at what point do you stop getting a DAS for your child?

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I know I am over sensitive but some of these replies seem judgmental I hate the fact that people think autism is something you grow out of it is not dh was just diagnosed 5 years ago so I feel like we are still learning the ropes
Of course it's not. But over the years each individual may learn to better cope with external stimuli. In my son's case, it was as he matured (physically and intellectually). Once he could understand something not so pleasant (line) leads to a reward (ride) our trips, and life in general, greatly improved.
First it was waiting for a show since there was room to move around and/or stand back from the crowd with a countdown overhead. Then it was 15 minute stand-bys, 20 minute stand-bys, etc. We've gotten up to 30 or maybe 45 minutes. But, as I replied earlier, there are some situations that he may never really be able to handle - tight stairwells or crushing crowds (fireworks, parades) for example. So, that's when he can opt to use his DAS.
You will find specific coping mechanisms that work, but it won't happen over night. I wish you nothing but the best as you continue figuring this out.
 
I was wondering this.
My son used a GAC when he went to WDW before, 6years ago. We *needed* it. It saved our trip. He has ASD, and being restricted next to a LOAD of people, with their perfume, and their food and their noise and the WDW sensory overload was massively hard for him. We all ended up in tears one day thinking we would never be able to do ANYTHING.
He is 11 now, and thinks he would do better. I have advised him that we will ask for DAS anyway, even if, with FP, we can manage not to use it, because, WDW is unlike anything we do here, so it's not something he can practise for or develop strategies to cope with.
And, I explained, that we will still be waiting the same time, so it's not cheating (he doesn't want to cheat the system, or be unfair to anyone else) just that he will be able to wait somewhere a little quieter, where he can move away from other people if necessary.
 
I don't think anyone is trying to say that autism is something you grow out of. I certainly wasn't. But autism itself does not equal DAS eligibility. Guest Services cannot ask for a diagnosis. It is the specific difficulties that many people with autism (as well as other disorders) face that hinders their ability to wait in line that necessitates the DAS. Some, not all, people with autism are able to eventually wait in some lines up to a certain length of time. There may be other lines that they can't manage in and need to employ DAS. That doesn't mean they've outgrown their autism, just that they're managing the symptoms. There are some people who will always need to use DAS because their symptoms don't ever improve/ or can't be managed. There's nothing wrong with that. Not everyone's symptoms and triggers with autism are the same.

But when someone is able to handle a particular line, then the DAS would not be needed FOR THAT PARTICULAR LINE. Again, they may need it for other lines and there are many people who will always need it for every line. But for those that do get to the point that they can wait in a certain stand by line without having issues, then in that particular case and line, if the DAS is not needed, then it shouldn't be used for that particular ride.
I agree with this. I process most of the posts in this thread as people discussing building up coping skills in the same way you discuss stamina or endurance for anything. I don't think anyone has suggested that you outgrow autism, but it is possible to no longer need the DAS in the same way that some people can graduate from using other aids.

I have a friend whose son is the same age as DD. The son has autism and currently goes to a special school, but their (the family and his teachers) goal is to have him enrolled in a mainstream classroom by fall 2018. That does not mean he will no longer be autistic, but it does mean he is working towards needing fewer accommodations. I see this discussion as a similar topic.
 
I know I am over sensitive but some of these replies seem judgmental I hate the fact that people think autism is something you grow out of it is not dh was just diagnosed 5 years ago so I feel like we are still learning the ropes
I would say, your child (and my child) will always be autistic, but they will also grow and learn. The things they struggle immensely with right now, will change and develop. Some things will be able to be overcome, they will learn coping strategies, they will grow into their abilities etc. Some things they won't. Also, like everyone they will change physically and emotionally, as well as in academic, or mental ability ways. Autism is not static, just like neurotypicality is not static.
These things can be both massively heart warming (my child who learnt to tie his shoe laces when they said he would be totally unable to do so ever) and massively frustrating (my child who can outperform his peers academically, but who is absolutely terrified to try and learn to make a cup of tea)
I suppose all that babble is to say, things DO change.
AS far as the DAS, we will ask for one, because we can't predict how much we still need one. We also can't predict, in the stress of the environment, how much autistic regression we will see.
 
