first trip - just looking for tips

[ADVentive]

Hi - Sorry for the wall of text...

We are taking our first family trip to WDW in September. I am a bit concerned about how my 4 year old will handle it. She doesn't have any particular diagnosis at this time, though she's been tested for all sorts of things. For now, they just say she's "developmentally delayed". Basically, just behind in everything. She is able to walk, but she needs orthotics to help with balance. She is able to talk, but is delayed in language and articulation. She is also delayed cognitively. All this is enough to get her an IEP, just not a diagnosis.

ANYway, I'm not really sure what I may be able to do to help her at Disney. The only thing I've really considered asking for is the stroller as wheelchair thing so she can stay enclosed in it in the lines, but not sure how that will work since we plan on renting a double stroller for her to share with her cousin who is coming with us.

What I'm most worried about is that she will be unusually afraid of things. She tends to be afraid of things that I don't expect her to be afraid of, but then not afraid of other things. I guess it's unpredictable. She will be afraid of a butterfly that gets too close to her, but then not afraid of a cat. But then she will be afraid of a different cat after I thought she was okay with cats. I think it is maybe things that move that maybe she didn't expect to move, but I don't even really know what's going to set her off. So I'm worried that something might scare her in the queue or on a ride and she will freak out (screaming, trying to run away or hide).

I'm not sure that she will even like any rides at all. She doesn't like the carousel or the zoo train at our local zoo, for example, and hides her face in my armpit the whole time if we try them. I was thinking we could do the rider switch with her so that the other kids can still ride, but now I see that it is only available for the bigger rides, which I don't think the other kids are going to want to ride anyway.

I'm also worried how she will react to the characters. Maybe that is a common concern though. She did fine with fireworks 2 years ago at 4th of July, but this year she freaked out at them, so I have no idea if she'll like them or not at Disney.

I guess I'm just afraid that she won't have a good time - if she doesn't like the rides and is afraid of the characters and doesn't like the fireworks, etc. I'm also afraid that we'll be stuck in the middle of somewhere we can't easily get out of when she ends up having a freak out.

So, if you have any wise words or tips for me, it would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Oh, one thing that I have already gotten is a wristband for her with my and my husband's cell phone numbers on it. Because she does tend to run away, and I don't think that she'd be able to tell a stranger her name, and surely not a phone number.

 

[ratlenhum]

I suggest spending time on YouTube. Show her some of the rides. Find videos of families meeting characters, parades and other things you may want to try while there. She may get excited and things won't be such a surprise to her if she's seen it and knows what to expect. You may also get a feel for what makes her uncomfortable.

 

[ADVentive]

I suggest spending time on YouTube. Show her some of the rides. Find videos of families meeting characters, parades and other things you may want to try while there. She may get excited and things won't be such a surprise to her if she's seen it and knows what to expect. You may also get a feel for what makes her uncomfortable.

Great idea! Thanks! We do have the vacation planning DVD, which my older daughter likes to watch over and over, so she is at least familiar with that one. But I didn't think of YouTube.

 

[FiggieFan]

We found out the first time we took my nephew that he was not a ride guy and 2 1/2 years later, he still isn't. He really enjoyed Innoventions in EPCOT which was more like a playground to him - he could have spent the week there. There is also a train in a mini-town running outside of Germany - it is pretty easy to miss, but pretty cool. He loved watching that. He also liked the boat rides that are around. Not sure where you are staying but he loved the boat rides from Downtown Disney to the hotels in that area (you can also take them from one side of downtown to the other). It was a bit hard to adjust to what he wanted to do at first, he also got really into the pin trading by the end of the trip and was getting used to approaching cast members to trade pins.

You might want to check out the Kidcot stations in the EPCOT countries too - they have different things for the kids to color - I believe now it is Duffy the Bear on sticks.
PS - I hate fireworks too! Hope you have a magical time! Best wishes.

 

[Smile&Nod]

One other suggestion I have seen on here is if a child has sensory issues at all try bringing a set of headphones with you - that way you can block out some of the noise if it becomes overwhelming - not sure this would help you but figured it was worth mentioning...

 

[ttintagel]

I hear the same thing from a lot of parents of kids that age, both neurotypical and otherwise - that they just can't predict what's going to make their kid beam with pleasure and what's going to make them scream with terror. My mother says the same about me; she couldn't take me in her favorite antique store because I was so terrified of clocks. Clocks! So that part's kind of touch and go for everyone.

I have heard people say that they were able to plead their case and get a stroller as wheelchair tag for a double stroller, as long as the stroller is within the proper dimensions for a wheelchair.

 

[alstrommama]

I found out about the you tube videos on DIS and it's a great idea. We are also going in Sept for the first time with my daughter who is four. She has a rare genetic syndrome, which causes a slew of developmental and medical problems. I really think that the videos will help my daughter not be as afraid, and now, she asks for specific videos. Like the parades and Disney junior live on stage!!! She knows that one word for word.LOL. My plan is to take it slow and let her lead and not have too much of a schedule. Good luck!! I'm sure she'll have fun, even if she's scared of some things.

 

[Tink575]

I hear the same thing from a lot of parents of kids that age, both neurotypical and otherwise - that they just can't predict what's going to make their kid beam with pleasure and what's going to make them scream with terror. My mother says the same about me; she couldn't take me in her favorite antique store because I was so terrified of clocks. Clocks! So that part's kind of touch and go for everyone.

On our daughter's first trip years ago I wanted to be careful not to get her upset because she had a heart condition. I thought she would be nervous on Dumbo or the old Skyway. She loved them and got really upset on It's a Small World because the dolls were "freaky"! Who would have thought...

 

[ADVentive]

Thanks for all of your feedback, folks.

We have tried headphones before, but she is resistant to anything touching her ears and just pulls them off. I think it's from having to do so many audiology tests.