Anxiety strategies esp park entry

[anneeb]

My son has struggled with anxiety for years. But due to the pandemic it has currently become more of an issue being in stationaey crowds if he's not able to move away from others. We are still debating our December parks trip as crowd levels may just be too high overall for his comfort levels.

If we do go I can see park entry may be challenging for him. Any suggestions or strategies? Any specific arrival time that tends to be a lull as far as people entering the parks? Is there any rope drop time that is early enough to get a walk on through the regular queue but not so early that we will be backed up in a group of people waiting for security to open? We also have tickets for the Christmas after hours party and are wondering when to enter. We won't be using day tickets that day and I've seen pictures of a large mass of people waiting to enter at 7 pm so we plan to arrive later than 7, but also don't want to get stuck in crowds on main street for the 8 pm fireworks. We plan to purchase Genie + in hopes those queues will move at a pace that won't be difficult for him. Any other suggestions?

 

[lorenae]

boy, that’s hard. The parks are very very crowded right now, and I don’t know how bad it will be in a couple of weeks. Depending on when you are going, there might be times of day when it’s not so bad. I’m going in January, usually a fairly quiet time, but it looks like it will be pretty busy then as well (but not like Christmas crowds of course).
The after-hours party will probably be much better than the morning crowds though!

 

[Marthasor]

We aren't rope droppers, so I can't really comment on entry strategies. I would probably arrive at an "off" time, however, if you are going Christmas week or the week before Christmas, I'm not sure you are going to be able to avoid crowds when entering the parks. I just wanted to mention that, for after-hours parties at MK, they typically open the Main St. bypass so you would not need to walk down Main St. as people are gathering to watch the fireworks. Once you enter MK, stay to your right, once you pass Tony's take a right and you should see some big gates open - walk through the gates and down the path and you will find yourself by the restrooms near Tomorrowland Terrace. You can then walk into Tomorrowland and stay away from Main St. altogether during fireworks time.

 

[Bete]

I know this may sound strange but maybe a way to handle it would be to use a wheelchair for him and use eye blinders (like you use for sleeping) for him until you get to where you need to be. Let him perhaps control when he should wear the blinders. Maybe, he will suprise you and not wear them too much.

You are going perhaps during the busiest time; so, there probably won't be any real quiet times there. If darkness helps spend more time in the parks in the evening. Obviously, it won't be pitch black but it will be more subdued and that may help.

Music might help to distract him. If you use a wheelchair maybe he can play some games to distract him from the crowds. He'd be looking down to play the games.

Maybe, go on lesser rides to avoid the big lines where you wait longer. Dine at off times to avoid crowded eating places. Eating an early lunch when a place just opens may be best.

Use first aid if he gets panicky. Hopefully, you can get a quiet area for a little while to calm down.

You may have to think outside the box.

 

[OneMoreTry]

I feel Disney has done a pretty good job accommodating us given the difficulties of our daughter's needs in the midst of tens of thousands of people. We have come to the realization that we just can't do everything we would do if she weren't disabled. We have to get to the parks late, leave early and ride fewer rides than we would otherwise. Rope drop would be impossible and I don't think there is anything Disney could do within reason to help us with that. The flip side is that we have a lot more time to enjoy the resort where we are staying -- usually Old Key West or Bay Lake Tower. We've adjusted our thinking. I'm always wanting to push to do more, and my wife is the advocate for my daughter reminding me about her needs.

Maybe there is more that Disney could do that I haven't thought of. I'm not saying we shouldn't communicate our needs to them. But on the other hand our daughter has taught us to enjoy travel in ways we wouldn't have discovered on our own.

 

[HashberryOTG]

Even on slower days, people are lining up for those fireworks early. I honestly don't see a way for you to show up for the party without day tickets and be able to avoid the main street crowd. The night of our Christmas party was sold out, but crowd levels were reasonable. Ride lines were awesome. I avoided the area in front of the castle, but found a good spot on main street for the party fireworks. I did skip the show. If you can, aim for the later versions of the show. The earlier ones are always busier.

