Autism and walking on tip toes ? pass for this?

[Connie Duncan]

Hi all, we are going to Disneyworld next April (beginning of month, hopefully avoiding long lines), My grand daughter is 15 and has autism. She is doing well with most everything, but she still is walking on her toes. She has been through everything to try to correct it, including botox. Just know that walking all day at the park and standing in long lines might be tough for her. She already has to walk very slowly. She freaks out at the thought of using a wheelchair. Would a pass be appropriate for her? Thanks so much for your input.

 

[lanejudy]

You can certainly ask, but be prepared for them to suggest a wheelchair. The DAS really doesn’t shorten distances walked, in fact it may create more walking, and there is no guaranteed place to sit while waiting so she may spend it all in her feet anyway. I’d suggest having her therapists work with her on stamina; we have to do that with my DD when planning a trip.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

Going solely off of walking on her toes, I'm not sure how a DAS would be helpful. Most people find they walk more when having a DAS since they have to go to the ride to get a return time, then walk somewhere else to find something to do,then walk back to the ride. There aren't many benches in the parks anymore to sit, and sometimes you're not permitted to sit in the food quick service areas during busy times if you're not eating. There's not really many places for people to sit in the parks, which is why Disney strongly recommends those with mobility issues to bring or rent a wheelchair/rollator, etc. They also don't typically give out DAS for mobility/stamina issues since they can't guarantee a place for people to sit while waiting for rides. A DAS does nothing for food lines, lines for transportation, etc and these can often be long.

Many people who don't use a wheelchair in their regular lives find they need one at Disney. Many people find they walk 5-10 miles each day at Disney. Maybe see if her Doctor has any recommendations on things she can do before the trip to work on not walking on her toes so much. Other than that, I would try talking to her and making sure she understands as best as possible that there's nothing wrong with using a device that you need. As others on this board like to say, it's no different than using eyeglasses to help you see or a calculator to help you do math. Good luck!

 

[Shanti]

Hi all, we are going to Disneyworld next April (beginning of month, hopefully avoiding long lines), My grand daughter is 15 and has autism. She is doing well with most everything, but she still is walking on her toes. She has been through everything to try to correct it, including botox. Just know that walking all day at the park and standing in long lines might be tough for her. She already has to walk very slowly. She freaks out at the thought of using a wheelchair. Would a pass be appropriate for her? Thanks so much for your input.

Yes, you can get a DAS if you think it might help. They can't stop you from getting one if you request it. You won't need to explain why beyond stating that it's to accommodate your daughter's disability.

 

[Connie Duncan]

Thanks for the help. I love the suggestion of speaking with her therapist about going to Disneyworld and what it involves for her. The pass does seem more challenging. Wish there were more places for her to sit while she is there. Maybe if we mention wheelchair more she will understand better. Thanks so much, great ideas!!!

 

[DLgal]

Yes, you can get a DAS if you think it might help. They can't stop you from getting one if you request it. You won't need to explain why beyond stating that it's to accommodate your daughter's disability.

That's not been our experience at all. We have been using the DAS/GAC for over five years and have ALWAYS had to explain why we need a DAS (we have been asked specifically: "What part of waiting in lines is difficult for your child?" "What might happen in a line if you had to wait in it?" and "How does the DAS allow you to have a more enjoyable time in the park?")

You can't just say "I need a DAS to accommodate my daughter's disability." They need more information.

And, FWIW, they absolutely can and have denied people DAS passes. I've seen it happen, numerous times, especially when the issue has anything to do with mobility. They will suggest a wheelchair.

 

[gap2368]

Yes, you can get a DAS if you think it might help. They can't stop you from getting one if you request it. You won't need to explain why beyond stating that it's to accommodate your daughter's disability.

really I know the first time I asked for a DAS the CM asked me what my concerns where for waiting in the line ( they did not ask my DX but wanted to know what part of waiting was hard for me)

OP you can go to GR and talk to them about what part of waiting in the standby line is hard for her just know that most of the time stamina, cannot walk that long, cannot stand that long will in most case be told to use some type of mobility device. and just know what the DAS pass there tends to be more walking not less. You have almost a year I would talk to her Dr/ therapist/ school teacher about thing that could help her on this trip or if you think a wheelchair is best get her used to the idea now.

 

[Hoodie]

OP - remember that even if she's doing well right now, Disney is EXTREMELY stimulating, so always remember you have the DAS option if the sensory stuff becomes too much for her. We usually get it but only use it towards the end of the trip when he's hit his saturation point. There are also some lines that can be more difficult than others. THese are usually the ones NT children like the most, but can be really overwhelming (lots of lights/colors/sounds).

I know she's probably embarrassed to use a wheelchair, but remind her it's a tool - and one that can help her. If you rent from an offsite vendor, you can use it to and from transportation to the entrance, which can be the longest walk of the day. Once in the park, she can easily park it somewhere and walk around without it. If it then starts to get too much for her, you can go back and get the chair.

Hopefully her therapy will keep progressing and she'll be fine but there are always options.

