Liberty Square Riverboat

Location:        Liberty Square 

RideType:      Steam Powered Paddle-Wheel Riverboat        

Passengers:   400 per boat ride        

Fastpass?       No       

Minimum Height:  None     

Summary:   The Liberty Belle steam powered riverboat takes you on a slow, gentle cruise around Tom Sawyer Island and through the Rivers of America.  You can opt to take a seat on the main deck, or climb to the upper deck for better views of the park.  The journey is narrated, and the steam whistle blows on occasion.  It takes about 13 minutes to circle the island.

Comments:   This is a good ride if your child enjoys being on boats.  The whistle can be loud on board the boat – you might want to see how your child reacts to the noise by listening for it in Liberty Square or Frontierland before taking them on the ride.

Hidden Mickeys:   COMING SOON

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Images:

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The Hall of Presidents

Location:        Liberty Square 

RideType:      Audio-Animatronic Show       

Passengers:   740 guests maximum 

Fastpass?       No       

Minimum Height:  None     

Summary:     This twenty minute combination movie and audio-animatronic show is meant to highlight politics and government at it’s finest.  The movie recaps some of the early political arguments our leaders engaged in, including the constitutional debates and some of the early presidential debates.  After the movie, our 42 (soon to be 43) presidential audio-animatronic figures continue the debate for the benefit of the audience.  These figures are amazingly lifelike as they fidget, make faces, and participate in the show.

Comments:   This attraction is best for older, higher functioning children with autism, although younger or lower-functioning children may also do well.  The biggest challenge is the length of the show (about 20 minutes once everyone is seated).  If wiggles or boredom is a concern, ask a cast member if you can be seated near an exit.

Hidden Mickeys:   COMING SOON

Josh Rating :  

Images:

To see Hall of President Image Gallery, click here

Video from YouTube:

Disclaimer: This video is the sole intellectual property of the YouTube contributor, and not WDWAutism.com. We thank the contributor for their posting.

The Haunted Mansion

Location:        Liberty Square 

RideType:      Dark Ride        

Passengers:   2-3 per “Doom Buggy” ride vehicle     

Fastpass?       No

Minimum Height:     None

Summary:   Come and join the 999 Happy Haunts on a journey through a mansion filled with spooks, specters, and grinning ghosts.  The humor starts as you wait in line – read the tombstones to find pithy epithets and tributes to the “dearly departed”.  Once you enter the mansion, things may get scary for younger or lower-functioning children.  You enter a room “with no windows and no doors”.  The room seems to stretch, revealing the dangerous situations most of the portrait subjects were experiencing (such as walking on a tightrope over a lake of alligators).  The lights go out, a voice screams, and above you is the silhouette of a hanging man.  At this point, the doors open and you proceed to your “Doom Buggy” vehicle.  As you journey through the mansion, you’ll encounter a ghostly ballroom, a ghostly bride who is fond of de-capitating her husbands, Madame Leota hovering in a crystal ball during a séance, and a spooky graveyard featuring the foolish antics of it’s ghostly inhabitants.  As you leave the mansion, some of the ghosts will try to catch a ride home with you!

Comments:   While this ride is funny for adults, it is scary for children with autism.  The waiting area (where the room stretches) gets very crowded with guests, and can be frightening with the darkness, thunder, and other special effects.  To board and exit the ride vehicle you must transfer from a moving sidewalk which may be difficult for children with transition issues.  The graveyard scenes can be frightening, because skeletons pop up suddenly from behind tombstones.  At one part in the ride, the vehicle goes backwards down a gentle slope.  It is best to preview the attraction for yourself before putting your child on the ride.

NOTE:  The ride was refreshed in 2008, and is actually a little bit scarier than it was before.

Hidden Mickeys:  In the “Deathday Party” scene in the ballroom, watch the plates on the table.  The setting on the far left of the table is in the shape of Mickey’s head.

Josh Rating :  

Image:

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Video from YouTube:

From Disney Parks

Disclaimer: This video is the sole intellectual property of the YouTube contributor, and not WDWAutism.com. We thank the contributor for their posting.