Nervous about DL....WDW pro preparing for the unknown!

[jenanderson]

Hello Everyone! We have always gotten such great advice here and I feel that it has made all our different WDW trips incredibly successful. We are now planning a trip to DL (our first ever) and are getting worried. I read so many conflicting reports about the way special needs are dealt with at DL and I am trying to be sure we have it all figured out because Disney is my family's magic place....we don't want that to change.

Our DS is 12 years old and has a variety of special needs. He is still recovering from a gastro bacterial infection that has caused him to miss 29 days of school and will keep him on medication all the way through our DL trip. The doctors know we intend to go to DL in June and have said at this point it is fine for him to go.

He also has mild CP with low muscle tone (making him get tired quickly and often needs a wheelchair by mid-day), an immune deficiency (which means he is almost always on extra meds when we travel), photosensitivity (because of all the meds), mild sensory disorders and medical issues.

We are planning on renting a wheelchair for him. He absolutely hates being in a wheelchair (we swear it has to do with his age at this point - he wants to be like other 12 year old boys). Our game plan is that we will allow him to walk for a couple hours each day if he is up to it and he has agreed to use the chair the rest of the day....or if we decide that he needs to be in it. We are still looking into where to rent a chair from. He is a super skinny kid and so a child sized chair is usually the best.

We are also planning on staying at either the PPH or at the Park Vue Inn (because it is across the street). We would plan on taking breaks whenever it is needed.

At WDW we have always gotten a GAC and never had to deal with anything but super accommodating CMs who are nothing but professional, helpful and friendly. When I read about requesting a GAC at DL I have read that it is not always as positive of an experience.

Disney is the magic that holds our family together. I am just hoping to learn enough about how to navigate our days at DL so that we love DL as much as WDW!

 

[Escape2Disney]

I've never been to WDW, so I can't compare the two parks. I can tell you that I've always had great experiences with guest services at DL. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

1) When going to City Hall to get a GAC, be specific in asking for accomodations. If it's an endurance issue, they'll suggest a wheelchair (or ECV, though I don't think that's an option for children). Other needs are handled on a case-by-case basis.
2) DL is much more compact than WDW (from what I've read). This will probably be a great thing for your son!
3) Both parks have first aid stations near that are fantastic! I have immune issues as well, and have used their services many times! If he becomes overwhelmed with fatigue and you can't quite make it back to the room, they are happy to let him lay down, drink some ice cold water, etc. They can also hold meds that need refrigeration if needed.
4) DL has a lot of shaded areas available. DCA is far less shaded (though they are in the process of changing that issue). Hats, lightweight long sleeve shirts, etc. are really important. I have photosensitivity and can tell you it's easier to control in DL. I tend to enjoy DCA more first thing in the morning and after the sun goes down. If we go mid- day, Sunscreen and lots of water are my best friends;-)
5) Get to know the handicap viewing areas for Fantasmic and parades. They will allow him to be in less crowded places to see the shows. Fantasmic's viewing area is off to the side (not optimal), but certainly less congested.

It should work really well! I've never had an issue, and truly feel it's a wonderful place to visit with special needs!

Have a great time!

 

[jenanderson]

Thanks for your insight.

1. We are generally pretty good about knowing accommodations to ask for and will have a wheelchair for him. I need to start finding places to call to find out about our options for renting a child-sized wheelchair. At WDW, we let them know he will be in a wheelchair for most of the days but ask if he can use an alternative entrance when it is available. We also tell them that he has photosensitivity issues. His GAC pass is always stamped with "Provide a Shaded Wait Area if Available at Attraction" and "Guest Can Use Alternative Attraction Entrance Where Available".

2. I am hoping that the compact nature of DL will help. It does worry me in other ways though because compact can also mean crowded (and probably will be based on when we are going). Even when DS is doing pretty good, he is a super skinny kid and is easily bruised by people bumping into him.

