Autism at Disney?

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So i'm going to Disney's Animal Kingdom in spring with a group. I know of disneys policies and accommodations but is there anything I should be mindful of? I plan on bringing my ear defenders, a water bottle, and a few sensory toys if I get overstimmed. I also plan on bringing a LOT of money because dinosaurs are one of my special interests and there's a whole ride + store about them

The policy changes only affect those requesting specific accommodations through DAS, so if you don't need the DAS accommodations nothing has changed. Those things should be fine, although I personally just bought a bottle at the parks and refilled that.

I personally brought earplugs, sunglasses and a stimtoy and it wasn't any issue, although universal one morning asked a few questions before letting me through.
Slightly OT, but Universal has a small museum with dinosaur stuff.

do they really??? I went when I was 13 but I was heavily into HP like it was a special interest (sadly considering the JK situation) so we didn't really go see the dino stuff

This is a controversial opinion but I have been wanting to share my thoughts for a while:

People are allowed to like HP, as long as they don't agree with JK. And people can buy merch secondhand so they don't give her money.

I have never been to Disney, but I do have experience with travel as an Autistic adult!

Vacations/travel have always been really stressful for me, but I make sure to have some things to make my experience a little less overwhelming. Disclaimer, these tips may not help or be feasible for everyone--these are just what help me personally when I go on vacation or to amusement parks!:

1. Good walking/standing shoes, especially for standing in long long lines (I wear Chacos)
2. I wear a fanny pack to make sure my hands are clear. I have some that go around my waist (which overstimulates me), and I also have some that are larger that can be worn as a crossbody. Be sure to double check Disney's policy on bags.
3. I like to bring "sweat rags." These are either paper towels, baby wipes or reusable towels that I keep with me to wipe myself down. Sweat is a huge sensory issue for me.
4. I like to wear my prescription sunglasses AND a sunhat (always be sure to wear sunscreen too!)
5. Wear breathable clothes, and be aware of chafing spots (use some anti-chafing cream in spots that might get irritated before you leave the hotel)
6. A carabiner or crossbody strap may be helpful so you don't have to carry your water bottle with your hands
7. Listen to your body! If you are hungry, exhausted, overstimulated, overheating, etc. be sure to listen and take a break. Always stay hydrated!
8. Remember that the trip is supposed to be FUN. If you are not having fun, reassess the situation.

I hope you have a good trip! Get them dinosaurs >=3

I have only been to Disney in California and that was in 1970 something so I don't know what they are doing now. But I have been to the theme park in close to where I live fairly recently and one of the things that I love that they do is they allow disabled people to get a disability pass so that they don't have to wait in the long lines. That helped me so much because I am so sensitive to certain kinds of stimuli that waiting in line for a very long time can cause me to become apraxic and cataplexic. These responses can be very dangerous and cause critical issues for me so it really helps when I am allowed to cut the line. I also find the newer smooth roller coasters incredibly therapeutic as sitting in the front cars gives me a very powerful vestibular sensory feedback that really helps me neurologically in a very therapeutic way.

If I were you, the very first thing I would do is go to the administration office and ask for a disability pass. At the park near me, I just had to answer some questions about my disability. They gave me the pass right away. I also had to show them ID so that they could make the pass for me with my name and info on it. The pass was free to me. It is the same as the VIP cut the line pass that anyone who comes to that park can pay a lot of money for if they want to cut the line, except that privilege is free to disabled people who need it.

I would also strongly suggest sitting in the front seats of roller coasters, especially the smooth new ones. The vestibular feedback is so wonderful that I have even fallen asleep on some roller coasters because it felt so relaxing and calming to my body. I also suggest not doing the tea cup ride. It's a lot of fun but the teacups have no neck support so it gets painful. I hope you have a wonderful time. I LOVE theme parks as long as my ear defenders can block out the music. I hope you love it as well. Oh, and bring your own snacks. Buying food in the park is CRAZY expensive. You can buy a burger in the park for the price of a small house!

It's not very large, it's right next to the velosocoaster. There's a few items and activities, not much, I thought the dinosaur meet and greet was more fun. They got a baby and a much larger one. It was fun.

If you reach your limits, while at the parks, it's okay to step away and enjoy some private time at your hotel.

Bandages for your feet in case you get blisters.
Shoes you can kick off if they get wet on the water rides.
Extra socks if you wear socks rather than sandals.

No I know! I'm not shaming anyone who likes the series (it was my special interest for like 5 years)
It's just sad because my mom made me spend my spending money on a wand I didn't want (I already had models and didn't care about the interactive stuff) and I spent the rest on a pygmy puff because I wanted one for a good year or so.

so she got about $100 from a little autistic trans boy who she would most definitely hate :[

There's quite a bit of merch of Lola as a Ravenclaw, I would 100% get it on eBay secondhand, especially since the WB100 thing is over. (it's now Team USA)