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I'm trying to talk my sister into a joint trip with us in June. They've never been there. :(
I know you guys will have great ideas for traveling to the World with Autistic children. Please help me with ideas. I've learned a lot about this from the boards and her, but need my Intercot experts :rocks:
I love my nephews and my sister and think they deserve a magical vacation.:magic::tink::mickey3:
Our biggest success for long trips comes with the using a Portable DVD player. We have taken our son's DVDs outof their standard cases and put them in a a CD folder (one that zips up and you can get from Wal-Mart). Our son loves to watch his Disney movies collection so this really helps. Then we bring some books so whoever is not driving can work on him with his reading skills. We do make more frequent stops on the way and try to find a Burger King or McDonald's with a playground so he can run free for a while, before having to get back in the vehicle.
I agree with everything Von Drake has to say.
Both of my son's have ASD's and we have made numerous wonderful trips to the World (going again in March! :clappy:). You will hear this time and time again -- go at their speed. There are days where we could go to a park from dawn to midnight, and others where only a couple of hours are doable. The parks aren't going anywhere, so if we miss something then we miss it.
I recommend using Fast Passes as often as possible, and if you are staying on site the morning EMH's. You will get as much done by 10am on an EMH morning as you would during the balance of the day. I also recommend Park Hoppers. This way if one park becomes too crowded, then you can go over to another park.
How old are your nephews? My guys love Epcot ... and Innoventions. There is lots of hands on stuff for them to do there....and lots of space for movement out around the World Showcase.
I would love to answer any questions you have. Have fun planning!! :mickey:
Get a Guest Assistance Card if you suspect they are going to have issues with waiting in lines. We got one for my son on our last trip & it was the best thing we could have ever done. We went to guest services, told them of our son's condition & they gave it to us with no questions asked. I even brought a note from our doctor & they didn't even look at it.
Other than that, I think the most important thing you could do is make the child familiar with the parks, the resort you are staying at, etc. so there are no suprises. Watch the planning DVD, look through books, internet - there are plenty of resources to use. Some of these kids can be overwhelmed, but if they go in knowing what to expect you can hopefully make the transition easily.
Have fun!
I agree with CrazyKids. We try to get our son really re-familiar with things before we go. We have maps of the parks and point out different attractions to him we know he liked and then have some photos from of those attractions to show him. We wait until about 3-4 days before leaving to start otherwise he gets to excited and focused on the trip and stuff he has a real difficult time in therapy. The guest assistance card was very useful, we can get him to wait in lines (grocery stores, waiting to see Santa, ride ponies, etc...) with a lot (a lot) of work, but his problem is all the different conversations and noise going on in the lines, he gets very upset, and he would be in tears by the time we got on the ride and by the time he calmed down we were getting off the ride again.
I thank everyone for responding to my post. The guys are going to be 4 and 3 when we go.
Great ideas about letting them see the parks to get them familiar. If they decide to come, I'll wait till closer to the trip date (June) and begin showing the videos we got of our trips. That way, they can see my DD6 having a grand old time. We'll also bring out the planning DVD so they can see Buzz Lightyear (a favorite of theirs) at WDW.
DD6 and I will be happy to go at their pace. DH and our other daughter, 15 will be running around.
I'm thinking my sister and I should have a ladies night as well! She deserves some "girl time". My husband loves the boys (he has his girls - but these are little BOYS) and would be happy to have some guy-time with their daddy!
Everyone has given good advice. I will just add on a few other tips that have worked for us.
WHen going to any type of show, from Tiki Room, to 4-D movies to Festival of the Lion King, be CERTAIN to sit on an end and not in the middle of the crowd. It is not only easier for them to cope with, but if either find it upsetting, you have a quick exit without dragging a melt downing child over peoples toes.
If they like Buzz, visit the kiosk outside of Space Ranger Spin early on and get them a little something they are drawn to. My son has always loved Toy Story and was taken with a little car that looks like Buzz and Woody are sitting on Andy's bed. It was cheap and when we were in a line or situation where he needed some distraction, we pulled that out and that is what got his attention rather than the overstimulating things going on around him. Also, the light chaser thingies that they sell everywhere are still absolutely enchanting for my guy.
Work in pool time or down time at the hotel during the day. They will especially need to break from stimulus if you want them to wind down at night.
