What to expect in 2015 special needs moms.

[S2Disney]

Last time we went to Disney was fall 2013 right after they changed das. We had this green paper, it was a disaster and I swore off Disney forever. Mostly we stood around trying to figure out what was going on :/. Cast members kept trying to talk to my son and ask him what was wrong and he doesn't like that. It was a hot mess.

Fast forward not even two years and my ds is begging about every five minutes to go. Of course I can't say no, so here we go again. He has mito/ autism, so the chances of him standing in a queue are its never going to happen with out him either laying on the ground or touching everyone around us or melting down. What's this new electric das thing like? Is it better, or should I just drink heavily before hand ( kidding kidding). Basically you get a time and come back? Are they strict on exact return time?

Also, I either need to get a double baby jogger ( new baby since last time ) or a special needs stroller. I keep looking at special tomatoe strollers and I hear that they don't hold up well. Ds is six and 45 lbs, so I'm afraid he'll outgrow baby jogger soon if I pay for another one.

I also want to get a bracelet with our info for ds, when he does walk he has taken to disappearing and hiding recently. I'd like something with our number and his info that's silicone or something.

Finally, because I really have just lost my mind we are going to universal too. We have never been but my older kids want to go. How is that? My son likes minions and Spider-Man, so I figured if he hates everything else we can ride a minion ride over and over again .

Thanks for any input ladies!

 

[gap2368]

with the new DAS you go up to a ride that you want to ride they take the time ( so if it is an hour wait) minus 10 minutes and that is when you can come back and go to the FP line you can do what ever you want while waiting another ride ( if something has a short wait near by) a show go shopping eat any thing at all you do not have an hour to use the DAS like a FP so you can come back 3 hours latter now you can not get a new return time until you have use the one you have ( if he changes his mind you can delete the one you have and start over with a new DAS time)

when you go to GR make sure you tell them why your son can not wait in lines not my son has Autism it should not take that long maybe 10 to 15 minutes the first time them after that less time.

 

[lanejudy]

The DAS really hasn't changed significantly since your last visit -- though understandably it sounds like you were last there right at or right after the changeover from GAC to DAS so things were a little chaotic. The basics of DAS are explained in the WDW - Disability Access Service Card thread pinned near the top of this forum, post #1 is all you need.

DAS allows you to wait "outside the line" -- as stated above, anywhere other than in line. The return time is based on the standby minus 10 minutes, but is open-ended so you can get a return time then go for a meal or a swim or a nap and still use it when you return to the ride.

As for a stroller, I'm not a big fan of doubles unless you will be one parent with 2 kids. As long as you have 2 adults to push, that's my preference and you are able to split up that way if necessary as well. Depending on what your son needs, you might look into a special needs stroller with a higher weight limit. Some get pretty pricey so do your research. We settled on a Maclaren Major Elite which is basically a larger umbrella stroller; it folds compactly and is light to carry on buses, but it doesn't have much in the way of bells and whistles (doesn't recline, canopy is optional and doesn't fold, no parent tray, etc.). Since we basically only use it on vacation, we found a gently-used one for much less than full price.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[lanejudy]

Sorry, I meant to add this link for the DAS thread: http://www.disboards.com/threads/wd...pdated-4-25-14-stamps-at-attractions.3178976/

 

[S2Disney]

Thanks ladies!
I am looking at bigger strollers, holy $$. But we've been needing one anyway, perhaps I can get insurance to cover part of one. My son can walk short distances but not long ones. Maybe I'll score one on Craigslist.

I did find silicone bands from reminderband. It was like $18 bucks for three with shipping, which I thought was reasonable. Now if I can keep it on him and or he doesn't eat it. .

Last time we used das it was brand new. They didn't give us a hard time at all to get one, they just glanced at him and filled one out. The cast members around the parks though, they made me nuts. I think they were trying to be nice but had no understanding of special needs kids. There were two in particular that approached and I asked not to talk to him and they did it anyway to ask him about what he needed. ( mind you he was non verbal then and not a fan of people) I was also pregnant and moody. We also ran into a few issues with the stroller as a wheelchair on queues where I had to get a second cast member. Then again, it was right when they changed everything so maybe the kinks are worked out.

