Disney Experience, Part II

 Top Ten Preparation Tips

It has been two months since our visit to Disney, and I feel like it was just yesterday. We went hopeful and yet skeptical. We didn't know how C would take to the crowds, the scents, the sights, the larger than life characters, he so lovingly adores. We knew that there would be moments of sensory overload. We knew that there would be challenges, what we didn't foresee was his ability to overcome those moments.

Our trip was a balancing act. It required planning, preparation, teamwork, and sometimes a zone defense to ensure that we met C's needs, while also ensuring everyone was able to enjoy the vacation. With 3 children, pre-teen to special needs, I am proud to say we accomplished everything that was on their "must do/must see" lists.

If I were to break down our trip into the top ten things you must do in preparation for a trip to Disney, specifically if travelling with a child who has special needs, it would look like this:


1. Reserve a hotel, rental home, condo, or suite that will fit your child's needs best.

We have stayed on Disney property, rented homes and condo's and have tried to make it work in a hotel suite. Our best bang for our buck, while also best suiting C's needs was renting a home just outside of the Disney property. While we had to drive to the parks everyday, and pay parking fees, we also had more room to spread out, were able to bring items from home to make the space more familiar, and the icing on the cake... a private pool and arcade room. We rented the home with with my husband's twin and his family. The cost for a week in the rental home was less than we would have paid in a hotel, with many more amenities. Another bonus... a full sized washer and dryer ;)

2. Stick to a schedule.

If your child wakes early, eats breakfast, watches a cartoon, has lunch at noon, a snack at 2pm, dinner followed by bath and a bed time story - stick with it. Your child is going to be filled with so many "new" experiences, even if it isn't your first trip to Disney. Rather than force a new routine along with new experiences, new people, a new environment, maintain the normalcy of their routine. The parks allow you bring in food and drink, take advantage of this! We always bring a cooler stocked with sandwiches, chips, fruit, water bottles, candy. It will help keep you on schedule, even while waiting in line.

3. About the lines - Use the DAS, plan ahead, and for God sake, don't promise to take your child on a ride without speaking to the ride attendant first.

The DAS (Disability Access Service card), allows for those with disability to use the fast pass lane, without holding a fast pass. Plan out the rides and attractions that are a "must do/must see" before entering the park. You will want to have this ready to fully take advantage of the DAS and fast pass. They key to success is to visit Guest Relations as soon as you enter the park. There they will be able to tell you ride times, fast pass availability, where you may need to use the DAS, where a fast pass will work better, or where you may not need anything. They will also help you plan how to best accomplish your "must do/ must see" list.

If you are using a DAS for a particular ride, my greatest piece of advice is to send one adult to that attraction. Explain you have a child with a disability, and they will either issue the DAS card for that ride, or indicate that the ride can accommodate your child now. If you are issued a DAS card, take the down time to see a nearby parade, visit a character, or ride a ride with a short wait time.

We survived lines, wait times and the DAS Card by keeping C out of the loop. We knew what attractions and rides were important to him, but never made a promise or indicated that we would see something "now".

4. Stroller as a wheelchair - If your child can still fit in a stroller, DO IT :)

C is 5 and weighs nearly 50 lbs. For a typical child, he may be too big for a stroller, however for a child with special needs, it is essential. We have even considered purchasing a stroller that accommodates a larger child. When vising Guest relations (upon arrival to each park you visit), explain that your child has a disability and that you would like the "stroller as a wheelchair" pass. It is that simple. They will strap a red sticker to your stroller that has a picture of a wheelchair on it. The stroller provides a safety net, it allows easy maneuverability in crowded situations, and  when used as a wheelchair, allows you to take it right to the attraction.

Disney has an amazing imagination. Every ride, every attraction, is designed to target each of the five senses. For most, it makes waiting in line more tolerable, for kids with Sensory Processing Disorder, it is overwhelming, and can have the opposite affect that was intended. With the stroller, C was able to maintain his personal space, throw the sun visor over top of him, keeping sensory overload at bay. For the rides that are not wheelchair accessible, you are able to completely bypass the line.

5. If you are driving, consider a Handicap Pass for your car.

I had mixed feelings initially, when my husband and I discussed this. I felt that perhaps we were taking advantage of a situation. I discussed it with our pediatrician, who must sign the paperwork for the pass to be issued, and he felt that it was in our child's best interest, and for the safety of our child and family that we receive the Handicap Pass. Now that we have it, I don't know how I survived without it. Have you ever walked through a crowded parking lot, maybe with groceries in hand, other children meandering behind you, while struggling to maintain hand contact with your special needs child. Then suddenly your child drops to the ground, splays out, and becomes dead weight? It happens regularly to me. Knowing that I can secure a parking spot closer to our destination gives me piece of mind, that I can safely walk from point A to point B.

