stitch's great escape and asd

[maynard]

i've been preparing my youngest 2 kids for our upcoming trip by looking at the WDW website and the DVD they sent us. all 4 of my kids really love stitch, but i've been on that ride and i don't think it's changed that much since alien encounter! my oldest was barely 9 when we last visited and he raves about it. :bounce: well, my DS5 who has HFA really wants to try it. we've chatted about lets try haunted mansion and the pirates rides first, and he says he will love them all...even went to turn out the light to prove to me that he's not scared of the dark :thumbsup2 . if he handles the mansion and pirates, do you all think we should let him try it? or will he be tramatized for life?! :confused3

[Michigan]

Last year both of my girls 8 & 16 with spina bifida hated it and they both said no way are they going in Feb on that ride again or ever.

I think it would scare a 5 year old with the darkness and the smoke.

[mumloveseeyore]

my son with ASD coped with it but his neurotypical sisster aged 8 was terrified and sobbed all the way through it. Gill. i suppose it just depends on the individual child. Gill

[Goofyluver]

My DS 10, who has multiple neurologic and sensory issues, absolutely hated it. He shook like a leaf and told me he could not go on this ride ever again. But, you'll never know unless you try!

:thumbsup2

[TinkTatoo]

DS has HFA and DD has AS and neither of them were bothered about the Stitch ride (DS is a big Stitch fan so this probably helped) He was a bit scared of Haunted Mansion (and still is) but will ride it as long as I sit next to him and hold his hand but there is no way he would go on Pirates.

If your DS really wants to try it then your going to have to let him and deal with any fall out afterwards (if there is any)

Good luck

[MightyMom]

My DS was 6 when he rode it. He has CP and multiple sensory issues. He hated it and was terrified. His little heart was racing and he was screaming to get out. It took us forever to calm him down. On our last trip he even refused to look in the general direction of the ride. With that said..... every kid is different!

[irish_trip_mom]

We have two 5yo boys on the spectrum. One is very HF, the other is I guess just HF (verbal, but has behaviors.) #1 did ok, #2 flipped out when Stitch spit, then the "burp". It was all we could do to keep him in his seat. My kids still talk about how that was their least favorite attraction (and these kids did Splash Mtn, Space Mtn, etc.....there wasn't anything they didn't do that they were tall enough for.)

[cymomtx]

My DD10 (HFA) Stitich is her absolute favorite ride, but hates the Mansion and Pirates. She loved all the other rides, Rockin Roller Coaster,Space Mountain, Thunder, etc...

[maynard]

thanks everyone! i guess we'll have to strongly warn him, if he still wants to after riding other "challanging" rides.