First family Disney trip (son with autism)

[2Pirates2Princesses]

We are planning our first family trip to WDW for August of next year. We have four children, our DS (8yrs old) has autism. He is primarily non verbal, has developmental delays, sensory issues, and also has issues with wandering. On the plus side, he is mild mannered and has a good temperament. We are trying to plan this trip to accommodate all of our children's interests, temperaments, and ability levels; but for him we want to make sure that we take all issues into consideration and make sure we cover all bases. For all of you that have visited WDW with a child on the autism spectrum, what are some helpful tips that you would suggest to other families with a child with autism that helped to keep your child safe and have an enjoyable trip without being overstimulated? Thank you!

 

[blondietink]

When my DS experienced his first trip to WDW at the age of 8 we didn't know what to expect. He was also largely non-verbal at that point, but the magic of WDW helped his speech tremendously. We also found the noise cancelling headphones helped a lot as the noise/music can be very loud around the parks and on rides/shows. We also took a stroller for him which allowed him to be able to soak up everything without getting overloaded. The motion of the stroller seemed to help a lot with his wandering. Now, 10 years later, he can't wait for his next trip to WDW! Have a great trip!

 

[bookwormde]

Enjoying WDW at a slow pace where you have the time to focus on you childs needs (and enjoy watching the magic of WDW in his eyes) is a good start. We go early before the crowds are to big, take a break (swim, nap or other relaxing activites) at the resort and eat lunch and return to the parks later in the day or evening. I recomend staying on site if there is anyway you can afford it rent a DVC villa from a member or if you can get a good discount from WDW. For most of us with kids on the spectum having a full kitchen, lets us choose a few special occasions for WDW meals, rather than the daunting task of meal "out" constantly (not to mention it saves a small fortune)

bookwormde

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

Enjoying WDW at a slow pace where you have the time to focus on you childs needs (and enjoy watching the magic of WDW in his eyes) is a good start. We go early before the crowds are to big, take a break (swim, nap or other relaxing activites) at the resort and eat lunch and return to the parks later in the day or evening. I recomend staying on site if there is anyway you can afford it rent a DVC villa from a member or if you can get a good discount from WDW. For most of us with kids on the spectum having a full kitchen, lets us choose a few special occasions for WDW meals, rather than the daunting task of meal "out" constantly (not to mention it saves a small fortune)

bookwormde

we are booked under the free dining promotion and will be staying in ASMU family suite. We are still trying to decide if that is the best way to go for our family in terms of not only the resort accommodations but also with the dining plan option, especially for our oldest DS with autism. I was wondering what anyone's experience has been with the GAC and if that is a good resource. Thank you.

 

[Heluvsme]

You mentioned he wanders, I would bring a band of jingle bells and hang them on the resort room door just in case. You just never know if he'd wake up in the middle of the night or not. I agree with the headphones, and the stroller! Great tips! Regular meals and rest times are important also, and if lights are bothersome some sunlasses or a hat can help. A book can help too with preparation--- a guidebook to Disney with pictures of each park can really prepare him for what to expect.

Hope you have a wonderful trip!

 

[Bugsmom73]

We travel with DS who is 7 and an eloper. We had a window alarm that we set up on the door using 3M removable hangers. We also pushed a table in front of the door. DS was usually so tired he fell right to sleep. DS did well on the dining plan, luckily it was alot of the foods he ate. We also had easy mac and yogurt in the room. DS is verbal but we found the wdw autism website very handy. Ready made supports for free.

Noise cancelling headphones are a must, sensory toys and a flexible schedule. We also noticed the heat affected our son more than I thought it would.

 

[bookwormde]

Hard to turn down freee dining!!

GAC can be very helpful depending on your child's needs. If being in extended crowded lines for a long time is a major issue, having the ability to wait your turn in an alternate setting is very helpful (only some atttractions)

bookwormde

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

We travel with DS who is 7 and an eloper. We had a window alarm that we set up on the door using 3M removable hangers. We also pushed a table in front of the door. DS was usually so tired he fell right to sleep. DS did well on the dining plan, luckily it was alot of the foods he ate. We also had easy mac and yogurt in the room. DS is verbal but we found the wdw autism website very handy. Ready made supports for free.

Noise cancelling headphones are a must, sensory toys and a flexible schedule. We also noticed the heat affected our son more than I thought it would.