We got back earlier this week as the Thanksgiving crowd was ramping up and each day was busier than the last. I get very anxious in large crowds after some time, and on our last day, gave up and left the parks early. Some of the ride lines weren't bad, but the crowds were pretty crazy in spots. Depending on when you go, you're dealing with sold out parks, so be prepared for it to be very crowded.

I think the wheel chair idea might help if it works for your son. Personally, I couldn't tolerate blinders, but headphones with loud music might help.

Best of luck!

 

[Bete]

One more idea is to reward him for getting through a particularly hard situation at the parks.

Going back to the wheelchair you could have someone in your party walk in front of wheelchair blocking his view. If you have enough people you could block the sides, too.

 

[JenLT]

How old is your son?

 

[anneeb]

How old is your son?

He's 10

 

[JenLT]

He's 10

I don’t know how big he is. But this liberty stroller is a special needs stroller that can handle up to 100 pounds. It’s bulkier and harder to transport than a normal stroller but it has a shade that pulls down pretty far and can shield him to a degree.
We didn’t use this stroller because we cancelled our trip where our son would have still fit in it. But when we did use strollers it was so helpful. He’d hide Under the shade and play on his phone when it was stressful. He also wore noise ear muffs. Good Luck!!

 

[Weedy]

Just to give you an idea of how busy it is

 

[RoseGold]

I went before Halloween weekday, and it was plenty crowded. There was no physical distancing and crowds were tight in many places. December is going to be much worse.

Disney is very expensive, and it’s a big world with a lot to see. I’m not sure I would spend this on an experience my kid will dread. Especially not traveling during peak times.

Even if you pay your way out of the lines, the parks are still crowded, the whole experience is crowded.

 

[Lilsia]

If you want to avoid crowds at the entrance, then arrive after 10 am. You should also leave well before closing time, or find an out of the way place to wait until the crowds leave. There really is no way to avoid other people in lines, even if you got a DAS, you are still next to people in line. This is one of those situations where it might be better not to go if it is too stressful. I agree with the previous poster, there is a huge world out there that you can see that won't be crowded like WDW.

 

[anneeb]

We certainly have been debating back and forth about not going. My son still really wants to go, so we are trying to find a way to do so with as minimal stress to him as possible. We purchased party tickets for our first night hoping that will be the lowest we can do for crowds to ease him into the experience. If that is overwhelming, it may be that he spends most of his time at the hotel and pool. That would be an expensive pool-focused trip, but my other son would still want to go to the parks and parents can trade off between the two kids so they can each do what they are most comfortable doing. It's definitely not ideal.

 

[toodycat]

I feel Disney has done a pretty good job accommodating us given the difficulties of our daughter's needs in the midst of tens of thousands of people. We have come to the realization that we just can't do everything we would do if she weren't disabled. We have to get to the parks late, leave early and ride fewer rides than we would otherwise. Rope drop would be impossible and I don't think there is anything Disney could do within reason to help us with that. The flip side is that we have a lot more time to enjoy the resort where we are staying -- usually Old Key West or Bay Lake Tower. We've adjusted our thinking. I'm always wanting to push to do more, and my wife is the advocate for my daughter reminding me about her needs.

Maybe there is more that Disney could do that I haven't thought of. I'm not saying we shouldn't communicate our needs to them. But on the other hand our daughter has taught us to enjoy travel in ways we wouldn't have discovered on our own.

This. If you have a child whose needs are atypical, you need to tailor your planning to their comfort. Arrive after rope drop. We used to leave midday for a pool break and then return in the late afternoon when it was cooler. In your case, I would suggest arriving late to both the parks and the holiday celebration. Plan on watching the fireworks from a place other than Main Street. You can certainly contact Disney and ask if they can assist, but my advice would be to plan a day that is modified to avoid crowds.

 

[fabfemmeboy]

My son has struggled with anxiety for years. But due to the pandemic it has currently become more of an issue being in stationaey crowds if he's not able to move away from others. We are still debating our December parks trip as crowd levels may just be too high overall for his comfort levels.

