What accommodations would help? New ASD Diagnosis.

Macduffy

Macduffy

DIS Veteran
Joined
May 18, 2009
We finally got a diagnosis for my 9 year old DS. ASD (Aspergers although technically that doesn't exist anymore), ADHD and some LD's. He gets easily overstimulated, has some sensory issues and we have some meltdowns and anxiety. We actually won't be going on many rides as a family due to his anxiety and sensory issues, we will be using the child swap feature a lot but for the attractions we do visit.

It's my understanding that Universal (which is where we are going) and Disney don't care about the actual diagnosis and don't want supporting paperwork but simply want to know what you need. The thing is, I don't know what I need. I don't really know what can help him. This is all very new to us and we are still finding our way at home and at school. I plan on asking his behaviour modification specialist what she recommends but really, who knows better than experience park go-ers.
What am I looking for? What will help us navigate the parks this summer? Perhaps the Guest Assistance Pass isn't for us.
 
Universal and Disney now use very similar systems- there's a sticky on the top of the disabilities forum all about it to help you understand how it works.
 
I guess I'm asking more about what accommodations to ask for based on what others have found helpful for similar kids. I'll take a read through the sticky and see if anything pops up there that answers my question. Thanks!
 
the only thing they have to accommodate people is in the lines for rides think of what will happen if he is stuck in line with a lot of people around him, and when you go to GR tell the CM this,

and have a great trip
 


I can't speak to what to ask for but some of the things we do to accommodate our asd daughter are:
1) mid day break! We leave the park every single day at 12 no matter what
2) having preferred items/food available as much as possible
3) stroller as a wheelchair so that she has a safe place. She usually covers it completely with her blanket to block out the world
4) charged portable device and headphones
5) letting her know the plan for the day ahead of time as much as possible
These are the big ones that keep our trips more manageable.

For universal we stay on property to get the express pass and discovered that Harry Potter was much quieter and less crowded the last hour of the day.
 
While his diagnosis(es) may be new, I'm assuming your son has been with you and dealing with his challenges for some time now. The diagnosis doesn't necessarily change things in that regard. Consider how your son reacts, or what challenges he encounters, in everyday life with regards to large crowds, waiting in queues, heat, noises, visual stimulation, unexpected changes in schedule. These are his "needs" to consider, whether asking for accommodations from the park or planning what to bring or do. Have you been to a local amusement park or zoo or museum or something similar? Think of his experiences there.

My family tries to stick as close to a "normal" schedule as possible for things like waking, meals, bedtime. I know it's vacation and people like to stay up late, but we find one or two late evenings is all we manage. We also plan one or two "non-park" days where we'll hang at the resort pool, visit Disney Springs, maybe visit other resorts, etc.

Enjoy your vacation!
 
If you have read about Guest Assistance Passes (GAC), those no longer exist, so anything you read about GACs is no longer correct.
At WDW and Disneyland, GAC was replaced by the Disability Access Service (DAS) in October 2013.

The accommodation offered by DAS is being able to wait outside of the line. As another poster mentioned, there is a thread posted near the top of this board that explains all about DAS. The first post in that thread is up to date, but the rest of it was written just before and just after DAS started, so don't bother reading any more then the first post.
Here is a link to that thread: https://www.disboards.com/threads/w...15-digital-das-on-tickets-magicbands.3178976/

When requesting DAS, you will need to explain a little about the needs and/or concerns your child has that make waiting in the regular line not possible for you. That is what the CMs will want to know, as lanejudy explained.

You got some good suggestions in other posts. I would add to make sure to schedule your 3 Fastpasses at each WDW park. DAS works best when used with those. We often find that we ont need to use DAS on a particular day because having those Fastpasses is enough for us.
Also, keep in mind that DAS can only be used on attractions he is going to be actually going on. You can't use it for attractions you plan to use child swap for him - those would be good attractions for you to use Fastpasses. Also, not all attractions offer Rider swap. In general, it's just those with height requirements or warnings.

Universal's program works very similar to WDW's DAS.
 


murmer said:
I can't speak to what to ask for but some of the things we do to accommodate our asd daughter are:
1) mid day break! We leave the park every single day at 12 no matter what
2) having preferred items/food available as much as possible
3) stroller as a wheelchair so that she has a safe place. She usually covers it completely with her blanket to block out the world
4) charged portable device and headphones
5) letting her know the plan for the day ahead of time as much as possible
These are the big ones that keep our trips more manageable.