Cannot emphasize the Guest Assistance Card enough. I use it only for looong lines, but it is really great to have in an emergency. Those queue lines can be torturous for kiddos on the spectrum (and those around them if push comes to shove!!)
the other thing hitting my mind at the moment is that if they will tolerate ear plugs, you might want to bring some. Many attractions are profoundly loud. I will probably think of more things as soon as I send this....LOL
I have to second the ear plug recommendation. My DD (8yo) is autistic, and has some anxiety issues, but with the ear plugs, she can do anything!! We have taken her to WDW many times, starting when she was 5 months, and she LOVES it! She especially loves Epoct and Innoventions. She also loves the Imagination pavilion (not the ride though!). They have a lot of interactive stuff in there. They have one area where there are pictures on the ground and when you step on them, the make noises (the tiger growls, the cow moo's, etc.). Like everyone else said, take your time and go with the flow.
My youngest son is Autistic. He has made 6 trips to Disney I think (losing count). It is his favorite place on Earth.
Please GO!!!!!
The CM's (for the most part) understand special needs and will help with reasonable requests. Chef's at sit down meals have come out and prepared special meals for my son. I ask nicely and CM's have always let me sit with my son (toward one side) on some of the kids only seating shows (Turtle Talk w/ Crush for instance). Even some of the characters have seemed to pick up on the fact that my son is a little different on his interactions ... and usually spend a few extra seconds with him.
On top of that, my son put together some of his first two word phrases at Disney. "Elephant Fly" or "Small World - Ride". Not huge for most kids ... but kinda breakthroughs for Matt.
Bottom line, the CM's are great, they accomodate as much as they can, and my Son lights up and requests things / interacts ... seems more "normal" there. If I could, he would be there on a weekly basis.
I hope your family has a magical time at the parks.
My brother (and I'm serious here, his name is Disney) is autistic--verbal and highly functional, but autistic nonetheless. The Guest Assistance Pass is VERY helpful in line situations like Test Track etc so big dittos to that suggestion!
Also--my brother is a VERY picky eater, and we learned that no matter what restaurant in the World, they can pull out chicken fingers and french fries in no time! :)
My brother is a little weirded out by the Characters ---the kid will go on Space Mountain and giggle and HM and also love it but try to get him to go take a picture will Buzz and Woody and he'll have none of it! SO, figure out what things (loud noises, sudden flashes, things popping out suddenly) are triggers for discomfort and take your planning from there.
special needs are the LAST thing that should slow down a disney vacation...
my friend Kirsten in Crystal Palace once and heard a little boy scream EYORE!!!! and run to hug him. The mom followed behind saying "he's autistic, and that's the first word he's ever spoken."
there's magic for everyone :)
My only suggestion is to remember that if the boys don't want to do something, or they seem scared by something that seems absurd to YOU, don't push them. Try not to get frustrated if they don't want to do something you thought they would love, and don't be frustrated if they don't want to ride any rides and just want to walk around looking at the flowers all day or just ride the train around for an hour (just examples from my real life experience at DL).
I have a 3 1/2 year old son with autism and he has been going to Disneyland practically weekly since he was 4 months old. Over time, his likes/dislikes have changed immensely, even from week to week. One week he may want to ride the Matterhorn over and over again. The next week, we may go back and you ask him if he wants to ride, and he gets all panicky and says "NO! It's too big!" (he did this last week). On the one hand, it's frustrating because I KNOW he loves the (ride, show, character, etc.) but for SOME reason, that particular day, he wants NO part of it. This is something that a lot of autistic kids have a problem with. You have to just "go with the flow" and try not to let the kids see your frustration or disappointment when they decide they don't want to do something that you may have been looking forward to. This is a great reason to use the BABY SWAP option in the parks! That way, everyone who wants to ride can, and which ever kid doesn't want to ride, doesn't have to.
Just keep an open mind and go in with few expectations. You'll all have a great time if you just see it all the way the kids are seeing it. :mickey:
There are a lot of good comments on this thread.
The one about meals, good old Chicken and French Fries to the rescue several times.
Likes and Dislikes changing so quick, happened last time we were their on a day to day basis.
Go with the Flow is absolutely correct. As parents of autistic children we all generally know this one, but it can be easy to forget without constantly reminding yourself sometimes.
I love that this board has been established.
Although my son has never been specifically diagnosed, he is on the austism spectrum and I did a lot of research before our September trip. He did so well that we ended up not needing to use a lot of the advice (isn't it amazing that a place with so much stimuli ends up being a place where children who usually don't do well with stimuli have such a wonderful time?). However, we were prepared to separate and have one parent go back to the hotel with him, if necessary. Things worked out so well for us, but I don't know how much was attributed to the fact that the parks were not very crowded when we were there.
A lot of the advice I was given has been repeated above, but another thing I would add is to find some "quiet" spots in the parks if you need a little bit of a break, but not necessarily need to return to the hotel kind of break. It's tough to find quiet spots in MK, but Tom Sawyer Island can be a good place to let them stretch out. On the other side of Crystal Palace, on the way to Adventureland, there seemed to be some empty benches where there was not a lot of activity except ducks nearby. Sometimes a ride like TTA or COP can be a good break (although this is a little iffy, you have to know if your child is the type who could panic and there's no way for you to leave). My son also loves trains, so taking the steam train around the park was a nice break.
