Special Needs at Disney World

We all know that Disney is for everyone and that no matter what age you are, you can have a magical time. So why not bring the Grandma and Grandpa with you on your next Disney vacation? If you’re thinking about scooping up your grandparents and scooting off to the World but are concerned that their silvery-ness might make it too hard for them to enjoy the vacation, come along with me. I’m going to tell you about how we do Disney with someone who counts Pollyanna, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, and The Sword in the Stone as their childhood Disney movies, who can recognize the treehouse in Adventureland as something more than what to do while you’re waiting for a Dole Whip, and who actually knows who Toby Tyler is.

Get started early. Hitting the parks as soon after they open (or right before, if possible) is one of the best ways to make sure that you have the lightest crowds for a while. This is a great opportunity for you to explore and see the sights at a slower pace. It also lets you take advantage of refreshed energy first thing in the morning

Use FastPass wisely. My mommy doesn’t do big rides. The only roller coaster I’ve ever been able to get her on is the Mine Train, and even on that she had her eyes closed and her hands clasped the entire time. She says that she wasn’t praying, but I think that she was. She does, however, get down with some Buzz Lightyear AstroBlasters and Toy Story Mania, she loves the safari, and will hope aboard a small world cruise anytime she gets a chance. So what do you think that we use our FastPasses on? That’s right. Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain, and Mine Train. Here’s the thing. I’ll snag the ones that she loves, too, but after I’ve gotten the big rides. That’s because it means that us adults can ride the rides that she doesn’t want to ride without the massive lines, providing her with a built-in break without it being hours long. We like to find her a nice shady spot or grab her a seat at a quick service snack spot with a cool drink or a funnel cake and let her relax, often with the little one, while we go ride our ride. BOOM— the official Ride-and-Rest Maneuver

Pack carefully. I feel like I mention this in every list that I give you, but the thing is, it’s super important. What you bring with you to the parks can make the difference between having a blast and needing to end your day early. When you’re packing your bag for the day, be sure to toss in a few things that will help your senior get through the day. I always have headache medicine, stomach medicine, bottles of water, cans of Pepsi (remind me some day to tell you the funny story about the security guard who almost convinced her that she wasn’t allowed to go in with her Pepsi because “this is a Coke park”), extra socks, bandaids, and snacks (Bubba still hasn’t forgiven me for the three-pound bag of homemade granola that I hauled in one trip). Here’s the wild card — a book. Yep. I throw a paperback or two into the bag so that when she is taking her little rests throughout the day, or if something goes awry and half of us end up stuck floating around on the ferry for an hour, you know, she can crack open a book a relax. I also like to include a notebook and pencil so she can jot down things that she thinks about and doesn’t want to forget

Plan a date night. Hubby and I have agreed that we will never travel to Disney without our daughter. It’s just not going to happen. That doesn’t mean, though, that we don’t want to get a little bit of a taste of time alone together while we’re there. We reconcile these two things with what she likes to call her “Tutu Fun Night”. This is the night of our vacation when the baby and my mommy stay at the resort and hang out while Hub-tacular and I head to the park together. This is a fantastic way for us to spend time together while also giving Tutu some time to relax and an opportunity to make some special memories with the baby. They usually swim, play games, and read books. Avalon sees it as a special night that she gets to spend with her Tutu and Tutu appreciates the early night and calmer pace.

So, here’s something you might have noticed. I didn’t include “take breaks during the day” as one of my suggestions. This was on purpose and it’s because that is something that just doesn’t work for my family. We are not the type of family that is going to go back to the resort for hours in the middle of the day or spend time at the pool every day. It’s just not us.  That, however, might not be the case for you. You might like to chill for part of the day or lounge by the pool. You do you. (That’s what the kids are saying these days, right? No?) The point is, this is what works out for us, but if you want to integrate some breaks, too, that’s perfect.

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Taryn was born and raised, and still lives in Richmond, Virginia. Neither she nor her husband ever had the opportunity to visit Walt Disney World when they were children, but when their daughter Avalon came along, they decided she was not going to follow in their footsteps. They brought Avalon for the first time when she was 3 and have been hooked ever since. Now along with Taryn’s mother and equally Disney-loving older brother, they go “home” at least once a year, and by the time she is staring longingly at Cinderella Castle from the ferry on their last night, Taryn is well on her way to planning the next trip. As a group consisting of two adults with Asperger’s, including one who is also vegan, a very accommodating husband, an only child, a senior, and a service dog, they are a pretty special family, but Taryn is excited to show that the World really is The Most Magical Place on Earth and that there is a place there for everyone. 

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