Asperger's Son and room availibility

[BCV23]

I agree. I think WDW is actually much better than a lot of hotels about getting you into your room as soon as it is ready. It's great that you were lucky at the other hotel but it might not happen next time.

I think it works best to not count on your room until checkin time. Arrive later or explain to your child that you will be stopping at the hotel but then going to MK or whatever.

You can call from any park guest service to see if your room is ready or by cell phone of course.

If I had to wait in a lobby for 90 minutes, I'd probably be fussing too.

 

[Tinker*Shell*Bell]

Why were these children promised any view at all ? I don't understand why it wasn't stressed from the beginning that you couldn't promise anything.

Hannathy- He is being promised a MK view room beacuse WE PAID FOR THE VIEW!!! We paid for it because it was important to him and we want this trip to be special. Like someone posted above, we have been before and did a lot of things that made his trip difficult, So, we learned from our mistakes.

FYI-I feel like your response was rude, and I am irritated.

To all the helpful respondants- THANK YOU!!!!

 

[SueM in MN]

Hannathy- He is being promised a MK view room beacuse WE PAID FOR THE VIEW!!! We paid for it because it was important to him and we want this trip to be special. Like someone posted above, we have been before and did a lot of things that made his trip difficult, So, we learned from our mistakes.

FYI-I feel like your response was rude, and I am irritated.

To all the helpful respondants- THANK YOU!!!!

I just want to point out that some posters may not be aware that view is a category that is paid extra for. I know in the past, it was just a request and some people may not be aware that it is not still just a request.

Also (as moderator), I have to point out that sometimes something that wouldn't sound rude in person, might sound rude on the internet because all that is available is the words - not the tone of voice or look on the face that might change the meaning of the words.

 

[ducklite]

There are 15 floors at the contemporary. The 15th is the California Grill. No guest rooms on that floor.

The 12th & 14th are both concierge levels. There are five or six non-suite rooms on the 14th floor.

(There is no 13th floor)

The 5th-11th floors contain the remainder of the tower guest rooms. Unless you've booked a concierge level room, this is where your room will be, so you might want to ease your son into understanding this now. Perhaps book dinner at the California Grill so he can see the 15th floor.

Floors 1-4 are filled with public areas, shops, restaurants, and meeting rooms.

Anne

 

[Schmeck]

What I think the OP is worrying about is that they might not get the room they payed for because of a late check-in. At WDW there are all kinds of levels of rooms - at any resort there are preferred buildings, etc. She reserved/paid for a special level of room that they offer at the Contemporary. Her son is fixating on getting that room with a certain view.

What she wants to know is how to make sure that they get the room, and because WDW has the policy of overbooking there is a chance that a late arrival will not get the level or room that they reserved. From what I know of Disney policy, all they have to offer is a refund, or a comparable room. Most people get upgraded to a better room, but not necessarily at the same resort. So there is a chance that they will not get what her son is expecting/fixating on.

Hopefully Special services can help, or making phone calls to the resort a few days and a few hours before arrival will be enough.

 

[Tinker*Shell*Bell]

Sue- Thank you for reminding me to be polite. I was really irritated at the insinuation that I am trying to "get" something special. I think that you are right that some do not realize the MK view is now a paid upgrade now and not just a request. I hope you are right about my mis-interpreting "tone" on the posts, because I feel really fired upon by several posts in response to my question. I would love to be wrong on this.

Schmeck- WOW, You nailed it exactly. Thank you for clearly stating what I obvioulsy jumbled!!! I am going to be calling and reminding that we are a late arrival and asking them to please hold our room for us.

As I suspected, Special services can not help make sure they hold our room but even they suggested calling closer to arrival, so I will be calling from home the day of our arrival, all I want is the room category I paid in advance for. No free upgrades, no special treatment, no expedited or early check in; we just need the room we booked to be not given away to someone else because of the late evening arrival. That's all.

 

[SueM in MN]

Here's a healthy dusting of pixie dust to help you get the view that you paid for (a pixie dust wish that they not be overbooked).

 

[Hannathy]

I am sorry you thought I was being rude. My point was I don't think promises should be made to any child that you cannot 100% guarantee. I agree with what the second poster said work on building in some wiggle room.

I also feel that Disney should give you what you paid for not just because you have a special need, I think anyone who pays for a certain room should get it.
I didn't know it was more than a request(now I do)

Good luck on your view I think I would do what others have said about calling a few days early and then I would call several times that day around check in time to keep reminding them.

