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You get sick or injured

I hope for your sake that this never comes up. For my family, it happens about every other vacation. The most recent examples are my wife spending three days being nauseous in the room at Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort as Cinderella Castle taunted me off in the distance and…okay, this next one sounds crazy. We recently vacationed with my older brother. Seven days before the trip, he had his appendix removed after it almost burst on him. He still went to Disney. I was equally parts in awe of him and terrified on his behalf.

Convalescing at a Disney park doesn’t sound like fun. People still do it all the time, though. And it usually turns out better than you’d expect. One of the things that theme park tourists know about Disney campuses is that entertainment options abound. When you’re sick and stuck in a certain area, you’ll open your mind to possibilities that you wouldn’t have considered otherwise. In fact, this is an area where Disney absolutely crushes Universal Studios.

On that same trip, my wife was also sick when we were staying at Hard Rock Hotel. There was virtually nothing for me to do while she slept. I spent part of that vacation watching music videos from the 1980s and 1990s. I can do that on YouTube at home…but I don’t because that’s not much fun. Meanwhile, the constant thrumming of rock music pumped through the walls of the hotel (seriously) magnified the throbbing of her headache. We haven’t been in a hurry to go back to the signature hotel at Universal Resort Orlando for that reason.

At Disney, I had plenty of shopping options at the Contemporary and also got a history lesson in Disney artist Mary Blair, whose mural anchors the monorail level of the hotel. My wife was able to accompany me for part of this sightseeing adventure and then slept while I did the rest. It certainly wasn’t an ideal situation, but it gave us a chance to do some things at Walt Disney World that we never would have done otherwise.

My brother couldn’t get in a pool or ride anything made for people over the age of five, but he could still watch all of the Disney shows and attractions. That covers a lot of great stuff that people have a tendency to ignore otherwise such as Frozen Sing-a-Long Celebration, Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage, Festival of the Lion King, and Voyage of the Little Mermaid. All of them are wonderful exhibitions that people generally skip since the exhibitions are time burglars. When you’re ill but dead set on going to the parks, these are the perfect options. You’re admiring Disney storytelling along with some impressive cast member performances and Imagineering tricks, but you’re not taxing your body when you’re less than 100 percent.

Plus, Channel 75 on Disney’s cable service broadcasts Japanese game shows. Those definitely beat music videos from no longer relevant musical acts. It’s a great emergency entertainment option for us. Your mileage may vary.

Your luggage is lost

Image: DisneyEek! This one isn’t good. Even if you have all your money, credit cards, and personal identification on your person, you’re still left with only the clothes on your back. That won’t help you tomorrow, and it won’t even help you today if things go wrong on Kali River Rapids or Splash Mountain. You go through a lot of clothes during a theme park vacation. You need your luggage.

While lost luggage is at historic lows these days, 6.5 out of every 1,000 travelers are unlucky. Here are some tips on what to do if you’re worried about lost luggage or, heaven forbid, it happens to you. First, you want to break out your smartphone. Take pictures of your luggage, including all applicable bar codes. When airport official adds a tag to your baggage, take a picture. That way, you’ll be able to help them search for your items more efficiently. If something gets lost, you have a tracking number you can give them. While you’re at it, you should also take pictures of all the items you’re packing. That way, if the worst does happen, you can prove what you’ve lost.

If your luggage gets lost, you need to contact the airport immediately. You should start a claim. Provide all the information mentioned above to expedite the process. If you’re using Magical Express, you should contact bell services at your Disney hotel, too. If they don’t have your bags, contact the front desk. Report everything that you know. Disney has an exceptional luggage tracking system and may find your bags quickly. If not, Disney will take care of you. They have the same liability coverage as most major airlines. In the short term, you’ll wind up wearing a lot of Disney clothing during the early portion of your trip. And, if you’re anything like my family, you were going to do that anyway.

 
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