Blog Posts by Missy Zolecki

2022 Update – Tips for Navigating the Disability Assistance Service at Walt Disney World

2/22/2022 • Blog, Walt Disney World • For families like mine, the Disability Assistance Service has allowed us to navigate and enjoy the many attractions and characters throughout Walt Disney World. My oldest son was diagnosed at birth with Fragile X Syndrome, the leading cause of inherited intellectual disability and the leading known single-gene cause of autism. Although he enjoys all that Walt Disney World has to offer, it can quickly overwhelm him. My family is incredibly appreciative of this service. I have compiled a list of what are the most frequent questions (and answers too) while assisting guests in planning for their vacations. What is the Disability Assistance Service (DAS)? A service for Guests with a disability to schedule a return time that is comparable to the current standby wait for the given attraction. Guests whose disability is based on the necessity of using a wheelchair/scooter are not eligible for a DAS. Guests with additional needs […]

Is Travel Protection REALLY Needed?

9/7/2021 • Cruises, Tips • When planning your next vacation, your Me and The Mouse Travel specialist will assist you with many details.  We are committed to saving families time, money, and stress. We are dedicated to providing each family a memorable and magical vacation where no detail is overlooked. After all the excitement of planning, it is difficult to consider there would be a need for travel insurance. Protecting your investment is part of the comprehensive service, with attention to every detail, that your travel specialist is here to provide. Prior to becoming a travel specialist, I lacked the knowledge and understanding about the importance of travel protection.  After completing my training, I was thankful that I had never faced a situation that would have required that support. My family was excited to embark on our first family Disney cruise.  Although, we did NOT anticipate there would be anything that would prevent us from setting sail, my husband’s appendix had […]

Top 5 tips for Preparing for a Disney Cruise – From the View of a Special Needs Parent!

8/20/2021 • Cruises, Tips • WE DID IT!!!  We accomplished a long-term “goal” of successfully traveling as a family on the Disney Cruise Line.  There have been many factors over the 20 + years since my husband and I went on our first Disney cruise that has stood in the way of successfully accomplishing this goal.  Fear was the biggest hurdle. As I have previously shared, my oldest son is living with Fragile X Syndrome. Would he tolerate the motion of the boat? Would he be able to tell us if he was feeling unwell or would he only display undesirable behaviors?  Would he want to participate in the various activities? Would he want to get off at the various port of call? The following tips are what we did to prepare by hoping to lessen any potential behaviors that might come along with his constant desire to know, "what's next." 5. Research your ship […]

How to Tackle Sensory Overload at Disney!

7/16/2021 • Disneyland, Walt Disney World • It wasn’t until my oldest son, who is living with Fragile X, was almost 3 that I began to have a greater understanding of his sensory integration challenges.  Fragile X is the leading cause of inherited intellectual impairment and the leading known genetic cause of Autism. I was attending an education workshop, and I participated in an exercise that helped me understand what someone with Fragile X/Sensory integration challenges experiences. I began to view the world with a different perspective.  On our next trip to Walt Disney World, It was as if I was experiencing it for the first time.  Guests are immersed in their experience even before entering the gates.  Our senses are constantly bombarded.  As my son grew older, it was clear that the sensory input, at times, was too much.  If we wanted to continue to enjoy traveling to Disney destinations, we needed to come up with […]

Resort Spotlight – Disney’s Riviera Resort

1/5/2021 • Blog, Reviews, Walt Disney World • Disney’s Riviera Resort opened on December 16, 2019, and is inspired by the magic of Europe that Walt Disney fell in love with. This is a Disney Vacation Club (DVC) Resort and offers an array of room options and based on availability, non-DVC members can experience the Villa difference. Prepare to be whisked away by the influences of Europe and the Mediterranean that can be found throughout the Resort. There are grand archways and porticos. As you approach the entrance, there is a terrace with seating and a serene bubbling fountain. When entering the main lobby, it is quaint and intimate with a mix of modern and classic 20th-Century furnishings. There is a small retail shop, La Boutique, with a variety of Disney and resort-themed merchandise, necessities, as well as grocery items that can be prepared in your Villa. Le Petit Café can also be found here! Named after the […]

