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Magical Planning: Navigating Tube Feeding in Disney World

Writer's picture: Stephanie MattoonStephanie Mattoon

Updated: Feb 12, 2024

Embarking on a magical journey to Disney World is a dream come true for many families, filled with enchanting attractions, vibrant parades, and the joyous laughter of loved ones. For those who navigate the intricacies of enteral feedings, however, the prospect of planning a visit to the beloved theme park might seem daunting.


Luckily, Disney truly has thought of everything!


In this guide, I unveil the secrets to seamlessly incorporating tube feedings into your Disney World adventure. Discover the ease of planning, accessibility, and the enchanting experiences that await families as they navigate the enchanting world of Disney. Welcome to a realm where every magical moment is accessible to all!


Going Through Security

The first thing you'll have to do when going to any of the Disney parks or Disney Springs is to go through security.


Typically, small coolers (24 x 15 x 18) are allowed into Disney parks. Something like this would work. You may need to explain to the security cast member that you are transporting the cooler due to medical necessity. In Animal Kingdom, you will be asked to store hard-sided coolers in lockers near the front of the park.


Glass is not allowed. If you need ice in the cooler, you may not use loose ice. Ice packs are allowed. Or, alternatively, you can put loose ice in a sandwich bag and Disney will consider it an ice pack. Security will need to look inside all bags.


If you or your family member are on the feed and have your pump or other supplies stored in a bag while going through security, security will still need to peek inside the bag.


Guest Services

Your first stop in the parks should be guest services. These are the people who are trained to handle literally everything. They will know the answers to any questions you might have and be able to direct you to any services you may need. If you're concerned about which attractions your family can handle, ask them! Or if you have questions about how a dining reservation will work for your family, they'll have the answers! If you're planning to set up the Disability Access Service (DAS), this is the place to do it.


📷: Kate Etue

One such service is the stroller-as-wheelchair tag. Have you ever wondered why some strollers get to through the queue, but others can't? This is why! If your little one is receiving tube feeds, you would benefit from having your stroller considered a wheelchair. Disney will give you a red tag to put around the handle of your stroller. This red tag will alert cast members to treat your stroller as wheelchair rather than a stroller.


What difference does that make? Instead of being required to leave your stroller out in front of the attraction in stroller parking, subject to elements or being moved around by cast members, you will be allowed to take your stroller through the entire line. Your child will stay with their equipment in their stroller until it is time to get on the ride. The attractions cast members will then move your stroller to the exit. This way, there are always cast member eyes on it, it's a little more protected from the rain or the sun, and it will be right there waiting for you when you get off the ride.


You only need to get this tag once per trip. If you're planning to go to Disney Springs on the first night on your trip, this would be the perfect time to get the tag without having to eat into your park time.


Alternatively, if your enteral feeder is in a wheelchair, the wheelchair will be allowed through the entire queue. Many attractions are wheelchair accessible, meaning that your party member may not have to get out of their chair to ride. It may be possible to ride the attraction while seated in their wheelchair, depending on the attraction.


Transporting Formula and Pumps

If you have a family member receiving tube feeds, you know there's a ton of equipment that goes along with it. Your tubes, pumps, formula, syringes, etc., etc.. So how do you get around a theme park with all of that stuff?


As I'm sure you already know, backpacks are your friend. If you or your family member who is receiving the tube feeds is ambulatory, a backpack may be the perfect place to store all of their supplies.


You are allowed to bring your items on almost every ride. Backpacks must be taken off and placed at the wearer's feet for most rides, so most tubes will still reach. The only ride that does not allow backpacks on the ride is Tron. Tron has lockers in the queue in which you will have to store all loose articles. In this case, you may need to wait until you or your family member is done feeding to ride. Or in the case of continuous feeds, see if the feed can be paused for a short while. If neither of these options work for you, it may still be worth talking to the cast members at the attraction to see if there are alternative options that fit your needs.


If you've designated your stroller as a wheelchair or you are a wheelchair user, you can use your chair to transport your equipment through every line, right up until the ride vehicle. You can attach bags to the handles of standard push wheelchairs. If you have a chair with a basket, you can fill the basket and use carabiners to attach even more to the sides of the basket. If you have a chair with more accoutrements than a standard pushchair, there are always knobs that you can use to hang bags off of. Typically, the head rest comes off too, so you could theoretically loop a bag's handle around the pole for the headrest and pop it back on. Just be careful not to disrupt the center of gravity for the chair, to avoid backwards tipping.


Don't worry about bringing in bottles of water for flushes. Any dining location with a soda fountain will be able to give you cups of water for free upon request.


