Planning a trip with my Aspie girl!

[tunnie12345]

Hi all i do not really know what the point of this post is, however after deciding today i need to take another trip as soon as possible i thought i would write my thoughts down on here to keep me motivated.

I took my first Disney trip when i was 7 it was a complete surprise with my dad returning from his navy tour on Christmas day to then be told by him that we were going straight to the airport and going to Disney world. just thinking about it still gives me goosebumps. Anyway 4 trips later and a lot of growing up and we arrived at 2017 where myself, my wife and our beautiful daughter Amelia and some other family members took my 5th [but everyone else first] trip to Florida. I married the woman of my dreams on this trip and we had what can only be described as the best time ever. It was perfect, the weather was amazing we had so much fun we stayed onsite in AOA and this was the happiest i had ever seen my little girl.

since that amazing trip a lot has happened. i finally stopped working nights and got a job i really enjoy. we managed to save up for our first place and get ourselves on the property ladder and my wife is now pregnant with our second which is due 3 weeks today.

we also during this time had the heart breaking but maybe not surprising news that Amelia [now six] has Asperger's. its something that has probably always been in the back of our mind so i guess you can say it was a nice relief to finally get the diagnosis. She is an amazing little girl and i wouldn't change her for the world. she is top of the class for all her classes but struggles socially. i guess you could say a good example of her would be very similar the Sheldon from the big bang theory. only a 6 year old girl version of him. she is very quirky but we love every one of her quirks.

Girls with Asperger's especially try and mask it at school and try so hard to fit in that it is mentally exhausting for them. we can have times where she will come home from school and just want to sit on her bed for an hour with a book or her toys before she wants to talk to us about her day. She is having a hard time socially at school at the moment and it is heartbreaking although hopefully the therapy sessions she is receiving now will help her out.

While speaking to the doctor and him mentioning how she will be mentally exhausted as she tries to fit in with her friends at school it made me think back to how happy she was in Disney world. Then it hit me while in Florida she didn't have to mask a thing. she could be just who she was without worry that her friends would think differently of her. i remember her smile every day and her telling me how she was having the time of her life. i remember the smile and squeal from her face as we rode splash mountain for what felt like the 100th time of the holiday. I remember how exhausted myself and my wife were and we didn't understand how Amelia was staying up late every night then still getting up early and happy every morning to get to the parks. We did it all, all six Disney parks, universal and island of adventure, sea world, Aquatica and had a wedding.
Yet for her this was a lot less exhausting tan trying to mask her differences from her friends everyday. The Disney magic is real my friends and i am going to give it back to my daughter once more.

So i rang my wife up this morning and just told her that we need to go back. i need to see that smile and happiness on my little girls face again. she is already going to have a struggle with the new baby and adjusting to that. so i guess the point of the post is me trying to motivate myself as my wife is having a year off work maternity as she only had 3 months of last time. so i know its not likely going to be withing a year but just having this post here will keep me reminded what i am saving for. No more spending money at work or buying silly things its all going into a savings jar. I will get her there again and i cannot wait :]

[Mallky555]

Wonderful to read this we have a 12 year old ds with aspergers and like your little girl he struggles socially with his friends but loves Florida he can just be himself 😃 we have a 4 yr old dd and she�s showing traits and has for a while however we�re more relaxed now and will wait and see what happens now she�s at school x

[tomdan]

We have been with our sons who both have learning disabilities an DS2 autisum. DS2 hates going anywhere new. When they are at disney its like they come into their own they just love it. They are so relaxed sometimes its hard to believe they have problems. I want to live in the bubble 😉

[Doowop]

Dd almost 11 awaiting diagnosis but we know where it�s heading, no one understands why we try to hard to take her to Disney, like your dd she just comes to life, isn�t great with the characters but that�s a very minor part of it for us, just to see her face relaxed as she walks through the parks means the world to me, good luck saving for your next trip x

[SupersleuthTed]

I have a DD 13 and we have been taking her every couple of years since she was 3.
Our DD loves it and gets a real thrill out of the rides and the shows , even got her to watch the fire works with ear defenders though!

USA is really geared up for disabilities of all sorts.

Have an amazing time , don�t over plan but have a plan ... make sense. ?