We did well! back from Disney with an Autistic child

[tripletvan]

Well after all of our worries we did well. There was a little glitch when we were by the Astro orbiter as they didn't seem to think my nephew was disabled since he could walk! I guess she couldn't fathom that someone can walk and be disabled. The CM was very rude and should have been repremanded for her treatment of us and the situation
The noise level was at times hard but his earphones were of great help as a matter of fact there were a few times I would have liked to borrow them.



For our Owen who glowed! Bouncey Bouncey Bounce!!

 

[teri]

I am glad you had a good time overall. Sorry to hear that someone gave you a hard time... it happens. Did you make a report?

The kids really do get alot out of it. When is you next trip?

 

[tripletvan]

We had her call her manager and he apologized but that was it then my brother had to run over to City Hall as the medical pass said that a wait was to be expected but that there was supposed to be a greeen dot on it to alert the Cm of the situation. Even after the manager was there she didn't change her disposition. My sister in law stated I guess everyone isn't happy in Mickey's house today! That was for sure!

 

[WDWFOREVER]

I am so glad you had a good time.

As for the rude CM, I guess they were a little short of pixie dust that day.

This is for Owen who glowed.

Jackie

 

[tripletvan]

Thank You I will pass it on as the glow is a rare moment into a beautiful soul!

 

[SueM in MN]

Thanks for the report.
For each rude CM there are usually 9 really nice ones.

 

[s&k'smom]

Thanks for the good news and sorry about the CM. But I'll be taking my son with an autism diagnosis in October and I love to hear good reports.

 

[MEM]

I wanted to reply and encourage anyone with an autistic child to visit WDW!! I wrote a lengthy trip report about our family's first visit to WDW in August 2001 and it is posted on Brian Bennett's mouseplanet website. I'm currently working on the report about our second trip, in January 2002, to ASMu (great resort!). My 7 year old son has PDD-autism spectrum disorder and my desire for him to experience WDW was greater than my fear of him "melting down" because of the noise and crowds. His development literally leaped a year after the first visit and another year after our second visit in January 2002. Travel to WDW now has a high priority in our budget.

I strongly encourage ANYONE with a disabled child to request and USE the Guest Assistance Card. There should be no "moral dilemma" in my opinion -- your child is at a disadvantage every day of his life, so if the GAC makes his life easier (and yours) at WDW, then use it! We imposed limits on ourselves, i.e. we never used the card for posted waits of 20 minutes or less and never twice for the same ride in the same day. 90% of the CMs were gracious about it and we didn't get ANY glares from people because they thought we had a fast pass! No big deal.

I discovered the joys of WDW late in life (first visit at 41) and I feel it is the ideal place to vacation with a special needs child. No where else will you get the same level of safety, cleanliness, support and variety as at WDW. Let me join the crowd and advise a midday break at your hotel pool prior to returning to the parks. If your child, like mine, is terrified of the noise of fireworks yet loves them from afar, get foam earplugs. With those, and a hooded sweatshirt tied tight (or my husband's big hands clamped over his ears), my son was able to enjoy Illuminations and so were we!

Our next visit is in November and we're booked at ASMo - I know my son will be thrilled with the theming there.

 

[s&k'smom]

I just happened to pop into my email and saw your reply, Thank you, thank you, thank you. We are planning our first trip since our son's diagnosis for this fall and can't wait. Like you we really want him to have this experience.

 

[MEM]

S&K's Mom: I posted that especially for you! The trip to WDW was also the first time my son (and daughter) had flown, but that was not a problem, either. Getting on the plane was just like walking from a big room into a little one -- take-off had my son a little wary, but we gave him the window seat and he soon overcame his fear. We flew to London a few months later, in October, less than a month after 9/11, and he did okay then too, aside from the motion sickness!

You will be AMAZED at the maturation in your child's development after even a week at WDW. One suggestion, which works well for any child under the age of 8 -- visit the potty often, especially before rides, and before the child asks. The excitement can make even the best-controlled child have an accident!