I am definitely going to look into the website you mentioned.

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

Found it, excellent resource for families with children on the autism spectrum.http://www.wdwautism.com/

 

[clanmcculloch]

Here are a few things that come to mind.

A stroller as a wheelchair (this is a tag you get from Guest Relations to allow you to bring his stroller anywhere that a wheelchair can go meaning into lines) can be helpful for multiple reasons. The stroller can keep him restrained which is huge for a child who runs and also it can be a place where he can cocoon himself from the world by putting up the shade and even putting a light blanket over if he'd like that. Even just sitting back in the stroller provides a boundary for him so that part of the world is shut out. WDW is a very sensory stimulating place so having a place where he can retreat to is very helpful.

I've found that it is EXTREMELY important to stick with my child's schedule at WDW. At home we normally get up bright and early and eat light breakfasts. This is what we do at WDW as well. Even when we have a dining plan I pack some light breakfast foods so we can eat quickly in the morning as well as eat foods we're used to. I pack dry goods in my suitcase (we fly SWA so we got a total of 8 bags, not that we need them even with packing food) and I place an order for liquids and perishables with Garden Grocer. You'll have a fridge and microwave in the family suite so that helps. I build my itinerary so that we'll be eating lunch early since at school my kids eat early. This is also important for dealing with the GFCF diet because it's so much less stressful dealing with ordering when there's no crowd. Dinners are also scheduled early because of the crowds and because we eat early at home. We also stick with our at home bedtimes. Yes that means we miss the nighttime shows, but many kids on the spectrum don't like fireworks anyway.

Bring his comfort item(s). Repeat: Bring his comfort item(s).

Be aware of his limits. My daughter can only handle maybe 3 hours in a park per day. We've recently managed to get that up longer at Epcot though I don't really know why that particular park (I'm not going to argue with success by questioning it). We get out of the parks before the meltdowns occur by making sure not to schedule too much on any given day. We leave when we're still happy.

For my daughter, water is a huge sensory reliever. We swim every day unless it's way too cold (for us that means near the freezing mark; I'll let them swim if it's 40 degrees because the water is very warm and I bring stuff right to the edge of the pool to wrap them up the moment they're out of the water). If they can't swim, she takes a nice long shower. At home a long shower is a sensory break as well so that's why we use it at WDW. Use whatever you do at home for sensory breaks.

For us, the one tool that has been most beneficial has been a good touring plan. I subscribe to TourGuide Mike which is a service that teaches you how to tour most efficiently and to build a plan customized to your own needs. First of all, TGM tells you which park each day will have the least number of people. This is HUGE. A GAC can help keep you out of crowds in lines, but it can't help you between rides. Knowing which park will be least crowded helps keep you out of the crowds which can become very overwhelming. TGM then teaches you what time of day to get to each attraction in order to avoid crowds. Again, crowds can be overwhelming. The you begin building your own itinerary. This is important because it helps set realistic expectations for what you can accomplish in the amount of time you want to be at the park each day. If you want to shoot for 3 hours in the morning then the experts on the TGM boards will help you fit in your must-do activities in this time and help you figure out what to drop. You'll move around smoothly, get to everything that the different people in your group really want to do, and then leave when everybody is still smiling. It's WONDERFUL! It also teaches you how to be flexible with those plans which is important because we all know that you can't predict what'll happen with an autistic child's mood. Honest, I don't work for TGM; I'm just a fan for life. You can get a $3 discount on the regular $21.95 price by clicking on the link on the Theme Park board here on the DIS (TGM is that board's sponsor). Best money I've ever spend on a WDW vacation.

ETA: One more thing I like about the detailed touring plans of TGM is that it allows me to figure out ahead of time just what CS and snack locations I'll be near when it's time to eat. When following a special diet like GFCF, knowing ahead of time where to find safe and tasty foods is very important. Writing food (meals and snacks) into my touring plan is my own reminder to make sure that we eat before anybody gets over hungry which leads to meltdowns. It's very easy to get caught up in the fun of the day and not eat until you're past that point. I write everything into my touring plans.

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

Here are a few things that come to mind.

