DL Vs. WDW

[kykatt2]

I know I have seen this somewhere at some time but can not find it.

Who has stayed at Disney Land and Walt Disney World and used the GAC ??
I seem to remember people saying that DL CM's are NOT as friendly and as Accommodating as those at WDW.

I have a child with Autism..
We Usually have the FP's but sometimes we can not get one yet and Joshua will be on the verge of a "Meltdown" so we will ask a CM if we can use the FP Lines.

What is Procedure in DL and what have your "experiences" been ??

I am wanting to visit DL.. but if they are "Cranky" out there.. as One Thread seemed to play them to be.. I may just pass.

 

[mechurchlady]

I would like to set on the person who says Disneyland employees are cranky.

Disneyland is built on a set size of land that cannot expand like WDW. WDW can go bulldoze some swampland and make a new state of the art gluten free bakery or offices dedicated to sports if they want.

Disneyland was built before the ADA and before many disabled people even had freedom to get around like with powerchairs and ECVs. Even strollers faced obstacles like stairs, curbs and narrow doors. Any new stuff has to be ADA though.

DCA is the new park that is facing a 5 year remodelling and the Grand Californian will get a DVC section added on the south side. It is ADA complient but still can be daunting for people with difficulties walking long distances or doing the hills on the west side.

There are no places to hide from the sun so that GAC stamp is out for DLR. Pirates you go in the exit to shade but on Dumbo you have to wait in the sun. The disabled entrances often are afterthoughts to ancient buildings. Most of Fantasyland requires using exits for GAC and disabled guests. Gadget's Coaster, Bobsleds, splash mountain, and pirates are through exits.

The CMs at DLR will bend over backwards to help guests have a great time. They especially are nice to disabled kids. GAC at DLR will not get you to the head of the line or out of the sun or into private waiting areas as there are none. The GAC at DLR is for guests who have hearing, vision, and mobility limitations that are invisible. I suggest talking to the CM at guest services to see what they can do for parents with autistic children.

WDW is way better for anyone than DLR because it has so much variety and WDW can afford to hire teams to handle special needs because they have so many more guests and room. HOWEVER, there is no reason to not take an autistic child to DLR. With good planning the autistic child can avoid things they do not like and can have fun at DLR. On a weekday in the off season it is possible to avoid most lines and with fastpass cover the rest.

 

[kykatt2]

I would like to set on the person who says Disneyland employees are cranky.



The CMs at DLR will bend over backwards to help guests have a great time. They especially are nice to disabled kids. GAC at DLR will not get you to the head of the line or out of the sun or into private waiting areas as there are none. The GAC at DLR is for guests who have hearing, vision, and mobility limitations that are invisible. I suggest talking to the CM at guest services to see what they can do for parents with autistic children.

WDW is way better for anyone than DLR because it has so much variety and WDW can afford to hire teams to handle special needs because they have so many more guests and room. HOWEVER, there is no reason to not take an autistic child to DLR. With good planning the autistic child can avoid things they do not like and can have fun at DLR. On a weekday in the off season it is possible to avoid most lines and with fastpass cover the rest.

Sounds like I NEED TO PLACE A CALL TO DL .. to investiagte this further.
Thanks for your help. I do not want to Book room and Ticket.. get OUT THERE and find out my kid will be miserable.

 

[mechurchlady]

Autism is so broad that you need to look at the needs of the child and not the label. You can get 5 different reactions from 5 autistic kids in the same situation. Some are visual seekers, sound seekers, and huggers while others do not like crowds and people around them, are sensitive to sounds, and avoid certain foods.

There are things to do like ear muffs that hunters use for the sound sensitive child. Worry beads, chew toys, gameboys, ipods, and radios to keep a kid busy in lines. Some parents reward kids for staying in line with bits of food. There is pretrip practice sessions where kids can be made to wait in line and they realize that waiting in line is so bad but the reward is so good. Avoidance of lines usually is caused by claustrophia, crowds and new people, built up nervous energy, and boredom. If a kid has nervous energy then give them a toy to fidget with, if they are bored then give them a game to play with, and if they cannot handle crowds then get a GAC if possible and plan the trip so there are few lines.

Besides Disneyland is Legoland, seaworld and the zoo to the south, Just go in the off season if you can and the middle of the week. Friday evenings, Saturday a couple hours after opening, and sunday afternoons are busiest,. I started going there back in 1959 or 1960.

 

[scroot]

Becuase we live in AZ we go to DLR much more than WDW. We have had encounters with "cranky" CMs in both places. At both resorts the pleasant far out weigh the cranky. As the above said, off season is helpful. DLR may not have the space but it does have a charm that is all its own.

 

[cccdisney]

My 5 1/2 yr old son has autism and we have AP's at DL. The CM's have been very helpful. His GAC is stamped stroller=wheelchair because he is a flight risk (as well as non-verbal). He is starting to ride more popular attractions now. Matterhorn, Big Thunder, Peter Pan - we were sent through the exit. However at Soarin over CA (which was built in more recent years) we were sent through the FP line.
The CM's are great. We have had an occasional second glance at him - like why would he need a GAC? But that is to be expected with autism because it is clearly a hidden disability. But usually the second glances are coming from people who are standing in the regular line. But you would find that at WDW and DL!

 

[MBW]

For years we only went to WDW with our profoundly autistic son (and his not-so-affected-but-still-autistic brother) and were very well accommodated. Then we spent two years in California, and went to DL four times. Each time, we were provided the utmost accommodations, including the treasured stamp reserved for only a few. All we had to do was show up at the Main Street guest services with our son, ask to speak to a manager, explain his issues (with him there, so it was clear we weren't exaggerating) and each time, Disney understood our needs and went to extreme lengths to make sure they were met. We had one bad experience with a ride CM, and we calmly asked to speak with their supervisor, who overruled the CM and removed them from their post, at least while we were on the ride. Otherwise, DL CMs were unbelievably kind and accommodating.

We're heading back to WDW in less than three weeks, so we get to see if their CMs rise up to the occasion. I already have checked to make sure we'll get the same level of accommodation as at DL, and have been assured by management that we will, so I have high hopes. That said, even with the not-so-accommodating GAC stamps we've received in the past, the CMs at WDW made sure that our son's needs were always met. So, frankly, I haven't seen much of a de facto difference - just what was put on paper.

Good luck. I hope your experience is as pleasant as ours has been.