Doing Disney in May.. What do you wish you had known before you went,l

So our flight is booked. Hotel reservations have been made. Park hoppers bought. Note from Pedi obtained for the guest services pass. What else should I know before getting down there?

We do NOT plan on staying in any park for the whole day. Gonna break it up and play it all by ear based on how well DS is doing,

I know it's overwhelming for adults and it's been about 7 years since DH and I have been there. Any advice about why to do and what not to do?

I appreciate any input! Thanks!

Re: Doing Disney in May.. What do you wish you had known before you went,l

Try to make expectations low.
That was our biggest 'issue'. Noah acted like he would be the only one there, Run to Mickey like you see in the video and it would be ice cream, cake and parades. He did not realize there would be lines, crowds, heat and lack of sleep.

We finally learned the last day or two to go over the days plan ad nasuem. OVER AND OVER. And tell him things like...We ARE going to be stopping in a store to shop , Mommy and Daddy will be quick, but you will need to behave, and then offer a reward after. That helped us a bit do things that he had no interest in.

He also had a hard time at meals, as he would not eat and it was loud/crowded etc everywhere we went. We tried to bring things to keep him busy.

I would explain how the parades are fun but theres always lots of people and some might get in your way etc. Just every last detail to make the expectations not so grand and more realistic if that makes sense.

The Guest assistance pass was awesome. Some rides you cant use it. Usually only if there is a fast pass entrance or some shows allow it if they have handicapped seating. They didnt ask us for anything to prove it, even though we brought his IEP in case.

We had more fun in AK and HS then Magic Kingdom, though once magic kingdom quieted down a bit at night it was better. We just did it SLOW. The other parks werent as crowded and were much much better for us.

He enjoyed the rides, even after saying he was scared before hand.
Thats all I can think of now....

Good luck! I hope its lots of fun!

Re: Doing Disney in May.. What do you wish you had known before you went,l

We had a great time there. I found the staff to be so accommodating. The "pass" is a lifesaver.

I think you need to determine what your child does best with. For me, I knew my three kids wouldn't do well "waiting" for shows, or "waiting" to meet characters. Therefore, we avoided the shows, and did character meals.

The park is the least crowded when it opens. We went to the "preferred" rides first, and tried to keep a strong momentum going. Once my kids realized that when a ride ended another fun ride was coming, they went right along with things. My dd is a huge sensory seeker so Disneyworld (even Epcot) was the best place she could be. The "Land" ride in Epcot was too dull for my kids at the end when they went into planting etc. (wouldn't do that again).

The best part of Disney as opposed to other amusement parks is that the whole family can ride the 'ride' together. It was easy to get the kids off the ride. My dd has a difficult time with transitions and didn't always like when the ride ended. Thankfully I could just scoop her right off, so there wasn't a huge commotion.

We often would eat lunch and then go for a long drive so they all would sleep, then return to the park in the evening. We were staying at a timeshare not on Disney property.

Oh and if you want to wait for something or need to, maybe bring a handheld device "itouch' Iphone etc..

Have a great time !

Re: Doing Disney in May.. What do you wish you had known before you went,l

Lots of good advice here.

We went last June. We had the pass and agree it was a lifesave. My son actually did very well.

A few tips. Definately have things for him to do as stated above. Have snacks and drinks too. You will have some level of waiting and just best to keep him occupied.

My son has an awful attention span and ADHD too so standing in line, no matter how short it is, is difficult for him to do. He likes to wander. They gave me a "stroller as wheelchair" tag for my stroller (we had a double because DS2 was also with us) and we were literally able to let both kids basically stay in the stroller until we boarded the ride. Then they would put the stroller at the exit and off we'd go. It was phenominal and helped us so much with his attention and ability to remain calm while waiting. Plus with a 4 month old it helped too.

It sounds like you're setting your expectations to a reasonable level which I think is so important. Take your cues from him. If there is something he doesn't like...move on. If he gets overwhelmed go to the Baby Center and have him unwind a little. It is AC'd, has snacks, tv, rocking chairs.

Have fun! I can't wait to go back.

Re: Doing Disney in May.. What do you wish you had known before you went,l

Get fast passes when you arrive at the MK to see Mickey and Minnie (and the Princesses if you want to see them), because they don't accept the Guest Assistance Card. Also with the GAC, things that don't have a fast pass line (like Dumbo, Tomorrowland Speedway, etc.) just ask a CM where you should enter, because you typically just go in the handicap entrance. Some people skip those thinking they cannot use their GAC there.

Also, I know there are mostly younger kids on here, but if your child is adult aged at Disney (10 and up) if they are eating a buffet, they are typically charged full price. If your child has an issue with eating, sensory issues, doesn't swallow well, is on medication that makes them not eat, etc., they will in fact charge the kids price.

Message edited 2/29/2012 9:20:55 AM.

Re: Doing Disney in May.. What do you wish you had known before you went,l

Re: Doing Disney in May.. What do you wish you had known before you went,l

We used the pass too. It was great. My DS is not good in the heat. Even though we were there in the fall, he had a rough time in the afternoons, so we tried to get an early start, and then go back to the parks in the evening. We took a break midday to get out of the heat.

We were on the dining plan, so we did the character meals. I think it was the best choice, because he could see the characters approaching and got used to them as they approached.

He LOVED the monorail. We rode the monorail a few times, just to entertain him. Then, when we had a delay at the airport, we rode the shuttle there too, and said it was the monorail.

I have a really picky eater, so I brought lots of snacks into the park with me. I never knew what I would get him to eat, but at least I knew I had some things to hold him over until we got back to the room. I also ordered food from Garden Grocer for our room, so he would have all his favorite stuff and I wouldn't have to pack it all for the plane trip down.

Re: Doing Disney in May.. What do you wish you had known before you went,l

Re: Doing Disney in May.. What do you wish you had known before you went,l

everything everyone else said.

i guess i was very prepared for everything except i had no clue how exhausting dh and i would be! give yourself some time after u get home to decompress before returning to your regular life (school/work).

have fun!

Re: Doing Disney in May.. What do you wish you had known before you went,l

I'm sure you have already done this - but on Disboards - there is a great section called disABILITIES. They have tons of information on everything from food allergies or special diets - to children with autism, or children with ADHD, or sensory processing etc and their experiences. I also see a lot of posts about various experiences with the GAC passes. People also ask a lot of questions over there and they usually have very up to date information. So if you still have any questions you might want to try a search over there or see what people are saying. I do understand that recently they have made some changes so you might want to make sure that they won't effect you - so that you have no surprises and have the best trip you can!

Re: Doing Disney in May.. What do you wish you had known before you went,l

GET THE PASS!!!!! and don't be afraid to use it! We don't get many breaks. Disney offers it for people like us. Take advantage of it!

Don't try to have a set schedule. Go with the flow. Some kids get overwhelmed, some do just great. It's a lot of stimulation!

I brought DS his own pillow/blanket so we had an easier transition.

I made an order from gardengrocers.com I did not have to haul everything in our luggage.