Qs about AUTISM-friendliness at DLR

[ardenandjacksmom]

Thanks to all who answered the q's I posted in another thread about our upcoming Thanksgiving DLR trip...now that we have Hotel and Dining covered, I am thinking more about how we are going to navigate the parks.

Because my DS (5) is on the Autism Spectrum, I am going to request a GAC and that we be allowed to take his stroller into shows/queues where possible (he manages crowds so much better if he has a little 'personal space')

I've read that not all the DL lines are easily accessible for strollers. Can someone who's done DLR with a wheelchair/stroller tell me which ones are?
Mostly we want to take in the Fantasyland area sights and tamer attractions/shows, it will be really hard if DS can't wait in his stroller during the lines (we did that this summer at Six Flags San Fran and won't repeat it LOL!)

Also, are there desigated areas for Wheelchairs/GAC guests to watch the DL parades? If so, where can I find them?

I would also like to know if there are any attractions/spots that are quieter/less crowded (basically overlooked attractions) that we could retreat to in case DS becomes overwhelmed from stimulation for a little break? Could be a mini-play area, a fountain area, a bench off the beaten path, etc.

Any other tips that families travelling with children on the spectrum have found helpful are welcome

 

[skiingfast]

I would only do one thing. When you arrive go to guest services in either park. Tell them you need a Guest Assitance Card and they will ask about you needs. Take the card to any CM at a ride entrance and they will direct you to where to go. A few attraction have a H line, but it probably won't be obvious where so just ask. Everyone will be very helpful when you present the GAC to meet your needs.

As far as the shows, at WoC you must have FPs for everyone, then go to the color section of your FP. When in the park ask the CM's there for the H areas. You won't need to show up before the return time on the FP but don't show up at the end time, the H areas do fill up too. Plus there is a preshow.

At F! there are handicap areas, present your GAC at one and they will get your group into the area. Again these areas can fill up so don't show up last minute or your soon won't get the best view.

At the fireworks show up and ask a CM for a spot where your son can remain in his stroller. I don't recall there being specific areas but the CMs are accomodating.

It will be a little tricky, because I imagine your son won't like to wait for a long time for the shows to start, but being early rather than late will help get better spots.

 

[DisSarahK]

Snow White's Wishing Well tends to be quieter and yet it is right outside Fantasyland, so not too far away from anything. It is my very favorite place in all of Disneyland. <3

 

[KBelle5]

SW's Wishing Well is a really good place. You might also try the area just past Big Thunder by the bridge. There's usually not many people there, but it is somewhat close to a smoking section, so it also depends on how many people are smoking there.

Another semi quiet place is over by Splash Mountain and a little place that sells clam chowder (can't remember the name right now). There are some tables and chairs kind of hidden to the side.

Adventureland (Indy, Jungle Cruise) is the absolute worst place to go for quiet if it's a remotely busy day, although over by the exit to Jungle Cruise, Aladdin's Oasis can be kind of peaceful if you can't find anywhere else.

 

[fronkfam]

We did DLR a couple of times with our son in a stroller and the last 3 trips with him in a wheelchair. You should be able to get a GAC that allows you to use your stroller as if it were a wheelchair and allows access to all of the areas that someone with a wheelchair would use.

Most of the lines in Disneyland are NOT wheelchair accessible. They generally use the exit area for access but some rides are different. I would recommend emailing Disneyland now and seeing if they will send you one of the brochures that give detailed instructions on how to access each ride. We have done this the last few trips and it has been a lifesaver. You can also get a brochure at the entrance gates and City Hall, but if you are like me and want to get a feel for things before hand, get one before you leave!

Most of the rides in DCA are accessible. You will be able to take the stroller through the line and give your son the space he needs.

BTW-he sounds VERY similar to our son. We use a wheelchair for his seizures, but it is a double blessing because he needs that personal space as well.

Also, the Animation building in CA can be a great place to get some quiet time. The lobby is very open and usually not at all crowded.

And Redwood Creek Challenge Trail is wonderful! Never been crowded for us. Lots of areas to explore.

If you have other questions, feel free to PM me. I'm probably forgetting half of the stuff I know!

 

[ardenandjacksmom]

Thanks to all for the tips and locations of 'quiet spots'!

Fronkfam--It does sound like our kids have similar needs, my DS also has a seizure disorder (although thankfully his seizures are pretty well-managed right now by his meds). Actually, that did make me think of another Q that you might have insight on (others reading please chime in too!)--are there shows that you find that you need to avoid due to flashing/strobe lights?

We are already planning to skip Fantasmic (DS is not a fan of loud booms/surprise loud noises/balloons popping etc). He does like to WATCH fireworks (but we have to be far enough away that the pops are muffled).

WoC is a question mark--don't know how loud it is but have read reports that you need to be in the viewing area to see, so if it is as loud as fireworks then we'll pass on that too.

Thanks again to all!

