MNSSHP - ??s and Tips for Autistic Child

[admepo]

Hello! My family is attending MNSSHP on October 23rd. My 4 year old son is autistic. My first question is are GAC's available for use on this night and has anyone used them at the Halloween party? I am counting on not having to use it but I always like to have it as a safeguard just in case.

My other question is about the fireworks: What do you do with your child during fireworks??? We generally leave the parks before fireworks so Jake doesn't have to deal with the noise. He will not wear earplugs. Being that the fireworks for the party are only 2 hours after it starts we will not be leaving the park, so any suggestions/ideas/etc will be greatly appreciated!!!

Any other tips for our first year attending would also be greatly appreciated!!!

TIA!

 

[thatgrrl]

we have a 5 year old daughter with autism and we are thinking about going on the 23rd for the party... i have concerns about the use of the pass. we really rely on it and i want this to be as easy for her as possible. i assume you can use it for the rides, as usual, but what about the pictures, character greetings and candy stations?

we do not have a problem with fireworks. how about if you go to the big store in toon town and do pictures? that seems far enough away and isolated enough that you may not hear the fireworks.

 

[Mel6197]

We will be there the 25th!

Tips... Try to keep the morning Light.. We generly dont do a park that day, and take the time to do a nice Breakfast, swim etc.. Relax..

Loud Noises.. We use Ear Muffs, Help TONS!! Kira wont wear Ear Plugs either..

Or Maybe go into one of stores. There is one by the front where they play old Disney Movies with nice seating.. Take a mini Break there?
And there are card Board Cut outs to make VERY Cute Photos!

The GAC we have used at the party. We generally dont do alot of rides that night, to much Dancing, Trick or Treating, Parades etc. A
And as far as the Trick or Treat lines, We never waited more than 3 min. They go VERY fast.
And Characters are EVERYWHERE!!!
Have a great time!!!!

 

[dsmom]

I have a seven year old autistic son and we have done the halloween and Christmas party for the past four years. We had no problems using the GAC at any time. We got there before the party started, around five o'clock and just strolled around till six. They start sending everyone out who doesn't have a wrist band- they let me wear two bands-one for me and one for my son as he has sensory issues. They keep everyone in Fantasyland and Tomorrowland until the party offically starts at seven. From six till seven last year it was empty in Fantasyland and we rode everything with no waits. For the fireworks we go into an enclosed ride like Winnie the Pooh or Smallworld. My son hates the noise of the fireworks. By the time the ride is over so are the fireworks. We have also gone into Peco's Bills and had a snack inside while the fireworks are going on. One year we did tunetown and the houses and that worked out well too. Good luck and have a great time!

 

[JenJen]

We use Ear Muffs, Help TONS!!

I agree with this they helped us for many years!!!! They are awesome for high volume shows as well. Things that my kids would not do normally the would with the Ear muffs. I bought them at a sporting goods store.

 

[mbb]

The Baby Care Center might work for you as well

We've ducked into the Kodak Emporium, there's a little theatre area in back - comfy seats, and space for our boys to zoom around for a little while

The other store along Main Street - that Mel6197 referenced, I think, is the one that sells the PalMickeys, and shows "Tours of the Castles" or something like that...

HTH!

 

[SueM in MN]

TThe other store along Main Street - that Mel6197 referenced, I think, is the one that sells the PalMickeys, and shows "Tours of the Castles" or something like that...

HTH!

I think there are 2 places being talked about. One is a store along Main Street that has a front of a theater. it used to just show movies, but now it is a shop that shows movies. It's on the right side of the street as you face the castle.

The one that Mel6197 mentioned with the cutouts where you can take photos is in the same building that Tony's restaurant is is. It's directly to your right after you go under the train station when entering the park. The cutouts are toward the back of the building, past a Kodak museum of photography.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Our 8 year old boy is Autistic - he just cannot talk, other than that he is a perfectly normal/bonny lad.

We use the GAC system which we find really useful, as far as the fireworks are concerned we do not tend to be out that late at night as he is usually tired after a very busy day.

 

[marj70]

They start sending everyone out who doesn't have a wrist band- they let me wear two bands-one for me and one for my son as he has sensory issues.

Thanks so much for this comment. My DS, 4, also has sensory issues. He for sure would not wear the wristband, but I hadn't thought about it. Now I can avoid the issue altogether and just tell them I'll wear his.

DS actually likes fireworks, but some loud noises bother him. We took him on a train here in town, and he screamed when then horn sounded. He also hates any type of siren. He won't wear earplugs, earmuffs, or anything on his head.

 

[SueM in MN]

Thanks so much for this comment. My DS, 4, also has sensory issues. He for sure would not wear the wristband, but I hadn't thought about it. Now I can avoid the issue altogether and just tell them I'll wear his.

