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Thank you for sharing this amazing experience! You and your family are simply wonderful. I also have a child with ASD, a daughter age 4. Although she is quite a bit younger than Ben, I too see the same type of "sticky" behaviours in her. The bad part is that we live in Canada...not so close to WDW!!! I hope that Ben's night will give him what he needs to close that chapter in his life. All the best to you and your family :)

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Okay so I just spent an hour of my workday here reading this but I was absolutely transfixed and COULD NOT stop reading it. I went all the way back and read the entire history starting with the move from Seattle.

That's really one of the most beautiful things I have read in quite some time and so happy you have shared this with the world.

Thanks so much for posting this and helping me shed a little tear here on a Thursday.

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I just wanted to thank you for sharing that beautiful story of your son. To be able to see the world and in particular SWSA through the eyes of such a special child was amazing. I hope that others read his story and are able to feel as blessed as I do for reading it. Thank you for letting us all into your lives and sharing these happy moments. Reading this story truly touched my heart.

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Beautiful! Loved the story, so glad Disney still makes those magical memories. I think Walt would be so proud and he would be touched by your son's devotion.

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I just finished reading the entire story and I cried throughout the whole thing. What a truly amazing night for your son and family!!

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Hi, I came across a link to this blog on Facebook, and as I started to read it on my phone I was immediately transfixed. I actually put up a pot of coffee, grabbed my laptop, and sat down so that I could really read and enjoy it. Probably best, since my tears would have likely destroyed my phone. Thank you for sharing this moment. I know I'm a complete stranger, but reading your blog I feel like I was there too - and I assure you if I had been, I would have been a weepy mess tweeting and Facebooking about it to all of my friends. I grew up in Florida and went to Disney more than most, though I still lived hours away. Now I'm a grown woman, and strangely enough, now live in Southern California, twenty minutes from Disneyland. We recently became annual passholders and love taking our two small daughters (3 and 1). To see their joy is to reawaken the joy I felt as a child - though it is multiples more as a parent.

I've always been a fan of Disney, though it's sometimes hard to really express why it is different than any other family destination. And then you read something like this, and you realize that it really is. What amazing dedication from the cast members! I'm sad to know that your son lost his favorite place in the world, but so delighted to know that there is still a spirit of humanity in the world that so many people would go the extra mile to make what could have been a sad day into a lifetime memory. Best to you and your family, and I hope Ben finds a new happy place :)

Reba

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Thank you for sharing this amazing experience. I'm sending pixie dust your and Ben's way for his upcoming visit and that he will be okay and at peace even though Snow White is no longer there. I am about to be a Disney cast member and stories like these are the ones I will remember when I have a bad day at work. I will always remember that one of those kids might be just like Ben and this is the place they are the happiest so I need to be 100 % no matter what I'm feeling that day. I will always go above and beyond because of stories like this. You are truly one of the greatest parents in the world. Many others would have let this go a long time ago but you stuck by and rode the ride so that Ben could be happy and that is the best gift you could give him. If I see you in the world when I am there I hope you don't mind if I say hello.

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I was one of the SWSA cast members working that night and I just now was able to read your point of view of the events that I was gratefully able to witness first hand. This is the reason I am a Cast Member. To make and see Magic like this. I've been captivated by your story since discovering it online only a few months ago and shared it with my fellow cast members. We often discussed it while we were on break, especially if we had seen you visit that day. The conversation always included "Ben should be the last to ride." I'm so happy that our wish for your family came true. Thank you so very very much for sharing this amazing tale with all of us. You unknowingly made Disney Magic for the Cast as well.

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Came across Ben's story on a link someone posted on Lines. I went back and read the whole story. Thank you so much for sharing. Cried tears of joy for Ben- that he has had so many wonderful experiences there.

My DS4 was diagnosed with PDDNOS about 10 months ago. We are lucky enough to visit the park every month or so and I relish in the joy it brings my son.

Thank you again for sharing with the world.