3. Thanks for letting us know about the first aid stations. His meds do not need refrigeration but knowing that if he needs to lay down for a few moments, needs some ice water to take his meds or has has other needs that we can use this service. We have used them at WDW a couple of times and it is really helpful.

4. We have finally found a few hats he will wear and are hoping that bringing his misting fan, using sunscreen and drinking lots of water will help with the sun and heat. Good to know that DL has more shade. I will keep that in mind when we plan out our days.

5. I have been trying to read about the HA viewing places for WoC, Fantasmic and parades. We are considering the Fantasmic dessert seating to be sure we have a nice spot to see the show (it is DS's favorite)! I have not seen anything about a good place to view the fireworks yet though.

Thanks again for your information and insights. It makes me feel better when I am able to read positive things about traveling to DL with special needs.

~Jen

 

[loveappletrees]

We took our first trip with our kids to DL in 2009.
Our then 9yr old has special needs and we got him a pass. We had no negative experiences and everyone was super helpful. One thing we did was to pin his pass in a bag( to rainproof) and had it out there pinned to his shirt so that he wouldn't be questioned. And remember to ask a CM if you have questions on where to be, we did this for Fantasmic and Aladin viewing.

-m

 

[Escape2Disney]

Thanks for your insight.

1. We are generally pretty good about knowing accommodations to ask for and will have a wheelchair for him. I need to start finding places to call to find out about our options for renting a child-sized wheelchair. At WDW, we let them know he will be in a wheelchair for most of the days but ask if he can use an alternative entrance when it is available. We also tell them that he has photosensitivity issues. His GAC pass is always stamped with "Provide a Shaded Wait Area if Available at Attraction" and "Guest Can Use Alternative Attraction Entrance Where Available".

2. I am hoping that the compact nature of DL will help. It does worry me in other ways though because compact can also mean crowded (and probably will be based on when we are going). Even when DS is doing pretty good, he is a super skinny kid and is easily bruised by people bumping into him.

3. Thanks for letting us know about the first aid stations. His meds do not need refrigeration but knowing that if he needs to lay down for a few moments, needs some ice water to take his meds or has has other needs that we can use this service. We have used them at WDW a couple of times and it is really helpful.

4. We have finally found a few hats he will wear and are hoping that bringing his misting fan, using sunscreen and drinking lots of water will help with the sun and heat. Good to know that DL has more shade. I will keep that in mind when we plan out our days.

5. I have been trying to read about the HA viewing places for WoC, Fantasmic and parades. We are considering the Fantasmic dessert seating to be sure we have a nice spot to see the show (it is DS's favorite)! I have not seen anything about a good place to view the fireworks yet though.

Thanks again for your information and insights. It makes me feel better when I am able to read positive things about traveling to DL with special needs.

~Jen

We've used quite a few places for wheelchair and scooter rentals. I believe Deckerts has child-sized chairs. They do not have a website, but I looked up their number - (714) 542-5607. If they don't have what you are looking for, they may be able to refer you to someone who does.

I totally understand the easy bruising issue. Crowds can be a problem, but a good plan will help. Here are some ideas there:

1. Pay attention to the parade schedule. Stay as far away from Main Street as possible when the parade is scheduled. It's a good time to be in other areas of the park.
2. Tomorrowland seems to always be a bit congested. This is especially true if there's a parade or other activity on Main Street. I ALWAYS avoid this area during fireworks. Depending on how many are in your party, you may want to consider having one person on each side of him to buffer. I find it's easier to get in/out of Tomorrowland from Fantasyland instead of Main Street during busy times.
3. Think about watching fireworks in front of Small World instead of in front of the castle. You won't see the special castle effects, but it's far less crowded.
4. If you're going to watch a show, stay put after it's over. If you wait a bit for the crowd to disperse, it'll be a much better trip out of the park.

I haven't watched WOC yet because of the crowds - someone else will probably have better info if for you.

