Off-site tips for ASD

[breezy1077]

We're staying off-site for the first time and my DS-7 has pdd-nos. I need tips about how you take that all important mid-day break or any tips would help. "heads-up" kind of stuff would also be helpful like what we can expect the difference will be staying off-site with him vs. having the convenience of on-site location.

We'd make the decision to stay on-site just because of him, but my parents won a free week-long stay at the villas at regal palms and we get to stay there too . But I'm not sure how to plan for him. Help!

We're staying Aug 18 - 22nd if that helps with your advice.

 

[mazz1]

hi there

we've never stayed on site as such and have been lucky enough to stay in a villa twice

both of my children have autism, Jo is now 14 and James is 11

what can i say about staying in a villa

well you have tons of space to start, hopefully a private pool to sit and have a drink by at the end of the day or maybe a leisurely breakfast out on the pool deck?

you will have a full kitchen and should also have a washer/ dryer so you can get away with packing less clothes and best of all you don't have to be quiet when your child is finally asleep at night because you are not all in one room

as for the parks we usually go for half days as that's all mine can realistically cope with so we'd have a leisurely morning, my children would have a swim, we'd eat brekkie out on the pool deck etc and then go for a afternoon in the parks and maybe stop to see the fireworks or we would do the opposite and have a early start heading straight for the parks at opening and when the children have had enough we would head back to the villa for a relax in or by the pool with maybe a takeout and movie

it would really depend on your child and only you will know him best and what will or wont work but i honestly do not think for one minute you will be disappointed being off site because the space that a villa gives more than compensates

hope you have a really great holiday

marie

 

[ecki]

We're staying Aug 18 - 22nd if that helps with your advice.

We're going to WDW Aug 19 - 22nd! My will be 7 yo DD is also PDD-NOS and I also have a 4 yo DD. And to make things even more weird, my DH's cousin is also coming, she lives in Columbus (Upper Arlington area, I think, she works at the hospital in Delaware).

See you there!!

 

[Ctsplaysinrain]

If you have a villa with a pool, I would make sure that the pool is totally safe... IE ( no way he can escape into it).

 

[mazz1]

If you have a villa with a pool, I would make sure that the pool is totally safe... IE ( no way he can escape into it).

all rental homes now by law have to have secure child safety fencing around the pool and doors that open onto a pool deck have to be alarmed and have childproof locks too

believe me my child can be expert at getting past locks, gates, safety catches and such but she's never got past the secure pool fencing at the homes we have rented, it has always taken two adults to remove the fence and we are careful about putting it back too

we have always found that the children are easier to manage in our own villa pool, we do not have to worry about other children or adults upsetting them by getting too close

 

[mamacate]

I know everyone says to take those midday breaks but we don't. Well, we do take a midday break, but we don't take that break by going back to our hotel; we do something relaxing that gets us away from the stimulation of the parks. Examples are lunch at WCC at WL via boat, a long stint at the Living Seas in Epcot, park hopping by taking the boat from DHS to Epcot, spending a leisurely lunchtime at a restaurant in the parks, or leaving a park early afternoon and going home from there.

Just to give you a sense, here's the process of leaving MK, from my family's perspective:

Get out of whatever land we're in, past whatever rides we have to get past, to the circle in front of the castle. Be jostled by crowds.

Walk down main street past a gauntlet of stores and vendors.

Walk through dark tunnels to entrance.

Leave park. Decide boat or monorail. Wait for boat or monorail.

Get on boat or monorail, along with a big crowd. Get off boat or monorail, with an even bigger-feeling crowd all pressing to get off.

Walk to tram and get on. Ride tram (with loud announcements, etc.) to parking spot, walk to car, get in car, get seat belts on.

Drive home.

PHEW. The other parks aren't quite as bad (skip the boat or monorail), but we usually end up with a major meltdown at some point during that process. For our family, we're better off doing something nearby until we're ready to be done for the day. YMMV.

Honestly, staying onsite would be no different, because we'd have to do half of that and then get on a crowded bus and I'm sure you can imagine how much fun that would be for EVERYONE involved. This year we're spending a few days (at GREAT expense) at WL to see if that makes it a lot easier, but we can't afford to stay at an MK deluxe all the time. I'm paying rack rates and it's making me a little queasy, even just for three nights!

This time the kids are a little older so we're going to attempt fireworks and a P&PP, but I'm not sure it's going to work and I won't buy my P&PP tickets until we're at the park with everyone in good shape, ready to go, and we've attempted a fireworks night at Epcot and have been successful. Last year fireworks were just not park of our Disney world experience. The same may be true this year. I didn't think we could do Disney at all with my son, and it went great despite a few bad moments, so I'm just glad we were able to go.

I hope you have a great trip!

C

PS: ETA that I agree with mazz1 that there are a lot of really good reasons to stay offsite. We haven't done a villa yet, but having that extra bedroom makes a world of difference.