Visually Impaired Pre-Schooler

[PammyJJane]

Hi everyone - I have a visually impaired pre-schooler, and we're going to Disney for a short vacation in October, to catch Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. DD4's acuity is measured at 20-800, but at her age that's an estimate. She functions amazingly well - for example in low light she makes eye contact with you and can see things that are close to her really very well - but bright light, especially glare, is entirely blinding to her.

She's been to Disney twice - once last May and again in December - but I only took her to the Magic Kingdom. What I really need is a good resource for blind/low sight visitors at WDW - last year at the Beach Club they were finally able to dig up a one page pamphlet for me, but it honestly wasn't very helpful. Does anyone know of a good resource?

Also, I've never done Pal Mickey but, what kind of things does he say - would that maybe help her? As bad as her vision is, something that would give her a little guidance about where we are or things to look for might be fantastic! Any opinions about Our Pal?

And...lol...I also have a 3 yr old, and although they're generally pretty well-behaved, Pal Mickey would be just too awesome for them to share, or for only one child to have. I would need two. Do they all say the same thing at the same times?

 

[SueM in MN]

There is very little written information about services at WDW for people with visual impairment. There is a link in post #3 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread to the official WDW written information. It basically amounts to them having Braille versions of the Guidebook, a large raised symbol map at each park and audio guides.

We don't have a Pal Mickey, but I know enough about him that I think he will be great for your situation. He vibrates when he has something to tell you and he knows where he is, so what he says will relate to what is around him.
It's too late to look for any more, but hopefully someone else will be able to post.

 

[of2dbeach]

Hi everyone - I have a visually impaired pre-schooler, and we're going to Disney for a short vacation in October, to catch Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. DD4's acuity is measured at 20-800, but at her age that's an estimate. She functions amazingly well - for example in low light she makes eye contact with you and can see things that are close to her really very well - but bright light, especially glare, is entirely blinding to her.

She's been to Disney twice - once last May and again in December - but I only took her to the Magic Kingdom. What I really need is a good resource for blind/low sight visitors at WDW - last year at the Beach Club they were finally able to dig up a one page pamphlet for me, but it honestly wasn't very helpful. Does anyone know of a good resource?

Also, I've never done Pal Mickey but, what kind of things does he say - would that maybe help her? As bad as her vision is, something that would give her a little guidance about where we are or things to look for might be fantastic! Any opinions about Our Pal?

And...lol...I also have a 3 yr old, and although they're generally pretty well-behaved, Pal Mickey would be just too awesome for them to share, or for only one child to have. I would need two. Do they all say the same thing at the same times?

I found this link and use this site often. it talks about services for blind people and what they offer. one of which is a walkman I read about the pal Mickey and it looks very cute when I have seen them. Ask at guest services if you need to buy him or if they would just let you use it seeing your childs needs. i think they were $60 last time we checked. it tells you about shows and rides etc plus tells jokes and things. we might get one this trip but i have heard he is heavy to carry around
Anyways here is the link... http://www.allearsnet.com/pl/visual.htm
i know the characters have been very good with my Autistic son even letting them touch them by using his hand to show him where they like to be touched etc.mike just loved it and it is not something they "Normaly" encourge other kids to do. They took there time with him and understood that he is Autistic and very touchy feely. We also hopped on the Monorail when he got too stressed and went to the Contemporary went down to the game room and Mike sat there watching black and white cartoons on the soft mushy chairs. it was great for a break, it was quiet ( yippey) and no one even asked if we were staying there or not.its just another option if the sensory gets too much, or the heat .. have a great trip !!

 

[SueM in MN]

Just a note about the walkmans with audio information - they are aimed at adults, so may not be appropriate at all for a child. They also don't have any locating information, as far as I know, so using them involves sort of following the tour plan/order that is in the recording.
That's a good idea about asking about using a Pal Mickey. I doubt they would be able to do it because he is basically a stuffed animal with no way to clean him between users. But, it certainly won't hurt to ask.

