Travelling with an ASD child

[MrRomance]

I guess I am aiming this question at parents of other autistic children who have travelled to WDW.

What was your experience? Do you have any tips?

I am planning on taking a letter with me from her doctors at the hospital but I have heard that a lot of CM don't really recognize it as a disability.

 

[Princess Olivia]

I would also love to hear anyone's experiences.

 

[SashaFarce]

You don't need a letter for a guest assistance card (GAC) as that would be a medical privacy violation, and it doesn't matter if the CM thinks it's a disability or not. They don't even need to know the diagnosis; they just need to know what kind of accommodations that both you and the parks can live with in order to be able to manage the parks. If you read the stickies up top of the board there is a wealth of knowledge regarding the GAC.

We took my brother (age 11), who is on the spectrum and also has bipolar disorder in May and it was a hit or miss trip. We did not get a GAC as my understanding was that the best they could do for us was to put us in a waiting area if available and I felt that would make my brother even more impatient. We used a combination of the Master Plan that my partner crafts every time we go on a trip, judicious use of the Fastpass system, and when applicable we made use of wheelchair passes and entrances (few and far between) as my partner used a scooter full time during this trip. During long lines we gave my brother something to do - fully charged iPod with plenty of games worked wonders. He loved the plane ride and still talks about it now, so that was a non-issue.

 

[melissa37]

I have done two trips to WDW with my ASD son (9). Our first trip was a family trip when he was 6 1/2 and the other was when he was 8. I would definately recommend getting the GAC. The only accomodation we ask for is an alternate wait area or entrance. We could not do a trip without the GAC as my son does not handle waiting well; even with plenty of distractions.

Both of our trips went fairly well, but we had different challenges on both trips. Our family trip included both sets of grandparents, so it was possible when necessary to split our group and let the grandparents take my son on the particular rides he wanted to do if it was not the same as the rest of the group. We also planned frequent breaks to allow him time to de-stress. My son is an early morning person, so we would go early in the day and then go back to our room and swim or relax in the late afternoons and evenings.

On our second trip it was just me and my son and that trip I pretty much let him dictate our schedule. For us this meant pretty much all of our time at the Magic Kingdom and an endless loop of Peter Pan, IASW, Buzz Lightyear, TTA, Goofy's Barnstormer, and the train!

I think the biggest thing to remember is to be prepared and be flexible (as always!) Our first trip was really good and we got through (with the help of the GAC) without too many problems. Our second trip got off to a very rough start (think full blown meldown, on an airplane, during landing ) but turned out to be not too bad a trip. (Took me a day or two to recover!)

I've learned that for us the best thing is to try to keep my son's schedule and food as close to normal as possible when on vacation. Social stories and videos (try youtube) of rides went a long way in helping us prepare for the first trip. I also make good use of Tour Guide Mike, Touring Plans, All Ears Net and this site in planning our trips. I do my best to avoid the most crowded times of year and the busiest parks, that makes a huge difference for us.

Good luck and happy travels!

 

[Disneylvr]

My 8 year old daughter has ASD (nonverbal) and has made the trip to WDW 5 times, 1st trip before diagnosis at the age of 1 and 4 trips since her diagnosis. My tips are....

1) Get the Guest Assistance Card (GAC) at the guest relations desk at the first park you visit. Take your child with you when you request a GAC. No letter from the doctor is necessary just tell the CM your child's needs. In my case our daughter uses a special needs stroller and cannot wait in long crowded areas. WDW accommodates us by allowing our daughter to use an alternate line/entrance and her stroller as a wheelchair. Madelyn is able to walk but she lacks endurance the for amount of walking necessary in WDW and the stroller also provides her her own defined space/safe haven when she is in sensory overload. The stroller also keeps her safe from eloping as well which she will do when she gets very excited. I recommend bringing a stroller or renting one if your child had issues with personal space, elopement and/or endurance.

2) Pack fidget toys. We hit the $1 aisle at Target and the dollar stores for the rubbery/squishy/spinning toys and bring a bag full to WDW or on any trip we take. When I sense a meltdown may be coming on or inappropriate stimming is occurring I get out one of those toys. The toys come in handy at restaurants and on the airplane.

3) On the plane, we bring either a portable DVD player or use my netbook if the airline has WiFi. I play videos and games to occupy her when she is bored with the fidget toys. We used to pull it out (the DVD player) in restaurants if we became desperate however we discontinued that practice. We also have a new iPad and haven't decided if we are going to bring to WDW this trip or not. She uses it to do school lessons, play games and we are also hoping she will eventually use it as a communication device.

4) We are lucky as that our daughter loves to travel and is a sensory seeker. WDW couldn't be a better place for a kiddo like her. We can pretty much do and see everything we want to, especially with the accommodations that WDW will make for disabilities. However, when she needs a break we take her back the resort for swimming or just some quiet time in the room. We also never let her get overly hungry and keep her hydrated at all times. We stick to her usual meal times whenever possible.

