Why the Disney pass Matters
Disclaimer: I never anticipate us being able to go to Disney World. Ever.
It is too big, too busy, too expensive. I would feel like we had to do so much to get our money's worth. And if Nathan couldn't do it and we had to leave, I would be devastated.
I love Disney. I've went there a lot as a kid. My sister worked there (funny store about how she lost her job skinny dipping in the lake). I did the high school band thing there.
I know that Nathan would adore the characters. He loves anyone dressed up in a character costume, and he would be fascinated.
But.
If everything went south, and the shit hit the fan, we would have to leave.
And I have 3 boys who are very rigid, and not very able to adjust for the needs of their brothers. Who would be understandably upset about plan changes and loss of anticipated pleasures. In other words, I have 3 potential meltdowns. All with the ability to raise the level of meltdown in their siblings.
This summer we went to LegoLand in southern California. And it was great. I worried SO much about it before we went. It was over $500 which is a fair chunk of change, but it included a second day free which we wound up using.
Their disability pass allows you to go up the exit line where you wait a short time and then are able to ride. We felt kind of funny about it. My husband and I hate using the kids' disabilities to get anything. If we go on a slow day, often times we skip that step at our little local amusement park. But in this case it was necessary. Because if we hadn't been able to use it, we would have missed half the park.
Nathan can only tolerate 3-5 hours of something like that. So we needed to Wham, Bam, Thank you Ma'am and blow that joint. And the pass let us do that.
His little brother, the Lego-loving fanatic had a terrific time. He rode all the rides he wanted to (and one I talked him into that he didn't forgive me for. Even I closed my eyes.)
Nathan had a hard time waiting for Isaac to drive the race cars, which he could never have driven himself without catastrophic results. But it was totally worth it, because Isaac talks about it to this day. And Isaac got to go to the front of the line then. This time because he also has ASD, at the other end of the spectrum. But it had to be the front of the line, because Nathan could NOT have waited hours for Isaac to finish waiting on line.
So when I hear that Disney is changing their policy and you come back for an assigned ride time, it simply solidifies in my mind that it's not for us. I know Nathan would love the park, and the characters. And I wish I could share what I remember I loved about the park.
But I can't hurry him across the park to get where we need to go on time, because that's like herding cats. And I can't waste that much time dorking around waiting, because all three of the boys would eventually lose patience with that. And I can't approach a ride, then walk away just to come back again. Because that is a meltdown waiting to happen.
Other people can enjoy the park, because they have the luxury of time. We have a few golden hours to get in, do our thing and get out. There is no luxurious diddling around. There is only "Enjoy it now, dammit!"
I'm not quite sure how this new system takes care of the abusers of the system. Except to make it so unpleasant for them that there is no reward for doing it. But that applies to the people who need the system too.
I heard that they worked with Autism Speaks to develop this system.
Maybe moving their kids from place to place is not like herding cats.
It is too big, too busy, too expensive. I would feel like we had to do so much to get our money's worth. And if Nathan couldn't do it and we had to leave, I would be devastated.
I love Disney. I've went there a lot as a kid. My sister worked there (funny store about how she lost her job skinny dipping in the lake). I did the high school band thing there.
I know that Nathan would adore the characters. He loves anyone dressed up in a character costume, and he would be fascinated.
But.
If everything went south, and the shit hit the fan, we would have to leave.
And I have 3 boys who are very rigid, and not very able to adjust for the needs of their brothers. Who would be understandably upset about plan changes and loss of anticipated pleasures. In other words, I have 3 potential meltdowns. All with the ability to raise the level of meltdown in their siblings.
This summer we went to LegoLand in southern California. And it was great. I worried SO much about it before we went. It was over $500 which is a fair chunk of change, but it included a second day free which we wound up using.
Their disability pass allows you to go up the exit line where you wait a short time and then are able to ride. We felt kind of funny about it. My husband and I hate using the kids' disabilities to get anything. If we go on a slow day, often times we skip that step at our little local amusement park. But in this case it was necessary. Because if we hadn't been able to use it, we would have missed half the park.
Nathan can only tolerate 3-5 hours of something like that. So we needed to Wham, Bam, Thank you Ma'am and blow that joint. And the pass let us do that.
His little brother, the Lego-loving fanatic had a terrific time. He rode all the rides he wanted to (and one I talked him into that he didn't forgive me for. Even I closed my eyes.)
Nathan had a hard time waiting for Isaac to drive the race cars, which he could never have driven himself without catastrophic results. But it was totally worth it, because Isaac talks about it to this day. And Isaac got to go to the front of the line then. This time because he also has ASD, at the other end of the spectrum. But it had to be the front of the line, because Nathan could NOT have waited hours for Isaac to finish waiting on line.
So when I hear that Disney is changing their policy and you come back for an assigned ride time, it simply solidifies in my mind that it's not for us. I know Nathan would love the park, and the characters. And I wish I could share what I remember I loved about the park.
But I can't hurry him across the park to get where we need to go on time, because that's like herding cats. And I can't waste that much time dorking around waiting, because all three of the boys would eventually lose patience with that. And I can't approach a ride, then walk away just to come back again. Because that is a meltdown waiting to happen.
Other people can enjoy the park, because they have the luxury of time. We have a few golden hours to get in, do our thing and get out. There is no luxurious diddling around. There is only "Enjoy it now, dammit!"
I'm not quite sure how this new system takes care of the abusers of the system. Except to make it so unpleasant for them that there is no reward for doing it. But that applies to the people who need the system too.
I heard that they worked with Autism Speaks to develop this system.
Maybe moving their kids from place to place is not like herding cats.
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