Our Guest Assistance Card was wrinkled, had juice spilled on it and got lost in the bottom of my bag for while - but it still worked!

You may have heard rumors about a magical pass for visiting Disney World with special needs that means less waiting in line and special accommodations.

I’m happy to say that those rumors are true – it’s called the Guest Assistance Card and its powers will make your Disney experience even more memorable.   For my daughter who’s blind and in a wheelchair, it allowed our whole family to use the wheelchair line, which in most cases was a much shorter wait – you gotta love that.

It also alerted the Cast Members that we needed extra assistance, and they sure delivered!  At every attraction I was asked how my daughter needed to get on the ride, and was informed about what to expect.  Since my daughter doesn’t sit well independently, I was offered the opportunity to let my family go on Star Wars Tours together while I stayed with V, then switch with my friend so that I could ride with my older daughter without waiting in line again.  I declined, not wanting my special needs daughter (V) to be left out and certain that we could make it work.  V loved the ride!  Afterwards the Cast Member brought me V’s wheelchair and told me that they had watched her the whole time, and were prepared to stop the ride if she wasn’t doing well on it.  I appreciate that they let me judge what my daughter could do, and that they were watching just in case.  See how accessibility / wheelchair access worked on the Animal Kingdom Safari experience.

How to get Disney World’s Guest Assistance Card

Upon entering the Disney Park head to Guest Relations, it’s right inside the entrance, and explain your child’s or family member’s disability and needs.  They’ll issue a card stamped with your specific requirements.  If your child has challenges that are less noticeable you might consider bringing a doctor’s note, although I have been told that you don’t need one.  There are some people who try and cheat the system claiming to have a disability for the possibility of shorter line, shame on them!  I hate it when people take advantage of services provide for families that are truly dealing with difficult circumstances, so sad.

While you are at Guest Service find out where the First Aid center is

The First Aid center is a great resource when visiting Disney World with and special needs, here are some reasons why:

1. Storage for medications that need to be refrigerated while you are visiting the Park.
2. Private changing and toileting areas.  Small, private bathrooms each with a large changing table are available.  Something that would have made a prior trip to Disneyland a lot more fun if I had known at the time.
3. Sharps containers for disposal of hypodermic needles.
4. Privacy for dosing or tube feeding.
5. Quiet, cool and calm – providing a break if Disney becomes too overwhelming for your special needs child.

That’s the 411 on Disney’s Guest Assistance Card, wishing you a magical Disney experience!

Disclaimer: Our tickets were provided by Disney Parks for review purposes, the experience and opinions are my own.

V loves Donald Duck!

We started 2013 with a diagnosis of Juvenile Diabetes for my healthy 16 year old daughter. Juvenile Diabetes, otherwise known as Type 1 Diabetes, is an auto-immune disease that attacks the pancreas until the pancreas can no longer produce insulin and digest sugars/carbohydrates. As a result, people with Type 1 Diabetes typically take 2 forms of medication. One is a long-acting insulin that is injected once a day, the other is an insulin injected at meals; the amount injected varies and is based on the amount of carbohydrates (carbs) you consume. Together these drugs essentially do the job of your pancreas. It’s a little more complicated than that because blood sugar levels are also impacted by hormones, exercise, illness, stress and several other factors, but those are the basics.

The balancing act is critical; too little insulin and over time serious damage is done to your body, which can include blindness and other serious complications. Too much insulin and you can pass out or end up in a coma – it can even result in death.

Serious stuff, right? Obviously an accurate carb count and corresponding insulin dose is necessary for Type 1 diabetics.

Prior to our trip I called Disney World Guest Services and asked specifically about carb counts at Disney restaurants. I was told that, just like with any other food allergies, when you order at any Disney restaurant ask for the chef or the manager and they will provide you with the necessary information.

Unfortunately it wasn’t that simple.

In fact at every restaurant we visited – those in our hotel, casual dining in the Disney Parks, even room service – not one of them had carb counts available. I asked to speak to the chef or a manager in each case, and not one of them knew how to get carb counts for me.

