touring plans for child with autism

[lilpeople]

we are going june 2nd til 8th. plan on doing epcot twice, mk twice, hs once, and animal kingdom on our last day. anyone have touring plans that work for family with 7 year old with autism

 

[ccudmore]

My want to try posting on the DISabilities forum.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

You may want to post this over in the disAbilities board. There are a lot of parents of children on the spectrum there.

My DD has sensory difficulties and bipolar disorder. I've found the best plan that works for her is hitting the parks at rope drop, go until lunch, then take a break at the resort to relax and maybe go swimming. As for a specific touring plan, that will depend on what your child's interests are and what his/her appetite is for thrill rides.

If your child is at all sensitive to noise, I will highly recommend ear plugs or noise reducing earmuffs.

 

[cbg1027]

I don't have a specific touring plan but a general suggestion -

Go for RD and stay in the park until about 12ish. Go back to the resort during the middle point of the day. This is when it is most crowded (and hottest if you're going during April-Oct). Take a nap, rest, unwind and let your kid take a break from the crowds. Then you can return to the park in the late afternoon when people start to clear out.

 

[evanthep]

Make sure you go to guest services with a doctors note documenting your sons illness and they will provide you with a special pass that allows you to go to fastpass entrances etc, to shorten your wait.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

Make sure you go to guest services with a doctors note documenting your sons illness and they will provide you with a special pass that allows you to go to fastpass entrances etc, to shorten your wait.

Please reference post #6 in the sticky thread by SueM in MN in this link: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=595713

What the PP is referring to is a Guest Assistance Pass. It helps with special accommodations that might be needed for a disabled guest to experience the park, but it does not act like a fastpass or front of the line pass. Also, you are not required to provide a doctor's note documenting your child's disability. You need instead to describe what accommodations your child might need in order to be able to experience the park.

 

[dqpowell]

Make sure you go to guest services with a doctors note documenting your sons illness and they will provide you with a special pass that allows you to go to fastpass entrances etc, to shorten your wait.

A doctor's note is not required. In fact, it is a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act for Disney to require one.

What the PP is referring to is a Guest Assistance Pass.

It's called a Guest Assistance Card (not "Pass").

It helps with special accommodations that might be needed for a disabled guest to experience the park, but it does not act like a fastpass or front of the line pass.

Correction: it is not intended to be used like a fastpass or front of the line pass, but that is how many CMs treat it.

David

 

[Maggie'sMom]

It's called a Guest Assistance Card (not "Pass").



Correction: it is not intended to be used like a fastpass or front of the line pass, but that is how many CMs treat it.

David

Thank you. I meant to type "card." I wasn't careful with my wording.

 

[dqpowell]

To directly address the OP's question:

You would do well to follow a touringplans.com touring plan in each park religiously. Meaning: You should arrive well before the park opens and then follow a plan keyed to your child's age in the exact order as specified in the touring plan. (Skip attractions you aren't interested in but do not change the order of attractions.) This will do far more to reduce or eliminate your time waiting in lines than a GAC (Guest Assistance Card) would, assuming you arrived after the park is already open and did the attractions in some random order with a GAC.

One of the children in our traveling party has a mild developmental disability, and we have found that following a touring plan is the right way to do it. You don't need a special touring plan tailored to somebody with autism. You need whatever plan best matches your desired attractions, and then you need to follow it religiously to reduce or eliminate the waits in line.

Good luck.

David

 

[momimouse27]

Some very good suggestions! I especially agree with the suggestion that you leave the park during the mid-day to afternoon, allow him some downtime to swim or just play at your hotel.

I think this is especially true for the time when you are going. The summer months get very hot and crowded and the crowds can be sensory overload.

My son is 8 now, and his first trip to Disney was at 9 months, but his autism symptoms were more pronounced as he got older. When we visited at 5 yrs, the dark rides and loudness of the rides were really alot for him, because he is very sensory defensive. We realized that if we had packed him a pair of ear plugs it would have made our trip much easier. So, my tip is the possible use of earplugs. Now my son knows that when we go into a ride, he's got his little plugs as sort of his security net. Hope you enjoy your trip!!

 

[Scully12]

Depending on what things may be issues for your son, whether loud noises, or waiting in line etc...I would suggest speaking with the cast members at the entrance to each attraction. They can give you more details on the wait, and the ride (such as how long, if it's dark, scary, loud, etc...)