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Thank you for sharing such a wonderful story with everyone. I can't wait to see what magic we find when we manage to take our girls to Disney for the first. (BTW-I found you through Epbot.)

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I just read your entire story and just bawled. Oh my goodness!!! Two of our three children have ASD...our 11 year old daughter and 5 year old son. We also live in central FL, and our daughter's absolute favorite place on earth is WDW. I can relate to your story on so many levels! I am so very touched by all the kindness that was shown to your family, and SO happy for Ben to have his amazing, magical day. THANK YOU so much for sharing your story! If we ever see you in the park, I will definitely say "hello"! :0)

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What a magical evening for your family! Thank you for sharing your story; such a wonderful photo of Ben with Snow White =).

I hope the Little Mermaid ride fills the void left by SWSA.

(I, too, found you via Epbot.)

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began tearfall at about the thrid posting, kept bawling all the way through. What a blessing for your family. Much love form us, and needed my belief in humanity restored for the day.... Thank you for writing this for everyone who has, or knows, a child as magnificent as yours...

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Thank you for sharing your story, and cheers to the amazing cast members who made it happen! It is wonderful that Ben has such love surrounding him. Your blog has brought back some of my own magical memories of riding SWSA as a little girl. I'm sad to hear it's gone, but it went out with quite a bang.
(Also visiting via Epbot)

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What a heartwarming story. I found the link on Epbot like many others. It was really tuching to read about all the love people were outpouring to your family. My family was at Disneyland on May 31st and we were spending the early afternoon in Fantasyland for my 6 yr old daughter. So we too had our ride on Snow White's Scary Adventure the same day! Thank you for sharing Ben's story with us!

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Thank you, Ron & Ben & mom,
once again for the most special evening I've ever experienced in any Disney park. Having finally read all the entries to this epic story, I start finally to grasp the horrible reality that the WDW SWSA is really gone - even though I was back at the park a few days later and witnessed the construction walls on the site that had been so magical place a couple of days earlier. If only my gout leg would have been better, I'd been a little more actively saying farewell to SWSA - but really, Ron and your beautiful family, you made the evening of May 31st most magical and memorable. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
- KEN

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I caught wind of Bens story through Epbot as well and cried happy tears through the whole thing. How truly magical. Thanks for sharing!

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Thanks for sharing!! I remember Ben from when I used to work at SWSA. I left a year ago to open Star Tours II: The Adventures Continue. I would always see Ben many times throughout the day. I am very happy Stacy and the gang could work magic for you guys! CONGRATS BEN!!!

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Thank you for sharing this wonderful story. It's stories like these that make me love Disney even more. I'm happy that Ben got to be the last guest to ride. Beautiful!

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Was a beautiful, wonderful, special time for your son and whole family.

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I came across the link to your story on a website--thank you so much for sharing it. I'm sitting at my desk with piles of crumpled kleenex around me. Go Ben!

(p.s. My family made our first trip cross country to Disney World last month, and we loved SWSA. I had no idea it was to be shut down. I'm glad we were able to see it before it went)

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Wow, amazing story, really touched me. Found the link to this through another website and saved it till felt up to reading it as knew it would be a weepy and have had a rough time this year. Although it did make me weep, it was in a good way.

Well done to everyone nvolved, cant wait to take my kids to WDW but its long expensive trip from the UK so have to stick with sandy beaches in the rain.

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"He tends to play the same track (or part of a track) over and over again, which can get a little trying..."
Funny you say that's trying but don't say riding a three minute ride three quarters of 3,400 times is trying.

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May Grace flow freely to you and everyone involved in reminding us all that there is such kindness and greatness of spirit still in this world.

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This was an absolutely amazing story. I had tears of joy throughout. I'm so happy that Ben was the last rider...it seems a fitting conclusion to Snow White's adventure.

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This was one of the most touching stories I have ever read. All I can say is Ben seems like such an amazing, lucky kid, and that that night must have been truly special to him. Thank you so much for sharing this story with me and the rest of the world.

