The new Disabled Assistance System Card (DASC). The Empowering Strategies Thread for Managing the Magic - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
As of January 1, 2019, we have closed our forums. This is a decision we did not come to lightly, but it is necessary. The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk. The server software itself must be updated, and it cannot be without removing the forums.
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We want to personally thank Sara Varney, who coordinated our community for many years (among so many other things she did for us), and Cheryl Pendry, our Message Board Manager who helped train our Guides, and Ginger Jabour, who helped us with the PassPorter-specific forums and Live! Guides. Thank you for your time, energy, and enthusiasm. You made it all happen.
There are other changes as well.
Why? Well, the world has changed. And change with it, we must. The lyrics to "We Go On" for IllumiNations say it best:
We go on to the joy and through the tears
We go on to discover new frontiers
Moving on with the current of the years.
We go on
Moving forward now as one
Moving on with a spirit born to run
Ever on with each rising sun.
To a new day, we go on.
It's time to move on and move forward.
PassPorter is a small business, and for many years it supported our family. But the world changed, print books took a backseat to the Internet, and for a long time now it has been unable to make ends meet. We've had to find new ways to support our family, which means new careers and less and less time available to devote to our first baby, PassPorter.
But eventually, we must move on and move forward. It is the right thing to do.
So we are retiring this newsletter, as we simply cannot keep up with it. Many thanks to Mouse Fan Travel who supported it all these years, to All Ears and MousePlanet who helped us with news, to our many article contributors, and -- most importantly -- to Sara Varney who edited our newsletter so wonderfully for years and years.
And we are no longer charging for the Live Guides. If you have a subscription, it's yours to keep for the lifetime of the Live Guides at no additional cost. The Live Guides will stay online, barring server issues and technical problems, for all of 2019.
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Thank you, thank you, thank you for your amazing support over the years. Without you, there's no way us little guys could have made something like this happen and given the "big guys" a run for their money. PassPorter was consistently the #3 guidebook after the Unofficial and Official guides, which was really unheard of for such a small company to do. We ROCKED it thanks to you and your support and love!
If you miss us, you can still find some of us online. Sara started a new blog at DisneyParkPrincess.com -- I strongly urge you to visit and get on her mailing list. She IS the Disney park princess and knows Disney backward and forward. And I am blogging as well at JenniferMaker.com, which is a little craft blog I started a couple of years ago to make ends meet. You can see and hear me in my craft show at https://www.youtube.com/c/jennifermaker . Many PassPorter readers and fans are on Facebook, in groups they formed like the PassPorter Trip Reports and PassPorter Crafting Challenge (if you join, just let them know you read about it in the newsletter). And some of our most devoted community members started a forum of their own at Pixie Dust Lane and all are invited over.
So we encourage you to stay in touch with us and your fellow community members wherever works best for you!
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A simple $17 pair of shooters ear muffs from WalMart helped my son deal with the loud noises, particularly crying children, which would set him off. They muffle the noise just enough that sharper sounds no longer bother him as they did. He can still hear me when I'm standing next to him. Its his choice to wear them or not (he's 25) but I do carry them with us in my park bag.
We have also found that an iPod loaded with favorite music and stories helps while waiting in line. He has taught himself to use it and it makes life so much more pleasant for him.
A simple $17 pair of shooters ear muffs from WalMart helped my son deal with the loud noises, particularly crying children, which would set him off. They muffle the noise just enough that sharper sounds no longer bother him as they did. He can still hear me when I'm standing next to him. Its his choice to wear them or not (he's 25) but I do carry them with us in my park bag.
We have also found that an iPod loaded with favorite music and stories helps while waiting in line. He has taught himself to use it and it makes life so much more pleasant for him.
The ear muffs are a great idea, I wish I would've thought of that for our last trip!!!! My son, at the time, was terrified of the noise of the fireworks and that would've helped immensely!!!!! Fortunately, fireworks no longer bother him but I still might get a a pair for next year just in case. Great idea!!!
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We sit in the back row of theaters because we have a family member who is very sensitive to distracting sounds behind him. It also makes for an easier escape if we need one. We request the back row on rides like IASW or Pirates when possible too.
