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PassPorter Blogs | Tag Archive | Hidden Needs

Disney After Cancer Treatment

Filed under Disney With Hidden Needs by Pamela Dorr on March 26, 2012 at 1:24 am {9 comments}

Trips to Disney World or Disneyland are often seen as a once in a lifetime event. Many families going through major life events like cancer treatments see Disney trips as a celebration of life. Cancer treatments are designed to kill the cancerous cells that ravage our bodies and take over our lives.  Several years ago, I underwent a series of Cytoxin chemotherapy treatments. During the treatments I sat in a comfy chair and relaxed while the medicine dripped through an IV into my arm. After each treatment I was exhausted for the next 24 hours.

Cancer treatments, while they save lives, take a major toll on a person’s health and energy levels. Taking a trip to the Disney Parks after cancer treatments requires using different touring strategies than one taken prior to a cancer diagnosis, especially if the celebratory trip is very soon after the conclusion of cancer treatments.

I myself and a “pseudo-commando” style tourist at the Disney Parks. My family and I get to the parks as soon as we can, and we stay for as late as we can. Often, we will park hop to another park with Extra Magic Hours. We make up a list of specific attractions that we feel we must visit in each park. If we are able to hit more attractions than what is on our list, then we are happy to have extra fun.  Other Passporter members are “commando” style tourists and will open and close the parks each day. They will hit every attraction in each park as many times as possible during the day. If I had visited Walt Disney World within the first year after my chemotherapy treatments, I would not have been able to tour the parks as much as I did in my last few trips.

 

For people visiting Disney Parks after cancer treatments the best advice I can offer is: take it easy. Slow down and enjoy a leisurely stroll through the parks. Take a break in the middle of the day to go back to your resort and relax by the pool or in your room. Plan a relaxing meal at one of the wonderful table service restaurants that the Disney Parks have to offer.

 

Chemotherapy and radiation treatments take a toll on a person’s body. Rest is the best way to allow your body to recover. Visiting the Disney Parks requires a tremendous amount of walking. Even if you have to benefits of an electric scooter (ECV) or a wheelchair, there are often times where you will need to leave your wheelchair or ECV behind while you wait in an attraction queue. Pirates of the Caribbean is one such attraction. My daughter had to leave her wheelchair behind near the entrance to the attraction and walk the entire way through the queue area. In instances like this, a Guest Assistance Card (GAC) is invaluable. At the beginning of your first park visit, stop in at Guest Services and ask for a GAC. Explain that you tire easily while standing and need to have a place to rest while waiting your turn to experience the attraction.

 

Unfortunately, I have not had the pleasure of visiting Disneyland, so the following advice I offer is specific to Walt Disney World. In all the parks, be sure to stay hydrated. This is key, especially after a cancer diagnosis and treatment. There are certain attractions that will allow you a bit of a rest, while allowing you to stay in the parks.

 

Magic Kingdom

Enjoy a relaxing ride on the People Mover, the Tomorrowland Transportation Authority ride. This attraction is a leisurely ride through Tomorrowland and some of its major attractions like Space Mountain. Learn a little history in the Hall of Presidents. I have read where some Passporters feel this is a great attraction for a nap. LOL At the very least it is a nice air conditioned place to sit for a while.

 

Epcot

The Voices of Liberty offers entertainment while guests wait to experience the American Adventure Show.

In Future World there are benches and ledges where you can sit and people watch for a little while. In World Showcase, you have more options for restful spots. Most of the eleven country pavilions have some sort of attraction where you can sit and relax. Canada pavilion had the “O Canada” movie. There is also and area to sit and listen to the music of Off Kilter. China pavilion has “Reflections of China,” a Circle-Vision movie. These are just two of the options in World Showcase. The American Adventure has an (in my opinion) interesting show about the American Dream throughout history. If you are lucky, while you wait in the air conditioned lobby for the theater to open, you can listen to the Voices of Liberty.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

The American Idol Experience allows you to rest while you listen to (hopefully) good music. Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show is a half hour (approximately) show where you can sit and learn how some of the stunts are created in your favorite action movies. This attraction can be extremely warm, however, especially in the warmer months since it is outside. The Magic of Disney Animation offers a short respite from the heat while  you learn how Disney animators work through the process of creating beloved animated characters.

