Lori, thanks for bringing your excellent question to the Moms Panel! It sounds like you are busy researching for your upcoming trip.
The
Pixar Play Zone is a totally immersive kids' club at Disney's Contemporary Resort. If your Mousketeers are Pixar fans, they will enjoy being hanging out with the likes of Woody, Buzz, and the Incredibles- and this gives mom and dad a guilt-free date night! I've stopped in twice, and tonight the kids were building their own race cars and racing them in a Piston Cup Challenge!
I spoke with a Cast Member who said they often have children with disabilities including kiddos on the Autism Spectrum. Many of the Cast Members have backgrounds in education, and some of them have degrees in Special Education. The ratio of kids to Cast Members is 15 to 1, but she said they are quite adept at recognizing when certain kids need a little specialized attention. When you check your kids in, you'll be asked to fill out a waiver where you can write down notes about any special needs the Cast Members should be aware of.
I'm not sure when you are planning to take your trip, but the Pixar Play Zone is a pilot program, and currently, they are only accepting reservations through the end of March. However, the word is that a similar experience is in the works at another Deluxe Resort hotel, so keep checking the
Disney Parks Blog for news on a replacement, which will hopefully be announced soon!
Thanks so much for coming to us with your question, Lori! We have several moms on the Panel who have personal experience with taking kids with special needs to Walt Disney World. We'd love for you to stop back and visit us again!
Eean