camp FW with an austic child

[bsgdg]

has anyone here ever camped at FW with an austic child
how did the experience go

reading about "pass" should i make list of things that bother my son
because he looks "normal" but we can have ISSUES like most parents

thanks

 

[Poohnatic]

My son has Asperger's and we went on our first campout with the cub scouts in October. It went very well, much better than I had anticipated.

The scouts are camping again in March at FW, so I'll have a better idea. There's plenty to do there, much more than our last camp out. So in that respect, I'm a little nervous about my son. He sleeps very little and I'm concerned he may go walkabout to do the 'cool stuff'.

If you're planning to go after March, I'd be happy to give you feedback once we've gone.

Suzanne

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

I have never camped with an austic child, or anyone for that matter, but my cousin has a 4 y.o. son that is austic and she took him to Chattanooga this past weeked and he didn't do very well with sleeping in a hotel. He has spent the night with me on several occassions and did very well, but he just couldn't understand why he wasn't going to bed at home. He also doesn't sleep very well and wanders, but usually only to the refridgerator for a "hamwich". Ft Wilderness is very large and everything is spread out over a large area, and has to be navigated by bus, bike, or gold cart. I think the only place he would be able to get is to the next family. There is also security that rides around the resort all night.

Hope this offers a little insight.

PrincessSuzanne

 

[LoriMomx5]

We have camped at Fort Wilderness and alot of other State and National Parks with our son with sensory issues and probable Asperger's. He has done very well and seems to sleep better in our tent than other places!

 

[donac]

I have never camped with an autistic child but FW is a great place to get away from the hustle and bustle of the parks.

If you have camped then the child is used to camping. If you have not camped then you can get them used to it by setting up a tent in the backyard and trying it out. Then the tent will be familar to them.

FW can be very quiet and the outdoors is a great place to get calm in.

 

[bsgdg]

thanks, My son not an asperger's but very bright- with sensory issues
loves camping in granddad & grandma's rv- but last time stayed at
KOA in kissimmee- i really not looking forward to that drive if he gets in an
overload sensory meltdown- we have bikes- pool (yes) walking helps
i wondering how park was with other kids with sensory issues
from other trips in past hotels rooms just don't work well because also have
ADHD TOO needs to run and is nosiy- plus at FW i thinking with park hopper
we can come and go as needed-
(p.s. i have found that starting a month before i make a trip book from
begining of trip to end- with everything in order from leaving home to
coming home what steps take from airport to grand dad's i find i do not get
melt downs- regular sprial notebook- pictures from wherever cut out
glued and explantion works )

yes looking at 3 week in june 2007 due school ends 2nd week june and summer school program starts after 4th july- we hate him miss ANY school
at all-- i know longer lines not good:

 

[Napria]

As you posted this thread, we were in the middle of our camping trip at Ft. Wilderness with my 10 year old ds who has been diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome, but tends toward more autistic behaviors.

A little over two and a half years ago, we were very stressed out and becoming broke quickly due to my son's other medical issues (mild cp, uncontrolled epilepsy, to name the two other biggies) We decided to get a tent and camp at a local state park. Chris loved it! Unfortunately the next trip was the end of May on the Florida panhandle and the tent was hotter than the hot Florida weather. Not good for his epilepsy. We bought a pop-up camper with an airconditioner a month later and started to take weekend trips to the State Parks. He was much happier camping than anywhere else. Fall came and it got cold, and although the pop-up had a heater, it just didn't heat the bunk ends as well as we would have liked. We traded the pop-up in for a fifth wheel trailer that November. I fretted and prayed about the financial committment, but in the end it was one of the best things we have ever done for our son. Plus, any camper with a sewer line qualifies as a "vacation home" for tax purposes, and we have a 15 year loan with the ability to write off the interest on our taxes, all making it more affordable than you'd think at first.

In the "camper" Chris has his own bunkroom with a bed and a small tv with built-in dvd player. He also has built in cabinets for his K'nex (his obsession). The space is familiar and comforting to him. It doesn't matter where we camp. This past December we ended up staying in one of the most run-down, nasty campgrounds I've ever seen. It bothered my husband, my 8 year old daughter and me, but not Chris. Needless to say, we left that campground the very next day!

Although the rest of our family would like to mix it up and stay at the Disney Hotels now and then, we know that for Chris' sake we'll continue to stay at Ft. Wilderness.

Our biggest challenge last week was not Ft. Wilderness, but keeping Chris comfortable at the parks. We found that renting a wheelchair, having his headphones handy and giving him his portable dvd player (fully charged) was key. Chris tends to run away in crowds, and we have lost him before, when we didn't understand his issues as well. Our anxiety level this vacation started high, but as the week progressed things worked out better than we had expected. One surprising thing we found out was that although Chris LOVES dvds, he hated any show or movie at WDW. However, we found the last day of our trip, that he loved Big Thunder Mountain Railroad! What a surprise!

Hope this helps.

 

[SueM in MN]

reading about "pass" should i make list of things that bother my son
because he looks "normal" but we can have ISSUES like most parents

thanks

Are you asking about the Guest Assistance Card (GAC)?

If so, there is a section about it in the disABILITIES FAQs thread.
It's not a pass, actually. It's a card that tells the CMs (Cast Members) what sort of assistance someone with a disability needs.
Think of the things that might bother your son that he would/could come across in lines. Some of them may not be things that the CMs can do anything about (like if he doesn't like loud noises and the attraction has loud noises), but they may have some things that can help other situations that are a problem for him.

 

[catnik]

Napria:
Have you thought about renting a studio/1 bedroom from DVC if you wanted to try a Disney hotel vs camping but were worried about noise, crowds, etc? We are taking our HFA son to WDW in October and are going to try the villas, hoping the ability to "get away" from the sensory overload and noise will allow him to relax and regain his equilibrium. Friends with a PDD son rented a studio and were very pleased with the results, so we figured we would try the same. Glad your trip was such a success!

 

[Napria]

Napria:
Have you thought about renting a studio/1 bedroom from DVC if you wanted to try a Disney hotel vs camping but were worried about noise, crowds, etc? We are taking our HFA son to WDW in October and are going to try the villas, hoping the ability to "get away" from the sensory overload and noise will allow him to relax and regain his equilibrium. Friends with a PDD son rented a studio and were very pleased with the results, so we figured we would try the same. Glad your trip was such a success!

Actually we bought into the Wilderness Villas before we got the pop-up (before we got the tent, too.) I had been in a car accident and as a result have a herniated disc in my lower back. I decided that I wanted to use the settlement for something good, so I bought into DVC. When we wanted to get the pop-up, we sold it and that's how we bought the pop-up.

Although DVC villas were nice, they just can't beat the camper for comfort and safety as far as Chris is concerned.

It's okay, though. DH and I have our dream of a deluxe suite at AKL when Chris finally leaves us, and that will take big bucks, so we've got a long time to save (and dream)