Planning our trip w/ DS6 w/ CP

[momof5gr8kids]

Hello..I was directed to this board to find out if you are given any consideration while traveling w/ a sp needs child? I'm not one that typically seeks out favors, but this is our HUGE family trip, and I want to be sure we all have a great time. That means making sure we have a stroller, preferred rooms, etc..and probably things I dont even know I need, b/c I have never gone to Disney w/ a sp needs kid!

SO..w/o sounding like a sap, I'd LOVE any info anyone can give me to help me plan the best I can! Thanks!!!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Hi and to disABILTIES!

I would start off by looking at the disABILTIES FAQs. If you click on where it says "disABILTIES" at the top of this page it will take you to the Index. The top item is the "disABILTIES FAQ" which will gives lots of useful information. You may especially want to look at the page about Guest Assistance Cards.

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

It would probably help if you were to give some additional information, such as. This will make it easier for us to make suggestions.
Number and ages of people
When you are going
How long do you intend to spend
How tight is your budget
How do you plan to travel
Has anyone in the group been to WDW before

 

[Schmeck]

WDW rents strollers, but they do not guarantee having them available at any given time. That said, I've never heard of them ever running out of strollers to rent! If you think you'll need a stroller outside of the parks, then I'd suggest bringing one from home, as the ones at the parks stay at the park.

I'm not sure what you mean by a preferred room - you can request certain things on your reservations, and while there is no guarantee that all of your requests will be available at check-in, we've found the WDW does their very best to meet people's needs. Some of the resorts have areas that are considered preferred because of the location, and WDW charges more for those rooms. But they are only 'preferred' because they are closer to the food court or somesuch, but they are not especially for handicapped use. Sometimes they can be the worst rooms, as they tend to be noiser and more crowded, with overcrowded parking lots and overcrowded pools.

When you say 'HUGE family trip' do you mean that there are a lot of people going? If that's the case, realize that you won't be able to all stay together if you try to use a GAC.

 

[momof5gr8kids]

Thanks for the tips.

I have been to the FAQ'S page and honestly didn't find it to be what I needed.
We are a family of 7; me, DH, DD12, DS11, DD9, DD7, DS5. Yeah, that throws us into another category besides disability! LOL Anyway..we are hoping for late November. Budget w/ 7, FOR SURE. Hoping for ASmovies, w/ connecting rooms. At this point we are planning for 8 days.
My son is so a-typical that his disabilites vary from day to day w/ sensory issues and some physical limitations.
I guess part of my problem is that I don't know WHAT to ask, or what to prepare for besides the obvious (diaper changing, food, noise, etc) because it's been soo long since I was at WDW.
His needs are not our"main" focus, and we really try to mainstream him as much as possible, mostly b/c he has 4 siblings and he's always wanting to be doing exactly what they are.
Location in the hotel does seem to be key...we'll be carrying him if we don't have our own set of wheels w/ us. He's a skinny kid but heavy at 55lbs and VERY tall. The inability to reserve a stroller has been a concern of mine. We'll be driving I"m sure, so I can throw our jogger on the roofrack if need be.
I think I'm rambling now.. One other thing..by HUGE trip I meant that we will most likely be ONLY going to Disney this year, not taking another vacation. Besides, we're not sure when we'll be able to take everyone again, so we really want it to be beyond amazing --on a budget. But I know, it's Disney, so..it's already beyond.
Just looking for some tips..so thanks for what you've given me, and feel free to offer anything else!!! Have a great night!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I would agree withyour bring the stroller with you. One thing that you can do is go to Guest Relations at the first park and ask for a Guest Assistance Card and tag that will allow you to use a stroller as a wheelchair. This will allow you to take it into shows and right up to the boarding area of rides.

I would agree with two connecting rooms at one of the value resorts. Make sure that you state that you need "connecting rooms guaranteed" and that it shows up on your reservation confirmation. As there are more children than adults this is kind of a requirement.

Generally it may be better for transportation to use the Disney buses rather than your van. If you go this way, you might be better off with the Pop Century rather than one of the All Stars as there is only one bus stop for all of PC while All Stars has one stop each, and often during non-peak hours one bus will service all three.

This is a start, but I'm sure I will add to this at a more reasonable hour.

 

[Schmeck]

Thanks for the tips.

My son is so a-typical that his disabilites vary from day to day w/ sensory issues and some physical limitations.

