FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Travel domestic or international with our 3 yrs old?
Old Sep 10, 2016, 2:52 pm
  #12  
CDTraveler
 
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 4,725
Originally Posted by Blueskyheaven
Thanks to all for the helpful information. Some here recommended LEGO for my soon to be 3 year old. I have heared the word but don't know what it actually is. I will surely google and learn. So Lego is also in Orlando FL Disneyland? It is part of the play area in Disney in FL? I think i should take him to places with fun activities and also at water parks. He loves playing with water and crazy about it. He is autistic so at times he gets scared, screams and very cautious too. I once took him to Dells in Wisconsin. He loved the little kids baby water play area. unfortunately both my wife and I are not that much in to these, she doesn't know how to swim and I can barely swim. But He enjoyed it and that's all it mattered for us. So I guess Disney in Orlando is good with fun activity and water parks there too? I am sure he is bit too young for all the fun things Disney has to offer. I am in midwest. Do we, my child I mean get fast pass at the ticket counter? I have his state ID card that says"disabled" because Autism is considered a disability. Thanks and please keep replying with suggestions and ideas and advice.
It's Lego, as in the little plastic toy blocks. There are two Legoland amusement parks in the U.S. One is just outside Tampa, FL, and the other is in Carlsbad, CA. They have no connection with Disney at all.

Legoland parks are much more low key than standard amusement parks. They really are meant for the <9 crowd. They offer a brochure called "What to Do When You're 2" which lists all the calm and gentle options for the littlest ones. Both parks have some water play areas, as in splashing around in a fountain, no swimming required. Often the favorite attraction for very young kids is MiniLand, where there are Lego replicas of famous places.

From what I've seen at Legoland parks, there are more than a few kids there on the spectrum and nobody has an issue if they get stressed and act out.

Disney Parks: 4 in Orlando, FL, 2 in Anaheim (near Los Angeles), CA. Loud, expensive, crowded and these days almost all attractions are tied to movies. In Florida Disney had separate water parks, but I know at least one of them has closed. Every park is a separate admission fee, although you can get combined tickets.

Orlando also has Universal Studios (no way would I take a toddler there), Sea World (which we all love and is very family friendly) and independent water parks, miniature golf and Gatorland (another favorite of ours).

Before you decide on a Disney park, Goggle search on "Disney" and "autism" - a few years ago Disney completely changed their way of dealing with special needs customers and they've been sued several times by autism related groups claiming the new system is not ADA compliant.

If you will be traveling after November, I suggest you get on the email list for any park you are interested in. Last year I got a "2 for 1" on Legoland annual passes and a big discount on Sea World tickets from promos in their Black Friday emails.
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