Best plan for Wishes for teen with Aspergers

[sharona]

I'll be traveling to WDW with my family Dec 10-15 (13 yo nephew, my SIL, my mom and my DD12). My nephew has Asperger's and doesn't love thrill rides so he's a little apprehensive about the trip but he is also excited and looking forward to it. We've been looking at ride videos and talking about FP options - he says he wants to try it all including the fireworks. The issue is that he can get agitated/stressed with tight crowds and he doesn't like loud environments. We've gone to fireworks shows with him before but we're usually in a very open area like a beach or football field. He does have noise canceling headphones.

At first I was thinking we'd see the fireworks at MVMCP expecting that night to have smaller crowds but now I'm wondering if we should use a FP+ on our other MK night so we can be in the Wishes viewing area and have some breathing room.

DD, mom and I have seen Wishes before so we'll do whatever works best for my nephew. Not sure if my SIL plans to get a GAC card (is that the current term?) for him or if his anxiety would even be helped by that process.

So our options are -

View the fireworks from a non hub area on MVMCP night (we're going on Sunday 12/13) - what do they do with the Wishes FP area during MVMCP?
Try to get Wishes FP+ for our regular MK night (a not recommended day on easywdw unfortunately)
Leave MK and watch the fireworks from somewhere else (suggestions?)

Thoughts? Advice? Experiences with Wishes FP+ area? Other options I haven't considered?

TIA for your responses.

 

[piccolopat]

We don't like crowds and really don't care if we miss seeing the castle with the fireworks behind it. A couple of years ago we were leaving Mickey's Philharmagic and planned to leave the park when the fireworks started. We decided to just sit where we were instead of fighting the crowds on Main St and actually found that we like viewing the fireworks there. Very few people and we still saw a great show.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

We went to MVMCP last year and found a spot on Main St. (closer to the entrance to MK) that wasn't crowded at all. You are a little further away from the castle than you would be if you were in the FP+ area, but it was really great to see the fireworks and then simply turn around and leave MK (My DS7 has ASD and he was done with the party by that point). I personally wouldn't recommend the FP+ viewing area on a regular MK night. We tried it and getting out of MK was a crowded nightmare. My DS made it through, but was quite nervous the whole time.

My personal recommendation would be to watch them during MVMCP in a non-crowded spot and, if you want to watch them on a regular MK night, go to Poly and watch them from the marina area where you can hear the music piped in from the Trader Sam's outdoor lounge area. You could also go to the 4th observation deck at CR or the boat dock or marina at GF.

 

[sharona]

Thank you both for your advice. Can you see the castle projection show from Philharmagic? I can't remember exactly what's between that and the castle. IF we do use the Wishes FP area, we would not attempt to leave immediately afterwards. We plan to sit and relax while the masses shuffle out and then make our way out once the crowds have abated.

 

[gap2368]

one thing that you can do is watch them from ( I think the grand floridian, it is what ever hotel is next to the TTC) on there beach I have heard it is a great view and not crowded as much and less loud.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I don't believe they show the projections on the back of the castle so Philharmagic may not be the best spot. Getting the FP+ and staying in that area until the crowds clear sounds like a good plan!

 

[gap2368]

they do not show the projection on the castle but during the fier works there is no projection on the casel that happens before and after. if you do the FP then stay there for a while then walk down main street and find a spot if there is a second parade that night you can see most of the parade from the FP area too just know that some times FP can be crowded it all depends on how many VIP tours there are if CMs let people in or if like for my next trip someone gets an extra one for some other resin ( I am just saying that there could be an extra 30 people in the area)

 

[WDWJonasGirl]

Hi! I'm a 20 year old with high functioning autism. At MVMCP, they do different fireworks. If your nephew doesn't like loud noises, he could use his i-pod. That helps for me and I don't have a problem.

 

[toodycat]

My son has ASD and is very sensitive to sound. As he grew older, he became able to watch the fireworks in the park, but when he was really sensitive to sounds, we often watched from the GF dock or we rented a pontoon boat from Sammy Duval and watched them from the lagoon. The boat was very peaceful, plus you got to see the whole show and a tour of the lagoon.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) For fireworks, I have a suggestion.
2) View WISHES from the employee parking (eg. "Cast Parking") lot at Wilderness Lodge.
. . . people are there every day watching
. . . we even recommend t to our Wilderness Lodge guests
. . . there is uniformed WDW Security present and driving around, so there is no danger
. . . the view is really god, except for lower fireworks
. . . the noise is present, but not excessive
3) If the noise is too much, you can make a dash for your car or a Disney bus and exit.
4) If the noise is not an issue, then enjoy WISHES from within the park on another day.

 

[momimouse27]

My son is ASD and 12. He has actually gotten more sensitive to sound not less in the last few years. The last couple of years when we go we've taken the earphones to make him more comfortable. He wears them some and takes them off some. He has become wierd about the fireworks, but we found an awesome place to watch. It may not be ideal for your family if you really want to see it from the castle but it worked well for us, as we were testing the waters to see how he would respond. We found a table a tomorrowland-one of the tables next to the track at the tomorrowland speedway-and watched from there. Not lots of people, so he felt comfortable(he doesn't like to feel crowded either). We had a snack and watched and he seemed good. Another good place someone mentioned was Fantasyland. I also recommend that.

Have fun!!