Just back from 5 days at Disney. This is our second trip with dd (nearly 3) as well as ds (12, with autism), and she really got it this time, and was very excited about princesses. We took her an Elsa dress, and a Rapunzel and she loved wearing them (they are pretty trashed now lol!)
Highs -
- Meeting Mickey in the pavilion, which both kids loved.
- Princess Pavillion. The first time we tried we got there at 10.40 and it was madly busy with people trying to get a time, and after a couple of minutes of queuing they announced all the access slots were gone, so next day we got there for 10.20, and got one. DS is 12 and he was very excited, and a bit coy to meet Ariel (he always had a thing about The Little Mermaid). Ariel was so lovely with them, and it was very special to see how excited they were (even though DS wasn't feeling very well)
-weather was gorgeous, blue skies and hot
- Ratatouille ride is fantastic!
- cast members (most of them) - lots of them paid DD lots of attention in her princess dresses. We encouraged DS to give them his pass himself and ask for 4 of us, and most of them were really encouraging. One of the really helped me too - we queued for an hour to get in the first day, and needed to renew sons AP, so went to the office to find queue out the door (and it was gone 6pm by then). I asked CM at the door who directed us to the disabled desk. When they processed it the CM asked for his passport which I hadn't thought to bring (although I had all his diagnosis and DLA stuff). He said he couldn't proceed without it, and I started to lose it! A senior CM came over realising what was happening, and after checking a few things said that as it was a renewal it was ok as they had all details on system. I wont forget again though!
- Access pass system worked well for us. DS got to ride everything he wanted (although BTM was closed twice) and systems seemed to work well. We never mind having to come back for a later time if we know when, but only time we had to do that was to meet Minnie on Main Street.
Lows
-Ticket queues! Bureau Donald is closed so there is a desk over the other side but not clear, and all people for carer tickets, annual passes bought online and various other things were in the same line so very busy. First day we got there at 4pm, and took an hour even though only few people in queue, and then we had to get an annual pass too, so more queues for the kids! First full day we didn't go into the park til 11am, and it was a really busy day - were in the queue 2 hours! What upset me most was that only 2 desks were open, one had disabled sign above it. After we'd been in queue 70 mins 3 wheelchairs pushed passed us all (nearly knocking over my dd), one of them said to lady next to us who challenged them 'we are disabled we don't have to queue here', my ds has a hidden disability, but it is still there! There were no staff around to advise on which desk people should go to, or complain to. Staff at the desks did nothing there! I complained at City Hall later, and got an apology, but it was a bad start to the visit as it was 1pm by the time we got in! We made sure we were there by 9.50 the other days and it was much better. I am not angry at the people, but the system which is very confusing as lots of people in wrong queues, and not helping!
- we left it too late to book Café Mickey - our fault but ds was disappointed.
- ds was ill on Thursday afternoon, complaining of being tired and wanting to go back to the van, he was really sick later (no fun in a campervan!), but picked up the next day, and fortunately no-one else was ill. We think it might have been heatstroke.
- lot of closures - Space Mountain, videopolis, Dumbo. Don't know if we were just unlucky but saw lot of breakdowns - BTM closed twice, Buzz once, and Ratatouille we were had actually sat in the car, and then had to get out, waited 5 mins, then were all told there was a fault so had to leave (it was 5pm)
We walked miles, everyone left tired but happy (although DS very tired now and stroppy today!)
Highs -
- Meeting Mickey in the pavilion, which both kids loved.
- Princess Pavillion. The first time we tried we got there at 10.40 and it was madly busy with people trying to get a time, and after a couple of minutes of queuing they announced all the access slots were gone, so next day we got there for 10.20, and got one. DS is 12 and he was very excited, and a bit coy to meet Ariel (he always had a thing about The Little Mermaid). Ariel was so lovely with them, and it was very special to see how excited they were (even though DS wasn't feeling very well)
-weather was gorgeous, blue skies and hot
- Ratatouille ride is fantastic!
- cast members (most of them) - lots of them paid DD lots of attention in her princess dresses. We encouraged DS to give them his pass himself and ask for 4 of us, and most of them were really encouraging. One of the really helped me too - we queued for an hour to get in the first day, and needed to renew sons AP, so went to the office to find queue out the door (and it was gone 6pm by then). I asked CM at the door who directed us to the disabled desk. When they processed it the CM asked for his passport which I hadn't thought to bring (although I had all his diagnosis and DLA stuff). He said he couldn't proceed without it, and I started to lose it! A senior CM came over realising what was happening, and after checking a few things said that as it was a renewal it was ok as they had all details on system. I wont forget again though!
- Access pass system worked well for us. DS got to ride everything he wanted (although BTM was closed twice) and systems seemed to work well. We never mind having to come back for a later time if we know when, but only time we had to do that was to meet Minnie on Main Street.
Lows
-Ticket queues! Bureau Donald is closed so there is a desk over the other side but not clear, and all people for carer tickets, annual passes bought online and various other things were in the same line so very busy. First day we got there at 4pm, and took an hour even though only few people in queue, and then we had to get an annual pass too, so more queues for the kids! First full day we didn't go into the park til 11am, and it was a really busy day - were in the queue 2 hours! What upset me most was that only 2 desks were open, one had disabled sign above it. After we'd been in queue 70 mins 3 wheelchairs pushed passed us all (nearly knocking over my dd), one of them said to lady next to us who challenged them 'we are disabled we don't have to queue here', my ds has a hidden disability, but it is still there! There were no staff around to advise on which desk people should go to, or complain to. Staff at the desks did nothing there! I complained at City Hall later, and got an apology, but it was a bad start to the visit as it was 1pm by the time we got in! We made sure we were there by 9.50 the other days and it was much better. I am not angry at the people, but the system which is very confusing as lots of people in wrong queues, and not helping!
- we left it too late to book Café Mickey - our fault but ds was disappointed.
- ds was ill on Thursday afternoon, complaining of being tired and wanting to go back to the van, he was really sick later (no fun in a campervan!), but picked up the next day, and fortunately no-one else was ill. We think it might have been heatstroke.
- lot of closures - Space Mountain, videopolis, Dumbo. Don't know if we were just unlucky but saw lot of breakdowns - BTM closed twice, Buzz once, and Ratatouille we were had actually sat in the car, and then had to get out, waited 5 mins, then were all told there was a fault so had to leave (it was 5pm)
We walked miles, everyone left tired but happy (although DS very tired now and stroppy today!)
