"All I want you to think about is when people walk through or have access to anything you design, I want them, when they leave, to have smiles on their faces. Just remember that. It's all I ask of you as a designer."

-- Walt Disney referring to the design of Disneyland.

Walt Disney wanted his parks to be a place where access was a pleasant experience for all, long before the concept of accessibility became linked by law to providing access to people with disabilities. In order to take advantage of the accommodations and available assistance, though, a family with special needs would be wise to do their homework. 

Resources
Passporter books. A comprehensive and well-researched source for current information is PassPorter's Walt Disney World for Your Special Needs. This 400-page resource covers 24 categories and provides solutions for travelers with hundreds of possible dietary, medical and mental health issues. Each attraction, restaurant and hotel is described in great detail for a variety of special needs from a traveler's point of view.

Co-author Debra Martin Koma describes her motivation for creating this resource. "We've gone to Disney countless times and, over the years, we've seen that Disney is accommodating for special needs, but there is not one central source for information." Koma, along with Deb Wills, initially created the web resource http://www.allearsnet.com/pl/planning.htm#special, to fill the need. The website attracted the attention of PassPorter Travel Press.

Koma and Wills feel that everyone should be able to go to the parks and enjoy themselves, which is the motivating factor for the website and book. "Figure out the best time of year, the best resort, the best restaurants for you," she continues.

Koma's advice to all guests with special needs is to do their research before they go. "A Disney vacation can be a big expense. If [families] go unprepared, or without having done research, they may encounter extremely large crowds, unbearably hot weather, and subsequently have a less pleasant experience. A Disney vacation is too expensive a proposition to squander your time and money that way."

Koma stressed that neither the website nor the book is officially affiliated with Disney. All the opinions and reviews are completely independent, with honest hints and advice straight from the consumer.

Official Disney Resources
Online. The restaurants, the resort hotels, the parades, even the fireworks can be explored with one click at http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/. The site provides official information on special needs via the Walt Disney World Disabilities Guide. Guests can find information on access, drinking fountains, first aid, guest relations, parking, safety, service animals, restroom accessibility, and even stamina or endurance concerns. Up-to-date information about closed attractions, special events and park schedules can be found here as well.

Vacation planning kits. Vacation planning kits are available without charge by calling 407-W-Disney or by visiting http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/. Be aware, though, these can take a few months to arrive after ordering. The kits come with an entertaining DVD full of exciting images, guide maps and resort information. Host recommendations provide detailed descriptions of attractions. A step-by-step tutorial guides you through the use of "My Disney Vacation", an online planning tool. The online planning tool can help you create and save for future reference comparison shopping information, a list of must sees, itineraries and details about reservations.

Maps and brochures. In the parks, guide maps show accessible attractions, attractions closed for refurbishment and precautions. Be careful with these, though! Ink can rub off from the maps, making a mess on hands or clothes if touched after using sunscreen or moisturizing lotion.

When researching your options, make sure you are speaking to someone who has been adequately trained to provide information. Preferably, get your information before you arrive. This author's on-site search for information at Walt Disney World produced inconsistent and conflicting answers. This may be due to the fact that many of the services available are not affiliated or officially endorsed by Disney.

Several resort cast members were unable to locate brochures or produce contact information. In one Disney Resort, several cast members were needed to locate a babysitting-service brochure and, at another, all cast members at the desk were convinced that no service was available. Even the resorts which had an official Disney kids' clubs on-site had not trained all desk staff to adequately promote or even describe the program. This is surprising, since the Disney-run programs appeared to be a well-designed product, not just for special-needs children, but for all kids.

Just to be safe, do your research by phone or on the websites and make sure you pack your copy of PassPorter for reference.

Tricks for Transitions
Even routine transitions at home can challenge some children. They may want more time with a toy or a book that will be left behind. They may have trouble ending a playdate or leaving a location. Some children who have difficulties with routine transitions will be even more challenged during vacations. For these children, create a plan to provide some recognizable structure and transitional routines throughout the day or to help with the concept of time passing.

