This may be an unpopular question

[JodyTG]

If I'm understanding correctly, you're reason for wanting the dining plan is to have the money set aside. If so, have you thought about buying Disney Dollars at the Disney Store. My family rarely spend $35.00 a day each for 2 meals. We do counter service since we like to eat when we're hungry and not just because we have a PS. My DH is the big eater and he'll average about $8 for a HUGE double cheeseburger meal. $8 + $8 is just $16.00 and the snack is just a few dollars above that. So you could spend under $20.00 for what they're charging you $35.00.

Someone already posted the link to the menus. Check them out and get an idea of how much money you'll need for food in the parks. To save even more, bring breakfast food from home like Pop Tarts or cereal. (BTW milk is cheaper in the store than the food court.) You can't spend Disney Dollars anywhere but Disney so it's a great "forced" savings plan.

Do you have AAA? They offer good discount for the Disney hotels. I'm booked in the Pop Century during value season & only paying $61.00 per night. So, the best way to save money is to buy everything separate. Discounts on the room (check out mousesavers.com), discounts on the tickets, EVERYTHING. You may not want to go to the water parks with your son, though. They get a bit crazy and it's mostly about the slides and things anyway. Look at the Disney World website and pick out the value resort that you think he'll like the best. I do know that Pop Century has a water fountain area that he may like.

When I was at WDW last year, I saw a little girl with Down's Syndrome just sitting down in the middle of the water fountain area. You would have thought that she had just found heaven at that moment. It's the little things that mean the most and we all should just remember that.

 

[Nik's Mom]

Carrieberry, In response to your question. According to WDW info, the character meal will count as one sit down meal. I hope they keep it that way.

 

[bigbabyblues]

I don't know what I'd do about the ticket in your shoes. I'd say I'd probably just buy the adult ticket, but I don't have an autistic child, so I just truly don't know.

I did have a thought, and I don't know if it's been mentioned or not. I don't mean any offense, so please don't take it that way. If you do the dining package, wouldn't you have to pay for the adult dining price for him as well? That's a ton of food, regardless of the cost. We went last fall, and most of the kids meals at the counter service resaturants alone were big enough for both my boys to share, and the meals at the sit-down restaurants (not the buffets) were enough for DH and I to split, or at the very least, me and one of the boys, and DH and the other. I don't remember seeing what ages your other family members are, but meal sharing would be a way to save money on food, and you wouldn't have to do the dining package. It just might work out less expensive that way for you. Most of the kids' meals were around $5 if I remember right. I don't know if anyone has directed you to allearsnet.com either, she has the menus for most if not all of the Disney restaurants with their prices there. A lot of the counter service places offer foods other than just burgers and hot dogs, and that's a help too. Just something to consider, and think about what would work for your family. This trip is going to be very expensive, regardless of how you purchase it, if your family is like ours. We put a lot of time into trying to save money so we can afford the trip, and don't want to see it wasted if we can afford it, and most others here are probably in the same situation.

I hope you have a magical trip!

Steph

 

[terri01p]

I first want to say that I did not read every response you have received in this thread , I was just surfing and seen your question, that being said, last year I bought tickets and booked a dinner show because we were going to go to wdw but ended up not going because of some issues, ok anyhow, when I called up reservation, I was flat out up front and told them I had a daugther that was 21 ( at the time) has spinal bifida and weights 52 pound, I didn't want to lie about her age but I couldn't see paying for an adult meal when she never eats more than a kids portion, and she can't take a theme park all day ,half a morning and that's it, she's pooped, done for the day. I spoke with special reservations Heidi was her name and she told me there are times some rules are bent. Long story short I bought her a child ticket plus payed for a child meal for the Aloha. I would have never lied about my daugthers age, not worth it to me, but not all families are the same, GOD knows I would pay that adult price anyday if she could make it past noon. Just my story.

 

[Immelman]

I'm not going to shame you or break the board rules. but do what you have to do or need to do. WDW isn't going to challenge you as far as age. they don't challenge people who break other rules, like walking through the park smoking. I've seen so many cases of borderline child abuse happen in the parks over 'picture opportunities' alone that disgust me. don't let other people's opinions bother you. you don't need to bring a birth certificate. they'll scan your ticket at the gate and welcome you. come on down and have a great vacation.

 

[eeyore0062]

and the character meals which he loves, might have been changed to 2 meals (does anyone know for sure?)

