a break without actually leaving- lower level of hungry bear restaurant, covered seated area next to old motor boat ride and small world, Tom Sawyer/pirates island in DL and in DCA the path next to GRR past the smoking area is still nice, the adventure trail next to it has some chill spots and can be a nice walk, boardwalk pizza and pasta almost always has plenty of empty shady seats and there’s often live music. Everyone is different and I have more issues than just anxiety but getting a DAS really helps me because I really struggle with lines. If lines are an actual trigger/issue for you then you might want to ask at city hall it they think a DAS pass would be helpful/appropriate for you. It would be good to talk to them if you felt up to it anyway because they’re usually happy to mark up a map with quiet “escape” spots and offer other help and suggestions. You and your doctors/counselors are going to know what’s best for your needs but if there are things that help you (like always having water, or keeping snacks on you, or a certain helpful app on your phone, or if you take meds) just make sure you bring that stuff with you either in a bag or in a locker so you don’t have to worry. Like for me for example getting stuck on a ride is a huge fear but if I have my meds and a bottle of water with me at all times then I don’t end up actually needing them and feel fine just knowing that they are there just in case. When Tower of Terror in Euro Disney broke down and I was stuck in the dark with no info in English for ages, having my phone on me and being able to turn on the flashlight really helped me, and a bunch of French kids, get through it. Good luck and I hope you have an amazing trip

Thank you so much for sharing!!! This is very helpful. And I love the tip about having snacks/water. I AAALLLWAYYSS seem to be reaching for water or anything to drink when I'm having anxiety. I swear an ice hold water or really hot tea is like a huge anxiety relief for me. Also love the idea of going to the DL hotel to walk around as a break. Sometimes I feel like I can't be in the crowd/on a ride but I want to be doing SOMETHING, not just sitting around so this is a great piece of advice.

 

[Niltiac]

THIS. This is extremely helpful. I really beat myself up last time which was much worse than any anxiety I had. And it’s funny I’m a “go go go” type of person AND a chill out type of person. I like to slow down when needed and be on the go when needed. My fiancé is super go with the flow, so I’m really my own worst enemy here lol. We planned to spend a few hours our first day just going slow, taking in the details of the park so it’s easier to adjust to it all. Last time we rushed to rope drop and rush on Pirates and BOOM. Panic.

It really is a challenge to slow down when you're excited to be there. I'm not very good at it. Sometimes I feel oddly guilty, like we spent money to be here and we're "supposed" to be doing lots of stuff, not just sitting and watching the ducks. When I want to "go go go" but I know we need to slow down and take a break, sometimes I distract myself with a book so I'm not just sitting there thinking about all the things we're not doing.

 

[figment_jii]

My friend's son has issues with over-stimulation, so they take some earplugs for him to put on to help reduce some of the noise level in theme parks.

 

[Erin M]

I tend to get anxious about new situations and sometimes that is exacerbated by being with people who are seemingly unaffected. I start to feel more separate because they seem to be just fine, if that makes sense. When that happens my enjoyment level drops significantly and it's harder to pull myself out of that anxiety, overthinking place. I have not had this happen at Disneyland but I have had this at airports and other places where chaos catches me off guard or I'm running late and then my plan is out the window and I can't get it all back together quick enough. I like to catastrophize those situations which then makes anxiety worse. I have learned the best thing for me is to sit down and make a list of either a new time schedule or of things that went well. If this were to happen at Disneyland I'd probably seek out a spot in counter service restaurant that isn't all that busy, or maybe even a bench over near Critter Country, or back where Star Wars entry will be. Those spots typically have less people. Then I have some quieter head space to make my list of good things, I only need a few of these good things to get me into a place where I can rework my schedule. If I had the time for a sit down meal that would ideal, even slowing down to chew my food and slowly sip a drink. This process for me is almost like a reset. I take my little notebook with me everywhere because of this.

This is harder when I'm with people who don't get it. Which to some extent is my DH, I don't think he will ever really understand my social anxiety and sometimes near panic attacks. That said, I can tell someone I need a quiet spot for a snack or to people watch and they seem to think that's ok/normal and I don't have to explain myself.


I hope you have a great trip. Remember that it's okay to take care of yourself. And you never have to explain yourself. Disney magic can be a corn dog on a bench, not just a loud and fast ride.

Also, hello from PDX! Always fun to see a fellow Portlander here!

 

[chickapin parterre]

2007 I traveled with a girlfriend with high anxiety...here level of anxiety of " what is next around the corner" that she closed her eyes on I-405 as we neared the tunnel and heading south on I-5 when we had be on the lower deck on that stretch and under the Fremont, though she loved the top of the Fremont. Plus she had carnival ride anxiety as her cruel father really made those situations disastrous.

at the age of 42, Disneyland was her first theme park/carnival event that she had avoided due to anxiety

Knowing of her anxiety, but unaware of Her triggers, were dark drops, like splash, the first attraction we boarded, after that, all dark rides were off limits. unruly children, swinging on the chains, kicking, bumping. It took several trips on the train to bring her focus back to the safety, beauty and pleasure of theme park attraction.

another fault of mine that didn't help was my pressure on her to be at the gate EARLY...I wouldn't do that again on a re-start.

What also helped her was arriving a day early to Disneyland and using that time to explore DTD during daylight and dark, to ride the tram from the parking lot back and forth and to walk the crowded sidewalks and to rest outside of Disneyland.

so, if I was to re-start that trip, I would walk up to the train station on the first morning, find a bench, point out the landmarks, board the train, with its dark tunnels and then depart and set up a game plan.

