If you’ve been with me for a while you know that my family was planning a trip to Disney for Thanksgiving but ended up having to change our plans. Womp, womp. That was a pretty difficult pill to swallow, and definitely put a damper on our holiday. Now that we’re a couple of weeks separated from that fateful day, though, I’m looking at it with a totally new perspective. We didn’t get to go for Thanksgiving, but that means that I’m still getting to be excited and looking forward to going. Yay! Read more
Special Needs at Disney World
Disney with Special Needs: Is It Really Time to Leave?
Arriving at Disney World is one of the best moments of life. For my family, the trip has been upwards of 14 hours in a car (or train, but that’s a whole other talk) and months of preparation, and we’ve been ticking down the milestones for several states. When we finally see that first billboard held up by a white-gloved hand, and then the first mention of a resort, and then, oh, then, the “Where Dreams Come True” arch, it is a glorious moment. There are often tears. I want to fling myself out of the car and do a dance. It is wonderful. But even among all the giggles and cheers and tears and kisses and hugs, there is a dark cloud looming. We try to ignore it. We push it away and refuse to let it dampen our spirits. But it’s there. The worst, most miserable, most terrible, horrible moment of a Disney Vacation — when it ends. Read more
Disney with Special Needs: That’s a Lot of Dessert
If you take even a brief tour of the Disney website you’ll find that there is something special that pops up fairly frequently — dessert parties. When I was first planning an adventure to Disney I only noticed two — what was then the Tomorrowland Terrace Wishes Fireworks Dessert Party and an Illuminations party. Since then, the number of parties available has exploded and virtually anywhere you are in the evening, there is a party getting ready to go.
So what are these parties and do they work for a family with special needs? Would a vegan, two super small eaters, two super big eaters, crowd-haters, and even a service dog find enough reasons to shell out the extra cash for these added experiences? Read more
Disney with Special Needs: Who Wants What? Tips for Making the Most of Your Dining Plan
By now if you’ve been venturing along with me you know that my family has a variety of circumstances and needs that come into play when it comes to planning and enjoying our trips to Disney. Sensory issues, age gaps, heart issues, and service dogs aside, there is one set of needs that probably make us more like a lot of other families heading to the World on vacation than our others, but still need to be taken into consideration every day of our trip. This, of course, is eating. Read more
Disney with Special Needs…Finding Vegan Holiday Treats
Everyone knows that one of the best parts about a Disney vacation is eating. Everywhere you look there are delicious treats from the simple to the decadent, and during the holiday season, that is just accentuated. There are so many tasty goodies around it would totally be possible to do nothing but eat all day.
Unless you’re vegan. Read more