Does anyone have any tips for taking an autistic child to DisneyLand Paris?

Question

I'm looking into how viable it would be to take my partner and autistic child, aged 7, to Disneyland Paris. Any suggestions on accommodation, travel or the parks themselves would be greatly appreciated. Looking at taking the Euro tunnel or maybe a short plane flight.

Answer 1

as far as accommodation goes staying in one of the disney hotels ie the santa fae would be great because if your child gets stressed with being in a in-closed/busy area then you can walk to/from the park's and it only takes 10-15min tops.

if he likes the caracters i would suggest go and see the guest relations and see if there is any way you can see them in a quiet are because unlike florida there is no q-ing just lots of pushing.

for watching the paraide i would say stand near where the paraide starts and early.

try and aviod the busy rides and if he/she wants to go on any then do the fast pass.

hope i have helped

Answer 2

Hi there,

I have been to Disneyland Paris 4 times in the past 2 years and hope to go again very soon. I firstly agree with what another answerer wrote about keeping your child informed as a way to remove stress. Other tips is:

Prepare well:

-GO IN A LOW SEASON MONTH= Where crowds will be less, therefore less queueing, crowds etc September and Early October are low season as is november and early December. Jan is the cheapest time to visit the resort as it is very quiet however people report it is also very cold. Feb-April are low-mid season- of course days like st.patricks day or easter week would be busy, may is usually ok, july and august are hectic and to be avoided if you dont like crowds.

-CHOOSE A DISNEY HOTEL- The cheapest is the Hotel Santa Fe, which is where i have stayed most of the time, it is very near the parks as is all the disney hotels and  you can either walk to the parks or get a free shuttle bus, which will go to and from the parks to the hotels every 12-15mins. By choosing a Disney hotel disney characters will often visit the hotel and it's part of the whole disney experience. There is also a Disney store in each Disney Hotel. The main Disneyland Hotel is at the entrance to the Disneyland Park, infact it's pretty much in the park and if you can afford it, it will mean you are only a stones throw away from your hotel when in either park but all the hotels are close by anyway.

RIDES- If your child cannot be in crowds or queue for lengths of time you can talk to the people at your hotel or when your booking and let them know you have a child with a disablity, they will issue you with a card which will let you get onto rides quicker without queuing and if you show it to the minders who come out with characters they will ensure your child gets to meet the character without the push and shove of others.

If your child doesnt like rollercoasters or 'scary' rides make sure you know what each ride does in advance, there are many great but more peaceful rides for young children, or those of us who don't like the thriller rides.

RENTING PRAMS OR WHEELCHAIRS: I am sure these aren't possibily needed for your child but just to let you know you can rent these at the disneyland park entrance and also wheelchairs can be rented in disney studios.

CHARACTER MEET AND GREETS.- usually when characters appear around the park there is a scurry towards them and it can be very hectic. If this would upset your child my advice would be to book a character meal where you can sit at your table and characters will come around each table and interact with the people and get photos taken with adults and children. Best to book in advance by using the reservation phoneline, which from the uk is :0033160304050 personally I recommend Cafe Mickey which is situated between the two parks in the disney villiage.

PRACTICAL- there is a lot of walking in disneyland, so may advice is wear good footwear and that applies to everyone. When you have  young child it is best to take a backpack with drinks, snacks, suncream if its likely to be warm, even raincoats if you can fit them in, if not don't worry the resport sells rain ponchos for 8 euro per child and 12 per adult approx.

PARADE: There is a large parade in the Disneyland park daily, find a good place on the pavement in advance and stay there for the parade, that way you and your family will have a good view and it will be a good opportunity to take some pictures.

PARK MAPS AND PROGRAMMES: These can be found on the Entrance to the Disneyland park and to the Studios park (maps). Park programmes tell you what shows or character appearances are happening around the 2 parks to help you plan ahead. There is also information desks in your hotel lobby which you can ask about things you are unsure off.

There should be nothing to stop you and your child going to Disneyland Resort paris and having a fantastic time and the more you are prepared the better for any issues that arise.

appart from the official site - www.disneylandparis.co.uk there is another site which i find much better on giving all the information needed on the resort and what it has to offer which is- www.dlrpmagic.com

There is also a website which gives you a run down of the restraunts, what food they serve and their prices on www.dlpfoodguide.com

Hope i have helped you and if you have any other questions feel free to email me.

x*x  

Answer 3

With my little brother, it helps that we tell him the exact routine of what we're going to do any time we go somewhere new. You may want to tell the child exactly what you're plans are so they know what's going on and are always in the loop, this reduces anxiety and the chance of a fuss in public.

Most of all, just enjoy the time with your family!

Answer 4

Stay away from the more intense rides that will cause him stress.  Practice in seat behavior at home before going out in public.  

Answer 5

Exit passes - call Disneyland - inform them that you have a disabled son and ask them about Exit Passes - these will allow you to avoid queuing and go straight to the exit.

my nephew is autistic - he preferred the studios better as there was less rides etc - but loads to watch.

perhaps get a ticket for both.

It really depends on how your child's autism affects them.  But generally there's lots that they will enjoy.  The only difficult may be sensory over load, but you could give them lots of calming breaks, and leave the park and re enter any time.

My nephew enjoyed it.  Have a good time!