What Is Your Favorite Resort For An ASD (autism) Child?

[Disneylvr]

We are planning our 2008 return to Disney, our second post ASD (classic autism) diagnosis. Last year we stayed at the Contemporary which worked out fairly nice. The daybed was the perfect size for our DD, then age 3. Being on the monorail was wonderful. She will be 5 when we return to WDW. We would like to stay at the Poly since DD loves water so much and it too is on the monorail but a DVC resort could be nice since we could have a kitchen. DD's diet it limited to be about 7 or 8 items and in WDW she survived on crackers and applesauce it seemed! Unfortunately the DVC properties are not on the monorail and we would have to drive to all the parks. Buses are too cramped and crowded for our daughter and ME for that matter!

So I am asking those of your with more ASD/Disney experience what is your favorite resort for your child and why? WIth ASD each child is so unique but our DD is for the most part a sensory seeker, she loves swimming/moving water, loves the park trams/monorail (we haven't tried the boats), cramped situations (like buses) can be overwhelming to her, she doesn't like fireworks up close but will watch them from a distance. We havepretty much counted the Value resorts out because DD will need a more quiet, calming environment after visiting the parks. But we are open to any of the moderates, and hope to have enough saved to consider DVC or Deluxe accomodations as well.

 

[cindy17]

Hi! Have you thought about the Epcot area resorts (BC, YC, Boardwalk)? I've never stayed there, but have heard that BC and YC have Stormalong Bay, a great water area. From what I hear, you can also see Illuminations from the resort area. Another suggestion is Fort Wildnerness Cabins. They have a full kitchen, separate bedroom, lots of room to spread out and have privacy, which my ASD DS13 son really craves. He really enjoyed the boat over to Magic Kingdom. There's also the very mellow water pageant every night on the beach by the docks, as well as the petting zoo and nightly movies with Chip and Dale. Check it out!

 

[OKWMom]

Our favorite resort is OKW and we ended up buying our DVC points there.

My daughter is on the LF end of the spectrum and is also a sensory seeker. Like your daughter, she will watch the fireworks from a distance and needs a calming environment after being in the parks. We have been able to see the Epcot fireworks from several of our OKW balconies and have watched them from the Poly beach.

We liked OKW particularly because of the extra space. The rooms are the most spacious of the DVC resorts which gave us enough room to bring some of her sensory items, including her therapy ball. That in itself was invaluable. Also good for her sensory was the in-room jacuzzi (in all 1BR and 2BR units). She gets in it at least twice daily - to start each day and in the evening. She loved the bubbles and would laugh when I turned them on.

My daughter also has a very limited diet. Our last trip was the first time she would eat anything in any park or in any restaurant. Prior to that, she was dependent on what I could fix in the room. I loved having the kitchen for that reason. I knew I could feed her and she ate better in the calmer environment. Also, it was nice having a way to prepare a meal for us on the nights when there was no way we would be able to take her out.

I don't know if this is an issue with you, but my daughter tends to be a messy eater and it was nice having the in-room washer and dryer. An added bonus was I didn't come home to a pile of dirty laundry.

By and large, we have found OKW to be peaceful and serene and DH and I love sitting on the balcony in the mornings enjoying the peace and quiet. A lot of people complain because it is so far away from everything, but that is precisely what we like about it. We can go "home" and escape from the parks and the crowds.

I know this is probably longer than you wanted. Sorry.

 

[pcparamedics01]

We are planning our 2008 return to Disney, our second post ASD (classic autism) diagnosis. Last year we stayed at the Contemporary which worked out fairly nice. The daybed was the perfect size for our DD, then age 3. Being on the monorail was wonderful. She will be 5 when we return to WDW. We would like to stay at the Poly since DD loves water so much and it too is on the monorail but a DVC resort could be nice since we could have a kitchen. DD's diet it limited to be about 7 or 8 items and in WDW she survived on crackers and applesauce it seemed! Unfortunately the DVC properties are not on the monorail and we would have to drive to all the parks. Buses are too cramped and crowded for our daughter and ME for that matter!

So I am asking those of your with more ASD/Disney experience what is your favorite resort for your child and why? WIth ASD each child is so unique but our DD is for the most part a sensory seeker, she loves swimming/moving water, loves the park trams/monorail (we haven't tried the boats), cramped situations (like buses) can be overwhelming to her, she doesn't like fireworks up close but will watch them from a distance. We havepretty much counted the Value resorts out because DD will need a more quiet, calming environment after visiting the parks. But we are open to any of the moderates, and hope to have enough saved to consider DVC or Deluxe accomodations as well.

I have been to HH in May for Memorial day and SSR this July 4th. So far with my ASD son 9 I thought HH. For it is much smaller and is more homey. The grills are very close to every unit. I stayed at Congress park and you would need to go two buildings over. However we did grill at ssr we had the meal plan. I think the HH staff were much more friendly and accommodating and over all less traffic. Especially at the pool. The lifeguards were terrific when I told them he was ASD.