 

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Festival of the Lion King offers semi air conditioned bench seating while you enjoy a lively, colorful show inspired by the animated movie and Broadway show. This is a large and rather loud venue, so be prepared. Finding Nemo, The Musical is another enjoyable show that gives you a chance to sit and relax. This park has the least amount of shade and is the hottest of all the parks.

 

If you have visited the Disney Parks before and after a cancer diagnosis and treatment, please leave a comment about how your touring plan changed, if it did. For more tips on visiting the Disney Parks after a cancer diagnosis check out the Passporters Open Mouse to Walt Disney World and Disney Cruise Line.

Hidden Needs Advice from Passporter Members

Filed under Disney With Hidden Needs by Pamela Dorr on February 17, 2012 at 5:20 pm {one comment}

Cinderella's Castle on a Beautiful Sunny Day by Tere_WDW

This week, I want to look at some questions regarding Hidden Needs posed on the PassPorterBoards.com forums. First up is a mom that asks about being able to accommodate her son’s dining needs. Then we will look at a grandmother’s question regarding how to help her grandson enjoy Walt Disney World with a seizure disorder. We will finish up with accommodations for a vision issue and older children still in need of changing tables.

 

Recently PassPorter member Tinkblat posted what she felt might be an odd question. Just like in school, NO question is ever odd. Chances are very good that if you have the question, then someone else does too. Tinkblat found out that this applies to questions on PassPorter.com also. You see, what she describes is really a Hidden Need! In short, she tells readers that her son, who has mild autism, cannot have any of his food touching and even needs to use separate utensils for each food item. Her question is: Will Disney provide the multiple utensils and also multiple dishes to ensure that her son is able to enjoy his meal? The answer, as she found out, is a resounding yes. You can read the entire thread in the Feasting and Snacking Forum of PassPorter.com.

 

Dammfam requested a few suggestions to pass along to her daughter’s teacher. The teacher is planning a summer trip with her grandchildren.  The teacher is concerned with how the Florida summer heat will affect her grandson’s heat related seizure disorder.  The first suggestion that comes to mind is to go during a cooler time of the year. However, if that is unavoidable, then a few other suggestions were made. Take a break in touring during the hottest part of the day. Keep him hydrated and try to visit as many air conditioned attractions as possible. These were just a few of the suggestions offered in the thread.   Her grandson will benefit from a Guest Assistance Card while visiting Walt Disney World. They will need to explain that her grandson needs to wait in an  air conditioned area for the ride vehicles.

 

Another member, Coopercw, asks if her husband would qualify and/or benefit from a Guest Assistance Card with Retinitis Pigmentosis, a vision disorder. She states that he has a harder time navigating in the dark. Passporter members replied with yet another resounding “yes.” Other members tell her to make sure to explain to Guest Relations exactly what his needs are. In other words tell the Cast Member that her husband has night blindness and tunnel vision and ask what accommodations can be made. The Cast Members at Walt Disney World and Disneyland are well versed in what accommodations can be provided for various needs.  You can read through the entire thread here.

 

Tabitha34 wanted to know about changing tables for older children. In the Vacationing Your Way: Your Special Needs forum. She explains that her younger child is getting too big for the usual changing tables found in the restrooms. She was offered lots of advice to check out the Baby Care Centers or First Aid Centers at the parks. After her trip, she reported back that the Baby Care Centers were a life (and back) saver for her.  She also said that World Showcase “proved to be one of the most difficult places to find a large enough changing table.” So if your child still needs the use of changing tables, but they have outgrown the size of the changing tables, try for the Baby Care Centers.Check out the entire thread here. Also, for more information about Tabitha34’s daughter and her Hidden Needs check out her blog.

 

As you can see, Disney World can accommodate a wide variety of Hidden Needs and Passporter.com is a wonderful site to find out what you need to do to make sure your family has the accommodations you need for a truly awesome and magical Disney vacation. Check out the Vacationing Your Way forum for tips on renting wheelchairs or ECV’s from offsite, First Aid and Health tips for touring Walt Disney World and information on dealing with the TSA when you have a disability. Thank you to all the awesome Passporter.com members that offer such great advice to each other.

