Should I take my 7yo son with autism to Disneyland?

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It's worth a try yes, though I second trying another smaller theme park first and not going during holiday or very popular times. If he's able to understand it explain what to roughly expect - and if he gets tired it's not a big deal and you can go home and do something else he wants to do instead.

I know for me as an adult situations like that can be very difficult, and while I do enjoy them for a while I don't last as long. So you might not want to make a big deal about it - it can be very frustrating as a kid when people make something into a big 'major childhood milestone' deal and then you try to enjoy it but just can't cope with it for very long. I used to try very hard to enjoy things as much as everyone had lead me to believe they were supposed to be enjoyed. It never quite worked out like it was supposed to.

My disappointment was less in not being able to do things than in failing to live up to the external expectation that I should enjoy them. I didn't really care about the big rides, I cared that not wanting to go on the big rides wasn't The Way Normal Kids Are according to everyone and I was failing at that once again. It came as a bit of a relief when I found out my parents disliked extended stays in those kind of places as much as I did. It meant we could go, get a bit of candy floss, take one, maybe two rides if it wasn't too bad, play couple of games and then go home and unwind instead of spending more hours having less fun.

It sounds like your son wants to try it, I'd say go for it. Just have options open. He may not be able to handle it all, it can be overwhelming. some kind of headset (does he like music?) or anything to muffle the sounds if it gets too much may be good. As would be taking breaks to less crowded locations for a little while if he gets tired or irritable.

I basically have SPD! I can NOT stand the IDIOTS on most PA systems. You know the type. An example of the EPITOME, which I HAVE encountered many times is:

1. They are in a small area, or a large area that is mad to almost ECHO a whisper.
2. They use a PA system that would work on the noisest highway.
3. They YELL in the mike, CLOSE UP, so you HATE it, and PRAY they don't have ANY sibilants in their sentences!
4. They are CLOSE to a speaker, so they have feedback.
5. They LOVE to hear themselves talk.
6. Because they can't hear their senseless twaddle, due to #4, they repeat until they are satisfied.

I have experienced that garbage almost EVERYWHERE! Hotels, Airports, Buses, Planes, etc.... I can NOT remember hearing it at disneyland.

What exactly are the wiiggles? I THINK I know, but...

The rides can hesitate at time for effect or to attract attention, but are generally smooth, unless it is a rollercoaster that goes fast, and may drop even quicker.

As for the animatronics? Ironically, I think the older stuff was better. The new stuff is two slow and less accurate. Still, a young kid might get lost in some of it(I mean lost in thought, which is the ideal).

There IS a lot of music they DON'T have you participate in.

So I would say maybe check with your son.

Might be smaller crowds if you go in the off season. It's still very temperate in the winter, fall or spring.

Take him but get him earmuffs. I recommend these: http://earplugstore.stores.yahoo.net/ea ... ldren.html

They are made to block out loud noises but they retain the ability to hear you talk to him.

I hated the rides my first trip to an amusement park,--I was probably between 8 or 10. But I loved the experience. I don't know how severe his autism is, but even if he doesn't like riding any of the rides there are still more sights to see and attractions.

Disney is one of the best theme parks to take children with disabilities, such as Autism. Check in with the guest services, and you can get a Disability pass for him. It allows them to skip lines. At Disney they have rooms for mom's to feed babies that you can use as a quiet place to unwind if needbe, I'm sure. Fantasy land seems the most crowded. If your son is older I would spend time talking about everything before you go and have a game plan.
Always stay relaxed and watch for signs of overload. Watch to make sure he doesn't get too hungry even if it means eating as soon as you get there. Take a break in the middle of the day. Sometimes just a few minutes in the low light, quiet, and A/C will really help. There's also emergency exits on all rides right before you get on, in case one of you two feel that it won't be a positive experience at the last minute.

Some tips from a yahoo group about kids with sensitivity issues:

1. Less is more! You cannot do it all so plan AHEAD what you really
want to do. Get a guidebook and let each family member choose three
items in each park we plan to visit. Sometimes we luck out and someone
duplicates. Regardless, you have to accept that you cannot see it all
- that will eliminate lots of stress.

2. Plan BREAKS! Go to the hotel for a rest time. Any child needs a
midday NAP at Disney - most adults could use one too. Eat meals at
early or late times to avoid that line or waiting for a table. Get
away from the park atmosphere for an hour or more - you won't believe
how refreshed you are. Plan that break an hour before you think you'll
need it so you don't get caught at an inopportune time.

3. Do NOT go to Chef Mickey's during the character dinner if your kids have any kid of sensory issues! Loud rock music, strobing lights, lots of people up and dancing.

You can make a reservation at the Crystal Palace as well. It is a child friendly
buffet and the Winnie the Pooh characters come to your table several times
and pose for pictures.

A special needs child must have parents who plan rather than do the
spontaneity thing. It truly makes the difference between a fun trip
and a miserable one.