I would say, your child (and my child) will always be autistic, but they will also grow and learn. The things they struggle immensely with right now, will change and develop. Some things will be able to be overcome, they will learn coping strategies, they will grow into their abilities etc. Some things they won't. Also, like everyone they will change physically and emotionally, as well as in academic, or mental ability ways. Autism is not static, just like neurotypicality is not static.
These things can be both massively heart warming (my child who learnt to tie his shoe laces when they said he would be totally unable to do so ever) and massively frustrating (my child who can outperform his peers academically, but who is absolutely terrified to try and learn to make a cup of tea)
I suppose all that babble is to say, things DO change.
AS far as the DAS, we will ask for one, because we can't predict how much we still need one. We also can't predict, in the stress of the environment, how much autistic regression we will see.

Sorry veering off course a little here.

I do think individuals who are adults when diagnosed with ASD are in for a much different journey than individuals diagnosed as young children. There are more resources, strategies, support, and a different set of expectations for individuals diagnosed as young children. From the outside, it seems like it would be easier to set goals and define progress for a child diagnosed with ASD vs an individual who receives a diagnosis as an adult.

When you're diagnosed as an adult, there are a whole host of considerations to take into account when deciding how to proceed and the resources out there are far and few between. Do you disclose to people? Which people? How much do you tell them? If you do decide to disclose, for what purpose? What is the end goal of disclosing? Education? Accommodations? There is also a lot of intolerance, disbelief, and a steep learning curve you likely face trying to improve facets of your life should you choose to do so.

It is one thing to recognize that you may not be equipped in the same capacity as an average individual to handle the ins and outs of daily life successfully, but actually trying to improve it is so incredibly difficult. You're playing catch up in the real world where there are real, significant consequences. As a child, you can make mistakes and learn with a much lower risk to completely devestating your life. Having a meltdown in class on a bad day as a kid? Yeah there will likely be consequences, but outside of a pattern of behavior that is disruptive and unproductive for everyone, it ultimately offers a learning opportunity and a benchmark you can measure progress against. Have an outburst at work where you go on a tirade against your co-workers and boss due to struggling with the reality of living with ASD in the workplace? Yeah you may very well end up fired and dealing with the consequences of finding yourself suddenly unemployed and trying to survive that.

I'm not saying that people diagnosed as children have a happily ever after where their ASD has no impact on their life as adults, but it definitely helps to understand what is going on with you, have strategies to employ in difficult situations, have the knowledge of your reality to (hopefully) create a lifestyle that allows for your maximum success possible, and (hopefully) a support system that also understands what you're against. Trying to accomplish that as an adult is daunting.

I applaud the parents of children with ASD doing their best to help them live the fullest, most "normal" life possible and prepare their kids for the brutal world that is out there.They are fortunate to have parents truly invested in their success as an individual. Disney offers a unique intersection of the real world and providing a rather challenging environment for many with ASD while allowing for their unique, individual needs to still be accommodated pretty well. Ultimately the DAS, whether used by a child with historical needs for accommodation who may or may not be growing out of actually needing it to survive WDW or an adult who is still struggling with the daily realities of ASD whose needs warrant regular use of it, is a flexible tool that is there when you need it, and only you (or potentially your family/doctor) can really determine what is in your best interest to use it. And maybe sometimes you don't need it. Personally, I definitely think those occasions are worth acknowledging and celebrating, but at the same time, if you do need it in a situation you normally don't, there should be no shame or hesitation in using it. Everyone has good days and bad days.
 
I am sure it must be a whole different ball game if one is diagnosed as an adult. I can't imagine how DS would ever possibly cope as an adult if he had not been able to learn some of these things as a child.

I also think it is no one's business but yours / your nearest and dearest / your HCPs whether or not you need a DAS. I doubt I would notice anyone using one, but if I did, I would simply assume they needed it and be happy that there was something that helped them enjoy their holiday in the same way as someone who didn't need one would.
 
