TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Autism

What’s LEGOLAND Florida’s Blue Hero Pass All About?

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Photo of young people gathering beneath the Legoland sign wearing blue t-shirts. Sign is made of legos, of course.

It’s about inclusion. After research showed that Legos are very popular with kids on the autism spectrum, Legoland Florida created a special Blue Hero Pass for visitors. This follows a trend—making disabilities a non-issue for Universal’s Seaworld and Disney World, among others, according to this story in the Orlando Sentinel. READ MORE

OUR TAKE: Like many other people, visitors on the spectrum and their families like head out with a solid plan. Sensory surprises—smells, tastes, noise levels— can throw off the day in unexpected ways. So can long lines that can bring on sensory overload. Why not make planning ahead as simple as possible? To help families enjoy the rides, a new Blue Hero pass helps move ‘hero’s up in line. In addition, at their autism center, LEGOLAND has sensory ratings for every attraction. 

62-Year-Old Autistic Man Creates His Dream Board Game Called Keys to the Capitals

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A Tulsa resident who was diagnosed with autism late in life said that as a kid he spent hours creating games in his mind. He kept them all a secret—for 24 years. But when he was diagnosed with autism, he pulled out his old ideas and began creating a board game that has players heading acroCove of the Keys to the Capitals game box with keys and a map of statesss the country finding the Keys to each state Capital in a prop plane. The game helps kids plan routes, learn geography and memorize the state capitals.

OUR TAKE: This Tulsa native’s experience shows how autism takes many forms and can be diagnosed at any age. Happily, his imagination led him across the U.S. on a travel adventure. READ MORE 

 

 

 

 

Mom Worried Her Son Would Bother His Seatmate on the Plane. But Instead…They Became Buddies

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If you saw the two seatmates cracking jokes and having fun on the direct flight from Las Vegas to PDX, you might have assumed that they were father and son. But this wasn’t the usual son-tells-father-to-stop-making-Dad-jokes banter. They were strangers: One, a 7-year-old autistic boy traveling on a short flight without his mom and the other, a passenger who happened to take the seat next to him. Because mom was a bundle of nerves, she decided to write a note of introduction for whoever might sit next to her son, shown here. The ride turned out to be a shining moment for both of them, each enjoying the trip and getting to know each other. The video has since gone viral. SEE MORE, here.   

OUR TAKE: If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism. In the travel industry, which is all about new life experiences and connections, the story of the two seatmates couldn’t be a more appropriate example of that. Landon is definitely one of a kind! Find information on travel providers who specialize in working with people with autism, here. 

6 Awesome Apps for Travelers with a Disability

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woman showing a teenager a cell phone that she is holding in her hand. He has his arms above his head and is looking closely at the screen,Thanks to the experts at Disability Horizons for finding and testing apps that make enjoying traveling easier for people with disabilities. One app focuses almost exclusively on finding parking and accessible bathrooms for wheelchair users. Another app pairs a blind person with someone who is sighted who can describe photos, graphics or words as art. (They have nearly 2,000 subscribers, so it’s very likely that you’ll get help consistently and quickly.) Another app reminds travelers when to take their medicine. Parents and caregivers will love this one. READ MORE

OUR TAKE: In a world where 1 in 5 people have a disability, there can’t be enough innovation. But if you read the Disability Horizons story, you’ll notice that many of the problems that apps solve aren’t rocket science—they cover the basics, give people with disabilities options and help people feel at home wherever they are. Who wouldn’t want those things? In fact, they are often helpful for people who do not have disabilities. At TravelAbility Summit this fall, we will be gathered in San Francisco with one goal—to make getting around the world easier for everyone. And yes, there will be apps there, too. The Summit Agenda includes entrepreneurs as well as pre-summit meetings with funders interested in founders of disability tech products.   

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