If we do go I can see park entry may be challenging for him. Any suggestions or strategies? Any specific arrival time that tends to be a lull as far as people entering the parks? Is there any rope drop time that is early enough to get a walk on through the regular queue but not so early that we will be backed up in a group of people waiting for security to open? We also have tickets for the Christmas after hours party and are wondering when to enter. We won't be using day tickets that day and I've seen pictures of a large mass of people waiting to enter at 7 pm so we plan to arrive later than 7, but also don't want to get stuck in crowds on main street for the 8 pm fireworks. We plan to purchase Genie + in hopes those queues will move at a pace that won't be difficult for him. Any other suggestions?

I would suggest either waiting until after the 8:00 fireworks OR aiming to arrive around 7:30 and then heading into somewhere quieter until fireworks are over. It's definitely a madhouse when party guests are allowed in - and starting about an hour before, honestly, as everyone lines up outside.

As for regular (non-party) park days, we try to avoid the crush of people at opening. It also depends on how crowded everything is/which week you're going. If by "December" you mean "Christmas week," then there is no good time to avoid people, BUT I will say that we've had good luck going about an hour after opening - ride lines are longer but there's not the same swell of people you can't move away from.

 

[CBMom01]

I feel Disney has done a pretty good job accommodating us given the difficulties of our daughter's needs in the midst of tens of thousands of people. We have come to the realization that we just can't do everything we would do if she weren't disabled. We have to get to the parks late, leave early and ride fewer rides than we would otherwise. Rope drop would be impossible and I don't think there is anything Disney could do within reason to help us with that. The flip side is that we have a lot more time to enjoy the resort where we are staying -- usually Old Key West or Bay Lake Tower. We've adjusted our thinking. I'm always wanting to push to do more, and my wife is the advocate for my daughter reminding me about her needs.

Maybe there is more that Disney could do that I haven't thought of. I'm not saying we shouldn't communicate our needs to them. But on the other hand our daughter has taught us to enjoy travel in ways we wouldn't have discovered on our own.

This is very well said. I think a lot of people go straight to “What can I get Disney to do so we can maximize our rides/experiences and minimize waits?” Fair, I suppose but, for us the key has been to let my son’s needs dictate our day and honestly, DAS helps some but to your point on a very busy day there’s no way to avoid crowds and long lines other than taking yourself out of the parks when needed.
Put another way: when my focus is to “maximize our day” things go sideways.

 

[Lilsia]

This is very well said. I think a lot of people go straight to “What can I get Disney to do so we can maximize our rides/experiences and minimize waits?” Fair, I suppose but, for us the key has been to let my son’s needs dictate our day and honestly, DAS helps some but to your point on a very busy day there’s no way to avoid crowds and long lines other than taking yourself out of the parks when needed.
Put another way: when my focus is to “maximize our day” things go sideways.

You are right that it is all about perspective. The way I look at our trips is with the mindset of "did we have fun" and not "how much did we do". Once you can see that you are enjoying yourself, even with a more relaxed pace, then you see your vacations in a different light.

 

[IndyToThere]

Arrive Late and Leave Late are relatively good strategies for avoiding the horde near the entrance. Leaving late gives you the advantage of grabbing a headliner attraction just before the official park close and having a shorter line. That might mean missing out on fireworks, but being able to catch a in-demand ride with a relatively low wait is worth it, IMO. The various park areas at night past closing are pretty when lit up and much fewer crowds as you slowly make your way towards the exit.

 

[CBMom01]

Arrive Late and Leave Late are relatively good strategies for avoiding the horde near the entrance. Leaving late gives you the advantage of grabbing a headliner attraction just before the official park close and having a shorter line. That might mean missing out on fireworks, but being able to catch a in-demand ride with a relatively low wait is worth it, IMO. The various park areas at night past closing are pretty when lit up and much fewer crowds as you slowly make your way towards the exit.

We did fantasyland rides during Wishes one time and it was actually kind of magical being behind the castle when the lights went down and the fireworks started