Disney's Handicap spaces are almost directly in front of the park's entrance. If you need a quick getaway, the last thing you want is to have to hop on the tram and pray that you remember the charcter's name of the spot where you parked.

6. I mentioned it before, but it warrants mentioning again - bring food with you into the park.

Picture the mid day heat, a morning full of parades and rides, a DAS card for a ride that isn't good for another 1/2 an hour, and you have a handful of crankiness staring at you. You would run over to the nearest food vendor, but everyone else seems to be having a serious case of the"2:30 feeling". And then you remember, your cooler full of your child's favorite snacks and drinks sitting in the bottom of your stroller... Crisis averted!

Let's face it, one can only take so much of fried, greasy, amusement park food. At some point your body begins to crave nutrients, and you don't want to spend buku bucks on the good stuff, snack money should be reserved for the special treats. This is also where having a refrigerator in your temporary home is essential.

7. Don't overdo it.

If you are planning a 7 day vacation, don't expect your child to be able to survive 7 straight days of parks. Goodness, I would be surprised if you could survive 7 straight days of parks! We have found, in our 5 trips to Disney in the last 7 years, that 4 days of Parks is just enough. We feel that the Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios are our "must do" parks. Sometimes we visit Animal Kingdom (the safari ride and the Lion King show alone are enough to make you go at least once). If you have a child that loves animals, is inquisitive, and has a passion for fact finding, Animal Kingdom is great! It reminds me of an interactive zoo, with rides and attractions to keep everyone happy. Epcot is fabulous for those that enjoy different cultures, cuisines, and there are a few awesome rides, including Soaring and Mission Space. We almost always visit the Magic Kingdom a second day, but if you have never been to Disney World before, consider visiting all of the parks. We purchased Park Hoppers only once, and it was when we stayed on Disney Property. Because we had free transportation between parks, it was nice, but not necessary. If you are trying to remain frugal, don't do it ;)

We try to put a day between each day of parks. It allows us to rest our bodies, enjoy our vacation as a family, and visit other area attractions. Downtown Disney is fun, and has no entrance fee. Again, don't overdue it!

8. Download the "My Disney Experience App".

This app has maps of all the parks, allows you to map out your day, manage meal reservations, and sets reminders for upcoming parades and attractions. We used it everyday, multiple times a day, from initial vacation planning through our last day of vacation.

9. Take advantage of Photo Pass.

The photographers are strategically placed for the perfect photo opp, and they will also snap a photo with your camera or phone.  The photographer will issue you a card that you can carry around with you for the duration of your trip. When you see a photographer in a location you would like to have your photo taken, simply hand them the card, and it will upload to the website. You will need to create an account to access your photos and of course there is a fee, but you have the ability to select and choose the pictures you want, and of course, there is no obligation to buy.

10. Remember to have fun.

It is not often that our family is able to truly disconnect from the fast paced world and enjoy time together. It was a conscience decision to put work aside and really connect, really take part in this vacation with our children. Making the decision to be a part of the fun, to embrace each moment, and live in the now, is what made this trip so memorable. We each have our own and separate "favorite" moments. We each accomplished everything on our "must do/must see" list, and we certainly made "magical" memories.

This trip is possible, and fun, with children and adults with all abilities. Disney has, in our opinion, lived up to their promise of offering inclusive fun for all. Plan ahead, be prepared, and go with the flow. If you don't allow for the opportunity, the opportunity may just pass you by.

The Wonderful World of Disney

 To go or not to go, that is the question...

The Internet is a buzz regarding the new Disney change in policy for the Guest Assistance Card (GAC) intended for use by those with disablilities. I have seen at least 3 separate blog posts from other mom's who have children with Autism, as well as news reports, google alerts, etc.

Two years ago, abut 2 months after C's diagnosis, we took our family to WDW to celebrate my niece and O's birthdays (they happen to be just 2 days apart). We were new to the wonderful world of Autism, and had no idea that there was such a thing as a "GAC". Gosh, had we known about such a wonderful service, our experience may have been just a bit more magical.

Let's be honest, it is hard to have a bad time in Walt Disney World. We have been 4 times in 6 years and feel as though we have mastered the 14 hour car ride, parks, attractions, rides, and Disney Best Practices. We embrace the Disney Culture year round, never missing a new movie release, staying current on the newest shows on Disney Junior, Disney and even Disney XD.

