Kenzie goes to America

Just before Christmas, we were extremely lucky to go to Florida on holiday. It was such a magical experience, and we created memories that will last a lifetime.

I was a little worried how Kenzie would cope with the travel as it was his first long-haul flight, but he was so good and enjoyed every minute. He loved how he had his own little TV screen and could pick what he wanted to watch himself (he's very independent).

While we were there, we visited many of the theme parks including Universal Studios and Disney World. Both were incredible and so supportive to Kenzie and his needs. All the staff were lovely, and nothing was too much trouble.

In Universal, we were provided with a VIP access card which allowed us to enter rides via the fast track lane. This was a great help as the queues were never too long or noisy for Kenzie, which meant he didn't have to miss out on all the rides he wanted to go on.

The ride operators were also very supportive and tried to seat him at the front as much as possible, and all the rides were very accessible to all. This was the same with any shows we went to see; he was always offered a seat near the front.

For the Disney parks, we were given the disability access pass via the Disney app. This allowed us to join a virtual queue for rides so we didn't have to physically wait in line. This was great for us as it meant we could go off and do other things with Kenzie while waiting as he can find queuing quite distressing at times.

I was also worried about the noise levels in the parks and the fact they are so crowded as this can often be uncomfortable for Kenzie, but he coped really well. There were lots of open spaces where we could take him away from loud noises if needed, and there was so much to look at and explore.

He was particularly excited to meet his favourite superhero characters in Universal. They were all so lovely and ensured they got down to Kenzie’s level and adapted their communication as this can be difficult sometimes when they are wearing masks. They were so supportive and even spoke about how Kenzie has magic powers like them with his magic ears. This made him feel very special!

The most magical moment had to be the fireworks displays in Disney. I was worried about the noise for Kenzie as they run for such a long time and again was also nervous about the crowds. But Disney were amazing. They section off a roped area for people with disabilities to give them a space that is not crowded and somewhere they can view the fireworks. Kenzie loved every single second, and he even cried ‘happy tears’ because he said it was so magical.

It was the most incredibly magical holiday, and watching Kenzie with the biggest smile on his face every day was amazing. I would not hesitate to take him back again in the future as he can't wait to meet his superhero friends again