Has anyone had issues with another guest at the parks with your ASD child

[pcparamedics01]

Besides the stares and glares with the GAC and wheelchairs. Have you ever had another guest at WDW actually say something to you about why you are in the special line. Just curious! I did not have any stares or glares on this last trip.

 

[Shorty82]

The majority of queues are mainstreamed, in other words they are wheelchair accessable. For these attractions you enter through the same line as everybody else. There are no special lines for these attractions, at least not for wheelchairs. They may have a special waiting area for those that need it but I don't know how that works.

All of the queues in Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom are mainstreamed and the majority of the queues in the Magic Kingdom are. If you go through the normal entrance you will be in line with everybody else until the CMs direct you to the handicapped boarding area, which is usually done at or near the boarding area.

 

[pcparamedics01]

The majority of queues are mainstreamed, in other words they are wheelchair accessable. For these attractions you enter through the same line as everybody else. There are no special lines for these attractions, at least not for wheelchairs. They may have a special waiting area for those that need it but I don't know how that works.

All of the queues in Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom are mainstreamed and the majority of the queues in the Magic Kingdom are. If you go through the normal entrance you will be in line with everybody else until the CMs direct you to the handicapped boarding area, which is usually done at or near the boarding area.

Sure for a brief time you are entering under wheelchair access. It stictly depends on the attraction.

 

[Shorty82]

Sure for a brief time you are entering under wheelchair access. It stictly depends on the attraction.

Seems like you didn't complete your thought. I don't understand what you're saying here.

 

[Figment1964]

I had a woman get upset about something that the CM told us to do for my son. She expressed her displeasure in a very loud voice and when I started to turn to her to say something (and I would have said it nicely, really!) the CM said that she'd take care of it. As I was exiting the area I saw the CM talking with the woman.

 

[Tissa]

Never had any problems from other guests in the past 6 trips we have taken. As a matter of fact most have been very helpful.

 

[3inthefamily]

We had one issue at AK when we bypassed the line for character greeting at Camp Minnie-Mickey. We walked past everyone and I heard a woman say "VIP s__ks"

My husband had to grab the back of my shirt so I wouldnt go over to her and tell her off.

If there is a CM around, just ask them where to go. They were always wonderful.

 

[DIS-NH]

We had one older teen say "must be nice...." as we entered the space mountain FP line. I stopped, looked at him and stated that my Autistic son would gladly trade places with him.....He thought, laughed a little and said "good point....enjoy the ride !!"

 

[cindy17]

Not me personally, but a friend with an ASD son was in the Dumbo ride with the GAC and someone said "gee, I wish we had one of those cards". My friend gave her one of her great looks and said "no you don't". The woman was mortified!

 

[Luv Bunnies]

This isn't related to being in a special line but rather my son's behavior at a park. We were at Sea World in San Diego when my son was 7 (he has Asperger's and social skills aren't his strength). We were leaving the sea lion show when my husband noticed that my son didn't have his favorite baseball cap on (we're not just talking favorite, we're talking full-blown obsession with this cap - it has a train on it and he loves, loves, loves it still at age 12). So my son said, "Oh no, I think I left it on the bench!" My husband followed him back inside to find a woman holding it. I think she just picked it up and was wondering who it belonged to. My son went up, grabbed it out of her hand and said, "Give me my hat back!" She looked stunned but didn't say anything.

I saw the whole incident from where I was standing. When the woman walked by, I was going to thank her for finding the hat and explain that my son has a form of autism so she wouldn't feel offended. But she immediately turned to her husband, pointed at my son and announced very loudly, "That kid is an a** hole!" I said, "I'm sorry for the way he acted, but he's autistic." She immediately turned red and said, "Oh, I didn't know!" I said, "Things aren't always what they seem" and walked away. I didn't blame her for being offended by his behavior. But to call any 7 year old kid an a**hole in public was obnoxious (whisper all you want but don't announce it to the world). She hurried away from us as fast as she could!

 

[melomouse]

Funny you should ask...

We exclusively vacation in WDW now because it is the ONLY place the staff and other guests mostly accommodate my Asperger's son! It's where I am least shamed, embarrassed and where he can be somewhat independent and pretty much be understood by every CM as to his disability.

Just got back last Sunday from 10 days. Used GAC at my discretion - not too much and no problems whatesoever. But one night, we're on the bus to return to WL, get onto the queue and DS plops his 200-lb. body onto the rope - just as he does onto a wooden rail, a steel bar or a brass rail. The rope reverberated into the next row(s). He has no clue as to how his body moves in space.

A woman in the next row ahead snapped at me, got all upset her child was struck by a wayward rope. I apologized and explained but she was all into did the rope hit her kids or the stroller or whatever.

I was crying in the dark on the bus ride back. As we got off the bus, she stopped me and apologized. We ended up talking for 1/2 hour back at WL, having a smoke together and meeting up through the week. Turned out she had one kid just out of foot surgery and another just Dx'd w/ Tourette's - not to mention a cranky DH and a couple more kids.

As always, I get my pixiedust and my continued healing on every trip.
Thanks for listening!

 

[Shorty82]

But one night, we're on the bus to return to WL, get onto the queue and DS plops his 200-lb. body onto the rope - just as he does onto a wooden rail, a steel bar or a brass rail.

It isn't a good idea to let him sit on any railings if you can help it. The railings are not designed to hold weight, especially not 200 pounds. He could slip off the rail or he might plop down on a rail sometime and break it, possibly injuring himself or others. Ropes are even worse for him to sit on as they and their posts can support a LOT less weight than the solid rails and if a rope snaps it could turn into a whip and hurt somebody. The rails and ropes are there to control pedestrian traffic and designate areas, they are not benches.

