Thinking about Orlando with asd son - any tips

[Brummig]

Hi guys.
I as a DLP addict, but we are currently thinking about trying a trip to Orlando next year - around Easter (not long to go I know but we've just an extra bank holiday for the royal wedding so it makes the holidays go a lot further). I am totally new to this area so please forgive any really obivious questions!

DH and I have a son aged 7 with asd. He loves Disney, expecially fast rides, after several trips he now likes characters who look human (but still a bit nervous about animals). We have stayed in hotels before, which is ok but not great when we are all in the same room as he doesn't sleep well, we've had some very fraught evenings when he is bouncing off the walls but refusing to get into be and we are absolutely shattered! We have found its best if we have a room with a double and bunk beds, we make a den of the bottom bunk by putting the spare blankets around it. The last 2 visits we have taken our campervan which is great as ds feels very safe in it and sleeps reasonably well (or at least stays in his bunk if he wakes so we can doze for a bit longer!) The campervan also allows to cook for ourselves which saves a lot! Are there any hotels that have a curtain to seperate the beds, or seperate room that aren't horribly expensive? our budget for the trip is not huge!

We use the Guest Assistance Card in Paris, which has always gone well. We have annual passes now, but we did once pay on the gate and we got a free ticket for ds carer - do they do the same in US?

We have learnt to pace ourselves around DLP. We are often in early, but back by 8pm (as ds starts to lose it then!). We have never flown long haul before, although he has flown.

Any tips would be very greatfully received!

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Hi,

We have been lucky to go many times to Florida with our disabled son.
He is autistic and non verbal.

The GAC we find invaluable, though cannot answer your carer question.

The biggest differences between DLP and WDW is the sheer scale of attractions, theme parks and all there is to offer. WDW itself is vast, has more theme parks, warmer weather, more resort hotels and naturally Orlando has many other plus points too, though not the history and style of Paris.
We find a private off site villa with a few nights at a Disney resort gives a good accomodation
balance, Joshua is such an early riser hotels for a long period of time are not really for us.
A villa gives you the freedom to relax, all that extra room plus a private pool.

Easter is a very busy time to go, the parks can be crammed by late morning, especially over the Easter weekend. Getting to the parks early is essential.
The plus side is the weather is ideal, not too hot unlike the scorching summer months.

Any questions or further help, please ask.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Hi and to disABILITIES!

You might look at the All Stars Resort Family Suites if you want to stay on-property. Also, a very good resource may be renting Disney Vacation Club Points and staying in a one-bedroom villa; these have the advantage of being on-property but also having full kitchen facilities and a washer and dryer in the unit. There is a entire section with multiple forums converning DVC on DisBoards.

And, unfortunately, at Disney World they do not have reduced price (or free) ticket for caregivers.

 

[peemagg]

You might also want to look into the Fort Wilderness Cabins. They are like your own home away from home with separate bedrooms and their own kitchen.

 

[AJKMOM]

The further away from Easter, the better as far as crowds go.

 

[bookwormde]

A 1 br DVC villa is good, although Even if you rent points they are $300/night (or $400+ is you are going one of the 2 easter weeks). If you do not have to be on site but want to be close Bonnet creek is a good alternative for typically less than 1K per week for a 2 bedroom villa (on ebay). We like to stay on site because the mid day break is so much easier.

My ds Aspergers is a very picky eater so a kitchen is a big help (and saves a lot of $) as is a washer dryer, 2 tvs and a whirlpool tub and a living room to spread out in that come along with a villa.



bookwormde

 

[mellers]

Hi,

My daughter and husband both have mild ASD issues, and we have gone to Disney World many times--your references to the Royal Wedding lead me to believe you're from Britain--you may want to prepare your son for the differences in food/typical dining times in the US.

As to hotels, if you can, I would recommend going to the DISBoards and trying to rent a 1-bedroom villa. That will give you a room with a pull-out couch for your son, and a kitchen in which you can cook. If you can, I would recommend getting a Boardwalk or Beach Club Villa, because it means you can just walk out of two of the parks (EPCOT and the Disney Studios).

 

[Rekenna]

Hi! We recently returned from a successful trip with DS3 who has autism. First of all I will say he is only 3 so much smaller than a 7 year old-so he is a little more controllable-also he is very easy going.

Things that worked for him and helped him to have fun:
-temp handicap parking pass, this was very nice and helped to decrease the number of transitions-leaving the park, the monorail or boat and then a tram or more walking in the parking lot, being able to park up close enabled him to remain calm and he did not have any "leaving the parks" meltdowns
-Melatonin, this is an otc dietary supplement that we give DS3 when he his having issues winding down, it is a natural supplement-you can actually get the same results from a cup of cherries, it doesn't put you to sleep it just helps you to relax so you can calm down enough to go to sleep w/out any groggy side-effects, try it yourself first so you know how it feels and see if this may be an option for him
-the GAC cards are great, we didn't have to use one this time b/c the lines were short and DS3 did okay waiting
-QS meals or buffet meals work better for him, he is okay waiting for a while, but sometimes at WDW it can take a while to get your food-he knows we are somewhere to eat and he is ready to eat when we sit down, he doesn't understand why the food isn't there, we always take snacks just in case
-characters, he did okay with these, face and fur, he warmed up to them towards the end of the week, he never acted scared, just unsure
-rides, his fave was Goofy's Barnstormer, on the rides we was nervous about he would bring up our hands to cover his eyes and peek through every once in a while (he's so sweet!)
-safety (once again our DS is only 3 and I know you have a big boy), we used the back-pack leash, stroller and safety tats with my cell #, DS3 is non-verbal and doesn't respond to this name, also I buy the brightest colored shoes possible like red or bright orange crocs-this way I can always see his feet in a crowd when I look down, especially in a crowd of tall adults

I hope your trip turns out great and that your son enjoys his vacation.

Good luck!