 

[PammyJJane]

Thanks very much for the information on Pal Mickey! I think that would end up being a major hassle for Mom, especially if they get heavy after a while - sounds like I'd just end up watching after two girls and two large mice. The girls are so young and so close in age that they fight a lot, so one Pal Mickey wouldn't cut it - yet neither of them are anywhere near responsible enough to be assigned a Pal Mickey of their own (they'd both be left somewhere for sure). I think it will be a good idea for a few years down the road when they can share one.

 

[of2dbeach]

i am going to MK and EC in a few days i will try o poke around and see what I can find out for you. if i get any new info or guidebooks i will grab them and send them along. not sure if they have much in the way for kids thought which is sad. Its hard sometimes just bringing Mike there with ll the noise and sounds he gets over loaded. Let me know when you are leaving please and i will be glad to help. I could call WDW for you if you would like me to.. let me know
Tonya

 

[of2dbeach]

i found this book and thought it might help both of us. I am going to see if my library has it or can get it for me. if you cant find it and i get it i am willing to make copies of some info for you . here is the link http://www.allearsnet.com/pl/snbook.htm,,

 

[PammyJJane]

Hi Tonya,

Thanks so much, you're so kind, I can't tell you how much I appreciate it! We aren't going until Sept 30th so if they have some literature about vision impairments that would be wonderful! And that book looks perfect; I will also look around. The school for the deaf and blind may very well have a copy. (Hannah Rose doesn't attend, but we go on retreats there and also get services from there.)

She has a monkey backpack with an attachable harness strap, and I'm considering using that when we're walking outdoors. She is just beginning to learn to use her cane, is very unhappy to sit in a stroller unless it's very late (and doesn't need to, she has amazing stamina), but she also has poor impulse control and absolutely NO fear. The impulse control is mostly a "4 yr old" thing, but we adopted the girls from the foster system and she had been entirely neglected up until age 3. So we're still dealing with a bit of that; having no discipline at all is a hard thing to recover from at that age!

I think the harness might be the best way to give her the independence that she wants and needs while still protecting her. I know I'll be getting plenty of dirty looks but that's ok. I'm going to speak to her mobility teacher next week and see what she thinks. The monkey tail leash is a nice length - enough so she won't be pulled unless she darts off, but not so long that it should cause any other guests problems.

Of course, Holly will want a monkey tail leash too...and she will probably bark as well. She loves to play puppy. WHOOO I'd better wear a flame-retardant suit. However, she tires quickly because she has short little legs and will want and need the stroller (she's still undersized from malnutrition. But Hannah Rose was too and now she's actually tall for her age! So hopefuly Holly will catch up in her 3's too!).

- Pam

 

[SueM in MN]

Hi Tonya,

Thanks so much, you're so kind, I can't tell you how much I appreciate it! We aren't going until Sept 30th so if they have some literature about vision impairments that would be wonderful! And that book looks perfect; I will also look around. The school for the deaf and blind may very well have a copy. (Hannah Rose doesn't attend, but we go on retreats there and also get services from there.)

She has a monkey backpack with an attachable harness strap, and I'm considering using that when we're walking outdoors. She is just beginning to learn to use her cane, is very unhappy to sit in a stroller unless it's very late (and doesn't need to, she has amazing stamina), but she also has poor impulse control and absolutely NO fear. The impulse control is mostly a "4 yr old" thing, but we adopted the girls from the foster system and she had been entirely neglected up until age 3. So we're still dealing with a bit of that; having no discipline at all is a hard thing to recover from at that age!

I think the harness might be the best way to give her the independence that she wants and needs while still protecting her. I know I'll be getting plenty of dirty looks but that's ok. I'm going to speak to her mobility teacher next week and see what she thinks. The monkey tail leash is a nice length - enough so she won't be pulled unless she darts off, but not so long that it should cause any other guests problems.

Of course, Holly will want a monkey tail leash too...and she will probably bark as well. She loves to play puppy. WHOOO I'd better wear a flame-retardant suit. However, she tires quickly because she has short little legs and will want and need the stroller (she's still undersized from malnutrition. But Hannah Rose was too and now she's actually tall for her age! So hopefuly Holly will catch up in her 3's too!).

