WDW Guide for Cognitive Disabilities including ASD

and :welcome: to the DIS I take it you are planing a trip to disney with someone with a disability did you get all you questions answered
 
Aww... Thank you!

I mainly learned where quiet places are and how long the different rides are from the guide.

It will be my 9 year old's first time on an airplane/at disney/out of the state etc... So lots of exciting firsts.

I waited till now because I think he is ready to handle it.

I think a DAS will definitely help us. I am nervous about explaining to guest services in front of him about why he needs it. I have already told him that it is for kids that have a hard time waiting in line.

We have an 8:05 ADR the first morning at MK. We are staying offsite at a hotel near Disney Springs. I am thinking about Ubering it. I am not exactly sure by what time we should get to the entrance of MK. I also don't know how long it will take to get through bag check. And then through guest services.

I think he is going to have a blast at Disney!
 
Getting a DAS card is not that hard just let the CM know what his needs are

I think since you have a ADR before park opens it might be best to go there first then get your DAS card after I know a little back tracking but you do not want to miss your ADR

if you have a car you can drive to the TTC and take the boat or monaural over

bag check should not be that bad most of the time I am in and out in 5 minutes ( only one time when I got there about 10 minutes after park opens it took 45 minute yes 45 minutes this has changed now that they open more bag check lines
 
Yes - it's been posted as a link in multiple threads. It is a very nice resource though, so thanks for sharing and giving your thoughts about it.

There is one for WDW and one for Disneyland. I actually saw them before they were published online - they are really nice.
There is also a link in the DAS thread for WDW and DL that are pasted near the top of this board. (In post 3 of each of those thread). I can't remember if I added them into the disABILITIES FAQs thread or not.
I agree they are a very helpful resource.
 
Aww... Thank you!

I mainly learned where quiet places are and how long the different rides are from the guide.

It will be my 9 year old's first time on an airplane/at disney/out of the state etc... So lots of exciting firsts.

I waited till now because I think he is ready to handle it.

I think a DAS will definitely help us. I am nervous about explaining to guest services in front of him about why he needs it. I have already told him that it is for kids that have a hard time waiting in line.

We have an 8:05 ADR the first morning at MK. We are staying offsite at a hotel near Disney Springs. I am thinking about Ubering it. I am not exactly sure by what time we should get to the entrance of MK. I also don't know how long it will take to get through bag check. And then through guest services.

I think he is going to have a blast at Disney!
You are goi g during a very busey time and finding any quiet places will be very hard to find I bring a towl to sit on and an umbrella for shade and to hide from first aid is a good place too
 


Aww... Thank you!

I mainly learned where quiet places are and how long the different rides are from the guide.

It will be my 9 year old's first time on an airplane/at disney/out of the state etc... So lots of exciting firsts.

I waited till now because I think he is ready to handle it.

I think a DAS will definitely help us. I am nervous about explaining to guest services in front of him about why he needs it. I have already told him that it is for kids that have a hard time waiting in line.

We have an 8:05 ADR the first morning at MK. We are staying offsite at a hotel near Disney Springs. I am thinking about Ubering it. I am not exactly sure by what time we should get to the entrance of MK. I also don't know how long it will take to get through bag check. And then through guest services.

I think he is going to have a blast at Disney!

About explaining his needs right in front of him, I usually have my son come with me to guest services but stand sort of off to the side with my husband while I explain my son's needs to the cast member. Then he comes over for the picture and to "say hi" to the cast member. So if you're traveling with another adult, you may not have to explain your son's needs right in front of him!
 
TexasPrincess, I'm a 21 year old with high functioning autism so I can hep.

Your son was like me when it came to first time on an airplane although it wasn't my first time at Disney (Disneyland is my home being in Southern California). For the DAS, you will need to explain to the CM why he needs it and he will need to be there with you.
 
I think a DAS will definitely help us. I am nervous about explaining to guest services in front of him about why he needs it. I have already told him that it is for kids that have a hard time waiting in line.

