Trying Disneyland and Southern CA for the 1st time

[triplefigs]

We are going to DL and SoCal in June. We are WDW vets, but have never been to CA. At WDW, my DS always gets a GAC card and uses a wheelchair. A few questions:

1. Is the process the same at DL for obtaining a GAC? Do they have the same type accommodations/stamps?
2. We are visiting Sea World San Diego, Legoland, and the Wild Animal Park as well. Do any of these parks offer accommodations for anxiety/Autism type issues?

Any tips and advice for our trip? Thanks so much!

 

[SueM in MN]

nice to see you again.

Disneyland has a GAC that works the same in general as at WDW, in terms of how you request one, etc. To refresh your memory about that, the information in post #6 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread was written about WDW, but applies to Disneyland too.
The difference is in what kinds if accommodations are available in in accessibility if attractions. California Ad venture was built with Mainstream (accessible) lines. Because Disneyland is am older park, it ID not as accessible in terms of wheelchair and other accoodatiob, such as quieter place to wait. There is a post in the disABILITIES FAQs thread about Disneyland that includes a link to their Guidebook for Guests with Disabilities.

hope you have a great time and let us know how it went.

 

[Bugsmom73]

We took our old GAC card from WDW to show. They gave us the same accomidations for our trip at DL. We had no problems with any of the CM. DS did great. He is also on the spectrum.

 

[triplefigs]

We took our old GAC card from WDW to show. They gave us the same accomidations for our trip at DL. We had no problems with any of the CM. DS did great. He is also on the spectrum.

Thanks to both of you. I will take his GAC from our last trip with us to DL (I always save them).

Do either of you know of any accomodations/special help at Sea World, Legoland, Wild Animal Park?

 

[Mrsjvb]

nothing special at Sea World, WAP or the Zoo. never done Legoland a wheelchair might be a good idea for WAP..it's LARGE and can you say HILLY?! I can do SW without a chair( and DL..both sides) but if he isn't used to lots of hills.. then you will want one definitely at SW and WAP. the Zoo, although you don't mention that, is also pretty hilly.

the WAP is very open with not too many areas of shade or quiet. I understand they have changed the way you actually observe the large enclosures now.. used to be a monorail around the edges, now I guess you are in trucks right smack dab in the middle of things( used to be that was just the photo safaris that cost a lot of money to do on top of admission) the Ostriches are rather.. bold and will come right up to the trucks.. as will the Giraffes and Rhinos especially if they think there will be apples.. rhinos LURVE their apples.

That being said it was one of our favorites the 3 years we lived there.. we were members which got us free admission to both the Zoo and the WAP.. and we were at one or the other just about every weekend.

I know you didn't mention the Zoo, but Balboa has a lot more to offer than just the zoo.. there are several museums and the International Village is a must do if you happen to be there on the days they are open.. think it is just weekends. WAP is about 45 minutes outside of San Diego.

 

[Earstou]

Did you know there is a Disneyland forum? Also a sub-forum for other parks and attractions. People over there are very helpful!

 

[triplefigs]

Did you know there is a Disneyland forum? Also a sub-forum for other parks and attractions. People over there are very helpful!

I did. They directed me here.

 

[mcmom]

Legoland has a time sheet you can get at the guest services at the front of the park. It is a pain for the most part because you have to fight your way up the narrow exits to stand and wait for one of the teenage ride workers to pay attention to you and then they take your card from you and argue with each other how long of a wait the ride has and to put down a return time for you. You can only be signed in on 3 rides at a time or is it 2 now? So if you have to do this for each ride and some of them have an hour or more wait depending on the time of year you go.... you do a lot of sitting around. It is bad when you have a little one in a wheelchair and no one else with you so you ahve to fight up the exit (narrow) with the chair then get the card signed then try to turn around in a small space and leave--which then upsets the child when they thought it was time to ride and don't understand that it was just to sign in. They alwasy have small changes to their policy and usually not for the better.
Make sure to always get your time sheet back instantly! We have had the workers lose our cards or give them to someone else and they you have to go back to the front of the park get a new card and start the sign in process all over again!!!!

We no longer have annual passes there due to the hassle with their disablity program. It is such a pain.
Good luck
Lori

 

[triplefigs]

Legoland has a time sheet you can get at the guest services at the front of the park. It is a pain for the most part because you have to fight your way up the narrow exits to stand and wait for one of the teenage ride workers to pay attention to you and then they take your card from you and argue with each other how long of a wait the ride has and to put down a return time for you. You can only be signed in on 3 rides at a time or is it 2 now? So if you have to do this for each ride and some of them have an hour or more wait depending on the time of year you go.... you do a lot of sitting around. It is bad when you have a little one in a wheelchair and no one else with you so you ahve to fight up the exit (narrow) with the chair then get the card signed then try to turn around in a small space and leave--which then upsets the child when they thought it was time to ride and don't understand that it was just to sign in. They alwasy have small changes to their policy and usually not for the better.
Make sure to always get your time sheet back instantly! We have had the workers lose our cards or give them to someone else and they you have to go back to the front of the park get a new card and start the sign in process all over again!!!!

We no longer have annual passes there due to the hassle with their disablity program. It is such a pain.
Good luck
Lori

Thanks for the info. My DH can fight his way up to get it stamped while I stay with the kids. Appreciate the tip (and warning!)

 

[irish_trip_mom]

Triplefigs! Don't know if you remember....we emailed back in forth in 2006, as I also have triplets (two on the spectrum) and we were both at the Contemporary in Sept. 2006. Anyway, I was searching Disneyland info....we are also venturing West this summer! Would love to talk about how your trip went, dos and don'ts from your experiences. Trying to plan out our week right now....few days at DL, but we are thinking of getting the CityPass for Universal, Sea World and the Zoo.

Hope your trip is/was great!

Krista

 

[triplefigs]

Triplefigs! Don't know if you remember....we emailed back in forth in 2006, as I also have triplets (two on the spectrum) and we were both at the Contemporary in Sept. 2006. Anyway, I was searching Disneyland info....we are also venturing West this summer! Would love to talk about how your trip went, dos and don'ts from your experiences. Trying to plan out our week right now....few days at DL, but we are thinking of getting the CityPass for Universal, Sea World and the Zoo.

Hope your trip is/was great!

Krista

Krista, I totally remember you. We will be there June 20-27. When are you going?