Disney with Ease
My family moved to Orlando Mid December 2020 and have tried to soak in all the fun that this town has to offer. Being cognizant of the unique needs of our children and our special visitors, I have become aware of places that go above and beyond to make sure we have an amazing experience. One of those places is Disney. Disney can be the most magical place on Earth or meltdown city. Disney has a fabulous team accommodating guests with special needs. They have a pass called Disability Access Services(DAS). These accommodations are great and simple to get. Having the needed accommodations during your day at the park can be vital in keeping the entire family happy. Having a simple conversation with Guest Services at the parks gets the things in place that are necessary for the DAS pass. Take a look at Disney’s website for the specifics about the DAS pass. Your first stop once you enter the park is Guest services to begin this conversation. Here is a review of the accommodations my family has benefited from at the Disney parks and how we navigate a day smoothly:
(Universal Studios has similar accommodations, but I have had fewer visits to their parks.)
DAS Line access: For kids who may have trouble waiting in long lines, especially in the sun, this accommodation is really helpful. This is NOT immediate access to the ride, but rather you have flexibility to wait in other areas with a return time. My family uses the Disney app to look at the wait times throughout the park. I do this several times leading up to our visit to the park to get an idea of what rides are typically busy at which times during the day of the week we are planning to visit. Once in the park, we immediately check-in with the ride with the long wait time to make our return reservation time. The cast member setting up your DAS pass can reserve this wait time for you when you meet with them. The DAS wait time typically reflects the amount of time you actually wait in the line. 70 minutes in line means 70 minutes to use in other areas. While we have this reserved wait time, we ride rides that have less than 20 minutes posted wait time which is tolerable for my daughter if in the shade. We also grab a snack break, watch a show, shop or see a parade. Before long, we are ready to ride the longer wait time rides without any trouble.
When you arrive at the park, choose your wait time for the longest time and check with Guest services.
You can only have 1 DAS ride reservation at a time.
Check in with a DAS pass before breaking for lunch and dinner. While you wait for meal your wait time will quickly pass
With 2 adults, one can check in for the DAS line, while the other begins to walk to a show, lunch, parade etc. We found that it was a challenge for the kids to see the ride and not ride.
Rider Swap- When traveling with little people or kids that may not enjoy a ride, Disney has a rider swap program. It took us a minute to figure out what this meant, but essentially, if one parent has to wait back with a child who can not ride a ride, that adult and 2 others can again without waiting. No one misses the fun! This will work in conjunction with your DAS pass. You simply have to ask for a rider swap when you check in to ride the ride after your DAS wait time. You can have a rider swap time and a DAS time at the same time as well.
Cards VS magic bands- My family uses the park issued cards rather than magic bands. We clip all the cards together and manage our DAS Lines and rider swaps with the cards separated. The reason for this is that it allows flexibility for the ride access. We have not navigated the park with magic bands, but feel like it’s an added expense we don't need. The cards can be swapped around between our family if one child quickly changes their mind about riding on a swap.
Dining- Our family finds this down time vital for a smooth park day. We want our kids to take in the healthy calories at these meals and actually rest. It takes time away from riding rides, but allows for over stimulated, exhausted kids to get a needed break. Making a dining reservation in advance is important, so when you reserve your park day, be prepared to make your dining reservation. In-park restaurants are affordable, less chaotic, air conditioned and allow for everyone to rest for a bit before getting into the park excitement again. If sit down dining is not an option, be ready to make a mobile order. This option has less wait, but is not as restful for everyone. You can make your mobile dining order several hours in advance to be fully prepared. Disney is proactive in addressing food allergies. They ask that you inform them upon arrival at the restaurant of your dietary needs. They have options to accommodate common food allergies. Disney also allows for guests to bring in their own food if allergies are an issue into restaurants and the park, simply inform the cast members at the bag check and the restaurant.
Relaxation areas- These areas have been really helpful for my family. Map out where these areas are in the park when you have a conversation with guest services. These spaces are air conditioned and quiet. An over heated, over stimulated child can take a needed break in one of these areas. We split our group to allow for maximum quiet time in this space. But while we are not together, we avoid the really desired attractions to do as a family.
Snacks and hydration- We have a medium soft sided cooler that fits perfectly under our stroller. We load it up with ice packs (not bags of ice) and water. I bring electrolyte powder to add to the drinks as needed. Another snack tip for park days is freezing yogurt pouches and apple sauces the night before and adding them to the cooler. They will either be a nice cool treat at the park or just the right temperature at the end of the day. To minimize germs, I opt for individual servings of snacks which are easy to pack and throw away. The ice packs come in handy when kids need to be cooled down quickly. You can refill water bottles with water and get ice at any of the restaurants free of charge. We try to leave lunch with full water bottles!
Walking and mobility- A day at Disney can quickly rack up mileage walking around. We have walked between 7 and 9 miles on our park days. Being aware of the amount of walking you may be doing is important. Taking a stroller even though it might not be used is helpful. It’s a great place to stash your stuff, but also gives kids a break from this walking. My 8 year old daughter has been caught riding in the stroller and even took a nap in it one park day when she was fighting a migraine.
If physical mobility is a challenge for your family, Disney has access lines that avoid the stairs that the typical lines have. Cast members are happy to assist you through these lines. The park itself has very few stairs and where there are stairs, there are ramps close by. Navigating the park is easy, but exhausting.
Weather- When planning your trip, be aware of the temperatures in Orlando. The summer starts early here and the hot temps last longer than we might like. Choosing to come to Disney in the cooler months can make a really enjoyable visit. Summer rain storms are typical daily, so check the weather forecast for the day and plan to be inside a show or ride when storms are in the area. Also get the outdoor rides out of the way before a storm rolls in. With any luck and planning you may be able to stay dry and watch a great show! Be warned, if you go inside to avoid a storm and leave your stroller outside, it will get soaked! Look for covered stroller parking in those instances.
Souvenirs- Disney will get you on the merchandise, It’s all really nice stuff, but it quickly adds up, especially if you multiply things by 3 like I have to for my 3 girls. Avoid waiting till everyone is exhausted to shop, it makes it challenging to make clear decisions. Also, make a plan for what shopping will look like. You can scope out your store and souvenir in advance to avoid lots of shopping time. Each day we went to the parks, the kids wanted a Mickey balloon. The day we went to Magic Kingdom, the balloons were everywhere and the kids got me to say yes, but I told them we didn’t want to carry them around all day. They didn't forget and at the end of the night as we were leaving the park, I was standing in line for the balloons. I had no idea how much the balloons cost, but I was committed. Never have I spent so much money on balloons, but also never have I seen a balloon last over 2 weeks. Make a plan with buying souvenirs and stick to it! This is always a tension point for my crew.
Things to bring and not into the park- Stroller, battery operated fan, baby or hand wipes, extra clothes, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, refillable water bottles. I don’t bring a purse to the park, but use a fanny pack. It is easy to ride all the rides with the fanny pack secure around your waist, but a purse is more difficult and not safe to leave sitting in a waiting stroller.
Most of all, have fun. Disney is a really magical fun place to make memories for the whole family.
Written by Naomi Brubaker