Interesting thread. I am curious about getting a DAS for my son when we go in the end of August. He is un-diagnosed, but one of his many symptoms is mitochondrial myopathy, and as such has a hard time with energy, muscle fatigue, and temperature regulation. We first went with him to WDW in 2011 and we used the older system with the card and a letter from our Dr.and the whole Disney Experience was amazing. We only ended up using our card once, and then we had a CM (I think she was a manager) help us in some areas to meet and great Buzz and Woody and the Monsters, Inc characters. He was a lot easier to carry around on my shoulders for most of the trip when he was 7.

We just went to WDW this past February, and at the time he was 12, we decided not do the DAS and he managed amazingly well, with a lot of breaks and rests on our part. But the temperature in Feb vs. Aug is what has me worried. We picked a slow week in Feb and this time again in Aug to try to mitigate some of those lines, and we pack a backpack full of snacks and drinks for him, but now he is getting to the point where he is 80lbs. and 5ft tall and when he gets floppy he is very heavy to carry around. So we have been thinking about looking at trying to do a DAS to see if it might be helpful in case of any rides where the lines are outside and long, or at least only use it towards the latter part of the day.

So I guess we are kind of the opposite. We are hoping not to use/need the DAS, but the bigger he gets the harder it is manage him when he starts to "break down." The funny thing is, he is more into the rides than we are, and honestly if we go again in the future(cognitively he is not quite there yet to being able to do things independently enough), I will see if it would be possible to escort him through the single rider line and let him go on his own, and see if my wife can meet him at the end.
 


Interesting thread. I am curious about getting a DAS for my son when we go in the end of August. He is un-diagnosed, but one of his many symptoms is mitochondrial myopathy, and as such has a hard time with energy, muscle fatigue, and temperature regulation. We first went with him to WDW in 2011 and we used the older system with the card and a letter from our Dr.and the whole Disney Experience was amazing. We only ended up using our card once, and then we had a CM (I think she was a manager) help us in some areas to meet and great Buzz and Woody and the Monsters, Inc characters. He was a lot easier to carry around on my shoulders for most of the trip when he was 7.

We just went to WDW this past February, and at the time he was 12, we decided not do the DAS and he managed amazingly well, with a lot of breaks and rests on our part. But the temperature in Feb vs. Aug is what has me worried. We picked a slow week in Feb and this time again in Aug to try to mitigate some of those lines, and we pack a backpack full of snacks and drinks for him, but now he is getting to the point where he is 80lbs. and 5ft tall and when he gets floppy he is very heavy to carry around. So we have been thinking about looking at trying to do a DAS to see if it might be helpful in case of any rides where the lines are outside and long, or at least only use it towards the latter part of the day.

So I guess we are kind of the opposite. We are hoping not to use/need the DAS, but the bigger he gets the harder it is manage him when he starts to "break down." The funny thing is, he is more into the rides than we are, and honestly if we go again in the future(cognitively he is not quite there yet to being able to do things independently enough), I will see if it would be possible to escort him through the single rider line and let him go on his own, and see if my wife can meet him at the end.

Since a DAS is not a guarantee to be out of the heat have you considered renting a stroller that will take his size (there are a few medical rentals in Florida that have strollers for bigger kids) and getting a stroller as wheel chair tag? That or rent a smaller wheelchair. That will give him something to sit in and give you a break from packing him around when tired.


To the OP honestly only you and yours son's medical crew will know. I say continue to get the DAS but start the slow weening process from it. So if the line is 30 minutes don't use it. If it is more then 30 ask your son if he wants to use the DAS or if he wants to go to a different ride.
 
Sorry veering off course a little here.

I do think individuals who are adults when diagnosed with ASD are in for a much different journey than individuals diagnosed as young children. There are more resources, strategies, support, and a different set of expectations for individuals diagnosed as young children. From the outside, it seems like it would be easier to set goals and define progress for a child diagnosed with ASD vs an individual who receives a diagnosis as an adult.

When you're diagnosed as an adult, there are a whole host of considerations to take into account when deciding how to proceed and the resources out there are far and few between. Do you disclose to people? Which people? How much do you tell them? If you do decide to disclose, for what purpose? What is the end goal of disclosing? Education? Accommodations? There is also a lot of intolerance, disbelief, and a steep learning curve you likely face trying to improve facets of your life should you choose to do so.