I had packed a suitcase full of food just in case – the empty suitcase worked out well for bringing all of our Disney paraphanelia and souvenirs home. But sadly my daughter’s Disney vacation diet consisted of food from home, things that we could guess carb counts on and lots of salads. She never complained, but I was pretty disappointed.

The chocolate was for me. What you don't see is all of the cheese - my daughter is big in to cheese. It's carb-free! And lots of peanut butter packets. TSA left a note inside my bag saying that they had hand-checked it. They just wanted my chocolate...

I’ve waited on posting this because my goal is always to provide solutions for families with special needs, not rants, but since we returned home I’ve reached out to many people at Disney and haven’t gotten any more information. So here’s our experience, hopefully I’ll be able to post an update that Disney World has made carb counts available in the near future.  In the meantime, if you travel with a diabetic family member come prepared with some food from home.

Disclaimer: Disney Parks paid for a portion of our hotel stay and park passes, the opinions are obviously my own.

My special needs daughter enjoyed the rugged ride, hearing the animals and feeling the breeze as we passed through the shady trees and open grasslands. She loved every minute of it – so did my 16 year old daughter.  In fact I heard oohs and awes from kids and adults of all ages, it was definitely a hit.

The Safari ride is great for families with special needs or limited mobility.  Here are some accessibility and wheelchair tips:

1. First of all, get a Fast Pass for the Kilimanjaro Safari first thing after entering the park – its a popular ride!
2. When you return for your Fast Pass time, make sure that you have your  Guest Assistance Card (you get that at Guest Services at the entrance of the park) so that you can load in the wheelchair and special needs area.
3. You will load first, either park your wheelchair, or roll it on using the ramp (see the video).
4. Bring your camera and enjoy the ride – you will have lots of great opportunities for photos. I used my iPhone for these photos, we were that close!

Note: Our passes to Animal Kingdom were provided by Disney World for review purposes. The experiences and opinions are our own.

Every shuttle we took from our hotel to the Disney Parks had a ramp and wheelchair accessibility. PS V loved her Donald Duck tattoo!

One of my biggest concerns when planning our Disney World vacation was how we were going to get from the airport to the hotel and from park to park at various times of day. There are 5 Disney World Parks – would we really be able to get around from park to park easily? I was traveling alone with my two daughters and without my husband’s help, the thought of logistics was a bit overwhelming.  Would we have to wait longer for accessible shuttles? What if we couldn’t find a shuttle or my daughter was over the top with all of the stimulus of a theme park and needed to get back to our hotel quickly, how easy would it be to get a taxi that could accommodate her push chair? I had been on Disney World property for a Nascar ride along at Richard Petty Driving, but never in the parks themselves. All I knew was that Disney World was HUGE, and unlike Disneyland you can’t walk from park to park – how was that going to work for my daughter with special needs?  I didn’t plan on renting a car, would I regret that and feel stuck? So many questions…

I should have known Disney would have that all worked out.

Disney movies on the Magical Express kept my kids happy on the Magical Express.

Disney Magical Express – Airport Transportation
When you stay at a Disney World hotel, you have free airport transportation to Orlando (MCO) on the Disney Magical Express.  Some airlines even transfer your baggage for you so you don’t have pick them up and lug them from baggage claim or check them in at the airport – of course the airline I flew didn’t qualify…  There was a lift and handicap accessibility in the back entrance of the bus.  Once the bus gets rolling Disney cartoons and park information plays on TV screens on board because your kids need to be even more excited, right? I realized my special needs daughter had never heard Donald Duck before, I guess I hadn’t exposed her to the classics! After one of Donald’s explosive quacks, she started giggling and he quickly became her favorite Disney character. She got a tattoo to express her new found love of the Duck himself at the airbrush tattoo studio at Hollywood Studios.

Disney Boats
We stayed at the Disney Yacht Club, the dock out front had a shuttle boat that seemed to arrive every 10 minutes or so for Epcot or Hollywood Studios.  The was a ramp and accessible entrance at the back of the boat.  It was so accessible and convenient that my 16 year old daughter was able to take V on board for a girls morning at Hollywood Studios while I had meetings.

