First Time Traveling with Special Needs Child

[PawleyPlatoon]

Hello everyone!

My cousin's daughter has special needs and will be traveling with our family for her first time to WDW in February 2013. She was diagnosed with a disease called Moyamoya when she was a child - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moyamoya_disease

The result is that she has muscle compromise from the strokes and uses a special wheelchair. She can walk but is very slow and will have her chair. In addition, she can't get too hot or too cold as that can trigger a seizure. Also if she gets too tired or stressed, it can trigger a seizure. She is very smart and is totally excited about her first visit.

We are staying at POR and plan to use our vehicles for transportation rather than buses.

I have been to WDW many times but have never traveled with a special needs person. Can you guys post some helpful hints for us? Are there special tickets for guests with handicaps? Do you have specific recommendations?

Any and all information would be very helpful!

Thanking you in advance for your expertise.

Ruth

[BrerGnat]

Since your cousin's daughter is in a wheelchair, there isn't much you need to do regarding special accommodations. Disney CMs will recognize that she is disabled via the visual cue of being in a wheelchair. For the most part, WDW attractions and queues are wheelchair accessible, so there is no need to do anything but get in line.

Seeing as how you are going in February, I would think that excessive heat will be a non issue. As far as being too tired or too stressed, that is something that she and her parents will have to stay on top of and manage. I'm sure they are very good at doing that sort of thing already. Take breaks when needed, and don't worry about needing to split up and go your separate ways if necessary, in order to keep her comfortable and everyone happy. Bringing a lightweight sweater and jacket will be good since it could be really cold either outside or in certain shops/restaurants/attractions.

If you find that there is a massive heat wave or extreme cold snap the week of your trip, she can visit Guest Relations inside a park and inquire about getting a GAC to allow her to perhaps wait for attractions that have outdoor/exposed queues in an alternate indoor area. They can accommodate this.

I hope you all have a wonderful trip, and you will find that Disney is a great place to go when you have special needs people in your party.

[ElenitaB]

You don't mention how old the child is and you say that she uses a special wheelchair. That leads me to ask if in any way, shape or form, can her wheelchair be mistaken for a stroller or a large stroller?

If so, go to Guest Services and get a special red tag that identifies the wheelchair as such. This will help avoid misunderstandings with CMs who may think that the chair is stroller and want it parked and the child walking. It has happened (unfortunately) and the tag is meant to avoid problems.

I also would be checking the weather in advance of your trip. We have been in February before and it was COLD (not as cold as one November when it snowed Mother Nature snow and not Mickey snow though, or our first year when we travelled the same week in November and I left our winter coats at home ... I had to buy us all jackets/sweaters/blankets). Better to be prepared than sorry.

Have a great trip!

[PawleyPlatoon]

Thanks for these tips! Please keep them coming!