We do the Fantasmic Dessert seating everytime we go now. Yes, it's a bit pricey, but for us, it's worth getting a good view and a seat. If that's out of your budget, the HA viewing area is fair - much better than the general viewing area.

The misting fans will be a good idea (especially if you're going during the summer). We also bring a camelbak with 2-3 bladders, and fill them at the First Aid station (they have icy cold water).

Another thought....

We've had a lot of luck with shade at most of the table and counter service eating establishments.

We tend to plan at least one table service meal per trip to get away from the crowds a bit and regroup.

Hope you have a great trip!!

 

[Escape2Disney]

OH! And if you want to watch the parade, I'd suggest viewing closer to Fantasyland. You're less likely to get into an overcrowding situation. If you want to see it on Main Street, there is an HA viewing area. If the park is crowded, you can hang out there for a bit before moving on.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Two thins

One is that when you enter Main Street your first thought will be "whee is the Castle?"

If you click on where it says "disABILTIES" at the top of this page it will take you to the Index. One of the top items is the "disABILTIES FAQ" which will gives lots of useful information. There is one post related to Disneyland and it does give information about rental locations.

Or, if you want an easier route to the FAQs, click on the link in my signature.

 

[jenanderson]

loveappletrees - Your DS looks so happy with Micky! Our DS likes to wear his lanyard from the cruise that has a clear pouch...I think this year we will put his GAC in their for quick access.

Escape2Disney - Thanks for all the great advice! We do tend to "buffer" DS so that he doesn't get knockd around. Unfortunately he LOVES being in the middle of it all! This is when the wheelchair is helpful. I feel like he is so much more protected when he is in the chair. We are still debating the dessert seating because it is so expensive when you multiply it times the 4 of us in the family. Still, it might be worth it knowing we have good seats out of the crowds. Thanks also for the rental information!

Cheshire Figment- Thanks for letting me know where to look for more DL information. I had looked quickly but it all looked like WDW info. I am going to go back and look more closely.

 

[twinmum]

You've had a lot of good advice so far! Our trip to DL was a few years ago, so I don't have details to add, but I thought I'd share this. Youmay remember from another thread we were both posting on that one of ours sons (now age 13) has CP and uses a wheelchair in the parks. When we travelled to DL, his wheelchair had a flat. We had no spare tube and it took a day to get one in. This is where the compactness of the parks was a HUGE benefit. Using his walker, the railroad and the little bit of monorail, our son was able to sue his walker for the full day! It forced us to take it slower, but that was OK too.

You'll really see a difference in the crowdds at DL betweem weekdays and weekends - lots of locals on the weekends. Perhaps you can factor this into your plans as well.

We stayed at the Grand Californian and one day, just before the bag check, we realized we'd forgotten the extra sweatshirts (it was early December). My DH was able to walk, not run, back to the room and was back to us in less than 10 minutes!

 

[gilesmt]

Won't say to much since you got a lot, my DD has CP and does DL with little problem, when younger used w/c. Anyway you asked about crowds, huge in June, cars land will be opening up, so by middle June expect 10 days every day and huge crowds. Go real early in the morning, take mid day off, and then back early evenings. Every time we go with large crowds we get it done by going at rope drop, leaving at one, coming back around 5 and leaving sound 11. One year DD's said no naps, they were staying, they waiting in line almost 3 hours for a ride, never stayed again. Watch to see if they relax the fast pass rules by June at DL, now you can collect them in morning and use them at night, we do that, in march they are not going to allow that any more. But rumor has it it won't last long at DL, and for those with endurance issues in families, it worked great to collect the fast passes in morning, do lots of rides, go take a long nap, and come back at night using fast passes. Lastly, we like hobos or Fairfield in across the street from main enterence, we do not like the park cue inn, just opinion. Any of the Disney hotels work, we have been to all three, but we found Fairfield inn and hobos just as close, difference that we enjoy, is that at any of the DL hotels on site, your early entery is everyday they have it, if you stay on site, for endurance issues that makes it a great deal.