Candlelight Processional and Fantasmic Seating

[wendygrace]

Ds has multiple issues one which is autistic like features (sensory, etc) and one that includes vision in which he needs to be fairly close and center to view things well. Will the GAC help us with the CP and Fantasmic seating. We do have the dinner packages for both and will line up as early as possible (with one adult standing in line and the other take ds to "do something"). I know there's a standby line and a package line but is there a GAC line or anything? Any tips for me?

 

[bookwormde]

I am not sure if there is anything formal in place but in the vast majority of cases if the talk to the CMs they can usually come up with a way to meet your child’s special needs.

In the end if is WDW’s responsibility to provide as close as practical, an equivalent experience with reasonable and practical accommodations for your child.

One of the moderators will probably have more specifics as to what is “in place”

bookwormde

 

[alizesmom]

There are seats up front at the Candlelight Processional for visually impaired if I remember correctly. One warning if your son has sensitivity to sound. It is quite loud and frightened my son who normally undisturbed by such things. Karen

 

[mechurchlady]

A thing that parents of sound sensitive kids use is ear muffs like those used by construction workers. It blocks out a lot of sound and does work IF the kid does not mind wearing them. Some parents use ear plugs though the muffs seem to do a better job. I read how one mother put stickers on the muffs that read "Autistic" or something if that word so people knew the kid needed the muffs.

Note: They are called ear muff but are not them furry ones people wear in winter, lol .

 

[scroot]

Last week there was a special needs line on the dinner package side. These folks where seated first and, atleast at the show we attended took up all of the lower wheelchair seating.

The standby line, which on somedays was incredibly long, had wheelchairs mainstreamed.

My guess is that they would deal with a gac on a case by case basis.

It was a great show. We saw Brian Stokes Mitchell and the magic was compounded when I ran into him with his wife and child in the 4th floor hallway of the BC.

 

[livndisney]

We tried to go to this tonite. We were told they were not accepting GAC's and they were not providing any accomidation. (But we were welcome to purchase the dining pkg.)

 

[luvmarypoppins]

We were 3rd in line for the wheelchair seating and we had the package. We ate and high tailed it from Mexico to the theater on Dec. 3rd. It is pretty loud, imagine trumpets blowing from you at both side, not all the time, just during certain songs, lots of lights etc. We were smack in the middle. Great view though. They will also ask if you want to transfer from the wheelchair. This time I did not since I cant breath well with the tumor. Last year I transferred and we had terrible seats, then they finally let us go by the sign language interpreter. The seating was good, but it was loud too. Hope things work out well for you. If you get there early, they will do their best to accomodate you.

 

[Bete]

I think the CMs will be more understanding at CP.

If you don't have a lot of experience with concerts, etc. I would almost get in the back or at least an aisle seat for a quick exit.

For Fantasmic I would arrive super early like at least an hour ahead.

 

[MinnieVanMom]

We have been to fantasmic several times and the most problem we have is with our stroller. They seem not to notice the big red flag on the side that says stroller as wheelchair. But we just hold it out now. There is plenty of seating on the top rows, which has excellent views and the noise is not too loud. Also we can make a quick get away if needed.

Last year we went to CP with the dining package. We sat in the first row after the area up front. I think it was for wheelchairs but it provided a good buffer from people and our DS had a good view. Again, it provided for easy escape if needed. Our GAC was honored and they were very nice.

Good luck and just remember you can always leave if you must.

 

[wendygrace]

Thanks everyone for the help. We just got back and this was our experience.

We did get the CP package. We sat in the wheelchair area behind the "seats", in the middle and but with easy quick access, which we needed. Even with the ear muffs (thanks for that idea), it was too much. The CP package was great though because there was a seperate line for wheelchairs for people on the package.

With Fantasmic, we also did the package but it did us no good. Getting ds good "middle" seating was impossible because we got to the stadium 1 1/2 hours before the start of the show and they had already started letting people in. DD, DS and I had left immediately after dinner (leaving dh behind to handle paying, etc) and there were no wheelchair seating in the reserved section or the people working were clueless. They kept sending me to differently places. The place was packed. We did get seats in the Maleficient section (about two sections to the left) and in the back which were great seats for us but Michael was not able to see well enough and freaked out on top of it. Oh well. Michael and dh enjoyed a few extra rounds at Toy Story Mania while dd and I enjoyed the show.

 

[Bete]

Until you try you don't know if it will work or not.

This is a busy time of the year. A week before your trip (we were there) I think you would have had it a little easier with Fantasmic. Whether it would have made a difference I don't know.

I think Toy Story Mania is amazing; so, that's a real treat, too.