It is one thing to recognize that you may not be equipped in the same capacity as an average individual to handle the ins and outs of daily life successfully, but actually trying to improve it is so incredibly difficult. You're playing catch up in the real world where there are real, significant consequences. As a child, you can make mistakes and learn with a much lower risk to completely devestating your life. Having a meltdown in class on a bad day as a kid? Yeah there will likely be consequences, but outside of a pattern of behavior that is disruptive and unproductive for everyone, it ultimately offers a learning opportunity and a benchmark you can measure progress against. Have an outburst at work where you go on a tirade against your co-workers and boss due to struggling with the reality of living with ASD in the workplace? Yeah you may very well end up fired and dealing with the consequences of finding yourself suddenly unemployed and trying to survive that.

I'm not saying that people diagnosed as children have a happily ever after where their ASD has no impact on their life as adults, but it definitely helps to understand what is going on with you, have strategies to employ in difficult situations, have the knowledge of your reality to (hopefully) create a lifestyle that allows for your maximum success possible, and (hopefully) a support system that also understands what you're against. Trying to accomplish that as an adult is daunting.

I applaud the parents of children with ASD doing their best to help them live the fullest, most "normal" life possible and prepare their kids for the brutal world that is out there.They are fortunate to have parents truly invested in their success as an individual. Disney offers a unique intersection of the real world and providing a rather challenging environment for many with ASD while allowing for their unique, individual needs to still be accommodated pretty well. Ultimately the DAS, whether used by a child with historical needs for accommodation who may or may not be growing out of actually needing it to survive WDW or an adult who is still struggling with the daily realities of ASD whose needs warrant regular use of it, is a flexible tool that is there when you need it, and only you (or potentially your family/doctor) can really determine what is in your best interest to use it. And maybe sometimes you don't need it. Personally, I definitely think those occasions are worth acknowledging and celebrating, but at the same time, if you do need it in a situation you normally don't, there should be no shame or hesitation in using it. Everyone has good days and bad days.

Since a DAS is not a guarantee to be out of the heat have you considered renting a stroller that will take his size (there are a few medical rentals in Florida that have strollers for bigger kids) and getting a stroller as wheel chair tag? That or rent a smaller wheelchair. That will give him something to sit in and give you a break from packing him around when tired.


To the OP honestly only you and yours son's medical crew will know. I say continue to get the DAS but start the slow weening process from it. So if the line is 30 minutes don't use it. If it is more then 30 ask your son if he wants to use the DAS or if he wants to go to a different ride.

We meet with someone last night that we'll help dh with the skills he lacks due to asd and I well learn what overstimulats him

Side note and I know not every parent well agree with me but I learned to give a heads up to those who he well be interacting with like my friends not strangers on the street

Example friend A invited us over for dinner it did not cross my
my mind to tell her that dh is autistic

When he left she flat out asked is your dh autistic I said yes she said I thought so he never said how good the meal was and he was very quiet
 
My daughter has grown up from a child with Asbergers (higher-functioning autism) to being an adult with Asbergers. She is comfortable in most everyday life situations - because she's familiar with it. She still gets the most intense melt-downs (usually just verbal but she often hits herself as well) when something inside just snaps. She has sensory issues, but not to the point where she has to go round the parks with headphones and stimulus to distract. And let's not even start on the fun we have when she's PMS-ing!!! But the flashing lights, incredible loud noise than the parks seem to be bathed in (I have a headache every single day I'm at Disney) and crowd-situations do get to her. Sometimes within half an hour - sometimes almost instantly. We just never know: nor does she.

We will continue to get the DAS as long as we can. We maybe only use it once or twice per park, but it saves having to be in a sensory-busting queue for upwards of an hour. It's not jumping the queue - as some people can't seem to understand. You just come back at the time you would have reached the front of the queue had you stood in it for that length of time, and then go in through the FP queue. Sometimes we get fast-tracked, but that's usually only if they have special arrangements for ECVs (which I use), and usually involves going beyond the ride, parking up, and being shown into a row already designated for us.

We have been known to get a FP for a favourite ride (eg TSM or 7DMT), show up for our FP but get a DAS return time before we go in. Then we have the freedom to go back on again quite quickly or come back hours later after we've had lunch/toilet breaks etc.
 