One other thing..by HUGE trip I meant that we will most likely be ONLY going to Disney this year, not taking another vacation. Besides, we're not sure when we'll be able to take everyone again, so we really want it to be beyond amazing --on a budget. But I know, it's Disney, so..it's already beyond.
Just looking for some tips..so thanks for what you've given me, and feel free to offer anything else!!! Have a great night!

Just a warning - WDW is just another place, and while everyone wants their vacation to be 'beyond amazing', from what I've read on this board to have that high of an expectation before a vacation, especially with a child with a sensory disability, can set you up for major failure. You're on the right track for a good vacation - you're doing a lot of planning ahead of time.

I'd think twice about wanting to be in the preferred section at one of the All-Star resorts, since your son has sensory issues. We were in one at Pop Century, and it was full, loud, crowded, littered (even though it was cleaned regularly!) and worn out.

If your son cannot walk, definitely bring your own stroller. The bus stops at the parks for the value resorts are quite a hike from the main gates.

 

[OneLittleSpark]

OK, I'll add what I can.

As Cheshire said, the Guest Assistance Card (GAC) allows you a number of accommodations to help compensate for disabilities. It can be stamped with different messages, depending on your needs. Probably one of the main messages you'd need would be 'stroller as wheelchair'. This means that Cast Members will treat his stroller as a wheelchair, so he will be allowed to use in in lines, buildings such as the Land and will be granted access to the wheelchair viewing areas for parades and shows.

Most rides and attractions now have 'mainstream queuing'. This means that wheelchairs go all or most of the way through the regular queue, before boarding. Often you will have to go to a different area to board (normally the ride exit) to allow you more time to get on and to make sure the wheelchair is there when the ride finishes. As you're such a large group, you may not be allowed to all stay together to go to the wheelchair boarding area (they normally only allow 5 people plus the wheelchair user). However, as the majority of your party are children, and you're only one person over the numbers, they may make an exception.

To find out where you go with a wheelchair for each attraction, just look for the wheelchair symbol or ask the Cast Member at the entrance to the ride. You can also pick up the Guide for Guests with Disabilities at Guest Relations (the same place you go for the GAC).

For changing, if it is difficult for you to use the regular changing table in the restrooms, they have areas in the First Aid rooms suitable for changing older children and adults. There is one First Aid Centre in each park, and they are marked on the regular park map with a white cross on a blue background. You can also use these centres to rest in if you need. They have beds which guests can use for a short lie down in the air-con.

I'd suggest you do as much planning as possible before you go. However, I wouldn't recommend having a rigid timetable, as things crop up, especially when travelling with someone with a disability. If you get copies of the park maps (either from the DIS maps page or you can get them sent to you through the official WDW webpage) and get everyone in the family to list their 'must do' attractions. That way, even if you don't manage to see everything the parks have to offer, no one in the family feels that they've missed out.

Does he get overcome sometimes because of his sensory issues? If so, you might want to look up some of the recent threads on autism, as some of the 'coping strategies' may help you guys too. In particular, if he has issues with noise, you might want to look at getting him some ear defenders, to block out some of the noises.

When booking your hotel, if you have any needs such as 'close to food court' or 'ground floor' (probably not necessary, as I think all the value resorts have elevators in every building), make sure they are listed on your reservation as 'for medical reasons'.

If you've not booked yet, another option you could look into is renting a Disney Vacation Club room from the DVC boards. They have a variety of studios and villas available for different amounts of points, but all have a kitchen or kitchenette. Members who have points that they will not use, sometimes rent them to other people for a fee (normally between $10 to $12 a point, though it does vary). There is an element of risk involved, as you are renting from an individual, not from Disney. It might be worth you looking into though. Check out the DVC boards, their tips for renting and the point calculator for more information. Oh yes, and Old Key West is the cheapest point rental resort.

Hope this helps! I'll probably think of more things to say soon, which I will post up as and when. No doubt you'll come up with a whole host of questions soon as well, which we'll do our best to answer.

Have a wonderful trip!

 

[MightyMom]

Hello..I was directed to this board to find out if you are given any consideration while traveling w/ a sp needs child? I'm not one that typically seeks out favors, but this is our HUGE family trip, and I want to be sure we all have a great time. That means making sure we have a stroller, preferred rooms, etc..and probably things I dont even know I need, b/c I have never gone to Disney w/ a sp needs kid!