Review of Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway

10/27/2020 • Blog, Reviews, Walt Disney World • The newest Walt Disney World ride, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, is not one to miss! This new family-friendly attraction offers a state-of-the-art ride vehicle with visual effects technology. This ride can be found in the previously occupied Chinese Theatre at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The glowing sign offers an exciting entrance to an attraction unlike any other at Walt Disney World. I had the opportunity to enjoy this attraction in March and again since the phased re-opening. The first thing I noticed was the similarities to the Great Movie Ride. When you first enter the queue and step into the building, it was reminiscent of the previous attraction. As you moved through the queue, a noticeable difference would be the newly added movie screens that feature the animated Mickey shorts. Prior to the closing of Disney Park’s in March, the experience in the waiting queue was different. The animated short, […]

A Special Needs Family’s Perspective on the Phased Re-Opening of Walt Disney World Resorts & Parks

10/2/2020 • Blog, Walt Disney World • Walt Disney World parks closed March 15 and began a phased re-opening on July 11, 2020. After careful consideration, we decided to visit. We have been Annual Passholders for the better part of 2 decades and moved to Florida a little over three years ago. Visits to Walt Disney World has been a constant part of our lives. We reviewed ‘Know Before You Go’ leading up to our visit to make an informed decision. With the current reduced park capacity and the extensive safety measures that Disney has implemented, we made the decision to give it a try. We visited 3 of the 4 Walt Disney World Parks and Disney Springs during our stay. While our decision to visit may not be right for everyone, we made the decision that was right for my family. My oldest son has Fragile X Syndrome, the leading inherited genetic cause of intellectual impairment. […]

Our First Visit to Walt Disney World Since the Phased Re-Opening – Part 2

9/15/2020 • Blog, Walt Disney World • This the continued two-part blog post series, focusing on the modifications to existing procedures that were implemented upon the phased re-opening at Walt Disney World. Recap: My family and I, after careful consideration and research, made the decision to visit Walt Disney World. We observed many changes since our last visit in March. We frequently reviewed the information that Disney provides and frequently updates in the Know Before You Go and theme park updates page. We also received frequent communications via email and My Disney Experience app notifications about the safety measures and policies. Parking Changes We Observed When We Visited Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This was the only park we chose to drive vs. taking the bus from our resort. There were signs as we approached the auto plaza recommending cashless payment. To aid in physical distancing guidelines, we noted that parking was every other space. It allowed us to […]

Our First Visit to Walt Disney World Since the Phased Re-Opening – Part 1

9/9/2020 • Blog, Reviews, Walt Disney World • This will be a two-part blog post, focusing on the changes that were implemented upon the phased re-opening. My family and I, after careful consideration and research, made the decision to visit Walt Disney World. We observed many changes since our last visit in March. We frequently reviewed the information that Disney provides and frequently updates in the Know Before You Go and theme park updates page. We also received frequent communications via email and My Disney Experience app notifications about the safety measures and policies. Facial coverings for all guests ages 2 and up are required throughout the Walt Disney World resort and theme parks except when dining or swimming. There are signs reminding guests, as well as Cast Members who are assisting with ensuring guests are adhering to the policy. The facial covering requirements are found in Know Before You Go. If you forgot your facial covering, vending […]

Guest Experience Team – Walt Disney World

3/3/2020 • Tips, Walt Disney World • When visiting the Walt Disney World Parks you can enjoy assistance from the Guest Experience Team.  While there is a guest services area in each park, the Guest Experience Team can be found at various locations throughout the park. What assistance is available from a Guest Experience Team cast member?  General park information and recommendations My Disney Experience assistance FastPass+ information Wait times Lost and Found And more! For additional information visit Guest Services.   How do I find my nearest Guest Experience Team member? Locations are listed in the My Disney Experience App Search Guest Experience Team in the App and select that option You then can choose to “Find on Map” or “Get Directions” (this will give you instructions and how long it will take to arrive at the nearest Team member). Each of the 4 theme park Team Members will be wearing a blue polo with a […]