First Aid/Baby Care Centers

The First Aid and/or Baby Care Centers have additional amenities that may make tube feedings on-the-go a little easier.


There is one First Aid/Baby Care Center in each park.

  • Magic Kingdom: Between Casey's Corner and the Crystal Palace; to the left of Main Street, heading toward Adventureland. It's set back a little bit, so it might be hard to find.

  • Epcot: Behind the Odyssey Restaurant, heading from Test Track towards Mexico.

  • Hollywood Studios: Immediately to the left upon entering the park.

  • Animal Kingdom: To the left of Discovery Island, past Pizzafari and next to Creature Comforts.

The in-park First Aid Centers dispense free sample-size packs of common medications,

including acetaminophen, aspirin, ibuprofen, and aloe vera. The center is manned by a licensed nurse who can advise on injuries and illnesses. Other common medications available include cough drops, bandages, tissues, cold medicine, and electrolyte drinks. The nurse on duty is able to administer an Epi-Pen or assist with sharps as needed. The First aid center can also store and/or refrigerate any medication you may not want or be able to carry around with you.


For feedings and other private medical needs, there are private and semi-private rooms available that include exam tables, IV poles, and sinks. There are also accessible changing areas/restrooms at First Aid.


The Baby Care Centers are fully staffed and totally complimentary to use. They feature private nursing stations, changing rooms, companion restrooms, a kitchen with a microwave and sink, and a main room with TVs and seating. There is also a small shop on site that sells baby care items, including diapers, formula, etc.


Either station should have outlets to allow you to charge pumps as needed.


How it Works in Restaurants

Okay, so you've got your plan for being out and about in the parks, you know what to do or who to talk to about rides, but how does it work for dining?


Like most Disney vacations these days, it's going to involve some pre-planning.


If you or your family member is fully tube-fed, you/they are welcome to join your/their party at a dining reservation. Ensure that the reservation is made including all guests, so that there is room at the table for everyone. If you are calling to make the reservation, note to the cast member that a member of the dining party is tube-fed.

As your travel agent (submit an inquiry here), this is a service I can provide for you. 

If you've made the reservations online, simply ask for a coordinator or manager when you arrive to discuss your party's needs. There is no guarantee that they won't charge for the non-dining patron, but many people have reported that they have not been charged for this. Frequently (but again, not guaranteed) a child aged 9 or under who is NPO or mostly tube-fed will be rung up as an infant/toddler, allowing them to share their parent's meal at no charge. An adult (or a child aged 10 and up) who is tube-fed has reported that they were charged the price of a child's meal.

📷: Heather Straight

If a member of your party is on a modified diet, accommodations can be made. I will have another article out soon about this, which I will link here once it comes out.


Character meals may charge the full price for non-dining patrons, as non-dining patrons are still able to participate in the character portion of the experience.


Quick Service dining locations, which include any dining establishment wherein you go up to a window to order and then go find your own space in which to eat, do not require any modifications for the member of your party who receives enteral feeds.



In general, other things to consider:

  • You may need to give extra flushes with water to ensure your family member is hydrated enough for the Florida heat.

  • You may want to ship some supplies to your resort ahead of time (you are welcome to do this at any Disney resort!).

  • You may feel more comfortable traveling with a certificate of medical necessity from your doctor (but you absolutely do not need it for Disney or TSA; Disney cannot and will not ask for a doctor's note).

  • You may need to work with your hotel staff to ensure you have access to a microwave or freezer if needed.

 

Accessibility is an area of major concern for Disney; they want Disney to be home for everyone, whatever their needs are!


If there is something you need, just ask a cast member! They are knowledgeable and happy to help. If they don't know the answer to your question, they know who to ask to find out. If you have questions or concerns prior to travel, you can reach out to Disney's accessibility team directly at disability.services@disneyparks.com.


If you're looking for help navigating the world of disabilities, accessibility, and Disney, don't panic--I've got your back! When you book with a travel agent like me, you get dedicated support from a travel professional who specializes in all things Disney. You can focus on having fun with your family knowing that you have someone who understands your needs, has planned your trip with them in mind, and can help problem solve if things go wrong.


Best of all, all of my services are 100% FREE to you!


Interested in learning more? Reach out today to get a quote, ask your questions, or chat about all things Disney!



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About Me

Hi! I'm Stephanie Mattoon, and I love to travel! I took my first Disney trip when I was 10 and my first international trip in high school, and have been in love ever since! I'm so thrilled to be able to share my knowledge with you. Feeling the travel bug? As a travel agent, you can get dedicated travel planning services from me - for free! Click the link below to tell me where you want to go!

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