Team Trip

[tinkslite]

My daughter is on a Special Needs All Star Cheer Team, and they will be competing in Anaheim, in about three weeks. I am the Team Mom, so I make many of the group arrangements.
We will have the whole team in the park for just one Sunday.
We have one in a wheelchair, and I know she doesn't really need a DAS, BUT I have 11 more who each qualify in different ways with different needs. we have everything from epilepsy complicated by partial paralysis, to severe autism with nonverbal features.
is it best to go into City Hall one at a time, so the group is able to split up throughout the day as need arises, or approach as a group? as stated, many disabilities represented.

 

[OurBigTrip]

My daughter is on a Special Needs All Star Cheer Team, and they will be competing in Anaheim, in about three weeks. I am the Team Mom, so I make many of the group arrangements.
We will have the whole team in the park for just one Sunday.
We have one in a wheelchair, and I know she doesn't really need a DAS, BUT I have 11 more who each qualify in different ways with different needs. we have everything from epilepsy complicated by partial paralysis, to severe autism with nonverbal features.
is it best to go into City Hall one at a time, so the group is able to split up throughout the day as need arises, or approach as a group? as stated, many disabilities represented.

How many adults are going? I think they way they do it in Disneyland now is that the DAS is actually loaded to the ticket, and however many people the DAS is good for can have return times loaded to their tickets.

 

[aaarcher86]

That's tough. They'll split you up ok different cards so you'll have a bunch of different cards to keep track of if you get separate cards.

I'd probably just go in as one group and let them know you'll need multiple cards.

How many people do you have total?

 

[tinkslite]

Each of,my 12 athletes will travel with at least one parent, some also have a sib or two. it looks like we are a group of about 25-30, but we will likely split and meet split and meet throughout the day.

 

[OurBigTrip]

Each of,my 12 athletes will travel with at least one parent, some also have a sib or two. it looks like we are a group of about 25-30, but we will likely split and meet split and meet throughout the day.

If it were me, I would have each parent get the DAS for their own child and any siblings - much easier that way.

 

[tinkslite]

Sounds good, separate DAS per family, but approach Guest Services as a group.....yep.

 

[lanejudy]

If it were me, I would have each parent get the DAS for their own child and any siblings - much easier that way.

Since there will be a parent for each special needs child, I agree you should have each parent handle the DAS request for his/her child. You've mentioned some diagnoses, which may or may not require a DAS. Personally, I'd leave that up to the family to decide whether to request one or not. If there are siblings along, the siblings can be counted in the party for each girl's DAS.

Sounds good, separate DAS per family, but approach Guest Services as a group.....yep.

Again, since the parents are present and requesting the DAS, I don't think there's any need to present as a group. If you are all arriving at the park together, obviously you'll likely go to Guest Relations at the same time. But I highly doubt Guest Relations will allow for the "group" to be considered together. At the California parks, each DAS allows for 4 guests or up to 10 with supervisor approval. If any individual family group has more than 4, they would certainly be able to request the whole family. Other than that, each girl will have her own DAS and return time, parents/siblings will also have their tickets tied to the DAS return times. Really no reason for a group request.

I will point out...you mentioned one child in a wheelchair. Unless she has other needs she will not qualify for a DAS. Wheelchair return times are handled similarly with it attached to the tickets for the party, but one big difference is that wheelchair return times have a closed window to be used (like FP) while DAS is an open-ended "return after..." time.

Good luck at their competition and enjoy your trip!

 

[Nevada Jen]

My daughter is on a Special Needs All Star Cheer Team, and they will be competing in Anaheim, in about three weeks. I am the Team Mom, so I make many of the group arrangements.
We will have the whole team in the park for just one Sunday.
We have one in a wheelchair, and I know she doesn't really need a DAS, BUT I have 11 more who each qualify in different ways with different needs. we have everything from epilepsy complicated by partial paralysis, to severe autism with nonverbal features.
is it best to go into City Hall one at a time, so the group is able to split up throughout the day as need arises, or approach as a group? as stated, many disabilities represented.

With that many kids with special needs descending on the park I think it would be a good idea to call them. Especially because you are only one of many teams in Anaheim that weekend. I am sure they will appreciate the heads up and might have another solution for you.

 

[tinkslite]

NV JEN, I will call ahead; that is an excellent idea! I know that there will be other Special Needs teams at the competition as well.....

 

[OurBigTrip]

With that many kids with special needs descending on the park I think it would be a good idea to call them. Especially because you are only one of many teams in Anaheim that weekend. I am sure they will appreciate the heads up and might have another solution for you.

The OP can certainly call ahead, but Disney has been pretty strict (and rightly so) on not committing to any accommodations in advance, and I certainly don't believe they would (or should) do so simply because it's a large group. Each child needs to be addressed individually as to whether or not they need a DAS, and with the parents being there, that would be the best way to handle it.

 

[SMD]

The OP can certainly call ahead, but Disney has been pretty strict (and rightly so) on not committing to any accommodations in advance, and I certainly don't believe they would (or should) do so simply because it's a large group. Each child needs to be addressed individually as to whether or not they need a DAS, and with the parents being there, that would be the best way to handle it.

Maybe they might want to have an extra person available to help, who knows. I'd call in this case, the worst they can do is defer to the park when you arrive.

I wouldn't approach as a group unless Disney offers to arrange something when you call. Some parents might want to go get FPs or do something else first and then get a DAS later. Some may have been to the park recently and already have a DAS.

 

[OurBigTrip]

Maybe they might want to have an extra person available to help, who knows. I'd call in this case, the worst they can do is defer to the park when you arrive.

I wouldn't approach as a group unless Disney offers to arrange something when you call. Some parents might want to go get FPs or do something else first and then get a DAS later. Some may have been to the park recently and already have a DAS.

Good point, I can see where it might help Disney to know so that they could have extra help there, if needed. I just didn't want the OP to be under the impression that Disney would give them a "yes" for the DAS over the phone

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

also keep in mind if you call Disney you are not always talking to someone at the resort you are talking to someone at a call centre.