Any other actually Autistic people on here?

The Vitaphone Queen

Eclipsing the sun in splendor
Joined
Sep 15, 2017
If you didn't already know from reading my profile, I am Autistic, and I would love to get in touch with other Autistics. I don't mean parents of Autistic kids (unless the parents are Autistic themselves). I mean actual Autistic people. But hey, I guess I already put that in my title. Oops. :-)

Psst...has anything at Disney ever driven you into the meltdown zone? For me it was Dream Along with Mickey. :P
 
Hi! :wave2: I'm Autistic! I've only actually been to WDW once as a toddler, though, so unfortunately I don't remember it at all. :(
 
I realize this is very late, I hadn't ventured on the boards in awhile. I'm on the spectrum. I'm sure I had meltdowns at Disney as a kid - theme parks were always bad for me - but I don't remember them. Since being an adult, I've been able to learn to enjoy them (due in part to being able to watch videos of attractions online so I know what's coming). Even so, I've had a few meltdowns or near-meltdowns at Disney, mostly due to crowds because I'm noise-sensitive. Since discovering the DAS pass it's not too awful, but I about lost my mind waiting in line for Buzz Lightyear at DL last year. The line is mostly outside and was taking awhile anyway, but there's a small section inside that echoes SO badly.
 
Oh, I've had little meltdowns at Disney too. Especially at Animal Kingdom. Rain + dirt = YUCK. Thankfully, I did get to meet Timon there. :)

*grumbles about gross dirty ground*--"OH LOOK THERE'S TIMON!"

A nice little injection of Hakuna Matata, yes indeed. :)
 
My son is autistic, I realize you asked for no parents.....but I'm disabled myself due to treatments for a benign brain tumor. I was recovering from the surgeries and gamma radiation treatment while Ben was being diagnosed as autistic. (This was in 2000 and Ben was 3.) As I was learning about the symptoms of autism, or rather experiences of being autistic as I prefer to think of it, I found the terms to explain/convey what I was experiencing with my recovery. At the time I was having intense episodes of oversensitivity to crowds, stores, areas with echoing sounds or intense visual lines (because my vestibular function was damaged). The only thing that kept me from throwing a fit, or melting down, was the fact that it was a new situation and I had my old behavior to fall back on in those places. But, as soon as I understood that Ben's meltdown was due to him feeling the same sensations I was it gave me the push to just get the heck out of there. I felt as much like rolling on the ground as he did.

Ben will be turning 21 in February and we've both learned to manage overstimulation. Ben has a service dog which we trained together. Friends have noticed that Beatrix tries to keep her eye on both of us, though Ben is the priority. We went to Disney World for the first time with Ben was seven. He had a few meltdowns but my sisters were with us so they were able to help both of us through the experience. The most memorable meltdown was when everyone wanted to go to Its a Small World and Ben didn't want to. It was very hot and we all wanted to be in the cool ride. I thought Ben would enjoy it when he realized it would get us out of the heat. I was mistaken, I think it was concern about the darkness (which to me felt comforting). I got him in the boat despite his objections. As the boat began to drift off he stuck his arm out and attempted to stop the boat....scared my sister to death. I pulled his arm away and hugged him the rest of the ride as he muttered about "breaking every doll in this place". I didn't override my common sense understanding of Ben's issues that again that trip. No Pirates of the Carribean for us

Because of Disney's progressive policies for autism and other disabilities we began Disney Vacation Club Members so we've been back several times since then. Even though I've gone through Its a Small World several times, I'm always haunted by the image of a skinny, seven-year-old Ben raging through the delightful homage to world peace.

I hope you don't mind that I replied. I can still experience overstimulation, especially if I'm tired. In that sense, I think of Ben and myself of a matched set. I can try and interest Ben in the forum but he's so used to Facebook he may not relate well to the interface of a forum.
 
Rebecca, thank you for your reply. I didn’t mean to offend. Ben sounds like a cool guy. Please tell him that he is cool. (Although I am happy he didn’t touch a single doll. LOL.)
 


I'm also autistic as well. o/ I have a very mild/high functioning form of it, but yeah... I'm also autistic as well. :3
 

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