3 year old with possible autism

[forgop]

My son loves Disney and was there as recently as December. He's getting to the point that he can no longer withstand being contained to a stroller for much duration or wait in almost ANY kind of lines without melting down. Even today, my wife had to leave the restaurant for lunch because he wanted to immediately sit at a table and not wait 20 minutes. Does anyone know if Disney is willing to do anything in cases such as this? I hate feeling like we are above standing in lines for shows/rides, but honestly, I don't know that anyone would appreciate standing in line around us when he starts screaming.

(Unfortunately, all of our trip was booked before we were starting to pursue any type of therapy/diagnosis for the autism).

 

[wdwdancerwannabe]

yes -
there are lots and lots of resources out there that go into detail re: how disney accomodates to these needs -

Specifically - - Passporters has a whole book out - that discusses disney go'ers with disabilities -- of course it discusses all disabilities - but would cover the autism/behavioral piece.

 

[bookwormde]

Lots of information if you check out the stickeys at the top and dig through the threads. When my DS AS was younger and mon and I were both there on of us would go to the resteraunt and wait and the other would continue to explore (close by)until the table was ready and recived a call. I would give the CM a heads up of what was going on. we moved from that to having him wait with one of us next to the line with some favorite entertainment, and then as he matured would bring him over before what we anticipated was the seating time. Half hour waits in line are still not practical but shorter waits work.

bookwormde

 

[christymarie]

Honestly, there is nothing that will enable you to skip lines. Come up with as many coping tools as you can before you go and practice making him wait for short times while increasing the wait as he becomes used to it.

We use "waiting in line" skittles. I buy skittles in bulk at Sam's Club and then keep them in my autistic sons diaper bag, when we have to wait in line or have a longer wait for something I use the skittles, one at a time. He's learned that my getting the skittles out means that it's time to wait but that there are more skittles on the way.

The other thing is that when he's done, he's done. Don't try to push him too much. Let him set the pace and accept that the best place for you to be may be the pool.

Disney is definitely doable with autism.

 

[KPeveler]

Definitely check out the GAC information in the FAQ sticky at the top of the page.

The GAC is not meant to shorten wait times, and there is no way to skip lines. Disney does, however, do their best to accommodate all needs.

For example, you can take your stroller in lines (with a "stroller a wheelchair" tag from Guest Services), to help give your DS a safe and contained place to wait.

Your best bet will be to come up with a good touring plan, and to make use of baby-swap, which will allow you and your spouse to trade off going on rides.

Be aware that once you are on most attractions, there is no way off of them. If he is having sudden difficulty waiting, this could be problematic. Shows you can generally leave easily enough (though not all of them), but many attractions are very long, more than 20 minutes. Rides also stop, (i was stuck on Small World for 30 minutes once!)

Good coping mechanisms may be your best bet, as well as a good touring plan to avoid the crowded times.

I am sure many other people here will have good advice as well!

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Our son Joshua is autistic and non verbal, we get the GAC card for our visits but only use it when we have to.
Visiting the parks at quieter times of the day is a big advantage in reducing any possible stress. The wait times for the children's attractions are shorter and in many instances no wait time at all, making touring the parks a much more enjoyable experience.

The other thing to consider are pre-shows and theatre type rides, as they usually add to the overall time, patience of little one's can be tested more.

My advice would be to get to the parks early and visit the attractions that are quicker to get through, ie shorter rides with no pre-show.
That way you should be able to get on the rides quicker and as many are just a few minutes long may also be less stressful.
A good example would be the Fantasyland area at Magic Kingdom, with the likes of Peter Pan, Dumbo and Snow White plus more of course.

The above could also help increase your child's confidence, and obviously yours too.

 

[Nik's Mom]

We have 2 autistic children. We get a GAC for every trip, but we usually don't need to use it if we do proper planning. First, pick a slower time of year. I know you trip is already planned, but keep that in mind for future visits. I highly recommend either TourGuide Mike or Touring Plans. Actually, Touring Plans is better, in my opinion. They will give you crowd schedules so you know which parks to go on each day of your visit. They will also give you a good order to go on the rides. Make sure you are at the park early, even before the gates open. You also should utilize fast pass as much as possible.

By doing those things, you should be able to go on rides with little to no wait. Tour the parks until lunch, then I suggest going back to your hotel for rest. If you feel like it, return to the parks again. That may be when you will need a GAC, because lines will have formed by that time. But, keep in mind that even with the GAC, you will still have to wait in some type of line. There is no front of line access.

In all of our trips to WDW, we've had a positive experience with our sons. I'm sure your family will have a great time! Just make sure you get there early and take a break in the afternoon. Have fun!

 

[Rekenna]

Hi! Our DS has ASD and is almost 3, so we are in the same boat with you. First of all, since it sounds like you are just starting the therapy route, our Mr. Man has done excellent in therapy so far with OT, Speech and DI-just to reassure you that positive results can be found with great therapy.

This is what works Mr. Man-his own cushy stroller, stroller fan (I have found that being hot and tired really sets him off-but isn't that true for all of us?), treats (I thought the skittles idea by a PP was very good), bubbles (messy, but they work), juice, going early in the morning, letting him set the pace, going back to the resort to swim/nap.

Dining-maybe at the resort at the pool? (I thought the idea of one of you waiting while the other walked him around outside was very good-buffets may work well, since you don't have to wait for your meal once you sit down-you could have his plate ready for him right away).

Mr. Man likes his stroller, but we also use the mockey leash backpack, he has a little freedom this way and cannot wander off or get lost.

Hope this helps! Try not to stress, and enjoy your vacation!

 

[forgop]

Thanks for the responses thus far. I'm not looking for a front of the line pass by any means, but looking to see what can be done to alleviate the potential meltdowns. I will most likely leave in the early afternoons for pool time. Dinner is no big deal as we won't have him come up until we're ready to be seated.

 

[andee515]

My DS3 has non verbal autism. He in generally is a happy functioning little guy. But if he doesn't get what he wants when he wants it ther is definately melt downs. We are working on it, but it is hard. Every child is going to be different, but here is a couple things that helped us:
1) we got a red sticker thru GAC for our stroller, to allow us to use strollers in lines and a couple times in the theatre. For what ever reason our son, in genreal, remains calm in a stroller, so we are able to stand in a line with him.'
2) Fastpass; use it. There is a significant decrease in wait times and most the time if we are moving forward in a line we are good, it's the standing still that is too much for him. # of us got the GAD fastpasses as well, which really helped (TSM 5 times in a row)
3)We did get a GAC, which we used when we had too for alternate waiting options.
4) We brought an ipod nano, that had his 4 favorite Disney movies, which we utilized when we had a long wait, especially in restaurants.

Hope it helps