Clocks, which provide a visual cue as time runs out, are often used in school behavior plans. A clock timer can be set to ring or display a visual cue when it is time to leave the hotel room. A visual representation of the day's itinerary can be comforting. Some children work well with a list that can be checked off as activities are completed, while some will enjoy circling target attractions on the theme park map and crossing them off after visiting.

If a strategy works at school, it will be more likely to work on vacation. Just be careful not to promise more than can be accomplished and explain from the beginning that the list could change.

Some children become upset when routines are disturbed by positive activities, like special events or school assemblies. Many are upset by unexpected or disappointing changes such as a fire drill or a cancelled play date. These children will need as few surprises as possible.

Researching which attractions will be closed beforehand is a good idea. Explaining that plans may change during a rainy day, or that not all plans are promises, will be important. Knowing which attractions could have sudden surprises or scary images gives the opportunity to prepare the child in advance. Verbal preparation or use of a transitional song or object can be helpful.

Some children respond well when given a transitional choice, perhaps between a red or blue hat. Others prefer one transitional object, like a favorite toy or stuffed animal. The child's tolerance for choices should determine the number of options for quicker decisions. Offering too many choices can make a bad situation worse, so be careful not to overload with options.

Very often, children try to negotiate for unrealistic or inappropriate requests. A debate can be redirected by saying "That is not one of your choices," then restating the original choices firmly. Also, be careful not to create transition routines which you'll regret later. One parent found that playing CDs helped her child tolerate car ride transitions, only to discover that the ritualistic child would tantrum if the entire CD was not played to completion, making a five-minute car trip to the store into a 40-minute listening session until a successful "compromise" intervention could be tolerated.

Children must also learn the hard truth that NOT all requests come with a choice or a compromise option. One child had difficulty with this concept at the Magic Kingdom's Tom Sawyer's Island. A cast member from Aunt Polly's Dockside Inn explained that there were no peanut butter and jelly crackers available, just sandwiches. I remember the ducks scrambling in fear as the screaming child stamped by, demanding, "Where is my compromise!!!!" Painful lessons exist, even in the Happiest Place On Earth.

Speaking of painful, one of the most difficult vacation transitions can be the transition back home. Even some adults look back sadly when leaving Disney World for the last time at the close of a vacation. The different phases of vacation closure can be difficult.

I still remember the feeling I had one winter when my plane landed at the snowy, bitter-cold airport. The sight of children (and adults) pulling their mouse ears and Goofy hats off their heads as they trudged off the plane was a group portrait in unhappy transition. I heard wise parents distracting their children with a promise to visit grandmom or a plan to put together a vacation show-and-tell for school. These kids perked up and most likely had a happy ride home.

During closure transitions, take attention from the ending by discussing what is coming next. For the child who can't let go, try distracting with a promise of a special event at a favorite restaurant, a special playdate, or better yet, a future Disney trip!

The "Peanut Gallery Phenomenon"
I used the term "peanut gallery phenomenon" while counseling patients and clients who are concerned that they will be judged if they take advantage of accommodations or for those with hidden disabilities who share that they were harassed or made to feel uncomfortable by a strangers unkind reaction.

The term describes the tendency to make judgments about a person's right to an accommodation by a quick, untrained glance. A common example would be the glaring looks delivered to anyone parked in a handicapped space without a wheelchair or an oxygen tank in tow. Many families with special needs have been hurt or embarrassed by these snap judgments and are hesitant to request accommodations for fear that they will become targets.

For those who choose accommodations, especially with a hidden disability, the best way to deal with the glares and comments from the peanut gallery is to ignore them. After all, who wants to attempt sensitivity training or raising awareness on vacation.

The influence of the peanut gallery phenomenon from Disney cast members was apparent only in parents' surprise regarding its absence as parents shared their Disney special-needs stories. Most people mentioned how pleased they were that Disney cast members did not judge them or make them feel bad about asking for help.

They were surprised that there was no real investigation, no need to look closely at the doctors note, no stress test to prove a problem. One parent told me that, upon presenting a doctor's note about his son's hidden mental illness, he was told by a cast member, "I don't need to see that. It's personal!" This, as well as the large number of people with disabilities working successfully as cast members, is a statement about Disney's dedication to those with special needs.

