Managing crowd anxiety during park entrance/rope drop

[SummerPicnic]

My 10 yo son has anxiety and panic, and I have been so happy to read these boards to help with strategies to plan for our trip in a few months!
Crowds are a trigger for him, specifically.

We are staying offsite in a condo and renting a car to drive to and from parks.
We plan to eat breakfast in the condo each morning, drive over to the parks early (rope drop?), pack our lunches so that we can find a spot allowing us some space from crowds vs. a loud/packed restaurant, and then when he's ready head back to condo in afternoon to relax, swim, cook dinner.

My question is, any strategy for managing crowds at the entrance to the parks?

Based upon recent experience at a non-Disney park, he handled the crowds waiting in ride lines (lines clearly delineated) quite better than the disorganized "massing" of crowds clumped together waiting to get funneled into the park.

Is getting there for rope drop going to be more crowded at the gates than if we wait 30min/hour after RD to let the crowds disperse?
Should we even do RD?

Can someone walk me thru it for each park so i know what to expect and maybe plan ahead to find a "breathing place" for him nearby?

I understand some will suggest to get a breakfast ADR to get into parks early, but I cant justify the price of an expensive Disney table service breakfast when we can eat a great breakfast in the privacy of our condo.

thank you!

 

[Dumbo7]

Honestly you might consider staying at a Disney property. Things like extra magic hours really help with the amount of crowds. If you're staying at a monorail resort you'll do bag check before you get on the monorail for magic kingdom. If you stay at an Epcot resort you can enter at the international gateway. Very few crowds. What month are you going? September tends to be the pre k crowd. Also you get free parking. When we get overwhelmed we know we can go back to our resort to take a break rather than being at the park 8 hours straight

 

[gap2368]

if you get there at rope drop and he is having a hard time with the crowds then walk away most of the crowds are as close to the rides as they can get ( so for MK they open Main Street up about an hour most people will be as close to the bridges that goes into the lands as they can be ) if you go back a little down main street ( or even in some of the stores it will be less crowded)

 

[SummerPicnic]

if you get there at rope drop and he is having a hard time with the crowds then walk away most of the crowds are as close to the rides as they can get ( so for MK they open Main Street up about an hour most people will be as close to the bridges that goes into the lands as they can be ) if you go back a little down main street ( or even in some of the stores it will be less crowded)

Thank you, I think for MK that ducking into a main street shop will help. And once we are in Main Street, was thinking of hopping onto the main street railroad and riding that around to see the park and then getting off at the back of the park.

I think the hardest part will be just getting thru the bag check lines and then thru the gates.
I plan to have him plugged into his iPod/tablet/etc and have family in front of and behind him.

I went to WDW as a child but have no memory of what the gate admission process is like now at the parks.
We will have magic bands, even though we will be offsite, as I think it will make it easier for our little group.

 

[gap2368]

bag check at theMK is a lot easer then at other since it is all spread out so if you drive Bag check is at the TTC if you take a buss it is at the buss stop at the MK if you take a boat then at the boat form a resort then it is at the boat dock. as fair as taking the train to the back of the park there is an opining show at the castle and it is fun to watch and if you take the train you have to really back track. I would watch the show and hang back for a minute or two and then go to your land you want to go to, heading back down Main Street you have all the people trying to get in. depending on your son would the use of a wheel chair ( or if he is small enough a stroller help him. if he has a tablet or a phone to play with and a light blanket ( sheet) over him to hide in while you go thought the crowded area ( this might help with BG too) If he dose use a something to cover him self with I would let him know the CM will have to look under the blanket. There are a few off site rental places that do rent wheel chair. He may not need it or want to use one but if he is having a hard time I would suggest it. Might make a big difference and a better trip for him

 

[Hiitsme]

I saw you wrote "breakfast at the condo", but you may try breakfast at one of the restaurants in Magic Kingdom. If you get reservations for a pre park opening you can skip the rush and crowd at rope drop. To help your son have fun with it, ask the hostess/host for a table kind of out of the way. There will be noise but it may be lessened. You may even be able to hit the rides without too much of a wait after breakfast. Have a wonderful time.

 

[Hoodie]

The only park we really had major issues in as EPCOT. That was a mass of humanity. Bag check and entrance were horrible. If you can, I'd probably wait for it to die down before trying that. I imagine AK is on the bad side right now due to Pandora. MK is spread out right now between moving the bag check and no longer having the opening ceremony at the train station.

 

[SummerPicnic]

Thanks everyone, appreciate your experiences and feedback

 

[DisneyOma]

Thank you, I think for MK that ducking into a main street shop will help. And once we are in Main Street, was thinking of hopping onto the main street railroad and riding that around to see the park and then getting off at the back of the park.

