Busch Gardens advice needed for special needs child

[riu girl]

We have just started to plan a two week holiday to Florida 12/2005. We will be staying in Siesta Key for 2 weeks. This trip we will not be visiting WDW (but are going for 2 weeks 12/2006) and are going to buy Busch Gardens unlimited days passes.

DD7 has ADHD along with SID and ASD tendencies. I am wondering how she will make out at Busch Gardens. She did so well at WDW (with the assistance of the GAC). Do they offer something similar to a GAC and how does it work?
She has a real love for animals and I thought that by buying the unlimited pass this would give us the opportunity to just take it easy and visit for perhaps 3 or 4 hours every few days. The rest of the days in Siesta Key we have nature/wildlife/beach type activities planned so this will be a very laid back type of holiday.

Please share your Busch Gardens experiences with me.

Thank you
Suzy V.

 

[Densgirl]

Suzy I haven't been to the florida Busch Gardens but I've been doing some research for our spring vacation trip to the Busch Gardens in VA and they do have a special access pass that you obtain from their Health Services inside the park. I haven't yet been able to find what is necessary for this pass but am bringing a letter from DS's nuerologist describing what his diagnosis is and what adaptations he needs. I'll try to post more if I find it.

 

[SueM in MN]

We've never been to Busch Gardens, but here's a link to their disability information webpage.

 

[riu girl]

I e-mailed my concerns to Busch Gardens and they replied that they wanted me to e-mail them my phone #. I did and within an hour or so they called me to discuss DD7 and the assistance card that they have. It turns out that they do have a card (similar to Disney they reassured me). We don't go until 12/2005, but once we return I will post about the experience. I am just a little leery of ANY theme park after WDW. The cm's at WDW were so great at WDW, I can't imagine that Busch Gardens could be as good, but can only hope.

FYI, in 2005 Busch Gardens offers an unlimited use card (Fun Card) . For $62 US adults, $52 US children you can go as many times as you want in 2005 . I was astonished (but happy) about this. We are planning on doing 3 or 4 half days over a two week period.

Funny note: the person I spoke to at Busch Gardens didn't come out and say anything negative about WDW but insisted on e-mailing me an article about how Disneyland changed their GAC program (I think it was in 2003 or 2004). He also seemed very proud to call their GAC a front of the line pass. Even after I told him we would not need anything like that, he told me we would qualify for it. Its funny, he didn't come right out and say anything negative about WDW, but he obviously has some issue with them.

Anybody else have any Busch Gardens info. to share?

Suzy V.

 

[sadeeyore]

My DS has autism.
We went to Busch Gardens in 2001 and found their GAC worked the same way as WDW .
We had a great time.

 

[riu girl]

Thanks for the info. Did you have to take any medical documentation with you to apply for the guest assistance card. If not,how do you apply for one? Is is similar to WDW (go to the guest relations window and explain your situation)?
How did the staff at the attractions/rides treat you and your family compared to WDW?

Any info. would be greatly appreciated.
Suzy V.

 

[sadeeyore]

Hi
We went to guest services (not sure what else to call it ) we explained situation just like at WDW and asked if they had anything like WDW GAC .
They were really good, no problems at rides, we really didn't find we were treated any different than we are at WDW.
We have only been to Busch Gardens once, we never brought a letter with us. We did have DS with us when we went in to guest relations, like you would have to at WDW.
We had a copy of a letter from DS doctor with us last time we were in Florida as we needed it for airline. This was our third visit (2004) to Florida and we did offer it to guest services at Universal, but were told they couldn't look at it. Universal were really helpful as well .
Hope this helps
Helen

 

[riu girl]

Thanks for all the info.
Having the Busch Gardens GAC, what were the line waits like?
Suzy V.