- Pam

The website links I mentioned above have the most up to date information - there just is not that much about visual disabilities at WDW.
I would look at the Open Mouse book somewhere before buying it. I have not read the current (2nd edition) of the book in depth, but I know the first edition did not have much more about visual disabilities than is already in thread. Just sort of warning you not to expect too much, even though it is a good book.
I was one of the peer reviewers for the entire first edition of the book (so read every page) and Cheshire Figment was a peer reviewer for parts of the current edition. It is a very good book, but can be sort of overwhelming - it's huge and covers many, many types of special needs - some of them disabilities and some just inconveniences, like traveling with children.

A lot of people use child harnesses in WDW, so you won't be alone. Some of the people who have never used one are very negative about them, but most of the people who have used them know how valuable they can be - especially for a child who wants some independence and doesn't want to sit in a stroller. You need to do what works best for you and your children and not worry about what other people think.

If you do decide to go with Pal Mickey, he does have a clip on him, which you could clip to the monkey backpack (or if your other daughter wears a backpack or is in the stroller, Mickey could be clipped to her too for her turn). You would have to decide how well they would share and how to divide the sharing. We have not had a Pal Mickey, but I have seen posts about people using him on both the Family Board and the Theme Parks Board. He also plays games, at the parks and outside of the parks, so he would still be useful at home. If you bring him back on any other trips, the software in Pal Mickey gets updated as you enter the park.

 

[PammyJJane]

The website links I mentioned above have the most up to date information - there just is not that much about visual disabilities at WDW.

I did read the information on the links, but there just doesn't seem to be a whole lot of information for blind/low sight children. Well...I'll be sure to take some notes on it to post after our trip.

By the way, if anyone else who has a low-sight child is reading this....we experienced the most amazing thing at Mickey's Philharmagic...my daughter has no depth perception (yet! She's having surgery to hopefully correct that.). But when she went to Philharmagic...she could see the 3D effect! It was amazing.

 

[of2dbeach]

I dont mind helping at all. i was at the library today and forgot the name of the book DUHH me . I would think a therapist might have it as well. I didnt realize it was a huge book and "figment" is a great help too
maybe get both girls harnesses and keep them both happy. Even if the other dosent need it at least you would know where they are when not in the strollers. I wouldnt give a rats butt what people thought or said about me ( and trust me they have ) you do whats best for you and your girls and if this is what helps her to be independent then good for both of you. i wish i could be there when you go just to watch there reactios to the sounds and smells all around them. Your the best for adopting 2 special girls and maybe they dont tell you this now, but I am sure you can feel it when the hug and kiss you
i will do my best to find out more info. i also have a Supervisors name at Disney who ws quite helpful when i had a problem with a cast memeber telling us we couldnt ride winnie the pooh 5 times in a row with my autistic son needless to say we got free passes. i could call and ask her as well.. just thinking and typing .. have a great week and I will message you when I get back hopefully with info
Tonya

 

[SueM in MN]

I dont mind helping at all. i was at the library today and forgot the name of the book DUHH me . I would think a therapist might have it as well. I didnt realize it was a huge book and "figment" is a great help too

I don't know how many pages the 2nd edition (The one titled "Open Mouse") is, but the first edition was something like 388 pages (without the index).

The biggest piece of information in the book that is not in the guidebooks is that AK has a number of places where kids can actually touch things; stuff like animal food, animal skeletons, etc. Many of those are in the 2 wildlife trails. There are a lot of CMs in AK stationed near the different exhibits who can answer questions about animals, etc.
Most of the other information (at least in the first addition) is more useful to adults - things like the parks have confusing layouts, so you may want a companion and much of the information in the allearsnet.com link mentioned earlier in this thread (the co-author of the book is the owner of that website).

Here are some links to past threads on this site that might be helpful to you.
Ocular Albinism/Nystagmus

Trip report of family with visually impaired 4 yr old.

planning thread for visually impaired 4 yr old

Rides with dark entrances

I also added links in post #3 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread to these threads.