 

[Tinker*Shell*Bell]

Hannathy, thank you for taking the time to respond, sorry I was snappy earlier. The reason Matt knows about the plans for the room is because he needs to know all plans in advance or he can not enjoy himself. Surprises are awful for him. It is part of his disability to obsess about the details.
He has been an integral part of the planning process for this trip and honestly it has been fun seeing him get excited about this trip. I booked the room with him at my side, never thinking that there was a chance we might not get it. The next day Matt was in my room before sunrise asking if we were "really" going (he thought he dreamed it.) Then he asked if we were really going to be able to see the Castle out our window like the picture he saw.
I instantly thought of being 8 years old and getting to the disney hotel we were booked at only to be turned away and sent to the Marriot. They comp'd my parents one night and gave them a great rate but I remember it to this day.
Matt is unable to adjust to big changes in plans, heck- some days he is unable to adjust to different colored underwear. If I had thought it would be such a worry for him I would have just promised the tower, not the view, but that is 20-20 hindsight. Now I have to look forward. I have told him that they will "try" to give us that room but that sometimes things change. He dropped to the floor in the kitchen and just sat there saying "Why? Why if you paid for it? Why woiuld they change it?" This continued for 1/2 an hour.
Matt is not a "normal" child but I love him dearly. I will do my best to get Disney to honor my reservation as booked. Until I get there I will just keep thinking *pixie dust* thoughts and try to keep Matt's obsession from becoming my obsession. KWIM?

 

[Poohnatic]

I am sorry you thought I was being rude. My point was I don't think promises should be made to any child that you cannot 100% guarantee. I agree with what the second poster said work on building in some wiggle room.

May I say, that as a parent of a 9yo with Asperger's, many times we parents do not promise anything other than a vacation to WDW. Our children tend to fixate and obsess on the most arcane and unusual things and it is not due to anything we as parents have said or promised.

My son will fixate on a certain resort. Which resort can vary, but tell him the Pop is booked, or the Poly is booked when he's insistant that we are staying THERE is not fun.

I completely understand the OPs dilemma and fretting about whether she's going to have a child go through a meltdown to end all meltdowns. When you spend your days wondering what is going to set your child off, when investing so much in a trip, you want to minimize the issues that WILL occur.

Suzanne

 

[kdtwiss]

Since this is so important - I can not stress enough to call the hotel directly - ask to speak to a manager - ask the manager's name! Write it down. Call again another day - see if there is a different manager- speak to that manager. I spent so much time and energy calling special services, discussing our needs (granted these were not paid for requests- simple location things) and when we arrived there was not ONE thing documented in the resort's computer. Nothing - I was talking to myself!
Getting names and making the person aware you are writing down their name (thank you so much for your help Mr. Smith, we are so looking forward to our trip) will let them know they will be accountable (not just some nameless manager you spoke to on the phone) if something goes wrong. Let them know you will be checking in late. Call the morning of your check in as well, ask who will be on duty that evening as manager. Always be thankful and courteous of course - but call untill you feel comfortable!

 

[D'AngelosdoDisney]

Tinker Shell Bell... when i read your origional post, i stopped everything and read it to my husband. I also have an Aspergers son who is 7 and can relate all too well to what you mean about ruining everyones vacation. Once my son is told something, he cant let go of it and if it is wrong, then is someones fault and we will all pay. Please ingnore all the ignorrant posts about why he was told the plans because i truly understand your life. What I try to do is avoid saying anything until the very last min. so that we can have some peace.. Bless you and your family... Eileen

 

[tmli]

No advice just some well wishes and Pixie Dust. My ds (9) is ASD as well...I understand exactly why you are concerned.

 

[wannabe]

Hi Tinker: Our DS with Asperger's is 17 so we know exactly where your coming from. I found your post because I started a thread about our upcoming vacation at BW which we booked in August but didn't tell my DS until x-mas (his present). We have the room and flight but now are having a hard time coming up with his theme park passes. Oil prices have drained us this winter. I know what you mean about the obsessing. He is so afraid he can't go to the theme parks every day that it is interferring with school. I just wanted to let you know that we are thinking about you and hoping everything works out. Fortunately, our son is on meds that control his anger (he used to get very abusive towards me), now if only there was something for the obsessing. He is totally mobile and speaks very clearly but lacks in social and communication skills with peers. He loves WDW because there can tell he has difficulities. Every morning he asks how many more days. We'll be there 3/5/06 to 3/13/06!!!