Tools to Take with You
Who hasn't checked the contents of a day pack twice before leaving a hotel room for a day's adventure? When children are involved, a day pack becomes a survival pack; forgetting essential items can create some serious problems. Sunscreen, comfortable shoes and sunglasses are just the beginning. A theme park survival pack may include a water bottle, water mister, hand fidgets, crunchy snacks, handi-wipes and/or scented lotions. Experiment with textures and scents of sunscreens at home if smell and textures are a problem.

An occupational therapist, parents and child can work together to choose the best tools for the survival pack. The routine of choosing which items to take for the day can make for a great transitional activity for a child, incorporating checklists with pictures or some other system. If chewing gum is on the list for sensory tools, be aware that the shops in the parks do not sell gum.

Some children feel calm and centered when wearing compression garments or weighted vests, though the Florida heat can create sensitivities to clothing. It is best to consult an occupational therapist for advice on wearing special garments. Some children may start the day without the garment, then, when signs of overload occur, a quick trip to the rest room to don the garment can add the benefit of sensory change for grounding and centering. For many, choice and change gives an added boost to the benefits of sensory strategies.

Turning Trouble into Play
Sometimes all children need is a place and some time to run around and be a kid. There are plenty of safe places to play freely in the parks. Cool misting stations and interactive water fountains are great fun on hot days. The Magic Kingdom's Toontown Fair contains the attraction called Donald's Boat, a wheelchair accessible playground featuring water, climbing and playing. In DinoLand, U.S.A., the Boneyard at Disney's Animal Kingdom features a play maze where kids can play in the sand, dig up fossils or climb on dinosaurs. In the "Honey, I Shrunk The Kids" playground at Disney-MGM Studios, kids 4 and up can climb, crawl and slide though a bigger-than-life backyard. Epcot's Imagination! Pavilion is full of exciting interactive activities with lights, music and movement to delight children and adults who create symphonies by jumping and waving their arms, design artwork on computers and much more.

These playgrounds offer the perfect gross-motor, free play-break. As always, review safety rules and choose a target reward for safe play and cooperation with others. Following the play with some deep breaths, bear hugs from parents, or other strategies can help children re-organize, calm down and prepare for more touring.

Babysitting and Daycare Options
Parents may wonder how child-care staff will manage their special-needs child. An occupational therapist can help parents make realistic choices and write a plan with hints for camp and babysitting staff. The vacation plan can often be adapted from a school or therapy plan. A "camp kit" may include favorite toys, preferred rewards, and written suggestions for handling boredom, tantrums, communication needs or dietary issues. Many kids' clubs limit acceptance to children ages 4-12 who are potty-trained. In some situations, a special needs child who is not toilet trained will be accepted if the parent carries a beeper to assist with these needs.

Themed Kid's Clubs. There are several resorts with kid's clubs to choose from, especially in the deluxe resort category. These options include the Mouseketeer's Club at the Disney's Grand Floridian, the Sandcastle Club at Disney's Yacht and Beach Club, the Cub's Den at Disney's Wilderness Lodge, and Simba's Clubhouse at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Let's pick one club, the Never Land Club in Disney's Polynesian Resort, for a closer look. This resort offers access to and from the Magic Kingdom and Epcot from a monorail right at the hotel. The kid's club offers a Peter Pan-themed dinner buffet for ages 4-12, free arcade games, movies, and arts and crafts. Hours of operation are generally between 4:00 p.m. and 12:00 midnight.

Make a few quick visits to the kid's club before the big day, and spend some time getting to know the staff and setting to help children with separation anxiety or fear of new situations. You can even have the child assist with choosing the resort hotel and theme before booking.

In-room sitting. In-room sitting is preferred by some parents, as it does not require socializing with other children. A parent who is depending on these services would be wise to do any research and ask questions before leaving for the vacation. In response to information requests regarding in-room sitting, two Disney Resort hotels produced brochures for the Orlando based company called All About Kids, which is not officially affiliated with or endorsed by Disney.

