Advice for planning first time visit for child with Aspergers

[Jen1984]

Hi everybody, wondering if i could have a bit of help! Am trying to plan a 2 week trip for my partner and his 8 year old son who has Apergers.(Neither have ever been to a Disney park, anywhere.)Am thinking about September this year, when children are in school to make it a bit quieter for him (I went with my sister this September, and didn't have to queue for more that 15 mins for a ride!) Any other tips? Think that we will need somewhere with a separate room for him, as he really does tend to need his own space to relax in. Would it be worth paying the extra to be on site or to save a bit of money and go off site? He is Disney mad, but torn as to whether he would be able to cope with it all. Also any other tips for general day to day stuff whilst there would be great- really want to make sure they have a fantastic time so can go again and again! Thanks in advance!

[Mickey'sGirl]

We've been travelling to the World with our autistic children since they were little (our eldest DS has Asperger's), and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it as a vacation destination for any Asperger family!

We like to go for longer trips, and I see that you have that in mind too. The longer trip allows for easy coming and going from the parks. If your friend's son becomes overwhelmed by the park, you can leave and come back another time without the pressure of "we only have 3 days!".

We always include the boys in our planning, that way they feel like they have some control over what is going on, rather than being pulled around from place to place to place.

Our basic strategy is to be organized. We have an idea of where we are going, and what we are going to do before we start the day. That way we can discuss it, and prepare the boys (Asperger kids like to know what's coming next).

We always start the day early, and take a break part way through. Typically, we are at the park at opening, before the crowds become overwhelming, and we leave after lunch to have a swim or hang out at the resort. We go back to a park late in the afternoon/early in the evening.

We make use of Fastpasses. Our kids can't handle really long waits, so if the wait is longer than 20 minutes, we get a Fastpass, and move on to something else. The long stay allows us to come back another time if the wait is abysmally long.

We guage our day by their moods. Travelling is hard on everyone, but kids who need order and structure to make sense of their world are especially prone to melt downs. We take it easy, and if we see that things are just too much for the kids, we call it a day, and go do something less stimulating with them.

We always have at least one sit down, table service meal every day. My children are accustomed to home-made, unprocessed foods, and lots of vegetables. There are healthier, more palatable choices available to them at sit down eateries, and it also forces us to take a break and regroup a bit.

Mickey Bars are an essential part of our successful Disney adventures. We budget into our vacation expenses, and they often calm even the most trying times!

We have never booked a separate room for the boys, except when we are staying in our DVC resort. We have found that everyone is so tired and ready to flub when we get back to the room, that there was no issue with space. I don't know that Disney would be keen on having a minor in his own room either, unless it was in a "suite" type situation. If you were staying off-site, there may be more "condo-like" opportunities available to you.

Lastly, September is slower, but two weeks is an awful long time to pull a guy out of school for. There might be some resistance from your school.

I hope your planning goes well, and that you are able to make a trip!

[teambricker04]

Although we haven't been to WDW since my youngest son was diagnosed with Autism, and he is younger than 8, we do have some strategies for successful travels.

1) We take it as it comes, when we plan it is just a skeleton and it can change as quickly as we need it to. When we fly, we talk about it a lot before hand, and have a plan of action for getting on the plane with out screams or tears.

2) We LOVE long trips as well... we take our time. Get there at opening, eat lunch, return for swimming and a nap, head back to the park or what ever floats our boat.

3) We never make ADRs and we always pack snacks. ADRs don't work for us, if we can't just walk up and get seated within 20 minutes we can't do it. Our plans can change so quickly that we don't bother making ADRs. We know that about our little family so we work around it. I was sick of hamburgers for every meal... turns out there are a TON of CS options, you just need to know they are there! We made a list that goes on DH phone (yes, it is fancy). Where ever we are, we can look up what is around and make choices.

4) iPod. Need I say more?

5) We stay away from characters. We have learned from experience. Maybe DS will change his mind one day, but for now its a no. Our older DS LOVES the characters so he usually gets one on one time with DH or myself to go see them. We do eat at character meals, but we let the staff know that DS won't want to get so up close and personal... that has always been respected.

What works for one kid with an ASD doesn't always work for the next. My biggest thing is to read the cues and if it seems like it is too much, find a quiet space. You will be surprised at how many quiet spaces there are at WDW!

If you need a some more space consider staying at the AS Music in a family suite or a cabin at FW! We love both of them for the basic fact that we aren't all on top of each other!!!

September seems like it would be a great time to go! Low crowds and still nice and warm! Good luck with your planning!!!

[forever a child]

I just wanted to say welcome to Intercot!

My nephew has Aspergers. I think it is great that you are trying to get as prepared as possible to make it easy for him. I hope you all have a wonderful trip together.

[PercyPug]

I have a 9yo DD with Aspergers, and we have traveled to WDW many times with her. I agree with the other posters but I have 2 things to add:
1. If the child chews gum for sensory reasons, make sure you bring your own, because they don't sell gum at WDW.

