GAC and an 8 yr old with ADHD & ODD

[rccllap]

What accommodations are available to help us cope with the temper tantrums and squirrelly behavior of our particular special needs?

 

[livndisney]

What accommodations are available to help us cope with the temper tantrums and squirrelly behavior of our particular special needs?

What are the needs of the 8 year old?

 

[mistysue]

The best way to go about this question may be to think about what things cause a problem, any way it relates to your trip and ways that Disney could reasonably help. They can not stop temper tantrums, so nobody can really answer the question with only that info.

 

[rccllap]

I don't have any better way to explain. He explodes with aggression directed at his adults when he is thwarted, and it is nearly impossible to keep him still.

 

[SueM in MN]

Are you going to WDW or DL?

The GAC (Guest Assistance Card) is gone in both places. It has been replaced with the Disability Access Service (DAS).
There is a thread about it at each coast near the top of this board. The first post of each thread explains how the DAS works.

To get a DAS card for him, you will need to be able to explain at a Guest a Relations what his issues are. Just saying he explodes with aggression when he is thwarted really doesn't give them much to work with.
What does he consider being 'thwarted"? What do you do in other situations?

Also, keep in mind that the DAS only helps with attractions and there are many other things that could happen to upset him outside of lines. Things like being or not being chosen for a show, rides breaking down, waiting to get in or out of parks, bag check and just the general amount if people.

I assume you are working with therapists/behavior therapists. They should be able to help him and you work on some coping techniques for waiting, awareness of when he is reaching a boiling point and things to do to avoid getting that far. You may want to discuss with them whether this is a good time to go based on his ability to cope and progress with therapy.

 

[Que_Sarah_Sarah]

Because the system has been recently changed, it is best to direct your questions to Guest Relations at the parks. Any advice offered here is merely conjecture and it would be a shame to plan around something you heard online only to find out that it is not the case in person.

 

[SueM in MN]

The information in post one of both the WDW and DL DAS threads is factual ( a lot of it is from Disney's own publications). But, it is general.

Your situation is specific to you and you will need to give some specific information to Guest Relations so they will know what your Son's needs are.