You’ve shelled out a fortune for a magical family trip to a theme park. Sorry to break this to you, but theme parks can be overwhelming and exhausting experiences, especially for young children or those with special needs.
There are usually crowds of people who try to navigate through the same small walkways. Much of the day is spent in line. The rides are often loud or have unexpected visual or sound effects, such as flashing lights. Some rides splash water on people as they pass by. There are food carts with smells on every corner.
Add in the heat of summer and many adults and typical children will quickly hit sensory overload. The experience is intensified in children who have special needs. My daughter has generalized anxiety disorder, as well as sensory processing issues. We took her to Disney World for the first time when she was nine. We had spent weeks prior to the trip talking about Disney World. We watched videos, looked at photos online and read books. We told her what to expect — for example, it would be a lot of walking and we would have to wait in line to go on the rides.
It was still too much for her. We quickly realized within an hour that we would need to develop strategies to have a successful vacation. She was completely overwhelmed.
Here are some things that worked for us over the course of that trip as well as subsequent trips to other theme parks.
Tell your child what to expect
Talk about things that might cause your child stress, such as the crowds, screams on the rides, long lines or weather. Plan an exit strategy in case the child becomes overwhelmed.
Remind your child of the things you spoke of, including the exit plan, as you enter the park. No matter how much research, planning and discussion you do to prepare your child, it may all go out the window when she is in the moment. My daughter simply couldn’t comprehend how large, crowded, loud and busy the Magic Kingdom was until it was actually in front of her.
Get a hotel onsite if possible or at least nearby. If you don’t have your own vehicle, choose a hotel that has a free shuttle service throughout the day. Even if everyone holds up fine, plan to go back to the hotel in the afternoon. Enjoy a quiet lunch. Cool off in the pool. Maybe even take a nap. Then go back to the park for a few more hours in the evening once the crowds have thinned and your family is refreshed.
If leaving during the day isn’t an option, look for quiet places within the park to get away for a break. (Some places, such as Sesame Place and Elmwood Park Zoo, have quiet spaces specifically for this purpose as part of their Certified Autism Center designation.) Let your child kick off her shoes and run around a patch of grass off the beaten track. Sit on the pavement in a quiet space to enjoy a cold drink.
Don’t let too much time pass without a snack and drink. It’s easy to get dehydrated when you walk around as the sun reflects off the concrete. Most children have little control over their emotions when their blood sugar drops or they are dehydrated. Bring lightweight snacks, such as fruit leather, nuts and beef jerky. Bring an empty bottle that you can fill at water fountains.
Take cues from your child
Follow your child’s lead. If he finds a ride he likes, he will most likely want to ride it several times. The unknown of trying out the next ride can be very frightening. If he starts to get agitated in line for a ride, it is probably a good indication that the ride will be too intense for him.
Encourage your child to ask the park staff questions. The attendant at the front of each ride can tell your child what to expect. Then you can help your child decide if he wants to give it a try.
Let go of your expectations. Don’t try to stick to a rigorous schedule. The day might not go anything like you planned, but you can still consider it a success if there were more fun times than meltdowns.
With quick adjustments, our first day at Disney World was a success. We arrived as the park opened. As the crowds increased, so did her anxiety. By the time lunchtime arrived, she was out of steam. We caught a bus back to our onsite hotel and grabbed lunch in the food court there. We spent the afternoon playing in the pool.
We took a water taxi to Downtown Disney for dinner and then went back to the Magic Kingdom after dark. The temperature was more tolerable and the crowds had thinned. We learned the best time to enjoy the rides is when everyone else is watching the parade.
Yes, she was up way past her bedtime, but she left the park with a big smile and felt like she was successful in handling the day. We’ve gone on to enjoy many more theme park days with these strategies.
Rachael Moshman is a freelance writer.