5) Make note of where all the family assist restrooms are in the parks and at the resorts you might be visiting. These work out much better for our daughter rather than taking her inside the regular restrooms.

I would happy to answer any other questions you may have and good luck with your trip planning!

 

[persimmondeb]

Disney is a wonderful place for many kids (and adults) with ASD. My son LOVES it, and it is such an easy place to travel with him. He's high-functioning, and a teenager, so he does a fair amount of the planning, and is also comfortable voicing his own needs much of the time.

We don't use a GAC, but travel during less crowded times and try to plan our park time carefully. We also use fastpasses a lot. He's all right with lines, but really hates the crowds for fireworks and parades. Last trip we did the dessert party for Wishes and it was a great hit. We all enjoyed the snacks, and it was so much more peaceful sitting at a table in a relatively quiet and uncrowded area.

He perserverates on DTD, so we try to schedule some time there early in the trip in the hope of NOT hearing "We could go to Downtown Disney" sixteen times a day for the entire trip. He loves the lego store, and T-Rex Cafe has a wonderful sand pit that he would spend all day in if let.

One of the many wonderful things about Disney if you have a child past regular "playground age" is that many of these things are accessible to older, bigger children (the Boneyard in AK is particularly great) and the cast members are fabulously kind and understanding about things like Mickey sprinkles and our need to spend 10 minutes selecting a balloon.

 

[MaggieMollyMom]

Hi, please don't worry about the CMs not recognizing ASD as a disability. They were GREAT with us last year and I'm hoping it will go just as well this year. We have 2 girls with special needs (although one is getting to be more and more developmentally 'typical') and our trip was truly a break. We've had nothing but therapy, feeding tubes and doc appts for 2 1/2 yrs and it was SO EASY at Disney World. What an awesome break we had....so much fun.

the best advice I can give is to take breaks when your kids need them, even if it's just to sit and listen to some music or watch the fountains.

We use the GAC to enable our strollers to be used as wheelchair. that was very halpful because our girls would have been waaaaay to over stimulated in long lines of many people. the waiting isn't such an issue as is the people.

have a great time and relax!

 

[WDWJonasGirl]

I have autism and I was diagnosed at almost 4 years old. I'm now 16. We always use the GAC and it works out great for my family and I.

 

[MrRomance]

Wow, thank you all for your advice.

Our daughter is 7, she has Aspergers and severe anxiety disorder to the point where she is physically sick. She is high functioning, but gets really distressed in crowded areas and can't manage long periods of waiting.

We took her when she was 4 (before her diagnosis) along with her sister who was 7 (who has severe ASD & Learning disabilities) and it was OK, but as she has got older she has found things much harder. Her sister is not coming this time so it will just be the little one. The GAC card sounds like a good solution for most problems we would encounter.

Thanks again!

 

[Amy5000]

I note that one person stated to take your child with you. I wanted to second this recommendation. One mother I know had a child who was severely impacted and did not take her child in with her when she went for a GAC. Later a cast member indicated that her GAC was not correct and I wondered if it was related to the fact that he was so impacted but they couldn't tell from her description. Of course, this doesn't help many people who have children who are significantly impacted but don't necessarily appear to be so.

I'll also mention that my son is on the spectrum and we, fortunately, have been able to make do without GAC, but we do use a touring plan.


Good luck. Amy

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I note that one person stated to take your child with you. I wanted to second this recommendation. One mother I know had a child who was severely impacted and did not take her child in with her when she went for a GAC. Later a cast member indicated that her GAC was not correct and I wondered if it was related to the fact that he was so impacted but they couldn't tell from her description. Of course, this doesn't help many people who have children who are significantly impacted but don't necessarily appear to be so.

I'll also mention that my son is on the spectrum and we, fortunately, have been able to make do without GAC, but we do use a touring plan.


Good luck. Amy

This is not a "recommendation". It is a requirement that the person with the disability be physically present at the Guest Relations Office for a GAC to be issued to them.

 

[krisnme]

Wow, thank you all for your advice.

Our daughter is 7, she has Aspergers and severe anxiety disorder to the point where she is physically sick. She is high functioning, but gets really distressed in crowded areas and can't manage long periods of waiting.

We took her when she was 4 (before her diagnosis) along with her sister who was 7 (who has severe ASD & Learning disabilities) and it was OK, but as she has got older she has found things much harder. Her sister is not coming this time so it will just be the little one. The GAC card sounds like a good solution for most problems we would encounter.

Thanks again!

