Children with autism at parks

[Coonhound]

We typically can ride maybe 3 or 4 rides before DS gets overwhelmed and asks to leave. The rest of the day, one of us goes back to the room with DS and the other remains with DD. So for those few rides, we can experience them together. The rest of the time, DD and one of us wait in the lines. I hardly think that's overuse.

The policy was changed because of low-lifes that abused it. Not because the system was overwhelmed.

This is untrue. It was changed because of over-use. Disney has had several news articles you can look for that state "the system had become unmanageable". I'm not going to bother to find them for you but they're out there. Actually you can probably just google GAC and the system became unmanageable.

 

[Coonhound]

I don't think autistic kids should be excluded from Disney but I do think that if you have an autistic child or anyone in your group with a disability then it's the groups responsibility to adjust their vacation style and or expectations to accommodate the family member with the disability, it's not every one else's responsibility. When I go to Disney and see a ride with a 2 hour wait and I don't think my kids or my elderly parents if I'm traveling with them can handle the wait, you know what, I don't ride it. It sucks especially when it's a popular ride like Soarin or Toy Story but that's the reality of the abilities of my group. And sadly, the number of disabled Americans is rising for many reasons. Disney can't provide a trouble-free vacation for everyone. Pretty soon the numbers of DAS cards will overload the system. There is a breaking point. If my average family is expected to be inconvenienced by longer waits while a family with a disability is swept to the front of the line, I will soon decide to spend my vacation dollars elsewhere.

 

[kirstenb1]

I am in Disney World right now finishing a vacation with family. Yesterday my husband and I stopped at guest relations in HS to check a dinner reservation. A man was speaking with a guest relation hostess regarding his son who has autism. (His words). He was complaining about wait times and sharing that his son was unable to stand in line for two hours. The hostess suggested using a fast pass. He wanted more. He claims rides shut down when he was using the fast pass and a cast member told he would have to get in regular line (highly unlikely) his son was having meltdowns and Disney was somehow responsible because his family couldn't just get to the front of the fast pass line of every ride and attraction. He just kept repeating how Disney had failed his autistic son and deprived his family of a vacation. I wanted to turn to him and say, maybe Disney is not the right vacation for your autistic son. Disney is sensory overload and can be too much for many people. If your son has autism and you want to what is best for him don't make him wait in line for something so that he has meltdowns. Perhaps a vacation someplace calmer. Disney is not required to have "no waiting" if your child has autism. Can you even them opening that can of worms? Just be reasonable people.....bringing a child that can't wait in a line (and I actually didn't see any that had a two hour wait time while I was there) then making them wait in a line and then claiming that Disney is at fault is ludicrous! I felt bad for the cast member that had to listen to his tirade and kept calling Disney out for not being accessible to his handicapped son, clearly he was not doing what was best for his son!

OP, I understand what you're saying. Our 8 yr old has ASD, and the first 5 yrs, our strategy was to hit rope drop, she was good for about 2 hrs, we'd eat lunch, and she and I would return to the room. She would get into sensory overload. Over the years, her tolerance for crowds/people/noise has greatly improved. My motto with her when she was younger was "not yet". Meaning, whatever our goal was, maybe we weren't there yet, but we kept chipping away at it.

However, maybe this was a once in a lifetime trip, who knows. Anyway, you didn't offend me with the point I think you were trying to make.

 

[sunb75]

I don't think autistic kids should be excluded from Disney but I do think that if you have an autistic child or anyone in your group with a disability then it's the groups responsibility to adjust their vacation style and or expectations to accommodate the family member with the disability, it's not every one else's responsibility.

This!! ^
And I feel like I can comment as the mother of a 17 year old with asd. We were at the parks when he was younger and we adjusted our vacationing for him. We never expected to interfere with anyone else's time at the parks and we didn't. It's no one's fault that our son was born with asd. He has to learn, and he is, that he has a disability, and it does not give him an excuse, but gives him a reason to try harder than everyone else! He has been through countless hours of therapies (on our dime, not the government's even though it has caused us many financial hardships!) and they have been helpful. When he is nervous/overwhelmed, he still flaps and spins, but he can also self-regulate by removing himself from the situation if possible.

Anyway, I have not read the whole thread, but the poster I quoted really rung true with me. It got me thinking of my own "disabilities". I have anxiety (along with other things), but I have to deal with it. I can't use it as an excuse.

 

[dbramer]

http://www.today.com/news/undercover-disney-deplorable-scheme-skip-lines-6C10131266

 

[SueM in MN]

Scroll down to the story called Line Kings:
http://miceage.micechat.com/allutz/al091812a.htm

 

[Sugardimples]

So lets get this straight. You come onto this thread to attack the father of a autistic child who you cowardly didn't speak up to so you could moan to all of us And then you label all autistic kids the same. First off they aren't. Some don't mind sensory things. My little brother is autistic but he is also a individual human being like me and you. We aren't the same and he isn't like every other autistic kid. It's not your place to tell anyone how to raise their kids or where to take them. You don't have to live with autistic kids. The tears, the littlest thing setting them off and then the days where he is okay and really good and can cope better that you forget he's autistic. Also my little brother acts very different with everyone therefore you may be getting the good side of those kids. I would have actually felt better If you told had went up to the father but no you're a keyboard warrior. Please next time actually go and speak to the father and stop spreading. Also how do you know if Disney is good with disabilities since I assume you never went this time with a disabled person. Everyone should be able to enjoy Disney. It's a place for everyone and that's what Disney wants to promote. Also what if the family has other children who aren't autistic want to go to Disney world. Should all of that family never go to Disney world because of one child. Also most holiday spots have alot of sensory things in them so almost any place could set them off just by the fact is isn't Thier own home and is a different routine. What do you suggest. That families with a autistic member in the family should just stay at home so they don't upset the rest of the world??? Give it break.

