Rental car for ASD child- your thoughts pls.

[Tinker*Shell*Bell]

I know all about magical express and the disney transportation system.
BUT...I am really thinking a car would be better for us and especially for my 13yo Aspergers child.

When he needs to leave somewhere it's time to go NOW! He can usually keep it together if we are moving but then the moving stops and his mind starts. Waiting around for a bus then subjecting him to the noise and confusion of a bus could escalate him into a full blown melt down. (Noise is a serious issue with Matt and we carry ear plugs.)

Full blown would include crying, flapping, spinning and possible yelling. He gets more agitated in tight spaces with people touching him. A full blown Matt attack can ruin the rest of his day...it takes hours for him to calm back down. Usually a nap is needed and occassionally that doesn't even help.

I am willing to spend the money to not deal with this. Does this make sense and does anyone else do this?

Just looking for thoughts and opinions.
Thanks!
Sheli

 

[Cheshire Figment]

It might work.

However at the parks other than MK unless you have a disability hang tag and park in medical parking you will probably have to take a tram between the park gate and where your car is parked. At MK you will have to take the monorail or ferry to the TTC and then a tram to where your car is parked.

At all four parks it is a much shorter time to get to the bus than to get to a car. The big thing to consider for buses is that you do not want to leave a park right after a parade or fireworks.

 

[Ctsplaysinrain]

Are you talking about my child????LOL. I have a Matt that is almost 13 as well. He wears headphones at Disney as well.. I always have a car with me. It is so much easier to get from one place to another when it is TIME! We can go do something non-disney as well if we want since sometimes he just has had "too much disney"- the crowds, the other tourists etc... Also, for some reason, I hate the feeling of not having my own transportation as well. I feel rather claustrophobic without it.... I have found it is much easier to "hop" with a car than without.

 

[Momelie]

I think you are absolutely right! We have always found that having a car is MUCH easier than trying to wait for a bus. Somehow, just keeping moving, whether its on a tram or on foot can make all the difference in the world. We've been doing cars for a few years now, and it really makes a difference. The environment of the car, with the air on, and just your own family makes for a good transition between the park and the resort, IMO.

Hope you have a great vacation!

 

[bookwormde]

I have a ds 8 with Aspergers, we drive down so it is not an issue of renting. We are going in August staying in OKW and we are going to use the bus some just for the “experience”. He manages pretty well if the tiredness and anxiety level are managed, and we have on a previous visit been able to manage the “mini” melt downs to the point that it did not escalate. We will probably use the car in the afternoon when he is more tired and we may be leaving at more crowded times (though when possible we will use the extended magic hours when practical) and the risk of thunderstorms are greater. He finds swimming very relaxing so that is what we will do during the mid day break.

Relax and have fun it is a magical place for spectrum children (and adults)

Looks like you are staying at the Grande Floridian so you should be in good shape since you can walk to MK and monorail to EPCOT.

bookwormde

 

[JESW]

I also have a ds13 with asperger's. We have always stayed on-site and used Disney transportation so I am no help with rental cars. When my ds wants to go he also wants to leave NOW....what helps with him is that we let him carry his gameboy around in the parks ONLY to be used while waiting in line or while using transportaion. Sometimes he uses it and sometimes he doesn't - but when he *needs* it it really helps.

My ds is also into pin trading so that is a good distraction for him when a meltdown may be approaching.

But of course the best thing that works for us is getting to the parks at opening, do all that we want to do in the morning, catch some lunch and then one of us takes him back to the room while the other stays with dd9 - sometimes we all go back. Ds NEEDS his rest every day - and yes at Disney I try to get him to nap and sometimes he does - and then out again at night. Ds takes meds and at home that is around 7 p.m. but we give them to him later at Disney as they make him sleepy.

Good luck! I know how it is.....

Jill

 

[BeckyScott]

We are renting a car.