According to the dreamsunlimitedtravel the only meals with characters that take 2 table service points would be the Hoop de Doo Review and the Mickey's Backyard BBQ. All others are listed under the regular table service locations which only take one.

Hope that helps!

 

[mjmcca]

As far as making it affordable/justifiable - my point was that I may enter the park with my son at 9:00 and he may want to leave at 9:02. Now I understand you pay for the experience etc. - but how would you all be able to justify spending several hunderd dollars extra when you do not even know if your child will ENTER the park. The price of the child's ticket is so much less expensive - if I have to leave and eat the ticket - so be it - but an adult ticket is just too much money to have just go to waste. Please be clear I am not saying I hould not have to pay for an adult ticket - or anything like that - just that there is a very real possibility that if we go - myself or my dh may have to leave the park with our son. Again- I don't mind eating my ticket and a child's price ticket - but no I could not afford to just completely waste 2 adult tickets.
I guess I should have posted in Disabilities and I will do so - I can not really expect anyone w/o a child with a disability to understand our situation.
thank you for the replies though I do appreciate it!

If you ahve to leave that soon after enteringthe park i think guest relations can credit back that day to the ticket.

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

I'm not going to tell you purchase an adult pass or a child's pass for your DS. Instead, I'm going to try to help you cut the costs so that it may not seem like such big expense to bring your family to WDW. And perhaps the cost of your DS's ticket will be less of a factor.

Since you're a family of 6, I assume that you're booking 2 rooms? Why not book 4 people in one room with the 4-day MYW passes and dining option? Then book the other room with yourself and your DS only...no park passes or dining options. Make the request for connecting (not adjoining rooms), explaining the special circumsatances. You can put anyone from your party in those two rooms (2 + 4, 3+3), Disney won't really care.

Buy your passes separately for yourself and your DS, either from Disney or another source. You can get only a single day if you wish or buy multiple days if you feel that you'll visit the parks more than once. You might be able to upgrade a single-day ticket to a multi-day ticket before you leave the park - at least you used to be able to do that with the old PHs.

When you have a meal, the snacks and counterservice locations won't need you to produce each and every family member for you to use their meal options. Just order 4 snacks or quick lunches and share them between the 6 of you. At the sitdown meals, use the dining options for the family members who have them, order your dinner and whatever your DS wants and pay for that part out of your pocket. The amount may not be too bad, especially if you're only ordering an entrée and beverage. Share the appetizers and desserts.

I understand that there are a lot of variables when you're traveling with a special needs child like your son. Paying for something that you don't use should not be one of them. I hope that you can find answers on the DISAbilities Board from other parents who have dealt with the same situation. Good luck with your planning.

 

[DBC]

You have not walked in the OP's shoes and this type of response just makes my blood boil.



I totally agree!


Also I wanted to say that I also have an Autistic son. This is the reason we buy our tickets and stuff seperately. I know exactly how the OP feels. It is not merely a question of the park tickets, but the entire package price. We would never do the dining add on specifically for this reason. Our son will only eat chicken fingers and french fries and not every place has that. He also won't utilize the snack portion, and the character meals which he loves, might have been changed to 2 meals (does anyone know for sure?) We book everything seperately so we get the most for our money in our opinion, but you do what feels right for you and your family. Also I wanted to add to what MEM said. Our son does so well at Disney- it really is magical to see and hear from others how it affects our special children!! Truly magical!!

Carrie you must be joking. LOL Our 10 year old autistic son also eats only chicken fingers and fries. Maybe that's why he thinks Disney is the best place in the world, they serve them almost everywhere!

Seriously, there are places that don't have them and we never get the meal plan, it just doesn't make any sense given his limited menu, plus I've just never found them to be that great a deal.

So to the OP I'd say play it by ear on the food end of things. Pack some snacks or lunch that you know your son will eat, that will save a ton of money that you can put towards the tiks.

I really can't advise going the child ticket route. That doesn't seem right to me. Everyone has issues in their life and it doesn't seem right to deal with them by "cheating". I know people don't think that it is, but if you look at plainly the truth is you would be lying to save money. It just seems like a rationalization to say otherwise.

But I feel your pain. We had a rough first day but a tremendous week and will be going back next month. We did find that 5 days was more than enough. It was such a change from his routine that the last 2 days he became very difficult to handle.

I hope you have a great trip. If you are interested in reading my (long) trip report and maybe get some tips shoot me an email and I'll send it to you.

