Disney Dreams Do Come True—Even with Autism (Part 2 of Disney Trips)

Once we made the decision to go to Disneyland, reality hit hard.

Yes, we were heading to the Happiest Place on Earth—but there was a very real possibility it could turn into one of the most stressful, chaotic experiences of our lives. Max, our Disney-obsessed son, was either going to be completely enchanted by the magic of it all… or he was going to be overwhelmed by the crowds, the noise, the waiting, the unpredictability.

And the hardest part?There was absolutely no way to know how it would go until we were there.

Also—let’s be honest—Disney is expensive. Were we about to throw a huge chunk of money straight down the drain? That question haunted me as we made the 718-mile drive to Anaheim, towing our giant travel trailer behind us like a security blanket.

A Magical Start

We decided to ease into things with a “practice run” the night we arrived. No park tickets yet—just dinner at Downtown Disney. The whole family was on high alert, watching Max’s every move like he was a human thermometer measuring the mood of the entire trip.

But as we walked into Downtown Disney, something amazing happened.

Max’s eyes lit up. He gazed around, wide-eyed, at the twinkling lights, the towering Christmas decorations, and the magical Disney details adorning every post and window. His smile stretched from ear to ear—and I mean really stretched. It was one of the biggest smiles I’d ever seen on his face.

I exhaled for the first time in days. Maybe—just maybe—this could work.

Letting Go of Fear

The next morning, the challenge wasn’t Max—it was me. I found myself unable to relax and enjoy Disneyland the way I normally would. My mind was tangled up in anxious thoughts and worst-case scenarios. I kept bracing for something to go wrong.

Then a simple realization hit me:Max gets overwhelmed at home too. So if it happened today… at least we’d be at Disneyland.

That thought flipped something in me.

This wasn’t going to be a carefree, skip-through-the-park kind of day. And that was okay. If Max only lasted two hours before needing a break back at the trailer, we’d still count that as a win.

My husband (who doesn’t share our full-blown Disney obsession) graciously offered to be the one to head back early with Max if needed. That helped me relax even more. We were covered. We were ready.

Watching the Magic Unfold

And then… magic.

Watching Max explore the Disney Parks was like watching a dream unfold in real time. That radiant smile never left his face. Ride after ride, he soaked it all in—laughing, clapping, absolutely glowing.

Big Thunder Mountain? He loved it.Soarin’ Over the World? Pure joy.

It was surreal. And to our surprise, Max actually handled the experience better than he does at home sometimes. He was regulated, engaged, and mature in ways we didn’t expect.

We took videos, of course (and yes—I’ll share one below!).

A Day to Remember

Max lasted seven whole hours at the park before the sensory overload kicked in around 4 p.m. That’s when he hit his limit, and we headed back to the trailer to help him decompress.

But seven hours?SEVEN. HOURS.It felt unbelievable.

The Lesson We Learned

If we had let fear make the decision for us, we never would’ve gone. We never would’ve seen Max laughing on roller coasters. We never would’ve known that, yes—Disney magic is real…even when you have autism.