Here's How We Made Disney World Magical AND Accessible For My Child With Special Needs

There are three Disney resorts located on the monorail system, ranging from the most affordable (Disney's Contemporary Resort) to the least (Disney's Grand Floridian Resort). We opted for the midrange, Disney's Polynesian Village Resort.

I'm not going to lie to you and say it was cheap. There was a lot of saving involved in making this stay happen. But for us, being on the monorail was a lifesaver. It allowed us to come and go from two of the four parks with ease, making space in our day for naps and a chance to get out of the sun.

Giving my daughter those easy outs proved crucial to her being able to go back and enjoy the parks later in the day.

Disney is exhausting. I really wasn't prepared for just how exhausting it would be, even for me. But I had been warned to plan nonpark days into our schedule, and I wound up beyond thankful I'd taken that advice to heart.

In addition to our park days, we built three do-nothing days into our vacation. We stayed at the hotel, slept in, enjoyed the pool, and all got the rest and relaxation we needed.

For my daughter, these days allowed her to refresh and reset — something she desperately needed after all the sensory overload the parks provided.

Disney has changed their disability services plan over the past few years. Where it used to be you could skip to the front of most lines, you now have to get a Disability Service Pass that serves almost as another FastPass. You take that pass and go to the kiosk at the front of each ride, and they then provide you with a return time based on how long the line currently is. When you return, you're then able to go through the FastPass line.

While you can only be queued up for one line at a time, you can still use your regular FastPasses as well. And you can ride other rides, or eat meals, while you wait for your return time.

It may sound complicated, but once you get a feel for how it works, it's actually pretty easy . . . and can save hours in line, something that means a lot to those of us with kids who simply can't do more than a few hours a day at the parks to begin with.

You can get your DAS pass at the guest services building in any of the parks. Ours took minutes to obtain — I simply had to explain what my daughter's limitations were, and they happily gave us what we needed. And once you have your pass, you can use it at any of the parks for the rest of your trip.

One important reminder: make sure everyone from your party is with you when you obtain the pass, so that you can all ride together.

If you have a child with a physical disability, I highly recommend getting your stroller tagged as a wheelchair. You can do this at the same time as when you're picking up your DAS pass.

Having your stroller tagged as a wheelchair means you can take it with you into the lines, right up the ride. For kids who can't stand or walk long distances without pain, or those who need as much downtime as they can possibly get, this can greatly extend how much time you actually have to enjoy your day.

Because of my daughter's sensory struggles, I knew that standing in the heat to wait for a prime spot to watch the parade simply wasn't an option. But I learned that Tony's Town Square Restaurant was right on the parade route. So, I booked us a reservation for an hour and a half before the parade was set to begin (realizing that other people might have the same idea as us and camp out on the patio).

When we arrived for our reservation, I requested a seat on the patio (you can't request this ahead of time). We were told it would extend our wait by half an hour, which we were fine with — the lobby is air-conditioned and has a television playing Lady and the Tramp on a loop, so our kids were able to relax while we waited.

The result was perfect: the parade started just before we began our dessert, and my girl was able to watch the entire thing from a shaded, safe distance.

I've since learned that there are also designated areas to watch the parade for those with a DAS pass. I haven't tried this myself, so I can't speak to how good the options are, but I'm told if you tell a Disney cast member that you have a DAS pass and can't wait in the sun for a spot to see the parade, they'll escort you to a roped off area reserved for your enjoyment.

On my daughter's actual birthday, I booked her a reservation at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. I had been so sure she was going to enjoy it, but then the excitement, and the noise, and smells in the boutique overwhelmed her. She ended up in full meltdown mode, to the point of vomiting and wetting herself just outside the boutique.

I was honestly a little panicked. By that point, my daughter had been potty trained for three years — her having an accident like that was unheard of. She'd also just recently started on a chemo drug to treat her autoimmune condition, so I was concerned something might be truly wrong.

The fairy godmothers were amazing, calling the park paramedics within minutes. I was, of course, embarrassed, anxious, and feeling like we were making a spectacle at the happiest place on earth. But the paramedics were wonderful. They got my girl hydrated, calmed her down, checked her vitals, and just as I was saying we were going to head back to the hotel and give up on the day, they convinced me to instead let her relax for 15 minutes more and then give the park another try.

"There's no reason to ruin her birthday," they said.

In the end, we wound up having one of our best days at Disney — all because they'd taken care of my girl, and then convinced me we were fine to stay.

Point being: if something does go wrong, even Disney's medical team is magical.

While most of Disney is sensory overload times 12, there are areas to get away for those who need them. There are even some areas designated specifically for guests with cognitive disabilities. If you realize your child needs a place to "take a break," and you don't think you have time to get back to the hotel before sensory overload occurs, ask a cast member to direct you to the nearest quiet space.

Trust me, they'll know exactly what you mean — and they'll get you where you need to go.

Similar to the parades, I knew my daughter was not going to be able to handle the crowds waiting for the fireworks at night. So, I booked us seats at the Fireworks Dessert Party on Tomorrowland Terrace. And let me tell you, this was hands down the best money I spent. Not only did we get a relaxed viewing area away from the crowds for the fireworks, we were also in the perfect spot to watch Tinkerbell take flight.

My girl was able to sit in a chair, removed from the chaos below. She was able to wear her headphones to block out the bulk of the noise from the fireworks. And she got to enjoy desserts and drinks while watching one of the most beautiful nighttime displays she's ever seen.

It was perfect without a hint of sensory overload once it was done.