 

[jacs1234]

Another nice quiet place for us was down near the critter country bakery, past the winnie the pooh ride. We all sat there eating cupcakes and tigger tales and chilled out for a while.

 

[rmom]

Any other tips that families travelling with children on the spectrum have found helpful are welcome

Try to keep his schedule the same (eating, sleeping, etc.). This helped my daughter have a good trip. My daughter has sensory issues so I checked out everything before we went including all the menus to see where we could eat and scheduled are day according.

We could never do WOC because of the crowd. We skipped Aladdin. We took her on WInie the Pooh since she LOVE Pooh - she hated the ride and was overly sensitive the rest of the day.

Hope your trip is wonderful.

 

[poohnpigletCA]

We take small earplugs on a string because some of the Fanasyland rides can be loud. After many trips we have learned that our dd does better if she has something in her hand a small stuffed animal or a map that she can hold while on the rides and in the stroller.

I also agree that the redwood creek challenge trail in DCA is a wonderful area.

With our dd we have found that lanyards with about 6 pins works really well. If we slightly recline her stroller and place the lanyard around her neck it covers most of her trunk and is a wonderful weighted item. Most CM also have a special lanyard that only children can trade pins on. She has had some wonderful social interactions trading pins.

We also use the pins as a reinforcer. We will show her on the map what area we will be in then we tell her how many activities we will do. We never say the specific rides just in case they are down. Once we have completed the 6 rides or activities then she can wither trade a pin or get a new one. We very the number of activities some days it is 3 other 10 you get the idea. Also we say activities not rides to give some flexibility with sister. So if we end up going in a store for 20 minutes that counts as an activity. This has helped with flexibility.

We also bring her sunglasses, water and preferred snacks. I thought character interactions would be hard for her because of crowding issues, but she does great if she has an autograph book.

Have a great trip.

 

[LavenderPeach]

We never say the specific rides just in case they are down. Once we have completed the 6 rides or activities then she can wither trade a pin or get a new one. We very the number of activities some days it is 3 other 10 you get the idea. Also we say activities not rides to give some flexibility with sister. So if we end up going in a store for 20 minutes that counts as an activity. This has helped with flexibility.

That's a great idea to say how many activities instead of what rides. I know it's hard when rides are unexpectedly closed. DS is not a happy camper when that happens but then he'll tell me over and over again later about how the ride was closed and we couldn't go on. He gets excited telling me about it but the initial meltdown isn't fun (although it's usually pretty short).

 

[Mom2aJessieGirl]

At the fireworks show up and ask a CM for a spot where your son can remain in his stroller. I don't recall there being specific areas but the CMs are accomodating.

We sat right in front of the castle just off to the right towards tomorrowland. My daughter stayed in her stroller the whole time and we sat on the curb.

Snow White's Wishing Well tends to be quieter and yet it is right outside Fantasyland, so not too far away from anything. It is my very favorite place in all of Disneyland. <3

It's one of my favorite places in the whole park! So calm. When we were there in late August, we were the only ones in the whole area!

--are there shows that you find that you need to avoid due to flashing/strobe lights?

We are already planning to skip Fantasmic (DS is not a fan of loud booms/surprise loud noises/balloons popping etc). He does like to WATCH fireworks (but we have to be far enough away that the pops are muffled).

WoC is a question mark--don't know how loud it is but have read reports that you need to be in the viewing area to see, so if it is as loud as fireworks then we'll pass on that too.

Well here's the problem with the fireworks....they are loud. We could hear them from the hall outside our room at GCH. Can you use noise-cancelling headphones for him? (I understand that children with sensory issues may not like those, but it was worth a suggestion.)

F! and WOC both use Strobes, as do some of the rides in the park. You could definitely talk to a DL CM to find more information.

I hope you have a great trip!

 

[letthembelittle]

Another somewhat quiet area is the big ball the spins on water in front of Space Mountain, my little guys love that thing which is good since dh and dd love SM!!

 

[Funball]

Another somewhat quiet area is the big ball the spins on water in front of Space Mountain, my little guys love that thing which is good since dh and dd love SM!!

there is this place that is near the first aid center at DLR on main st... i think it was called the "wishes lounge" you might want to look into that.. apparantly when skiingfast and i looked at it, it's a place that is quite and kids can go to re-focus specially if they have autism.. at least that is what skiingfast told me....

also i am 30 year old adult living with aspergers syndrome( a form of autism) and so i know the struggles of having autism and being at disneyland...i use the GAC and it makes a difference.. it really does..im much calmer since i have starting using it...i dont use it for every ride just when needed

 

[skiingfast]

there is this place that is near the first aid center at DLR on main st... i think it was called the "wishes lounge" you might want to look into that.. apparantly when skiingfast and i looked at it, it's a place that is quite and kids can go to re-focus specially if they have autism.. at least that is what skiingfast told me....