We are also from Maine; outside of Bangor. What part are you from?

 

[Tinker*Shell*Bell]

Thank you for your supportive posts and for sharing your childrens stories. I am touched that you posted and the support was at just the right time. We just found out that DHS made a paperwork error and Matt's insurance is cancelled. Of course it "couldn't" be their fault so there is nothing to do but reapply, which takes months. Coming on and finding others experience similar difficulties with their children and that I am not crazy (ok, maybe a little) was a really good feeling.

Wannabe- Have you checked the budget boards for any discount ideas? AAA saved me $350 which will be $50 to the AAA annual fee and $300 to my trip budget. There are some discounts available on tickets too. I have a military ticket rate but there are others out there. Check out www.mousesavers.com and www.allearsnet.com to see if any discounts are for your time. I would be glad to help you look, PM me if I can help. I spend too many hours at a computer and would be glad to help you "find" the money for the tickets. Is it just the 3 of you traveling?

Oh, and we are in Bath, Maine. Just two hours south of you. We'll be up closer in July, we have a week at a camp in the Messalonske lake area.

 

[D'AngelosdoDisney]

Hi, just wanted to share that my son is currently in his first hopitalization this week. Monday is his birthday and he was off the wall last night. When we got there, the kids at the hospital got to go to the gym and he cried for another half hour how he missed the gym because his family was there to visit him. Today I gave him the option of me coming to visit or going to the gym, called him this morning and he told me to visit him over the weekend because he wanted to go to the gym... I guess this is good progress because he was in great spirits when i spoke to him. Will be there all weekend with the exception of gym time. On Monday I will be bringing his favorite game... Disney Trivia so that he can beat us all... and he really does.. the adult catagory!.....Listening to parents of older Aspergers kids, I see where our life is heading... still having a hard time dealing with this...He is so smart, outgoing and affectionate... when he doesn't hate me, want to kill everyone and "get mad". Can you relate?

 

[Dina]

Tinker Shell Bell, I have no advice-- but I can so relate. My 5yo has Aspergers, and focuses on the Star Wars Arcade game in the Arcade (it was in Caribbean Beach last time we are there). This time we are going to stay at Wilderness Lodge-- and I am so worried they won't have the Star Wars game. Good Luck. I bet if you called the Contemporary and explained your situation they would make sure you got the view you paid for. Tell them you'll have a late arrival. Good Luck!!

 

[Tinkwantabe]

Was wondering if there are ways to prepare for the long days at the parks. HOw about the long lines - how do you deal with that. I have read about the flexpass but I am concerned that he will become upset if we dont go on a ride he is planning to go on?

I too am having concerns as I booked the poly as was told could have a microwave in the room - now told that can only WL for it. My son will not eat anything at the park so I have to bring his meals and need to prepare them... This is really frustrating and when you call the hotel they act like your asking for the moon.



thanks in advance

barb

 

[disneyelaine]

To Tinker Shell.... I would hope you get your MK view as you reserved it and paid for that view. As others said, call that day to verify. We just returned with our 2 boys, 9 yr old has ASD and had the MK view. We were on floor 11 and it was not the renovated room, but we did not mind as we had never stayed there. We were able to get in our room at 11am, so that was way early and we were very thankful! Also on our last day, we were able to get a late check out, but had to pay for half a day. Expensive, but with our son & a late flight we felt it best.

DangelosdoDisney....I CAN relate & my heart goes out to you re your son & hospitalization. I hate to pry, but can you elaborate on how bad his behaviors are/were? We are having a huge bad time right now with rages, tempers, throwing things at school, etc....My 9 yr old is not hurting himself, but I can see him hurting others if given the chance. It is going downhill fast it seems & even though we tried to escape to Disney last week, you can't escape the behaviors, if you know what I mean. We are in the process of starting medication, but as he has never been on any, I am scared. How is your son handling it now? Being away from home? How long will he be in? Again I am sorry if I am prying. I just worry this is my son's path.

 

[Tinkwantabe]

I dont mean to pry into your conversation but as mother of a Aspie child who has been on medication now for 2 years - oh my what a difference...

We just upped the medication since he is growing and gaining weight and the dosage he was on was not doing anything anymore but now he is great..

My son is on Fluoxitine... generic prozac and I have had no problems at all...

Give it about a month and you will start to see changes in your sons behavior - problems still occur but the outburts and all have so much improved. Biggest challanges now are changes and social skills..

Much luck to you... In my prayers

barb