A stroller as a wheelchair (this is a tag you get from Guest Relations to allow you to bring his stroller anywhere that a wheelchair can go meaning into lines) can be helpful for multiple reasons. The stroller can keep him restrained which is huge for a child who runs and also it can be a place where he can cocoon himself from the world by putting up the shade and even putting a light blanket over if he'd like that. Even just sitting back in the stroller provides a boundary for him so that part of the world is shut out. WDW is a very sensory stimulating place so having a place where he can retreat to is very helpful.

I've found that it is EXTREMELY important to stick with my child's schedule at WDW. At home we normally get up bright and early and eat light breakfasts. This is what we do at WDW as well. Even when we have a dining plan I pack some light breakfast foods so we can eat quickly in the morning as well as eat foods we're used to. I pack dry goods in my suitcase (we fly SWA so we got a total of 8 bags, not that we need them even with packing food) and I place an order for liquids and perishables with Garden Grocer. You'll have a fridge and microwave in the family suite so that helps. I build my itinerary so that we'll be eating lunch early since at school my kids eat early. This is also important for dealing with the GFCF diet because it's so much less stressful dealing with ordering when there's no crowd. Dinners are also scheduled early because of the crowds and because we eat early at home. We also stick with our at home bedtimes. Yes that means we miss the nighttime shows, but many kids on the spectrum don't like fireworks anyway.

Bring his comfort item(s). Repeat: Bring his comfort item(s).

Be aware of his limits. My daughter can only handle maybe 3 hours in a park per day. We've recently managed to get that up longer at Epcot though I don't really know why that particular park (I'm not going to argue with success by questioning it). We get out of the parks before the meltdowns occur by making sure not to schedule too much on any given day. We leave when we're still happy.

For my daughter, water is a huge sensory reliever. We swim every day unless it's way too cold (for us that means near the freezing mark; I'll let them swim if it's 40 degrees because the water is very warm and I bring stuff right to the edge of the pool to wrap them up the moment they're out of the water). If they can't swim, she takes a nice long shower. At home a long shower is a sensory break as well so that's why we use it at WDW. Use whatever you do at home for sensory breaks.

For us, the one tool that has been most beneficial has been a good touring plan. I subscribe to TourGuide Mike which is a service that teaches you how to tour most efficiently and to build a plan customized to your own needs. First of all, TGM tells you which park each day will have the least number of people. This is HUGE. A GAC can help keep you out of crowds in lines, but it can't help you between rides. Knowing which park will be least crowded helps keep you out of the crowds which can become very overwhelming. TGM then teaches you what time of day to get to each attraction in order to avoid crowds. Again, crowds can be overwhelming. The you begin building your own itinerary. This is important because it helps set realistic expectations for what you can accomplish in the amount of time you want to be at the park each day. If you want to shoot for 3 hours in the morning then the experts on the TGM boards will help you fit in your must-do activities in this time and help you figure out what to drop. You'll move around smoothly, get to everything that the different people in your group really want to do, and then leave when everybody is still smiling. It's WONDERFUL! It also teaches you how to be flexible with those plans which is important because we all know that you can't predict what'll happen with an autistic child's mood. Honest, I don't work for TGM; I'm just a fan for life. You can get a $3 discount on the regular $21.95 price by clicking on the link on the Theme Park board here on the DIS (TGM is that board's sponsor). Best money I've ever spend on a WDW vacation.

ETA: One more thing I like about the detailed touring plans of TGM is that it allows me to figure out ahead of time just what CS and snack locations I'll be near when it's time to eat. When following a special diet like GFCF, knowing ahead of time where to find safe and tasty foods is very important. Writing food (meals and snacks) into my touring plan is my own reminder to make sure that we eat before anybody gets over hungry which leads to meltdowns. It's very easy to get caught up in the fun of the day and not eat until you're past that point. I write everything into my touring plans.

You are awesome, thank you for so much helpful advice.