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Hope that helps! Every child deserves to go to Disney imo. I loved it there despite my own sensitivities, and I had no plan.

i went when i was 11, i loved it

I am not sure. But I remember as a child I did not like going to any fairgrounds or theme parks. I remember crying when I first got took on the ghost train.

Not knowing him, I can't say. I loved Disney World as a child, despite my sensory issues.

Although I can't speak for your son, I loved being taken there when I was 7 or 8 for the first time, and I got taken every year or so. And for some reason, the crowds didn't upset me the way they normally do. I did NOT like the more violent rides; Space Mountain or the Matterhorn, and I HATED the Haunted House. Not because I'm afraid of ghosts, and I was fully aware of how the Haunted House works. I just hate sudden loud noises and lights, and it's full of such. I loved Pirates of the Caribbean and somewhat liked Small World, because of the mechanical scenery. I couldn't care less about the theme, but all those electromechanical figures, and the clock on Small World, and all that... Great experience! You might want to plan it for a day not during the late summer, as it's hotter than heck down there, and it's no fun to ride a shuttle tram in 102 degree weather with smelly tourists.

Not knowing your son, I don't know what might make the visit the most fun or perhaps cause issues, but here's what I'd have asked of you:

Keep in my sight at all times! I had a big fear of separation. Don't let me get on a ride alone. Warn me explicitly of "surprises" on rides. Warn me that there might be other exits from the boys' room, or if (Dad is there, go with). If your son is afraid of balloons, that might be a problem (I was).


Again, I apologize in advance to him and to you, if my experiences are not applicable, and if it doesn't go as well as we'd like to hope. But my gut feeling is that it will be fine, and he'll want to go again. I'm with high-functioning autism, and I can't say whether people in other places on the Spectrum might be different in this case.

Charles

I adored Disney as a kid. I went when I was four or five the first time and fell in love with it. I think my parents wanted to bomb It's a Small World by the end because I dragged them on it so many times. I'm also a weird kind of Aspie because I thrive on all-consuming crowds.

As another person said, take him to a smaller amusement park first to see how he likes like, like a Six Flags. If he enjoys that, it might be safe to take him to Disney.

I'd definitely take heed of the crowding situation at Disneyland and make sure you plan your trip as far away from peak periods as possible. That park will at times be packed until they fill every square inch. I believe that anytime in May before Memorial Day weekend will be the calm before the storm. If you must do summer then avoid weekends. Also try to get there when it opens as it will be calmer in the morning and then by the time your child is tired out you can bail when the park gets packed.

Silochan's advise on the GAC is a great idea. The lines for rides can be bad. Even slow rides can have 1 or 2 hour waits if they're busy.

As for rides, it's a mixed bag. Does your son have an issue with being in the dark? There's lot of great dark rides in Fantasyland that he may enjoy if that's not an issue. Some can be rough though. I don't know what the noise situation is like on the rides themselves. You should probably get your son earplugs of muffs just in case. There's also calm train and boat rides. He'll probably need to cover his ears for the train rides and the steamboat due to the blowhorns. The parades and the intercom used during the parades can get noisy which is why you might want to bail out of the park before that begins (usually around early/mid afternoon). There's also band music and noise on Main Street itself as you enter the park but once you get past that it and go into other lands it shouldn't be a problem.

I went to Disneyland Paris with my kids (as an adult with Asperger's). The music and announcement volumes were good, and the overall noise levels were not unbearable. The pushing in the crowds and queues can be upsetting, especially towards the end of the day. The parade / fireworks was the worst for crowd pushing. The food options are difficult and noisy, taking your own food is discouraged - so eat well in the hotel before and after. We took small hand-held food items and drinks in a back-pack. We started our days when the park opened, and went well out of the high season.

One thing that I found particularly helpful was that the park provides good maps with accurate pictures and descriptions of all the attractions, so it was possible to find out exactly what a ride was going to be like before even getting to the park.

My youngest child was upset at being too small / too young for some of the attractions, so check the restrictions beforehand http://disneyland.disney.go.com/attractions/list/ - it looks like 102 cm is tall enough for most things, but some require 122 cm. Seven years old seems a bit young, unless it is a trip you would consider repeating again when he is older.

Ask him and see what he has to say.

Thank you for the great advice.

1. I will purchase the ear covers from the place that was linked to earlier.
2. kx250rider - I forgot that he would dislike rides where he is jerked around. Although he has never been on a roller coaster, I know he would dislike them because he dislikes fast slides on the playground and sledding on fast hills.
3. I like the suggestions not to make a big deal about the trip so he will not feel bad if he dislikes Disneyland.
4. I also like the idea that we should take some risks as a family.
5. I liked the idea of previewing the rides and activities in advance.

I am so grateful for your responses.

wavefreak58 - I remember the following quote from the movie, Dune: "Fear is the mind killer."