Marian Christ, founder of the 16-year-old company, said her sitters come to the hotel with age-appropriate toys and games. With written permission, the child can be taken out of the room for meals, playgrounds, or a visit to the pool. The agency can send sitters to the parks as a mother's helper or alone with children.

Christ feels that some parents are afraid that the agency will refuse assistance for special needs, but an inquiry call, she insists, is a good idea. "If a sitter has specialized experience or training in an area, the right person will be sent," she says.

Of course, nothing is guaranteed as far as accommodations for special needs. "We're not a medical organization, but there are a lot of things we can do." said Christ. "We try to accommodate anything, but it is best to call ahead to be sure." All About Kids can be reached at 1-800-812-9300 or at http://www.all-about-kids.com. As with any service, be sure to ask plenty of questions if you have any doubts.

Activities in the Parks
Several interesting activities are led by cast members right in the theme parks. During my visit to Disney's Animal Kingdom Park, a program with six activity stations earned special "passport" stamps to be put in a "Kid's Club Discovery Guide Book." Activities included dinosaur bone digs, arts and crafts, and educational experiences. Parents usually remained with their children at the table or took a break at a nearby bench while keeping an eye on these activities. Some children moved on after a few minutes, while some remained for close to a half-hour. The respite provided by having someone new entertain the child can really help the parent re-group and refresh.

The World Showcase in Epcot often has special themed-activity tables as well. Most of these activities were very appealing and interesting, with children appearing fully engaged. The fact that a project was involved and a cast member was seated at the table seemed to provide a great atmosphere for trouble-free socializing. Many of the "tweens" and teens appeared to enjoy the opportunity to chat with young, supervising cast members from all over the world.

Vacation Playdates
Opportunities for free play exist all over the parks and resorts. The vacation playgroup at Walt Disney World can be an interesting mix of cultures from around the world. Different languages, customs and appearances can challenge the social skills of any child who has had limited exposure to differences. Sometimes it is the special-needs child who appears different to the other children.

It is common for parents to express concern about finding the right playgroup and integrating their children. They describe concerns including shyness, awkwardness and less-than-polite behavior, to name a few. Even though vacation play is often a situation where children will only interact once, parents still want their child to fit in and, of course, be safe.

How a child handles unstructured social play and social situations at home can provide information about what might be expected on vacation. Just a little preparation can help a child survive the vacation playdate. Review the basic rules for good behavior and safety. It may help to explain that differences in accent, dress or culture that may be encountered is part of the fun. All preparation should be delivered in a lighthearted tone.

Getting Around the Parks
People who have trouble with walking, balance or endurance will find many options. Disney rents strollers and wheelchairs; however, these rentals are limited and may not be available for late-comers on a busy day. Local companies will rent for the duration of a stay, but that means hauling wheelchairs or strollers back and forth.

If traveling by bus, strollers must be folded, and children transferred unless the strollers are tagged as wheelchairs, in which case you can use a lift with the child still seated. Proper body mechanics and wheelchair safety awareness is a must for the parent who may be renting a loaner wheelchair for the first time. Parents can avoid injury by reviewing body mechanics for lifting and pushing. Remember to let the legs do most of the work when pushing or lifting and avoid twisting at the waist.

Proper wheelchair locking, awareness of curbs, and flipping foot platforms safely out of the way during transfers can help avoid spills. Be sure to insist on anti-tip bars, which prevent backward falls. If in doubt, a consultation with an occupational therapist for wheelchair management and safety can be a good idea.

Too Much of a Good Thing
At times, rest breaks, rather than gross-motor or play breaks, are the best choice. Rest breaks can take the form of one of the slower-moving car or boat attractions. In the Magic Kingdom, the dark "Hall Of Presidents" attraction provides a 25-minute power nap in a dark, cool place for a tired child while the show can be appreciated by older children or parents. Children in strollers often nap while being pushed through the park. Several inventive parents created "stroller tents" by draping a blanket or jacket over the stroller to create a private, dimly lit hideout.

