FeaturedNewsParks

Cast Members REFUSE to Provide First Aid to Babies at Disney Park

This is truly every parent’s worst nightmare!

For the millions of families that visit Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort every year, safety is the number one concern when it comes to the youngest Guests of the Parks. All that every parent wishes for their child is for them to be safe, and many families expect that a place as established as Disney has a high standard for child safety. However, according to one Guest’s report, that may not be the case.

In a shocking revelation, one Guest reported that Disney’s Cast Members refused to give potentially life-saving care to a child under the age of two. Now, fans and parents are horrified and curious as to what Disney’s protocol really is.

guests visiting disney
Credit: Disney

Does Disney Care for Their Youngest Guests?

This story is every parent’s worst nightmare. One Guest has shared a story that has sent many Disney fans into a shocked state. According to this fan, they were visiting Disneyland Resort when a tragic, heat-related incident occurred for their child.

Right now, Florida and California are in the middle of their summer heat waves. The humid and hot weather there can be potentially very hazardous for Guests, and numerous heat-related incidents are reported all year long. All Guests visiting Orlando, Florida, and Anaheim, California, during this time of the year should be extremely responsible and keep hydrated and cool as much as possible. Unfortunately, for one parent, disaster struck despite their preventative measures. This parent posted the situation, saying;

RELATED: Guest Endangers Children, Jumps Off Popular Disney Ride

peach minnie mouse ears and sweaters
Credit: Disney

“This is long, sorry, but we had an unexpected and really disappointing and scary experience at Disneyland. We were at Disneyland earlier this week for my toddler daughter’s first visit. She had had a cold several days before (daycare, she’s sick more often than not), but it was pretty mild with no fever and mostly just a runny nose. She seemed fine when we left for the park that morning, and I didn’t bring infant tylenol or motrin with us since she didn’t have a fever and I thought we could get some in the park if we really needed it. It was hot and muggy after the tropical storm, and around 4 PM we realized she seemed very hot to the touch and lethargic. We checked her temp and she had a fever of >104, which we think was brought on by the heat. We sought help from a cast member (don’t remember his name, but I flagged him down in Galaxy’s edge at the archway next to Oga’s). He mobilized other CMs to set up a perimeter around us in the shade and bring us ice water to help cool her off while waiting for a nurse to arrive. When the nurse arrived she initially said she couldn’t give us tylenol because they only had the chewable stuff, but that we could go to first aid and sit there in the air conditioning and have more ice to cool her down until one of us could leave to get her tylenol outside the park. On the walk to first aid with the nurse and security CMs though, it seemed like they got a call from management that the first aid station couldn’t treat any children under 2 and we weren’t even allowed to go in there. They then told us the best they could do was have a security CM escort us somewhere with air conditioning and then we could sit in there and try to cool her off. To get her tylenol, one of us would have to walk offsite in the heat to retrieve it from our VRBO or buy it from a pharmacy.

We were able to retrieve tylenol for her eventually, but her fever would spike again any time we brought her out into the heat to transport her somewhere else, which was unavoidable. Long story short, we ended up in the emergency room to have her examined and treated.

I had no idea this was the policy, as even Disneyland’s website page for first aid doesn’t say anything about not treating kids under 2. From my own past experience and what I’ve heard from others, I believed that Disney would provide excellent first aid if we needed it. I guess I was wrong. This really makes me reconsider ever taking a child under 2 to the parks in the future (or at least, I suppose I’ll have to bring my own mobile first aid kit with everything we could possibly need). I really believe if they had just provided us with tylenol or motrin, or if it had been clear ahead of time that they wouldn’t provide tylenol/motrin so I could have known to bring some with us, this wouldn’t have been as serious of an incident.

To the credit of the CMs in Galaxy’s Edge who helped us, especially the first CM I talked to, they did an amazing job of clearing a perimeter around us and checking in on us, and updating us on when the nurse was on her way to us, and I’m so grateful that they were on top of it. It seemed like the problem was a policy from somewhere in management and that the CMs all wanted to help as much as they could, and maybe weren’t even aware of it themselves (which honestly makes me wonder what was going on). I already submitted a complaint about it via the Disneyland website, and I’m not sure what can/will be done at this point, but I’m just super disappointed that this happened.

If anyone has any insight into this policy I’d love to hear it. I’m guessing it’s for some liability reason but I don’t know.”

Apparently Disney doesn't provide full first aid to children under 2
by inDisneyland

A Sobering Reminder

Another Guest provided more insight into this policy, saying;

“A doctor has to approve Tylenol to a child under two. Disneyland was correct that they could not give your child drugs. First aid is not urgent care. The nurse did not have the proper credentials to knowingly give you Tylenol.

Moreover, “don’t bring a sick kid to a theme park” is possibly the most basic parenting advice I can give you. Regardless of their age, or what first aid can do you for you.

Finally, a temp of 104 degrees is a trip to the emergency room. Not a layover at first aid. I’m shocked the staff at the ER didn’t lecture you about this.”

Regardless of your opinion on this story, it is a sad reminder that parents with infants and children under two should be especially cautious of bringing their children to hot, exposed places like Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort.

Despite what you think about Disney’s policy in this situation, it is never a bad idea to be extra cautious about staying cool and hydrated.

Eva Miller

Eva was born and raised in the beautiful state of Oregon but has since relocated and lives in New York City. Since she was young, Eva has loved to perform in musicals, especially Disney ones! Through performing, Disney’s music became the soundtrack of her childhood. Today, Eva loves to write about all the exciting happenings for the Walt Disney Company. In her free time, Eva loves to travel, spend time in nature, and go to Broadway shows. Her favorite Disney movie is 'Lilo and Stitch,' and her favorite Park is Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Related Articles

Back to top button