How do you handle line anxiety?

[Mike_M]

I’m not sure this is helpful in the OP’s situation which sounds more severe than my kids, but I’ve always tried to make the queues part of the attraction’s experience for them. Getting them to focus on the details rather than the line has helped them to accept this concept. The more elaborately themed queues make this even easier.

The funny tombstones in the HM queue on the berm. The callbacks to the movies in Indy’s. Emphasizing certain milestones in each queue like first entering the building for Pirates and smelling the water or passing by the statue of Mr. Toad.

I think it has worked well for my kids to get them accustomed to the lines that come with the rides. Again, I’m not sure this is the answer for someone with more severe anxiety around crowds or with claustrophobia, but it may help some with taking the edge off.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

What is DAS? And does one get this? I'm heading down to DL in July with my husband and 10 year old daughter, who has ADHD, and recently diagnosed with mild Asperger's syndrome. She has been to WDW in the past, but waiting in long lines really stresses her out and she can't stop moving and gets to a point were she her anxiety is so bad she will start to cry almost like she feels trapped. Some days are better then others depending on how big the line is and the crowds and weather. But I would imagine DL in July will be crazy. How does the DAS work? Thanks

From the official DLR website: https://wdpromedia.disney.go.com/me.../dlr-disability-access-service_2017-07-17.pdf.

 

[bumbershoot]

I have seen some families play disney heads up, but that doesn't seem to work too well in some of the queues that end up single file.

Have one person in front turn around to hold the phone with the game on it. Everyone else in the party is facing that person and plays the game. Modify your turn-taking rules if no one can squeeze past. (Like this person is the one that guesses for Peter Pan, and that person is the one that guesses for another line, etc)