Should we mention Autism when booking?

[jndmommy]

We are planning on 4 day cruise for cruise for next August and then possibly a couple of days at WDW. My ds(4) has high functioning autism. Just wondering since this will be our first cruise if I should mention that when booking. He does not do well with long lines. Not sure if this will be a problem when getting on or off the boat or during the drill. When it comes to the parks, I've read about the GAC. Just not sure what to do about the cruise. Any advice on this would be soooo appreciated. Thanks

 

[mazz1]

if you feel you need too then i would say yes, after all you will know your child and his limitations best

i have two children who both have autism (ages 14&11yrs) and they are very different, we are taking them on the disney cruise ship next may and have allready been in touch to see if there's anyway they can try the kids clubs, scary for us as they have never been left with others, we may just opt for the family time in the kids clubs

we have also requested to be seated alone and not with other cruisers, i would love to sit with other families and get to know them but i know my sons limitations and i know it would be very distressing for him and for our fellow tablemates to witness

we have used the cruise line podcasts to give them an idea of what to expect on the ship and i'm hoping to find a lifeboat drill on you tube for them to watch, i have allready shown them pictures on this forum of people in their lifejackets and talked about the drill

what has always helped us is to prepare the children as much as possible with pictures, social stories and similar, my children are much older so we've had lots of practice and know what, we hope will work and what, we know for a fact from past experience doesn't

i can only stress that as a parent you will know what's best for your own son

the GAC card may help at wdw if you ask at guest services when you enter the park they will explain how it could help

with the lifeboat drill, i've got to admit that is the part of the trip which will have me the most stressed, but i will appear calm and in control even if i'm not my children will struggle to understand the "it's just a drill" thing and they cannot stand side by side in close proximity with strangers, but we'll get through it with humour, it may take a quiet, polite but firm word to ensure their needs are understood perhaps to the nearest crew member at the offset to keep them by my side so i'm sure it will be fine, we have faced worse and it's only a short time in the length of the cruise

disney cruise line have a medical clearance form where your GP or childs specialist could explain your childs additional needs

marie

 

[LisaBi]

Just a note on the kids club. My son was 13 when we cruised last October. He has Down Syndrome.

There is no way he is ready for The Stack. I couldn't sign him up on-line because he was over 12, but once we got there and talked to the counselor's they were great. He was allowed to use the club for the 8-12 year olds. He wasn't wild about the clubs, but the counselors did great with him when he did go.

He really liked the Ocean Quest. It is for 10 - 14 year olds, but is "come and go on your own." There are counselors there, but parents don't have to sign kids in and out. We talked with them, and came up with an arrangement. DS was threatened that he would never go back if he left without have a counselor call us first. They were very willing to page us using the kids clubs pager when he was ready to leave, and he did a nice job telling them and then waiting for us. They did a great job with him, and although it wasn't official, did keep a little extra eye on him.