 

[Carrieberry]

DBC- LOL! Too cute! Ahhh-it is so nice to know we are not alone isnt it? Wish us luck-our plane leaves in just under 5 hours!


Thanks to everyone who cleared up the issue about the character meals being one choice. Glad to see they did not chage that!!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

kdtwiss, I don't have any suggestions/advice/judgements about what you should or shouldn't do regarding your tickets, but I just wanted to say how hard it must be for you to deal with the uncertainty of how your son will react to his environment on a day to day basis. I can't even imagine how difficult that must be. I have a son with fairly severe Tourette's syndrome and I ache for the difficulties that he goes through, and I know that there are other kids and families who are going though much tougher times. Just wanted you to know that I wish the best for you and your family.

T&B

 

[J.C.&ALI'SMOM]

As far as the meal plan goes - maybe the cs rep I spoke with gave me incorrect info. I was told the magic plus dining option would be $35 a day per adult and $10 a day per child and that it would include - 1 sit down rest or counter serv rest. one breakfast and one snack. If that is the case it seems to be well worth it for the children - I would imagine I would be paying $10 per meal per child at least. i am really hoping the info they gave me was correct! Anyone know?

I'm not sure if the rep knew what they were talking about or not. The plan includes one sit down meal per day (brkfst, lunch, or dinner), one counter service a day (brkfast, lunch, or dinner), and one snack per day. It doesn't specifically state one breakfast. You can mix up your dining choices however you like.

I would check mousesavers.com for any kind of discounts and ways to lower costs while at WDW.

I love the idea of booking one room with the package and the other without!

I also want to say that I am an SLP and work with a variety of kids with all types of disabilities. All the time I think of how wonderful it would be if they had the opportunity to visit some place like WDW, to be exposed to that kind of experience would be great for so many of them. Kudos to you and your family.

I have a 5 year old who, at 5 mo. old had meningioencephalitis. She developed a seizure disorder and had any number of difficulities from this illness. We were in all kinds of therapies from age 7-8 mo. on. My DH and I took her to WDW at 22 mo. and we both feel that it was a great help to her. I was very apprehensive about how she would deal with it, the characters, etc. She loved it. I feel that it promoted her language development. So we made WDW a priority and at 5 she has made 8 trips.

 

[dolphindan1]

I would like to hear how the trip goes when you get back please let us know how the child enjoyed it....I wish you lots of Disney magic and Pixie Dust....Hope you have a wonderful time....with lots of precious memories....

 

[Mymatisse]

I personally think that you really need to use your own discretion on this. The reality is that anyone of us who pay to get into the park can have something happen where we cannot stay/ride etc.. You don't see pregnant women getting in at a reduced cost because they can't ride the rides or may suddenly have some reason where they cannot enjoy a day at the parks. The same for the elderly, or anyone for that matter.

I work in the disabilities field so I am completely sympathetic towards the situation. However, I think that Disney World is not a right, it's a choice that you make and that choice usually includes handing over tons of money in order to be there. If you choose to go I think you should be financially prepared to bare the burden of that choice.

 

[dbal]

Hi - first to the op. We have a dd 6 w/ autism and we just returned in Dec. We also went down when she was your son's age and though it was more difficult; it was one of the most incredible weeks in our lives. (not counting our other DW trips 0

We got the guest assistance pass when we entered the parks. This is good for your entire stay. Although we didn't need to use this; I wouldn't hesitate if we needed to. It doesn't mean you won't have to wait for anything, but it may take the edge off in those really trying moments. Good luck.

Also AKA Mad for the Mouse- You really give great advice on these boards. Always helpful and never a bit judgemental. Thank you!
Thanks
Deb

 

[clutter]

To the OP, DEFINATELY go to the Disablilities Board. They have a wealth of information. Some of the posters here should also visit there to get a better understanding of dealing with special needs kids.

There are tons of ways to spend even less on your trip than by buying a child's ticket for your son. Go lurk on the budget board, too. Honestly, I wouldn't buy a meal package; there are just tooo many ways to save on food. (For instance, we stop and buy pb&j and bagels and eat b'fast in the room. Saves time, too!) You might want to snack aroung Epcot one day. With six of you and Disney's portion size, you can easily split meals. Depending on the time of year you're going, it may be difficult to get a sit-down meal in each day, since you may have to make priority seatings or wait in long lines. And you may not be able to guess wha restaurants you son would like. My dd and I usually only do a sit-down every couple days. There's too much to do to waste that much time eating. And there's lots of good eating other than meals. You might want to snack aroung Epcot one day. With six of you and Disney's portion size, you can easily split meals.