For universal we stay on property to get the express pass and discovered that Harry Potter was much quieter and less crowded the last hour of the day.
Click to expand...
This was very helpful! Thanks!
 
also, if your child is sensitive to loud noises I'd check into noise cancelling headphones. my son was 5 when we went to WDW but he repeatedly asked for his "ears" and was happy as could be when he had them on.
 
The CM will ask what part of waiting in traditional lines is a problem, and what happens? How will a DAS make your experience easier and more enjoyable? That is the information they need to know.

For example, my ASD son has issues with people touching him or bumping into him (he will yell at them and carry on, cry, etc, even it is an accident). He has a problem with body temperature regulation and cannot tolerate waiting out in the heat for very long. He is noise sensitive (we use ear noise protection) and he has claustrophobia in dark enclosed spaces full of people. Having an alternate place to wait helps us manage these things so that he doesn't meltdown, forcing us to have to leave.

You know your child best, assuming you have lived with him for 9 years now. Maybe he doesn't need a DAS (my 12 year old ASD/Aspergers son does not need one). It's only needed when there are specific problems related to waiting in attraction lines.
 
You mention that he doesn't ride a lot of rides. Think about why. Does he not ride because he can't manage the standard queue or does he not ride because he can't actually handle the ride itself? If it is the queue then a DAS may be of assistance. If he isn't going to ride no matter what then the DAS will not help your family in any way.

Strongly consider what is going on. If he has noise issues then try noise canceling ear muffs. Try these before your trip at home because some with SPD can't wear the ear muffs. Is there music he enjoys that you can put on an iPod and use headphones if he won't wear the ear muffs? This can help him zone into something he can control and likes.

Is he sensitive to the light or darkness? If light bring sunglasses. If darkness then perhaps a small light up object for queues and help him understand he can't use it on a dark ride but he can have it in the line with him.

Go through as many Youtube videos of walk throughs of the park with him. If it helps him make a story board of what he will be doing that day and what order you would like them to be in.
 
lanejudy said:
Consider how your son reacts, or what challenges he encounters, in everyday life with regards to large crowds, waiting in queues, heat, noises, visual stimulation, unexpected changes in schedule.
Click to expand...
I second this. Very nice list although almost all on here are helpful in some way.
 
go get the DAS, this will help with your child inability to stand in line for longer periods, you tell this to the castmember, by now they are very familiar with the needs of children in the spectrum, bring his favorite snack and some entertainment, my 9 yold is fine walking, do bring earplugs! this will allow him to enjoy the rides and shows, especially fireworks, kids on the spectrum like structure, so letting him know before hand what to expect will help him big time. Have a great trip!
 
Macduffy said:
I guess I'm asking more about what accommodations to ask for based on what others have found helpful for similar kids. I'll take a read through the sticky and see if anything pops up there that answers my question. Thanks!
Click to expand...

The biggest issue is that there is no one answer since all kids, ASD or not, are different. What works for my son might not work for yours. My best advice is similar to what others have posted.

Think about what issues your son might have while in the parks, then see if you can think of something that will help you son not have those issues.

If he is light sensitive like my son, make sure you always have sunglasses and bring a spare pair (or 2 or 3)!

If he gets overstimulated, bring something from home that helps him block out the stimuli, my son brings his Nintendo DS and headphones to the parks. This helps with the noise as well as allowing him to "tune out" the crowds.

If he is anxious about rides, watch youtube videos and if there are some that he really seems keen to ride, make sure you book FP+ for those.

If he likes to know what is next, then give him the park maps and let him guide everyone.

We always take a mid-day break, our son seems to have a limit to how long we can be in the parks before he just has to go back to the hotel to decompress. Taking breaks will help with the over stimulation and to be honest, DH and I like the break as well!

danielocha30 said:
go get the DAS, this will help with your child inability to stand in line for longer periods
Click to expand...

Not all ASD kids are unable to stand in lines, this is why the CMs at GS want to know what a person's issues are instead of what their diagnosis is.
 
DLgal said:
He has a problem with body temperature regulation and cannot tolerate waiting out in the heat for very long.
Click to expand...

How do you help him regulate his body temp between attractions? We've found that there's a lot more exposure to heat and sun outside of the queues - luckily most of WDW's queues are covered, with fans. Lots of them are indoors, with AC. The walking between, especially from the buses, or through the park to our first FP+ is where I get the most exposure.
 