Disney Shuttles
The photo at the top of this page is on a Disney Park Shuttle.  We took the shuttle to and from our hotel to several Disney parks – all shuttles had lifts and wheelchair tie downs, and the drivers were great getting V’s chair secured.  The buses seemed to come about every 10 minutes or so, and although we never experienced lines longer than maybe 10 people, there were waiting areas set up, so I assume during peak times you might have to wait for the next bus.

Monorail
The Monorail is the iconic ride into the Magic Kingdom.  The ramp up to it is a long ramp that you need to push a wheelchair up – I didn’t see any elevators – and at the top the cast members will put down a ramp so you can smoothly board the Monorail.  At peak times the Monorail can be really busy – like after the fireworks – so you might end up waiting for your ride.  But don’t worry about that, the monorails run every few minutes so the wait is never too long.

Taxi Cabs at Disney World
There were two times that we took a cab; once after our fireworks cruise, after a wonderful day and extraordinary evening we were exhausted, and being our first night at Disney World we weren’t sure how the shuttles worked and wanted to get home and to bed so we grabbed a cab that was waiting outside the boat docks, it had a wheelchair ramp and tie downs for V’s wheelchair. Our second cab ride was taken out of desperation. We had closed down the Magic Kingdom during their Extra Magical Hours and went to the shuttles, but a Disney Cast Member told us the wrong directions and we found ourselves at the shuttle station with no shuttles running!  Happily there were LOTS of cabs waitiing, including wheelchair-accessible vans.

Ramp onto the wheelchair-accessible van

Yah, this girl thought she was pretty cool on her first taxi ride.

I was pleasantly surprised by how easy and accessible park and airport transportation was at Disney World, I never felt “stuck” and didn’t have any need to rent a car. I hope this helps you make your plans for a memorable Disney vacation!

Disclaimer: 2 nights stay and Disney World passes were provided for review purposes. Our experiences and opinions are our own, we can’t be bought that easily.

For many people, one of the highlights of a Disney World vacation is the evening fireworks show, “Wishes” led by Tinker Bell and hosted by Jiminy Cricket. I want to love the fireworks show, I really do, but honestly I find it frustrating; finding a seat early and waiting, which my special needs daughter has limited patience for, and afterwards navigating the consuming crowds with a wheelchair and overwhelmed child takes the last of my energy, leaving me feeling a little less magical.

There’s a better way to watch the fireworks – by private boat!

Not those little boats, silly - the party boat in the middle!

Last week my daughters and I went to Disney World for a TravelingMom.com conference, along with one of my oldest and dearest friends Kim-Marie Evans, who writes as LuxuryTravelMom.com. Kim-Marie always has the inside scoop on everything cool, and she knew just how to make the fireworks fun for all of us. She hired a private boat so that V could enjoy the fireworks show in a way that was more meaningful to her, and more enjoyable for us moms. The boat had a handicap-friendly entrance, we rolled V right on and slowly made our way around the island to first watch the Electric Water Pagent. The water was so calming; V enjoyed listening to the birds nesting in the nearby trees, and the water softly splash alongside. We pulled up in front of the Magic Kingdom and a speaker on board started playing Jiminy Cricket and the “Wishes” story. V sat on my lap and took every minute of the show, listening closely to each word of “Wishes” and lighting up with each crack of fireworks.

After the show, instead of navigating crowds, we returned to the dock at a relaxing pace and took a short cab ride back to our hotel, savoring the magic of the evening. Now that’s the way to experience Disney World fireworks.

Kim-Marie paid $300 for our private boat, a great price for a memorable night out with your family, especially if you are visiting with grandparents or another family. Call 407-W-Disney at least 48 hrs in advance and ask for Captain Kevin – he had the best inside stories and Disney facts!

To complicate things further, it was just my two daughters and I; my husband was not able to join us on this trip.

Fortunately I was too tired to worry about it. Although admittedly I did have a few fleeting thoughts, like, “What am I doing? Am I insane?!” Maybe.

