Reviewing a Theme Park for Autism Friendliness

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just run it on a scale of a personal project for now and have fun.
i dont think anyone wants a perfect review directly, just review what you can.
even if you cant film the rides, you can take the rides and talk about things you noticed.
it isnt perfect but good enough.

That's always a possibility. I'll think do the review on Wrong Planet first since I don't have enough demand for my review to be posted on YouTube. Plus, my budget right now does not entail for a tricked out GoPro and/or a fancy high-end camcorder. The Public Relations manager would not be okay with a newcomer like me filming on roller coasters without some sort of experience or credentials, let alone a short interview with one of the PR staff. I'll include pictures, off-ride videos, general information, and my findings (e.g. the most sensory friendly areas and sensory overloading areas of the park). I want to revive the project, but I need to get some experience with filming off-ride POV videos and general video blogging of Kings Island first. Perhaps in time, I could then reasonably convince Kings Island's PR manager for a more formal review with authorized on-ride POVs, and an interview with a PR staff member.

Good news. I am resurrecting my theme park and autism review project. I contacted Kings Island's Public Relations Manager by email, and I got a very quick response. He said that I can do the review, but under the condition that I do not film on the rides per park policy. I already knew that filming on the rides is already forbidden, so I was not getting my hopes for that. But that's okay, I can do off-ride videos instead. But I did the most professional thing, and asked beforehand if I could review my hometown theme park. Just to let you all know, the project is back in action.

The review for Kings Island will be conducted in late July or early-August.

Excellent!

Would you consider doing food reviews? Even if you just said what they have and what seems to be in it?

I'd suggest also asking for guidelines in the parents forum. I'm sure the standards for autistic adults are different than for autistic children, and since more children really want to go to theme parks than adults it's probably a big thing for parents to be able to find on that they can take their kid to without many problems. You could even start a group for theme park "friendliness" toward autistics and publish your ratings, etc. If you do that then you could bring your group to the attention of the theme parks and see if they want to "join" your group and do what they can to improve their rating and get a reccommendation from you to tell others to go visit their park. You could make this into something. After you are established about parks, you could start rating other places, restaurants, theaters, etc.

For parks in other states or areas you could have someone else go and rate it for you. I'm sure you could find somebody on here who would go.

Do not.

What you're suggesting is, quite frankly, an insult, that will most likely be detrimental in a few ways. I'd rather it didn't happen, and be put in the bin with all the other bad ideas.

Okay. Explain your reasoning on why you think my project is a bad idea. I'm not Superman, and we all make mistakes. Of course, everyone has their opinions that they are entitled too.

I don't see anything wrong with it. You could publish a guide to theme parks and rate and review them on how well they accommodate special needs. You could also expand it to include other special needs besides autism. I think it would be something that parents in particular would find very helpful. You could also include lots of other things besides theme parks - theaters, museums, restaurants, hotels, resorts, etc etc. You could also talk to management at those places and ask what kind of things would they be willing to do for guests with special needs. Maybe there are accommodations that they are willing to supply that aren't seen, such as special passes to allow someone to reserve a place in line and come back to it, etc.

I think you should post on the parents forum and ask them what are the things that they look for when taking their kids places and what are the things that cause problems or that they avoid. Honestly, if you don't do this I think it's something I'm going to do. Not just theme parks because I'm not a big fan of those, but other places. I think it would be a good money making idea to publish a guide to places and events etc for special needs. Not only would you make money from the sale of the guide, and it shouldn't cost very much to buy, but you would make money from advertising that would go in it and promotions.

http://www.quassy.com/about-quassy/
This quaint little park may be a good place for autistic kids. Its geared for younger kids, which means those bratty teenagers are somewhere else. It can be a very affordable outing--you might just need to pay for parking and a ride or two--which--realistically, might be all someone with severe autism can handle before it is time to go home. They also have a really neat wooden roller coaster.

VisionLand in Bham built a wooden roller coaster maybe 15 years ago or so. It's pretty popular but I haven't been there. My husband worked there when they were building it and he wired a lot of the stuff.

Let me put it this way: During the segregation in America, when, for example, there were separate facilities, one for white people, and one marked "colored." For activists during that time, theme parks weren't very high on the list.

What the hell does that have to do with publishing a guide to help parents of special needs kids find a good place to take them?

It's an analogy between the two.

I get that it's an analogy. I just don't see how one makes the other bad.

Anyway, I've done some checking around and talking to people and a guide would be a very well received thing, and it's needed. My idea isn't just about theme parks but about lots of leisure places but it would include some theme parks. I want to run with this if the OP doesn't mind, and I don't think he would considering that the guide I want to publish wouldn't be focusing on theme parks, etc. So I'm going to ask around for some things parents want and don't want when it comes to taking their kids places.

OP, if it bothers you that I'm going to pursue this idea to publish a guide then please speak up now. Again, mine will be about many other things besides parks, so I don't think it's the same thing as yours. Let me know if you feel that I'm stealing your idea because I don't want to do that.

It trivialises the spectrum. It trivialises the discrimination, and the dehumanisation.

The vast majority, liken us to a disease, or a defect. There are many that are very frustrated and desperate to find out what's "causing" our existence, who would gladly snuff us out given the chance. Many bosses are too worried to hire AS people, worried that it will effect their bottom line. So, we end up with an unemployment rate of about 60% to 80% depending on who you ask, I think it's higher than 80% where I live. Then you have the parents that murder their AS kids out of "kindness," and get of Scott free, that's on the rise too.

So with that I say,
f**k the theme parks.
f**k the "leisure places."

I'm an administrator for our local social group, a guide isn't what's needed. We neither need nor want special treatment from places, and have no problem finding places that we like.

So, my publishing a guide so that parents of kids with special needs, all special needs not only autism, will cause parents to kill their kids, autistic folks to not get a job, and also genocide?

There is absolutely nothing wrong with finding out beforehand about theme parks and attractions. Not one single damn thing is wrong with that. It's a much needed resource. Just because you seem to want to live your life under doom and gloom predictions and suck all the fun and enjoyment out of everything doesn't mean everybody else wants to. What in the hell have you got against parents taking their kids to a theme park? Why don't you want parents to find out about certain "hot buttons" at a new place before they drive two hours there with their kids? Just because you may not have any issues that certain places may need to accommodate doesn't mean somebody else doesn't. I don't have any either, but lots of other people do.

Either way, parents will still be taking their kids to parks and restaurants and enjoying leisure time with them, and adults will continue to go on outings to have fun. If you want to put your life on hold until the world falls in line with how you think it should be, then go ahead. The rest of us however, will continue to live ours and enjoy ourselves.