Help with visiting DW with 2 Autistic children

[kerriann3]

Hi I have just booked to go to disneyworld on 24th Jan for 16 days, we have decided to rent a private villa as both my kids aged 4 & 3 are autisitic and this would give us the most privacy.
My worry is that my son who is classic autistic with ADHD loves action and thrill rides etc but can not wait whatsoever, he has no concept of patience at all and can wait no more than a few minutes without a melt down happening so my question is, is there anything that I can get or do to help minimise our waiting time for rides?
When I say he can't wait I mean he becomes very emotionally upset and this can last anywhere upto 2 hours, he will then lash out and kick and hit.
Maybe some of you will say why take him then, but he loves all this type of thing but just cannot figure out the waiting thing!
Any help would be greatly appreciated! Both kids also have a problem walking any sort of distance also, I have a major buggy for my son but not sure if my daughters will be here in time before we go, is it possible to hire something for them over there?
Thank you for any help xx

 

[lanejudy]

First answer - except for some special Wish-trip kids, there is nothing that allows guests to bypass lines at WDW. Use of Fastpasses and a good touring plan can help to significantly reduce wait times. Depending on what other needs your child may have, there is a Guest Assistance Card that might provide some accommodations - more information on GAC is in the FAQ sticky at the top of this page.

If you do not wish to schlep your stroller from overseas, then yes you can rent one. Again in the FAQ sticky is a list of vendors. You can rent single or double strollers - you might want the double since you have 2 preschoolers.

3 and 4 years olds in general do not understand waiting, so planning ahead what you can do in line will help ease that situation. Some suggestions to get through wait times: bring along a special toy(s) that is only pulled out of the bag while in a line. Do your kids like a hand-held video game? Will they play visual games with you (I-spy or looking for hidden Mickeys or such)? And as already mentioned, using Fastpasses and a touring plan to avoid the most crowded areas will help immensely. If your child(ren) have sensory issues or need a place to "escape" from the stimulation, many find that using a stroller in line helps to provide that buffer zone. A GAC is needed to bring the stroller in line.

Good luck and enjoy your vacation!

 

[lanejudy]

I also meant to add that since your son loves thrill rides, most have a height requirement. Checking that info ahead and knowing which rides to avoid (because he's not tall enough) will help avoid meltdowns.

 

[OhanaDreams]

Hi I have just booked to go to disneyworld on 24th Jan for 16 days, we have decided to rent a private villa as both my kids aged 4 & 3 are autisitic and this would give us the most privacy.
My worry is that my son who is classic autistic with ADHD loves action and thrill rides etc but can not wait whatsoever, he has no concept of patience at all and can wait no more than a few minutes without a melt down happening so my question is, is there anything that I can get or do to help minimise our waiting time for rides?
When I say he can't wait I mean he becomes very emotionally upset and this can last anywhere upto 2 hours, he will then lash out and kick and hit.
Maybe some of you will say why take him then, but he loves all this type of thing but just cannot figure out the waiting thing!
Any help would be greatly appreciated! Both kids also have a problem walking any sort of distance also, I have a major buggy for my son but not sure if my daughters will be here in time before we go, is it possible to hire something for them over there?
Thank you for any help xx

COngrats on the upcoming vacation. We are about to go on our 3rd trip to Disney. Before our first trip we did tons of preplanning and prep work.

Youtube is wonderful with all of its videos. We were able to show our child his room and the resort before even going.

I made social stories about the plane trip, waiting in lines, character greetings, and pin trades. I was able to photoshop my kiddos face on some of the pictures.

I adapted some of the materials from WDWAutism site. Here is a link for a visual park schedule.http://www.wdwautism.com/node/1308 Many pictures are outdated. We did google image searches and easily updated items. We also looked at height requirements and intensity of each ride and attraction, and only made a schedule with the rides he could and would do well with. I laminated the sheets and used a dry erase marker so he had a feeling of control in the park.

Each day we left the park for a 3 hr break. This down time helped so much. We skipped all parades and fireworks. This also helped.

