I'm getting anxious

[REEREEG]

I have been planning a trip to Disney for almost 5 years and as the planning has gotten more serious (purchased plane tickets & booked hotel & ADRs), I am getting nervous.

I have complications from a head injury & have trouble with lights, noise, too much stimulation and have a constant headache that turns into a migraine if too much stimulation& not enough rest. When things get bad, I can get very confused. I also have a 7 year old with attachment disorder, PTSD, ADHD, and anxiety.

People say I am crazy to go to Disney with these issues but my daughter has been asking since I first got her when she was 3 and we are both doing better now than in years past.

I am trying to plan the trip to make it as successful as possible and am wondering if anyone has ideas.

Some thoughts I had were to do PPO breakfasts to avoid the crowds entering the park, tour early in the day, and plan to only stay for a few hours and do portion of park each day, and do the dessert parties to avoid crowds for Wishes & illuminations...

Any other suggestions?

 

[gap2368]

yes go to the park early is a great idea ( for the MK most people go to fantasyland) so I would start out in adventureland, ( basely left side of the park) do your 3 FP for between 10:30/11;00- 1;30/200 then find a spot for the parade watch it and then head back to your resort to rest swim and head back in the evening maybe 2 hours before the fireworks ( this is how I would do MK and you could do the other parks this way too)

not sure if a DAS pass would help you are not, ( it may) but you can go to GR and talk to them you will need to explain your need while wait in line ( they really do not care about DX) and why you can not wait in the traditional line. What the DAS dose is allows you to wait out side the lines and then come back when it is your turn and go thought the FP line. so it would be wait time minute 10 minutes. ( and just a heads up the FP lines can be very long)

First aid is a great place to go if you need to rest for a bit ( but if you really need to rest go back to your hotel)


I would bring sunglasses and hat or a very light weight hoody to cut out the light I use over the ear ear protectors ( I have a hard time with a lot of people talking in one space and with certain noises) or you could do the ones that go in your ear ( they have them in first aid)

your DD might benefit form being in a stroller ( not sure if she has ADHD) but it would give your a safe place to be you could get a stroller as a wheel chair tag so that you could take it in lines with you then she could walk the rest of the time.

enjoy your trip

 

[SueM in MN]

Besides the good advice from the other poster -

Do you have someone with you besides your child?
If so, make sure that person knows signs either you or your child becoming overwhelmed so they can help alert you.
Make sure they know what would be helpful to you and everyone agree to stop to rest/recuperate at early signs.

If it's only you and your child
- agree between you that either of you can say, "I've had enough" , "I need a break" or "I need to stop" at any point
- have plans for what you will do and where you will go.
- plan for how you will leave if you need to
- besides using a stroller as wheelchair to 'support' your child, it might also help to 'ground' you. It will provide some separation between you and the people in front of you.

Some other suggestions:
- consider alternating park days with resort days to give more time to recuperate
- look at the My Disney Experience smartphone app, the Disney website or wdwinfo.com and make lists of attractions. Look at things like warnings, the description and height limits if your child is under 48 inches tall. Then categorize them as likely to go on, possible and not possible.
- watch YouTube videos of the 'likely' and 'possible' attractions to see what/whether there are things about those attractions that might be problematic. Videos by a YouTube poster names Big Fat Panda are good ones. He usually includes a bit of the line and boarding area, so you can see those also.

Keep in mind that almost everything about the parks is full of noise and lights. There is background music all around and music inside attractions is often loud. Bathrooms can get very loud with turboflush toilets and air blower hand dryers. Restaurants are often very loud. They have many hard surfaces and the noises tend to bounce around. It will help if you can eat during non-peak times with less people and less noise.
Also keep in mind that there are outdoor shows at various times that can be very loud. Look at the times guides for the parks (or the MY Disney Experience app) to see what times they are. MK has a show at the stage in front of the castle at various times which has loud music and fireworks are shot off. The Studio has a Star Wars show at the stage in front of the theater (Great Movie Ride) multiple times during the day. The music is very loud.

You might benefit from earplugs to dampen the noise. If you don't bring any, First Aid does have foam in ear plugs on request. You daughter might benefit from ear protectors - look on Amazon.com for Peltor Junior ear protectors; those are the most recommended ones.

The disABILITIES FAQs questions thread is near the top of this board and has a lot of information that should be helpful to you. The first post in that thread is an index to tell what is in each post in the thread. There is one post about attractions with warnings and another about bright or flashing lights.
In general, Epcot is the most laid back park and more of the attractions are gentle and have less stimulation. My family feels MK is the most difficult- more attractions there have loud music and lights.

 

[REEREEG]

Thank you for all of your great ideas and things to think about.

The stroller idea is good. My daughter doesn't need one to avoid walking as she has unlimited energy, but it would be nice to know she's confined in a safe space!

I am going to go back over all of your suggestions more closely, but just wanted to say thank you!!

I'm especially thankful for the mention of flashing lights - I have a very hard time with that so I will check out those sources to plan ahead for that - thank you!

 

[DisneyOma]

I have been planning a trip to Disney for almost 5 years and as the planning has gotten more serious (purchased plane tickets & booked hotel & ADRs), I am getting nervous.

I have complications from a head injury & have trouble with lights, noise, too much stimulation and have a constant headache that turns into a migraine if too much stimulation& not enough rest. When things get bad, I can get very confused. I also have a 7 year old with attachment disorder, PTSD, ADHD, and anxiety.

People say I am crazy to go to Disney with these issues but my daughter has been asking since I first got her when she was 3 and we are both doing better now than in years past.

I am trying to plan the trip to make it as successful as possible and am wondering if anyone has ideas.

Some thoughts I had were to do PPO breakfasts to avoid the crowds entering the park, tour early in the day, and plan to only stay for a few hours and do portion of park each day, and do the dessert parties to avoid crowds for Wishes & illuminations...

Any other suggestions?

Stay onsite if you can so you can go back to your resort if you have a migraine - and if you take meds for it, you don't have to worry about driving. Stay extra hydrated too! How are you on spinning rides? I can't even do the carousel anymore, as it triggers a migraine for me.

I've found the parks to be less stimulating at night - maybe a break in the middle of the day will help reset your tolerance levels, and then you could tour later at night when it is cooler and a bit quieter?

 

[wendylovesdisney]

I used a stroller up until age 10 for my daughter with the same issues at Disney. She was entirely physically healthy, but really benefitted from retreating into the stroller. We would pull the shade down and hang a small blanket from it. We got a stroller as wheelchair tag and took it in the lines. No matter what, your child is most important and do whatever you can for her. Don't think about what anyone else thinks. There will be judgmental people, but chin up!