 

[PammyJJane]

i will do my best to find out more info. i also have a Supervisors name at Disney who ws quite helpful when i had a problem with a cast memeber telling us we couldnt ride winnie the pooh 5 times in a row with my autistic son needless to say we got free passes. i could call and ask her as well.. just thinking and typing .. have a great week and I will message you when I get back hopefully with info
Tonya

Thanks again, Tonya! Anything and everything is appreciated. One of the things I'm very excited about is MNSSHP, because of the late hours. Of course I'm sure they won't make it to midnight, lol, but from say 5 until 10 that's a lot of time where she'll be able to see SO much. Although she has awful vision, she must be able to use her other senses very effectively also because she compensates amazingly in low light situations. Plus she'll have a monocular (half a binocular) that, along with her glasses, will allow her to focus in so much and actually see them pretty well. She'll also have already had her eye surgery so she may hopefully have depth perception also! And both girls LOVE Halloween and Mickey and Minnie..it's just going to be so exciting.

But in the sunlight or rooms with higher light levels, she is just entirely blind. So that's why I'm so excited about our October trip...she'll be able to see SO much because of the darkness, the new monocular, and her eye surgery!!!!

I hope you have a wonderful time...is it a family trip or a grownup trip?

- Pam

 

[PammyJJane]

I don't know how many pages the 2nd edition (The one titled "Open Mouse") is, but the first edition was something like 388 pages (without the index).

The biggest piece of information in the book that is not in the guidebooks is that AK has a number of places where kids can actually touch things; stuff like animal food, animal skeletons, etc. Many of those are in the 2 wildlife trails. There are a lot of CMs in AK stationed near the different exhibits who can answer questions about animals, etc.

Oh yes, I didn't think of that...I'm trying to decide between MGM and Animal Kingdom; they haven't seen either. One thing I'm excited about it that both of them have those amazing sound booths that make you feel like your hair is being cut, or there's a bug flying around you...I think that will really tickle them.

Thank you so much for gathering those links for me, I'm off to read some now before bed! Albinism has similar challenges to my daughter's cone rod dystrophy in terms of light sensitivity, and she also has nystagmus. Everyone has been so wonderful on this thread, and I sincerely thank you, I can't tell you how much.

- Pam

 

[SueM in MN]

Oh yes, I didn't think of that...I'm trying to decide between MGM and Animal Kingdom; they haven't seen either. One thing I'm excited about it that both of them have those amazing sound booths that make you feel like your hair is being cut, or there's a bug flying around you...I think that will really tickle them.

Thank you so much for gathering those links for me, I'm off to read some now before bed! Albinism has similar challenges to my daughter's cone rod dystrophy in terms of light sensitivity, and she also has nystagmus. Everyone has been so wonderful on this thread, and I sincerely thank you, I can't tell you how much.

- Pam

If you only have to choose one of those parks, I'd go with whichever there are more attractions she would be interested in the subjects for.

Some of the things she might like at the Studio:

• Beauty and the Beast - great music that she will recognize if she's seen/heard the movie. Front row is very close to the stage.
• Sounds Dangerous - most of it is in complete darkness with just sound to orient you. The story is that Drew Carey's character is a private eye in a TV show with a hidden camera. The camera goes out, but not the sound. It might be scary for a small child though. The sound things you mentioned are in the exit area for that show.
• Star Tours - if she likes kind of extreme motion and isn't scared of the idea of a runaway star ship.
• Indiana Jones Stunt show - from the front seats, you can feel the heat from a fire that occurs during the show and also the sound system in the theater makes you almost feel some of the effects.
• Muppets 3D - this is a 3D movie, but there are a lot of corny jokes. Some of the jokes are visual though
• Voyage of the Little Mermaid - the music is great. There are also some effects you can feel, like bubbles, water mist. She may also be able to see some of the effects like the moving lasers at ceiling level to simulate waves. The theater is very dark, which may help the action on the stage 'pop' out so she can see it better.
• Playhouse Disney Live on Stage - I have not seen this, but if she watches Playhouse Disney, she should recognize familiar characters.
• Honey I Shrunk the Audience Playground - it's like you are shrunk to the size of an ant, which she may get a kick out of. She may also enjoy feeling large size models of familiar things.
• Fantasmic - a night show. A lot of it is strictly visual with songs, but not words or descriptions of what is going on. The songs do a good job of setting the mood of the pictures though.
• Backstage Tour - the first part is a walking tour that shows water effects. If you are in the first row, there is a lot to hear and feel (water cannons, simulated gunshots in the water, etc). The second part is a tram ride that ends up a little wild

There are also things like TOT that are a bit more wild - not knowing how tall she is or if she likes those sorts of things.