I've been wondering this too, as we are planning a trip for January 2018. My son is an Aspie and does really well at this point, he is 14 now, will be 15 in January. Of course the goal is to help our kids learn to function in society, that's why we haul our kids to all these therapy appointments and stuff, but I am in favor of taking every helping hand I can get for this upcoming trip. My husband and I are getting a divorce and he most likely won't be joining us for this trip, which kind of worries me because my son is now bigger than me, he's 6' 1" and still growing! I don't know what I would do if my son has a meltdown (he doesn't have them regularly anymore, but Disney can be stressful and puts him on sensory overload unless I'm really careful about monitoring his moods and behaviors). He is now bigger and stronger than me and it's kind of scary to think about him having a meltdown and I'm actually considering asking his doctor for meds that I can give him if his anxiety level gets too high on this trip. We went on a 4 day road trip with extended family last summer and he had a minor meltdown and it was scary so far from home, hopefully we can avoid that for this trip. I don't think it's abusing the system to put aids in place for your kid in case he needs them, you don't have to use the DAS but better safe than sorry, you know?

Sorry for the rambling reply, but to summarize, I think it's important to consider what the worst case scenario could be, and base your decision about DAS on what could happen on your son's worst day. If you feel that DAS will allow your family to have a more typical vacation experience and allow your son to enjoy the parks then go for it with a clear conscience.

Not to hijack your post, but OP or anyone else reading this, do you know whether there is a mental health crisis intervention team in Orlando? My city has one, I've had to rely on them for help a few times over the years when my son had a meltdown and I wasn't able to handle him on my own, but I know that not all cities have something like that in place. I googled once or twice and didn't really get any hits specific to mobile crisis intervention services in Orlando and Walt Disney World. Just want to know whether there is someone I can call should I need the help, and the info could help others with kids on the spectrum.
 
OP or anyone else reading this, do you know whether there is a mental health crisis intervention team in Orlando? My city has one, I've had to rely on them for help a few times over the years when my son had a meltdown and I wasn't able to handle him on my own, but I know that not all cities have something like that in place.
I would think calling 911 at WDW would get you the help you need ASAP. You most likely would get to the right people quicker by telling a CM to call from a local phone or to radio it in than calling from your cell phone.
 
Not to hijack your post, but OP or anyone else reading this, do you know whether there is a mental health crisis intervention team in Orlando? My city has one, I've had to rely on them for help a few times over the years when my son had a meltdown and I wasn't able to handle him on my own, but I know that not all cities have something like that in place. I googled once or twice and didn't really get any hits specific to mobile crisis intervention services in Orlando and Walt Disney World. Just want to know whether there is someone I can call should I need the help, and the info could help others with kids on the spectrum.

I would think your son's pediatrician would have access to that information, and would be glad to share it with you. Each family would want to make sure that whatever health care they seek out in another city is covered by their insurance, right?
 
Thanks for all the thoughtful replies! I was worried that I wasn't pushing him enough and enabling his difficulties. But as I was mulling this over more, I remembered that for all the skills he's gained and makes look "easy," he's actually working at least 10 times harder than a typical person at any given time just to hold it together. He has to manage the sensory input, remember the unwritten societal rules, and monitor social interactions in a much more deliberate way than I do. And even when we're utilizing the DAS, he's still actively working on multiple skills that take a lot of energy for him. But I'm not the only one on vacation here, he is too. And if the DAS can still provide some respite for him here and there, he deserves it. He's the hardest working kid I know. So I think I'll continue to get it and encourage him to stretch himself, but I'm not gonna turn his vacation into therapy time. He's already become much more self aware in the past year, he might decide himself that he wants do disney the way others do.

This is exactly my thinking regarding my teenage son, who has Tourette's Syndrome and associated anxiety and sensory issues. I do think that a DAS can be used to increase enjoyment for someone of any age WHO WOULD OTHERWISE NOT BE ABLE TO ENJOY THE PARKS anywhere near like a neurotypical person of the same age is able to.

