Autism GAC questions

[ladyjubilee]

And last, if you don't know what might be difficult, there is no rule that says you have to get a GAC the first day ( or at all). You can try out some attractions, see what difficulties you have and will have more information when you do go to Guest Relations to ask for a GAC.

I'm going to be honest, I disagree with this advice. The LAST place you want to discover that you need a GAC is when you're struck, trapped in a line wher you can't get out with a kicking, screaming, biting, head butting, clawing child with autism. Let's be honest, if and when a meldown occurs, its too late and not only is the day ruined, but someone could get hurt.

I think its better to be prepared--think about how your child has handled situations like Disney before and what could have made a difference in that response. Maybe its something you can do-maybe a hand held distraction, or chewing gum, practice outings before the big trip. Maybe it is something Disney can do--if so, what would that look like and what issue does that something address.

I can understand tweaking an accomodation, and I understand my son is not on the high function end, but it just doesn't make sense to me try floundering first when there's a life vest in reach.

Especialy when quite frankly families with Autism flock to Disneyworld because they do so well accomodating the needs of people with Autism. I know my own family now makes WDW a yearly event because it something we can really enjoy with my son---and WDW isn't cheap in comparison to other vacation options. WDW's ability to accomodate ASD needs is part of the attraction, to the point WDW takes time and resources to advice ASD communities of their welcomeness.

To me, its kind of like not using the pool at the resort be cause someone else might think we're swimming too much.

 

[Kellykins1218]

I can understand tweaking an accomodation, and I understand my son is not on the high function end, but it just doesn't make sense to me try floundering first when there's a life vest in reach.

I couldn't agree with you more. I've seen people post things that just made me cringe. One person, when talking about using a stroller for an older child with autism, said something along the lines of "Yeah my kid could have used a stroller as a wheelchair but I just sucked it up. A big kid doesn't need a stroller." Ummmm YOU didn't suck it up, your special needs kid did. Why WOULDN'T you do everything in your power to make it easier on them? Sometimes I just have to shake my head, ya know?

 

[kritter47]

I understand people's desire to make everything easier for their kids, but as an adult with AS, I'm really, really glad my parents didn't. Yes, those are some very tough lessons to have to learn, but it's much better that I learn how to deal with crowds/noises/stimulation as a kid (when meltdowns and stimming and being odd in general are shrugged off) than to be petrified and unable to deal with them as an adult. Because I was constantly exposed to challenging situations for me, I developed coping mechanisms that have made it possible for me to function as normally as possible as an adult.

I think I've related this story before, but I went to Disney my first time as a 12 year old, really struggling with the social adjustments of being a preteen girl with AS. And I had a blast with no accommodations at all and no real strategies other than earplugs for fireworks. Yes, I had one massive meltdown at scavenger-hunt type game in Adventureland because the treasure wasn't exactly where the clue said it would be. But I learned more from that experience that I've taken with me into adulthood than I would have ever come close to if the goal had been to make things "as easy as possible" for me.

FTR, that particular incident is the time I vividly learned and had to accept two things - 1.) Games, when played by the correct rules, will not always be won. My ultra-logical brain tells me that if I play a game with optimum strategy and by the rules, I will absolutely win. Of course, that's not true. And since the rest of the day went on and I gradually snapped out of it and started to enjoy myself again, I realized it's not the end of the world to just accept that particular illogical facet of real life. 2.) Other people my age and even younger didn't pitch the huge tantrum when they lost. They just moved on with their lives after a shrug. We played that game at least a half-dozen times at my request (hi obsessive interest!), and I got so much information of how people reacted to losing that I could model from once I got over the logical disconnect issue.

Now, I do not represent every person with an ASD. What worked for me is obviously not the answer for everybody. And there are those kids out there who simply cannot function in the parks (or other places) without things like wheelchairs/strollers for personal space.