Animal Kingdom - Has the touch things I mentioned before on the wildlife trails and some at Conservation Station. There is also a petting zoo at the Conservation Station. The sound booths are there and there are quite a few different ones that represent different areas/activities in the world.

It's Tough to Be a Bug has some sensory things built into the seats.
Festival of the Lion King has some really good music and if you are in one of the first rows, you are almost in the action.

Finding Nemo the Musical is very cute -again front seats would help her enjoy the show.

There are other things, but it's really late and I am getting too tired.

 

[of2dbeach]

i just got back from my trip Oh what a fun time we had. we went to crystal palace for dinner. first time we went there it is a buffet and the characters were wonderful! the food omg Dh and i both walked out with our stomachs hurting becuse we ate too much, that burbon soaked cake is to die for!! i have an allergy to onions an when asking about the prime rib they brought out the head chef !! ( who i might add was a hottie ) ok anyways i got you some info on the parks. they dont really do anything for blind children unfortunatly. he did say that if you tell the characters of her vision issues they will let her touch them etc but just dont let her walk up and start touching because thats a No-No .he also suggested a babysitting service that comes to the hotel room so i got that as well as brocures for disabled people in the parks. i think i got them for AK, Ec, and mgm but he didnt have any for MK Let me know if you want me to send them. I asked about pal mickey and he said it only tells jokes etc but might be un for her to carry because its for kids and i saw clothes, raincoats etc for im in the stores too. he was $65 though and the clothes werent cheap either. I asked about the walkman things and like another person said there geared for adults. he couldnt think of anything she wouldnt be aloud to do but maybe not do mission space and things like that because of the spinning etc involved in them. Let me know what you want me to do. I cant think more to say i am sleep deprived we got home at 2:30 am lol. we had a great time and my DD (5 0 actualy was co-pilot on Dumbo and she even got the autograph a few characters inluding The Fairy godmother !! there werent alot of characters out because it rained most of the day. Concider crystal place.. oh they even did a parade inside the palace for Poohs birthday.. what a hoot!!
ok gonna go let me know...
Tonya

 

[PammyJJane]

i just got back from my trip Oh what a fun time we had. we went to crystal palace for dinner. first time we went there it is a buffet and the characters were wonderful! the food omg Dh and i both walked out with our stomachs hurting becuse we ate too much, that burbon soaked cake is to die for!! i have an allergy to onions an when asking about the prime rib they brought out the head chef !! ( who i might add was a hottie ) ok anyways i got you some info on the parks. they dont really do anything for blind children unfortunatly. he did say that if you tell the characters of her vision issues they will let her touch them etc but just dont let her walk up and start touching because thats a No-No .he also suggested a babysitting service that comes to the hotel room so i got that as well as brocures for disabled people in the parks. i think i got them for AK, Ec, and mgm but he didnt have any for MK Let me know if you want me to send them. I asked about pal mickey and he said it only tells jokes etc but might be un for her to carry because its for kids and i saw clothes, raincoats etc for im in the stores too. he was $65 though and the clothes werent cheap either. I asked about the walkman things and like another person said there geared for adults. he couldnt think of anything she wouldnt be aloud to do but maybe not do mission space and things like that because of the spinning etc involved in them. Let me know what you want me to do. I cant think more to say i am sleep deprived we got home at 2:30 am lol. we had a great time and my DD (5 0 actualy was co-pilot on Dumbo and she even got the autograph a few characters inluding The Fairy godmother !! there werent alot of characters out because it rained most of the day. Concider crystal place.. oh they even did a parade inside the palace for Poohs birthday.. what a hoot!!
ok gonna go let me know...
Tonya

Sounds like you had a GREAT time!!! Thanks so much for asking for me and yes, I would really,really appreciate it if you could send those to me...I'll try to PM you with my address, but I've never PM'd anyone here so I hope I've posted enough to do it!

