We don’t know about you, but we get SO excited when we’re planning for an upcoming Disney World trip! Just thinking about all of the food, rides, and entertainment we’re about to enjoy gets us so hyped up.

But, there are also some not-so-great things that can happen to you when you’re on your Disney World vacation. Planning ahead of time can help you avoid many stressful situations, but there are still issues that could happen during your trip. So, let’s talk about the most stressful situations in Disney World, and how you can fix them!

Car Troubles

Car issues can be SUCH a hassle, especially in Disney World when you’re trying to get to places! One issue we know that people run into is not being able to find your car in the giant Disney World parking lots. They’re HUGE! It’s so easy to forget where you parked at 8AM after being in the parks for over 12 hours.

So, if this happens to you, don’t worry! You can simply find a Cast Member and tell them around what time you got there and parked. Then, they can radio the office, where they keep a log of the times they were parking which rows, so it will at least give you a general area where you can look for your car!

Another car issue that can happen is having your car not start. It’s such a bad feeling to get back to your car after being in the parks for a long day and it not starting, especially if you’re just trying to get home to your bed or back to your hotel room. Luckily, there is a solution for this, too! Wave down parking lot security and they will be able to assist you with getting the help and supplies you need to jump start your car. 

To avoid both of these situations as much as you can, make sure to take a picture of where you parked, including the section and the row, or write it down in your notes app. You can even text it to others in your group in case your phone dies! As for your car dying, we know that is a bit harder to control, but always double check that you don’t leave any lights on or anything when you park your car.

Losing Something

Losing a pair of Minnie ears or a new Pluto plush is super sad, for sure — but losing something really important like your wallet or your phone is next level stressful! If this happens to you in Disney World, the first thing you should do is retrace your steps and go back to the last place you know you had the item. Ask Cast Members around the area if they saw what you lost or if anyone has turned in anything. If you lose something while on a ride, ask the Cast Members at the end of the attraction if anything has been turned in.

If you still can’t find your lost item, go to Guest Relations! There is a lost and found at Guest Relations in every park and in most of the hotels. In addition to this, you can also fill out a lost and found form online that will help Disney track down your item. You can find out more about where all of the lost and found locations are and the form to fill out right here.

If you lose your wallet with your ID inside and can’t find it before you have to leave Disney World (for example, if you have a flight to catch), Disney can still help. A Cast Member can assist you in filing a police report with Orange County, Florida about a stolen or lost ID.

Losing Someone

Losing something important is stressful, but losing SOMEONE is downright terrifying. Parents and kids can get separated in the parks, so be aware on what you can do to prevent this or quickly find who you’re looking for. The first thing you should do as a a preventative measure is introduce your kids to Cast Members and show them what they look like. Point out their special nametags so they can make sure they know how to find a Cast Member if they get lost. Emphasize to your kids to find a Cast Member as soon as possible if they get lost.

If you get separated from your child, find a Cast Member immediately, and stay in the area, especially if you’re alone. Your child will most likely still be in the vicinity so you don’t want to run off to look for them and end up getting even further away. Give the Cast Member a description of your child and what they are wearing. They will notify their supervisor and security ASAP. Once they have enough details, they will report the missing kid’s description to the central communication center so all Cast Members can be on the lookout.

Cast Members will keep kids in the area where they found them for a little while. After that, they’ll escort them to either the park’s Baby Care Center (if they’re under 10 years old) or Guest Relations (if they’re over 10 years old). Cast Members are trained to know what to do in these situations AND how to keep kids calm in these situations. Trust that they know what to do and are there to help you!

Other things you can do to prevent this from happening are to make sure your child knows your cell phone number or to get temporary tattoos to put on them that have your cell phone number. You can find them for $5 on Amazon.com! It’s also good to make a game plan with your kiddos on where to meet if you get separated. And, take a picture each day of your kids and what they’re wearing so you have the most accurate photos and descriptions available to help Cast Members find them if they get lost.

Click here to learn more about what to do if you get separated from your child in Disney World

Getting Sick or Injured

If you are having a medical emergency in Disney World, find a Cast Member right away. They are all trained to help you. They also can communicate with 911 more efficiently because they know all of the correct information about where you are in the parks.