 

Autism at Disney: Tips From my PassPorter Friends

Filed under Disney With Hidden Needs by Pamela Dorr on February 1, 2012 at 3:58 pm {one comment}

A familiar blanket or plush will give a child something to focus on when they begin to get sensory overloaded.

For anyone visiting the Vacationing Your Way: Special Needs forum on PassPorter.com, you will notice many threads about dealing with a variety of special needs at Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and Disney Cruise Lines. In my last few posts I have talked about my personal experiences with Hidden Needs at Disney. However, I know that my experiences don’t reflect every Hidden Need out there. So today, I draw inspiration from my PassPorter friends. (I’m sure I will draw inspiration from them in the future as well, so this is just the start of a – hopefully – long tradition.)

 

One Hidden Need that is often addressed on the PassPorter forums is Autism. I have read many, many tips for helping kids (and adults) all along the Autism Spectrum to enjoy their Disney vacations. Here are a few of those tips that stand out in my mind. (Of course, this leaves me open to put more tips in another blog later.)

 

Get a Guest Assistance Card (GAC). So what if your child, or you, doesn’t look like you would need a GAC?? That is why we call our Special Needs “Hidden Needs.” They are not visible to the naked eye usually. We don’t all go around with signs around our necks identifying what is “wrong” with us. That is not to imply that someone with Autism, or any other Hidden Need, has anything wrong with them. They just view and interact with the world in a different way and it is up to the rest of us to see it through their eyes so we can make it easier for them to navigate through life. If waiting in long lines can lead to a meltdown, then explain to the Cast Member that you just need a less crowded place to wait.

Use a stroller. If you have young children, or even older children that are still small enough to ride in a stroller, then use your stroller at Disney. This will be a lifesaver in more ways than one. Be sure to stop at Guest Relations for the first park you visit. In addition to asking for a GAC, you will want to ask for a “Stroller as Wheelchair” tag. This tag will allow you to keep your stroller with you in all the queue lines, since you are usually asked to leave the stroller outside the attraction.

Bring a comfort blanket/item. This one might seem like it is a no-brainer, but then again we may want to leave a truly loved item at home for fear of losing it in a big place like Walt Disney World. A favorite plush toy or a favorite blanket might be just enough familiarity in an unfamiliar place to allow your child to stave off a sensory overload. It can be something for your child to focus on. Also, a blanket or towel can be used to cover the stroller and provide a safe haven. Placing the blanket over the top of the stroller to create a “tent” allows your child to block out everything else for a time.

Sunglasses are for MORE than shading your eyes· Dark sunglasses, if your child will wear them, are another way to block out others. Your child can put them on and “escape” from a visual overload of information. Headphones can be use to block out the auditory overload as well.

Let something else do the talking for you. This one sounds kind of out there I know. However, if you don’t want to spend the whole day worrying about what you are going to say to someone should they get upset or offended at your child’s behavior (and, by the way, you should NOT have to say anything), you could make up small business cards that simply read, “I am blessed with the gift of Autism. I see things differently than you do and I experience the world in a much different way.” If your child wants to meet the characters, but he/she is too shy to actually talk to any of them, you can write a note on the inside cover of the autograph book. I made an autograph book for one PassPorter friend’s son with the note “Hi! My name is _______. I am very shy, but I really want your autograph.”

 

These tips may not seem like much, but some of the Autism Blessed parents on PassPorter.com have sworn by these tips and tricks. As I remember more tips and tricks I will post them here on Disney With Hidden Needs. Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and Disney Cruise Lines are wonderful about making their parks and attractions accessible to everyone.  Sometimes, we just need to help them make things a little less sensory overloading for Autism Spectrum children.

It’s the CAREGIVER’s Vacation Too!!

Filed under Disney With Hidden Needs, Fresh Picked Posts by Pamela Dorr on January 23, 2012 at 6:30 pm {3 comments}

Every day I deal with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Social Phobia, Generalized Anxiety, Major Depression, and Hereditary Spastic Paraparesis. However, I personally only “suffer” from a mild case of depression. So why do I deal with all those other things? Simple, I am a mom, girlfriend, and caregiver to two wonderful people that are diagnosed with these mental and physical problems. Disney trips are a chance for all of us to forget about the diagnoses for a little while, to an extent.

