Lupus and Disneyland

Good for you! I just returned from 2 days at Disney World. It was very warm but I still wore long pants and long sleeved shirts (lightweight cotton), applied a LOT of sunblock and wore a big "Indiana Jones" type hat. Perhaps not the most stylish of fashions but I did not get any burn at all.
That said, it is a lot of activity squeezed into a short time, so do try and pace yourself. Take frequent breaks and go into air conditioned shops, restaurants and rides whenever possible. Drink lots of water and don't be shy about letting the people you are with know when it's time for a rest! That way you can enjoy your vacation and avoid a flare after it's over ( flares often start AFTER the activity is over because we tend to "relax").
Have a great time. Take care!

Oh Disneyland!!!

 

I love it there.  I'm a big kid at heart!  My hubby and I visited L.A for 9 days this past February. We spent a whole day at Disneyland. Like the others said, just pace yourself.  It's good you're going over two days.  You won't have to cram it all into 12 hours.  There's plenty of places to sit and rest in the shade.  Lots of places.  I wore a baseball cap all day and it really helped keep the sun off my head.  Some of the rides will get your a bit wet, so make sure you reapply that sunscreen when you get off those rides!  California Adventure is right there too, and it's neat if you like the thrill rides!! Woo hoo!!!!

Oh, and take the shuttle from the parking lot to the gates.  It's a massively long walk.  You'll be worn out even before you get started if you walk from the car.  The shuttles are free and you never have to wait for one.  Tons of them!! 

Have a super awesome time!  You'll really enjoy it.  I hadn't been there since I was 14 - 20 years ago.  So it seemed all new to me.  It was great!

Hi,  My husband and I just went to Disneyland on Monday.  We are going to Sea World today.  We are celebrating our 30th Anniversary and are staying at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Anaheim.  Disneyland was great.  I only lasted about 6 hours but it was enough.   Someone told us to do this so we did.  We went to the City Hall at the main entrance and told them that I have Lupus.  I told them that I get tired really easy and sometimes can't stand for long periods of time.  They gave me a handicap pass which meant I could go to the handicap entrance for all the rides.  That way sometimes I didn't have to wait that long.  Other rides were quicker to just go the regular way.  But everyone was very helpful and they said that if I need help they would make sure I could get on the rides I wanted.

Anyway just a hint for something to try if you would like to.  Have a great time.  I love Disney.  I grew up in California and it is in my blood.

Mary Ann

Have a great time!!! Yes, do cover up with lots of sunscreen, a hat and you can also carry an umbrella. Mary Ann's idea about a handicap pass is a good one and you could also look into a wheelchair if you find yourself getting really fatigued. Going to Disney is too great of an offer to pass up, just try to pace yourself.

Hi!

I wish I could go with you!! We are tentatively planning on Disney World in Feb. Please consider using a wheelchair if someone could push. My husband got me one "just in case" when he had the opportunity to get a used one. We drove from NY and reminding myself to pace myself and not feel stereotyped to ride in one was so helpful, using one was simply a blessing. And Disney is so disability friendly. I could park it anywhere and the cast members would see it followed me through to the end of the attraction, and I could go farther and play longer since I saved my energy for fun stuff. Get a Birnbaum guide at the bookstore and map out your fun in advance. There is a code for each ride that lets you know the spinning or jerking rating, so I knew which rides I couldn't go on because of my cervical spondylosis, high b/p and ataxia, which are all bad on a good day. The sun is a killer and I am put a tote bag over the handles for my hat, a water bottle, a blanket, sunscreen and always wore long sleeves and pants. We often went to the Character cafe at the Contemporary resort for our breakfast, and stayed at Port Orleans last time. I asked my husband of 35 years if he would marry me again so I could go to Disney on a honeymoon and he said No!, but would go with me in Feb. We are going on Amtrak this time.

Have Fun!

I just wanted to tell everyone thank you.. the advice was great! I will update you on how it goes. Thanks!!

Hi Big,

I just went to Disneyland for the first time in March. I had a blast. My boyfriend took me and I am one who is super sun sensitive and tires easily. We paced ourselves. He had been there prior and knew all plenty of places to hide in the shade. I wore a baseball hat. One thing also is I wore good sun-glasses, awesome sun screen, and we also have purchased me sun protective clothing. I know, sounds like something that would look tacky. But honestly, we went to REI, and I bought it in the kids section. I live in AZ, and my doctor recommended it. Its SPF 50, so I can still wear my cute tank tops, and throw this on over the top with capris or longer shorts and sun screen and protect myself. The best sunscreen I found was Neutrogena with heliocare 85

I hope you have fun, and keep us posted.

Leta