On our second trip I did bring an updated visual schedule. I found we only used it a few times. I also would put times and pictures of our ADR on it. This way there was no questions of when or where we were having snacks or eating. My kiddo is GF/CF and some of the snack stands do not offer a lot. By having it on a schedule he knew which stand to watch for.

We use a stroller while at Disnet. My son can not navigate around the obstacles with so much stimulation. His balance is one of the first things to go in a sensory rich environment.

Have a wonderful trip

 

[kerriann3]

Thank you both for your replies, it will be a great help for us, so need to get planning started now lol
thanks

 

[bookwormde]

One of the things that sometimes works it to get a GAC and then ask the CM if you can wait somewhere aside and have them "flag you" when it is your turn. If you can keep your crew busy with other protable favorite things the will not even know that they are in a "virtual" line.

It does not work everywhere or with every CM but it is worth asking, Most CMs are very accomodating if they unerstand the need and there is anyway they can help.

 

[Disfanx4]

I have 2 daughters on the spectrum and find if they have something to occupy them in line it helps. I use iPads or iPods also planning what you will do next gives them something to look forward to, also try engaging them in their surroundings as most lines have a lot to look at. Read up on each ride you plan on going on and try having little guessing/ispy type games. I also had little rewards like I rode .......that they get after each successful ride. You can get a GAC that greatly cuts down on wait times also. Just take a copy of their diagnosis letter and hit the first guest services you see and they will give you the card for your length of stay good in all 4 parks. Hope this helps. Enjoy your trip and just go with the flow of your kids and you will have a wonderful time!

 

[karenLBuf]

I have a son that is not quite on the spectrum but we have been sent for testing every year because teachers and primary doctors keep thinking he is.

Its all very confusing and time consuming.

He's extremely ADHD and has some severe sensory issues.

He's 9 now. While I do notice that he's able to cope with everyday stressors better as he gets older there are still sometime when a meltdown comes with no warning and it completely halts everyones life.

Music is a huge help. So the Ipod comes with us everywhere. I can sometimes tell when his anxiety level is getting up there. If he's able to block out all chaotic noise(conversation, clapping, babies crying) and just have music then he's fine. Most of the time.

 

[anonymousegirl]

I have 2 daughters on the spectrum and find if they have something to occupy them in line it helps. I use iPads or iPods also planning what you will do next gives them something to look forward to, also try engaging them in their surroundings as most lines have a lot to look at. Read up on each ride you plan on going on and try having little guessing/ispy type games. I also had little rewards like I rode .......that they get after each successful ride. You can get a GAC that greatly cuts down on wait times also. Just take a copy of their diagnosis letter and hit the first guest services you see and they will give you the card for your length of stay good in all 4 parks. Hope this helps. Enjoy your trip and just go with the flow of your kids and you will have a wonderful time!

To clarify this post,
you do not need a doctor's note. Most CMs will not read it as those letters do not explain what kind of assistance your child needs. YOU need to be able to tell the CM what accommodations your child requires and Disney will help provide it, IF it is possible.
Many attractions do not have alternative waiting areas, and most do not have seats anywhere near the line.

I found the "Stroller as a wheelchair" accommodation to be the most helpful.

 

[Disfanx4]

Only suggested letter as my friend was once asked, I have never been personally asked but have it with me just in case

 

[SueM in MN]

Check out post 6 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread, which is all about Guest Assistance Cards. You can find that thread near the top of this board or follow the link in my signature.

Doctor's notes or other documents are not required and most CMs will not look at them. The notes people bring are usually not helpful information and there is no way to know that the note is even real. Besides that, the ADA says that proof of disability can't be required.

GACs are NOT meant to shorten or eliminate lines and, depending on the attraction and what is available, the wait may be longer using a GAC than it would just using the regular (Mainstream) line.

For example, in our trip in March/April of this year, DH and DD got in line at Small World while I was doing something else. They were in the wheelchair accessible line, which is also used by people with GACs who want to avoid the regular line. They had been waiting about 25 minutes when I got to Small World. Because I could not get down to where they were waiting, I got into the regular line, intending that they would get a snack while they waited for me since I thought it would take me longer. They actually got loaded 3 boats ahead of me.
I waited 20 minutes. They waited 45 minutes.