That's a really good spot. It is basically a quiet room. It has soft chairs and it's cool and quiet. I wish I remembered more details of what was in there.

To find the the Wishes"Make a Wish program" lounge, it is on the side street where the main street shops end and Plaza inn. You go past a Red foodcart, it's next to first aid.

Another place I would mention is the path opposite the one to Snow White's Grotto. This one goes from behind the castle into Carnation Gardens. Now it's called Plaza Gardens. It has tables with umbrellas. It a lightly traveled area so fairly calm and quiet.

 

[DizNee Luver]

I have twin 3 yr olds that are on the spectrum & we went this summer. Just the amount of people & visual stimuli was tough on them. They were most comfortable in their strollers & rides really weren't a high priority for them. The GAC card was nice to have. We used the stroller as a wheelchair. We found that most parades your child could be in the stroller anywhere.....the wheelchair areas are small & can fill up quite quickly. The WoC we debated about the wheelchair area or the regular sections & decided to do the regular section as the girls were allowed to stay in their strollers.

The CM's will give you a guide for both parks on where you will enter each ride/attraction with the GAC.

Areas we found to be lifesavers:
Hungry Bear Restaurant up in Critter Country. We go downstairs & sit by the waterside. The ducks are usually there as well as watching the ships go by.

Back in the corner of Critter Country (where Splash Mtn exits)......a small area that they could run around in.

ToonTown in Goofy's playground (his yard).....great place for little ones to crawl over items & run around.

Between parks in the esplanade........back by the locker areas on either side.....allowed the kids to run around & have some "Space".

In DCA:
Back by Monster's Inc. kinda a missed area in the Hollywood Backlot....not a lot of foot traffic.

Coming from the Pier area over to the Grizzly River area (where the water wheel is......to the right & past the smoking area.......is kinda quiet & shady.

Worth the walk:
The Grand California Hotel lobby......super comfy chairs/couches & dimly lit......we used this many times the year before & fed the girls there. We weren't guests.....so don't let that stop you.

We kept to their normal schedule, they napped at the motel in the afternoons & we let them somewhat lead us & our activities. They loved the fireworks & WoC (didn't get them to Fantasmic)......so things you think might be a problem.....might be ok.

The thing I really noticed is how loud everything is. Until we took the twins for the 1st time.....I hadn't realized how loud the music is on the rides.....so be prepared!!

The characters are very good with the kids.....just mention he's autistic & they will be very slow in moving in on them & let the child indicate to them how to proceed. It's so worth it when your child lights up & really takes notice of one!!! It took the twins till our last day before they warmed up to them but it was soooooooo awesome when they did!!

Good luck with your trip!!! I hope it's *+*+*Magical*+*+*!!!!

 

[fronkfam]

Thanks to all for the tips and locations of 'quiet spots'!

Fronkfam--It does sound like our kids have similar needs, my DS also has a seizure disorder (although thankfully his seizures are pretty well-managed right now by his meds). Actually, that did make me think of another Q that you might have insight on (others reading please chime in too!)--are there shows that you find that you need to avoid due to flashing/strobe lights?

My husband also mentioned that Innoventions can be a good area to hang out. Our son just enjoys riding in his chair, so if it is hot we will spend some time there and wander around in the air conditioning!

Also, we used to avoid Roger Rabbit because of strobe lights. DS's seizures have been well controlled the past 2 years, so we have taken him on it recently and didn't have a problem. Although I do try to cover his eyes if I can.

We haven't avoided any shows so far. But haven't been since WofC opened. DS doesn't mind fireworks or loud noises, but also isn't terribly interested in sitting still to watch them, so we usually split up. One parent with the kids who want to watch the show, the other wandering with DS in his chair to other rides or just window shopping!

 

[Zoemakes5]

A friend of mine has a child on the spectrum and something she does is take the train to travel around. Eliminates the bumping that you'd typically get with crowds going through the hub. Plus, it's somewhat quiet "down time" to transition from one place to another.
Another quiet area is at the entrance to the princesses. There's a little cafe there and it's typically fairly quiet.
Another "trick" we have used (as my eldest is Aspie and my two younger are ADHD) is to bring 20 questions hand held game. It focuses them in lines or if we're having to wait for anything.
Headphones is another great idea. I agree whole heartedly.
Does your child melt down with the unexpected? If so, maybe showing them some of the Utube videos out there would be helpful?
If they use deep pressure to help soothe themselves, try tying a thera band or two onto the stroller, or attach koosh balls or stress items.
Make sure you have multiples of whatever comfort item they need.
Something that always helped my son in stressfull or anxious times is to chew on big wads of gum. I don't know why, but it always really worked for him.
And finally, though I haven't used this myself at disneyland, I do know many who have, if electronics (Ipod, ds, gameboy, etc) help your child calm down, bring it. I've done that for restaurants in the past and it's helped us get through the wait. I've been very clear about the fact that as soon as the food comes out they all go away.