I think the hardest part will be just getting thru the bag check lines and then thru the gates.
I plan to have him plugged into his iPod/tablet/etc and have family in front of and behind him.

I went to WDW as a child but have no memory of what the gate admission process is like now at the parks.
We will have magic bands, even though we will be offsite, as I think it will make it easier for our little group.

He's going to have to unplug when he goes through the metal detectors.

 

[persimmondeb]

It varies from park to park (Animal Kingdom is well set up) but it can be hard to find a quiet place to eat a packed lunch. For my son, we find that a restaurant is usually a better break (cool and quiet). NOT one of the big counter service, but some of the smaller ones or a table service. Resort restaurants (with some exceptions) tend to be quieter. Unless restaurants are usually problematic for him, it might be a better stategy.

I'm also going to second the advice about early breakfast reservations. That has worked really well for us in the past.

 

[SummerPicnic]

Hi everyone, just chiming back in here to say I've taken all your advice to HEART and especially the early breakfast recommendations and I agree I think that is going to be the best option for us to have the smoothest entrance into the parks around (through) the crowds.

I am going to try to book the Early Morning Magic at MK (Fantasyland) and I am now stalking early breakfast reservations at Epcot and AK.
I originally wasn't planning to spend money on breakfasts, but we will switch it around -- spend for the early breakfasts in the park before it opens, and then do nice dinners in the condo in the evenings to relax/decompress. We'll have a car, so we can get groceries, and our family likes to cook.

I already had dinner reservations at Sanaa (never been, so looking forward to it) and Coral Reef and I will keep those.

Thanks so much for each and every suggestion, I am so glad to hear that there are many ways to do Disney for different physical/mental/emotional needs.

 

[gap2368]

Hi everyone, just chiming back in here to say I've taken all your advice to HEART and especially the early breakfast recommendations and I agree I think that is going to be the best option for us to have the smoothest entrance into the parks around (through) the crowds.

I am going to try to book the Early Morning Magic at MK (Fantasyland) and I am now stalking early breakfast reservations at Epcot and AK.
I originally wasn't planning to spend money on breakfasts, but we will switch it around -- spend for the early breakfasts in the park before it opens, and then do nice dinners in the condo in the evenings to relax/decompress. We'll have a car, so we can get groceries, and our family likes to cook.

I already had dinner reservations at Sanaa (never been, so looking forward to it) and Coral Reef and I will keep those.

Thanks so much for each and every suggestion, I am so glad to hear that there are many ways to do Disney for different physical/mental/emotional needs.

Just an FYI I have done some pre-park opening tours and getting in before the park opens ( especially if it is a so EMH mornings) can be much worst than just doing RD. I would suggest having a plan in place if it is very crowded,

 

[SummerPicnic]

Just an FYI I have done some pre-park opening tours and getting in before the park opens ( especially if it is a so EMH mornings) can be much worst than just doing RD. I would suggest having a plan in place if it is very crowded,

Thank you, we will - and I am planning my days around the crowd calendars and am avoiding parks on their EMH days.
thanks!

 

[jeal]

If you give your bags to another person in your party, you and your son can enter through the no bags line. As far as being plugged in with headphones and an I pod explain your situation to the guard at the no bags line. Disney is very accommodating to people with disabilities.
The best way to have your questions answered is to contact Guest Relations - you can send them an email.

 

[jeal]

Try this link - it provides information about cognitive disabilities including ASD.
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/cognitive-disabilities-services/

 

[jeal]

Also, look at this link - it has tons of information:
https://wdpromedia.disney.go.com/me...lities-services/wdw_cognitive_guide_ilove.pdf

Have a wonderful trip!

 

[Spencer Wright]

AK has a lot of great spots as your walking into the bulk of the park where there arent too many people and some cool animals to look at. Also, there is a cool area in front of the tree of life where there are kangaroos which are often overlooked.

If you are concerned about crowds in the morning, AK would probably be your best bet since at least %75 run to Pandora and the rest of the park stays pretty empty for a few hours.

 

[sharadoc]

My husband walks my son through the "no bag" line and I go through bag check with all our bags. Much less waiting in line.

 

[SummerPicnic]

this is all so helpful! thanks!

 

[bumbershoot]

We will have magic bands, even though we will be offsite, as I think it will make it easier for our little group.

Being a non-lover of MBs, if you haven't purchased them already, I urge you to ponder what about them will make things easier.

Having the plastic band on my wrist is irritating. Figuring out the perfect way to wear it so I can meet the Mickey readers correctly gets annoying. Having to either figure out what tapstiles to go towards or having to turn to meet a tapstile correctly is irritating.

I prefer a lanyard with a card!


Glad you've flipped the meals.