Not all or the same accommodations are available at each attraction. And, just because someone else experienced things one way does not mean it always works that way - conditions change and even if the same person comes back to that same attraction the same day, the experience or what you are told to do at the attraction might be different.

 

[SueM in MN]

Most people with children on the autism spectrum report the three most helpful things they found were:
- using a stroller as a wheelchair

- using an iPod, iPad or other electronic device in lines (Gameboy, Nintendo DS, etc.)

- using a touring plan such as touringplans.com or easywdw.com along with Fastpasses.
A touring plan doesn't have to be followed exactly, but will help you to know how to find the least busy parts of the least busy park.
Fastpasses help because they are very predictable; you aways show the Fastpass, go in the Fastpass line and wait a shorter time than the regular line.
This can be very important for some people with autism, who expect the particular attraction to work exactly the same way each time.

- protective/sound deadening earphones

 

[Happy Dreams1]

I have 2 daughters on the spectrum and find if they have something to occupy them in line it helps. I use iPads or iPods also planning what you will do next gives them something to look forward to, also try engaging them in their surroundings as most lines have a lot to look at. Read up on each ride you plan on going on and try having little guessing/ispy type games. I also had little rewards like I rode .......that they get after each successful ride. You can get a GAC that greatly cuts down on wait times also. Just take a copy of their diagnosis letter and hit the first guest services you see and they will give you the card for your length of stay good in all 4 parks. Hope this helps. Enjoy your trip and just go with the flow of your kids and you will have a wonderful time!

A lot of people have been saying that the GAC will probably not shorten the wait( or even elongate it). But this is not necessarily true and in the majority of the cases, I've deemed it to be false.

Through experiences, I've witnessed and experienced times where a party enters the wheelchair line and boards significantly faster than those in the regular queue. Of course, there are a few exceptions to this when the regular queue is shorter than the wheelchair entrance. And, if you're wheelchair dependent, than you have no choice but to wait- but this has nothing to do with the GAC.

I was given a specific type of GAC that helped to meet our needs and helped us to have a successful trip.

Also, when I was in the regular queue because we were too embarrassed to use the GAC because of a very short (regular) line, we witnessed on multiple occasions parties entering through either wheelchair entrance or the exit using the same type of GAC that I had. Of course, they boarded either before or right after me, and they hadn't been waiting for more than 5 minutes.

I'm just saying that when the GAC thing doesn't involve a wheelchair, it most likely reduces your wait time on almost every ride. And, wouldn't this be optimal for kids like the OP's?

When in a wheelchair, then really it's in the favor of how long the wheelchair queue is. BUT even so, when the regular queue exceeds 2 hours, I've seen wheelchair parties wait up to an hour, which is still 1/2 the wait on the regular queue.

I was reading on a blog of a family with a child with Epilepsy and a service dog. They requested a GAC and she blogged and I quote: " This pass saved us a lot of time waiting in line, which was really nice."

But don't get me wrong, I'm not here to give a rant on how this is a FOTL- which it should not be considered as one still. I just want people to know that although the GAC is not intended to bypass the lines, in reality, it does in a lot of cases. I've been to Disneyland a lot of times and I have NOT seen ONE case that falsifies my statement( this does not include wheelchairs).

Best wishes to all~

 

[Mom2six]

I have found the CMs to be very helpful. Go and get a Guest Assistance Card. Tell them what your child needs - and I do really recommend the stroller as wheelchair! It was a life saver for us. Then talk to the CM at the ride/character meet and greet. The GAC is not technically for character meets, but all the CMs were very nice and helpful to us. My DS4 gets scared in crowded queues or starts to get panicky/melt down during long waits (it's like he forgets that something good is coming at the end, and wants to run away from it). The CMs were especially helpful when they realized that we weren't just trying to get out of waiting. With the characters, the rest of our family went through the line and my son & I came through the exit when they got there. This allowed me to really distract him from waiting. Walk around a little, etc. And allow him not to panic about being in line.