SO..w/o sounding like a sap, I'd LOVE any info anyone can give me to help me plan the best I can! Thanks!!!

I too have a son with CP and we took our first trip to WDW when he was 6 years old.

Our first trip was to be our "HUGE" trip and we too expected to have a great time. We did indeed have a magical time.... but I think it had less to do with any "considerations" given too us and more to do with the amount of planning and effort I put into making this trip go as smoothly as possible.

I researched for HOURS... and that was BEFORE I found the DIS boards. I wish I had found these forums sooner as it would have made my trip easier.

I hope I can help.

My son, while he can walk short distances with max assistance, uses a wheelchair for much of his mobility in public. We took his wheelchair. Biggest problems we encountered with that was the vinyl seat not "breathing" and he had a TERRIBLE rash on his back that we were not prepared for. No amount of topical benadryl (which we bought from the gift shop) relieved the itching. Since you'll be going in November I don't anticipate that being a big issue for you... but it is something to keep in mind.

Don't plan on carrying him much. You'll never make it. My 4 year old is only 30 pounds and there is no way I could carry him. Take a stroller!!!!! Borrow or rent a special needs stroller if you don't have one. A jogging stroller might be really difficult to take on a bus if you plan to use WDW transportation... which I HIGHLY suggest.
Our first trip we flew so we were "forced" to use transportation. It was so EASY.
On our second trip we decided to drive. NEVER AGAIN!!! It was a 20+ hour drive and we NEVER used our suburban once we got there. I take that back... we did use it once for Downtown Disney.... but we would have managed fine with using the bus.

My son still (even at 8 years old) has a hyper startle reflex. There are lots of sudden sounds and actions that tend to startle him. Ear plugs helped considerably. My son has a lot of sensory issues that were easily managed by planning out our day and allowing for rest.

We used a GAC for front of the theater seating as my son doesn't have great vision and has ZERO binocular vision. He was actually able to see Philharmagic in 3D which was an exciting thing for us.

We stayed at ASMo. Once we stayed in the Fantasia building... and the next time in the Dalmation building. I didn't see any benefit in staying in a preferred room. Have you considered a family suite at ASMu?? I've always thought if I had a larger family I would stay there. The little kitchen area would be worth it for us.

I'll try to think of more stuff to help you out.

 

[DisneyWheeler]

Does he have a regular wheelchair?? It might be a little bit hard taking the jogging stroller through the parks, even though it can be doable. He might feel more comfortable in his wheelchair though. Especially if it has a specially-made seating system. With the jogging stroller, it might be a little bit hard getting on the buses with it, than it would with a wheelchair or special-needs stroller. The bus drivers, I think, can easily tell what a special-needs stroller looks like, and they'd be able to still get you on the bus before everyone else gets on.

We stay at the All-Star resorts as well (Movies and Music mostly). Getting on and off the bus with a wheelchair is easy, as you're the first one on if you're a wheelchair user. I've been going to Disney for a long time-the last 4-5 years as a wheelchair user. The Cast Members make it really easy for a wheelchair user to enjoy the parks with their family.

Samantha

 

[OneLittleSpark]

The Cast Members make it really easy for a wheelchair user to enjoy the parks with their family.

<- emphatic nodding!!

 

[Mason7AK]

for the CM's! They have made all our trips more than wonderful! We have been treated better at WDW with our special needs kids than we have anywhere else in our lives! My kids are so happy and content when we are at Disney. That's why we vacation at WDW as often as we can and will continue to do so as long as we can! It's definitely our family's "happy place"!
We are a family of seven too! We stayed most recently at Port Orleans French Quarter. Having stayed at values in the past, I can tell you that I highly recommend moving up to a moderate if your dollars allow or you can get a good rate! The bus stops are closer, covered and less of a hassle at POFQ than any of the values. The resort is compact and easy to get around. We were in building three, on the back side, and it was only a five minute walk to the food court, and perhaps another 2 minutes to the bus stop in the front of the resort. The buses stop at POFQ before Riverside, and so the bus was usually empty when it arrived for our main stop.
We used a stroller as a wheelchair with our youngest DD2 in December. They did let her load IN the stroller on the ramp/lift. But then we had to transfer her out and hold her, while the stroller was folded and put away for the ride. The "stroller as a wheelchair" tag is large and very visible. As the bus is pulling up, just hold it up for the driver to see if you need to load your son in the stroller as a wheelchair. Just be prepared to take him out and fold up the stroller on the bus.
Have a great trip and hope you find WDW as accommodating to your DS as we have with our special needs children!
Angela

