PDD/NOS, SSAD son, fireworks and the Dessert party

[Bean603]

Hello everyone! I'm almost 100 days away and at an impass...
My youngest son has Severe Social Anxiety Disorder and PDD/NOS. We can get the GAC card, I'm sure, his psychologist won't object to a note, but they've brought back the Fireworks dessert party. I've heard good things about it, we could get right up to the railing, no jostling for a position and no people closing in on you, much less SSAD issues, I'm sure.
But, it's expensive. For us to go, it would cost about $120. That's a lot of coin.
If you have the GAC, is there a special area to watch the fireworks? How crunched is it? We're going the last week of August, non-peak time and will be at Magic Kingdom on a Monday night.
Any ideas? Should I just find the money for the dessert party? Our trip to Disneyland for the Jack Skellington fireworks didn't work out so well and I don't want him to go through that ever again...if I can save him that fear, I will...
Please help with any ideas you have!!!
Thanks!!
Jillian

 

[kteesmumma]

We will be getting GAC's for our kids.

My daughter has SPD and my son has Low Vision.

I would love to know if there is any special place to see the fireworks where its not so LOUD.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

The GAC will not get you into any special area for fireworks. The special areas are reserved for people in wheelchairs or ECVs and a few additional members of their party. The GAC is specifically for attractions only.

And there is no place in the Park where the fireworks are quiet.

 

[lovetoscrap]

You won't need a note of any kind to get a GAC. Take a look at he FAQ thread at the top of this page and there is a lot of very helpful information.

There are Handicapped Only areas for the parades and fireworks, but they are still crowded. They first row is for the wc/ECV's and then you have the families around them standing behind and sometimes they end up with a double row of w/c. It is probably just as crowded and maybe even worse because of the wheeled vehicles and the fact that it is roped off so you are confined in that area.

Have you thought about watching the fireworks from the beach of the Polynesian Resort? They turn the lights down and pipe in the music. You can set out some towels or a blanket in the sand and there are less people and not the huge crush to get out afterwords. And since there is some distance from where the fireworks are set off it is probably not as loud (not as sure on that since I haven't watched from there).

 

[bookwormde]

For MK I agree Poly is great for far away, or if you want to closer place the 2nd floor terrace at the entrance train station is good. For EPCOT we go out the internation entrance and watch from the boat loading area or all the way back to the BW bridge. You do miss much of hte ground display, but it is better than having to leave.

bookwormde

 

[Bean603]

The GAC will not get you into any special area for fireworks. The special areas are reserved for people in wheelchairs or ECVs and a few additional members of their party. The GAC is specifically for attractions only.

And there is no place in the Park where the fireworks are quiet.

This is exactly what I wanted to know!!! Thank you!!
We'd like to be on property for the fireworks, as we've also got ADR's for Tony's that same night. I've moved up the ressie's thinking I didn't want dinner and dessert too close together. I was thinking of Italy for the Illuminations at Epcot...we've got ADR's for Tutto Italia.

Someone said we're supposed to be able to catch the top of the fireworks from the beach at Wilderness campground...is that true? Anyone know?

 

[Bean603]

Just spoke with the Cast Member and the Fireworks Dessert Party is only scheduled through August 14th, about a week before we get there! Any other ideas as to not-so-crowded places inside MK to see Wishes??
Jillian

 

[hroyale]

My DS has PDD/NOS and LOVES fireworks. They are some of his favorite things. He hated Wishes because we watched from inside the park. He was Ok, with the fireworks. And they were quite loud. (He was in a stroller that helped with the crowd) but the throngs of people exiting the park pushed him well outside his comfort level. The smell of the fireworks, the fact that we were "trapped" by all the people and the change in the sensory stimulation from very loud bright fireworks to massive crowds was harsh. That was one of the few melt-downs he had the entire trip.

I recommend watching from outside the park. If you're going to pay money for the dessert party anyway, try the Pirate Cruise instead. If you want to save the money, watch from the Poly Beach. That's our plan.

