I visited this location for my Autistic son’s birthday celebration. We chose this activity because the website said it was suitable for people of ALL ABILITIES. It even specifically noted Autism and other cognitive and intellectual disabilities. The facility was top-notched, the customer service good and the instructor was excellent. However, for my Autistic son, this was NOT an appropriate activity.
The wind tunnel is extremely loud and the force of the wind in your face literally takes your breath away. Both these conditions created a sensory overload for a child who has sensory challenges, as most Autistics do. The instructor spent about 20 minutes giving very detailed instructions on what to expect: how to position your body, how to straighten your legs, how to keep your chin up and most importantly, to relax. But all this fell on deaf ears to a person who is non-verbal and has challenges with receptive language (understanding what is said to him). So of course, his time in the tunnel was a disaster! He had no concept of what to expect and no idea what was happening to him or what to do. It was like pushing a blind person in a pool without telling them first that you were going to do it. I can’t imagine how harrowing it must have been for him. I was utterly heartsick watching him. The instructor was wonderful. He tried. I give him an A for effort, but I’m not sure he truly understood what Autism is or how to accommodate my son’s special needs, although I discussed all this with him at the start of the session.
Autism is a spectrum disorder, so another Autistic person’s experience may be different from ours, but when you profess to be suitable for ALL ABILITIES, its important that you understand what that means and are able to deliver on that promise. My son did not have a terrible experience, but for $239, we did not receive the experience we expected. So if you or someone in your party has physical or cognitive challenges, BE WARY!