I am the trip planner. I make sure that my boyfriend gets face time with his favorite characters in an environment where he is more comfortable. This means that I reserve a dinner or breakfast seating at one of those restaurants that has character dining with Stitch or Chip and Dale. (Although, I did surprise myself this last time with a breakfast at 1900 Park Faire where Tigger was in attendance. I really didn’t know he would be there.) If we have to wait in line, he feels rushed and anxious because everyone is “watching” him while he visits with 626 or the ‘munks. Although, one of my favorite photos from his first Disney trip is that first meeting with Chip and Dale outside Innoventions in Epcot. He was able to forget his anxiety and depression for a few moments and be a kid.

I also make sure that my daughter gets time with Goofy and that she is able to enjoy her favorite rides. I push her wheelchair and get her to Splash Mountain or to Goofy’s Barnstormer (when it was there). I worry about how much walking she does because I don’t want her to spend the nights in pain because she over did the walking. She doesn’t always like it when I tell her she needs to use the wheelchair at Disney, but she always thanks me at the end of the day.

However, I have to remember that it is MY vacation too. I get so caught up and trying to make sure that the two of them have all the accommodations they need to enjoy the trip that I forget to make sure we do something I want to do as well.

In 2007, my daughter and I made our first trip to Walt Disney World. Since it was her first visit, I tried to make sure she got to do everything she wanted to do. She didn’t have a wheelchair at that time, so she walked from 7:00 or 8:00 AM to whenever Evening Extra Magic Hours were over.I spent the trip concerned about her legs and making sure that she found some relief with her ibuprofen and  hot baths at night. I wanted to explore World Showcase, but because her legs were hurting so much by the time we went to Epcot, we only visited Mexico before returning to Future World.

In 2009, my boyfriend joined us for another trip to Walt Disney World. Once again, I wanted to explore World Showcase. This time, my daughter had a wheelchair, but my boyfriend wasn’t comfortable with crowds in World Showcase the day we were at Epcot due to his social phobia. Once again, the thing I most wanted to do was put to the back burner. I saw it as a reason for another trip to Walt Disney World.

In 2011, I FINALLY realized that I was spending so much time making sure that they enjoyed their vacation, that I had moments where I didn’t enjoy it very much. I found that I would feel a little resentment that we didn’t get to do what I wanted to do while at Disney. So this last time I “put my foot down” that I was going to explore World Showcase. If they didn’t want to explore it with me, then I would meet them either at the resort or at our dinner reservation.

It was “quick” exploration. I didn’t go inside to all the pavilions. However, I did make sure to enjoy something in each country. Admittedly, a few of those enjoyments were of the adult beverage variety, but other enjoyments were things like the attention to detail in the buildings. In Germany, I indulged myself in a chocolate and caramel dipped pretzel stick. (YUM!!!!) In the outpost I enjoyed watching the artisan carve animals from wood. Exploring the World is one of my favorite memories from this last trip. Both of my loved ones joined me in my exploration. They each found something they liked and enjoyed. I even heard them both say that we needed to spend more time in World Showcase next time we go.

What I had finally realized is that these are my vacations too. While I still need to worry about their hidden needs and make sure that they are able to enjoy themselves despite these needs, I also need to enjoy myself and relax. As my daughter gets older, she is also becoming more independent. I can see that on our next trip, she will probably want to go off and explore on her own for a while.

As caregivers to family or friends with Hidden and Special Needs, we often forget to take some time for ourselves. This is a common caregiver lament. Every article I have ever read about HOW to be a good caregiver tells us to take some time for ourselves. However, we rarely do this. Many caregivers have the same line of thinking that I do: “If I don’t take care of it, then who will?” We often put our needs aside to focus on the needs of those we love. (This is a common parental lament as well.) Vacations are meant for everyone to relax a bit. They are a chance to do something other than worry about someone’s special needs. Vacations are meant to give us a respite from our every day lives. As caregivers, we need to recognize that it is not just our loved ones’ vacations. It is OUR vacation too.

So next time you are planning a trip to Disney, or anywhere else, make sure to plan in something YOU want to do. If the others don’t want to do it, that’s fine; enjoy your alone time. If they do want to join you, then it is a happier memory because they took part in something you wanted to experience. So what am I planning for our next Disney trip? Well, we are discussing a Disney cruise and I see some spa time in my future.

