Adventure is out there!” -Ellie from Up
Overcoming My Worries
A Blog Series on Traveling With My Son With Special Needs
By:BethAnn Hefner
Hi! I am BethAnn and I’m from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I am married to Tim and we have 2 kids, J and A. We love to travel as a family to Disney, various beaches, and local cities to check out zoos and museums. Tim and I vacation by ourselves as well so we can have time together and let other people take care of us! My kids are very active; J plays baseball for the Miracle League and A takes pre-professional dance classes. In addition to being a busy mom, I’ve been a middle school special education teacher for 18 years.
On the night J was born, we found out that he had something extra; he has Down syndrome. Down syndrome is a big part of our lives and impacts a lot of what we do as a family. I understand how parents feel when planning trips for their kids with special needs and the worry that they feel. I want to help all families book their Disney trips without worry and make their magic happen. I have tips and tricks to make planning and vacationing easy so you can focus on the memories. I can’t wait to book your trip!
J receives special education services, speech therapy, occupational and physical therapy, and has countless doctors to help make sure he is medically taken care of. All of these things used to discourage me from taking my family to Disney. What if it was too overwhelming for him? What if his mobility issues make it difficult to navigate the parks? I let fear take over for too long. We recently took that trip with the whole family and everyone had the best time.
Meanwhile, we have a gorgeous daughter, A. When she was 5, I decided she needed to get to Disney before her princess years were over. I convinced my husband that she and I should go for a long weekend. My youngest sister, Rebecca, met us down there and we had the best time. It truly was magical. Yes, that’s cliche, but it’s true. Every smile on her face made a mark on my heart and I knew we had to get back to Disney.
But I still let the fear hold me back.
I convinced my husband that he and I should take A for a trip so he could experience it with her as well. J stayed home with my in-laws and was spoiled with fast food, ice cream, and movies. Tim, A, and I traveled for a fast weekend that again, filled with wonderful memories and even more magic.
A few months after that visit, I decided it was time to get J down to Disney. I planned for over a year. I did searches on programs that airlines and the TSA had to offer. I found a plan for Josh’s mobility needs. We booked a trip and let our fears go. J had the best time.
The smiles on his face are permanently branded into my memory. He loved the characters and greeted them with a huge smile and open arms. He was mostly patient waiting in lines and then smiled even bigger on the rides. And the icing on his cake, the parade in the Magic Kingdom.
I decided to become a Disney travel agent as we sat on the curb together in the Magic Kingdom watching the afternoon parade. I want to make people as happy as we were. I want to help other people get over their fear of traveling to Disney with their kids with special needs. I want to help others in their planning to make vacation smooth so that the magic can be felt by everyone!
I would love to help you plan your trip! Email me at BethAnn@101dreamvacations.com or connect with me on my FaceBook page, 101 Dream Vacations by BethAnn.