As a former cast member I will also tell you there are times that we do not abide by the guest assistance card, depending on what the parent tells/asks us.

For example, I've had parents come to me and say "my child has so and so and has issue waiting in line...is the wait really long right now?" Instead of directing them to the "alternate" entrance, which would still have them waiting in line for a bit, I would take them directly to the the front of the line so they would have no wait at all.

Of course it can't always happen and should not be expected, but you never know what may happen if you ask

 

[sharadoc]

HI. I tried to send you a PM but you are set to NOT receive them. Many times, this question has deteriorated into arguments over "why should your son get special treatment vs. my child" so I wanted to pass along my experience privately, so as to not stir up the protesters!

Our son has PDD/Autism and we learned to go first thing to the Guest Services in whatever park we go to first. In Magic Kingdom, it's Town Hall on the left side past the train station.

You must bring your son with you to get the GAC and explain the situation. The reason we get one is that our son totally freaks out by standing in a line surrounded by people. We asked for and received alternate admission procedures. In MK, most of the time it is going through a handicapped entrance or fastpass line. In other parks, there may be alternate waiting areas. At Spaceship Earth for instance, you go in the "exit" doors on either side of the ball and there is a large bench that you will be directed to sit on. Your wait may be as long as waiting in line, but you are in a comfortable environment which could avoid the type of freak outs that my son experiences.

The main thing we learned because we weren't told is that every ride has a "greeting" cast member. Show the card to that CM and they will tell you what to do next. We thought it was only good for rides with a separate handicapped entrance, but in reality, they find a way to make it work at every ride.

The Disabilities forum has lots of great suggestion. There is a page at Allears. net about specifically touring with a child with autism too. Check here at the planning section http://allears.net/pl/planning.htm About halfway down the left side, there is a section "For Travelers With Special Challenges" and there is a whole section on Autism Spectrum Disorders. That info is VERY helpful.

You'll find that most parents see a great vacation with their child with Autism. Our son absolutely loves it - he behaves better, listens better and practices good community education skills, like ordering in a restaurant.

Good luck and have a great time.

 

[lilpeople]

thank you for your advice. i really don't care what others say. i would love for the people who judge to walk ten steps in our shoes. If they had to go through the battles we have everyday with our child then they would understand. my daughter freaks out going into wal mart when its mot crowded. i pay just like they do so why cant we enjoy going to Disney world. this is suppose to be a happy place for my child not somewhere she will get judged. we have enough people say hurtful things to us as it is. Just because you see a child that looks normal does not mean anything. mentally my 7 year who will be 8 in a month is like a 2 year old child. but intellectually she is smarted than most adults i have every met.

 

[Love Tink]

thank you for your advice. i really don't care what others say. i would love for the people who judge to walk ten steps in our shoes. If they had to go through the battles we have everyday with our child then they would understand. my daughter freaks out going into wal mart when its mot crowded. i pay just like they do so why cant we enjoy going to Disney world. this is suppose to be a happy place for my child not somewhere she will get judged. we have enough people say hurtful things to us as it is. Just because you see a child that looks normal does not mean anything. mentally my 7 year who will be 8 in a month is like a 2 year old child. but intellectually she is smarted than most adults i have every met.

Did I miss something? Or was not every single person who replied positive and trying to help you?

 

[Brian_WDW74]

I've moved this thread to the disABILITIES! board. The posters here should be able to provide you with even more great information.

 

[lilpeople]

i didnt say they did. someone was trying to pm me because they where worried someone would be offended about what they said.

 

[maroo]

I went to Disney with a family with a severely autistic child and I think you will find that Disney does a great job with accommodations for you guys!

Make sure to check the Freq Asked Questions at the top of this board (disABILITIES board) and there is info there about where to go get a GAC card. The card is good for the duration of your stay and is good for a party of up to 6 people. It should help you.

But...I also recommend www.touringplans.com or Tour Guide Mike - both provide touring information that will be useful to you guys too!

Many autistic children find Disney to a great place that is positively stimulating for them - if you can avoid the negative stimuli of too many people, etc.

 

[bookwormde]

Just be flexible and listen to your child's needs and ideas and you will be OK. Encourage but do not "push", WDW is a magical place for our kids so anything is possible. Remember vacation is a place to relax not to try to do everything (quality over quantity)

bookwormde