About explaining his needs right in front of him, I usually have my son come with me to guest services but stand sort of off to the side with my husband while I explain my son's needs to the cast member. Then he comes over for the picture and to "say hi" to the cast member. So if you're traveling with another adult, you may not have to explain your son's needs right in front of him!

One of the important things we teach our students with disabilities is that they need to 'own' their lives, and that includes understanding what they can do independently and what they need to work on, need help with, etc. We're all good at something, and may totally suck at something else. My students know I can do the academic stuff 'no problem', but know I need help cooking. They'll tell you not to ask me to make cookies - I once forgot to put the oatmeal in the oatmeal cookies we were making...

WDW does not ask for a diagnosis, just what issues a person may have that makes it very difficult to wait in a queue. I'm betting your children already know they have issues with waiting in a queue. It's nothing to be ashamed of, so is there another reason I'm missing that you don't feel comfortable talking about what is hard for them in front of them? Kids are smart - they figure out why adults do things a certain way, and pick up on subtle cues we think go over their heads.
 
One of the important things we teach our students with disabilities is that they need to 'own' their lives, and that includes understanding what they can do independently and what they need to work on, need help with, etc. We're all good at something, and may totally suck at something else. My students know I can do the academic stuff 'no problem', but know I need help cooking. They'll tell you not to ask me to make cookies - I once forgot to put the oatmeal in the oatmeal cookies we were making...

WDW does not ask for a diagnosis, just what issues a person may have that makes it very difficult to wait in a queue. I'm betting your children already know they have issues with waiting in a queue. It's nothing to be ashamed of, so is there another reason I'm missing that you don't feel comfortable talking about what is hard for them in front of them? Kids are smart - they figure out why adults do things a certain way, and pick up on subtle cues we think go over their heads.
I really like your perspective and I have 2 stories to go with it.

One is a child whose parents avoided having him hear any discussions about his issues. He heard them quietly talking and knew they were talking about him. One day, his mom thought he was in a room farther away, he overheard his mom talking to someone else about him being autistic (he had Aspergers). He was relieved - since it was something they whispered about and never talked with him about, he knew he was different, but figured he must be weird or it must be something really shameful and bad.

Another is a story one of my instructors in Nursing school told us that that happened to her. She was caring for a little girl who was dying of cancer. The parents didn't want her to know and had orders all over the medical record that no one was to tell her about it. The Nursing staff didn't agree, but followed the parent's instructions. If she started asking questions, they changed the subject, so she really didn't think she could talk to them.
One day, the girl told the Housekeeper, "I know I'm dying, but I don't think my parents know. They whisper a lot. I've tried to talk to the nurses, but they are not listening. I don't think they know either. I can tell I am getting weaker and someone needs to tell my parents."
She asked the Housekeeper to please tell her parents (Housekeeping staff were about the only people who were not aware of the parents' instructions). Luckily, the Housekeeper told the girl's nurse and everyone, including the girl had a discussion.

So, sometimes the good intentions of trying to hide something from a child lets the child's imagination take over and come up with something much worse than the truth.
 
I just don't want him to get hung up on a label or to use it as an excuse.
i would tell him every one has something they are good at and not good at but this is not an excuse not to try your best. It just means you have to work harder at some things. trust me he knows there is something different about him.
 
We have an 8:05 ADR the first morning at MK. We are staying offsite at a hotel near Disney Springs. I am thinking about Ubering it. I am not exactly sure by what time we should get to the entrance of MK. I also don't know how long it will take to get through bag check. And then through guest services.

Not to derail the conversation, but regarding your early morning: if you are going to take Uber, have them drop you at the CR. It's only a 10 minute walk to the MK. Instead of going to TTC, and then trying to figure out what's running; the monorail, the ferry, or just buses. Bag check should be quick. Try to arrive there by 7:30. They will start admitting the PPO Breakfast guests at 7:45.