He also has a difficult time moving at a "crowds pace" and hates the feeling of being blocked in so we know how to get just about anywhere in the parks by cutting through stores.
A simple $17 pair of shooters ear muffs from WalMart helped my son deal with the loud noises, particularly crying children, which would set him off. They muffle the noise just enough that sharper sounds no longer bother him as they did. He can still hear me when I'm standing next to him. Its his choice to wear them or not (he's 25) but I do carry them with us in my park bag.
We have also found that an iPod loaded with favorite music and stories helps while waiting in line. He has taught himself to use it and it makes life so much more pleasant for him.
We sit in the back row of theaters because we have a family member who is very sensitive to distracting sounds behind him. It also makes for an easier escape if we need one. We request the back row on rides like IASW or Pirates when possible too.
He also has a difficult time moving at a "crowds pace" and hates the feeling of being blocked in so we know how to get just about anywhere in the parks by cutting through stores.
I love the way you can cut through stores in Disney.
Social stories and youtube videos also are good tools to use. Letting my son know how many times we were going on a certain ride helped in his transitions too. We were sure not to go on any rides that had wait times longer than he could handle. In those cases we got fastpass or scheduled fastpass+ and went other rides with shorter waits during that time.
This new idea will not work for my daughter, when inquiring about the new system I just kept getting a answer that sounded like the person was not comprending the questions I was asking him nor did it sound like he did nott care one way or the other.
This new idea will not work for my daughter, when inquiring about the new system I just kept getting a answer that sounded like the person was not comprending the questions I was asking him nor did it sound like he did nott care one way or the other.
Honestly, I think even the CMs have not had really adequate information to share about the new system. Details are only now starting to come out this week, and even then there are still questions unanswered about specifics. And I wouldn't be surprised if phone CMs have even less knowledge of the workings.
Can you share your questions about your DD's needs? Maybe we can help you understand how the new process is expected to work? If your trip is not immediate this fall, there's time to get reports back from others as to what is/is not working and I wouldn't be surprised if there are some modifications made along the way as this rolls out.
Can you share your questions about your DD's needs? Maybe we can help you understand how the new process is expected to work? If your trip is not immediate this fall, there's time to get reports back from others as to what is/is not working and I wouldn't be surprised if there are some modifications made along the way as this rolls out.
Thanks, lanejudy,
This is the perfect approach for this thread. While there are certainly many opinions and questions, this particular thread is intended to be a place where someone can quickly find empowering strategies or success stories without weeding through problems or opinions.
NinaD, you might want to start a new thread in the forum to ask your specific questions. I see you are new. Do you know how to start a new thread yet? PM me if you need help. :-)
Social stories and youtube videos also are good tools to use. Letting my son know how many times we were going on a certain ride helped in his transitions too. We were sure not to go on any rides that had wait times longer than he could handle. In those cases we got fastpass or scheduled fastpass+ and went other rides with shorter waits during that time.
I am just subscribing. I have read some great tips. Wished I didn't stay away so long. I could have used them this past trip with DS. It was not pleasant dealing with the new GAC.
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Mp3 players are wonderful. I filled my daughter's with Disney tunes and Broadway numbers. We use them often in the grocery store or anytime Santina /DD12 feels a bit overwhelmed. Pressure is an awesome and very relaxing tool for many on the spectrum. It is always a good time for a bear hug or a Santina (insert your child's name) sandwich .
Brushing , a vibrating toy or the use of a small acupressure ball can be very calming and can be easily carried in a pocket or backpack. Doing some elephant stomps or bunny hops (if space permits) can help . Every kid is different and it is just a matter of seeing what works with your child. These can be used on kids that get fidgety also. Many people besides those on the spectrum have sensory issues and could benefit from these things.
As a Mom ,I am concerned about Disney's new format , but it is what it is and I have decided to take the higher road about it and use it as a test of sorts to see how far my daughter has come with her self regulation skills. Before the GAC was a necessity for us, but she has come a long way since even our last trip in 2011. Fingers crossed.
Signing in so I can follow along. Thanks so much for starting this thread. I think it will be great for people to have a positive thread to visit for ideas and strategies. My DD8 has arthritis and I will be interested to hear ideas that may be of help to her. We do what we can to limit time on her feet when possible.
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