 

[mickey&minniealways]

You have already gotten alot of really good advice. Only a few thing that I would add. If there is anyway you can afford it I would upgrade to a moderate or rent points for dvc. The value resorts can be lots of fun but the are also loud, noise level and decor, to us they are abit overstimulating. Our favorite is OKW. It is a a great place to unwind. You feel like you are in another world which is really nice after the chaos of the parks. As soon as you step off the bus you can feel the calm wash over you. This is perfect when you have someone or 2 as in our case that need to destress. Mine are not Autisic but are on the spectrum. Youngest is moderate MR with global definciencies. Oldest is considered to be a low functioning adult with ADD, and OCD. Meltdowns are a matter of course and we have learned over the years what works. The second thing we do is take a luggage tag. We write their names on them. Their diagnosis, they both have siezure disorders, with their meds and doses on them our names and cell numbers. This way if we get seperated and something happens whoever finds them will know what to do. We decorate the tags with stickers of disney characters and we attach them to the belt loops of their pants. When they were younger I made sure that they helped decorate them so that take ownership of them and don't try to disope the tags. My oldest is 23 now. He does not decorate his anymore but does wear it because he knows it is a saftey issue. I would also get ahold of some of a disney planning dvd. Let him watch it so he can get familiar with disney and what he will see. If he has never flown before call a local airport and see if you can speak with the general manager. See if you can get a tour, maybe meet a pilot walk onto a plane and see what is there.
Lastley pick up a copy of Open Mouse by Passporter. It is a disney guidebook for those with disabilities. It covers everything from Autism to mobility issues. Food issues to Pregnancy. Everything you wanted to know and you didn't know you had to have. It is like a bible for disney to us. Don't let him get dehydrated and bring snack with you. I think I have covered all that I can think of. Any questions give a holler.

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

You have already gotten alot of really good advice. Only a few thing that I would add. If there is anyway you can afford it I would upgrade to a moderate or rent points for dvc. The value resorts can be lots of fun but the are also loud, noise level and decor, to us they are abit overstimulating. Our favorite is OKW. It is a a great place to unwind. You feel like you are in another world which is really nice after the chaos of the parks. As soon as you step off the bus you can feel the calm wash over you. This is perfect when you have someone or 2 as in our case that need to destress. Mine are not Autisic but are on the spectrum. Youngest is moderate MR with global definciencies.* Oldest is considered to be a low functioning adult with ADD, and OCD. Meltdowns are a matter of course and we have learned over the years what works.* The second thing we do is take a luggage tag. We write their names on them. Their diagnosis, they both have siezure disorders, with their meds and doses on them our names and cell numbers. This way if we get seperated and something happens whoever finds them will know what to do. We decorate the tags with stickers of disney characters and we attach them to the belt loops of their pants. When they were younger I made sure that they helped decorate them so that take ownership of them and don't try to disope the tags. My oldest is 23 now. He does not decorate his anymore but does wear it because he knows it is a saftey issue. I would also get ahold of some of a disney planning dvd. Let him watch it so he can get familiar with disney and what he will see. If he has never flown before call a local airport and see if you can speak with the general manager. See if you can get a tour, maybe meet a pilot walk onto a plane and see what is there.* Lastley pick up a copy of Open Mouse by Passporter. It is a disney guidebook for those with disabilities. It covers everything from Autism to mobility issues. Food issues to Pregnancy. Everything you wanted to know and you didn't know you had to have. It is like a bible for disney to us.* Don't let him get dehydrated and bring snack with you. I think I have covered all that I can think of. Any questions give a holler.

Thank you for your advice and suggestions. In regards to what you mentioned about staying in a value resort, after a lot of research and number crunching we determined that we would have the space we need at a price within our reach by staying in AS Music family suite with free dining. If we were to upgrade to a moderate, for our family size that would mean we would either have to squeeze into one room at POR or get a cabin at Fort Wilderness. We definitely would not consider getting two moderate rooms because that would cost us over $350/night with tax. I looked into the Fort Wilderness Cabins because it does seem like a very fun and peaceful resort, but I do not like how expansive the resort is and a lot of people say that renting a golf cart is a must which would be too much of an additional expense for us. At least with a family suite at AS Music we would be in a preferred building location which means a shorter walk to the bus stop and food court, a queen size bed for me and DH, two separate bathrooms, and a kitchenette. I also considered the option of renting DVC points, but after going over the DVC rental points chart and doing some calculations, renting points for a Mon-Fri stay in a villa that would accommodate our family size (and maybe just getting two rooms at a value resort for arrival night) would still cost us significantly more than we would spend by staying in a family suite with free dining. I noticed a lot of people on these boards seem to frown upon the values or follow the view of Pop Century being the only value resort worth consideration, but I think we will be fine as All Star Music seems like a nice resort for families.* I really do appreciate your suggestions though and you taking the time to provide your insight.