Your DD sounds a lot like my DS, at that age and even now. The GAC is really a lifesaver for us mostly for the alternate waiting area. most of the time it is a much quieter cooler place to wait, and DS is a mess after being crowded with smelly, noisy, jostling people. He finds WDW an adventure even after 15-20 visits (first at 8 weeks!) I would suggest you carefully research any rides you plan to attend as some are surprising once you get on. watch carefully for triggers to her anxieties and general well being, It is easy to miss that they are getting hungry, thirsty, sunburned or tired and your day could be lost to a meltdown. if you get to a crisis point and need a quiet place to regroup, make use of the first aid station. they are cool and she can rest for awhile if needed.

 

[lovethattink]

I guess I am aiming this question at parents of other autistic children who have travelled to WDW.

What was your experience? Do you have any tips?

I am planning on taking a letter with me from her doctors at the hospital but I have heard that a lot of CM don't really recognize it as a disability.

Wow, thank you all for your advice.

Our daughter is 7, she has Aspergers and severe anxiety disorder to the point where she is physically sick. She is high functioning, but gets really distressed in crowded areas and can't manage long periods of waiting.

We took her when she was 4 (before her diagnosis) along with her sister who was 7 (who has severe ASD & Learning disabilities) and it was OK, but as she has got older she has found things much harder. Her sister is not coming this time so it will just be the little one. The GAC card sounds like a good solution for most problems we would encounter.

Thanks again!

I have lots of experience with WDW and sensory issues. WDW is wonderful. For the most part the cm's are so helpful. My ds is 7 as well. We take lots of breaks. Take it at his pace. We bring ear phones to block out noise. A wide brimmed sun hat to block out the site of the sun and so many people. My son is a "runner" so we have a medical stroller for him. We get a red sticker from Guest Services which designates that it functions as a wheelchair. It's also one of the stamps on his GAC.

There is a search engine on the DIS that we have used to find which restaurants serve the food he likes. He is a chicken nugget kind of boy, but the nuggets can't be very crunchy. Disney's chicken fingers fit the too crunchy category that he won't eat. But he loves their chicken nuggets, which are similar to McDonald-type nuggets.

 

[kylmac]

Our ds is 9 and loves everything Disney! Thankfully, a GAC card has worked great at WDW, DL and most recently Disneyland Paris. We have never had problems at any of the parks-we have even used the handicapped entrance on occasion and the wait was pretty long. Of course, you do not get front of the line but the assistance we were given was helpful. Our ds has trouble waiting and it is incrediblely helpful to have the card. We also split our days up with breaks back at the resort with a swim or just a quick rest. He still might stem while waiting but I find that a time to rest myself. We do use fastpasses as well when needed. I have found the cast members completely aware of autism and especially the characters that understand his simple speech or wanting to touch the princesses hair.
I take ds with me to Guest Relations/Services first thing and get the GAC for all of our days at the parks. Those cast members are great as well.
Good luck and have a great time!
Elizabeth

 

[barbanm]

We have done Disney several times with my son and here is what I have found to be most helpful:

GAC - as everyone else has already said get a GAC card. Our son was 5 the last time we went and was still using a stroller. The most helpful thing for the GAC card for us was wheel chair tag. He was able to have his own space which he needed from time to time. The CM's were great and we were able to take it right into shows, in buildings where strollers are not allowed, etc. The card was also helpful when we did need an alternative entrance or a quieter waiting area as well. We went during a non peak time and most of the time did not need to worry about crowded lines, etc.

Noise Cancelling Head Phones: This was a HUGE find for us our last trip. My son is very sensitive to loud noises and having these made the trip so much more pleasant for him. He was able to wear them on loud rides, in shows, etc.

Flexibilty: we have found just being flexible makes a huge difference. While we do have a touring plan we know that at any instance we might have to change it. We take breaks when needed and avoid going to the parks every day. We make sure we have several down days where we spend time at the pool.

Hope that helps!

 

[Princess Olivia]

Thanks for all the priceless information. Ds is 2.5 and non verbal, a runner, a seeker, a chicken nugget enthusiast , who has no personal boundaries, he kisses every baby and most pretty blond women he meets. He is incredibly beautiful so he gets away with it for the most part but I realize not everyone wants to be kissed by a toddler. A GAC is going to be very important for all of us. Thanks again for all of your guidance.

 

[MrRomance]

Our daughter is not a "runner" and on the surface she may appear fine because she is very intelligent and (too) verbal! Her biggest problem area is anxiety particularly waiting in crowds and being in restaurants where she gets so anxious she is physically sick. This happened at DLP and they treated us like we were vermin!

In many ways she is like any average child her age, but her anxiety levels reach such peaks that she throws up!

I think a GAC will be the best idea, but I'm not sure how to explain this without sounding like a neurotic parent! Often when I explain that she will throw up if she gets anxious, people look at me like I must be exaggerating (until she throws up on their shoes!).