2. Earplugs are essential for us. Our DD has some sensory issues, and Disney keeps things LOUD. We buy the ones you squish up from Walmart.

Also, we have been in September and it is still quite hot, so be prepared! We always make ADR for a sit-down dinner, and have our DD pick out the restaurants. She likes her routines and having a plan, so this is a must for her, but again, each child is different!

[Rekenna]

Hi! Our DS2 was just recently diagnosed (labled) autistic, we are still in the testing/reviewing stages so he hasn't been placed on the spectrum yet. He has been to WDW twice and he loves it. He has some sensory issues but the hustle and bustle of WDW don't seem to bother him too much. He's pretty laid back. His favorite thing to do is watch people come off rides when everyone is running, screaming, laughing.

We use the QSDP which works well for our whole family, there are 5 of us. He isn't bothered by any rides, he has ridden everything he was tall enough for. He also is very content in the hotel room and if he has had a stressful day he loves a bath to calm him down before going to bed. He has only stayed at Values, so smaller rooms. He likes the hotel b/c he can run back and forth, watch his shows, drink his juice and eat snacks. He also like the playground and grounds of the hotels.

The characters don't seem to bother him, he smiles when they come his way and doesn't have any issues if the characters touch him.

If you do a TS meal, DS2 liked Coral Reef, we requested a table close to the tank. It is dim lighting, quiet and soothing. On the flip side he also loved T-Rex at DTD which is very loud and rough-go figure!

We are still learning about autism and are understanding that all people have different issues, situations, limitations. DS2 seems to be pretty low level and goes with the flow. We have been the last week of September, it was a little on the warm side, not unbearable, and the crowds were good.

Good luck planning, I hope you all have a great time.

[BashfulMom]

Hi! Our DS2 was just recently diagnosed (labled) autistic, we are still in the testing/reviewing stages so he hasn't been placed on the spectrum yet.

We are still learning about autism and are understanding that all people have different issues, situations, limitations. DS2 seems to be pretty low level and goes with the flow.

Rekenna,
I empathize with what you are going through. Our DS5 was "labled" autistic one week after he began Kindergarten. I believe the hardest part is getting through all the testing and waiting for the results.
Our DS5 was diagnosed with ADHD and Dyspraxia. Even through the doctors felt that he exibts some autistic characteristics, he did not have enough to be considered autistic. Evidently some of these same characteristics can also be a result of ADHD. Anyway, He is in 1st grade and is doing great.

We took him to Disney before all this began and even though he had a few meltdowns we had a great time.

[littlesister]

We took my son who has Asperger's when he was almost 10. We are headed to WDW again next week. It was wonderful for us. We saw online that a Dr.s note describing our son's issues would be helpful to give to the Guest Service desk at the front of MK. They gave us a special pass to help us navigate through longer lines without interrogation. This was like a fastpass, but helped even on rides that did not have fastpass. Basically, you are asked to enter through a separate entrance to expedite the line. No one gave us a hard time or dirty look. It was a Godsend! My son made it through most of the week (it worked at all parks) before finally getting overwhelmed and needing to take it down a notch. He would have made it through about a day without the pass (or Passpie as we affectionately call it). We prepped him with any documentary about WDW (even the trip planning video helped). He also used earplugs for shows/fireworks and we took breaks at the hotel. We had ADR every night so we knew what to expect. When he asked about the pass and worried that it was "cheating", we explained that Walt Disney wanted everyone to enjoy his park and he made the pass so that our son could enjoy it as much as everyone else. My son cried and said Walt Disney was a kind man for thinking of him.

[beksy]

I don't have any experience with this, but have traveled a lot with people with disabilities, especially my sister who has social anxiety issues (they were so bad she had to be home schooled) so I know a little bit about dealing with crowds, meltdowns, etc. For my sister I have found that the way the day goes depends on her mood and it is no use to try to fight it or we are both miserable. The card from guest services is wonderful (I look healthy but have RA and can't do stairs). When we are in a crowded area sometimes she is fine but sometimes she starts getting panicky. That is usually a good time for a snack and to find a place off to the side to people watch. I've learned that if the crowds on mainstreet get too bad, it is good to duck into a store and we never leave as soon as the park closes since the crowds are huge. We've found quiet spots in every park that we head to if she needs a break. I've also learned that I need to watch her and watch for when she needs a break since often she will not realize it until its getting really bad. Another major thing for us is to avoid WCC. She is fine at character meals but can't handle this. I hope you have a great time!

[Plex]

One of my co-workers has a son with autism and just took a Disney vacation a few months ago.

These sorts of disorders are covered with Disney's Handicap passes. They gave totally glowing reviews about the care and attention they received from Disney with their son!

I'm not sure what exactly you need to do to get set up with these accommodations, but I'd start by asking about it when you book your trip.

