Hi, Jessica! Thanks for bringing your question to the Disney Parks Moms Panel.
As the mom of a child with autism, I really appreciate the way that
Walt Disney World Resort goes above and beyond to
make the magic accessible to everyone. When I visit the Walt Disney World
theme parks with my son who is on the autism spectrum, we use
Disability Access Service (DAS).
To set up Disability Access Service for your son, you will need to visit
Guest Relations at the first theme park that you visit during your vacation. Be sure to have everyone in your travel party accompany you to Guest Relations. The Cast Members will need to scan the
MagicBand or admission card of everyone in your group to associate them with your son's Disability Access Service account. This is necessary so that everyone in your party can experience
attractions together while utilizing Disability Access Service.
While there is no specific time that you must arrive at Guest Relations to set up Disability Access Service, it certainly makes sense to take care of this as soon as you arrive at one of the theme parks so that you may begin using this accommodation right away. The time that you should arrive at
Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park really depends on the time that you are hoping to start experiencing all that the park has to offer. If you wish to start your day as soon as the park opens, then it would probably be a good idea to arrive at the park gates at least an hour before the
posted park opening time.
Theme park opening procedures are always subject to change, but every time that I have visited Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park over the past year or two, Cast Members have begun to let guests scan into the park about an hour prior to the stated park opening time. Attractions will not be operating during this time, and guests will not have access to the entire park, but they may start to make their way toward the queues for popular attractions. Guest Relations will also be open at this time for you to speak to a Cast Member about setting up Disability Access Service.
As you plan for your upcoming vacation, you might find this
Guide for Guests with Cognitive Disabilities helpful. You may also want to take a look at these Disney Parks Moms Panel
tips for traveling with the entire family. If you have any additional questions, please visit us again.
See ya real soon!
Samantha