Going alone with Autistic girl to WDW

[WDWMagic Forever]

After the recent death of my wife i'm seriously thinking about going alone to WDW next year with my daughter who is down syndrome and has autism! i think i can cope but my one real problem is being a male what do i do about the public toilets? my daughter will be 15 next year and i cant just point her in the direction of the ladies and say off you go! she needs asistance, anybody got any advice?

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Hi and to both DisBoards and disABILITIES!

If you click on where it says "disABILTIES" at the top of this page it will take you to the Index. One of the top items is the "disABILTIES FAQ" which will gives lots of useful information.

Post #3, near the top, under official links has links to each park Guidebook For Guests With Disabilities, which indicate the locations of all the "Companion" restrooms in each park. Thesre are private restrooms where the door can be locked and are designed so someone can come in to provide assistance for someone else.

In addition, just below that is a section dealing with restrooms.

You might also want to look at Post #6 in that thread, it could be useful.

Or, if you want an easier route, click on the link in my signature.

 

[mechurchlady]

Legally you can take your daughter into any restroom. A disabled person can have a person of the opposite gender go with them into a restroom to assist them. Your daughter would qualify for that. Personally it is easier to go with companion bathrooms and the ones at the nurse's station but when you gotta go you gotta go and in those times you could use either restroom.

 

[WDWMagic Forever]

Thanks for the help and advice guys

 

[SueM in MN]

Also, for Epcot, you will find more information about Companion Restrooms in page 1 of the EPCOT FAQs thread near the top of this board. I compiled information about each restroom like how big it is, etc.
I have the same type of information for the Companion Restrooms at other parks, I just don't have it up on the boards yet.

 

[teachallday]

I am in a similar situation. I am planning a trip for my 7 year old little girl. The question is, where can I change her diaper? She is the size of a typical 7 year old and does not appear to have a disability till you start to interact with her. She is functioning at about a 3 year old level.

I hope she will be fully trained by the time we go (I think). I haven't figured out what would be harder , a 7 year old in diapers or a 7 year old just toilet trained that still needs help in the bathroom and when she says she needs to go you have almost no time to get her there.

 

[SueM in MN]

I am in a similar situation. I am planning a trip for my 7 year old little girl. The question is, where can I change her diaper? She is the size of a typical 7 year old and does not appear to have a disability till you start to interact with her. She is functioning at about a 3 year old level.

I hope she will be fully trained by the time we go (I think). I haven't figured out what would be harder , a 7 year old in diapers or a 7 year old just toilet trained that still needs help in the bathroom and when she says she needs to go you have almost no time to get her there.

Can she stand for diaper changes?
If so, the easiest place would be just to use the handicapped stalls in restrooms. You could use the Companion Restrooms, but there are less of those.

 

[XYSRUS]

There's family restrooms all over Disney. We use them all time. Have a nice trip!

 

[disneydeb]

you can use the baby centers, when gs was little i was in baby center changing diaper and someone came in to change person to be about 12 yr old diaper, staff was very respectful of that person and when all little kids were changed they allowed mother and 12 year old in to be changed on one of there changing tables. they blocked off room and provided privicy and there are even walk in full size bathrooms , if you have trouble maybe some one there can assist you. or first aid is next door if you absolutely had to maybe a nurse can assist you.

 

[SueM in MN]

I would suggest First Aid for an older child or adult who needs to be changed and needs to lie down.
They have cubicles with cots and privacy curtains and they also have individual rooms with cots.

 

[DisDreaminMom]

I would scout out the companion bathrooms in each park. Moderator, is it possible to go to guest services and have someone give you a map with those restrooms marked on it? Surely you are not the only one who is in this situation. I'll need this next June, as my DS is getting too big for going in the ladies room with me (he's 6 but super big-dad's 6'5")

And OP, my heart goes out to you and you sound like a great dad. My favorite place to go with my DS with ASD is WDW. Also, I know that if I were in a park and you asked me if I'd help your daughter in the restroom or at least keep an eye on her, I'd be happy to help. I always tell my kids to look for someone who looks like a nice mommy if they need help, and I think this goes for adults, too!

 

[SueM in MN]

I would scout out the companion bathrooms in each park. Moderator, is it possible to go to guest services and have someone give you a map with those restrooms marked on it? Surely you are not the only one who is in this situation. I'll need this next June, as my DS is getting too big for going in the ladies room with me (he's 6 but super big-dad's 6'5")

And OP, my heart goes out to you and you sound like a great dad. My favorite place to go with my DS with ASD is WDW. Also, I know that if I were in a park and you asked me if I'd help your daughter in the restroom or at least keep an eye on her, I'd be happy to help. I always tell my kids to look for someone who looks like a nice mommy if they need help, and I think this goes for adults, too!

The Companion Restrooms are not marked on any maps, but there are several ways to get the information about where they are:

• We've gotten a piece of paper with the locations listed from First Aid.
• If you go to Guest Relations and ask for a copy of the Guidebook for Guests with Disabilities, the Companion Restrooms are listed there.
• You can also go to the disABILITIES FAQs thread (near the top of this board); you will find a link to the web version of those Guidebooks in post #3 of that thread.
• There is a also a link to the allearsnet.com page about Companion Restrooms in post #3 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread.
• For Epcot, there is more information and descriptions of the Epcot Companion Restrooms in post #5 of the EPCOT FAQs thread.

I've started working on getting pictures up of each Companion Restroom to go along with the detailed descriptions in the Epcot FAQs thread.