 

[Disneylvr]

What is HH? My husband and I have been looking more and more at the Home Away from Home resorts including Old Key West and Saratoga Springs (love that zero entry pool!)... We have a a friend that is coming with us that could use the pullout bed in the living room area but the problem is our daughter will need her own bed. That would mean bringing a blowup bed with us unless we reserved a 2-bedroom but that would add a lot more cost to the accommodations budget. I don't supposed rollaways are available at Old Key West or Saratoga Springs?

 

[tacomaranch]

I second the vote for OKW. The rooms are the largest of the DVC's and the resort is very calming. There are quiet pools all around and also the large pool with the slide. It is a very quiet resort and not much theming other than tall palm trees. It is the oldest the landscaping is full grown. There is little noise.

The 1 br. villa has a king bed and we just let our DS, 4 sleep with us as the bed is huge. You could easily bring a blow up mattress and put it at the side of the bed. The bath room is two separate areas with a jetted tub and sink and then the shower, toilet and another sink area in thru a door. Very private. The kitchens are huge and having a wash machine and dryer really cut down on the amount of clothes we bring along. I bring sample packs of detergent and that works perfect.

I wanted to add that the buses at OKW are rarely crowded. They serve only OKW and I have never had to stand on a bus. We go straight back and sit in the last seat. If you could give it a try.

I hope this helps,

April

 

[irish dancer]

I will put in a vote for SSR. We are new owners there and just took our first trip back in June. My DS6 is also ASD and sensory seeking. We were in the Grandstand section in an end room 3rd floor. It was very convenient to come right down the stairs and be at the pool. There was also a grill and picnic tables under a pavillion which we used for a couple of picnics. The Grandstand pool also has a play area with horse heads that squirt and other sprinklers which he loved to run through. We found the resort to be very quiet and relaxing. I would recommend a car though, there are a few internal stops and the bus did get very crowded.

 

[OKWMom]

I don't supposed rollaways are available at Old Key West or Saratoga Springs?

I don't believe there are any rollaway beds at any of the DVC resorts. However, as a previous poster stated, OKW has plenty of floor space where you could put a blow up bed for your daughter in either the master bedroom or in the living area.

I have never stayed at SSR but I have heard good things about it as well. We initially chose OKW over SSR because of the additional space. Now I can't get my husband to stay anywhere else.

 

[Disneylvr]

Madelyn will have to have her own bed if any of us are going to get any sleep! LOL! So if we choose a DVC resort we will bring a blow up bed. DH is still leaning towards the Poly because of the monorail but I keep pointing out the postives about DVC and having a kitchen and more space. We do love the atmosphere of the Polynesian.... Does OKW have a beach?

 

[OKWMom]

We do love the atmosphere of the Polynesian.... Does OKW have a beach?

No, the closest OKW has to a beach is the main pool is themed as a beach with a sand castle slide and a sand play area. It does have several ponds and a waterway where you can take the boat to DTD. Several of the rooms have a view of the golf course and the water hazards.

I completely understand where your husband is coming from with the monorail. As a little girl, we always stayed at the Contemporary and it has a very special place in my heart. If it weren't for DD's issues, we would almost surely stay at a monorail resort. We have stayed in "regular" hotel rooms on other travels and she just doesn't do as well.

Best of luck in your decision. If I can help with any other OKW questions, please let me know.

 

[Disneylvr]

Madelyn did pretty at the Contemporary last BUT finding food that she would eat was extremely difficult. That is why I want to at least consider OKW so we could fix her something she will eat. And being able to do laundry means less clothes to pack. We do plan on having a car because there is no way we can wait for buses.

 

[WendyisDarling]

Our moderate functioning DS loves the Poly. He loves the pool the most. He just calls it the the volcano pool hotel.
Distanced fireworks were great. In fact, it eased him into being able to watch in MK, but with earplugs.
He loved the Electric Light Parade.
The day bed would work well for your DD.
I love being able to walk him around the beautiful landscaping, with lights and music in the evening---very calming for both of us.

 

[OKWMom]

The eating issue was the main reason we looked at a DVC resort for our first stay. Honestly, it was the price point which caused us to narrow it down to OKW or SSR. After that, it was a space issue between the two.

I know it is a huge trade off to give up the monorail access, but if your daughter is like mine (and with her eating she sounds like she is) you will LOVE having a kitchen. I was able to get exactly the foods DD liked and because the room was quiet, she ate. She was happy and therefore, I was happy.

 

[KirstenB]

What is HH? My husband and I have been looking more and more at the Home Away from Home resorts including Old Key West and Saratoga Springs (love that zero entry pool!)... We have a a friend that is coming with us that could use the pullout bed in the living room area but the problem is our daughter will need her own bed. That would mean bringing a blowup bed with us unless we reserved a 2-bedroom but that would add a lot more cost to the accommodations budget. I don't supposed rollaways are available at Old Key West or Saratoga Springs?