But if your main reasoning is "it will make it easier on my child" as opposed to something like "if we don't get this, then my child will not be able to make it on the first or second ride" then I might try it for a day or two without the accommodations. Think of it as skills training for their adult life in the real world. And because they get awesome fun things out of it like rides, shows, characters and the like, trying to be slightly outside of their comfort zone has a tangible reward that can reinforce that it's outside of that comfort zone is not necessarily a bad thing.

TL;DR - In many cases, I think it's better to challenge your AS/HFA child rather than make things easier for them so that they can develop coping strategies to draw from for the rest of their lives.

 

[Kellykins1218]

Not every child is high functioning and, when you have 2 or 3 on the spectrum, you are doing them a disservice by NOT getting every accomodation that you can. No child needs to be pushed to try & fit in to "normal standards" especially when they are being bombarded with sensory overload ...even it if is at the Happiest Place on Earth.

 

[Kellykins1218]

I think it's better to challenge your AS/HFA child rather than make things easier for them so that they can develop coping strategies to draw from for the rest of their lives.

I've seen "typical" adults who couldn't cope with the "magic" of Disney

 

[ppony]

With all due respect, we have plenty of "life training" opportunities outside of WDW. WDW is an extremely stressful place for some of our kiddos. How many places on earth or at least in your daily life are you bombarded like you are at WDW. It's on the extreme end of major stress places. The difference in enjoyment with and w/o the pass for US was as far apart as possible. Not all young children can handle the stimuli as well as others. I hope most of us know the difference between "babying" our ASD children and actually helping them.

 

[Mom2six]

I understand people's desire to make everything easier for their kids, but as an adult with AS, I'm really, really glad my parents didn't. ......I think I've related this story before, but I went to Disney my first time as a 12 year old, really struggling with the social adjustments of being a preteen girl with AS.

TL;DR - In many cases, I think it's better to challenge your AS/HFA child rather than make things easier for them so that they can develop coping strategies to draw from for the rest of their lives.

Thank you for sharing your personal experiences and perspective. I do agree with much of what you are saying. However, there is a really big difference between a 4, 5, 6 or even 7 year old and a 12 year old. By the time you are 12 years old, you had probably already learned many coping strategies and lessons for dealing with life that made it possible at that point to experience WDW the way you did.

For many children with autism it takes years to progress to that point. As well, it isn't always a matter of making it easier, but of making it possible. Don't children deserve a vacation? Why must every day be work and for children with autism, that type of experience without a safe haven or accommadations is constant work. Don't we all want to take it easy on vacation? Just because a child has autism doesn't mean going to Disney world should be a form of OT. Other children aren't working at Disney world, they are enjoying it.

Absolutely, you push your children to advance. As your children get older and learn to deal with certain issues, you should push them to new places. You should never push them beyond their abilities, as it is cruel, and can take things the opposite direction and cause regression rather than progression.

Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences. I can totally see the necessity of helping your children learn to live in the world, no matter issues they face.

 

[gladdiola]

Visited WDW for the first time this past Spring Break with my family, my DS6 is autistic and non-verbal, but mumbles incoherently in a loud and frequent manner. Fortunately, we live in an area where large amusement parks are not too far away and we were pretty well aware of how our son would behave in crowds, eating out and waiting in long lines as we brought our kids to such places at least 10 times/year for the past 2 years (thank goodness for season passes). We did not need GAC and he did very well waiting in lines, we used FastPass as much as possible, and that was sufficient for us. We had his food allergies noted on all our ADRs and the counter service restaurants always had options for his needs. The only thing we didn't anticipate was how much he would love the Disney characters which was cute, but intrusive to other guests when my son would interrupt their character time.

We had a great experience there especially for our dear boy, who loves wearing Winnie the Pooh clothing and can now say "Disney World" with a great big smile. We went during peak crowds and there was always a place that wasn't overly crowded to retreat to for breaks and snacks. We stayed at OKW which was quiet, laid back and perfect for our son.

