Alex's Trip to Disneyland

Last month Alex had the opportunity of attending Disneyland without his parents in tow. A four day travel camp trip to the Disneyland Resort in southern California was sponsored by Via West. Alex has been attending Via West, previously named Camp Costonoan, for a week in the summer and a few respite weekends per year for approximately twenty years now, since the age of 12 or maybe even younger. Many of the staff know him well. Nervously, Frank and I  – ok, I admit, only I was the nervous one – signed him up for the road trip. Since Frank and I were at not at Alex's his side, we have a scarcity of action photos, but I can still blog about his fun trip. He did great and my worries were for naught.

Friday 1/18/19 and Monday 1/21/19 were traveling days in several large vans, transporting 50 special needs adults with accompanying aides, meds, luggage, and medical personal. The group would be at California Adventure on Saturday and Disneyland on Sunday. This was their scheduled timeline and activities. The bowling on Saturday evening and swimming on Sunday evening were superseded by a majority vote to stay in the parks longer both days.

On a Flicker website photos from the trip were posted. This is the only one we found with Alex in it, on the far right. Note Alex is the one clapping away. His helper is Vince in the blue shirt with short sleeves

We did not really know what was happening during the trip until the final reports and awards came out. Alex loves Disneyland and knows his way around quite well. We were not surprised to see he was dubbed Via's Speediest Dasher. I can just imagine him zooming off to the next attraction.

His highlight report cited some of the attractions he enjoyed, usually the fastest ones or ones with the most motion, the Matterhorn and Space Mountain being named specifically. 

We were also told he rode the roller coaster and ferris wheel in California Adventure. Yes, that rollercoaster shoots out the train cars by induction motors and goes upside down at points. The buckets on the ferris wheel swing and slide down the spokes as the giant wheel rotates. Were Frank and I with Alex, we probably would have avoided both those rides. It was a great experience for Alex to go with someone braver and more adventurous than his mom and dad.

We we waiting to meet Alex at the camp site when the van returned home. The van actually arrived within the one hour window the planners had estimated for Monday evening. Alex looked happy, had a ton of dirty laundry, but was patting his head saying, "Hat... hat". He wears a Green Bay Packer hat constantly and it was missing from his head. Vince explained that although Alex had removed it for the Matterhorn ride, it had flown out of his hands during the fast paced, twisting turning "bobsled" swoosh down the mountain. 

Although Vince told the cast members what had happened when they disembarked, there was no way to retrieve the hat while the attraction was in motion, so reluctantly the hat had to get left behind. I dashed off an email to Disney Monday night.

When I called lost and found Tuesday morning, they looked around in their holding area where lost items are turned in and found it! They mailed it back at no charge. Here is Alex opening the package containing his returned hat. Note he is wearing a very tattered spare we keep on hand just in case. To his right is his navy and red Team Mickey baseball jacket and his Mickey  Mouse grocery bag. He is also wearing a Via West shirt. What a perfect combination! Note also the smile he is wearing  at getting back his hat.

We sent Alex with money to buy any souvenirs he wanted. He picked a stylized mug of the Genie from Aladdin. I have shown front and back views. I cannot figure out what the appeal of a mug was and neither could his aide Vince. We typically steer him toward a puzzle or bank or book or something with princess. But Alex was allowed the freedom to pick and surprised us with his choice.

What great trip! An unspoken wish for Alex was granted! Thanks to all who made it possible.