5. Space in rides can get CRAMPED

Test Track is not a ride you would normally think of as cramped. Under normal conditions, especially when viewed from above, the ride vehicles look downright roomy compared with other Disney rides like Space Mountain or Big Thunder. However, upon boarding Test Track with an injured knee, I discovered quickly that I was very, very wrong in this assumption.

I can’t say what exactly possessed me to think riding Test Track while injured (the Disney shakes?) but loading into the ride proved a uniquely unpleasant experience. One of the nasty side effects of my MCL tear was an inability to fully bend my knee while sitting low. I hadn’t thought this was a problem—during exercises, I could bend it pretty well. However, once I managed to get down into the Test Track vehicle, I realized quickly that I couldn’t actually fit into the ride seat. I am only 5’4” but somehow, my stubborn knee ended up jammed against the seat in front of me.

In my head, I knew they wouldn’t start the ride with me in that state, but in a panic over not wanting to hold up the line, I forced my knee into the necessary bend to fit. This was, needless to say, a painful exercise that made issues worse during the various jostles and turns on the ride. Ultimately, this force of mobility actually ended up helping my recovery in the long run, but it definitely made for a scary and uncomfortable ride experience.

I ran into this issue multiple times at Epcot. On Spaceship Earth, we had enough room that I could sort of angle to the side to fit in the ride seats, but I still couldn’t sit straight. On Living With the Land, fitting my knee into the previously-adequate rectangle of leg space proved an awkward chore. Same thing on the Gran Fiesta tour. In all these situations, I felt like book wedged into a too-skinny spot on a full shelf. If you’ll be visiting Walt Disney World with an injury, you don’t just have to take jostling rides into account. You may run into some limitations due to the size and orientation of ride vehicles as well.

6. First Aid is your friend

I think I write about Walt Disney World First Aid more than I write about Magic Kingdom. Every park at Walt Disney World has a dedicated First Aid station staffed by skilled nurses, and these magical men and women are seriously some of the nicest people you’ll meet in the Most Magical Place on Earth.

If you’re visiting any Disney park with an injury, a half-day stop at First Aid is a good idea. For my own recovery, I usually needed to ice my knee twice a day to reduce pain and minor swelling. Florida’s heat, heavy walking, and the aforementioned Test Track incident did a nasty number on my tendons. A stop at First Aid allowed me some time to take off my knee brace and compression sleeve and apply some ice. The First Aid nurses have great ice pack equipment, so I didn’t have to spend the whole time juggling the thing—they just wrapped it on with mesh tape. My husband and I spent the time relaxing before continuing on our day.

Whether you need ice, OTC painkillers, blister treatments, or just a place to catch your breath and rest your injury, First Aid is an absolute must-stop if you’ll be visiting Walt Disney World injured. They’ll get you in and out with plenty of time to enjoy your day, and they can also call for specialized medical treatment if something goes wrong with your injury.

7. You have to slow down and take breaks

Image: Jett Farrell-Vega (@mykingdomforamouse Instagram)

This isn’t rocket science, but for Disneyphiles who are used to power-walking through intense days of Disney touring, there’s just no getting around the fact that you’ll need to slow down a bit for an injury. While physical activity can be good for recovery from some injuries, you can seriously aggravate others by overdoing it, especially if the wound is fresh. You have to take breaks, more so than you would on an average Disney day.

Even on a normal Disney day, it is usually a good idea to take a mid-day break to avoid the heaviest crowds and hottest hours. This is an especially good strategy if you’re recovering from an injury. If you will be staying at a Disney resort, this is fairly easy, especially since it doesn’t take you too far away from the parks. For our visit, weren’t staying at a resort, so we instead opted to take a rest in the lobby of the Boardwalk Inn instead. Almost any of Disney’s resorts will do in a pinch, as will just about anywhere you can sit down comfortably in air conditioning. Overall, it is probably a good idea to take a more relaxed pace than usual when injured at Disney.