Type 1

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Our Editorials:

Disney Isn't Much Help

An Open Letter to Mickey

Our Disclaimer

Disney is not much help, they need to hEAR from us.

Mickey and his Pals are very little if any help Type 1 guests make a trip possible. What we need most are carb counts. Fear not you can still do it.

I believe it is a Universal given that people don’t know anything about Type 1. (Universal? did I say Universal! Sorry I meant to say, I believe that few in the World know anything about Type 1.) Including how to be helpful. Why should the Mouse be any different?

Disney sells tons of food. Disney has strict quality control. If anyone know what is in the food they sell they could and they should. From my experience, Disney shows little respect for the needs of Type 1 diabetics guests to match the carbohydrate content of the food the eat with measured insulin and that is most probably because they live you co-workers uncles , don’t have a clue.

Disney is GREAT at many things. Carb counting ain't one of them.

McDonalds, Wendy’s, Burger King, Outback and Pizza Hut all can tell you the carb counts of the food they serve. So why can’t Donald Duck, Wendy Darling, Ohanna’s or Pizza Planet? (Well OK as if to be the acceptation that proves the rule, Pizza Planet can if given enough time.) The simple fact is they all can but Disney has not yet chosen to.

They are a pain about carb counts. All you T1 families know the look that asks, "Why are you asking about carb counts? Are you an Atkins freak?"

I have tried to get through to a 'suit' to talk about it since our first diagnosis. I am persistent and motivated. I kept at it off and on for two years.

No luck.

Phone calls went unreturned. I ran into a few people who on an individual level wanted to help and could have helped. Unfortunatly, they asked a boss and had to come back with the official response that is a high and mighty patronizing script telling me about the importance of getting carb counts right and them not getting carb counts wrong and how any estimation one their part is a risk to my kids health ‘cause they may be off a little. It is my responsibility to estimate it right for my kids. Oh and the ever popular (raise you hand if you have heard this one T1 families) info on a few sugar free items.

Fifty odd thousand employees. Ya think someone in management would have a T1 clue.

Well after two years I finally talked to honest to goodness Mickey Disability Executive. He said he had NEVER heard a guest asking about carb counts for a Type 1 diabetes.

No kidding!

Wonder why? Insulated management, unreturned phone calls and sugar free maybe? It turns out he was a very nice, if well isolated guy. He just needs to hear from more T1 families.

So if anyone would like to drop the him a note here's where to send it:

Mr. Mark Jones
Walt Disney World Services for Guests with Disabilities
Box 10000
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830

An Open Letter to Mickey

Dear Mickey;

You do a great job with many disabilities. Maybe you can make the same effort for families with type 1 diabetes.

The thing we need most is counts of carbohydrates in the foods you sell so we can give our kids the amount of insulin they need. We are not crazy Atkins dieters gone wild. It is a Life Safety Issue Mickey.

I spoke with cast member Mark Jones of Walt Disney World Services for Guests with Disabilities. Mark said that he has not heard from guest that diabetes and carb counts is a concern.

Given my experience trying to surface the issue it is no surprise. It took me two years asking who is responsible for disability issues to get through to him. I expect that most folks give up in that time frame.

Here is a quick sample of comments from March 16, '06 on the American Diabetes Association parents forum:

One parent asked:
1) Has anyone visited WDW with their Type 1 child? Any tips? We are *considering* a visit this summer. But yikes, how to do with a 6 yr old with diabetes?
2) Related to question 1. How do you figure out how many carbs are in restaurant meals that you can't find listed in any of the carb guide books?

Another wrote back:
I went to Disney on February this year, 6 months after T1 diagnosis. I was extremely scared dealing with diabetes. Anyway, Disney was very stressful for me but My son loved it.

A third added:
We went to Disney over New Years. Our son is on the pump. Disney is great and very accommodating, but my biggest, really my only, complaint is that they have no carb counts for their food. You can bring in food of course, but at some point you will probably be buying Disney food.

So, on this one day, the idea of going to Disney with a type 1 child brought out the feelings of, “Yikes, Scared, Stressful, no carb counts.”

Some quick facts over 20 million children and adults have diabetes. Of that somewhere between 1 and 2 million are type 1.

One to Two million people who’s family thinks “Yikes, Scared, Stressful, no carb counts” when they consider vacationing at Disney World.

These kids typically do three to five thousand finger sticks, injections and/or infusions a year. That hurts a kid.

Just give us carb counts. It is the right thing to do and you will make more Mickey. Notice the one parent saying they carry in food so they know the carb count? You are loosing food sales Mickey my pal.

What do you say Mickey how about taking some stress, yikes and scared off these families and help make these families Disney Vacation Magic?

Official Disclaimer

Disclaimer (long and winded like all disclaimers, only partly a parody, serious but hopefully funny too.) This site is not and should not be taken as medical advice. It is the miscellaneous ramblings of a Type 1 Diabetic family and their fellow Type 1 family friends. If you or anyone you know is a member of a Type 1 family you know they are amiable but stressed out folks who are happy share there experiences with others who “get it,” a phrase that here means poke, pee, inject, inspect and infuse to insanity. No two situations or diabetics are the same or as I like to say Your Diabetes May Vary. Take what you read here to your endocrinology team and talk it over with them. You, with their, consultation are resposible for your diabetes care. You have our very best wishes for A1Cs just under 7.

We talked to our Endocrinologist about ordering a double burger with an extra bun. Great counter service advice for Disney World. While not a specific Disney with Diabetes tip well worth knowing and telling your Dr. if he is taking his or her family to Disney World too.

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