DisneyOma said:
How do you help him regulate his body temp between attractions? We've found that there's a lot more exposure to heat and sun outside of the queues - luckily most of WDW's queues are covered, with fans. Lots of them are indoors, with AC. The walking between, especially from the buses, or through the park to our first FP+ is where I get the most exposure.
Click to expand...

We go somewhere air conditioned while we wait. Or we find an air conditioned queue and go on that ride while we wait for a return time for a ride with an outdoor queue. We go to Disneyland primarily since we are locals to there and there are not many indoor queues there. At WDW we used to go in the winter but now we go in the summer but don't hit the parks until after 6pm and stay until late (since we are in West coast time, staying up late is easy in FL). We spend the mornings and afternoons either at the resort pool or a water park.

We also use cooling towels and fans and lots of ice water (I carry a CamelBak). I get him Icee treats as well, at least one a day when it's hot.
 
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Many of the accommodations deal with the queues for rides, so it may be that there won't be a lot Disney can offer if you are skipping a lot of the rides. If your child likes a "hidey-hole" at home, then perhaps stroller as a wheelchair will be the most beneficial, if he still uses a stroller. A previous poster asked why you would skipping the rides,and that is important to figure out now. If it is simply handling the queue, the DAS would be very helpful. If he dislikes the noises, the darkness, or the uncertainty of a ride, then the DAS won't be helpful. If you live near another amusement park, can you do practice runs, observing his behaviors and determining some coping strategies.
 
My son is on the opposite end of the spectrum, so I'll just you what works for us. He has some other issues, too.

As far as what Disney can to accommodate:
  • Stroller as wheelchair is the most important tool for us. It gives him a defined place to be and for the most part people stay out of that space (oddly, during one trip someone actually tried to let their kid sit on my son's lap during the parade. It was weird, but fortunately, no one got bit.)
  • DAS-my guy had real difficulty being squished into a loud space with people who move in unpredicatble ways-and frankly smell. Even with DAS it can be a challenge
But I would add that even with DAS, be clear with CM on your child's needs. I'll give an example of what I mean. My son can't do the stretch room at the Haunted Mansion when its crowded. On our Dec 2015 trip, I stated this, but I wasn't as clear or up front as I needed to be. One CM told us "go over there"....then the next CM didn't get the message and left us in the stretch room. At that moment I knew this would be an "issue" but instead of restating the need (really telling the very busy CM who was trying to do something else in clear, focused terms) I let it slide....I had to virtually drag him screaming the ride--a ride he loves and would have been even more upset to walk away from.