Bottom line is that you know your child best. If you think you'll need GAC, get it and see how it goes. Anticipate his needs as best as you can and work with Guest Relations to ensure he gets the best possible Disney experience. The CMs were wonderful with our son and family and we can't wait to go back again next year. I think Disney is wonderful about accommodating our special kids.

 

[babyberger]

Living in south Florida we have made the rounds to Disney quite a bit. Rewind about 3-4 years when my Aspie DS was 5-6 years old. He loved going to Disney but hated hearing people talking while waiting in line, complained his legs hurt in line (low muscle tone), had meltdowns, etc. We tried to do our best to comfort him, but it was emotionally exhausting with 2 other children for DH and I, so we slowed down on the Disney trips and eventually stopped renewing our annual passes. Then in the fall of 2010 I was using a special needs travel agency for a cruise we booked when it dawned on me that I could probably find something to make Disney fun again. We reluctantly purchased annual passes again, made guest relations our first stop for a GAC and our lives changed for ever that day

Now we still have to be very flexible with our day and we generally let the kids pick the park we are going to and the rides they want to go on, but the GAC makes a WORLD of difference for us. As it turns out my youngest also has severe ADHD and Anxiety disorder, so between the two younger ones the GAC is really a life saver.

We have never had a problem getting the GAC, I always bring a letter but have never had to show it.

One tip from my Aspie DS is when you need to cool off and rest, take a ride on the PeopleMover in Tomorrowland in the MK, it is his absolute favorite place to rest and have a few calm moments!

 

[kritter47]

First of all, like I said in my original post, what works for me does not work for every child/person with ASD. It's all about knowing your own child/your spouse/yourself. I was mostly responding to this particular line: "Why WOULDN'T you do everything in your power to make it easier on them?" To me, this line of thinking often ends up being counterproductive in the long run although it comes from a truly loving, nurturing place.

Mom2six - I went to OpryLand as a preschooler and young elementary child, which no, is not Disney, but it was still the overstimulation of an amusement park. And no, I did not have my full set of coping skills at the time. While we made reasonable decisions - take frequent breaks, always know where we are on the map etc. - I was expected to behave myself or I would be in time out on a bench. Now again, I'm high functioning, and this is obviously not a solution for kids or adults who are not. But as I suck at subconsciously picking up social skills and rules, being taught those things outright through being held to that standard was tremendously helpful, even at that age. And the problem with not enforcing them at fun places is that it establishes a double-standard. Many people with HFA/AS are ridiculously logical, even at that age. In my mind (then and now), if I was given exceptions in one place, then it should be available in others. And if it's easier with the exception, then it's what I should have all the time regardless of the fact that I could deal without it.

I don't know how much sense that makes. It's a really hard thing to articulate.

To be honest, I think every kid at Disney is dealing with stressors. No one, especially the under 10 crowd, likes lines or crowds or super loud noises. No one likes heat or scratchy shoes or having their schedule disrupted. No one likes the end of the ride. The difference in the normal kids and those with a high-functioning ASD is a.) the level of inherent stress caused by those things for a variety of reasons and b.) the lack of coping mechanism. So I do think every young child is having to "work" to some extent at Disney and is not just out there having fun. And most kids' trips would be made much more enjoyable by quieter places to wait or being able to take a stroller through the line, and the most average of average kids can have a overtired or overstimulated meltdown. Again, it's a matter of can they basically enjoy the experience despite the stresses and possible single meltdown, and I think that's the question that should be asked rather than "Will this accommodation make life easier on my child?"

Frankly, I think because there's an enjoyable payoff to most of the stressors (a ride at the end of a noisy line, a fireworks show after waiting in the too-close crowd, etc.), it's almost a better place to reinforce those coping skills because of the immediate positive reinforcement. And I don't consider that OT - I consider that, well, life. Every experience is a learning one whether you mean it to be or not.

I have many more thoughts, but I'm trying to keep this from becoming a wall of text yet again. I think it's a fascinating discussion, and I don't want it to seem as if I'm saying people are "wrong" for getting accommodations for their child or whatnot. I've just spent way too much time thinking about how I came to be a functional, independent adult despite my unique challenges and want to offer food for thought.

