Which one park for child with Autism?

[of2dbeach]

we have 5 children 1 is 17 with autism/epielpsy the other is 7 with major sensory issues . I really dont take my son to the parks much because when we have he flipps out and he loves staying at grams house "Alone" but when we have taken him he seems to like epcot MUCH better. My daughter who is 7 also loves Epcot much more but goes to MK for the princesses, parades etc. She has an autograph book but is VERY shy and we can hardly ever get her up there to get one with the Character. one thing we did diffrent last time we went ( march 2010 ) is bring ear plugs for her and man Oh man did it help.. ALOT!! this is a child who freaked when we got to the top of the train station and she heard someone talking over the loud speaker and did a quick exit stage right ! i chased her down and told her it would be ok we waited for them to stop talking and I got her to go back onto the loading platform with me. there was a CM there and she completely understood because her brother has Autism too
Do the GAS like others have stated another trick we use if if they are getting sensory over load is to hop on the Monorail head to the Contemporary and go all the way down stairs to the game room. it is pretty empty by then and we can have lunch or a snack the kids can play some games and Michael sat watching old black and white Disney cartoons on the tv laying on a bean bag chair giggling his butt off!!
He had more fun watching the cartoons then being in the parks. We are going back this weekend for a "girls Only" Mothers day thing brining 7 yr old with us. Send me a message if you need more help!

[nitingail]

We will be going to Disney with my almost-8-yr-old granddaughter in about a week. She has Aspergers, is very active and excited about some of the more motion-oriented rides but also melts down when bored or frustrated, which we can expect she will be in long lines on a hot, crowded July day. So I definitely got the message that we need to get one of these treasured Guest Assistance Cards - except that I haven't found any post that tells me what they DO! LOL So could someone clue me in on how they work, so that I'll understand why they are so magically indispensable (which I am now SURE that they are!) LOL again. Thanks!

[Rekenna]

We will be going to Disney with my almost-8-yr-old granddaughter in about a week. She has Aspergers, is very active and excited about some of the more motion-oriented rides but also melts down when bored or frustrated, which we can expect she will be in long lines on a hot, crowded July day. So I definitely got the message that we need to get one of these treasured Guest Assistance Cards - except that I haven't found any post that tells me what they DO! LOL So could someone clue me in on how they work, so that I'll understand why they are so magically indispensable (which I am now SURE that they are!) LOL again. Thanks!

Hi! The cards are the GAC cards and will allow you to come through the handicap entrance and get on the ride with minimal wait. We haven't had to use one of these yet b/c our DS with Autism is only 2 and has the capability to wait and we go during Value season. I believe if you just go to Town Hall (on your right when you enter MK) the CM's there will be able to help you and explain the GAC program a little better. I would definetly get one for her. Good luck, have fun!

[BrerGnat]

Guest Assistance Cards are not a "one size fits all" thing. There are several different types, and they each serve a different function. They DO NOT all allow immediate ride entrance, or waiting in the handicap area.

If your child has difficulty with any aspect of the theme park experience, you need to explain what the problem is, and a CM will issue you the proper type of GAC. You do NOT need to provide your child's diagnosis, or even name their condition, but you do need to have a good idea of your child's limitations and be able to explain them.

For example, my two sons on the Autism spectrum (4 and 6) can wait in lines most of the time. However, they get extremely anxious in dark, enclosed spaces, and/or lines where people "snake around each other back and forth" (i.e. the cattle lines). They tend to need to move a LOT, due to sensory seeking issues, and in lines, this translates into trying to climb the poles, hang from the chains/ropes, touching other guests, spinning, flopping on the ground, etc. So, I simply explain to the CM that my kids have sensory issues that make waiting in TRADITIONAL lines difficult for them and the people around them. We got a card designated "alternate waiting area where available". What this meant, most of the time, was using the exit as the entrance, but sometimes there was indeed a separate waiting area (with seats and stuff) where we would hang out for several minutes until a CM walked us onto the ride (Spaceship Earth is a good example of this type).

However, there are so many different types of GAC cards, and they really tailor it to your child's specific needs. You only need to get one GAC for the length of your stay, they will issue it with an expiration date written on it, which is the day you check out, usually.