He had his stroller, and always something available to play with - my iphone, the Dsi, or other video game, my ipod to watch movies etc. Not to say that he didn't look around and engage in anything, but when he couldn't handle it anymore, he could retreat into the stroller and distract himself.

Wait times will never be eliminated, but you can make them manageable for your child. The GAC can help give you flexibility, but will be the most helpful when it is not too busy anyway. Go for rope drop - the first few hours are by far less crowded - and go to the recommended parks. Read up on the rides so you don't have any surprises and show your sons videos of the rides on youtube. They often show the queue - and knowing ahead of time that you wait, and seeing the people in the lines, might help prepare them. I've heard that a lot of people try to abuse the GAC because they want to eliminate wait times. I can't say whether or not it is true, but if it is, it is horrible. Without the GAC, my son could never go to DW.

Good luck. I think you will have a great trip. Being prepared and doing research is very helpful!

 

[KPeveler]

A lot of people have been saying that the GAC will probably not shorten the wait( or even elongate it). But this is not necessarily true and in the majority of the cases, I've deemed it to be false.

Through experiences, I've witnessed and experienced times where a party enters the wheelchair line and boards significantly faster than those in the regular queue. Of course, there are a few exceptions to this when the regular queue is shorter than the wheelchair entrance. And, if you're wheelchair dependent, than you have no choice but to wait- but this has nothing to do with the GAC.

I was given a specific type of GAC that helped to meet our needs and helped us to have a successful trip.

Also, when I was in the regular queue because we were too embarrassed to use the GAC because of a very short (regular) line, we witnessed on multiple occasions parties entering through either wheelchair entrance or the exit using the same type of GAC that I had. Of course, they boarded either before or right after me, and they hadn't been waiting for more than 5 minutes.

I'm just saying that when the GAC thing doesn't involve a wheelchair, it most likely reduces your wait time on almost every ride. And, wouldn't this be optimal for kids like the OP's?

When in a wheelchair, then really it's in the favor of how long the wheelchair queue is. BUT even so, when the regular queue exceeds 2 hours, I've seen wheelchair parties wait up to an hour, which is still 1/2 the wait on the regular queue.

I was reading on a blog of a family with a child with Epilepsy and a service dog. They requested a GAC and she blogged and I quote: " This pass saved us a lot of time waiting in line, which was really nice."

But don't get me wrong, I'm not here to give a rant on how this is a FOTL- which it should not be considered as one still. I just want people to know that although the GAC is not intended to bypass the lines, in reality, it does in a lot of cases. I've been to Disneyland a lot of times and I have NOT seen ONE case that falsifies my statement( this does not include wheelchairs).

Best wishes to all~

I wanted to address some issues in this post - Yes, there are times on specific rides with specific stamps that a wait time may or will be shortened, but this is not always the case.

As to your statement about Disneyland, I saw two different instances I Can think of just off the top of my head TODAY which disprove the statement that a GAC shortens wait times, even with the stamp you are thinking of. Everyone with that stamp had to wait in the same line at Space Mountain and Jungle Cruise today, whether or not that party had a wheelchair. In both cases, the wait time for the non-standard queue was just as long as the regular queue.

In fact, I saw several people try to avoid both the standard and non-standard queue with a GAC today and they were told they must wait in the alternate queue. And this is almost always true in Fantasyland, a place where the OP with two preschoolers may spend a lot of time. The queue was the same, wheelchair or no. And if the OP wants to bring the stroller/buggy in the queue, then they had better plan like people with a wheelchair.

Also, off the top of my head, I can say that Pirates and Splash Mountain are two others where those with a GAC which puts them in a non-standard queue are not always sent through the Fastpass line.

Those are just two instances today off the top of my head. And it depends totally on the stamp you get. I can think of several stamps that would not necessarily change your waiting experience, and that includes the stroller-as-wheelchair stamp.

No GAC acts as an automatic Fastpass, even if it seems like it did for you. I am not saying you did not have the experience you did, just that it does not always work like that, and the OP would do well not to count on a GAC to act as a Fastpass.

