Need Help...new

[JarrothsMom]

Hello to you all. I am taking my first trip with my son who is 15 and my other son who is 9. My oldest son Jarroth has autism and is also blind and wears prosthesis on both legs. When he is around alot of people for an exstended amount of time he will have a meltdown. I have read alot of the post but ran across one that spoke of most lines being wheelchair accessable. I dont want anyone to take me the wrong way....but I was hoping it would not be that way. If he is in line to long or by a small child or baby. We are talking screaming fit. How do you all prevent this. Does the GAC let you go somewhere else. I read in the FAQ that sometimes you could. Well how do I find all this out. I just want it to go smooth.

 

[SueM in MN]

If you go to Guest Relations in any of the parks and explain your son's needs they will do what they can to meet them.
If you have read that GAC information in the disABILITIES FAQs thread, you have the basic information that you need. If you also look at the thread titled "An Open Letter from SueM", you will find some more backround information on why we don't post a lot of specific information about GACs.
Some attractions do have a quieter place to wait, some don't. But, even with a GAC, if the park is busy, you are going to be in an environment where there are a lot of people everywhere. A GAC will help with lines, but you will still be dealing with crowds of people in lines at bathrooms, restaurants and just getting around.
One of the things that would help you even more than a GAC would be to know what park/area of the park is busy so that you can avoid that. Things like guidebooks and TourGuide Mike (a sponsor of the Theme Parks Board) can help you avoid the busy times for each park and attraction. By knowing that, you can often go right on rides with minimal or no waits.

 

[JarrothsMom]

Thank you so much. We have planed a January trip to avoid big crowds. To be honest I never thought about restrooms and so on and so fourth. Thank you so much. I live in a VERY small town and restraunts and stuff are never packed and I think I just over look stuff like that. I can say I was VERY excited to come across this board. to find so many people that have kids who have autism. To tell you a little about him...it is hard to diagnose him as having autism because the docs say that alot of the stuff he does (rocking, tapping face) could be from being blind. But as he got older and would not talk as we to....but talk in "parrot talk" is what I was told and would also have screaming fits for what seemed to be no apparent reason....come to find out it was certain noises....wether it be a certain part of a song,a car engine, or most of all a baby crying. That is when they said he has Autism. they said they could never know for sure. He has gotten alot better with sounds and sometimes instead of screaming just has a sharp...well almost like he got a chill...and then says...its just a baby crying...or something like that. So meltdown factor has come down a notch...but when it happens...bot does it happen. He is very excited we are going to Disney World to go "Ride the rides" You guys are great...sorry for rambling

 

[KPeveler]

i know a 15 yr old boy can be quite large, but would he feel more comfortable in a wheelchair? not all the time, but in lines it may give him "his space." it would mean pushing him, but if it avoids meltdowns, i know that most parents will try just about anything. disney is a LOT of walking, so i dont know how he will do, with the prostethesis on his legs. just a thought!

 

[JarrothsMom]

Oh yes a wheelchair is a MUST. prosthesis and being blind make it hard for him to walk. Yet he can for a short distance. I like the idea of making his own space!

 

[KPeveler]

does he have his own chair? you can certainly rent them there. you can rent manual chairs off-site, which will allow you to use it at the resort, downtown disney, buses, etc. if you have your own, then i would bring it, so it is something comfortable and known to him.

 

[SueM in MN]

In the disABILITIES thread, there are links to some threads that might be helpful to you. One id a trip report called "Adventures in Autism".