 

[melomouse]

Thank you, Shorty, for making me regret sharing my experience, and being hurtful and didactic instead of compassionate and gentle, which is what I had thought this particular board was about. It seems you missed the point entirely and know very little about this particular disorder or parenting with it.

I am truly horrified that of all places, on the DISABILITIES Board that I should get a dramatically presented safety and use of materials lesson when I was sharing with the OP on other guests' responses.

 

[Shorty82]

I apologize that my post hurt you, that was not my intention. You're right, I don't know much about that disorder, which is why I did not mention it in my post. Disorder or not, it can be dangerous to sit on railings, which was the point of my post. I don't want your child, nor anybody else, hurt because someone sat on a rail and it broke. I was not trying to be hurtful or rude, just trying to be helpful. Again, I apologize.

 

[pcparamedics01]

I apologize that my post hurt you, that was not my intention. You're right, I don't know much about that disorder, which is why I did not mention it in my post. Disorder or not, it can be dangerous to sit on railings, which was the point of my post. I don't want your child, nor anybody else, hurt because someone sat on a rail and it broke. I was not trying to be hurtful or rude, just trying to be helpful. Again, I apologize.

I appreciate that you had appologized to the OP. The OP said her child is ASD with a Diagnosis of Aspies. With that said she told you that her child has no clue how he can move in space. That should of given you the first indication that her child does not know of his actions. Typical children do this as well. I have a four year old that does this! All parents have eyes in back of their heads and it happens with all children. I guess parents need longer arms to grab our children quicker.

 

[pcparamedics01]

This isn't related to being in a special line but rather my son's behavior at a park. We were at Sea World in San Diego when my son was 7 (he has Asperger's and social skills aren't his strength). We were leaving the sea lion show when my husband noticed that my son didn't have his favorite baseball cap on (we're not just talking favorite, we're talking full-blown obsession with this cap - it has a train on it and he loves, loves, loves it still at age 12). So my son said, "Oh no, I think I left it on the bench!" My husband followed him back inside to find a woman holding it. I think she just picked it up and was wondering who it belonged to. My son went up, grabbed it out of her hand and said, "Give me my hat back!" She looked stunned but didn't say anything.

I saw the whole incident from where I was standing. When the woman walked by, I was going to thank her for finding the hat and explain that my son has a form of autism so she wouldn't feel offended. But she immediately turned to her husband, pointed at my son and announced very loudly, "That kid is an a** hole!" I said, "I'm sorry for the way he acted, but he's autistic." She immediately turned red and said, "Oh, I didn't know!" I said, "Things aren't always what they seem" and walked away. I didn't blame her for being offended by his behavior. But to call any 7 year old kid an a**hole in public was obnoxious (whisper all you want but don't announce it to the world). She hurried away from us as fast as she could!

OMG that is aweful!!!

 

[Joanna71985]

This isn't related to being in a special line but rather my son's behavior at a park. We were at Sea World in San Diego when my son was 7 (he has Asperger's and social skills aren't his strength). We were leaving the sea lion show when my husband noticed that my son didn't have his favorite baseball cap on (we're not just talking favorite, we're talking full-blown obsession with this cap - it has a train on it and he loves, loves, loves it still at age 12). So my son said, "Oh no, I think I left it on the bench!" My husband followed him back inside to find a woman holding it. I think she just picked it up and was wondering who it belonged to. My son went up, grabbed it out of her hand and said, "Give me my hat back!" She looked stunned but didn't say anything.

I saw the whole incident from where I was standing. When the woman walked by, I was going to thank her for finding the hat and explain that my son has a form of autism so she wouldn't feel offended. But she immediately turned to her husband, pointed at my son and announced very loudly, "That kid is an a** hole!" I said, "I'm sorry for the way he acted, but he's autistic." She immediately turned red and said, "Oh, I didn't know!" I said, "Things aren't always what they seem" and walked away. I didn't blame her for being offended by his behavior. But to call any 7 year old kid an a**hole in public was obnoxious (whisper all you want but don't announce it to the world). She hurried away from us as fast as she could!

Oh man, that is horrible. Who says that to a little kid?

 

[melomouse]

Apology accepted, Shorty.

 

[donatalie]

Mine is actually about a CM. Both of my kids are autistic. Our last trip was to celebrate DD's 12th birthday. I took hereto BBB for her magical transformation as Cinderella. She was so thrilled!!!! As we travelled from DDD to MK to meet DH and DS for lunch, people approached her and told her how beautiful she looked and addressed her as "Princess Cinderella". She was completely in character......curtsying, waving and blowing kisses to everyone. It was very magical.

As we got to the turnstiles at MK, the CM looked at her and said......"Don't you think you're a bit old for "dress-up". DD was crushed. I turned to the CM and quietly said "you should never judge what you don't know or understand".

The day was saved by a wonderful PhotoPass Photographer who took some beautiful shots of her in front of the Castle. He really went out of his way to make her fell like a Princess again!

 

[Twende]

My family member has always received suburb care from CM's. I have no complaints there at all.

I really am too busy to notice if we get stare or comments. So if they have come then I have just ignored them.

We on the other hand have been rude but it was all part of the condition we deal with on a daily basis. The worst for me was a case of inappropriate touching. As soon as I realized what was going on I quickly apologized and I moved my family member away. I did not take the time to explain so I suspect that person was upset. Maybe I was lucky and the person, a man in his twenties, enjoyed the butt grope the got.

Never a dull moment!