Best of luck,
Heather

 

[Bean603]

My DS has PDD/NOS and LOVES fireworks. They are some of his favorite things. He hated Wishes because we watched from inside the park. He was Ok, with the fireworks. And they were quite loud. (He was in a stroller that helped with the crowd) but the throngs of people exiting the park pushed him well outside his comfort level. The smell of the fireworks, the fact that we were "trapped" by all the people and the change in the sensory stimulation from very loud bright fireworks to massive crowds was harsh. That was one of the few melt-downs he had the entire trip.

I recommend watching from outside the park. If you're going to pay money for the dessert party anyway, try the Pirate Cruise instead. If you want to save the money, watch from the Poly Beach. That's our plan.

Best of luck,
Heather

Pirate Cruise?? Where/What is that? How much does that cost? Is it only at the Poly? Tell me more!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Pirate Cruise?? Where/What is that? How much does that cost? Is it only at the Poly? Tell me more!

It is real fun. Here is a link to a detailed description. The cost is $54 adult/$31 child.

It starts a couple of hours before the fireworks at the Contemporary with a dessert buffet and Capt Hook & Mr Smee are there. Board a boat with a Pirate as the host for fun and games. See the Electric Water Pageant up close near Wilderness Lodge, sail into the Seven Seas Lagoon and anchor in the Lagoon on the extended centerline of Main Street. The fireworks music and narration is piped into the boat. After the fireworks sail back to the Contemporary and met at the dock by Peter Pan.

 

[Bean603]

I checked out that link and some reviews on allears and for the money we'd pay at the Dessert Party, I think we'd be better off with this! And, both my boys love pirates! Thanks for the suggestion! Cool!

 

[deerhart]

my oldest son cannot stand the sound of fireworks, but he does wonderful watching them from the Rose garden (by pathway to tomorrowland) when we go. Each time we have been there, we had almost no one around us and he was fine.

We also got caught last year back by the carousal and the fireworks being shot right over head. He did okay with just standing by us with his hands covered, but it was VERY crowded and loud!

 

[toodycat]

My ASD son doesn't mind watching fireworks, but can't stand hearing them. (In fact, years ago he had a mega-meltdown at a baseball game that had a fireworks display after the game. A player tried to talk to him and he didn't even care.) I agree that the beach at the Poly or the beach or dock at the GF might be good options. One time we rented a boat from the water sports vendor at the Contemporary and watched them from the lagoon, but that was a little pricey. Earplugs are also a plus. Even wearing an iPod with some different music playing might be OK.

 

[inkkognito]

I have hyperacusis so things like the pitch of fireworks, backfiring and gunshots are all literally painful to me. Ear plugs don't work, but shooter's headphones are a godsend. I recommend trying them if ear plugs, music, etc. do not work for your child. They cancel out the sound rather than just muffling it, as muffling doesn't work well for certain kinds of sound sensitivity. This is especially true if your child tells you the noise is painful rather than being frightened or upset by it.

 

[CityGranola]

OMG - I NEED to take DS5 on this cruise! He loves Peter Pan and we don't have plans for a character meal. Can someone give me more info, please?

We are only doing a few days at Disney - if this cruise is a few hours long, I'd prefer half our day not to be the cruise. Does this leave from a hotel? Does it require a park ticket or no?

How soon does this fill up? I'm guessing I may be too late - we're going the first week of August.

Is the Contemporary a resort? So, if it leaves from there, I'm hoping we won't use a park ticket plus pay the fee. Right??

 

[Cheshire Figment]

The Pirates and Pals Cruise is in the evening and the program starts about 1½ hours before the fireworks. The Contemporary is not in the parks but is one of the hjotels on the monorail. Click on the link in Post #10 for more detail.

 

[ratlenhum]

We were at the boat dock when Wishes started one night. We got on the ferry, watched there as the boat went to the parking lot, then rode it back over again to catch the resort bus. It was beautiful and quiet!