 

[lovethattink]

Our daughter is not a "runner" and on the surface she may appear fine because she is very intelligent and (too) verbal! Her biggest problem area is anxiety particularly waiting in crowds and being in restaurants where she gets so anxious she is physically sick. This happened at DLP and they treated us like we were vermin!

In many ways she is like any average child her age, but her anxiety levels reach such peaks that she throws up!

I think a GAC will be the best idea, but I'm not sure how to explain this without sounding like a neurotic parent! Often when I explain that she will throw up if she gets anxious, people look at me like I must be exaggerating (until she throws up on their shoes!).

I'm not sure how you should word it.

Just wanted to give you a heads-up about Pizza Planet. I don't know if your dd has trouble a Walmart. Mine does. It's like Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde. The same thing happens every time we step foot in Pizza Planet. We enter with this sweet child who turns hyper and mean, until we exit. We stopped going in there.

If we are eating counter service, we eat at odd times. Usually right at opening works best with lack of people.

We try to put him where he faces the least amount of people. We bring toys, crayons, paper, legos, lego figures, and trading pins to occupy him while one of us is up ording food at a counter service, or while we are waiting for food to come to the table at a table service restaurant.

Ear phones that block sound are another godsend for us!

Depending on the time you are visiting WDW crowds can be a real problem, especially people from other countries that don't value personal space as we do. There are many countries where waiting in line means cramming as many people as possible into as small of a space as possible.

There were many times this summer where either my husband or I had to act as barriers for him, to keep people from touching him or pushing him. Using a wheelchair or stroller helped. But often using the wheel chair or stroller made the wait longer.

My son needs extra time to go down stairs and we had to protect him from getting pushed as many people are impatient with him. Even letting everyone down the steps before us, the next group would catch up to us and start pushing all over again.

A wide brimmed hat also seems to help block people from my son's sight, lessening the anxiety.

 

[brown1442]

We always take our son in with us when we get our GAC and explain that he has autism and uses a wheelchair. Sometimes the CMs interact with him... sometimes they don't. The GACs, however, have ALWAYS been useful!!

My son is 6 and has classic autism. He's got some language but is functionally nonverbal (can't communicate or answer questions well even though he can spout words). He has NO safety awareness whatsoever... NONE! If he got lost he'd never look for us... or even notice that he'd separated to be honest Which unfortunately is terrifying for us because he's got life threatening food allergies and a seizure disorder (along with a slew of other medical issues).

He doesn't deal well with crowds and will FREAK out... start hitting, kicking, screaming, etc unless he's in his wheelchair... so for us his wheelchair is HUGE!! Its his safe haven. Then I also bring things to entertain him... electronics or fidget type toys and snacks.

Honestly... the biggest thing I've found is being flexible. You read over and over again about people planning trips down to the minute... we could NEVER do that. I mean yes, we have a general outline of what we want to do and see... but we are very flexible about the order and timing. We have to be... he will have meltdowns, he will need rests, etc... but we will not let them ruin our vacation... we just do our best to prevent them and when they happen we don't let them bring us down. The way I look at it is his life is scheduled to the minute with therapies and what not all year long... this week if he wants to ride the tea cups 3 times then so be it

 

[Aladora]

Our daughter is not a "runner" and on the surface she may appear fine because she is very intelligent and (too) verbal! Her biggest problem area is anxiety particularly waiting in crowds and being in restaurants where she gets so anxious she is physically sick. This happened at DLP and they treated us like we were vermin!

In many ways she is like any average child her age, but her anxiety levels reach such peaks that she throws up!

I think a GAC will be the best idea, but I'm not sure how to explain this without sounding like a neurotic parent! Often when I explain that she will throw up if she gets anxious, people look at me like I must be exaggerating (until she throws up on their shoes!).

I would simply say that your daughter is autistic and can't handle large crowds and leave it at that. We were at DL at the end of August with our 6 year old son and found the GAC extremely helpful. We didn't need it for every ride so we didn't use it for every ride. Unlike many here, I never heard a word or saw a rude look from anyone and my son is really high functioning, unless he is freaking out, he looks like a typical kid. The CM who gave us the GAC was a really lovely young woman who interacted with our son and didn't ask any questions beyond "what is your son's name, how many in your party and how long are you going to be at Disneyland?"

We did the whole trip on his schedule and went back to the hotel just after lunch and napped. Whatever ride he wanted to do, we did...with the exception of Star Tours, he would have ridden it all day if allowed but we were only able to use the GAC for ST once a day.

We brought his DS and headphones and allowed him to play it while we were standing in line, that way we were able to not use the GAC for every ride. We packed snacks that we knew he would like and kept an eye on when he would get cranky, low blood sugar makes him a handful.

You know your child best, bring along things to keep her occupied and when you need to, haul out the GAC.

Good luck and have fun!