 

[sknc78]

As a fellow autism mom, here are a few suggestions that worked for me:
I have never used a DAS card, but these are some things I have used to keep DD with me.
A child safety harness with a permanent handle - this way she can be somewhat independent, but I don't spend my vacation stressed about where she is. They can be bought here http://www.childharness.ca/
Orlando Strollers have strollers you can rent and they will send it to your hotel. There website - https://www.orlandostrollerrentals.com/
Safety Tats - I used for a my little munchkins - bought here http://www.safetytat.com/
Finally if your child will tolerate a bracelet - mine loves hers - Alert Me Bands - bought here http://www.alertmebands.com/
I hope this helps.

 

[Yoshiandi]

For my kids, the youngest won't wear her bracelet (Magicband) nor would either of them let me put a fake tattoo on without them trying to pry it off.
I ordered dog tags with their names, dx, and both of our cell numbers to pin to the back of their shirts. They are super light and the kids don't seem to mind them at all.

http://www.pettags4less.com/

 

[sukhakuli]

My son is 10 now, but he was diagnosed with autism at age 2. He's more moderate. He also has tourette's and disruptive behavior disorder NOS and various speech and learning disabilities. It's possible he has some mental illness, too (he hallucinates and is excessively paranoid and suspicious), but he's too young for a diagnosis. I don't usually put all of that out there, I just say he has autism, but so you know where we are coming from. He is in an inclusive day class, has a one on one aid, and 8 hours of home ABA every week. They want to do more, but that's all I can stand, lol.

Anyway, I wanted to say all of that so you know that I really know what you're talking about with the laying on the ground, running off in to public, tantrums, touching. Does your kid shout at people? Mine does. That's always fun.

To tell the truth, probably one of the best purchases we ever made was a Chariot 2 stroller. Maybe you can get one used as they are very expensive. But it's like a rolling box. And it's so big that he could curl up there and hide. We could cover it with a blanket and he had his own little hidey space. He's a very tall 10 year old and can still stuff himself in there to hide. Also, routines are key, so at Disney, he is always IN the stroller unless we are in line or riding a ride. He gets off the ride and immediately in the stroller. Now that's he's older, he only rides in it if we are walking to Disneyland (he has run out on to Harbor BLVD in to traffic before) or at night, or if he's "off.". Kids get lost so fast at night. And we have "I'm lost" drills so he knows if he gets lost to stay in one place. Still working on that, he tends to dart in random directions. He's always holding a hand if he is not in the stroller. Always. When he was younger, we kept him literally attached to us via a leash because he would run off without any warning at all.

We don't get a DAS because we feel like he needs to live as normally as possible. We do a lot of sensory in line. He can play games in line. We keep candies in our bags so he can munch on candy in line. He never gets candy normally, so this is a huge treat! And we never stand in line for more than 20-30 mins. That's his limit, so if the ride is longer, we don't ride. Sunglasses and hats make him feel like he is hiding from people. He's terrified of strangers, so social anxiety is a major trigger for him.

And I tell parents "I'm sorry" a lot.

We've also had his therapists work with him on issues like this, and he gets almost non-stop therapy in special ed all day. So they work constantly on standing in line, turn taking, dealing with tantrums and emotions, safety, etc. Maybe talk to your son's team and see if they can put some programs in place for him to help him out in these situations? Standing in line, and strangers, and lights and noise etc are everywhere!! Kids like ours need to learn how to cope. And it's a long process, but worthwhile. And it helps at Disney.

 

[blondietink]

Honestly, I thought the new DAS worked great for my 2 sons with disabilities. But, what worked even better was combining the DAS with the new FAstpass+ system. We made a FP+ reservation for the most difficult to get rides with historically long wait times and used the DAS on the other rides. We had no problems and rode more rides than we ever did under the old system.

 

[Kellykins1218]

Also, I either need to get a double baby jogger ( new baby since last time ) or a special needs stroller. I keep looking at special tomatoe strollers and I hear that they don't hold up well. Ds is six and 45 lbs, so I'm afraid he'll outgrow baby jogger soon if I pay for another one.
Thanks for any input ladies!

WE have a Joovy Zoom 360 jogging stroller for our son. It has one of the highest weight limits (75 lbs) but our son has been well over that limit for the last 3 years. He is now 52 inches tall and weighs over 100 lbs and our Zoom is still going strong and he fits in it just fine. We haven't had a single problem with it. We have a second Zoom for our son who is about 75 lbs and it is still like brand new. They hold up great. I read some iffy reviews before I got the 1st one and am so glad I gave it a shot. It is the easiest stroller to push (seriously you could push it with one finger...I have!) We've recommended it to several other special needs families and they've all been extremely satisfied with theirs as well. Our local ARC suggests & buys them quite frequently now since it's a much cheaper option than a special needs stroller and much easier to get approved.