In fact, my son is not thrilled about going to DL because he knows that the crowds, the lines, and the movement of the rides will be challenging. If there is a way to make the experience less torturous and more enjoyable, I'm going to do that. Where I can pay a reasonable amount, I will -- dessert parties, dining packages, etc. Where I can use FP, I will. But most of the rides that he can handle do not have FP (we are going to Disneyland/DCA). My son might be able to stand in a 45 minute line, but it will take every bit of his physical, mental, and emotional energy. He has enough practice with that -- he is required to exert that energy during the 4-6 hours that he is at school. Vacation is not therapy. Just entering the parks will use more energy than you can imagine.

The same is true for someone with autism or sensory processing disorder. If you think this is the same as a neurotypical person using a DAS because it increases their enjoyment, you are not imagining what it's like to experience the world in a different way. It's sort of like telling a paralyzed person that they COULD drag themselves around by their arms or just stay home; therefore, they shouldn't use a wheelchair just to increase their enjoyment of the parks.

An older child with challenges and a toddler are not comparable. People are much more understanding when a toddler melts down in front of them. It does not make people uncomfortable in the same way. I could pick up my toddler and keep him from kicking or swinging his arms; my son can pick me up. It also doesn't make the toddler uncomfortable in the same way. My son cares that people are staring at him and wondering what's wrong with him, or glaring at him. And his stress will affect him all day, unlike toddlers. Toddlers also grow up-- it is a relatively short window. You can choose to wait to go to the parks or wait to take the toddler on a ride with a long line. It's not the same thing to tell a person or a family that they can NEVER go.
 
Not to hijack your post, but OP or anyone else reading this, do you know whether there is a mental health crisis intervention team in Orlando? My city has one, I've had to rely on them for help a few times over the years when my son had a meltdown and I wasn't able to handle him on my own, but I know that not all cities have something like that in place. I googled once or twice and didn't really get any hits specific to mobile crisis intervention services in Orlando and Walt Disney World. Just want to know whether there is someone I can call should I need the help, and the info could help others with kids on the spectrum.

I don't know if Orlando has one and unfortunately if it goes to a point that he is a danger to others you may not get the response you are use to since security and officers in the park could get involved and their goal first is to defuse the situation and move it away from other guests. That being said if you call 911 for an emergency in Orlando but are at Disney World the first words out of your mouth should be I am at XXXX (Disney attraction so Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney resort, etc) please transfer me to Reedy Creek. Your response time out of Orlando can be over 30 minutes when Reedy Creek can be 1-5 minutes and knows the parks inside and out.

Just looked it up and it does appear if you call 211 instead of 911 you will get the team you are looking for. Not sure what the response times are though since it is out of Orlando not Reedy Creek. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-mental-health-mobile-units-kids-20150821-story.html
 
This is exactly my thinking regarding my teenage son, who has Tourette's Syndrome and associated anxiety and sensory issues. I do think that a DAS can be used to increase enjoyment for someone of any age WHO WOULD OTHERWISE NOT BE ABLE TO ENJOY THE PARKS anywhere near like a neurotypical person of the same age is able to.
DAS is intended to provide access to attractions, not to level the playing field. Enjoyment is individual. Many people who can wait in line don't enjoy it, so they either make a touring plan to avoid it or don't go to the parks. If the only reason someone is getting a DAS because they think other people are enjoying the parks more because they don't have the same issues, that would lead to a lot of abuse and make the DAS useless as everyone would have one. And if an individual goes into a park with a chip on their shoulder, shouting about their increased enjoyment compared others' enjoyment they're setting themselves up for a miserable trip.
 
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Also, I didn't quote the rest of your post as you recently said that all of your posts about your children have been lies to "protect" them. Honestly, how is it helpful for others here for you to make up some supposed examples to prove some point when they're fiction? Maybe you feel that you're somehow justified in abusing DAS because you posted some wall of text about some inability to tour the parks like think others do, but since you've admitted it's lies, what does it accomplish in terms of this thread?
 
I don't know if Orlando has one and unfortunately if it goes to a point that he is a danger to others you may not get the response you are use to since security and officers in the park could get involved and their goal first is to defuse the situation and move it away from other guests. That being said if you call 911 for an emergency in Orlando but are at Disney World the first words out of your mouth should be I am at XXXX (Disney attraction so Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney resort, etc) please transfer me to Reedy Creek. Your response time out of Orlando can be over 30 minutes when Reedy Creek can be 1-5 minutes and knows the parks inside and out.