Really? The OP should have approached the enraged father and YOU would feel better? This is the worst advice I've ever heard.

 

[Coonhound]

http://www.today.com/news/undercover-disney-deplorable-scheme-skip-lines-6C10131266

That was the scheme that the media showed, but ask disney directly if it was "use, not abuse" that led to getting rid of the GAC. We did! or you can google it. The media wants to play the sensational story of abuse, but that's just the tip of the iceberg, the real story is "use, not abuse" you can google it or just ask disney.

 

[Coonhound]

Scroll down to the story called Line Kings:
http://miceage.micechat.com/allutz/al091812a.htm

Just a few quotes from the article!

"The result this summer was that on days with high Annual Passholder visitation rates the line of people wanting to use their GAC at Racers would completely overwhelm the attraction and create a line of 30 to 45 minutes long, clogging the Fastpass lane and demanding that the ride operators at Racers dramatically dial down the number of Fastpasses distributed each day. (And now you know why the Racers Fastpasses are all gone within 60 minutes of park opening; they are only giving out a third of the number of tickets they should be able to as they try and manage the GACs heading into the ride through the same line)."

"The Guest Relations team was summoned to the Racers ride entrance all summer as they tried to mitigate the problem by forcing GAC holders to return only after the length of the Standby line had lapsed, issuing them a “return time” much like a Fastpass. This process at least prevented those with GACs from just going around and around through the Fastpass line as much as they wanted, as a 45 minute Fastpass/GAC wait time is at least shorter than the two to three hour long Standby wait. The irony of a 45 minute line for people who freely acknowledge they can’t wait in line is not lost on any of the Cast Members from Guest Relations or Radiator Springs Racers."

"When word of this GAC phenomenon reached DCA executives and George Kalogridis, after they demanded to know why so few Fastpasses were being given out each morning, the answer took the TDA executives by surprise. Any front-line Attractions or Guest Relations Cast Member has known the GAC program was highly abused and nearly worthless for years, but most executives had no exposure to the problem and had no idea so many GACs were being issued, often for months at a time. Some quick studies were commissioned by the Guest Relations team this summer, and it was determined that upwards of 5,000 people per day, almost all of whom were tracked as Annual Passholders, were going through the Fastpass line at Radiator Springs Racers with a GAC. At an attraction like Racers that was carrying an average of 20,000 riders per day, 5,000 of them boarding the ride with a GAC is a huge impact. After all, a GAC is valid for the disabled person, and up to five of their friends or family, so while there were often 1,500 or more valid GACs in the park at any one time that meant there were thousands more people joining the GAC card holder at an attraction."

Simply put, the program became unsustainable.

 

[ladyjubilee]

Not incidentally, Disney has also knowledged that the DAS system does not work for everyone and has advised folks for whom the DAS system isn't working to go to Guest Services and explain the situation and the need. Google das and autism.

Again the dad may have been in error with the way he requested accommodation, but he was doing EXACTLY what Disney says to do.

 

[Suzie13]

Yes she should have to get the full story. Who knows the fact he may have been told a conflicting story and while its wrong for the father to take it out on the poor cm, the op is wrong to be spreading without getting both sides. The father could have just had a really bad day. Seen plenty of adults taking tantrums in Disney over stupid things but I don't come on here and spread. I may have got the wrong end. Two sides to every story. Actually 3. His side, disneys side and somewhere the truth. I don't appreciate people ease droppin on people's conversation . It's wrong and weird and if she was that interested, get the full story. End of!

 

[Sparkly]

Not incidentally, Disney has also knowledged that the DAS system does not work for everyone and has advised folks for whom the DAS system isn't working to go to Guest Services and explain the situation and the need. Google das and autism.

Again the dad may have been in error with the way he requested accommodation, but he was doing EXACTLY what Disney says to do.

Except I thought they were phasing those out?

We used FP+ plus the DAS, and it worked smoothly for us.

 

[twinboysmom]

Accommodations are absolutely warranted but they must be reasonable, meaning they must provide access, not excess. Disney is under no obligation to allow other to cut in line ahead of those who are patiently waiting. What Disney now offers is EQUAL ACCESS under the LAW. If your child is unable to handle disney even with these accommodations, then perhaps disney just isn't for your family.

I have never asked for any other accommodations than what Disney has provided. If you read what I have written I have said I am happy with the DAS, multiple times and feel it is in accordance with the ADA. I have not once said my children deserve to go to the front of every line.

Oh, and btw, I don't need you or anybody else on a public message board to tell me what is right for my family. We do a great job navigating the parks with our kids. In 8 trips with our boys we used the GAC twice and have yet to use the DAS. So not to worry, the chances that my kids are cutting in front of your kids are pretty slim.