In Epcot, we spent a long time in Germany, just watching the trains go around.
Also, we made certain that our hotel (AKL) had a playground (he's a deep pressure kid) so that he could have playtime if necessary. Of course, I was very upset to learn that they were remodeling the playground when we arrived and it was closed. This ended up not being an issue, but I was worried this could have been a big problem. So, if you know the boys like playgrounds and need playground time, you might check with the hotel before just to make certain it's open.
Sorry, I can't remember any other specific spots right now, maybe others have some suggestions.
My DS 7 is autistic and I just want to agree with everything that has been posted. WDW is a fantastic place for autistic kids, and I swear he is better today in some part thanks to WDW. It's just amazing how they will push their limits and do things that they would never try in the real world. He has been going since he was 3.5, and he is practically a WDW expert now. Like every one has said "go with the flow" is great advice. You never know what may bring them joy. The Guest Assistance Card is a life saver as well. We always take a note from a doctor, although I'm not sure if they check them any more. If you send me a PM, I can send you a link to a web site that has a sample letter. If they love Buzz Lightyear I would highly reccomend All Star Movies. My son loved that hotel almost as much as the parks. If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask.
Okay, so where are there trains in Germany? I don't know that I've ever really gone into Germany.....my son LOVES trains so that would be a good place to know if we need it!! :mickey:Quote:
Originally Posted by MizMissy
Thank you EVERYONE for your posts. A lot of the advice I can also use when I babysit tomorrow night. The boys love coming over and I love having them. My DD6 loves being the leader in "follow the leader around the house".
We're excited about the prospect of having them with us. Going at their pace would be fine with us. It will be my sister's first time too. I don't want to rush around and miss anything. DH and DD15 will take my BIL to all the rides and we'll take the little ones at a nice and easy pace. It took me a few trips to appreciate the surroundings at WDW. I've fallen for the little "touches".
I didn't know about the trains either! The older nephew LOVES trains!!!! Maybe he'll like it. But now I know not to be surprised if he doesn't and not to force it.
Thanks again.
There is a miniature village set up right in front of the Germany pavillion and there is a train running through it. It is pretty extensive, but I think if a person didn't stop for a second, they might not notice the train going around the small town. The track is long enough that you don't always notice the train when it is towards the back. It's really cool and all my kids enjoy stopping to watch for a whileQuote:
Originally Posted by Briansmom
They are actually on the main path between Germany and Italy. If you are walking from Germany to Italy they are on the left. It's one of those things that if you're in a hurry you would never notice. My son used to love these too.Quote:
Originally Posted by Briansmom
Re: Trains in Germany
At night, there is a train headlight the turns on to "alert" you of the display. It's really cool!
I find it fascinating that SO many autistic children love trains! My son is train OBSESSED and I know he will LOVE this display when we finally see it.
Keep in mind, though, it may sometimes appear that there is NO train, but you just have to wait awhile. The train(s) take a long time to make it all the way around the track. Be patient. :mickey:
If they love Buzz, make sure to try to meet him at the Studios. He was back behind Mama Melrose when we went in Nov. The line was really short (I think because it was a bit of an out of the way spot) he spent a lot of time with the kids and we got the most amazing pics of our DD4 nose to nose w/ Buzz. She never really was into him before that but now.......!!!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by JMTStone
I just want to echo a few comments about what has been said here. I have two sons with autism (Ages 11 & 9 at last WDW visit.) We were very concerned about air travel, hotel stays, lines, and crowds. Here are a few tips that helped us:
1.) We got each of the boys a new toy (small, hand-held) that they received on the plane. This helped us re-direct them whenever they seemed anxious. As it turned out, they flew very well.
2.) We made up lanyards with an i.d. card on them, just in case they got separated from us in the crowds. It had their names, stated that they were autistic, and directed people to call our cell phones. (Thankfully, we never needed them, but it a great comfort to Mrs. BandMan and I to know they were there.) We practiced having the boys wear them prior to the trip.
3.) Guest Assistance Pass - the greatest thing ever invented for autistic children. This allowed us to go directly into the fastpass line or in a designated 'back entry' whenever we needed to. You just go to guest services and ask. My advice there is to both bring documentation (we had a doctor's note and their school IEP) and the child, so the CM's can see that you are on the level. Apparently, there have been some unscrupulous types who've attempted to lie about their kids. :mad:
4.) Start with something you're pretty sure they're going to enjoy and work your way up to the more potentially challenging things. Having said that, you never know what is going to be hard for your loved one. We went to Crystal Palace where my oldest loved the Pooh characters, and my youngest wanted nothing to do with them. (Never saw that coming.)