I had a co-worker "chastise" me for renting one, since when she went to Disney (5 years ago with her grown daughter) she just rode the busses. "Why are you wasting money on a car when they have those free busses?" She obviously hasn't been around my son very much.

From what I've gathered on the boards, if it's busy season, it could take possibly 30-45 minutes to Express from MK to Pop. That's way too long in a crowded bus for a kid in meltdown mode. Thanks to William Shatner we got a rental for $10 a day, which I think will be totally worth it, that's about how much a cab would cost and that was a consideration too. It also gives us the option of getting off-property if we need to. Like when I forget to pack something. Which you know I will.

CF- what about AAA parking? I know at MK we'll still need to take the monorail, but AAA is right behind disabled, yes? Is it still a reasonable walk?

 

[Tinker*Shell*Bell]

We are renting a car.

I had a co-worker "chastise" me for renting one, since when she went to Disney (5 years ago with her grown daughter) she just rode the busses. "Why are you wasting money on a car when they have those free busses?" She obviously hasn't been around my son very much.

From what I've gathered on the boards, if it's busy season, it could take possibly 30-45 minutes to Express from MK to Pop. That's way too long in a crowded bus for a kid in meltdown mode. Thanks to William Shatner we got a rental for $10 a day, which I think will be totally worth it, that's about how much a cab would cost and that was a consideration too. It also gives us the option of getting off-property if we need to. Like when I forget to pack something. Which you know I will.

CF- what about AAA parking? I know at MK we'll still need to take the monorail, but AAA is right behind disabled, yes? Is it still a reasonable walk?

I know MK parking is the worst! Even Handicapped tags walk a zillion miles. So we booked a monorail resort to avoid that.

I think AAA is pretty good everywhere else, not perfect, but pretty good.

Ans I so know what you mean about people asking why you would rent a car. I think it bugs me a little too much, money is not the end all be all in my life...not that I am made of money but sometimes things have more value than the price tag. The rental is one of those things I think.

I am so glad others seem to find the same thing. i feel better about my choice now. (And I got a great deal too! $168 for a week with a minivan. Not quite $10 though.)

Sheli

 

[SueM in MN]

The AAA parking area is beyond (farther than) the handicapped parking and the farthest edges of the handicapped parking can be farther than some people can comfortably walk if they don't have their own wheelchair/ECV.
There is no tram service from either the handicapped or the AAA parking. For some people that makes a difference and AAA won't work.
In your case where walking is not an issue, you probably want to avoid the trams. The AAA parking area will allow you to do that and not have too long a walk.

For MK, if you drive, you will be riding either the boat or monorail. Both of those can be busy and mob scenes when they unload. This is a picture of the ramp going down from the monorail station to MK. We don't try to leave the station right away and wait until the other passengers have left, so we are not in the middle of the mob. Since another monorail train can't come until the one you were on left, you have time before the next group arrives.

 

[ireland_nicole]

We also use a car, except at MK where we bus or use a cab. Trying to navigate the monorail or ferry in meltdown is just not our idea of a good time... LOL
Nicole

 

[Brer Shay]

Sounds like you know what your son's issues are and that you think renting is the best call. Also sounds like a good choice. My DS is also ASD and we were able to do the busses okay. The waiting part wasn't a problem, but crowded busses were. At the end of the night at the park when busses were swamped (SRO and lots of bumping people), we took a cab. (Noise and water sprays were his triggers. HATED the 3D shows.)

My guess is that you already know what will likely work best for him. This is just another situation where you need to ignore what everyone else says is the best way, and go with your gut. Hope it's a great trip!

 

[Tinker*Shell*Bell]

This is just another situation where you need to ignore what everyone else says is the best way, and go with your gut. Hope it's a great trip!

Thank you so much! That is just what I needed to hear. Sometimes I need a swift kick in the pants.

The big danger for me here on the DisBoards is taking so many opinions into consideration that I second guess myself.

THANK YOU!!!!!