 

[a1tinkfans]

First of all, like I said in my original post, what works for me does not work for every child/person with ASD. It's all about knowing your own child/your spouse/yourself. I was mostly responding to this particular line: "Why WOULDN'T you do everything in your power to make it easier on them?" To me, this line of thinking often ends up being counterproductive in the long run although it comes from a truly loving, nurturing place.

Mom2six - I went to OpryLand as a preschooler and young elementary child, which no, is not Disney, but it was still the overstimulation of an amusement park. And no, I did not have my full set of coping skills at the time. While we made reasonable decisions - take frequent breaks, always know where we are on the map etc. - I was expected to behave myself or I would be in time out on a bench. Now again, I'm high functioning, and this is obviously not a solution for kids or adults who are not. But as I suck at subconsciously picking up social skills and rules, being taught those things outright through being held to that standard was tremendously helpful, even at that age. And the problem with not enforcing them at fun places is that it establishes a double-standard. Many people with HFA/AS are ridiculously logical, even at that age. In my mind (then and now), if I was given exceptions in one place, then it should be available in others. And if it's easier with the exception, then it's what I should have all the time regardless of the fact that I could deal without it.

I don't know how much sense that makes. It's a really hard thing to articulate.

To be honest, I think every kid at Disney is dealing with stressors. No one, especially the under 10 crowd, likes lines or crowds or super loud noises. No one likes heat or scratchy shoes or having their schedule disrupted. No one likes the end of the ride. The difference in the normal kids and those with a high-functioning ASD is a.) the level of inherent stress caused by those things for a variety of reasons and b.) the lack of coping mechanism. So I do think every young child is having to "work" to some extent at Disney and is not just out there having fun. And most kids' trips would be made much more enjoyable by quieter places to wait or being able to take a stroller through the line, and the most average of average kids can have a overtired or overstimulated meltdown. Again, it's a matter of can they basically enjoy the experience despite the stresses and possible single meltdown, and I think that's the question that should be asked rather than "Will this accommodation make life easier on my child?"

Frankly, I think because there's an enjoyable payoff to most of the stressors (a ride at the end of a noisy line, a fireworks show after waiting in the too-close crowd, etc.), it's almost a better place to reinforce those coping skills because of the immediate positive reinforcement. And I don't consider that OT - I consider that, well, life. Every experience is a learning one whether you mean it to be or not.

I have many more thoughts, but I'm trying to keep this from becoming a wall of text yet again. I think it's a fascinating discussion, and I don't want it to seem as if I'm saying people are "wrong" for getting accommodations for their child or whatnot. I've just spent way too much time thinking about how I came to be a functional, independent adult despite my unique challenges and want to offer food for thought.

thank you for sharing your thoughts.....they are appreciated even if they are not agreed with in totality...its all about "learning" to me...so any shared experience is valid....Its also GREAT to hear such Success by you, Bravo!

 

[ppony]

thank you for sharing your thoughts.....they are appreciated even if they are not agreed with in totality...its all about "learning" to me...so any shared experience is valid....Its also GREAT to hear such Success by you, Bravo!

Agreed!

 

[kritter47]

thank you for sharing your thoughts.....they are appreciated even if they are not agreed with in totality...its all about "learning" to me...so any shared experience is valid....Its also GREAT to hear such Success by you, Bravo!

Heh, thanks. And I totally understand if you disagree - I am just finding myself more and more drawn to laying out my experiences so that maybe someone else can find a helpful piece or reexamine their current way of dealing or even just realize that these crazy kids do grow up, and they can grow up to be independent and happy, if slightly to the left of weird.

I will say my mother laughs and continues to laugh at how declarative I come off about some of this, giving me the old "I'm going to make you eat these words when you have kids" speech. And she very well may be right.

But I don't mean to say what worked for me works for everyone. I just have experience with AS and Disney and feel like I can offer a little bit of a unique perspective as someone who has AS rather than a parent of someone with AS.

