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Kathy Kelly’s passion for Disney World and helping others with Autism and other special needs navigate the parks sparked Special Mouse blog and podcast!

Connect with Kathy Kelly of Special Mouse!

Special Mouse

@KathKellyRN

I am so fortunate to be able to have Kathleen Kelly of Special Mouse to talk about how she got started. As well as why her message of Disney World being for everybody, is so important to her.

I want to help Kathly by supporting her Kickstarter Campaign to develop her first book all about making Disney World more magical for families dealing with Autism. I am proud to donate $40 to her cause, and I hope you are able to as well. I personally do not have family members with Autism, but I get asked a lot to help others plan their vacations to Disney World, and I figured having the book in my arsenal of advice would be very valuable. Please watch the video below! 🙂

More about Special Mouse Podcast

For most Disney fans, podcasts are a rich source of both information and entertainment. What is a podcast? Think of it like an online, on-demand radio show. There are many podcasts that discuss just about everything Disney – news & rumors, theme park history, runDisney events , Disney weddings – you name it! But, until today, no one has devoted a show to the interests and concerns of guests with special needs and health issues. The Special Mouse Podcast was created to fill that void.

In 2012 attendance for Walt Disney Attractions worldwide was over 126 million. That’s a lot of people!  Now, think of all those guests who must have had some sort of special need that affected their vacation experience – not just those with mobility issues – but those living with developmental disabilities, heart conditions, vision or hearing loss, food allergies – the list is endless! Fortunately, theDisney Parks and the Disney Cruise line are second to none when it comes to hospitality, inclusiveness and customer service. Nevertheless, when traveling with health issues and special needs it’s natural to have a host of questions and concerns. Some might even worry that they would be a burden to their families or that their challenges would be too much trouble to manage while on vacation.

At one time I felt the same way. Our family first visited Walt Disney World in 2003.  I was excited but also somewhat apprehensive. Our youngest child had recently been diagnosed with classic regressive Autism and had numerous sensory, communication and behavioral issues. After a good deal of preparation, our Disney experience was nothing short of magical! Since then we have returned again and again because there is no other vacation destination that better suits the particular needs of our family. In 2006 I discovered a vibrant Disney online community and began to participate in several message boards, namely the Trip Report forum on DISboards where I wrote about our family’s Adventures in Autism. There I met a great number of people who shared a similar love of Walt Disney World, many of whom I eventually met in person and am friends with to this day!  I started blogging about Disney and Autism in November, 2009 (Disney-Lovin’ Spectrum Mom) and began writing a special-needs column for WDW Fan Zone  in January of 2011 (Faces in the Queue). Over the years I’ve developed numerous friendships and a passion for helping others discover that Disney is both willing and able to accommodate the special-needs traveler.

It is my sincere hope that this podcast will be a source of both information and inspiration to those who live with and/or care for those with special needs. You deserve a vacation!  Here at Special Mouse we firmly believe that The Magic is for Everyone.

Episode 170