My nephew is 13 (his name is Hayden as well) and has Autism. My encouragement to them would be that they are fortunate to have discovered this so early. My sister-in-law and her husband had a hard time coming to grips with the fact that there son has autism and so missed valuable years where they could have been helping him.
My advice would be to educate those around him about the best ways to communicate with him and show him love. My nephew doesn't like hugs or to be touched. One of my little girls is a hugger so it breaks her heart that Hayden won't ever give her a hug good-bye. On the other hand it drives him nuts that she is always trying to hug him. We have been trying to find other ways for her to express her love and affection for him. It can get frustrating as his aunt to try to get some sort of communication out of him and I think the tendency would be to give up. But I have determined to try to have a relationship with him on his terms. He has finally gotten to the point where he will look me in the eye to answer a question.
One of the hardest adjustments is that he looks normal (no physical disabilities) and is athletic so teachers (and anyone he comes in contact with) have a hard time accepting that he has a disability when they first meet him.
If you have any more questions please PM me.
Merci
Thank you so very much for your post! I have forwarded it on to Jordan and Daniel.
Glad you weren't the only one to have their iron confiscated. I can understand why it's banned, but also why a lot of people don't realize it and bring them. And that porter sounds nice, and was lucky John was feeling generous!
And lucky that you didn't lose another tooth at Electric Umbrella this time!
Sorry John didn't feel well so you had to leave early, but it sounds like you got him his meds in time. And yay for another new section of CBR!!
Your pictures make me want to go to WDW this December even more! Too bad you didn't get pictures (at least not that you have posted yet!) of CBR, because if we go I have decided we are staying there this time!
And, if we do go, it's during free dining, so that saves a good amount of money!
He better say yes, because I may just go on another solo trip if he says no!
I was so happy to see those irons lined up on the Security desk. It made me happy to see that I wasn't the only dumb bunny who packed an iron.
I would love love love to go to Disney at Christmastime! It's been years since we've been in the Winter. Back in 2000, we went over Thanksgiving week and, back then, they didn't change over to Christmas decorations until the day after Thanksgiving so we didn't get to see too much.
How great that you weren't the only criminal on board the ship!! Deliverance!! 
John is a super tipper! He made that guy's day! And yay for being back at the World!! How lucky to get those buses so quickly! I'm thinking maybe Jesse really enjoyed the kool-aid? Aren't Dis meets the greatest!?!?!
I know! I was grinning from ear to ear when I saw all those irons sitting there.
John sure did make that guy's day. I was told that $5 a bag was a "good tip". He gave the guy about $16 a bag.
Did you check both sides? We had that happen for something...maybe it was our VERY late arrival "lunch". We walked in, thought it was closed and it sure was empty. A CM directed us around to the other side. I'm shocked that it wasn't open, especially given the fact it was during first seating. We eat late and it bites us in the behind at times but at "normal" dinner time that just doesn't make sense.
We did. We walked all the way through and the whole place was shut down. I thought it was supposed to be open pretty much all the time.
I have heard that the smell is common. We've been lucky on both cruises. Though we had a verandah both times, I don't think hat helped with smells as we never left the door open. Still, I think I will always pack an air freshener to be safe!
The poop smell was definitely in the room all the time but it wasn't super overwhelming, just enough that I wanted to spray something to keep it at bay.
I can't understand why she didn't even ask another CM. That's just unacceptable (as was Disney's response). I do find Disney to be inconsistent in that area. Amazing responses, twice, on merchandise. Horrible response from security at many many levels and a mediocre one from lost and found.
I don't either. She didn't try to help us at all!
I too have had great interactions with castmembers when I bought Disney merchandise but found out later that it was broken. They sent me a new one without asking that I return the broken item.
I won't get to our cruise portion for a bit still but we did the 4 night so maybe that will help illustrate the differences a little. I am glad it was 4 not 3 but do prefer the 7. We adored the Alaska cruise! Absolutely adored it. Feel free to check out pics, excursions etc in my TR from it. Also if you do end up considering it, and it is out of Seattle...I live here so am a good resource on local things here.
I'll definitely keep reading the trip report. I'd like to see the differences in the length of the cruises.
Between the fabulous (and very well tipped porter) and the lovely CM at Security I'm glad to see the day started off with the "right" kind of Disney Service. For future reference if you do cruise again, do know that Cabanas is open on departure day, and you can carry your own luggage off on the shorter cruises if you want to skip the lost luggage and no eating thing.
Our departure day was much much better than the previous evening.
Poor John, what a rough couple of days. I hope it levels out and the nap was just what he needed. Can't wait to see what you and Hunter did!