 

[toniosmom]

I agree with the majority of advice given by previous posters. What I would like to reinforce is to go at your son's pace. If I really want to see an attraction and he doesn't, we don't do it. When he says he wants to leave a park, I immediately head for the exit. If he is enjoying the pool and it's time for our ADR at 'wherever', I cancel the ADR. I am in full 'avoid-meltdown mode' for the entire week and it keeps the peace. Of course, when it's just the two of us and there is no one else's desires to consider, it is easy to do this. No commando trips for us!

My son also has some sensory issues. The GAC helped tremendously, as well as the sticker designating the stroller as a wheelchair. Our next trip is in a couple of weeks and he doesn't want the stroller any longer, so it'll be interesting to see how it goes. You can also get a guide map that provides you with information about many of the attractions that might not be best for your sign.

Good luck with your trip planning. I'm sure you will all have a wonderful time if you pace yourselves. Enjoy!

 

[stampin_fool]

You have gotten some terrific advise so far and wish you the best of luck. We were very concerned about how our son would react on our first trip too and were pleasantly surprised. At that time we didn't do any research, didn't have any of these tips to go by (didn't know that these boards were out there or that Disney made accommodations, lol) but we made it through and have been going every year since. I also think that if you can swing it changing over to a moderate hotel is the way to go. We stay at the Fort every trip, after one at ASM that was not very successful. We love that you can drive right up to your cabin and walk up the three steps to your room, not search the parking lot with a tired, grumpy child in the back yelling about going to bed. Also, one of the highlights of our son's trip is the Disney transportation. He loves the "purple" bus, the monorail and the boat ride from the Fort to the Magic Kingdom. You don't have to get a golf cart while there (tho it makes it a lot of fun and is another highlight of my son's looping around the campsites checking out the decorations, we always go during the Christmas season). If you request being near the end of the loop, near a bus stop, it isn't bad. This just happened our first trip and it worked out wonderfully. It is nice and quiet/peaceful at this resort which we all love!!!

We always rent the special needs stroller from Orlando Stroller Rental. It has a big "hood" that can be brought down and used as a shield I guess is the best way to describe it. It has been a really great safe spot for my son when things get overwhelming. We always bring several squeeze balls for him to use when stressed. I would also recommend going on youtube and watching videos of the different rides so he will know what to expect. Does your son sensory seek? My son loves the roller coasters because he does sensory seek. He really wanted to go on EE and was petrified after the first time on because of the yeti. We didn't even think about that (another good reason to watch the videos with your child to see how he will react to the unexpected).

We schedule our sit down reservations in the early afternoon rather than waiting for dinner so we can all get a much needed sensory break from the crowds. I agree, breaks are key and there are first aid spots where you can stop and spend some "quiet" time if need be.

I am sure that there are other things that we do that I am forgetting right at the moment as we are busy getting ready to leave for the Fort in a few days and I am trying to get everything done, lol. Oh, one other thing that we do is pin trading. This is a great way to work social skills into the trip. In the past we have also done a couple of the tours, Behind the Seeds and the Steam Train tour, which was nice and much quieter than the parks. My son loved them both especially since they picked him to feed the fish on the Behind the Seeds tour and he got to be the engineer on the train tour.

Any other questions, please feel free to pm me. If you want to send along a pm with your addy, I would love to send him, and your other kids, a post card from one of the characters saying that they can't wait to see them. Someone on this board did this for my son a few years ago and it made his day!!!

Ronda

 

[disneydeb]

we usually go in dec when my dgs birthday is, get the gac card and a birthday button , so when he has to use an alternate entrance , people just think its cause of his birthday, we have also been there during tantrums and meltdowns and that was mostly when he was 4 or 5 yrs old, i also brought bubbles, good for in the lines he and the kids around him would pop the bubbles, also borught glowsticks especially when he was little and was afraid of the dark, it does not give off so much light thatit will bother anyone, also gave those out to kids around us, used them on poc and the ride in the living seas. the gac was actually the lifesaver for us, there was one day he was really bouncing off the walls literally and you could just tell he needed it that day! we are also going in august for a big family trip and every year just gets better and better! heres pixie dust to ya, have a great trip oh i forgot we played in every splash fountain and he loved the pool!