Giving the Magic of Disney to a Child with Autism

How to Ensure Your Child Enjoys Disneyland or Walt Disney World Despite Autism

"I'm going to Disneyland!"

From the winning quarterback of the Superbowl to the smallest town in America, children and adults alike automatically smile when they hear that famous phrase, "I'm going to Disneyland!" Since 1955 when the original Disneyland Theme Park opened, the Imagineers and Castmembers at Disneyland have been awing guests with stunning recreations of our favorite movies and television shows. It is a childhood dream to visit the home of Mickey Mouse and all his friends, a dream tens of thousands of children of all ages get to experience every year. Thankfully, the Disneyland experience is a dream that children with autism and their families can also experience, as the Resort's policies and accessibility continue to improve every year.

Planning Your Vacation

Any parent raising a child with autism learns early on that advance planning is critical to just about every aspect of life: vacations are no different. The disability makes children with autism crave structure, rigid schedules, and change of any kind is a challenge for them. Obviously a vacation is a major change in the day-to-day routine, and poses a problem for families. However, there are few things parents can do to make a vacation more enjoyable, and to ease their children's anxiety.

Seek the Right Hotel: Many children with autism are picky eaters, or have very restrictive diets like the GF/CF diet, which attempt to control some of the behaviors associated with autism by changing the child's biochemistry. While Disney properties are beginning to offer more dining options, including GF/CF diets in some locations, parents still find it difficult to maintain the right diet for their children on vacation. That's why properties like the Residence Inn in Placentia-Fullerton (3 miles from Disneyland) provide a great option for families of autistic children. The rooms are spacious, affordable, offer privacy for parents and children, and come complete with a full kitchen. This property, and similar ones in the area, offer a full breakfast and array of features that help the whole family enjoy their stay.