Crowds and autism

[Dis1978]

We are going to Disney and a very busy time of year. How do other parents of kids with Aspergers manage with the crowds? My teenage aspie son wants to go and do the rides by himself. Will he be able to show the guest assistance card or do I need to be with him? Do Aspie kids get stressed by the crowds or does the excitement and adrenalin stop them getting anxious?

 

[Luv Bunnies]

My son is 11. He has Asperger's but crowds have never seemed to bother him much. If he does get anxious, he usually wants to take a break by hiding under a jacket or burying his head in my lap. If we're waiting for fireworks or a show to start, he will usually just want a hug or ask me to wrap my arms around his head and make him a little cocoon to hide in. After a few minutes of that, he's usually fine. It also coincides with how tired he is. If he's alert and rested, he can handle crowds and all the stimulation just fine. If he's tired he'll tend to want to get away from it all. I think each kid will tend to react to crowds in his own way. Has your son had a problem with crowds in the past?

We've never had to use a GAC so I don't know whether he can just show the card himself. That might be a good question to ask when you get the GAC.

 

[jemeh5]

Hello,

I just happened along your post and it caught my eye for some reason! My nephew also has Asberger's, and they went to Disney last year. My sister-in-law mentioned to me that she was able to get a note from her sons doctor which allowed her to get a special fastpass for her and her family - this way he didn't ever have to wait in line (which is something he really wouldn't have been able to handle). If you want me to get more information on it from her, let me know and I'll check.

Good luck!
Jen

 

[SueM in MN]

Hello,

I just happened along your post and it caught my eye for some reason! My nephew also has Asberger's, and they went to Disney last year. My sister-in-law mentioned to me that she was able to get a note from her sons doctor which allowed her to get a special fastpass for her and her family - this way he didn't ever have to wait in line (which is something he really wouldn't have been able to handle). If you want me to get more information on it from her, let me know and I'll check.

Good luck!
Jen

What you are talking about is a GAC (Guest Assistance Card). There is a section about GACs in the disABILITIES FAQs thread.
A doctor's note is not needed, although some people with invisible disabilities do bring one because it makes them feel more confident asking for one.
It isn't really a special fastpass (even though some people think that's what it is). The card says it is not meant to shorten or eliminate waits in line. It is a card that tells the CMs at the attraction what sort of accomidations people need because of their disabilities. Accomidations might include things like a quieter place to wait, a waiting place out of the sun, bringing a stroller into lines.
In some cases (depending on the message stamped on the card), the CM at the attraction entrance might route you thru the Fastpass line. Exactly waht happens at each attraction depends on what is available at that attraction and things like how busy it is right then and how many other people with special needs are there at the time.
If you can get Fastpasses, those are a much more predictable way to get on/into attractions.

 

[mrstbalt]

We got one GAC for our DD4 at the time, she has autism. She did ok waiting in the lines it was just that being crowded and or/dark area, not being able to see her surroundings bothered her. So they had us wait off to the side and we waited just like everyone else. If fastpass was available we used one.

 

[cindysteve]

We sent our then 9yo DS (with High functioning autism) with a teenage (17 yo)foster son and the GAC, and they were not questioned.

 

[Dis1978]

thanks everyone.
Re GAC son doesn't want his diagnosis on it so what shall I ask doc to write on the note?

 

[SueM in MN]

thanks everyone.
Re GAC son doesn't want his diagnosis on it so what shall I ask doc to write on the note?

There is not a diagnosis on the GAC. It is just stamped with the type of accomidation the person needs (i.e. wait out of the sun, quieter place to wait, use alternate entrances, etc.)
You don't need a doctor's note to get a GAC. If you want the doctor to write one, it doesn't need a diagnosis on it, because different people with the very same diagnosis can have very different needs. If you have a letter, it should say what sorts of needs your son has (like quieter place to wait, things he needs to avoid, etc). It is likely that the CM will not want to look at the letter and will ask you and your son what sorts of needs he has, so be prepared to explain.

If you haven't already looked at it, the disABILITIES FAQs thread (near the top of this board) has a section about GACs.

 

[Dis1978]

Thanks Sue.

 

[SueM in MN]

You're welcome.
Hope you all have a good time.

 

[bubba73]

My DS(13) has been diagnosed with Aspergers as well. He has been to WDW 5 times already and we have never had an instance where we have really had an issue. Now, we never let him do anything without one of us with him but we really haven't had any issues.


On a side note, I would love to know how you and your kids handle and do in school. My DS is having serious problems and I am all out of ideas. Any help from people that have had to go through this would be very appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

On a side note, I would love to know how you and your kids handle and do in school. My DS is having serious problems and I am all out of ideas. Any help from people that have had to go through this would be very appreciated.

You might want to look in the disABILTIES Community Board, which is a subforum to disABILTIES. That is where the stuff not directly related to Disney is discussed.

 

[leanan]

My daughter is 9 and has been diagnosed with Aspergers. She hates the rides. We go and she watches the other kids enjoying the rides. Each child has his/her own issues with this condition. It always amazes me how different they are.

You really wont know until you get there what your son can handle. For my daughter it also changes from year to year. A few years ago she could ride and have fun. Now she barely tolerates the carosel. She hates shows like Its Tough To Be a Bug.

I find that it is better to be able to leave and return with her. She can only handle so much park at once. Her favorite on property activity is the coin machines. We get a roll of Pennies and a roll of quarters. We move around between hotels and venues collecting different squished coins for her squished coin books. For $10.50 plus the cost of a dinner in one of the counter service places we have a great time together. She gets to see the different hotels this way as well. She is very hotel obsessed. She loves to stay in hotels. I want to try and get a room to stay in with her for spring break.

She wants to eat breakfast with Stitch in Ohanas. I am sceptical of taking her though since she has never even allowed her picture to be taken with Santa. Of course my therapist says to let her enjoy it in her own way. If she just wants to admire him from afar that is ok. Perhaps let her take my picture with Stitch instead of trying to get her picture with stitch.

 

[Christine43]

Each child on the autism spectrum is so different from each other they all have different reactions in the same circumstances. I have two boys (18 and 10)with AS and they're very different and I have another 10 yr. old with HFA (they're twins). The only one with crowd issues is the twin with HFA and I deal with it in different ways like removing him from the situation if need just for a little while for him to calm down or giving him something to distract him like Pal Mickey, for instance. Pal Mickey is a Mickey Mouse doll that will periodically start yakking and give info about the park or messages about a line thinning etc. It amuses him and if you squeeze it yourself, it will talk. As for the rides, the boys actually do really well on them. Better than me, actually.
The GAC is worth it's weight in gold, it was an incredible life saver for us. The first time we went, we didn't know about it and when we went this past August and had it, the vacation was so much better. There is no mention of the disability on it.
On another note, Bubba had asked how kids w/AS were doing in school. I've had some really horrible years and some ok years and some stuff in between. I'm currently getting an advocate to fight for some tutoring for my autistic son and last year had to have my AS twin removed from gym because the teacher was bullying him. It never ends. You can write to me privately if you need to and believe me, I know how awful it can be. Take care and have fun in DW, Christine