Personally, I think you would be more disappointed over the money you wasted on the meal plan than you will on the child/adult ticket issue. But that's something for you to figure out.

Have fun, and enjoy the trip.

 

[kdtwiss]

Hi, first of all let me say thank you soooo much to everyone with advice and support. I truly appreciate everyone taking the time to help with my dilemna - I got so much more than I expected!
I think what I have decided is to stick with an ASR, though I have heard mention in a few places that the lines for the bus were very long etc. Anyone recommend one of those over the others in our situation?
And - buying the tickets separately from the room. One of the reasons I was under the impression that it was so much more expensive for my son to be an "adult" was when I was checking out package prices I grouped my dc - 6 & 11 together with one adult and my 2 & 5 yr old with an adult in the other room - not realizing the big difference was that I did not have to pay for my 2 yr old. That was why the difference was so astronomical. When I priced it out the way you all gave me and it was $150 it still seemed like alot - but when I went back to all my original calculations I saw why I had the big YIKES about the difference. When I take away not going for the meal plan at least for one of the rooms it makes sense to just get the adult ticket. thanks for that tip - I never thought of splitting the package types by room - der.
So I guess we will just need to decide if we will be staying at the AS or offsite in a rented house. In deciding that I need to take into account the EMH and ease of getting to and from parks.
Now - if you had to choose what do you think is more important - park hopper or base plus? I don;t think we can swing both - but I really think my asd ds would love the waterpark. We go to a hotel near us every summer that has a small water slide and he is in Heaven! y other children won't really enjoy that though so I may let dh and ds go there and stick with MK.
Again I appreciate all your help more than anything! I am now soooo looking forward to trying to go! We are still working on it to see if we can swing it - but boy do I want to ore than ever.

 

[Chicago526]

I didn't read the answers so far, so I'm sure I'm repeating what's been said. But for what it's worth.

No flame here, I understand where you're coming from. When you look at the money being spent, vs how many rides you think your child can handle, it's hard to justify spending the extra money for an adult ticket.

But WDW is more than just rides. There are parades, shows, and other attractions that people of all ages and abilities can enjoy. When you look at it from the point of view of what he CAN do and enjoy, rather that what he can't/may not be able to do, you'll see more value in the money you are spending.

Having reduced priced tickets for those who cannot, for whatever reason, ride most rides at WDW would be a wonderful thing. But Disney doesn't, so you'll need to either pay the adult admission for him, decide not to go, or live with cheating.

Edited to add: I just saw your most recent post, good for you for buying the adult! I'm glad you were able to re-work the package so that you are spending less! I hope you have a great trip!

 

[DutchsMommy]

Re: the ASM vs. offsite debate - you mentioned the plus of EMH - I would be a bit careful about that. From what I have read/heard so far the EMH nights at the Parks are quite busy. On the other hand the EMH mornings are showing very low attendance - I think alot of people are choosing to sleep in now that they know they can go in the evening. So, with that being said, if your family can make it to the Parks in time to take advantage of morning EMH then it would be great - lines would probably be a non-issue, even without the GAC - however if it is difficult to get DS, or any other member of your family for that matter, up and about early in the morning you might be better off going to non-EMH parks to avoid all the crowds at the EMH parks that will arrive in the afternoon planning on staying into the night. So, staying onsite just for EMH might not be beneficial. Also, if DS might have issues with crowds, the ASM busses I think get quite crowded (I have no presonal experience here, just what I have read) because they are shared btwn all the ASM resorts. So, again, it may be easier to book offsite and consider a rental car. Good luck in whatever you choose.

Oh, one other thing - not sure if anyone has mentioned this yet, but I think the deal with the character meals is that some of them (if not all) count as 2 'points' - you have one 'point' for B, L and D a day plus snack or whatever, so if you do a character b'fast it counts as 2 'regular' b'fasts or two 'points'- same applies for some of the more upscale restaurants like V&As etc. As mentioned - wdwig has alot of info on this.

 

[nursemelis374]

I am not offering advice one ay or another, but I do want to tell this story: When we were at AK in October a mother was trying to get her son admitted in front of us and he did not look like a child. The CM simply asked the child himself how old he was and he said 10. They looked so embarassed and had to go upgrade the ticket. I have also seen this done at Disneyland before. I just wanted to give you a heads up.