Now what strategies do we use:
  • Know the attractions. On our first trip I didn't. I just asked generally what they were like, and if they had strobe lights. We ended up in Stitch--if I bother to be informed before I took him in, I would have known this was a no go due to the "restraint" system. Watch Youtube videos, read reviews etc before you get there.
  • Have a touring strategy--and not just based on ride flow. I made the mistake of going left in MK to Adventureland on our first trip, where there is far less air conditioning than Futureworld. My son overheated and had what we now know was a seizure. Another factor include is crowd avoidance--especially around parade times. If we're not going to watch a parade, we plan to be far away, or sitting in a show to avoid the crowds
  • Plan to eat earlier than "normal" to avoid crowds--you could eat later, but then at least my son is "off" when he's hungry and more likely to loose it. If you plan to eat earlier than "normal" you can avoid big crowds.
  • Have a plan for who manages the kid, and who manages the people around the kid. I take kid, my mom who goes with us, takes point on getting people to honor his need for space. This is also how we do characters. She gives the handler a heads up, then we approach
  • Know where the bathrooms are (and never pass a companion bathroom)
  • We take stim breaks. We'll find quite places (ex off Main Street bathrooms near the opera lessons) to just sit and crunch leaves, flap, bounce. Just a few minutes where its ok to be a kid with autism instead of a kid with autism trying to fit into the world.
  • For Characters we take an autograph book and pen, not because I care about nice person writing on a piece of paper, but because it gives him something to hold onto and a defined purpose. (It also makes him interact.) BTW the characters know basic sign related to their "life"
  • Blanket goes to the park, no matter how hot its so he can cover up if needed
  • We start with ride on/ ride off rides before moving to defined stop rides. The softer transition works better until be gets the hang of WDW again.
  • He has snacks and a drink that he controls, they are available all the time. We also have a little ritual for getting up from the stroller then back in that involves the snacks/drink. Because of the ritual, the transition is easier
  • Keep in mind that tantrums happen...even for nuero typical kids. If the "worst" happens, just remember its probably happened with other kids who don't have a brain based reason, so you're not alone. (Hey, if nothing else just think at least you don't have CM who want to call security when they think you've been assault due to all the blood--been there, done that :) ) Even if you try something and it tanks, try again, cause it might be just fine.
  • We try not to assume my son won't be able to handle something (unless like Stitch, there was a specific very real reason I should have known we shouldn't try). We try to go with the attitude that he can handle WDW attractions until he he shows us he can't.
  • We watch crowd patterns as we go though the parks. I don't know the technical reasons, but even on less crowded days, people at WDW always seem to be the in same spot, while another equally fun section is virtually "empty". We found this to be true even on Christmas Day at MK.
  • We stay on site and drive. Trams/buses are a no go for us. Sometime even the Monorail is just too crowded for us.
Now, where some suggestions just cause you said this was a new diagnosis. These don't really work for my son because of his level:
  • Check out local resources for people with autism. I have found great benefit in meeting adults with various impact levels of autism. I can't tell you how many times, an adult with autism mentions something and I think, "Ahhh, that's why he does that!". Also at least my local Autism Society has an "Autism in the community Safety pack" that is great for daily life but also trips.
  • Have social stories that will help prepare your child for the trip---especially that model "what ifs". (On that note, don't forget that some bathrooms at WDW have two entrances.)
  • Have a picture/word schedule...begin sure to include "unknown"
  • Head phones to filter noise and sun glasses to filter light
  • This might not apply due to your child's level, but back up picture communication. Some of the high functioning adults I've talked to (including one how has a PHD) say that when they are in sensory overload, verbal communication is just too much--they can't get past the overload to the words
 
murmer said:
I can't speak to what to ask for but some of the things we do to accommodate our asd daughter are:
1) mid day break! We leave the park every single day at 12 no matter what
2) having preferred items/food available as much as possible
3) stroller as a wheelchair so that she has a safe place. She usually covers it completely with her blanket to block out the world
4) charged portable device and headphones
5) letting her know the plan for the day ahead of time as much as possible
These are the big ones that keep our trips more manageable.

For universal we stay on property to get the express pass and discovered that Harry Potter was much quieter and less crowded the last hour of the day.
Click to expand...

This is a great list. #3 has been very helpful for our son. We still used a stroller on our trip last year when he was 9 because it is a safe space for him. He always pulls the shade down when we are walking from one area of the park to another so he can have some personal "down time." If you plan on doing fireworks consider bringing some ear plugs or headphones. And letting her know what you are doing ahead of time will also be very helpful.
 
Macduffy said:
I guess I'm asking more about what accommodations to ask for based on what others have found helpful for similar kids. I'll take a read through the sticky and see if anything pops up there that answers my question. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Well, I can't say whether I'm a "similar kid" just because each of us are pretty different, but I will say that what has been helpful for me is:
a) DAS pass has been fantastic. No meltdowns, no frantic 'get me out of this line!' panics, none of that. And I have really bad sensory overload, especially auditory, so lines are a big problem for me. As you'll see in the stickies, you don't need to talk about the diagnosis, just about what needs your son has that make waiting in a line environment difficult.
b) One of the issues I always had when I was younger (especially 8-12-ish) was being terrified of any ride I didn't already know. What I would have given to have had Youtube back then! You can learn so much about what the rides will be like that way: Is it loud? Is it dark? How dark? How loud? Are there things that look like they'll hit you in the head? What about scary parts? Once I know nothing is going to jump out at me (or I know when so I can look away in advance), I can ride a LOT more than I ever could have.
c) Going during the least crowded time possible. Obviously you have to work around the school schedule, but less crowded times are a big help. For us that means rope-drop every morning, then heading back to chill when it starts to get too crowded/overwhelming. That said, sometimes the constant sense of jumping back and forth to the hotel and the park and a different park and the hotel and a park and- etc. can be just as overwhelming and frustrating.
d) If he's anything like my partner with ADHD, you will probably want to have several conversations with him about what to do if he accidentally wanders off. It's so easy to get separated with the crowds even if he doesn't get distracted by shiny objects normally, but at Disney it's much moreso.
 
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