I attribute my mini "meltdown" on a lot of little things that would probably never have bothered us had John's condition not added to the situation. But, that's just one of those things we deal with.
Hee-Hee! I can just picture all of those irons lined up on the counter! LOL!
Ahhh.....back to your happy place! There's nothing better!
Yep, there were irons lined all along that Security desk! Made me smile!
Glad to hear your trip is looking up
It was definitely looking up!
Yay! You are back in the World.
Prayers for your friends. I am a preschool teacher at a church preschool. We have had many children with autism come through our doors. Each one of them is a precious child of God. Early Intervention is the key. It is great that they will be getting help for Hayden early on. Just let them know that this diagnosis does not define their child.
Thank you for the kind words! Hayden is alread in therapy and has learned many "signs" like "more" when he wants certain foods. They changed up his diet and he is going to a chiropraactor as well.
I know you must be thrilled to be back in the world and I'm so glad you got a great room location.
Ugh to those meds. What a bummer that you left them in the car, but perfect timing.
I remember your tooth story and it is still so funny!
Yeah for a DIS meet - even a short one.
I'm not sure if I commented on the rude CM, but I am just shocked that she responded to you that way. Not cool at all.
Woo Hoo for Soarin!
I have no idea why we left his meds in the car. We never leave them anywhere. Even when we go out to eat, I grab them and put them in my purse.
The rude castmember at the Cruise Line Guest Services desk left me in shock. I couldn't believe that she didn't try to help at all.
Glad you are back in your happy place - where you belong! We went to Epcot first that day too - so far I don't see us in your pictures.
How cool that you had time for quick DIS meet!
Glad you didn't have any "incidents" at Electric Umbrella this year! Can't wait to hear more!
I didn't know that ya'll were in Epcot that day! I would have looked for ya'll!
Hahaha glad to hear you weren't the only wild criminal with an iron on-board!!
I'm interested to hear which CBR building you end up liking the best! After Aruba, have you stayed in all of them now?
LOL at your tooth story!!! Definitely not the ideal place for your tooth to go hopping across the table!!
I know! It felt so good knowing that I wasn't the only one who brought an iron onboard.
We've stayed in all of the resort villages except the two Trinidad villages.
Lovin the update Lisa! 
Ahhhh.....Disney World home sweet home indeed!
We definitely had that Home Sweet Home feeling when we got back on Disney property!
I'm sorry to hear the news about your friends son. I don't have any advice but I wish the family well.
I bet you felt better when you saw all those irons! I know I would have
I guess John did make that porters day with a $50.00. He probably thought everyone else was cheap after that!
I'll always remember your tooth story because I had the same thing going on with my front tooth at the time. It fell out at a couple of very embarrassing times.
I can't wait to hear how the trip went with Lacey and Jesse!
Please keep the prayers for the young family going! They are going to need them.
Like I said, I'd schlep around three bags for 20 minutes if I could make $50.00.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mickeystoontown
I thought that Cabanas was open during lunch and dinner hours but it sure wasn't that evening. We walked in and it was completely empty. Not one person in sight.
Cabans, as well as Topsiders, Beach Blanket Buff are not open for the first nights dinner and the last nights dinner. Probably to encourage people to go to the main Dinning rooms those nights, would be my guess. Also it's not a buffet when it is open for dinner, it is used to train new wait staff so it's actually a table service restaurant and they use a combination of the menus the other restaurants are using that night.
I've said it before but I'll say it again, you have the best info!
I feel like a junkie that needs a fix. 
I was talking to a woman I know at my grandson's soccer game the other day and she just mentioned she was leaving this Sat for her first trip to Disney and I was so jealous.
.
I can't wait to read about the rest of your trip! (You are going to continue, right? 
I just don't get on to do my updates and read others so much now that it's our busy season. I'm amazed at how much time passes before I can get on here. 
It did sound like lots of not so great and bad things happened during the last bit of it like DH not feeling well, rude annoying people, snotty cast members, the aqua duck having burning steps (what were they black or something?), no teens on the teen beach, and the dinner fiasco. The beginning parts of the cruise sounded good tho. Glad to hear your willing to give it another go. 
If you do go with POP you know I will help if you have questions. And I have tons of pics that I can share too. 
That is a huge difference to us!!! However, like you, if a good offer comes along we will definitely be going to CBR!!! (Crossing my fingers that happens!) DH and I did stay at Pop Century back in 2007. It wasn't too bad. One of the biggest things we didn't like was waiting for the bus out in the blazing hot sun in August! (No covered bus stops!) But I figured, going in early May it probably won't be so bad. Not sure which value we sill choose yet though. Still looking around! I am just SO excited that we are actually going!!!!! 