HH is the Hilton Head DVC property. We're OKW members and love both it and HH. There are lots of little quiet spots at both resorts to just look at the landscaping and critters, which is a nice break.

 

[Napria]

I know this may not work for you but it has made a HUGE difference for us. We have an autistic son who is also very limited in his food selections. He also needs his own familiar space and therefore never did well in any hotel. We got a pop-up camper and viola! He has his own space and it had a refrigerator, stove and oven. I say "had" because the pop-up worked so well that we traded it in after three months for a larger trailer. Now ds has his own room in the back and I have a bigger kitchen.

We don't always eat in the camper, but I can get back from dinner and cook his chicken nuggets if he hasn't found what he likes on the menu. In fact, there have been times I've made chicken nuggets for him for breakfast. We've also found that we can now take many more vacations with our RV. It's much less expensive to stay in a campground anywhere and your own camper is typically nicer than other accommodations that would be in our price range, plus we've always got our son's comfort items (K'nex toys, Wonderpets videos, etc.) stored in the camper.

Disney's Fort Wilderness campground is serene, you can see the Electrical Water Pagent and the fireworks from the shore of the campground the boat to MK is nice and not too crowded and overall having an RV and staying at Fort Wilderness has made a tremendous difference in enjoying our trips.

If this sounds intriguing, I've heard there are some places in Orlando that you can rent an RV to try it out.

Other than that, we used to be DVC members, and that worked ok -- definitely better than staying at a traditional hotel. Gotta have the kitchen!

 

[SueM in MN]

HH is the Hilton Head DVC property. We're OKW members and love both it and HH. There are lots of little quiet spots at both resorts to just look at the landscaping and critters, which is a nice break.

Just for clarification, in case people don't know. HH is in Hilton Head, South Carolina.

We are DVC members at OKW, but have stayed at all the WDW DVC resorts at one time or another. OKW does have much larger rooms than the rest of the DVC resorts. The others are pretty much the same floor plan with different decorating. Boardwalk, Beach Club, Wilderness Lodge all are arranged more like hotels; There is a DVC building with one entrance into the building and long indoor hallways to walk to gt to your room. SSR has many large buildings with outdoor hallways. OKW has smaller buildings arranged in groups. Each villa has a separate entrance (no long hallways).

Boardwalk Villas and Beach Club Villas have the advantage of being close enough to walk to Epcot and the Studio. There is also a nice boat the goes between those 2 parks and the resorts, but you have to take a bus to the other parks and we have found those buses to be rather busy because they serve all the Boardwalk area resorts. Since you are bringing your own car, the bus situation probably won't matter too much to you. It is possible to see some of the fireworks from Epcot and MGM, but you have to be in just the right spot or the buildings are in your way.

OKW has parking right outside your door. The parking lots are small and just serve the buildings in that 'cluster' of a few buildings. The buildings are arranged so that you have a view of golf course, water or grassy area.
SSR is also very nice, but the buildings are much larger (more like apartment buildings) and have rather large parking lots that serve several buildings.

None of the DVC buildings will provide roll aways or bedding for more beds than are in the room. OKW would have plenty of space in a variety of areas for you to put up a blow up bed and still be able to get around. The others get a bit tight if you have the sofa bed folded out.

 

[Amy5000]

Madelyn will have to have her own bed if any of us are going to get any sleep! LOL! So if we choose a DVC resort we will bring a blow up bed.

If you are in a studio at OKW, there are two queen beds. I believe the one bedroom has a pull out sofa in the living room. (Just so you don't think a 1 bedroom only sleeps 2 people!)

 

[coolkidhann95]

I third OKW 100% because I have Autism and my family has been going there since our first trip. Mom still likes AKL and so do I but it's not as relaxing as OKW is. Olivia's and Goods to go are great places to eat. Even if you have to stay in the far away rooms you can still take a bus to and from the main area. It's also in the middle of everything so it's a fairly short wait to anywhere. The slide is long and not as thrilling as say, SSR's but still people of all ages ride it. Even though the slide may look enclosed, it's not so it's not dark either. I hope you choose whatever is best for you and that my description helped a little.

Hann.

 

[Schmeck]

The OP mentioned wanting a beach/water - everyone should know that the beaches are just for playing in the sand, no wading/swimming is allowed. If you want sand and swimming, Stormalong Bay has the sand bar area, and the main swimming area is sandy too.

 

[Disneylvr]

I don't mean beach for swimming but beach with water or just water is very calming to our daughter. Fountains, lakes etc...all work well. I know that OKW is on water. Thank you EVERYONE for your advice. I am still trying to talk DH into OKW. We would get a 1 bedroom unit with us in the bedroom (Madelyn on a blow up bed) and our friend on the pull out. She also has a disability and will have an ECV with her. We aren't DVC members but may look into buying points to use or just making regular reservations to stay there. I know housekeeping is limited at OKW but is that the same case if you are a regular guest not using points?