We are taking the boys to Disney World for the second time in less than 2 weeks. I sometimes cannot believe we are doing this, but there is a method to our madness.
Before becoming a Special Needs Mom, I imagined taking my children to Disney once, just as my parents had taken my brother and me. I thought of the "happiest place on earth" as man made, lacking culture and a huge advertisement to get parents to buy Disney products for their offspring. Yes, it is all those things, but for a family like ours, it is a place we can all enjoy ourselves. A place where Barney's issues don't feel quite so overwhelming and we can just be a family on vacation.
Disney has historically worked hard to accommodate special needs families. They don't just think about the child with special needs, they are sensitive to siblings and other family members as well. They want everyone in the family to have a wonderful time. When a parent or child is in a wheelchair, extra help boarding rides is an obvious need. Autism is an invisible condition (most of the time) but families touched by ASD are given the same assistance as those with any visible disability. Shorter lines and quiet, less crowded spaces to wait make all the difference for us.
We have somewhat altered our plans, having learned from our mistakes the first time around.
Travel: We booked a direct flight; more expensive but a necessity. Barney is OK when we initially set off on adventures, excitement helps. We bring headphones (planes are very loud), his favorite snacks, ipad, games, books and novel toys for the airport and on the plane and usually we can get through without a meltdown. Switching planes with a long layover or a mad dash to the other end of the airport because of a too short layover is asking for it. Been there, done that, not worth it!!!
Lodging: This time we are staying on property. Again, more expensive but well worth the money. When a hotel says they are 4 miles from Disney, that means the edge of the property. The Disney World property is huge!! Last trip we stayed 5 miles away and the hotel provided transportation to the park. Sounded good. What we did not know was each bus ride would take AN HOUR. The shuttle looped through three different hotels and stopped at Downtown Disney, Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom. Most mornings Barney needed a break as soon as we got off the bus. This trip we are staying in a Disney Condo near the Magic Kingdom. It has a small kitchen so we will have breakfast in our P.J.'s just like we do at home when we are on vacation. We can walk to the Magic Kingdom, take a short Monorail ride to Epcot and only have to board a bus for Hollywood Studios, Downtown Disney or Animal Kingdom. We are also close enough for Barney and I to return to our room in the middle of the afternoon if he needs some down time. This change in lodgings should be a huge improvement.
Dining: First visit I was afraid to commit to dinner plans. I had no idea what condition Barney would be in by the end of the day. At home, 4:30-bedtime is hell on the worst days, but never easy even on the best days. Unfortunately I aggravated this situation because without reservations we had long waits every night. I made reservations this time. Eating on schedule makes all the difference when trying to keep Barney regulated. We have dinner seating for 5:45 or 6 pm each evening. No guess work, no long wait. I am very hopeful that this change will improve our evenings significantly.
We are starting to become increasingly excited about our trip. Here's hoping it lives up to our expectations and then some.
No comments:
Post a Comment