Thorough preparation and careful planning are crucial for ensuring a successful family vacation, regardless of the season, when including an autistic family member.
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By Alex Stratikis, Autistic Traveler & Founder of Autism Adventures Aboard
Instagram: @autismadventuresabroad
By Alex Stratikis, Autistic Traveler & Founder of Autism Adventures Aboard
Instagram: @autismadventuresabroad
By Alex Stratikis, Autistic Traveler & Founder of Autism Adventures Aboard
Instagram: @autismadventuresabroad
Orlando Hotels Among First to Earn Autism Certification
SpringHill Suites by Marriott and Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Orlando at SeaWorld Earn Certified Autism Center™ Designation
SpringHill Suites and Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Orlando at SeaWorld are continuing their commitment to a gold standard guest experience, with their newly earned Certified Autism Center™ designations. Both hotels completed a certification program from the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) to ensure staff have the training, tools and skills needed to work with guests with autism or other sensory needs. This hotel duo joins their neighboring partners and fellow Certified Autism Centers SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica Orlando, and Discovery Cove to become an inclusive destination for all.
One of our esteemed Advisory Board Members, Dr. Stephen Shore, was recently interviewed by Guest Editor, Gretchen McIntire (Leary), for Zoom Autism Magazine. Dr. Shore is a professor at Adelphi University, best-selling author, international speaker and autism expert. He provided valuable travel tips for globetrotters who are on the autism spectrum along with highlights from his travels (49 countries and 47 states) to date.
We’ve included an excerpt from the interview here and you can read the article in-full by following the link at the end of this post.
Sesame Place was the first theme park in the world to become a Certified Autism Center™(CAC), as designated by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES.) Sesame Place has continued to champion inclusiveness for those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and others with special needs. Sesame Place’s goal is to create an environment that welcomes all visitors, and the CAC training and certification process was the first step. Dr. Kerry Magro, autism advocate, best-selling author and professional speaker, shares his thoughts and experiences at Sesame Place:
“By Sesame Place becoming a Certified Autism Center™ and also really being a pioneer for our community, it’s doing incredible, incredible things for our autism community – and helping engage our community to get out there and explore the world around them,” says Dr. Magro.
Sesame Place – Kerry Magro from IBCCES on Vimeo.
Parents with children on the autism spectrum often find choosing travel and vacation options a challenge due to sensory needs, dietary restrictions and safety concerns. To address this need, Courtyard Phoenix Mesa has earned the designation of Certified Autism Center (CAC), awarded by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES). The certification means that the hotel is committed to serving guests with autism and sensory needs and have completed training to ensure guests can enjoy the best possible experience.
The Courtyard Phoenix Mesa also joins a growing number of organizations that are becoming certified in Arizona, a movement inspired by the work of the Visit Mesa organization and that community’s goal to become the most autism inclusive in the world.