In the month prior to Disney, we had been to countless doctor's appointments, including specialists, blood tests, etc. and had not received any results prior to our trip. Of course, C was not speaking at the time, and unknowingly, we were just throwing him into the apex of what is the worst case scenario for most on the spectrum; crowds, noise, personal space invasion, large characters that seem so small on screen poking and prodding, lines, noise, people, lines, noise, people... I wish I had known.

While our trip was wonderful, and full of lasting memories, many of those moments were superseded by C's moments of angst. A moment I know is permanently engraved in my brain is our Nemo experience. We couldn't wait to take him on Nemo in Epcot. We watched Finding Nemo on the car ride down to Disney and just knew that he would love every bit of the ride. We parked our stroller in the designated area and into Nemo's tunnel we went. 

Disney is notorious for creating magical spaces for it's guests during the wait to get on a ride. Always in theme, always engaging, but just enough so that the ride remains the main attraction. I just know that Nemo had that same appeal, I knew that if we could focus C on the awesomeness of the exhibits, the rocks, the music, Nemo talking to us, he would and could stop crying. It didn't matter to me that he was curled in my arms in the fetal position and that our line neighbors had begun to question our parental decision making, if C could just focus on all the magic happening inside that dark, enclosed, loud, people filled tunnel, I just knew he would love every second of it. Oh so naive.

Finally, it was our turn to board the ride. My ever patient and understanding O boarded the ride with C and me. Try as I might, C wanted nothing to do with the awesomeness that was the Nemo ride. As soon as our train started to move, he slumped down, like wet spaghetti, on the floor of our car and curled into the fetal position, continuing to scream and cry. And of course, having O in the car with me, I gave myself the mama pep talk. "I will not cry, I will not scream, I will be strong, I will love this ride!" C cried and cried, the poor baby, unable at 3 to tell us why he was upset.

O loved Nemo! He, along with A and his cousins and Aunt and Uncle took a few moments to walk around the small aquarium that meets you at the end of the exhibit.

Kell and I whisked C outside, and there, we cried. We were completely overcome with emotion. We knew nothing of what it meant to have a child with Autism. We were advised in C's early stages to refrain from Google searches, they would only lead us to the worst possible scenario, that the information we researched might not be relevant to C and his particular case. Unfortunately, that advice led us to be completely uneducated and unprepared. We had no clue that being in that type of environment was like feeding our sweet child poison. 

Had we known about the wonderful option of obtaining a "GAC" we could have avoided the whole Nemo incident, and many others that plagued us that trip. We have been planning our next trip to WDW, for spring of 2014. Ready to take on the challenge of showing our son the magic and wonder the parks have to offer, in a way that is sensitive to his needs. With the change in policy, we have seriously reconsidered our trip, and are thankful that we have not yet secured a date.

The press release regarding the policy change and the effective date of the policy change are in such close proximity, Disney cut off the ability to receive feedback, and make appropriate changes that will continue to cater to their customer, while ensuring the proper use of the privilege, prior to the unveiling of "Disabled Assistance System" (proposed new policy, also known as DAS). As of today, 9/24/13 it appears that there have been no changes that I could locate regarding the policy change on the Disney Website. After speaking directly with a customer service representative on the phone, I was told that there is no policy in effect yet, nor is there a policy in writing, for the public to review. She indicated that it is all speculation, however we do know that the current GAC will expire on October 9, 2013, and the proposed DAS is going to be similar to a "Fast Pass" System. Her best advice to me was to simply call back after October 9th, when the new policy is put in place.

For those that are in a wheelchair, that may have a cast, might have a non- sensory related diagnosis, the proposed policy of having guests receive a pass with a time to come back to the ride, in the Fast Pass fashion (and still wait in a line, shorter line maybe, but still wait), I think the policy is acceptable. For my child, who is unable to handle the pressure, the atmosphere, the anxiety of waiting in a line, they have done our population a gross disservice. In addition, was the disabled community conferred with, prior to the policy change? Why not punish those abusing the system, why should my child be stripped of the Disney experience because of the thoughtlessness and selfishness of the abuser?

To those that took advantage of this system... SHAME ON YOU! Money should not be able to buy you everything, and your poor choice, to take advantage of a privilege, has stripped my child and countless others, of an experience that can't be bought. While the GAC system may have had loopholes and flaws, and change may be required, there should be consideration of those that are impacted the most, not an overhaul not something entirely new, but perhaps a fix...