Going to Disney World with Aleks was amazing! It was her first real trip to Disney and Disney made it a pleasure. I had heard that Disney really takes extra care to help children and families with autism and they really do! This was our first family vacation since Aleks was diagnosed with autism and started her biomedical therapies and special diet. I have to say that I was nervous about how she would do with all the stimulation and just changes to her schedule. I was also nervous about what she would be able to eat and if the 'special pass' from Disney would really work.
We stayed in a one bedroom suite at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge. We originally had a studio suite (Queen bed with a small refrigerator and microwave and a pull-out couch) booked, but after getting there we soon realized that without having a separate bedroom she would freak out and it wouldn't work. She also was none to willing to sleep on a pull out couch. For those of you without an autism link, this is due to it being different which equals scary to a child with ASD. This is not about her being a diva! Despite the extra money, we knew that if we didn't fix the room issue it would add to her stress and ours. It turned out to be the best decision we could have made. The room looked out at the animals and was very quiet. That was a real blessing. The other blessing was that having the animals around calmed her. Also the room had a full kitchen which allowed us to make her breakfast every morning. If you didn't hear it on my show, I took 2 pounds of frozen bacon, 1 pound of frozen sausage, a bag of frozen pancakes and a bag of frozen muffins in my suitcase. This plus we shipped crackers, almond butter and strawberry jam to FL before we arrived!
We were at WDW for 3 nights, and went to the parks for two days. We spent the first day that we flew in at the AK Lodge pool and just hanging out at Animal Kingdom Lodge. We then took her to the Magic Kingdom for part of day 1, then the afternoon at the pool then went over to the Animal Kingdom and did one of their last safari rides. It was a perfect first day and not to overwhelming. For the second day we went to the MGM Studios. It was wonderful! We saw The Little Mermaid Show (heads up it's dark and Ursula is a little scary) and saw the live Playhouse Disney show. If your child watches Disney in the morning they will LOVE this!! The shows were great and she was just a regular kid seeing all her favorite characters. We also let her get some energy out at the 'Honey I Shrunk the Kids' play area. Great place to let them unwind. We ended the day at the hotel pool and just had a fabulous time.
Couple of things you may not know about Disney and how they really help families with autism. First, tell them that you need a quiet room and why. They will be more than willing to help. Second, make sure you get a 'Guest Assistance Card'. At the Magic Kingdom you go into City Hall (don't go to Guest Services outside the entrance of the park, instead go inside and go directly to City Hall) and tell them you have an autistic child and need to get a GAC. Make sure you have a letter from you doctor stating that your child has autism and could benefit from the card. The GAC allows you to bypass the long lines and really helped our daughter enjoy the trip. When you get to a ride, find the Disney cast member at the beginning of the lines and they'll tell you where to go. Next, if you're on a special diet Disney will help. All the restaurants (quick service and sit down) will accommodate you, just talk to the manager. At the Magic Kingdom we were able to get Aleks 'allergy fries' which were GFCF baked and not mixed with other food. At the AK we were able to get her a 100% ground beef hamburger and GFCF fries that were fried in a separate oil. The food service managers were wonderful!!
A big thank you to everyone at Disney for making an autistic little girl's Disney dreams come true. Thank you to Robert at the Animal Kingdom for helping us with our room. Thank you to Carol at the AK Mara Restaurant for being so kind, caring and accommodating. Thank you to all the Magic Kingdom cast members for their help and caring. Thank you too to Ron, our bus driver at the hotel who made sure Aleks was safe and having a good time. Also, our friends Rob and Jim who made the trip extra special. It may not seem like a lot to you all, but to us you made Disney possible for a little girl with a very big dream.
Blessings & Pixie Dust-
Melissa
P.S. Earplugs were a life saver and provided a little quieter and calmer experience for Aleks. Get the waterproof ones, put them in the morning and then you can leave them in all day even during swimming!
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