Luna Lovegood
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Aug 17, 2007
Eighteen months ago I took my then seven-year-old son to Disneyland for his first trip since he was a toddler. He has autism and, although he's fairly high functioning, the crowds and the waiting in line and the heat combined to send him into total meltdown after about an hour. Such fun for my other son and the family friends we were with! I never knew about any kind of special assistance and never thought to ask. This is the life of a newbie mom-on-the-spectrum!
A month later we were at our weekly social skills class and I overheard two other moms talking about their wonderful weekend trips to Disneyland and how much their kids LOVED it. What?! I begged them to tell me what the secret was! Three little words: Guest Assistance Pass.
Several months later I mentioned the idea of returning to Disneyland with my son. Absolutely, positively NOT. He said he'd never go back to Disneyland and it was the most horrible place on the planet. I am pretty sure this is not what the Disney marketing folks hope to hear! We talked about it for weeks and I finally convinced him to give it a try...promising that we would leave immediately if he hated it.
Bought the tickets. Rented the locker. Went in to City Hall (by myself, my son stayed outside with our friends.) Explained to the Guest Relations castmember that my son had autism (and I had a stack of papers with doctors diagnosis, IEP, etc. to back it up.) She kindly told me she didn't need to see the papers and that my word was good enough. Stamped a pass and handed it to me with a smile.
My son and I went on the Haunted Mansion 12 times in a row. We went through a special line and waited five minutes at the most each time. I exchanged knowing smiles with the other moms who had children spinning and flapping merrily in line. After lunch we went on the Buzz Lightyear ride six times in a row before heading back to the mansion for one last trip.
I am so very grateful for the Disney staff and for that special, I mean "magical," day. We are planning a return trip tomorrow and I'm crossing my fingers that we'll be just as successful. And I can't wait to hear that there are "No windows and no doors..." about 12 more times!
A month later we were at our weekly social skills class and I overheard two other moms talking about their wonderful weekend trips to Disneyland and how much their kids LOVED it. What?! I begged them to tell me what the secret was! Three little words: Guest Assistance Pass.
Several months later I mentioned the idea of returning to Disneyland with my son. Absolutely, positively NOT. He said he'd never go back to Disneyland and it was the most horrible place on the planet. I am pretty sure this is not what the Disney marketing folks hope to hear! We talked about it for weeks and I finally convinced him to give it a try...promising that we would leave immediately if he hated it.
Bought the tickets. Rented the locker. Went in to City Hall (by myself, my son stayed outside with our friends.) Explained to the Guest Relations castmember that my son had autism (and I had a stack of papers with doctors diagnosis, IEP, etc. to back it up.) She kindly told me she didn't need to see the papers and that my word was good enough. Stamped a pass and handed it to me with a smile.
My son and I went on the Haunted Mansion 12 times in a row. We went through a special line and waited five minutes at the most each time. I exchanged knowing smiles with the other moms who had children spinning and flapping merrily in line. After lunch we went on the Buzz Lightyear ride six times in a row before heading back to the mansion for one last trip.
I am so very grateful for the Disney staff and for that special, I mean "magical," day. We are planning a return trip tomorrow and I'm crossing my fingers that we'll be just as successful. And I can't wait to hear that there are "No windows and no doors..." about 12 more times!
She would have been in sheer heaven to go on "It's a small world" 12 times in a row. I am so happy that your son got to have his happy day at 
to disABILTIES!