 

[sjkobriger]

I realize this thread is a little dated, but thought I would post a response to address the OP's original questions as the topic trailed off a little into parenting philosophy. While that is great discussion and I loved hearing kritter47's perspective, I thought I'd offer a little pragmatic and simple advice as a father of an 8-year old aspie child who just went to WDW for the first time in June.

We spent 5 days in the parks and went to GR at Epcot our first morning and obtained GAC for our ASD son. The specific needs were relayed to the CM.

The CM was extremely kind and issued the GAC for our length of stay and let us know about the quiet rooms at GR for kids on the spectrum to relax or eat in a quiet, cool uncrowded place. We didn't use that, but its nice to know it was available.

What the GAC provided was very helpful. On attractions(there are few of these that have long lines) we were typically ushered to the wheelchair entrance (I think we only used this once at its a small world).

It made our first trip to WDW much less stressful than it otherwise would have been. Touring plans and FP usage don't work for our son as his anxiety levels don't allow him to enjoy other attractions while waiting for the FP return time (but we'll miss our turn!). We tried that approach at DL and learned our lesson.

I totally respect the life lesson argument and trying to go without "special treatment", but as a parent of an ASD child, everyday is full of life lessons and challenges. A vacation to WDW, at least for our family, is a significant expense and time committment and since the goal of vacation is for everyone to relax and have as much fun as possible I would recommended obtaining the GAC for your son and stroller as wheelchair accomodations.

I've seen a lot of people become agitated on the forums about people getting or using these GACs because it doesn't seem fair to not have to wait in line. I've also seen people suggesting that these should only be used as a last resort if you must. I would disregard that. As a parent of a spectrum child, you know the countless hours spent in therapy and treatment and the daily struggles and exhaustion that can accompany your life with ASD. For people to suggest that you should feel even an inkling of guilt for using a GAC to reduce your stress level or increase your enjoyment at Disney is just wrong.

Your life is full of enough stress, exhaustion and planning as a parent of ASD child. Get the GAC, use it and enjoy.

 

[tracies]

I realize this thread is a little dated, but thought I would post a response to address the OP's original questions as the topic trailed off a little into parenting philosophy. While that is great discussion and I loved hearing kritter47's perspective, I thought I'd offer a little pragmatic and simple advice as a father of an 8-year old aspie child who just went to WDW for the first time in June.

We spent 5 days in the parks and went to GR at Epcot our first morning and obtained GAC for our ASD son. The specific needs were relayed to the CM.

The CM was extremely kind and issued the GAC for our length of stay and let us know about the quiet rooms at GR for kids on the spectrum to relax or eat in a quiet, cool uncrowded place. We didn't use that, but its nice to know it was available.

What the GAC provided was very helpful. On attractions(there are few of these that have long lines) we were typically ushered to the wheelchair entrance (I think we only used this once at its a small world).

It made our first trip to WDW much less stressful than it otherwise would have been. Touring plans and FP usage don't work for our son as his anxiety levels don't allow him to enjoy other attractions while waiting for the FP return time (but we'll miss our turn!). We tried that approach at DL and learned our lesson.

I totally respect the life lesson argument and trying to go without "special treatment", but as a parent of an ASD child, everyday is full of life lessons and challenges. A vacation to WDW, at least for our family, is a significant expense and time committment and since the goal of vacation is for everyone to relax and have as much fun as possible I would recommended obtaining the GAC for your son and stroller as wheelchair accomodations.

I've seen a lot of people become agitated on the forums about people getting or using these GACs because it doesn't seem fair to not have to wait in line. I've also seen people suggesting that these should only be used as a last resort if you must. I would disregard that. As a parent of a spectrum child, you know the countless hours spent in therapy and treatment and the daily struggles and exhaustion that can accompany your life with ASD. For people to suggest that you should feel even an inkling of guilt for using a GAC to reduce your stress level or increase your enjoyment at Disney is just wrong.