These tips made our flight easier, hopefully they will help you, too:

1. Check the “Special Services” box when booking your flight

   

   Meet our new friend from Delta Airlines, he even loaded our luggage into the car

   Even if you don’t need a wheelchair, the airline will have someone available to help you get to the gate and on and off the flight. We’ve used this service on Delta, Southwest and Frontier airlines, all with great results. Make sure that you remind them of this service request at the ticketing counter and check in at the gate early, reminding them of your boarding needs. I always say, “It takes a small village for us to travel – Everyone will be happier if we have extra time to pre-board.” It’s true! Nobody wants to be hit by our car seat or bags as we balance everything. On this flight my older daughter couldn’t get the car seat and our carry ons on the plane by herself – I was carrying V. The flight attendants stowed everything for us while my daughter put in my car seat. Flight attendants have installed the car seat for me before when I flew alone with my special needs daughter.

2. Prepare for Bathroom Breaks

   Our kids all have different needs, but my child wears a diaper. 4+ hours is a long time in diaper, but changing in the bathroom on an airplane is almost impossible, so I have a few tricks to keep her comfortable. I buy Poise inserts, you now those ones advertised for the geriatric set? Yep, those. The are like form-fitted, super absorbent maxi pads. And they work. I don’t don’t even care what anyone thinks when I buy them. I also put some Calazime on her bum to protect her skin. So far I have been able to find family bathrooms in every airport terminal I’ve changed planes in, they have larger changing tables. It grosses me out to think about putting my child on them, so I bring disposable bed pads to put down under her for a super quick change.

3. Snacks

   I bring lots of snacks, lots. Crackers, cheese, carrots, protein bars – a wide variety. Nothing diverts attention like a snack and you know the airline will not provide much to keep a tummy satisfied. My oldest child was recently diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and requires insulin and blood sugar monitoring, so I have lots of extra food that we know works well for her just in case we are stuck on the tarmack or have flight delays.

4. Keep Ears from Hurting

   Gum is great for keeping the ears from plugging due to altitude – my daughter loves chewing gum, so that works for us. Basically anything that makes the jaw work during take off and descent is helpful, like a pacifier or bottle. For an older child consider Ear Planes. They are like ear plugs that keep your ears from popping and hurting.

5. Bring Things to Do

   Bring a favorite toy or stuffed animal to comfort your child, plus a couple of books or toys. I load new stories on my daughter’s iPad, that keeps her entertained. Keeping your child entertained means a better flight for everyone. I was actually able to read a book – I never have that kind of time to myself, it felt kind of luxurious…

6. Check as Many Bags as Possible

   Believe me, the less you are lugging around, taking through TSA and trying to board the plane with, the happier you will be. A couple of times flight attendants have gate checked one of my carryons for me at no charge. It was nice to have one less thing to lug onboard and they were thankful to have extra room in the overhead compartments.

7. Protect Your Stroller or Wheelchair

   My daughter needs a special chair, she can’t sit in a typical wheelchair, so we take her stroller type wheelchair all the way out to the door of the plane and I fold it down. I’ve watched the baggage handlers with it and although I haven’t witnessed abuse, it doesn’t get treated as the $3,000 piece of equipment that it is. Make sure that it’s tagged with your name and contact information and if a case is available for your equipment, get it. I just got a case for ours.

8. Pack Medications in Your Carry-On

   You never know when your flight will be delayed, or checked bags mis-directed. Keep you meds with your carryons – including Advil…for you. I always need Advil after a flight.

   In many airports there are lines for wheelchairs or special needs. Ask someone if you don’t see one; the lines are usually a lot shorter and the agents there are more experienced with special needs. You can bring liquid meds through TSA. Bring them in your prescription bottle and hand them directly to TSA and tell them that they can’t be x-rayed. They will hand check them, which sometimes means you get a pat down, no big deal. I’ve also done with with juice boxes for my daughter diagnosed with diabetes, the same goes for tube-feeding nutrition drinks.

9. Bring a Lightweight Blanket

   A little blanket comes in handy, sometimes flights get chilly or it can be used as a pillow. Believe me, somebody will use it – it might be you.