Also, even the FP line does not always mean quick access - there have been times I have been in the FP line for more than a half hour because the line was slow loading - this is especially true for roller coasters or popular rides like Racers.

So, no, a GAC does not act like a Fastpass, no matter the stamp you have. I am glad that your experiences have been positive, and that the GAC has allowed you to access rides with your family in a way that makes for a successful and fun trip. I am not saying you are wrong, just that not everyone has that experience, and that the OP should not plan for it to act like that.

 

[militaryspousemouse]

A lot of people have been saying that the GAC will probably not shorten the wait( or even elongate it). But this is not necessarily true and in the majority of the cases, I've deemed it to be false.

Through experiences, I've witnessed and experienced times where a party enters the wheelchair line and boards significantly faster than those in the regular queue. Of course, there are a few exceptions to this when the regular queue is shorter than the wheelchair entrance. And, if you're wheelchair dependent, than you have no choice but to wait- but this has nothing to do with the GAC.

I was given a specific type of GAC that helped to meet our needs and helped us to have a successful trip.

Also, when I was in the regular queue because we were too embarrassed to use the GAC because of a very short (regular) line, we witnessed on multiple occasions parties entering through either wheelchair entrance or the exit using the same type of GAC that I had. Of course, they boarded either before or right after me, and they hadn't been waiting for more than 5 minutes.

I'm just saying that when the GAC thing doesn't involve a wheelchair, it most likely reduces your wait time on almost every ride. And, wouldn't this be optimal for kids like the OP's?

When in a wheelchair, then really it's in the favor of how long the wheelchair queue is. BUT even so, when the regular queue exceeds 2 hours, I've seen wheelchair parties wait up to an hour, which is still 1/2 the wait on the regular queue.

I was reading on a blog of a family with a child with Epilepsy and a service dog. They requested a GAC and she blogged and I quote: " This pass saved us a lot of time waiting in line, which was really nice."

But don't get me wrong, I'm not here to give a rant on how this is a FOTL- which it should not be considered as one still. I just want people to know that although the GAC is not intended to bypass the lines, in reality, it does in a lot of cases. I've been to Disneyland a lot of times and I have NOT seen ONE case that falsifies my statement( this does not include wheelchairs).

Best wishes to all~

I have to completely agree. We just got back and we had the same experience with wait times. This is our 2nd year going at the busiest time of the year and our wait times we greatly reduced from the standby line. Our daughter is 9 with Down syndrome and has the same issues as the OP and we rented a Liberty Pushchair for her and also got a GAC. Yes, there are rides that have no special access and you have to wait in the standard line. But we didnt come across those very often. We literally rode almost every ride at every park.

Its a Small World and Toy Story Mania have really long lines even in the wheelchair lines. Pirates of the Caribbean has an alternative entrance that loads from outside of the regular ride and is quite long as well.

 

[SueM in MN]

You may wonder why I closed this thread.
The short answers are -
1) even though people were asked not to post specific information about stamps, they still were.
2) people read about shorter waits some people feel they experienced and EXPECT that is how it is and always will be.
3) my philosophy is to give people realistic expectations of what might happen so they can plan. Not 'best case scenarios saying you won't have to wait. I HAVE received PMs (Personal Messages) from people who read the 'best case scenarios' especially those where people posted "I don't know why other people say a GAC won't shorten your wait because it always did for us." People reading that expected they would get in the exit or not have to wait and were angry that things did not happen that way each time.
I have never gotten an angry PM from someone because things worked out better than they though. But I have gotten them from people who felt mislead by posts saying they would not have to wait.


The long answer is this, copied from the Open Letter from SueM near the top of this board.

Even if one guest posts, "I was just at WDW and this is what happened".........
that doesn't mean the same thing will happen to each guest, or even that it would have happened just that way if the poster had gone on that attraction later in the same trip.

