To help other families who feel the same way, I have compiled a list of different vacation destinations that are autism friendly. I have not been to each one of these places myself, and am relying on the information provided by their public relations personnel. Some are special opportunities offered at different times of the year, while others are available year round.
1. Sesame Place, a theme park based on Sesame Street that’s located near Philadelphia in Langhorne, PA, only 90 minutes south of Manhattan. www.sesameplace.com. You have to be a member of Philadelphia Chapter of Variety – The Children’s Charity to attend their special Autism week event.
2. Challenge Aspen is a non-profit group based in Snowmass, Colorado. Challenge Aspen has year round programs specifically designed for kids and adults with special needs, with the focus on including families in these experiences, regardless of financial limitations. http://www.challengeaspen.org
3. Disney World offers special front-of-line passes for autistic guests. You may need a letter of diagnosis from your child’s doctor. I have been to Walt Disney World with my family. I did not have a problem getting a pass for my son, and did not need a doctor’s letter. I believe this was because it was obvious that my son has a disability. I believe that it is better to be safe and prepared, and recommend that you go ahead and get a letter from your doctor to take with you.
4. Busch Gardens offers special front-of-line passes for autistic guests You may need a letter of diagnosis from your child’s doctor.
5. Sea World offers special front-of-line passes for autistic guests. You may need a letter of diagnosis from your child’s doctor.
6. Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari in Santa Claus, Indiana offer Riding Board Passes for special needs. You need a letter of diagnosis from your child’s doctor. This is stated on their http://holidayworld.com/access.html#pass page.
7. Vacation Home Rentals http://www.discovervacationhomes.com is one source of for acquiring a rental home for your vacation. This might be preferable to your family than staying at a hotel.
8. Smugglers’ Notch Resort in northern Vermont offers an adaptive program throughout the year called SNAP, Smugglers’ Notch Adaptive Program. “Most families visit Smugglers on the Club Smugglers’ Advantage Package in Winter and the FamilyFest Package in Summer. Both offer many inclusions to run the gamut of activities, entertainment and amenities. While our three mountains attract skiers and snowboarders in Winter, our eight pools and waterslides attract water lovers in the Summer! At Smugglers’ each member of the family can truly enjoy their own interests as well as come together as a family in activities that yield special vacation memories.” Their website is www.smuggs.com.
9. Surfer’s Healing, organizes surf camps for autistic children: www.surfershealing.org Based in San Diego, 2009 camps will be held in California (several locations); Virginia Beach, VA; Wrightsville Beach, NC; Belmar, NJ; Montauk, NY. – This is one that I would love to do, and have heard of from different mothers and from the news.
10. Autism on the Seas http://www.alumnicruises.org/Autism/Autism_Home.htm - You can book a special Autism Package that allows you to prepare the cruise staff for meeting your child’s needs, including a special GFCF diet if needed.
11. Leaps...n...Boundz - " ‘Community Adventure Weekends' are offered 4 times throughout the year and are intended to introduce families to new experiences within the state of California (at least thus far). The weekends are designed to be spent as a family, amongst other families and staff volunteers in an effort to show families they are not alone, allowing them to socialize, network and experience vacationing with their special needs child.
The weekends include
-itinerary's
-directions
-hotel reservations
-restraunt reservations
-tickets for all activities planned
and much more”
12. “Finger Lakes Wellness Center and Health Spa (in conjunction with Hickory Hill Family Camping Resort) offers week-long retreats in June, July, August, and September. In addition to providing a fun-filled week for children with “special needs” and the opportunity to interact socially, the purpose of the Wellness G.I.F.T.S. Retreats is also to give parents, caregivers and siblings a chance to replenish their spirits and rekindle their energies.”
“Friday, June 19, - Sunday, June 21
Friday, July 24 - Sunday, July 26
Friday, August 28 - Sunday, August 30
Friday, September 25 - Sunday, September 27
Traditionally, the September retreat has been for children with Tourettes, but that might change this year to allow other children in as well. “
For more information about the G.I.F.T.S. Retreat, contact Chris Sproul, Director of the Finger Lakes Wellness Center & Health Spa at wellnessgiftsdirector@yahoo.com or by calling (607)776-3737. You can also visit www.giftsretreats.com for specifics about costs.
Finger Lakes Wellness Center & Health Spa is located at 7531 County Route 13, Bath, NY. 14810
13. Amy Fleischer the Public Programs Coordinator at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium in Sarasota, FL contacted me and said that “We would welcome the opportunity to host these (Autism) families and determine how to best serve them.” Their website is www.mote.org. If you are a member of an Autism Support Group, you can contact her for information about scheduling a visit, amy@mote.org is her email address.
Now you have a list of some vacation destinations that are autism friendly. I am sure that there are many others. Also, do not assume that a vacation park doesn’t have special assistance for children with autism just because it is not posted on their website. Most of the big parks do not have it posted but they do have a policy in place for meeting the needs of all children with special needs, including Autism.
7 comments:
Six Flags will also provide a special assistance pass that allows access via the speed pass or exit. You'll need a doctors note.
I took my kids few years ago for Nick's 10th birthday to Sea World. I never heard of the front of the line there, but we did not do rides, and the Shamu event has special seating for the disabled that we used and we got a discount on lunch.
We also got discounts for entering for me and the adult with my other son.
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art33425.asp
This was a great post! I looked through your giveaway posts, but wanted to let you know that this was extremely informational. And it appears to benefit many across the country.
Also, I am here to give you a big welcome to the SITSahood! It's a great community to be a part of and I hope that you are able to connect with many other bloggers with shared interest and comminalities! Glad to have you!
Most theme parks have guest assistance passes available to assist with long wait for rides. Our favorite park is Sea World as it is very laid back. Discovert Cove is amazing, but expensive. Our favorite adventure is cruising with Autism On The Seas
Regarding Disney.
We go annually, so I wanted to comment.
You said:
Disney World offers special front-of-line passes for autistic guests.
This is right & wrong... Disney offers a guest assistance card that is based on a visitor's needs. It is not an automatic "front of the line pass". You explain to the cast members your child's needs and they will grant/code your card accordingly. This could mean a shortened weight time, the ability to use alternate ride entrances, priority seating, or what not. But, it is NOT an automatic line skipping pass - it depends on the attraction, sometimes they will have you go through the fast pass without a fast pass, or sometimes they will have you go through the handicapped entrance which bypasses the line.
More info is available at the disABILITIES forum on Disboards.com
here
Also you said: You may need a letter of diagnosis from your child’s doctor.
Disney will never ask to see such a letter. It is not required, and a violation of privacy and goes against the ADA (disability act) - you don't have to show proof of your disability.
Lots of info about the GAC process is here: Go to Post #6
Hope this helps you!
There is also a discount for the adult accompanying the child with a disability at Sea World.
Where did you get the info on needing a letter on the dx? Did your family go to Sea World? No letter is needed.
Also the article is called autism friendly vacation and in the first paragraph you suggest deciding if the special child will go, well that would not be an autism friendly vacation now would it by leaving a child behind??
Is it pick on me day? Ok. I can take it. 1st. hellokittiemama, I think you arguing over semantics. When we went, we got a guest assistance pass which allowed us to either go to the front of the line or to enter in a different spot. Either way, we didn't have to wait. We only went on the children's rides, though. Since we had our kids with us, those were the only rides we were interested in.
AutismFamily and Hellokittiemama, some families have told me that they have been told to provide a doctor's note when they called Sea World & Disney if their child did not have an obvious disability. I included this in the article so that families can check before going. I did not need nor was I asked for a letter from my son's doctor.
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