Giving the Magic of Disney to a Child with Autism

From the winning quarterback of the Superbowl to the smallest town in America, children and adults alike automatically smile when they hear that famous phrase, "I'm going to Disneyland!" Since 1955 when the original Disneyland Theme Park opened, the Imagineers and Castmembers at Disneyland have been awing guests with stunning recreations of our favorite movies and television shows. It is a childhood dream to visit the home of Mickey Mouse and all his friends, a dream tens of thousands of children of all ages get to experience every year. Thankfully, the Disneyland experience is a dream that children with autism and their families can also experience, as the Resort's policies and accessibility continue to improve every year.

Planning Your Vacation

Any parent raising a child with autism learns early on that advance planning is critical to just about every aspect of life: vacations are no different. The disability makes children with autism crave structure, rigid schedules, and change of any kind is a challenge for them. Obviously a vacation is a major change in the day-to-day routine, and poses a problem for families. However, there are few things parents can do to make a vacation more enjoyable, and to ease their children's anxiety.

Seek the Right Hotel: Many children with autism are picky eaters, or have very restrictive diets like the GF/CF diet, which attempt to control some of the behaviors associated with autism by changing the child's biochemistry. While Disney properties are beginning to offer more dining options, including GF/CF diets in some locations, parents still find it difficult to maintain the right diet for their children on vacation. That's why properties like the Residence Inn in Placentia-Fullerton (3 miles from Disneyland) provide a great option for families of autistic children. The rooms are spacious, affordable, offer privacy for parents and children, and come complete with a full kitchen. This property, and similar ones in the area, offer a full breakfast and array of features that help the whole family enjoy their stay.

Stay on Schedule: Children with autism crave sameness, especially where their schedule is concerned, so maintaining that schedule on the road is a must. It is fairly simple to maintain a regular schedule on your vacation and even take time out during the day for common intervention strategies. Some families heavily involved in behavioral training like Applied Behavioral Analysis will conduct sessions during their vacation; some even take trainers with them on vacation. The key is to maintain enough structure to keep the anxiety level down, as that causes behaviors and meltdowns in children with autism.

Market Your Trip: Typically developing children hear they are going on vacation and are immediately excited. They grasp the concept and understand where they are going. Children with autism often do not, simply because of the communications difficulties their disability imposes on them. Parents can help their children overcome this uncertainty by talking with them about their travel and vacation plans in advance. Since children with autism are often visual thinkers and communicators, parents should use that to their advantage. Photo tours of the hotel and theme parks are available on the Internet, so parents can share browsing time with their children or make photo books. It is similar to the idea of a visual schedule or Picture Exchange Communication (PECS). The key is to explain the plan to your children, and help them get excited the way a typically developing child would.

Packing: When you pack, make sure to plan for your child's special needs. This includes taking medicines, special food, or favored toys to occupy their time during the trip. Depending on the functioning level of your child, you can involve him in the process by letting them pick a favorite toy or stuffed animal to take with you. Parents can also make the travel day easier by shipping necessities to the hotel in advance. You'll want to call ahead before sending your package, but there is no reason you cannot send food, medicines, toys, or therapy supplies in care of the hotel instead of carrying them on the airplane. Also, make sure one of your carry-on bags has toys, books, or other pass-times to occupy your children while you fly.

Keep Your Documentation: In addition to a copy of your itinerary and confirmation numbers, it is a good idea to keep a statement written on your pediatrician's letterhead stating that your child has autism. It is rare that you will need it, but since autism is a disability that doesn't necessarily show itself on the outside, it can be useful to have a doctor's attestation that your child is disabled when you get into discussions with officials or other healthcare practitioners while you are traveling. Many parents also travel with buttons or cards that give a brief discussion of autism and how it affects children for the inevitable confrontation with another traveler or park guest who doesn't understand why you cannot control your child, or why you get special treatment.

Getting There

Traveling is difficult for anyone, especially for children. If you fly, the hustle and bustle of an airport, the crush to get through security, the "hurry up and wait" of boarding an aircraft are all massively over-stimulating. Children alternate wildly between boredom and over-excitement, sometimes making them difficult traveling companions. And if a child has autism, the experience is even more difficult thanks to the odd behaviors, communication and social impairments, and the lack of tolerance of other travelers. But with a good plan, the process is easier.

Have a Plan: Too many people simply get up, try to throw clothes in a bag and dash to the airport. That's difficult to do with any family, but when a child has autism it is completely impossible. Develop a plan in advance with milestones to schedule your vacation planning (getting tickets, hotels, etc.), packing, and departing for the airport. Even more importantly, plan ahead for how you'll check in for your flight and clear security and make sure everyone understands it before you get to the airport. Generally it is easier to use curbside check-in rather than fight the crowds inside, even though most airlines are now charging a $2/bag fee. If curbside check-in is not available, there are usually automated kiosks inside where you simply slide a credit card (no billing occurs) and the computer looks up your reservation and checks you in automatically.

