O How Things Change

I love amusement parks! I love the sounds, the smells, and the thrills. I especially love roller coasters. A perfect day for me would be having a park all to myself so I wouldn’t have to wait in line (and practice that patience) at all!

Now as an autism dad with three young kids, I still love amusement parks but the experience has drastically changed!

They have in recent years become, well, less amusing.

Let me illustrate with the following:

Me as a Teenager

Cotton Candy. Caramel Apples. Sugar high. Sugar rush.

No bags. No kids. 0% responsibility.

One-hour wait time. That ain’t so bad.  Let’s get in line!

The spinny thing that goes around n’ around. Oh yeah!

The water ride. What a smart idea!

Open to close. Not a problem. Let’s keep riding!

Me as a 30-something with young kids

Large Coffee. Diet Coke. Caffeine high. Caffeine rush.

Three bags. Three kids. 100% responsibility.

One-hour wait time. Haha yeah right…Let’s keep moving.

The spinny thing that goes around n’ around. Where’s my Zofran?

The water ride. Whose crazy idea is that?

Open to close. Not a chance. Let’s get going!

Yes, amusement parks still have their joyful moments, but I find that joy in different things now that I’m older and have young kids.

At an amusement park, you might be getting older if…You love shaded areas. You love the special quiet family restroom in the kids’ area. You love 99 cent refills in the souvenir cup. You love premium parking by the entrance. You love the quiet corners of the park. You love departing as much as arriving.

Can you relate?

The Challenges

Nothing kicks the day off right like the arrival process to any amusement park. Let’s be real, there is nothing enjoyable about it. I now understand why those on-site hotels are so appealing.

By the time I’ve handed over my ticket and (finally) granted entrance into the park, I’m already tired.

8 lanes of traffic to the ticket counter and then bottlenecked after. The tight parking is perfectly convenient for unloading. Quick diaper changes in the car. Get the kids settled in the stroller and force one to do some walking. Begin your trek to the front gate which sometimes includes a ride on a tram or ferry. Wait in the security line. Wait at the ticket counter. Wait again to present your ticket.

Finally, we made it! But…

…I’m tired and I’m not amused.

Any young parent navigating through the challenges with autism will quickly realize it’s not a conducive environment for those that struggle with sensory processing issues. It’s often loud, crowded, and hot. We do whatever we possibly can to mitigate those factors to maximize the experience for our kids (and us).

But, Katie and I always say to each other that if we have to bow out earlier than expected, that it’s no problem. We venture out with little expectations and hope that our kids will try something new and enjoy the experience. But if there is a meltdown, bathroom issue, or it’s just too crowded or hot, we aren’t disappointed to head out.

Live to fight another day

Autism-Related Tips & Things to Remember

We’ve had meltdowns. We’ve had messes. We’ve had bathroom explosions. We’ve forgotten essential items (I ashamedly admit I once left the iPads at security). We’ve dealt with snarky comments about Ellie. We’ve had to cut our time short. Through trial and error and ups and downs, here are some things we’ve learned that might be helpful:

-Whatever snacks you think you need, pack triple that and you might make it. Otherwise, be prepared to spend a premium in the park out of desperation.

-Bring an extra pair of clothes into the park for each kid. There will be a spill, bathroom explosion, or a quick (unwanted) detour into the splash pad. Don’t leave the clothes in the car… just sacrifice the space in your bag or stroller and bring them.

-Remember to bring wipes and hand sanitizer. Two big ones for us.

-Relaxation at an amusement park is tough to achieve, but the next tip helps with that.

-If you can afford it, pay for a trusted adult to come with you for an extra pair of eyes and hands. This will help temper your anxiety levels. Having grandma with us on our last trip made a big difference.

-Take your kids into the bakery/candy store at your own risk. At the very least, avoid anything that instantly melts, like chocolate.

-Take your kids into the souvenir shop at your own risk too.

-Any wait time beyond 10 minutes = not worth it (for us). Determine your line limits.

-The family rest station (usually in the kids’ area) is your home base. Know where it is before you get to the park. It’s a quiet haven for worn-down parents, and it’s a quiet spot for a child with autism to regulate.

-When you’ve found a spot in the park that your child with autism is comfortable with, spend most of your time there. Whatever brings them the most joy will bring you the most joy.

-Some parks claim to be “autism-friendly” and have their staff trained to help if needed. Usually, it’s advertised on their website if that’s the case.

-Avoid weekends or holidays if at all possible. Aim for Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday even if you have to coordinate a day off work. It’s way less crowded and worth it.

-Gameplan the day, but expect that gameplan to change and be okay with that.

-Have an exit strategy and prepare to leave earlier than expected. Hope for the best and prepare for the worst. Don’t get down on yourself if you have to leave early. It’s okay.

-Savor the moments when your kids are calm and enjoying the experience.

-Likewise, savor the moments when you are calm and enjoying the experience.

It’s Getting Better!

It’s always a big risk to take our kids to an amusement park, but the good news is it’s getting better as we’ve learned and put those tips above into practice. Here were some exciting things that happened on our recent trip to SeaWorld worth celebrating:

We were at the park for a full 5 hours! That’s a record for us. We pushed through a potential breaking point and pushed the limits a bit. I’ll admit, I was ready to call it a day sooner, but Katie pressed on. Because she was determined to stay, we were rewarded with a very quiet and spacious area of an aquarium that the kids enjoyed and could be themselves.

Jack rode 4 different rides in the kids’ section and had a blast on them! He’s becoming more courageous. One day, he might be a coaster buddy.

Ellie showed a lot of interest in the fish at the aquarium. She took time to watch and observe. I loved seeing her reach up toward the turtles and knock on the glass by the dolphins. She’s fascinated by water in general.

Other notable victories: We avoided a meltdown. We didn’t run out of snacks. The change of clothes we remembered came in handy (Thanks to Lucy). And the kids were great in the car too as a bonus!

Praise God for all of that.

And a special shout out to the bubble wand toy at SeaWorld which is turning out to be a rare gem of a toy (Thanks Grandma!). It’s an automatic bubble machine that doesn’t spill when inevitably turned upside down. It even lights up at night. And it acts as a perfect sensory toy for Ellie. A win-win-win.

The Autism Challenge Venturing Out

As an autism parent, I’m beginning to better understand the challenges of venturing out to large public spaces like an amusement park. I wish it could be a stress-free time, but it’s not. I wish there weren’t challenges, but there are plenty.

And that’s okay!

Katie sometimes has to really push me to take our family on these adventures. I tend to see only the challenges and forget about the opportunities. However, I’m usually grateful afterward because I can look back and see small victories and growth in my kids, even when it doesn’t go quite as planned.

To other parents in this boat – If you see the joy in your child’s experience, then keep trying! Find out what works and what doesn’t work for them. Trial and error. Amusement parks may be completely out of the question for you, and that’s okay too. But if you’re thinking about venturing out to one, my advice is to control what you can (see tips above), find joy in the little things, and praise God for the opportunity to be out with your family.

Pictures from our SeaWorld Adventure