CaelanAegana
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2016
Hello all, first time posting to the resort boards!
My family (2 seniors, 2 adults) are planning a WDW vacation in the low season either late 2019 or early 2020. I've been doing the lion's share of the research.
My brother is autistic/bipolar, so traveling with him can be a challenge. We've found ways to keep the peace as much as possible.
The other 3 of us keep to a fairly neurotypical schedule. My brother can be quite the night owl but can't sleep during the day if it's noisy. He's easily wound up and can get very upset when things don't go as expected. He's highly active and so needs room to walk, pace, etc. He is computer-literate but doesn't own a smartphone. He's a very picky eater. He's also heavy a user of... Ahem... certain smokable pharmaceuticals with restrictions that vary by state (the odor of which drive me absolutely up the wall).
My leading approach at the moment is a full-on Dis vacation package. I think the wristbands and the resort transportation will provide my brother with a lot more freedom to schedule himself as he wants without relying on us for car rides, meal/souvenir money, etc. This will be a load off my folks' minds, so they won't feel so much of a need to babysit him.
Here's a non-comprehensive list of "highly desired-on-a-budget":
-Suite or suites with 3 private or semi-private. beds, preferably 2 bathrooms.
-Reliable "come and go" access to parks.
-Quiet during the day.
-Safe night-walkable area, preferably indoors.
-On-site dining option.
-24-hour convenience shop highly desired.
My main candidate for a Disney resort that fits the bill is the Art of Animation family suites. It looks like it would be easy to put up a room divider around that lounge corner. The various Villas/cabins also look fantastic but the prices I'm seeing would blow our budget.
My parents have a Wyndham/Worldmark membership, but the reliance on a rental car and full cost meals at the parks worked out to not much savings and added aggravation, by my calculations.
Advice on all travel options, especially from anyone with a similar experience, would be welcome. Know of a better hotel? Good discounts? Tips & tricks specific to special needs cases? Specific advice/warnings on said pharmaceutical use? Would I be better off involving a travel agent?
P. S. We're already aware of Disney's Park policies available to persons with cognitive disabilities, thanks!
My family (2 seniors, 2 adults) are planning a WDW vacation in the low season either late 2019 or early 2020. I've been doing the lion's share of the research.
My brother is autistic/bipolar, so traveling with him can be a challenge. We've found ways to keep the peace as much as possible.
The other 3 of us keep to a fairly neurotypical schedule. My brother can be quite the night owl but can't sleep during the day if it's noisy. He's easily wound up and can get very upset when things don't go as expected. He's highly active and so needs room to walk, pace, etc. He is computer-literate but doesn't own a smartphone. He's a very picky eater. He's also heavy a user of... Ahem... certain smokable pharmaceuticals with restrictions that vary by state (the odor of which drive me absolutely up the wall).
My leading approach at the moment is a full-on Dis vacation package. I think the wristbands and the resort transportation will provide my brother with a lot more freedom to schedule himself as he wants without relying on us for car rides, meal/souvenir money, etc. This will be a load off my folks' minds, so they won't feel so much of a need to babysit him.
Here's a non-comprehensive list of "highly desired-on-a-budget":
-Suite or suites with 3 private or semi-private. beds, preferably 2 bathrooms.
-Reliable "come and go" access to parks.
-Quiet during the day.
-Safe night-walkable area, preferably indoors.
-On-site dining option.
-24-hour convenience shop highly desired.
My main candidate for a Disney resort that fits the bill is the Art of Animation family suites. It looks like it would be easy to put up a room divider around that lounge corner. The various Villas/cabins also look fantastic but the prices I'm seeing would blow our budget.
My parents have a Wyndham/Worldmark membership, but the reliance on a rental car and full cost meals at the parks worked out to not much savings and added aggravation, by my calculations.
Advice on all travel options, especially from anyone with a similar experience, would be welcome. Know of a better hotel? Good discounts? Tips & tricks specific to special needs cases? Specific advice/warnings on said pharmaceutical use? Would I be better off involving a travel agent?
P. S. We're already aware of Disney's Park policies available to persons with cognitive disabilities, thanks!