 

[momof5gr8kids]

WOW! I am soo thankful to all of you for taking the time to write so much information for me! THANK YOU SOO MUCH!
I'm pretty realistic..we've taken vacations all together, and PLANNING is key! It's hard to plan for everything, I know..and even harder to plan for what you have no idea to expect, so that's why I appreciate the 'insider' info, b/c WDW is a new experience (w/ kids) for me!
The reason I said my jogger is b/c he's too darn big for any other regular stroller I have..but if I can rent a sp needs stroller when down there then that will be easier. I also appreciate the info on the GAC..I wasn't really sure what that was.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU...this is all very helpful!
Kim

 

[OneLittleSpark]

You can't rent special needs strollers from the parks, only from external companies. There is contact information for one or two companies in the FAQ, though I've never dealt with those companies myself. Just a random thought: though almost all of the bus drivers at Disney are absolutely lovely, one or two can be a bit awkward. If you want to use the ramp / lift on the bus for your son, I would suggest you refer to his wheels as a 'pediatric wheelchair' rather than a 'special needs stroller' (same sort of thing, different name). This is just to ensure against the one or two awkward drivers who might tell you that strollers have to be carried onto the bus. This advice doesn't come from personal experience, just from gut instinct.

Have a great trip, and if any more questions crop up while you're planning, through them our way!

 

[SueM in MN]

I don't know if you saw it yet or not, but there is a section of information about GACs in the disABILITIES FAQs thread.
There is also a link to the text from the Guidebook for Guests with Disabilities and a section about the WDW buses on that thread.

With the jogging stroller, it might be a little bit hard getting on the buses with it, than it would with a wheelchair or special-needs stroller. The bus drivers, I think, can easily tell what a special-needs stroller looks like, and they'd be able to still get you on the bus before everyone else gets on.

A couple of things about using a jogging stroller or special needs stroller;

• As Mason7AK mentioned, you will probably be able to use the lift to get the stroller on, but will have to fold it, etc. Unless you have a special needs stroller that is made for use on the bus, it is not safe for your child to ride in the stroller while on the bus. The stroller could also be damaged by the tiedown straps on the bus if it is not a stroller that is made/approved for use on a bus. If it is not designed to be used on the bus, it will need to be folded once on the bus. IMHO, if it looks like a stroller, it won't matter to the driver whether you call it a special needs stroller or a wheelchair. More important is having either a GAC or a tag that allows the stroller to be used as a wheelchair. I would say that it is your child's mobility device. If the stroller is hard to fold and you have a car, it might be easier to just drive as Cheshire Figment mentioned.
• there are companies that rent special needs strollers listed in the disABILITIES FAQs thread, but I believe they all rent either jogging strollers or Maclaren Major Special Needs strollers. Neither of those type are made for going on buses.
• a jogging stroller with a front swivel wheel will be much easier to drive around the park (as opposed to one with a front wheel that doesn't swivel.
• Most jogging strollers would be too long to fit into the wheelchair spots in many theaters or in the wheelchair accessible ride cars. In many cases, he would also be sitting too low to see over the heads of people in front of him if he stays in the stroller.

For the other things you mentioned/I thought of:

• changing - if he can stand and be changed, you can use any restroom. The handicapped stall would give you more room. If he can't stand, at 55 pounds and very tall, he would probably be too big for the changing tables in the restrooms or the Companion Restrooms that have changing tables. Most of those are about 36 inches long and are set at about 34-35 inches (average kitchen counter height).
  If that won't work, then your only option will be First Aid. Here 's a picture of a First Aid room at MK.
  
  
• can he walk? How far? Does he need assistance to walk?
• How much assistance does he need to get up from the stroller and into a ride car? How about out?
• Is he steady sitting up or does he have problems with sitting balance? Is he going to need someone to sit right next to him on ride cars?

We've been going to WDW with DD who has CP and many other challenges since she was a year old. We sometimes run into some challenges, but all in all, our trips have been really great. She's now 22, so we have lots of trips under our belts. If you have any questions, please just ask.