If you're one of the first guests admitted, getting the DAS should only take a few minutes. Otherwise, back track to GS after breakfast.
 
Not to derail the conversation, but regarding your early morning: if you are going to take Uber, have them drop you at the CR. It's only a 10 minute walk to the MK. Instead of going to TTC, and then trying to figure out what's running; the monorail, the ferry, or just buses. Bag check should be quick. Try to arrive there by 7:30. They will start admitting the PPO Breakfast guests at 7:45.

If you're one of the first guests admitted, getting the DAS should only take a few minutes. Otherwise, back track to GS after breakfast.
Dropping off at Contemporary is a good idea.
That is the only place you can be dropped off that would not involve going to the TTC (Ticket and Transportation Center)
 
I get where you are coming from. Sometimes my daughter hearing the behavior said out loud makes her obsessively do it all day. I usually try to say "she has obsessive behaviors that are not pleasant for others in line that will go all day if she hears me say them out load. I would be happy to jot them on a piece of paper for you because trust me, you don't want to see what happens if she hears me say them out loud." That usually works. But she is obviously disabled.
 
My lovely little grandson has Dyspraxia and SPD (still awaiting assessment as to whether he is on the Autism spectrum) we visited WDW for his 4th birthday and he coped really well but as he gets older (he will be 8 when we return next year) he finds decision making terribly stressful to the point of we have to walk away and take a break - and then may or may not return. I've read that if we get the DIS we will be able to avoid some of the queuing but how will CM's deal with the rest of the family - including his younger sister - if we are allowed to access at fast track then he has to leave? Will they allow me to leave with him and the rest of the family to take the ride?
 
My lovely little grandson has Dyspraxia and SPD (still awaiting assessment as to whether he is on the Autism spectrum) we visited WDW for his 4th birthday and he coped really well but as he gets older (he will be 8 when we return next year) he finds decision making terribly stressful to the point of we have to walk away and take a break - and then may or may not return.
1 I've read that if we get the DIS we will be able to avoid some of the queuing but
2 how will CM's deal with the rest of the family - including his younger sister
3 - if we are allowed to access at fast track then he has to leave?
4 Will they allow me to leave with him and the rest of the family to take the ride?

1 yes you grandson will be allowed to go through the Fast pass line most of the time they are 10 minutes ( some times longer some times shorter)
2 you can take up to 5 people with the person with the disability if you have more they may be able to help you but it sounds it might be mom dad boy sister and grandparent(s) so 6 in all.
3 you should all leave if he is having a meltdown or needs to for some reason tell the CM when you leave then they can reissue the ride and you will not have to wait over again ( I have had to do this a number of times my self and it has never been a problem ) let him calum down some and see when he is ready to go back
4 yes you could do this some people look down on this. think about if you were in an hour long line and you were 5 minute from the front and one of you kids needed to leave ( for any resion the bathroom anything ) how would you handle it. but with the DAS card the person with the card should ride.( this is what Disney says )
 
1 yes you grandson will be allowed to go through the Fast pass line most of the time they are 10 minutes ( some times longer some times shorter)
2 you can take up to 5 people with the person with the disability if you have more they may be able to help you but it sounds it might be mom dad boy sister and grandparent(s) so 6 in all.
3 you should all leave if he is having a meltdown or needs to for some reason tell the CM when you leave then they can reissue the ride and you will not have to wait over again ( I have had to do this a number of times my self and it has never been a problem ) let him calum down some and see when he is ready to go back
4 yes you could do this some people look down on this. think about if you were in an hour long line and you were 5 minute from the front and one of you kids needed to leave ( for any resion the bathroom anything ) how would you handle it. but with the DAS card the person with the card should ride.( this is what Disney says )
Thank you so much. Yes I've read the guide and appreciate we should all leave but am a little concerned his younger sister may never get on a ride - as she has no issues perhaps if we find its a problem we will have to split up and she can queue normally but be a shame if we can't stay together- we will live and learn I'm sure. Again thank you.
 

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