We didn't go on vacation too often because we didn't know how my daughter would react. She has Autism and ADHD, so schedules are a must in our life. She likes things just so in her room and has a routine she must keep before bed including what channel the TV is on. We didn't think a vacation would work for us.
We were asked to go to the happiest place on earth a few years ago with family. How could we say no to Disney? They were renting a big vacation home for all of us to stay. My daughter would be able to bring her garbage bag full of stuffed friends. She could have TV on the channel she was used to watching. There was enough space for her to unwind if needed.
Sensory issues are a common factor with children on the spectrum. My daughter doesn't like loud sounds. She wears earplugs or headphones whenever we know it will be noisy. We were afraid that Disney would be way too much for her to handle. We packed earplugs in all of our bags and kept a few in the car to be safe.
I read all I could before we went from other parents of autistic children who had visited Disney before. I planned places we could go if she needed a break. We knew we could go back to the house for downtime. I tried to have her prepared for everything we could foresee happening.
She likes to wander away from us and I was scared to death she would get lost, so I kept giving her lessons and reminders about stranger danger and how important it was to stay with us. So we packed up the car with her bags of stuffed animals an headed to the most wonderful place on earth.
I have to say the trip went beyond my expectations. My daughter did great at the parks and wasn't overloaded sensory wise. She used her earplugs when she needed them and we went back to the rental house for some downtime each afternoon.
The staff at Disney was amazing. They all went above and beyond to help. The characters were lots of fun. Stitch stole my daughter's stuffed animal and ate it.
We had such an amazing trip we made a return a few years later. We now are planning our next trip to Disney. It really is a magical place and children with Autism can have a terrific time too with some planning.
Vacationing with your autistic child can be done. You just have to consider your families needs and make the plans accordingly.Make plans on what to do should your child need a break during the trip. Know the parks policies on helping children with Autism if visiting a theme park.
Make sure to take a few items from home that help your child to feel safer and calmer. They can be a huge help when you are in unfamiliar territory. On our first trip my daughter took two big bags full of her stuffed friends. On the next trip she took only one Walmart bag full. This was a major accomplishment in our house.
Don't skip your family vacation. Take some extra time to plan and go from there. You never know, you may all have the time of your life.
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