Clearing Security: The key to clearing security easily is to pack well, keep your liquids isolated in a quart-sized plastic Ziploc bag following the TSA's 3-1-1 rule, and making sure you plan out responsibilities before you get to the checkpoint. One person usually needs to stay with the child, while the other parent usually gets stuck loading and unloading the X-Ray conveyer belt. Don't be afraid to tell the TSA screeners your child is disabled and may need special assistance; they should be sensitive to your child's needs and most of them will help you through the process.

Boarding and the Flight: Boarding can be a nightmare if you don't handle it properly. As with anything, you should have a plan (who carries what, where are you sitting, what order are you headed down the bridge and onto the aircraft) but you can usually get some help by talking to the gate agent. Simply introduce yourself and tell the agent your child has a disability and will need some extra time boarding, and ask for pre-boarding. You will usually be seated either immediately before or immediately after First Class. In some cases the gate agent will not pre-board you for some reason, and then your challenge is to stay calm, stick with your plan, and rely on other passengers to be patient. Once on board, it is a good idea to immediately entertain your child with a toy, book, or drawing supplies as a bored child with autism is no fun for anyone to be around. Be warned - it is not uncommon for someone on the flight to complain if your child "misbehaves" or is loud. Don't be afraid to tell any passengers who complain that your child is disabled, and is not in full control of his behavior the way they are. Sometimes this can turn into a great opportunity to talk about autism and raise just a bit of extra awareness in the community. Portable DVD players, CD or MP3 players, books, crayons and paper, and a few toys make a great distraction for most children with autism both before take off, and during the flight.

Enjoying the Parks

When you finally get to the Disneyland Resort you will find a magical world of shopping, dining, entertainment, and of course theme park rides waiting for you. Most people park in the Mickey and Friends parking garage on Disneyland Drive and take the trams from the parking lot to Downtown Disney. From there it is a short walk to the entrance to the two theme parks at the Disneyland Resort: Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure. For those interested in a unique meal or in shopping, Downtown Disney offers a wide array of shops, restaurants, cafes, and unique street performances that are every bit as entertaining as the parks themselves.

Tickets: Disney has made it extremely easy to buy tickets in advance, often offering discounts for booking them through the online ticket store. If you purchase tickets this way, simply head for the entrance to your favorite theme park and show them the printout. They will issue you a ticket card that allows you to enter the park. If you buy a multi-day pass, these cards are good for your entire stay. They also allow you to use Disney's Fast Pass system to reduce your waiting time for rides and attractions. Tickets are also available at the entrance to the parks, but there is usually a significant wait.

Accessibility and Accommodations: There is no point to taking a vacation if you cannot enjoy it, and having a child with autism presents unique challenges: they often can't stay still, wait, and have difficulty in crowds. Disney has developed a great program to help guests with disabilities, including autism. Once you enter Disneyland simply head for City Hall, to the left of the plaza immediately before Main Street. Here you will explain that your child has autism to a Castmember, who will issue you a Guest Accomodation Card (Need to look up the real name). If you use a wheelchair-stroller rather than a full wheelchair, the Castmember can mark that on your card, along with your child's name, the number of people in your party, and the dates of your trip. You should have at least one stamp on the card showing an arrow indicating alternate entrances and waiting areas are approved. From that point on, simply present the card to a Castmember working at an attraction and you will be directed to the proper entrance and waiting area for your child. Usually this will be the exit, or occasionally a wheelchair accessible entrance. Your wait times will be greatly reduced as well, almost as if you used Disney's Fast Pass on every ride.

Photos: For most of us a trip to Disneyland is a pretty rare opportunity, so you should try to remember as much of it as possible. A good digital camera with a fast shutter is a must for documenting your trip. An amateur photographer takes something like 40 or 50 pictures to get two or three really good ones, so you want to shoot a lot. Choosing what to shoot is important too, especially if you have a child with autism. The formal posed pictures most families take probably won't come out very well (although you should feel free to try and get that Christmas Card Shot), but you can have a lot of fun snapping shots of your child and what she enjoys at the parks. The key is to be a shutterbug with a camera close at hand. Shoot close ups instead of big shots. Try not to use your flash. Take pictures of your child doing whatever she wants rather than trying to coach them. You'll get better pictures that way and you won't be so frustrated at trying to get the "perfect shot."

Remember, It's Your Vacation Too: You will almost always have at least one person who is rude or lacks understanding of the challenges you face. Usually it is when you board a ride from the exit or wheelchair entrance, forcing an impatient person to wait an extra 2-3 minutes to enter the attraction. While these situations rarely rise to the level of confrontation or harsh words, it is worth thinking in advance about how you'll handle them. A simple, "Thanks for being understanding of my son's disability," is often effective at defusing the situation. For everything else, there is usually a Castmember right there to handle the situation. These are the moments that can make or break your vacation. Many times parents feel guilty for displacing other guests. You have to remember the decreased waiting times and accessibility are accommodations for your child's disability; none of those grumpy parents would dream of trading places with you if they knew the first thing about the difficulty of raising a child with autism. The accommodations Disney makes for children with autism allow them to enjoy the Disneyland experience, and without them it would be impossible for them to go to the parks.