first trip with our two year old who has Down syndrome (HELP)

[garn]

We have three daughters, 11, 9, and our little 2 year old angel. I usually feel so prepared but we leave in a week and I am feeling overwhelmed.

 

[ArchOwl]

Well, the good news is that Disneyland is pretty easy to plan for. What are your goals and what are your concerns? And where are you staying?

 

[KateDrake]

You are going to have a great time! We took my niece(partial trisomy-16, partial monosomy-9) several times during her short 3.5 years, and it was always an awesome experience.

One thing I would recommend is stopping by Guest Relations and getting a Guest Assistance Card that will allow you to use your stroller as a wheelchair. This is really helpful even if she is mobil, because she'll probably tire out quickly, and she's probably pretty big to carry. This way you can take the stroller through the line, to where you board, which is really nice. Do you have oxygen or anything you have to cart around?

The other thing I'd recommend is spending a lot of time with character M&Gs. Maybe book a character meal, too. My niece absolutely LOVED the characters, and they are so wonderful at interacting with kids with special needs. You will get some fabulous pictures! And I'm sure your DD will love the bright colors and everything, too.

Lastly, I'd let your DD be your guide. If she is fixated on something and wants to go again, just go for it! It's so easy to get caught up in an itinerary and trying to cross everything off, but sometimes it is nice to just take it slow and do whatever your child wants. Seeing these kids who have been through so much experience the joy of Disney is truly one of the most magical things ever! Have a great time!

 

[MillauFr]

Yes getting a Guest Assistance Card on Main St. at guest relations helps. We used it to ride Peter Pan and Matterhorn. Our 12 yo son with DS has been going since he was five and has loads of fun. He loves all of the characters and rides. His favorite is Pirates.

 

[garn]

The other thing I'd recommend is spending a lot of time with character M&Gs. Maybe book a character meal, too. My niece absolutely LOVED the characters, and they are so wonderful at interacting with kids with special needs. You will get some fabulous pictures!

No Oxygen anymore. Thanks for the tip on the stroller, she is still fine to carry for a while but not all day and she does tire. We have a character meal scheduled. What is M&Gs? Do you schedule those?

 

[nikkislaght]

My son is very sensitive to noise. So I bought a pair of noise cancelling ear muffs, that helps him on some of the rides which are noisy. It also helps with the crowd noise in general..

 

[reguilliams]

M & G are meet and greet

 

[NiceOneSimba]

We met a family on our trip in August, whose son had DS. They had a pair of headphones for him, and said they had been a big help, as he was also pretty sensitive to loud noises.

While the mom and I were chatting about rides our DD had thought were too scary, she mentioned that they had wonderful character interactions at the meet and greets...especially with Mickey.

It really did seem to me, based on that conversation and on my observations, that the CMs (and, especially the characters) are very used to dealing with special-needs kids and will go out of their way to make their visit magical.

As for the meet-and-greets, if your DD is into princesses, they will be over by "it's a small world" for most of the day. Mickey and Minnie will most likely be in ToonTown. Your DD might like the Disney Jr. show over in DCA, too, if she watches any of the shows on Disney Jr.

And, I think the GAC for "stroller as wheelchair" is a great idea. It will save your back and arms and her legs, which will make everyone happier! In DL, it will mean using the handicapped entrance, which is usually the exit. In DCA, you'll just wheel her into the line.

Have a wonderful trip!

 

[handicap18]

My daughter has DS. She'll be 8 next month. She's been twice to Disney with us. First time she was 13 months old, 2nd time she was 3. Both times went perfectly fine. We had a stroller that went everywhere with us. She enjoyed the rides and the characters. She especially loved the princess dinner at Norway in EPCOT.

Don't sweat it. Go with the flow. Have fun and take lots of pictures.