mamacate
December 2015!
- Joined
- Mar 22, 2007
- Messages
- 341
Hi folks,
I'm an infrequent lurker here--I usually hang around just before a trip. My partner had a conference in Orland last week, so I found a good airfare and the kids and I snuck out of town for a four-day weekend with the Mouse. It was a great break from a tough fall with a lot of SPED/school challenges.
Anyway, I wanted to tell you about two ups and downs. On Thursday, my partner was still working, so I took my 6-year-old twins, one AS boy, one NT girl, to MK for the day. Later in the day we were to meet up with dear partner for MVMCP. It was raining, but seemed warm, so we kept the raincoats and left the sweatshirts in the car. BIG MISTAKE. After a while it got cold and AS son started to shiver. I planned to get him some warmer clothes but he was rumbling and we couldn't get back to main street fast enough. (On the upside a rainy day in early December makes for no lines. The GAC stayed in my pocket as we walked on to Buzz twice in a row with no wait, then saw Stitch just standing alone with his helper and photographer, and gave him a little company, then walked on all the rides in Fantasyland too!)
Anyway, it was time for our lunch reservation at Crystal Palace and I thought maybe he'd warm up. As I waited in line to check in, the rumbling started to progress to a full-blown meltdown. I assessed the situation and judged it impossible, but remembered we were right next door to First Aid. I guided him over there, NT daughter following along, worrying about missing Pooh. We walked in and the meltdown started for real when a Main Street CM/performer in costume tried to engage him. DS was not very polite (to put it mildly), but the CM took it well. My high expectations for Disney's understanding of ASD were fulfilled by first aid. I walked in and said to the nurses, "we're having a meltdown, do you have a quiet place we can go?" It was empty in back so they put us in a regular bay. DS had his whole, big tantrum, calmed down, said he was cold, they gave us a blanket, we pulled it back together, said thank you, and all was well. The nurses did a great job keeping an eye on us without being obtrusive and increasing DS's feeling that he was on display. With more people in First Aid, it might not have worked out as well, but I was very grateful for the way they gave us just what we needed, but didn't try to intervene any more. Those of us who deal with meltdowns know that sometimes people want to help, but it does the opposite. First aid was just what we needed!
Then we went and spent WAY too much money on Disney clothes.
Even so, DS, who is very sensory-picky about clothes, asked me later "because I got these pants in an emergency, does that mean I have to give them back?" I said, no, you can keep them. He was thrilled, and said he had hoped so because they're really comfy. Dude, not only don't you have to give them back but can I have a gross please? 
All warmed up and dry, we headed back out to our day. No chance of getting back in at Crystal Palace, it being nearly an hour past our reservation, but they gave us a dinner reservation for our last day, and my DD took it very well. It's not easy to be the sister of an ASD kid, and she's a trouper to be sure. Of course the sun came out, and all was looking brighter. We went off to the Jungle Cruise. It was our first day at WDW this trip, and he hadn't ridden the Jungle Cruise since our last vacation in April 08.
DS is totally literal, and loves to pretend. As soon as the jungle cruise started, he ducked down in between the seats, to protect himself from the elephants. He wasn't really scared, but I think he was worried that an elephant would spray him. Well, Pat, our jungle cruise boat captain, called DS up to the front of the boat to help her steer. He jumped right in, and was following all her instructions to avoid the hippos and the elephants and the waterfalls, spinning the wheels back and forth. She even had him answer a few questions on the loudspeaker, and she was doing a great job incorporating him into her shtick. He was so cute! Then she had him turn the boat and she turned around to him and said "H! How did we get here? What did you do? Where is this place?" DS, with impeccable comedic timing, spoke right into to microphone "It's the Shirley Temple!" Pat and all the passengers broke up into giant laughs, as DS stood tall at the prow, ready to navigate through the temple. I couldn't believe that he remembered the script from our trip 8 months before, but I shouldn't be surprised.
It was a great time, and Pat gave DS a card that she told him would allow him to operate any vehicle in the park...including mom's car! Luckily, I was able to convince him that it was only valid if you're over 16.
We all had a spring in our step after that, and both kids had a wonderful time (with no rain at all) at MVMCP later that evening.
I wanted to share this experience with this board, because I remember worrying about a lot of things before we went the first time. I worried that a meltdown would ruin everything and no one would understand. I worried that DS would not be able to participate fully in the rides and experiences. I worried that it would be too overstimulating. We don't get to avoid meltdowns when we go, but it was great to be able to go to a first aid center and say "meltdown" and have it be understood without a long explanation. DS has decided to become an imagineer when he grows up, and DD wants to be a monorail driver. I'll look forward to spending our winters in Orlando with them every year!
Thanks for listening, and may your trip have lots of magic just like ours!
