Walt Disney World

[Guest guest]

NO you go up to the guest services window and tell them your child is

autistic and does not understand the wait consept. They will give you a

handicapped pass so no waiting in lines HOORAY!!!

Terry

That sounds great. But I think one of the things we try to teach our

kids

is the concept of turn taking and waiting. It's hard for all kids, not

just

ours.

Jane

_______________________________________

Hi, Terry and Jane,

We were at Walt Disney World in May, too (around the 20th) and did

not get a pass for our 8-yr-old with AS, as we didn't when he was 5, the

other time we took him there. However, let me add that this is the kind

of individual family decision where we must be careful to not second

guess other parents. See, the worst I had to contend with, even when

was 5, was a mini-meltdown of about 10-15 mins. (fussing in line,

not fullscale screaming and kicking while lying on the ground). Other

parents have a lot more of a burden to bear in the tantrum department and

only they can decide when the tantrums get so far beyond the tantrums of

NT kids that they should go ahead and utilize the handicapped pass, which

enables them to jump the line in front of everyone who is waiting with an

NT child (by way of a handicapped entrance, which is a lot less

embarrassing for everyone concerned). That is the purpose of the pass.

In our case, waiting taught patience, self-control, and taking

turns. For some families, it would produce a child who is going to

meltdown for hours at a time and be emotionally shut down for the rest of

the day. If I see such a family taking the handicapped pass, I just

think, " God bless them--they need that. " It's always an individual

decision for each family. Cheers, M.