When you get some more sleep give us some more details of your trip!!!

Thanks so much,
Pam

 

[PammyJJane]

he did say that if you tell the characters of her vision issues they will let her touch them etc but just dont let her walk up and start touching because thats a No-No . Tonya

You know though, this might be a reason to get a GAC, which I'd never heard of before this board and didn't really think we'd need. I have taken my disabled Mom before, but since she was in her wheelchair her specific challenges were obvious.

Our daughter does do better in the front row of moving rides because she also has a decreased field of vision (as if you were looking through a binoculars, you know how it can be disorienting) and moving heads in front of her sort of confuses and distracts her and she misses a lot. But before, it's never been a problem to just wait for a front seat - all the ride operators have let us do that.

But then again, if I had something I could just hand them so I didn't have to keep talking about her disability in front of her...she wears dark glasses but heck, it's Florida and everyone's wearing dark glasses! And then she could also interact with the characters in a more meaningful way for her...maybe it's a good idea. It's not like we have to use it if it's not necessary.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I used to be a performer, and I will let you know that the characters are trained to allow people with visual impairments touch their faces and costumes to get an idea of what they look like. I've seen Mickey take a girl's hand and gently put it on his face so she can feel its features. I will let you know though that we very rarely have guests who are visually impaired come up to the characters, so who knows if that particular one remembers. You can always tell them that your daughter is visually impaired and ask them if she can feel their face if she needs to. Just make sure you talk with her about being gentle with the characters. Any forceful movements to the face can be very painful, and young children don't always realize when they are being rough!

 

[SueM in MN]

I asked about pal mickey and he said it only tells jokes etc

We don't have Pal Mickey, but I know from reading people's reports about him that information you were told is not exactly correct.
When he is out of the parks, he tells jokes and plays games. When he is in the parks, he 'knows' where he is and will 'alert' you that he has something to say by talking and vibrating. He may say things about attractions you are near to - like tell you a certain one has a short wait or some fun facts about the attraction. He will also do things like alert you to characters nearby or to parade start times.
Here's a link to the official Disney page about Pal Mickey.
Wikipedia also has some good information about how he works and here's a thread from 2007 about Pal Mickey.

he couldnt think of anything she wouldnt be aloud to do but maybe not do mission space and things like that because of the spinning etc involved in them.

Just to clarify - the CMs won't stop anyone from riding anything. The park sets the warnings and it's up to you to decide whether or not it is safe for you.
The only time I have heard of a CM ever stopping anyone from riding was someone with a large arm cast that the CM determined could be a safety hazard to that guest and other guests in Rock N Roller Coaster where the ride car actually goes upside down.
So, look at the warnings and decide whether that would be a problem. You can also ask CMs at that attraction any specific questions you have.

One other thing with the GAC, I can't find the threads I am looking for, but quite a few people have posted in the past that it actually worked better for them to just explain what they needed than to have a GAC for visual disabilities. The wording on the GAC is something like front seat for shows; people found this worked for shows, but CMs on rides and with characters did not understand what was needed from looking at the GAC. This resulted in more explanation (and in some cases almost arguments), rather than less for rides and characters. So, most posters found it best to use the GAC for shows and just explain what was needed for rides and characters.
You don't need to go into a lot of detail, but just ask to wait for the front seat in rides often works better than showing the GAC that says front seat for shows.
And for characters, it often works better to just say to the handler that your DD is visually impaired and ask if she can touch as Eeyores Butterfly mentioned.
You might want to look at it not as keeping talking about her disability in front of her, but as helping her learn how to advocate for her own needs. You might be able to work with her teachers or therapists on how to start her doing it because she will have to be prepared to advocate for herself in the future in order to let people know what her needs are.