Your life is full of enough stress, exhaustion and planning as a parent of ASD child. Get the GAC, use it and enjoy.

Thank you so very much for this post. I can tell you really understand where I'm coming from and you've had some of the same experiences we've had. We have 3 children, and plenty of experience with 'typical' children, and of course any child gets frustrated, tired, and difficult to handle after standing in line for long periods of time and being in a park all day, but whether you choose to believe it or not, many (most?) children on the spectrum have a much more difficult time with those things. I have absolutely no guilt in choosing to use the GAC where we need it to try to avoid those situations that will set off our child. This is our very first family vacation EVER. We have literally never even been on a weekend away. I will do everything I can to make it as enjoyable and problem-free as possible, not only for our child with ASD, but for our entire family.

 

[ppony]

Wonderful post! I'm glad you were able to enjoy your visit. We used the card for our last visit w/ our little guy and it made ALL the difference! Our first visit w/o it was a nightmare. He never had any meltdowns and it afforded us the extra time we always needed for him as well as being able to keep him in his "safe zone" (aka: stroller), so we all had a good time. Granted, there were still things we weren't able to do like parades because he will NOT tolerate being still for long (been that way since infancy). but as long as we knew what we could do and not, it made us enjoy our trip and look forward to another one.

I realize this thread is a little dated, but thought I would post a response to address the OP's original questions as the topic trailed off a little into parenting philosophy. While that is great discussion and I loved hearing kritter47's perspective, I thought I'd offer a little pragmatic and simple advice as a father of an 8-year old aspie child who just went to WDW for the first time in June.

We spent 5 days in the parks and went to GR at Epcot our first morning and obtained GAC for our ASD son. The specific needs were relayed to the CM.

The CM was extremely kind and issued the GAC for our length of stay and let us know about the quiet rooms at GR for kids on the spectrum to relax or eat in a quiet, cool uncrowded place. We didn't use that, but its nice to know it was available.

What the GAC provided was very helpful. On attractions(there are few of these that have long lines) we were typically ushered to the wheelchair entrance (I think we only used this once at its a small world).

It made our first trip to WDW much less stressful than it otherwise would have been. Touring plans and FP usage don't work for our son as his anxiety levels don't allow him to enjoy other attractions while waiting for the FP return time (but we'll miss our turn!). We tried that approach at DL and learned our lesson.

I totally respect the life lesson argument and trying to go without "special treatment", but as a parent of an ASD child, everyday is full of life lessons and challenges. A vacation to WDW, at least for our family, is a significant expense and time committment and since the goal of vacation is for everyone to relax and have as much fun as possible I would recommended obtaining the GAC for your son and stroller as wheelchair accomodations.

I've seen a lot of people become agitated on the forums about people getting or using these GACs because it doesn't seem fair to not have to wait in line. I've also seen people suggesting that these should only be used as a last resort if you must. I would disregard that. As a parent of a spectrum child, you know the countless hours spent in therapy and treatment and the daily struggles and exhaustion that can accompany your life with ASD. For people to suggest that you should feel even an inkling of guilt for using a GAC to reduce your stress level or increase your enjoyment at Disney is just wrong.

Your life is full of enough stress, exhaustion and planning as a parent of ASD child. Get the GAC, use it and enjoy.

 

[tracies]

And by the way, I just wanted to say a big big THANK YOU to everyone who has given advice. You've all eased my stress level quite a bit. LOL. As I said, this is our first vacation, and of course I know it won't be perfect, but I want to do everything I can to make as fun as possible for all of us, especially considering how much $ we're spending.

 

[ladyjubilee]

I understand people's desire to make everything easier for their kids, but as an adult with AS, I'm really, really glad my parents didn't. ......
TL;DR - In many cases, I think it's better to challenge your AS/HFA child rather than make things easier for them so that they can develop coping strategies to draw from for the rest of their lives.