DS actually likes fireworks, but some loud noises bother him. We took him on a train here in town, and he screamed when then horn sounded. He also hates any type of siren. He won't wear earplugs, earmuffs, or anything on his head.

That is a good idea.
My DD would not wear hers. They did attach it to her wheelchair. Since she can't walk, the wheelchair was where ever she was.

 

[dsmom]

If you ride the train be sure to sit in the back. We made the mistake of sitting up front once and my son freaked out! The whistle is extremely loud in the front of the train but we had no problems sitting in the back.

 

[cabowser]

We have a severely autistic child and took him to wdw in June. we were there for a week and stayed at Ft. Wilderness. We did the fireworks at Epcot ONCE. We literally RAN him out of there with him covering his ears, covering his eyes and screaming like he was on fire. We had two other little ones and it was just terrible.

Next time we will skip the fireworks for SURE!

I would recommend trying to download some computer fireworks and seeing if he likes them, maybe moving onto movies of fireworks if you can find anything like that, but the ones at Epcot are really loud. Now Charlie did the water pagent really well, but we avoided all of the parades at WDW and the other parks, particularly the one at the Animal Kingdom. Very loud.

One other thing is that at EPCOT they have a place where they have a fireengine and kids can play in a house that is supposed to be on fire and they have to get out of there. They had a man with a headset who was hollering as loud as can be, Charlie just freaked. he can't take that noise. Also the coronation was really loud and we had to get away from that, but the good news is that when everyone else is at the parades and the coronation and stuff, we were ON THE RIDES!! Wow, what a time we had.

Get that GAC, we got ours at the Town hall at WDW and they were great about it. Of course Charlie was having a fit at the time and it didn't take much for them to see that we needed it. We went right to the front of the line for every line. Also, utilize those fastpasses.

we would get passes for me and Charlie and for my hubby and our other child. Then they (hubby and jon) could ride twice while I stayed with Charlie. I am not a big thrill rider anyway.

Charlie probably only rode about 5 rides the whole week, but he really loved them. He liked the indy cars the best. We had Dad ride in the car behind us and he video taped us. Charlie watches that movie all the time.

He took such huge leaps in language since that trip that I am just amazed. I can't afford to go back, but we are going back one way or the other.

The only bad thing was that the doors of the cabins would open and could not be totally locked from the inside at all. Bad if you have an escapee. We had to barracade them

Jan

 

[SueM in MN]

If you ride the train be sure to sit in the back. We made the mistake of sitting up front once and my son freaked out! The whistle is extremely loud in the front of the train but we had no problems sitting in the back.

I just wanted to mention that if you have a wheelchair, you have to ride in the front car because it's the only wheelchair accessible car. If you have a special needs stroller that can be folded, you can get on any car.

I would recommend trying to download some computer fireworks and seeing if he likes them, maybe moving onto movies of fireworks if you can find anything like that, but the ones at Epcot are really loud.

No one has suggested that before, but it sounds like a good idea.
The DIS site has actual video of Wishes (the fireworks at MK). The music sort of covers the sounds of the fireworks on the video though. There isn't video of Illuminations on the DIS site, but this site has several versions of Illuminations: Reflections of Earth (the whole name of the current version of Illuminations).

One other thing is that at EPCOT they have a place where they have a fireengine and kids can play in a house that is supposed to be on fire and they have to get out of there. They had a man with a headset who was hollering as loud as can be, Charlie just freaked.

Is this in Innoventions?

Get that GAC, we got ours at the Town hall at WDW and they were great about it. Of course Charlie was having a fit at the time and it didn't take much for them to see that we needed it. We went right to the front of the line for every line.

I just wanted to mention that because the individual GACs are based on the needs of the person it is issued to, not all GACs allow this.

 

[kittenkatt]

Is this in Innoventions?

It is. Innoventions West features "Where's the Fire?".

Just as a note, I'd like to second that Illuminations: Reflections of Earth may be a bit intense for those with sensory issues. I'm an adult aspie CM who just attempted to see Epcot's nighttime spectacular for the first time just last week... and my DH and another CM had to help me get to a quiet area VERY quickly while I cried and held my hands over my ears. Loud!, bright, and close. It begins with a short loud burst or six, then there's a calm lull while a lighted globe moves across the water and peaceful music plays. Unfortunately that's followed by the majority of the fireworks, and I found it to be very jarring and disorienting. Nothing like a sobbing run to the bus to end an evening

Like the MNSSHP, MVMCP will also have special holiday fireworks. I'll be watching them from the Luau Cove beach at the Polynesian where it's quiet (no music and the fireworks themselves are lessened), uncrowded, and a good safe distance away across Seven Seas Lagoon. I highly recommend the spot for those who want to give it a try but find it to be "too much" from Main Street.