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A family can have a great time with they get together and travel to an amusement park or zoo.
That time can also be stressful especially if you have children with special needs or autism. Traveling can be stressful. You can check out my tips on traveling with your kids in this post.
Having a plan on traveling with your special needs/ autistic child helps, but traveling to a place that is accommodating is even more helpful.
I have compiled a list of California’s amusement parks and zoos that provide some type of accommodations for special needs families.
California Amusement Parks
Disneyland
Check out their list of services available HERE.
They have what is called the DAS pass.
Check out their website on more information how the pass works.
LegoLand
The Assisted Access Pass
More information on their webpage here.
You can also email them questions experience@LEGOLAND.com
Great America
“At California’s Great America we are proud of our reputation for accommodating guests with disabilities through our Ride Admission Policy. To continue to provide equal access for all guests, be aware that all guests with mobility impairments or ASD will now receive a Ride Boarding Pass with wait times. The Ride Boarding Pass Program allows guests to access rides at specified times via an alternate access entrance, which is a clearly signed, barrier-free path, in order to avoid crowds and waiting in the regular queue lines.”
https://www.cagreatamerica.com/help/accessibility
Downloadable assistance guide .
Six Flags
Attraction Access Pass
“Six Flags offers an Attraction Access Pass for guests who are unable to wait in ride lines due to a disability, mobility impairments, or certain qualifying impairments. Effective November 7, 2015 any guest requesting use of one of these special passes will need to provide a doctor’s note at Guest Services at the time they pick up the pass. This new program replaces our old Equal Access Pass program.” This is straight from their website.
Knots Berry Farm
https://www.knotts.com/help/accessibility
And a printable version as well.
Sea World
No pass but they have information on rides and who should go on it and who shouldn’t based on what the ride or experience is like.
https://seaworld.com/san-diego/park-info/accessibility-guide/
Gilroy Gardens
Ride Boarding Pass with wait times.
“The Ride Boarding Pass Program allows guests to access rides at specified times via the exit ramp in order to avoid crowds and waiting in the regular queue lines.”
https://www.gilroygardens.org/help/accessibility
Castle Park
They don’t have special passes but you can contact guest services at (951) 785-3000 and they will make accommodations.
You can also visit their website with this link.
Aqua Adventure Waterpark
They don’t have a pass but you can contact guest services for any assistance you may need. http://www.goaquaadventure.com/faq.php
Fairytale Town, Sacramento
This is not on their website but you can let them know you have a special needs child and their admission will be half off. You can look at their ticket info here.
California Zoo’s
Sacramento Zoo
They have a special event Dream Night, for families with special needs kids https://www.saczoo.org/2017/06/dreamnight-sacramento-zoo/
Also if you mention you have a child with special needs you get a free ticket for your child and half off ticket for caregiver/parent.
San Diego Zoo
“The Zoo provides free admission for a personal attendant/caregiver to accompany a guest who requires such help to access the public programs, activities, and facilities of the Zoo.”
http://zoo.sandiegozoo.org/visitor-info/guests-disabilities
You can also download their PDF version.
San Francisco Zoo
Free parking with Disability placard
Los Angeles Zoo
Lots of different accommodations.
Check out their website lazoo.org
Santa Barbara Zoo
They provide a Sensory Backpack – a backpack you can rent that is full of zoo provided items to help those that may have sensory needs.
Check out the contents on their webpage sbzoo.org
Aquarium of the Pacific
They have Day Camps where they will modify the program to fit your special needs kids as well as special days and nights such as Autism Nights and Abilities Nights.
You can find their schedule at this link.
I hope this list is helpful in planning your vacations and trips. Knowing what places are accommodating can make things a little easier.
I hope this list is helpful.
If you know of more places please let me know in the comments.
Love does no harm to a neighbor – Romans 13:10
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