[ljgirl]

We took my son who has Asperger's when he was almost 10. We are headed to WDW again next week. It was wonderful for us. We saw online that a Dr.s note describing our son's issues would be helpful to give to the Guest Service desk at the front of MK. They gave us a special pass to help us navigate through longer lines without interrogation. This was like a fastpass, but helped even on rides that did not have fastpass. Basically, you are asked to enter through a separate entrance to expedite the line. No one gave us a hard time or dirty look. It was a Godsend! My son made it through most of the week (it worked at all parks) before finally getting overwhelmed and needing to take it down a notch. He would have made it through about a day without the pass (or Passpie as we affectionately call it). We prepped him with any documentary about WDW (even the trip planning video helped). He also used earplugs for shows/fireworks and we took breaks at the hotel. We had ADR every night so we knew what to expect. When he asked about the pass and worried that it was "cheating", we explained that Walt Disney wanted everyone to enjoy his park and he made the pass so that our son could enjoy it as much as everyone else. My son cried and said Walt Disney was a kind man for thinking of him.

Love this story! Your son must be one sweet llitle guy!

[nitingail]

Your post made me cry! We're taking my 8-yr-old granddaughter (Asperger's) in about two weeks so I was looking on the Boards here for more information on the Guest Assistance Cards. We are going in July, when it's most hot and crowded - for one day - because a relative bought the tickets for us as a gift. It will be my granddaughter's first Disney visit and she's very excited but we know the crowds and noise and stimulation are going to take their toll. I found the info I was looking for but I just had to tell you how moved I was by your child's words. What a sweetie!

[Disneyfamilyof3]

Hello everybody

I know that the original poster's trip must be long over; but I wanted to make area comments:

First, LittleSister, your post about your little boy with regard to him feeling like he was somehow cheating by using the pass made me cry. It's so true, and such a striking feature of Aspergers Syndrome, I think. My son was dxed high IQ/ Aspie when he was five. We have home schooled him since, which has enabled us to go to WDW as often as possible. Even though our family has parted ways with WDW over an unresolved dispute ( our only dispute in 9 years), I would still love to add what we have Lerner over the years. Plus, even though we won't be back to WDW, the past customer service we had received from their superlative castmembers had helpedour son make huge leaps in areas like social, expression/ body language, kindness and humor, that part of me feels that WDW should be a MUST for asperger kids,.. with guidelines, of course. My family was a case study family used for an author writing a book on homeschooling kids with aspergers syndrome: had we been interviewed earlier, I would have included mention ofWDW. But, here are our tips:

When they are young:5-8 years old:
1) Bring earplugs! This is a must!
2) havefavorite snacks: my son has food issues. He'd starve if I didn't have certain food for him: I believe they are texture related.
3) make sure they are going to the bathroom ( you don't want to know, lol)

4) Go during the least busy times of the year: even if you take them out of school. Disney is educational and SOCIAL. In ways that, imo, are better than school; because it is pure fun that appears unstructured; but it actually is quite structured.

5) stay at a quieter resort, or get a room away from noise

6) if your kid melts down, it's way past the time to leave the parks.

7) liten to them.Don't wait for the meltdown

Teenaged aspies: Great opportunity for freedom and responsibility; as long as they understand YOUR rules ( ha, ha, aspies are greatwith rules)

1) I give my son lots of freedom at Disney: have since he was 12. The first few times, try and bring a NTfriend or cousin as a segue. Give the kids their card ( we do dining plan, so my son loves having the freedom to go off on his own for CS or snack options)

2) An Ipod touch is a must for my son: he has downloaded his favorite videos and tv shows ( my son was born with a 45 year old man mentality. His favorite show is " Curb Your Enthusiasm", he thinks Larry David has Aspergers Syndrome) . The thing my son loved best about WDW in teenagedyears, is the fact that he was able towalk from our hotel, to Epcots worldshowcase, buy a CS of fish and chips from England, and come back to sit by Stormalong Bay and eat and read by the pool

3) Let your teenager have fun his own way: My son methodically went on every thrill ride at WDW, to show the world he could, and then just asked to be left alone about the rides. For years, his favorite attractions have been: The Haunted Mansion at MK; Spaceship Earth, the Maelstrom at Norway,... and Illuminations Reflections of Earth. My son has always loved Epcot the bet since the very first time we visited, when he was five.

I think WDW is a fantastic thing for children with Aspergers Syndrome, as long as you are non judgemental about his/ her sensory/ social/ food issues. The most important advice of all is read up on all the most recent reviews of the hotelsyou are contemplating: just because service was great at one last year,don't assumethings never change. Be up on the latest, and choose the hotel with the best rep of the kindest cat members. My son used to love the BCR,...but he loved Pop Century even more! When askedwhy, he said he loved the slurpees that the food court offered. For him, that was the most important feature.