Just looked it up and it does appear if you call 211 instead of 911 you will get the team you are looking for. Not sure what the response times are though since it is out of Orlando not Reedy Creek. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-mental-health-mobile-units-kids-20150821-story.html

The article makes it sound like it is a service for Orange County residents. While WDW is in Orange County, I'd check to make sure they'd offer the service (or find out how much they charge for non-residents) before I'd be using it. I still suggest a talk with the child's pediatrician or mental health provider before the trip to get more info on services covered.
 
Enjoyment is individual

I think this word is a sticking point for some - I think I want to clarify it from my point of view - as it probably isn't the Webster (Think that the Brand of US dictionaries, in the UK it the Oxford English (how posh)) definition.

Now looking through these post it seems to me people are using this word instead of saying it make the trip more "doable - Can cope with it - won't end in disaster etc".

Now for my son the queues will just be pure hell - he is young but the sensory, emotion and even physical pain (if he works himself up enough) can be overwhelming.

So he is happier when he can do his own thing, so us waiting our time away from the queue will give him time to, and this is were the word for me comes in - Enjoy himself - and I'm using this in the terms of as he not having a meltdown or being overloaded, so for me that translate into Enjoyment .

It's not the case that we are enjoying that the rest of you have to stand in line, or that we are some how getting something great for nothing.

We are dealing with highly complex situations, which can change for the slightest of reasons, and I find any help enjoyable as we live this everyday.

So a bit of support and understand provides me with so much enjoyment, as you don't get it every (especially the understanding part) that's why I keep coming back.

So if anyone asked me do you enjoy getting the DAS pass I would say yes as the alternative is just horrible and if we couldn't get the support (and that not just DAS, it's the help in the restaurants with Seating, the Hotels seeing if they can get us a quiet room, the CMs at the character meet and greets and the understanding of the photopass photographer (as the little one doesn't like looking at people) not Disney, but the help we get on the flight as well) we wouldn't only not enjoy our holiday we would probably not be able to return.
 
DAS is intended to provide access to attractions, not to level the playing field. Enjoyment is individual. Many people who can wait in line don't enjoy it, so they either make a touring plan to avoid it or don't go to the parks. If the only reason someone is getting a DAS because they think other people are enjoying the parks more because they don't have the same issues, that would lead to a lot of abuse and make the DAS useless as everyone would have one. And if an individual goes into a park with a chip on their shoulder, shouting about their increased enjoyment compared others' enjoyment they're setting themselves up for a miserable trip.

Also, I didn't quote the rest of your post as you recently said that all of your posts about your children have been lies to "protect" them. Honestly, how is it helpful for others here for you to make up some supposed examples to prove some point when they're fiction? Maybe you feel that you're somehow justified in abusing DAS because you posted some wall of text about some inability to tour the parks like think others do, but since you've admitted it's lies, what does it accomplish in terms of this thread?

I said that I have been misleading about my children's ages and number of children. That is all. I explained that I did not provide my children's precise ages for their privacy BECAUSE I am posting real information in a public forum about my son that is incredibly embarrassing to him. I imagined Disney fanatics that we know in real life thinking, "Hey that sounds like the ____ family." My son has severe Tourette's. It peaks in the teen years. He has uncontrollable body movements, noises, and statements, and it gets worse when he's stressed. If he tries to keep it under control -- like at school or in a confined space -- it is physically and mentally exhausting. Google Touretteshero if you'd like some insight into the disorder. We're going to get a DAS and use it if/when necessary (along with careful planning and long afternoon breaks) to avoid ruining the day with a really terrible experience. I imagine that we will use it only in couple situations. He's not going to be riding the vast majority of the headliners anyway. Thank goodness for FP. We may use the DAS so he can re-ride something like Jungle Cruise while other members of the party use FP. A long line without me to calm and distract would be a disaster.

I am also able to have empathy for kids with autism and sensory processing disorder and understand their need for a DAS even if they technically could survive without it, which is the point of this discussion. I don't see anyone going to the parks shouting about their increased enjoyment compared to others enjoyment. I see loving parents trying to make Disney bearable and even enjoyable for their children, and I see someone who apparently is upset about this.
 
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