 

[FortForever]

I completely agree about trying to talk her into a wheelchair, and renting off site. Not only for physical reasons, but as a person with autism, a wheelchair will offer them some sense of personal space, especially on the buses. She can stay in a wheelchair on the buses, with a seat belt. If she not in a chair, there will be people with their bodies squished against hers, which will likely cause her much discomfort.

You can ask to apply for a DAS as well as the wheelchair. You don't just have to do one or the other, you can use both.

 

[Allison Joy]

Also, if it is specifically the idea of a wheelchair that she wouldn't like, there are some stroller type devices that can be rented ans some of them can be used by adults up to 200 lbs. If it's the embarrassment factor, then anything that looked like a stroller would probably be worse, but I thought I'd suggest it anyway. But I don't know if she could stay in those on a bus.

 

[arminnie]

Is there a character that she particularly likes. I've seen some really great themed wheelchairs online - usually done with cardboard, etc. Perhaps selling her on a wheelchair as "costume" accessory might work?

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Its very clearly a mobility issue which would not qualify for DAS so you'd need to be able to explain why a wheelchair is not an option and why DAS would be useful.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Yes, you can get a DAS if you think it might help. They can't stop you from getting one if you request it. You won't need to explain why beyond stating that it's to accommodate your daughter's disability.

You don't have to get into the specific disability but you do have to provide valid enough concerns to qualify for it. (saying my daughter is disabled is not giving a valid concern for why she cannot wait in the line like everyone else).
Why do you think GAC was changed? Because there were people getting it that did not have valid reasons for doing so and then half the time people would sell it as a front of the line pass.

 

[Aladora]

Yes, you can get a DAS if you think it might help. They can't stop you from getting one if you request it. You won't need to explain why beyond stating that it's to accommodate your daughter's disability.

As others have mentioned, Disney can and will refuse to issue a DAS. While they cannot stop someone from requesting a DAS, they will require more than just stating that you need to accommodate a disability.

OP, definitely work with your granddaughter's OT/PT about the trip. Also, try and work with your granddaughter to see if she can understand about what the trip is going to entail with how much walking there is. Another thing to try and do is to build in rest times every day. DS is almost 13 and we still take a mid day break back at the hotel every day while at Disney. Not only is it a lot of walking but he tends to get overstimulated and needs a bit of time to chill out and decompress.

Good luck, I hope the trip goes well!

 

[OurBigTrip]

Yes, you can get a DAS if you think it might help. They can't stop you from getting one if you request it. You won't need to explain why beyond stating that it's to accommodate your daughter's disability.

100% incorrect on all counts.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Yes, you can get a DAS if you think it might help.

You can request a DAS, not necessarily get one.

They can't stop you from getting one if you request it.

They can decline to give one.

You won't need to explain why beyond stating that it's to accommodate your daughter's disability.

You will need to explain the person's needs.

 

[mamabunny]

Hi all, we are going to Disneyworld next April (beginning of month, hopefully avoiding long lines), My grand daughter is 15 and has autism. She is doing well with most everything, but she still is walking on her toes. She has been through everything to try to correct it, including botox. Just know that walking all day at the park and standing in long lines might be tough for her. She already has to walk very slowly. She freaks out at the thought of using a wheelchair. Would a pass be appropriate for her? Thanks so much for your input.

15 is tough because you don't want to be "different" so badly, and the only attention you want is from that cute person over there...

But it sounds like she is no stranger to hard work, and she obviously knows that her tip-toeing can be exhausting. Here's how we had to approach our (then teenage) daughter when her doctors told her she would have to use a wheelchair for all of her senior year of high school: We bribed her.

Seriously. We told her she could dress up her chair however she wanted. Lights, streamers, horns, we didn't care - as long as the school would allow it, it was on the table. But using the chair was NOT optional.

You have lots of time. Start by setting the expectation NOW "When we go to Disney World, we are going to get a wheelchair for you, and the first thing we will do is decorate it!" Encourage her to gather ideas, and supplies to decorate the chair between now and the trip. But don't make it a "do you want to" thing. Make it a "You are going to" event.

Explain to her that the average person walks 3 to 10 miles PER DAY at Disney World, and that if she wants to go all day, she will need the chair. She doesn't have to use it all the time - she can certainly push it and walk behind it whenever she doesn't need to sit - but that it *will* be with your group in case she needs it.

Don't make it optional - make it a part of the plans from the beginning, so that she has time to accept it.

Be sure to take along a pair of inexpensive golf or bike gloves (easy to find at Walmart) for whoever is pushing her when she has to sit - just in case the rental chair has the old style, hard black plastic hand grips (those *will* cause blisters, I speak from personal experience).

 

[LilyWDW]

Yes, you can get a DAS if you think it might help. They can't stop you from getting one if you request it. You won't need to explain why beyond stating that it's to accommodate your daughter's disability.

Yes, yes they can deny you. They are not issued for stamina and mobility problems because there are other accommodations. They will not ask for a diagnosis, but they WILL ask what issues someone has with waiting in the normal queue environment.

 

[EFree]

Disney is not able to ask for a doctor's note but you are welcome to present one if someone can explain her needs.

 

[gap2368]

Just to clarify Disney will not look at any note by a dr. You your self can write things down on a pice of paper if you think it will help you get your thoughts together