I wish you all the best!

 

[s&k'smom]

Oh thank you. I can't wait to give you guys our trip report next Oct. A friend here on the Dis board is also going at that time so my little man will have his playdate partner to spend some of the week with. He is growing up so much I don't know if I can stand it. I really can't wait to see his face when we pull up to Typhoon Lagoon and he sees all that water to play in.

 

[teri]

There are a couple of strategies that I recommend for parents who are taking autistic and sensitive kids to Disney World. Rent or buy the Sing-A-Long Disney videos that include Disney park venues - Campout at WDW, Flik's Musical Adventure, etc. They show the children interacting with characters, riding rides, having fun -- it is a mental model of good things to come, so that when your child gets there they don't feel like everything is unfamiliar and overwhelming. They get an expectation of how they might behave themselves.

Also, we used the maps to help our son develop language and reading skills (he is a pretty good reader now) as well as mapping skills. The pictures and icons on the map correspond to what they see in real life at the parks, it is very visual.

My son won't use earplugs or other ear protection - he just sticks his fingers in his ears and keeps them there every time he enters a new environment until he habituates. I don't try to stop him. We just pace ourselves to his needs.

I am sure you have probably already looked at the FAQ section on taking sensitive kids to WDW... there are some tips in there that were selected from previous discussions about taking autistic and PDD kids to the parks. You can get there from the link in my signature, below. We used to have links to all the old discussions... I may need to rebuild those.

 

[MEM]

I wish I had known about the DISabilities FAQ page when I planned my trip over a year ago! I felt like a pioneer in the wilds of WDW.

We, too, took our son to smaller amusement parks before WDW - Storyland and Santa's Village in New Hampshire and built up to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, VA ( my kids were not thrilled with BG). My son is already a DISnut, and the Disneyland Sing-a-Along video was one he kept showing to me, asking me when we could go! He knows all the words and the inflections of each character. He also loved the free Disney trip planning video available by mail.

 

[teri]

Oh, yes! the trip planning videos, I forgot those... We also have just about worn out our Millenium Celebration video from Epcot.

When my son has had enough (which is usually long before everyone else) he ikes to go back to the room and watch the Disney promotional channel... he watches those informercials over and over and over... After all that repetition, and then experiencing the parks himself with all teh sounds and smalls and physical sensations, he really starts to make sense of it all... and MEM is right, after a week there, they understand the routine, they know what to expect, and they just start to love it because it is predictable, and repetitive, and progressively complex but with familiar icons and music all over the place. They love it. We have been about 7 times now with the kids, and done many other vacations as well. Disney is a terrific place to take special needs kids.

 

[SueM in MN]

Glad you found us, MEM. The more people we have coming here, the more likely that someone will find something that helps them.

I get really tired of those Disney videos, but my DD loves to play them over and over.

 

[s&k'smom]

Teri, what is the Disney Promotional Channel?

 

[teri]

LOL! Hour after hour after hour of Disney resort and park commercials, and Vacation Club promos. They have the Disney music, various park and resort scenes describing the amenities. Lots of happy, relaxed people having a lovely time riding the rides and interacting with characters... advertising. It runs 24 hours a day at Disney resorts, along with the local channels.

 

[s&k'smom]

Don't I wish my local satellite company could get me that channel!!

 

[SueM in MN]

Actually, I saw a post once about someone who aimed their video camera at the resort TV to tape several hours of that channel.

 

[Poohnatic]

We happened upon the Travel Channel programming last night, with the "Behind the Scenes at WDW" and my 6yo DS (Aspergers/PDD) jumped on it!! I had both kids whooping and hollering at the TV because they recognized most of the attractions!

I also ordered a Disney Cruise video, which Neil happened to find--he reads, so of course he then began asking for it incessantly.

I don't know what the Travel Channel rebroadcasting schedule looks like, but I plan to use my DirectTV guide to find out if it's on again soon, so I can tape it for DS.

Hope this helps others!

Suzanne