CMs have different methods/tools available at each attractions in order to give accommodation. Exactly WHAT tools are used are going to depend on the needs of the person with the GAC, what is available at that attraction and also on things that are not visible to the guest - like how many people with special needs are already waiting, what the general wait time is, the staffing levels, the space available for waiting.
That can mean that same guest can go to the same attraction
on the same day
with the same needs
and the same GAC
and be treated differently on a second ride on that attraction than the first time.

Actually using the Fastpass system as it is set up for guests to use will give consistent results; using a GAC will not.

That is one of the reasons people on this board who have been to WDW many times caution against expectations. When people read "I had a GAC and I did xxxxxxx", they expect the same experience, even if their situation is different or the conditions are different when they go. (There is more information about this on the disABILITIES FAQs thread in post 6 about GACs).

Most of the regular posters on this board (me included) have been to WDW many times and have seen/experienced the different ways of dealing with the same GAC themselves. That's one of the reasons we are 'cautious' about telling people exactly what to expect - it changes and people often post "I expected xxxxxxx, but yyyyyy happened".
So, we tell people to expect that yyyyyyy (or even zzzzzz) might happen instead of what they expect. That is the point where some guests post, "But, I used a GAC on my trip and xxxxxxxx did happen" and kind of imply that would be/should be what happens every time, since that was what happened to them.
We're just saying that what some people experience and think is the rule is actually the exception, rather than the rule.

As another example, on our last trip in October, lines were short. At Buzz Lightyear, DD entered the regular 'stand-by' line with her wheelchair. The CM at the Fastpass entrance motiioned us to come over and told us to use the Fastpass line, giving us a handwritten Fastpass to give the CM collecting Fastpasses.
We also received the same 'treatment' on some other attractions during that same trip.
If this was our first trip, I may have come back and posted on the DIS Boards that using a wheelchair 'allowed' us to use the Fastpass lines. I would have probably thought that was what was the rule about what was 'supposed' to happen. I would not realize that was the exception rather than the rule.

The report would be the truth as far as reporting our experience, but it would not be the whole truth because there are things that I know as an experienced WDW visitor that someone on a first trip with a guest using a wheelchair would not know/notice.
In these case, both the Fastpass and the regular line were short. Because the regular line has more twists and turns, it would be more difficult for us to get thru it with a wheelchair; not a problem when the line is moving slowly, but actually slows down the line when guests are walking thru quickly. So, in that situation, it's better for the attraction when the CM sent us to use the Fastpass line.
The same thing happens with GACs sometimes. The way the CM chooses to give accomodation may look like an advantage for the person with the GAC, when it's actually to WDW's benefit to handle it that way.
And, in this case (as well as for most shows, even when it's busy) using the Fastpass line did not really get us in more quickly; it just was more convenient for both us and the CMs.

Someone posted recently in a trip report that they used a GAC and were able to use the Fastpass line instead of waiting in 'hour long lines' to see Indiana Jones. The accomodation needed was to be able to sit in front rows of shows because of a vision problem. Because of their needs, there had to be some way to separate that guest's party out from the other guests. The way the CM's did it was to use the Fastpass line so they were in a smaller group and were allowed in before the majority of guests before all the close seats were gone.
They saw using the GAC as an advantage and felt kind of embarrassed using it, but they didn't realize that their initial assessment (that people wait for hours in line for Indiana Jones) was not correct.

The last point I want to make is that a GAC only helps with attractions, and even then maybe not with all attractions. If the park is busy, it's going to be busy all over, not just in lines/attractions. That general 'busyness' in the parks can be even more overwhelming to many people than waiting in lines.
It is a much bigger 'advantage' to know what is busy and when, so that you can go when it's more quiet. With a few exceptions, attractions have slow times when your wait in the regular line is only a few minutes (Soarin' and Toy Story Mania are exceptions because they are popular and fairly new). Going to MK at opening usually means being able to go on most attractions with waits of less than 15 minutes. Going mid day might mean a wait of 45 minutes - 1 hour for some attractions. All parks have situations like this and a good touring plan can minimize or eliminate the need to use a GAC. (Many people like to use easywdw.com, touringplans.com or tourguidemike.com)