If it is not an emergency, go to the First Aid centers! Here’s where you can find them:

• In Magic Kingdom — First Aid is located between The Crystal Palace and Casey’s Corner, as you’re walking towards Adventureland.
• In EPCOT — First Aid is located in the Odyssey Center between Future World and the World Showcase, near the Mexico Pavilion.
• In Hollywood Studios — First Aid is located in the guest relations building on Hollywood Boulevard, right near the park entrance.
• In Animal Kingdom — First Aid is located in Discovery Island right next to Creature Comforts.

These First Aid centers can help you with many minor issues like headaches, scrapes, and more. They are equipped with sample sizes of all kinds of common medication, and it’s FREE! But, keep in mind that the medications they carry are standard basics, like antacids, pain relievers, etc. If you need more specialized meds, you’ll be directed to a gift shop.

Each First Aid Center also has a licensed nurse who is equipped to treat you. For allergic reactions, First Aid Centers have EpiPens, and nurses are also able to administer injections for illnesses like diabetes.

Another great thing you can do through First Aid is get your prescriptions! You can have prescriptions delivered to First Aid Stations through Turner Drugs (but they are PRICEY) or straight to your Disney World hotel by utilizing Disney’s new partnership with AdventHealth. You can also get your prescription filled at a local pharmacy like CVS and take your car or an Uber over to pick it up.

If you need to see a doctor for a medical issue, there are ways to do that now too! There are many Telehealth services where you can set up a virtual appointment so you won’t even have to leave Disney World — your own doctor back home may even offer Telehealth appointments now. Plus, through Disney’s new partnership with AdventHealth, there are virtual services available for those who have healthcare questions while in Disney World. This includes things like Emergency Room resources as well as Urgent Care and Virtual Care. You can even have a doctor come to your room with the new Doctor2Me service.

Read more about Disney’s new partnership with AdventHealth HERE

Using Genie+

This one obviously isn’t as serious as the other issues listed above, but the Genie+ system in Disney World can definitely be stressful! Our first tip is to figure out how it works BEFORE your trip, not during your trip, or you’re just going to get frustrated. Luckily, we have many, MANY posts and videos to help you out with that!

Genie+ is the program that has replaced FastPass+ in Disney World. It allows you to make reservations to use the Lightning Lane (old FastPass+ lane) for many attractions across the parks, essentially letting you skip the standby line. It costs $15 per day, per person.

You can make reservations to use the Lightning Lane for rides starting at 7AM on the day of your park ticket. But, you can only make a reservation for one ride at a time, however, there is an exception to that rule, which you can read more about here. Also know that you can only do each ride one time through Genie+. If you want to ride it again, you have to wait in the regular line.

Read MORE about the 120-minute rule HERE!

There are also a few rides not included in Genie+ that you have to pay individually for in order to use their Lightning Lanes. The prices for these rides change based on demand, like surge pricing with Uber.

Be aware that you can only purchase 2 of these individual Lightning Lane attractions per day, and they cannot be modified or canceled. These rides can also sell out of Lightning Lane availability, so make sure you grab the ones you want as soon as you can (which is 7AM if you’re a Disney hotel guest or at park open for other guests).

Another big tip we have is to screenshot EVERYTHING you’re doing on Genie+, like when you make Lightning Lane reservations, so you can show them to a Cast Member if you have any issues or glitches. They can usually help you if you have proof of the issue!

Click here to read more about how Genie+ works

Ticket Issues

Ticket issues can happen as well during your Disney World trip! If your travel plans change and you need to change the dates of your tickets, first see if you can move them online through My Disney Experience. Remember that you will also have to switch around your Park Pass Reservations.

If you cannot, talk to a Cast Member through Guest Relations and explain the situation — usually they can help if it’s something that was out of your control like your flight getting canceled!

Click here to learn more about Park Pass Reservations in Disney World!

Overall, remember that Cast Members can help you with more problems than you may think, because they are trained for all kinds of situations! So, find them if you need help or have important questions. Stay tuned to DFB for more Disney World news, tips, and info!

Click here to see the IDEAL timeline for planning a Disney World trip!

Do you have any other tips to share about any of these stressful situations? Tell us in the comments!