Invisible Disabilities at Disney
It can be challenging to deal with the social aspects of having a loved one with a profound but invisible disability in public. An invisible disability is one that is not immediately obvious. Autism is an example. I’m writing this article from my perspective as the mother of an individual with profound autism who has been dealing with other people and their opinions in public for 23+ years. The strategy that has worked best for me through the years is to prevent negative interactions by taking proactive steps.
Read more: Managing Medical Needs at Disney
Tip 1: Dress and accessorize accordingly.
While Noah was in high school, it was important to make sure he looked like his peers for inclusion purposes, and because he had a younger brother in the same school. Now that Noah is an adult, I ignore that restriction. I use his clothing and accessories to reflect his interests. This helps cue others to his invisible disability, which helps in public if he is having a hard time. His backpack is themed from his favorite book, Maurice Sendak’s “Where the Wild Things Are.” He has a hat that reads “Please be patient, I have autism.” We wear autism awareness shirts in April. The hints help.
Tip 2: Use communication cues as social cues.
Noah still calls my husband and me “Mommy” and “Daddy” most of the time. If Noah gets slightly away from us, or we are temporarily separated by another family, I will tell him to either wait or stay with Mommy or Daddy, depending on who’s closest. He’s 6’ tall and has a mustache and goatee. It’s a strong verbal cue.
We also use about half a dozen home signs as part of a total communication approach. The signs are effective in directing his attention when there’s overwhelming sensory input. An unintended consequence of using the signs at Disney is that they cue other people that Noah is not your typical 23-year-old.
Tip 3: Be kind and considerate of others.
It’s easy to diffuse many tense situations by apologizing and providing a small explanation. I want to respect Noah’s privacy, but when you’re dealing with someone with an invisible disability, it’s more helpful to share information with others. As an example, Noah has a routine where he will drink from both the tall and the short water fountains whenever we stop for a break. He has a laser-like focus on the water fountains, and if we’re not fast enough or if we’re distracted at all, he will walk right in front of someone else clearly headed that way. People understandably don’t like this, and we always feel bad. We are very good at saying “I’m so sorry. He has autism and he doesn’t understand.”
One thing we also do is minimize any disruptions for other people. We’re the family walking to the back corner of the pre-show waiting for everyone else to leave before we do. We wait for everyone to exit the ride before we leave, so we avoid the crush.
Noah typically sits between us on a ride, in case something startles him too much and he needs comfort. If he is sitting next to another guest, he may reach out to them. We explain briefly and apologize in advance. It has never been a problem.
If Noah doesn’t like a ride, we skip it. We’ve learned not to push him when he’s overstimulated or just tired. We try our best, apologize when it doesn’t work, and we always express our gratitude when someone is kind or understanding.
Disney is Noah’s happiest place in the world, and we want everyone to have magical days when they visit. These tips can help make that happen more easily for individuals with invisible disabilities.