Kritter,

I think this gets to the heart of the difference in the two approaches....and quite frankly, why I think the "ASD spectrum" is too broad. Its great that you *can* come onto a forum, communicate and function. But "ASD" covers a WIDE range of functioning. Not only can my son not now do so, but it is very unlikely that such communication and functioning will ever be on the horizon.

My own suspicion is that the folks that lean towards the "just muddle through" view point are dealing with higher functioning children. Its different on the opposite end of the spectrum. I'm guessing that even at your most tense you've never broken someone's nose, never clawed the contacts out of peoples' eyes, never bit yourself or others to the point of stitches. I'm assuming, but I doubt one meltdown could cause a (precious and unrecoverable) year or so of regression.

Which is the difference between the two view points. Without a GAC you *can* go to WDW, have a nice day despite the bumps. The first time we took my son to WDW we fully expected to spend maybe twenty minutes, maybe even an hour before we'd have to leave. We were VERY blessed that a CM helped us with the GAC--and that he had a brother "like" my son. He help guide us in what the GAC could do for us. It meant we were not only able to stay all day, and the next and the next.

Specifically to the board though, it just seems to me there is a lack of recognition of Autism and developmental delays as true disabilities meriting accomodation. It seems people are really quick to minimize and criticize people seeming accomodation for the disability of Autism when they wouldn't be so quick to jump if it were diabetes, cancer, hearing impairment, paraplegia or any physical disability.

 

[ppony]

I think this gets to the heart of the difference in the two approaches....and quite frankly, why I think the "ASD spectrum" is too broad. Its great that you *can* come onto a forum, communicate and function. But "ASD" covers a WIDE range of functioning. Not only can my son not now do so, but it is very unlikely that such communication and functioning will ever be on the horizon.

My own suspicion is that the folks that lean towards the "just muddle through" view point are dealing with higher functioning children. Its different on the opposite end of the spectrum. I'm guessing that even at your most tense you've never broken someone's nose, never clawed the contacts out of peoples' eyes, never bit yourself or others to the point of stitches. I'm assuming, but I doubt one meltdown could cause a (precious and unrecoverable) year or so of regression.

Which is the difference between the two view points. Without a GAC you *can* go to WDW, have a nice day despite the bumps. The first time we took my son to WDW we fully expected to spend maybe twenty minutes, maybe even an hour before we'd have to leave. We were VERY blessed that a CM helped us with the GAC--and that he had a brother "like" my son. He help guide us in what the GAC could do for us. It meant we were not only able to stay all day, and the next and the next.

Specifically to the board though, it just seems to me there is a lack of recognition of Autism and developmental delays as true disabilities meriting accomodation. It seems people are really quick to minimize and criticize people seeming accomodation for the disability of Autism when they wouldn't be so quick to jump if it were diabetes, cancer, hearing impairment, paraplegia or any physical disability.

I just want to give you a HUGE hug! I can completely sympathize. Sometimes, when you meet another parent that understands exactly where you are coming from, it just makes you feel a little better. That someone else understands and you aren't alone. Our first trip before the GAC was exactly as you had feared. I managed to make it a couple hours but by then he wasn't able to be calmed down anymore and neither my DH and I could carry him in the lines. Now he has been hitting, pinching and scratching at perfect strangers as they walk by! His stroller bubble is going to even more important now. What we'll do after he grows beyond that, terrifies me. But one day at a time.

And I completely agree that is it AWESOME that Kritter can come on these boards and communicate! I'd like nothing more than to believe that is in my son's future. Right now, I'm afraid it won't be. HUGS to Kritter too!

 

[dasan]

We just came back a week a go and with two children with Autism the GAC
was a necessity for us. We had cast members very supportive.
Only area we had cast members not offer help was POTC until they saw our
son would not tolerate a 40 min. wait in line and they offered to help with
a different entrance.

I had a call from Guest Communications when we got back and they were
happy to hear that the GAC card worked well for us.

We had no problems getting the cards at Disney, Universal or Sea World as
the people working at guest relations could see my son was struggling in the
line just to get the card.

Families that have very high needs should not worry, they can visit Disney.