 

[MrsD.Duck]

I don't have anxiety issues, but have done the drive from Eugene, don't drive straight thru, spend the night somewhere around Buttonwillow then leave early around 5:30 so you don't have to deal with L.A. traffic. Once in the park we usually have no plan, just a go with the flow and lots of snack breaks in quiet places we even got on the train and rode it around the park about 5 times.

 

[alvernon90]

Note that recreational marijuana is now legal in California and can be purchased close to DLR. Some edibles might help you feel more calm while preserving that "excited to be here" feeling.

 

[Nathalie Olds]

I tend to get anxious about new situations and sometimes that is exacerbated by being with people who are seemingly unaffected. I start to feel more separate because they seem to be just fine, if that makes sense. When that happens my enjoyment level drops significantly and it's harder to pull myself out of that anxiety, overthinking place. I have not had this happen at Disneyland but I have had this at airports and other places where chaos catches me off guard or I'm running late and then my plan is out the window and I can't get it all back together quick enough. I like to catastrophize those situations which then makes anxiety worse. I have learned the best thing for me is to sit down and make a list of either a new time schedule or of things that went well. If this were to happen at Disneyland I'd probably seek out a spot in counter service restaurant that isn't all that busy, or maybe even a bench over near Critter Country, or back where Star Wars entry will be. Those spots typically have less people. Then I have some quieter head space to make my list of good things, I only need a few of these good things to get me into a place where I can rework my schedule. If I had the time for a sit down meal that would ideal, even slowing down to chew my food and slowly sip a drink. This process for me is almost like a reset. I take my little notebook with me everywhere because of this.

This is harder when I'm with people who don't get it. Which to some extent is my DH, I don't think he will ever really understand my social anxiety and sometimes near panic attacks. That said, I can tell someone I need a quiet spot for a snack or to people watch and they seem to think that's ok/normal and I don't have to explain myself.


I hope you have a great trip. Remember that it's okay to take care of yourself. And you never have to explain yourself. Disney magic can be a corn dog on a bench, not just a loud and fast ride.

Also, hello from PDX! Always fun to see a fellow Portlander here!

I totally understand, 100%! I feel unattached sometimes too because my finace doesn't quite get it either. Hes just like, bouncing off the walls excited about rides while I'm trying not to panic! lol. Thank you for the tips on Critter Country. I have always found that area very calming

 

[Nathalie Olds]

I don't have anxiety issues, but have done the drive from Eugene, don't drive straight thru, spend the night somewhere around Buttonwillow then leave early around 5:30 so you don't have to deal with L.A. traffic. Once in the park we usually have no plan, just a go with the flow and lots of snack breaks in quiet places we even got on the train and rode it around the park about 5 times.

Yes we are taking two days to drive this time! Soooo not worth doing it in one day. 16 hours in the car will start to mess with ya

 

[DizMe]

My daughter has anxiety issues (Asperger's). I don't know if any of this will help you, but here are some things we learned from taking her to DLR, starting at age 4 (she is 18 now and is good on her own with coping mechanisms).

*She has sensory issues so we were nervous about the loud music, flashing lights etc. However, they did not seem to over trigger her with the following exceptions: 1. Bathrooms. Crowded, loud, and self-flushing toilets. We tried to use bathrooms at the hotels or other more out-of-the-way areas. 2. Fireworks. This was an absolute NO for her so we went elsewhere once we discovered it. 3. Fantasmic (specifically, the cannon blast)--same as for fireworks. 4. People/children not doing what the CMs and signs said to do. This is not very easy to deal with other than distracting attention away from it.

*DD figured out her own methods for dealing with anxiety, but it wasn't always ideal. She chewed on her sweatshirt sleeve until it was sopping wet and was beginning to get a hole so we bought her a rubber thingy (safe to chew on) that we attached to the zipper. For an adult, maybe something you could chew on, like gum, might help? She has stimming behaviors like hand flapping and stepping patterns. In DLR, she would follow patterns in the concrete, brick, tile, or whatever. She would have to step in a certain pattern based on the layout and design on the ground. I am guessing that helped soothe her need for pattern and routine, so maybe you could try to find something that provides some kind of soothing mechanism to your anxiety triggers. I have no idea what that might be for you, but for me, I tend to count things or look for patterns or colors. I might study the designs on buildings, fences, etc.

*We used a lot of breaks and found quiet places, as others have mentioned. The GCH lobby was nice; we also liked snack breaks and less crowded areas of the parks. She liked dark rides, walking through the castle, watching the swans, visiting the wishing well, and things like that. The far eating area at Hungy Bear was usually a good place to sit for a while.

*Oddly enough, she was not anxious about the coaster rides, splash, etc. I think it was because she didn't think about things that could go wrong like an adult does. She hated the non-face characters! She was very afraid of them (Goofy, Mickey, etc). She ADORED the princesses, though, and was completely obsessed, so we did a lot of things that centered around them, but she didn't like it if there was a male with them, like a prince. She tolerated Peter Pan but she preferred Wendy and when we took her picture once, she made Peter Pan stand behind her and Wendy by about 10 feet I am throwing this in but I don't know how it could help LOL.

I'm sorry you've had these issues but I think you can come up with ways to deal with your anxiety so that you can enjoy DLR. I have my own issues (don't like crowds, have serious sensory problems) but the magic of DLR makes them much less of a problem for me than in the everyday world. Maybe part of that is because it is contained in that given space and I know I can get out of it.

 

[chickapin parterre]

Yes we are taking two days to drive this time! Soooo not worth doing it in one day. 16 hours in the car will start to mess with ya

so if you are not traveling on a Saturday or Sunday, then on day one you will want to think of an overnight north of Sacramento but close enough so that you can travel thru Sacramento before 6am or after 9am. As an Oregonian , there is nothing like I-5 Sacramento at high volumes of traffic and though it defies all lessons of driving staying left on the thru traffic is good.