What is a Hidden Need?

Filed under Disney With Hidden Needs by Pamela Dorr on November 7, 2011 at 11:20 am {13 comments}

My family enjoying the magic of Disney World

How accommodating is Disney? Well, how accommodating do you need them to be? When most people think of guests needing accommodations at Disney, they think of people with obvious physical disabilities. However, what about those guests with the not-so-obvious disabilities, the Hidden Needs?

 

What qualifies as a “Hidden Need”?

Special dietary needs can be considered Hidden Needs. If you can’t eat anything with nuts or dairy, then your meal needs to have some special care taken with its preparation. Disney chefs are amazing at making sure that you still get to experience some truly fantastic culinary delights.

Physical ailments such as a Multiple Sclerosis, bad knees, back problems, and broken toes (among other things) are all “Hidden Needs” as well. How often do you hear someone complain about not being able to walk very far because their knees are bothering them? Or what about that mom that needs to sit down every half hour or so to rest their back? While these guests do not look like they need accommodations, they often do need some accommodations to fully enjoy their Disney vacation.

Another group of guests with Hidden Needs is the group with mental health issues. Guests that live with issues such as social anxiety, depression, autism, and other mental health issues often need some kind of accommodation to help them get the most enjoyment out of their Disney vacation.

 

What kind of accommodations are available  for Hidden Needs?

For those with special dietary needs, the chefs at the various Disney restaurants are able to make custom dishes. If a guest is not able to eat nuts, the chefs will not only prepare the guest’s meal away from any surfaces that may be “contaminated” with nuts or nut products, but they will also specially prepare the meal without nuts even if it is normally prepared with nuts.

For other Hidden Needs, guests can visit Guest Services at any park and request a Guest Assistance Card (GAC). The guest needs to explain to the Cast Member what kind of accommodation would allow him/her to truly enjoy all that Disney has to offer. For instance, if a guest with social phobia needs a quieter and less crowded place to wait for a ride vehicle then this is exactly what the Cast Member at Guest Services needs to know. This information allows the Cast Member to determine the best accommodation available to the guest. In this case, it may be that the guest would be allowed to use an alternate entrance that leads to a less crowded waiting area. This does not mean that the guest will be allowed to go straight to the front of the line. A guest with sun sensitivity issues will need to explain that they need to be allowed to wait in an area that is inside a building or at least well shaded.

 

What information does the Cast Member need to know to issue a Guest Assistance Card?

The Cast Member needs to know what you need to be able to enjoy your vacation. However the Cast Member does not need, nor want, to know what your disability is. You do not need to give any confidential or specific information regarding your disability. You only need to explain how you can best enjoy your vacation.

 

A Guest Assistance Card will let me get to the front of the line and get right on a ride, right?

No! A GAC will only allow you to wait in an area that is more accommodating for your Hidden Need. In fact, the wait to get a ride vehicle can often be longer when using a GAC. This is because guests that need special ride vehicles, such as wheelchair accessible ride cars, often have longer waits. A guest using a GAC for an attraction may want to take this extra wait into account when deciding if he/she wants to use the GAC accommodation or not for a particular attraction.

 

My family’s story:

My daughter and my boyfriend both have Hidden Needs. In my daughter’s case, she has a physical disability that is very hard to notice unless you are very familiar with it. She requires the use of a wheelchair when doing a lot of walking (like a full day at a Disney park), but she doesn’t like to stay in her wheelchair all day. On those occasions when she wants to walk for a bit, the GAC allows her to use an alternate entrance and wait in an area that has a little more room for her sit for a bit. My boyfriend, on the other hand, has both special dietary needs and mental health needs. For him, we make sure to note his dietary restrictions when we make our advanced dining reservations. When we arrive at the restaurant, the chef always comes out to talk to him about his dining needs. When we go to the first park of our visit, we stop in at the Guest services window. We make sure to tell the Cast member that he needs a quieter place away from large crowds to wait for our turn to ride. With a simple stamp that allows them both to use an alternate entrance, they can both wait for the rides without suffering from their Hidden Needs, and we can all enjoy our family Disney vacation.