One thing I’ve learned is that flying with my special needs child gets easier with every trip, we have the routine down to a science. My special needs daughter actually laughs when the engines rev up because she knows we are going someplace fun. But that’s not how our first trip went, so take heart, the more you travel the better you all get at it, and the more fun you are able to have.

Enjoy the adventure!

The flight is worth the memories!

Meet CJ, skiing rock star – could she be any cuter? CJ has been skiing at Sun Peaks Resort in British Columbia for 4 years, so she’s definitely a pro – she even has her own sweet ride! I had the privilege of skiing with her for a while and meeting her lovely family – it was a highlight of my trip. Her mom writes a special needs blog and has a great perspective.

Adaptive Sports at Sun Peaks (ASSP) is a newer program, their volunteers have been providing adaptive ski opportunities at Sun Peaks Resort since 2008. I spent a morning snowboarding with Sharon Tremblay, President of Adaptive Sports at Sun Peaks, and she shared more about the program along the way. The first thing I found out is that Sharon likes moguls. I do not. Thankfully she went easy on me and took me on some gentler runs. Here are some other things I learned:

Safety comes first at ASSP:
No risks are taken, ASSP realizes the fragile nature of their participants and makes that their foremost consideration. All instructors are required to have a CADS Level 1 certification at minimum and ongoing training is encouraged. Assistants work with the instructors to help load and unload from the ski lift, and ski wide turns behind the instructor to provide a safety barrier between the adaptive skier and others on the mountain. Sun Peaks Resort has several low-traffic, wide and gentle runs that are frequently used by ASSP to ensure maximum safety. All equipment is thoroughly checked on a regular basis and ongoing training is provided for lifties to ensure best safety practices for getting on and off the lifts.

Lesson goals are determined by the student:
Everyone has a different reason for being out on the mountain, and it is ASSP’s perspective that those reasons should guide their interaction with the participant. For some people, like my daughter, it’s all about the ride and participating with our family. The instructor acts as my daughter’s legs, skiing her down the mountain with us. For others it’s about learning a new skill and progressing to become more and more independent; specialized equipment allows them to start out on the magic carpet or platter. Others want to reclaim a passion held prior to an accident. The reasons are as different as the individuals, and ASSP strives to get to know the individual, their goals and develop a plan to achieve those goals.

Learning to ski with ASSP

ASSP is a group of individuals with a passion
Sharon didn’t have to tell me this, I witnessed it. Throughout my stay at Sun Peaks I watched other volunteers and instructors and saw the enthusiasm that they had for their work on the mountain. Making skiing available for everyone was a passion that they were excited to share. I wish I had been able to bring my V with me, she would have loved making all of these new friends.

One more thing – Sun Peaks Resort is ski in ski out and very accessible. Step outside your hotel and you are in the village and at the foot of the mountain. Doesn’t get any better than that!

If you would like to get involved with Adaptive Sports at Sun Peaks, you can contact them through their web site or to set up lessons contact Sun Peaks Resort.

www.HelloBC.com
www.SkiItToBelieveIt.com

Disclaimer: Sun Peaks Resort provided the stay for my review, the experience and opinions are my own.

That was the beautiful view from the trail on my snowmobile tour at Sun Peaks Resort. Wow, right? The ride took me through wooded trails, along ridge-tops and to a cabin for a quick warm up.

Although I have been snowmobiling before, Sun Peaks Snowmobile Tours takes pride in making sure that their tours are safe for everyone in the family, no matter your off-road experience – or inexperience. Children can ride with a parent, so everyone is able to participate. Two guides accompany you on your back country adventure; one leads the way and the other follows to make sure nobody is left behind. If you have family members that want to ride more aggressive terrain, the guides will divide your group up so that everyone is happy. Once at the cabin, you can warm up and have a snack – or if you take the night tour, enjoy a wiener roast over an open fire under the starry night sky.

I talked to owner Andy Matusky about how the Sun Peaks Snowmobile Tour could work for families with special needs. He mentioned several options and was happy to accommodate wherever possible. He told me about a blind gentleman who recently took a tour riding on the back of Andy’s snowmobile. Once they got up to the cabin, the gentleman said, “You know, I’ve signed the waiver and you have my card on file for damages…I’d like to try driving myself.” Andy took him out to the wide, flat, frozen lake nearby and traded places with him, tapping on his shoulder to let him know when to turn right or left. That was an experience neither of them will forget.

