Hello, Kathryn,
As a parent of children with
cognitive disabilities, I'm so happy with the positive experiences that our children have had over our years of visits to the Disneyland Resort. While each child is unique and will have their own preferences, perhaps some activities that our children have enjoyed will be of interest to your little Mouseketeer as well.
I usually want to pack as much activity as we can into our visits to the Disneyland Resort. However, our children really enjoyed self-driven exploration and resisted moving on to the next planned activity or attraction. Sometimes letting the children lead the way, with some guidance, allowed them to enjoy our vacations even more. Some safe places that are great for more open-ended adventures include the
Redwood Creek Challenge Trail,
Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer Island, and the homes and other play buildings around
Mickey's Toontown. Our children also often enjoyed playing with the Kugel fountains (large stone balls "floating" on a fountain of water) that can be found in
Tomorrowland and in
Pixar Pier.
Another activity our children have loved is meeting some of their favorite
characters. However, sometimes waiting for a turn to give a character a hug can be difficult for our little ones. So our children have appreciated special
character dining experiences. We have been able to enjoy a delicious meal while beloved characters come to us!
If your princess is interested in being pampered, a visit to the
Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at the Disneyland Resort may be just the thing. The boutique is a quiet refuge from the energy of
Fantasyland. We loved watching our daughter’s reaction when her Fairy Godmother-in-training showed her the big reveal in her magic mirror. If there are any sensitivities to perfumes or cosmetics, shopping for a
special outfit might be a preferred alternate activity.
Entertainment options at the Disneyland Resort are some of our favorite things. Some children with hearing sensitivities may benefit from wearing earmuffs to dampen the loud sounds. One of our favorite shows is
Mickey and the Magical Map, presented in the Fantasyland Theater. This theater is a large, open theater that feels like it is outdoors. So it won't make little ones feel closed in and trapped. But it is still a great place to cool down and relax in the hot afternoon while enjoying a wonderful show.
Thanks for coming by the Disney Parks Moms Panel, Kathryn. Please stop by again with any more questions you may have.
Have a magical time!
~Tony