The Autistic World of Disney

I was very pleased and very honoured when I opened my e-mail invitation from Disney Social Media one afternoon inviting me to be a host for a DisneySide @Home Celebration for the very first time. The elation and excitement carried me in a state of euphoria for the next few weeks because I knew that everywhere many people would be rejoicing and celebrating. I quickly began posting on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook and sharing photos, ideas and best of all I began to meet new people with the same passion for anything related to Disney.  DisneySide.com   www.disneysidecelebrations.com My celebration would include children between the ages of four-nine years of age, our theme would be Mickey and Minnie but the children could wear their favourite Disney character costume. The parents were invited as well, but unfortunately, they were not comfortable with me photographing their children's faces or sharing such photography publicly. That was okay, I could ...

One of the many aspects of sailing with Disney Cruise Line that you do not have to worry about, is your beverages. You don't need to buy a soda or water package or wear a wrist band. Most beverages aboard Disney Cruise Line are complimentary. Disney Cruise Line has twenty-four hour Beverage Stations near the pools and you can have as much as you wish. The Beverage Stations come equipped with soda/water cups and hot beverage, insulated cups, lids and straws. At these stations you'll find an abundance of soda, coffee, fountain water, ice, hot water. For the hot water, they provide a variety of tea and cocoa mixes. photo: Magical Kingdoms photo: WishUponAStarwithUs j.psarianos  photo: DisneyCruiseLineBlog You are allowed to use your own mugs, but they prefer that you use the cups they provide for hygienic reasons, which is number one on Disney Cruise Line's list.  Soda, coffee, milk, juice, fountain water and tea are also free in all the main dini...

The re-imagined Disney Magic , the first ship in Disney Cruise Line's fleet, just completed an historic renovation in Cadiz, Spain, and on October 25, 2013 began her first passenger sailing from her new home port in Miami, Florida. Having sailed multiple times on all four ships in the Disney Cruise Line fleet, I have a knowledge of the vast similarities and subtle differences of each ship. The ships are designed to evoke a sense of familiarity yet each ship has its' own unique flair. The Disney Magic echoes this sentiment in replicating areas that are popular with patrons, yet Imagineers have added a unique decorating design to the Disney Magic. My post will focus exclusively the Adult Entertainment aboard the Disney Magic, specifically the lounges and nightclubs  in the Adult Only area called After Hours.  After Hours is comprised of three lounges, two new ones exclusive to the Disney Magic called Fathoms and Keys . The third lounge, O'Gill's Pub ...

We've completed twenty-four trips to Walt Disney World, Disneyland Resort and Aulani combined, just finished our eighth cruise with Disney and another cruise in the near future and they ask, "why Disney all the time?" Well that's easy, here's why. Last week my husband gave me the green light to hunt around for our next vacation and I was elated when Europe was in the mix. For some reason, land tours popped in my head so there I was comparing different companies and what they offered. I even contemplated the famous River Cruises. I found a wonderful itinerary encompassing five countries over a span of two weeks and was ready to book it but something was bothering me. My gut wasn't right, something was askew. Meanwhile, the prices with the other companies were very high, the price of a full year's tuition. Yes, that's all we compare things to around here, tuition. Bless my daughter's sweet brain and efforts, but it looks as if our tuition road will...

A recent solo trip as a guest at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort allowed me greater freedom to explore. By habit, I always look at things from an autistic perspective and the benefits thereof. This resort opened August 1, 1997 as Walt Disney World's first moderate/convention hotel and it's vast. The theming was inspired by the explorers who searched for the fabled Seven Cities of Gold, thus embracing a Southwestern United States/Mexican theme. You can see this in the elements used such as stucco walls, mosaics with vibrant colours, a Mayan Ruin themed pool and Spanish style Haciendas. Photo: Jackie Psarianos Access to El Centro The layout follows Disney's typical formula of a  main building, El Centro (check in/concierge/gift shop/food court) with the resort room buildings (1,915 rooms) radiating from there. The walking at this resort can be daunting at best but do remember, the Cast Members are willing to golf cart you to your building. All reso...

We've been visitors to the Disney Parks since 1998 and will never stop going. Raising an autistic teen who loves Disney is a powerful force in our lives that gets us to the Disney Parks without question. Our very first cruise with Disney was back in August of 2005, a land and sea which we figured was a smart way to visit Walt Disney World and sail on the Disney Wonder. We were right! I of course tacked on more land days at our Disney resort before and after the cruise making it a nice land/sea/land....it was fabulous. Since then, we've completed eight cruises and are proud Gold Castaway Club members with the ninth cruise in the near future. Most importantly, we've sailed all four ships in the fleet and love every one of them. I would like to share my tips for saving some money, because the cruises, believe it or not cost as much as a typical Disney Parks vacation and in some cases much less. Book Early Booking as far out as possible, will give you lower rates, a much ...

While sailing on our eighth cruise on the Disney Fantasy, this past August 2013, I had the opportunity to join my friend and her daughter at the Royal Court Royal Tea in the grand dining room of the Royal Court restaurant. A lovely and quaint table setting in a restaurant elegantly themed to represent castles and princesses awaited us in the center of the dining room. Photo: JackiePsarianos  As we approached the Royal Court from the atrium lobby, a page asked for each little princess guests name. Upon entry, the child's name was formally announced followed by a greet and picture moment with Lady Chamomile.  Photo: Jackie Psarianos We were then escorted to our elegantly appointed table set for high tea. The guest princess at each table had a lavish setting adorned with many special gifts. Each child received a deluxe, quilted autograph book and pen, a musical jewellery box containing a charm necklace and charm bracelet, a large prince...

Many people find trip preparation and planning daunting at best and that's understandable. Factor in travelling with a special needs family member and the planning takes on another dimension. Deciding on what to bring from home to make your loved one more comfortable and meeting their unique needs takes a lot of forethought and planning. As Platinum Castaway Cay Members with Disney Cruise Line , having sailed on all four ships in the fleet, is testament to the fact Disney does it right. Why else would we keep returning and not travel with any other cruise line? Once you make your special requests known to them, Disney Cruise Line makes every effort to accommodate and make your trip as effortless as possible and positively memorable. Here are a few things that I do to make my cruise 'magic'al, 'wonder'ful, 'dream'y, and 'fantas'tic! Photo: JackiePsarianos Make Special Arrangements: I call Disney Cruise Line and make arrangements with the ...