Do I think that my little V could ride along on a snowmobile tour? I think she’d love the movement and the wind, but I would probably have her do a short ride with her daddy near the trail head, then I would take her back to the hotel or Aquatic Centre while the rest of the group went on the tour. V can’t sit independently and has some issues with her hip and spine, it would get pretty tough to hold her safely for that length of time. But I know my husband and other daughter would want to go on the full tour.

Extra layers are provided to make sure you stay warm - hey, it's not a fashion show..."

This cabin is kept nice and wam, a welcome stop on your snowmobile tour.

To find out more or book a snowmobile tour, contact Sun Peaks Snowmobile Tours.

Sun Peaks Snowmobile Tours provided the tour for my review, the experience and opinions are my own.

www.sunpeaksresort.com
www.HelloBC.com
www.SkiItToBelieveIt.com

Beautiful view, right? That’s just part of what I saw on my Winter Wonderland Snow Shoe Tour at Sun Peaks Resort. I’ve never been on snowshoes before, so be assured, there is no experience required. Snowshoe Rob will give you some basics and you’ll find it’s easy and fun.

Snowshoe Rob led me on a tour through the woods, explaining the local flora and fauna, then on to a stop at a trapper’s camp where we had hot apple cider and a treat. It was beautiful and relaxing. We chatted for a while and Rob told me about their other tours, including the Moonlight Snowshoe and S’mores Tour. He had me at chocolate. I thought how fun this would be for my family after a day of skiing on the mountain.

Rob was such a great tour guide, accommodating and patient. I asked him if a Snowshoe Tour could work with a special needs child, I specifically asked about my child who is in a wheelchair. I could see the wheels turning, he is definitely a solutions guy. We talked about bringing her in a toboggan. Because every special needs kid is unique there are no promises, as a special needs parent you understand this, but if you are visiting Sun Peaks Resort and want to experience a family snowshoe trip, contact Discover Sun Peaks Adventures and explain your specific situation. I am confident that Rob will try his best to find a way to make it work.

Meet Snowshoe Rob and see the trapper cabin and fire pit:

Questions? Contact Discover Sun Peaks Adventures or Sun Peaks Resort

www.HelloBC.com
www.SkiItToBelieveIt.com

The tour was provide to me as a guest of Sun Peaks Resort, the experience and opinions are my own.

I’ve never seen this before, it’s called a Snow Limo at Sun Peaks Resort and it was designed by Robert Lueftner and a friend to help more people experience skiing regardless of age or ability. Maybe you or a family member doesn’t ski, but wants to join your family on the mountain for a few runs, here’s the solution and – keep your Manolo’s and designer jeans on ladies – you don’t even need to change into ski boots or gear.

This is also a great solution if you aren’t sure if your special needs child will enjoy skiing. You can try one run so they can see what they think before committing to lessons. I asked Robert about my daughter V, she can’t sit up by herself, could the Snow Limo work for her? He said she could sit on my lap for the ride. I took a solo tour and it was seriously a blast. It felt really stable and controlled, and the driver will go at the speed that you are comfortable with, which is typically slower than what’s on the video. I kind of have a need for speed…

At Sun Peaks Resort on Thursday nights they have a Fondue Dinner & Evening Descent. After a fun dinner accompanied by live music at Sunburst Mid Mountain Restaurant, you cruise down the lantern lit slopes of the 5 Mile ski run with your guide. The Snow Limo is available for the descent so nobody is left out of the experience.

Here’s a video explaining the Snow Limo and a clip of my experience:

Questions? Contact:

Robert Lueftner
Snow Limo Tours LTD Canada
1 778 875 0596
robert@snow-limotours.com
www.snow-limotours.com
http://www.sunpeaksresort.com/winter/activities/snow-limo

www.HelloBC.com
www.SkiItToBelieveIt.com

The Snow Limo Tour was provided by Sun Peaks Resort, the experience and opinions are my own.