A visual rest break for older guests is easily achieved by lacing cupped hands over the eyes for a few minutes while seated in a comfortable position. Children who need an auditory rest break can wear noise cancellation or music headphones. Open-air headphones will allow more environmental sounds in, while closed headphones will screen out more sounds. Music, a book or a snack break on a quiet bench can be helpful. Some foods have the ability to create desirable changes in a child. Diana Henry refers to the use of chewy's and foods as "mouth tools" and gives suggestions for use in her handbooks.

A trip back to one of the Disney Resort hotels for a nap or a swim can be great break. Doreen Amatelli chose Disney's Contemporary Resort because of the monorail access and the proximity to the parks. As an experienced life and business coach, Amatelli knows the importance of balance for successful scheduling. "I wanted to stay in a hotel with easy access to the main parks so that if my son became overloaded or tired in the middle of the day, we could go back and take a nap or a dip in the pool to re-energize for more evening activities."

Communicating the need for a rest break, a play break, or a travel tool can be difficult for any tired, cranky child. This can be especially true for children on the autistic spectrum who have much to say, but poor verbal skills. One non-verbal child carried vouchers for "rest breaks" in his pocket. Just knowing he could produce a voucher for a guaranteed rest break made a big difference in his attitude. Picture or symbol cards will help communication impaired children, or children who may have increased difficulty communicating when tired or frustrated.

The most important point to remember about rest breaks is to plan them before you need one. It is so easy to want to fit everything in, but that strategy could end up backfiring.

Parents also need to take rest breaks when tired. Parents, exhausted from a long day themselves, should take extra care while lifting because tired muscles and fatigue lead to increased risk of injury.

Ice packs, pain relieving creams, hot packs, a hot tub break, a hot shower or a good morning and evening stretch can keep muscles from complaining. Of course, a visit to any of the Disney spas for a massage can be a high point of a trip for parents who can take advantage of such a luxury. Remember to check with your doctor or therapist for precautions or appropriate uses of these self-remedies.

"Pixie Dust" is a term for Disney's dedication to providing as "magical" an experience as possible for all guests. Cast members are encouraged to approach every task from sweeping the sidewalk to wedding planning with thoroughness and consideration for each guest.

This same attention to detail is given to assure accessibility for the people with disabilities who are cast members and guests in the parks. The number of cast members who are disabled themselves creates a comfortable, diverse community. During a recent visit, I noticed a certain connection between many disabled guests and cast members with similar disabilities.

Disney individualizes plans with a smile for the safety and enjoyment of guests with disabilities. While on the boat ride in the Mexico pavilion, we noticed a small "sticker" on a child's back, describing his hearing disability and explaining that one might notice his parents speaking loudly, possibly in anticipation of the "peanut gallery."

When I explained that I was an OT researching how Disney accommodates special needs guests, the parents beamed with glowing reports. They said they had been treated extremely well at every step of the process. They explained that the sticker on their son's back also contained information so that cast members could locate them at their hotel in the event that the child became lost.

One mother from New Jersey described her family's experience with pixie dust in 2000, when they brought their 2 year old son to visit Walt Disney World. They were concerned that walking would be a problem due to decreased endurance from a heart condition. The mother had no idea that special assistance existed until she found a brochure at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort.

"They didn't make us feel funny about asking and they really bent over backwards to help us," she said. "They made it a pleasure as opposed to begging for something to be done. Everything was offered with a smile."

ccommodations included tagging her son's stroller as a handicapped vehicle. Rather than having to leave the stroller outside and walking the distance to attractions, the stroller was taken right to the rides, avoiding long walks and providing seating during wait times. During shows held in large amphitheaters with long flights of stairs, the family was able to sit up at the handicapped areas.

"We couldn't have done half the things we did without this," the mother said. "We would never have been able to enjoy as many attractions".

A souvenir book titled Walt Disney World, The First Decade quotes Walt Disney as saying "You can dream, create, design and build the most wonderful place in the world, bit it requires people to make the dream a reality." In my travels, few places have as much dedication to designing accessible dreams as Walt Disney Resorts.

Sandra Bostwick MA, OTR/L, RMT, is owner of Creative Learning Studios, LLC, in Morris County, NJ, offering private practice OT and music therapy consulting services. She has worked in schools, hospitals, and residential facilities and is an adjunct professor at County College of Morris.