Cate
I'm an infrequent lurker here--I usually hang around just before a trip. My partner had a conference in Orland last week, so I found a good airfare and the kids and I snuck out of town for a four-day weekend with the Mouse. It was a great break from a tough fall with a lot of SPED/school challenges.
Anyway, I wanted to tell you about two ups and downs. On Thursday, my partner was still working, so I took my 6-year-old twins, one AS boy, one NT girl, to MK for the day. Later in the day we were to meet up with dear partner for MVMCP. It was raining, but seemed warm, so we kept the raincoats and left the sweatshirts in the car. BIG MISTAKE. After a while it got cold and AS son started to shiver. I planned to get him some warmer clothes but he was rumbling and we couldn't get back to main street fast enough. (On the upside a rainy day in early December makes for no lines. The GAC stayed in my pocket as we walked on to Buzz twice in a row with no wait, then saw Stitch just standing alone with his helper and photographer, and gave him a little company, then walked on all the rides in Fantasyland too!)
Anyway, it was time for our lunch reservation at Crystal Palace and I thought maybe he'd warm up. As I waited in line to check in, the rumbling started to progress to a full-blown meltdown. I assessed the situation and judged it impossible, but remembered we were right next door to First Aid. I guided him over there, NT daughter following along, worrying about missing Pooh. We walked in and the meltdown started for real when a Main Street CM/performer in costume tried to engage him. DS was not very polite (to put it mildly), but the CM took it well. My high expectations for Disney's understanding of ASD were fulfilled by first aid. I walked in and said to the nurses, "we're having a meltdown, do you have a quiet place we can go?" It was empty in back so they put us in a regular bay. DS had his whole, big tantrum, calmed down, said he was cold, they gave us a blanket, we pulled it back together, said thank you, and all was well. The nurses did a great job keeping an eye on us without being obtrusive and increasing DS's feeling that he was on display. With more people in First Aid, it might not have worked out as well, but I was very grateful for the way they gave us just what we needed, but didn't try to intervene any more. Those of us who deal with meltdowns know that sometimes people want to help, but it does the opposite. First aid was just what we needed!
Then we went and spent WAY too much money on Disney clothes.
Even so, DS, who is very sensory-picky about clothes, asked me later "because I got these pants in an emergency, does that mean I have to give them back?" I said, no, you can keep them. He was thrilled, and said he had hoped so because they're really comfy. Dude, not only don't you have to give them back but can I have a gross please? All warmed up and dry, we headed back out to our day. No chance of getting back in at Crystal Palace, it being nearly an hour past our reservation, but they gave us a dinner reservation for our last day, and my DD took it very well. It's not easy to be the sister of an ASD kid, and she's a trouper to be sure. Of course the sun came out, and all was looking brighter. We went off to the Jungle Cruise. It was our first day at WDW this trip, and he hadn't ridden the Jungle Cruise since our last vacation in April 08.
DS is totally literal, and loves to pretend. As soon as the jungle cruise started, he ducked down in between the seats, to protect himself from the elephants. He wasn't really scared, but I think he was worried that an elephant would spray him. Well, Pat, our jungle cruise boat captain, called DS up to the front of the boat to help her steer. He jumped right in, and was following all her instructions to avoid the hippos and the elephants and the waterfalls, spinning the wheels back and forth. She even had him answer a few questions on the loudspeaker, and she was doing a great job incorporating him into her shtick. He was so cute! Then she had him turn the boat and she turned around to him and said "H! How did we get here? What did you do? Where is this place?" DS, with impeccable comedic timing, spoke right into to microphone "It's the Shirley Temple!" Pat and all the passengers broke up into giant laughs, as DS stood tall at the prow, ready to navigate through the temple. I couldn't believe that he remembered the script from our trip 8 months before, but I shouldn't be surprised.
It was a great time, and Pat gave DS a card that she told him would allow him to operate any vehicle in the park...including mom's car! Luckily, I was able to convince him that it was only valid if you're over 16.
We all had a spring in our step after that, and both kids had a wonderful time (with no rain at all) at MVMCP later that evening.I wanted to share this experience with this board, because I remember worrying about a lot of things before we went the first time. I worried that a meltdown would ruin everything and no one would understand. I worried that DS would not be able to participate fully in the rides and experiences. I worried that it would be too overstimulating. We don't get to avoid meltdowns when we go, but it was great to be able to go to a first aid center and say "meltdown" and have it be understood without a long explanation. DS has decided to become an imagineer when he grows up, and DD wants to be a monorail driver. I'll look forward to spending our winters in Orlando with them every year!
Thanks for listening, and may your trip have lots of magic just like ours!
Cate
We had a mini meltdown on our last trip in May....he got too wet on Splash MTN and we had to go back to the contemporary to throw his shorts in the dryer. It worked out, because he got to run around the room naked for 1/2 hour while we waited. Had to be those exact shorts! Glad you got a DX !!