5.) Remember that autistic kids often want to repeat things they enjoy. I lost count of how many times we went on Winnie the Pooh, because my oldest was in heaven there. We just tried to break it up by promising him he could come back if he tried another ride first. But be prepared to spend lots of time doing the same thing.
6.) I have to agree with the trains by Germany. My DS's also loved the trains.
Finally, let me say how much we loved it there. The boys talked about it for months afterward - and those with autistic children know what a breakthrough that can be. We are planning on returning this August, and the whole family (I also have 2 daughters, ages 15 and 6) can hardly wait to get back.
Best of luck.
Our last visit, we caught Woody and Buzz when they first came out, and my son went up to Buzz (now remember the scene form the movie where Woody reminds Buzz he is just a toy) and did a good impression of Woody and said "You Are A Toooyyyyy, You are a child's Playthinnnnnggg". I wish I could have scene the expression on that CM's face. Because I know he double over laughing. It was priceless. Great Pics of that one. :mickey:Quote:
Originally Posted by vamaggie
:rotfl: That is too funny. How old was your son at the time?Quote:
Originally Posted by Von-Drake
BTW be prepared for your child, autistic or not, to be afraid of the characters at first. It totally depends on the child, but my son loved Toy Story but was terrified of the Buzz and Woody characters. This can be especially true if they are in that 3-5 range.
When our youngest was not quite 2 -- the only thing in ALLLLLL of WDW that scared him was ........ CINDERELLA! We went for lunch at CRT and the picture is great ... but he does have sensory issues...so perhaps all that blue silk was too much for him? :funny:Quote:
Originally Posted by LarryBoy
That is hilarious! I know just what you mean...my son is all into repeating things he's heard with EXACTLY the same tone of voice used, and he imitates British accents and everything when he sings the Thomas and Friends songs. It cracks me up every time. I can totally see him doing something like this.Quote:
Originally Posted by Von-Drake
So funny...I would have loved to see the CM's face as well.
That is what my son does as well. Now he completes the scene with Buzz's response... "you a sad, strange little man.. you have my pitty" and turns and walks away. It's like the cartoons come to life in my house.Quote:
Originally Posted by BrerGnat
My son's favorite line to use was "I've got a bad feeling about this" from Star Wars. What I'm amazed by is how they know the right context to use the lines. Autistic children are amazing.
All great ideas! We also watch on-line videos of the rides, and my DGS has a small squeeze flashlight shaped like Pumba that he takes with him on the dark rides. That way if he gets a little upset, he has his own special light that doesn't detract from the ride for others.
I think chicken nuggets & fries have become the official food of kids "on the spectrum." :) My DS11 is convinced that they're a food group unto themselves!Quote:
Originally Posted by Von-Drake
Everyone's provided some really great suggestions. My top three are: go at their pace; ear plugs; and down time.
Good luck & have a fabulous trip!
Robyn:mickey:
We too have a daughter with Autism...
We last went down during Christmas week. We all had a blast! :number1:
Now if I could only get her not to pester us to go back!!! :mickey:
She says "airplane" and Micky Mouse nearly every day!!
hehe...oh well.... (we're just gonna have to go back...I guess... haha!)
I just wanted to say hi to all the INTERCOT parents of children on the spectrum.I do not have an autistic child but I work in a hospital on the Developmental Disabilities unit.Most of my patients are on the autistic spectrum.It can be a very tough job, but being a parent has to be tougher.Kudos to all you loving parents!:muscles:I will be checking this thread regularly.
I have been at my job for nearly 2 years and I can honestly say I have never had a more rewarding experience in my life.I even shed a couple tears a few weeks back when one of our long term patients,age 7 with VERY limited verbal skills,actually said my name!This may seem like small thing to some but you all, with all your knowledge, will understand what a HUGE milestone it was!
My son is now 9 our first trip was for his 4th birthday my hubby and i were very nervous but i figured if it was too much or he didnt like we wouldnt come back . That was 5 years ago my son doesnt respond to anthing else like Disney he said his first three word sentence at magic kingdom , now we go every year sometimes twice a year he chooses the place he likes POP Century which is good for my wallet . the dining hall their can be a little loud and overwhelming so sometimes depending on how hes doing i bring the food back to the room. I take him to the smaller of the pools and im sure someone told you already get the guest assistance pass , i was a little uncomfortable at first using it but they go through some much day to day it makes it easier for them. I hope your sister gives it a try , especially if your going as a family and there are other people around the kids can help ! Good Luck