Kids aren’t the only ones who get cranky at Disney!
Although, I can usually handle quite a bit of stress before going ballistic, and perhaps most of you can handle the stress as well; but not everyone can, being at Disney with someone who gets super stressed can be a challenge. Knowing what sets them off can sometimes help, but even then, you can’t always prevent or accommodate someone in every situation.
It can happen to anyone, we all have a little Angry Donald Duck in us that sometimes gets out. There are a lot of things going on, a lot of people, and a lot of stressors – crowds, lines, noise, throngs of people, being bumped into by strollers, disappointment of missing a show or ride or character meeting, mix-ups with your reservations, Magic Band hassles, and a lot more. To top it all off, low-blood sugar and being hangry (combination of hungry and angry) can be a problem.
First of all, if a meltdown does happen, try to stay as calm as possible, it’s no use to also get angry. Try to handle the situation logically. For people who don’t like crowds, try to work around it by using the FastPass+ system and reserve your rides in advance. Try to take time away from crowds, less popular rides are great for chilling out, like the Carousel of Progress, the Enchanted Tiki Room, the People Mover, or Tom Sawyer’s Island. Mid-day is a nice time to head back to the hotel and use the pool or take a rest.
I highly recommend checking out the Sorcerer’s of The Magic Kingdom game (see the Firehouse on Mainstreet or podium at the back of the Christmas shop) and also the Pirate Recruitment center to play A Pirate’s Adventure. These are interactive games that allow you to battle villains or find pirate treasure. Avoid peak times and lines when possible.
Extra Magic Hours can be a real boon to those who use it, you can sometimes get many rides and attractions done in much less time. For those who hate noise, be sure to carry earplugs, this will help with fireworks noise and other things than can bother those in your group.
If you are with anyone with special dietary needs or hypoglycemia (low-blood sugar) try to make sure to schedule meals and snacks. It would be great to carry around protein bars, or other appropriate snacks in case of emergency. My husband suffers from bouts of low-blood sugar, and it comes on quite suddenly and it is very difficult to manage when someone is feeling ill.
When staying at Disney, a lot of places close, and there is not many food options after 10pm. If we are staying on property, we have to make sure to bring or buy something to eat for later after the restaurants close.
For a lot of the other things that are out of your control, like reservation problems, Magic Band issues, etc. try to set a good example for others, a lot of times people will feed off each others emotions, if one person gets angry it causes others to be angry as well, if you can manage to play off set backs as being “not a big deal” others should follow.
Hopefully your next trip to Walt Disney World is magical one.
