Holiday advice

[newname0601]

My ds has behaviour issues that are as yet not dx'd. He has to have things done exactly has he's planned it. Examples that are relevant are things like he must get presents on his list in order. So last birthday we gave him a Thomas the Tank engine train from the top of his list. We then, 2 months later when dh got a job, bought him and his sister a late birthday present of a trampoline. DD little face lit up, ds wouldn't go near it and had the most almighty meltdown that lasted pretty much all day. Very upset that it wasn't on his list and it wasn't his birthday and the next present was meant to be x. At Christmas he got upset that he got things from Santa that he didn't ask for, he did get everything he asked for (only asked for 3 trains).

For ds and dd's birthday we are going to to Disneyland Paris. This is a very special treat for the whole family, basically all our money. We've not told dc's yet, we are torn between making it a surprise which dd would love and telling them to help ds. But thats not the dilema!

If you ask ds where he wants to go he lists in this specific order: 1) Thomasland 2) Toystory land (known to you and I as Disneyland) 3) Where Thomas works (PMSL, if you know where The Island of Sodor is please PM me ) 4) Racing cars track.

So do we spend a small frigging fortune (not to mention the best part of a day in the car which is hell on earth for our family) to go to Thomasland before the birthday trip to Disneyland to head off any potential for meltdown due to things not happening as he's planned and listed? We'd have to go in half-term and its only open 12 - 5. Because of where we live we would need to leave Drayton Manor at 4. So only 4 hrs there which for the pricely sum of £48 for the family is daylight robbery but potentially could save the stress and upset over the expensive (and also daylight robbery) Disneyland trip being done out of order. But then, if we don't will he might not have a meltdown because its so amazing for him that he's got on an aeroplane (another obsessed about ambition) and gone to Disneyland?

Oh we can't decide. What do you all think? He is obsessed with Thomas btw, not Toystory which he just watches because DD likes it.

whereabouts (roughly) are you? is there an alternative Thomasland you could go to? or would on ly Drayton Manor do?

I'm thinking along the lines of the Bluebell railway, whic always has thomas stuff (or always used to - disclaimer, have not been for years), or the Railway Museum in York had a great children's bit with loads of thomas again (disclaimer again: not been there since I lived in York, many years ago!)

but anyway, point is, would he accept an alternative? Steam railways often have Thomas days.

when are you goig to DLP? at Easter?

There is an alternative to Thomasland closer to home (Llangollen) but its not got Thomas there before we go to DLP. We're going to DLP at Easter. We went to the Railway Museum at NY and it wouldn't be a good substitute, certainly not enough Thomas.