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Thank you for sharing this beautiful story. Ben is an amazing young man, and you are both amazing parents.

Much Love

Jorden aka Angelbunni on wdw magic x

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Do you even know would you did to me with this story? :-)
A 39 year old male sitting crying in his office so deeply moved by this story. I discovered your Blog through a link on wired.com and read through this story in one go. After my tears finally went try I shared the link with colleagues and friends to share this amazing report and to show people that you can reach the stars if you have family and friends by your side who stand by you. A warm and dearly HELLO from Germany to your family.

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That was amazing. Beautiful, happy, sad, touching, and so full of love for your son. Thank you for sharing Ben's final ride with us.

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What a warm, wonderful story. Thank you for sharing it.

Much mouse-shaped love for you, your family, the amazing cast members, and, of course, Prince Ben.

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Thank you for sharing Ben's last times with his ride. I hope things go well in the future as he realizes it really isn't there anymore.

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Congrats to Ben and you're a very good dad. Sad about the ride. I hope Ben does well in this next stage of his life.

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Ron,
Thank you SO much for sharing this wonderful story. We too have a daughter with ASD who is 12 and WDW is one of her favorite places in the world. Her favorite ride it It's a Small World. I could just picture her through Ben's story. I hadn't even finished reading the prologue and I was already bawling. This is why we love Disney, they get it! Best wishes to you all!

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It is wonderful to see the magic Disney has brought to your son, along with so many others. Disney cast members have proved to be the kindest, most decent, people. And this story reclaims my faith in Disney's mission for families to enjoy the parks in their own special way. Thank you for sharing this incredible story, it has brought tears to my eyes.

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Thank you so much for sharing your account of Benjamins final ride. My son is autistic as well, and LOVES any amusement park ride. Especially Disney world and Six Flags. ( I think he would live there if he could!) He is 25 years old and has a limited vocabulary. But can talk to you about ALL the characters in his favorite park. And one of his favorite songs is "It's a small world, after all". Of which we sing ALL the time. It was refreshing to hear about your son Ben, and the positive experience he had at Disneyland. We took our son to Walt Disney world several years ago, and it was not so positive for him. Lines were far too long for him to wait happily in, and there were a lot of very rude people that visited that day. But Josh still loves Mickey Mouse and "the duck" he calls him. Thank you again for sharing, and May God Bless your family and Benjamin especially in all his endeavors.
Connie Lummus

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I wish that I could have been there, if only to experience such a collective joy, be it bittersweet.

We all have much to learn from Ben and those like him, who can love so deeply and easily.

As Walt well knew....

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It wasn't my intention to read a blog series this morning. I had intended to, uuummm, something about WDW, but I can't even remember now!

Life gives you what you need. I surely needed the warmth in my heart from reading about Ben and his family. Don't we all?

Thank you.

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Thank you for sharing such a touching story. I was deeply moved by the joy that your son experienced. Thank you for your courage to share something so special and personal. I wish your family and Ben much joy and continued happiness.

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Thank you so much for sharing this truly amazing story. I'm in tears at work and trying desperately to pass it off as sniffles. I hope that Ben and your family continue to enjoy the parks even without Snow Whites Scary Adventure. Prior to this past november when I made it to the parks on my honeymoon, I hadnt been since 98, (after that year it never worked out that I could join my family on the bi-yearly march break trip from canada) so I was saddened to hear the ride was closing - thankfully I visited it at Disneyland Paris a few years ago, when a bad joke in northern england about going to paris and only going to Disney turned into 2 magical days there.

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I see I have accidentally found your blog & story on the 1 year anniversary of the closing of SWSA. I have read every part of his last ride and also the 1,000 ride. I'm not too proud to say that I cried during each of those. Disney and the Dis CM are truly awesome and I am so glad that Ben could have that experience. Now, my question is-- what does Disney do with the parts from the ride? Is there part of the ride you might be able to buy as a souvenir? Maybe part of a drawing from one of the walls or one of the statues? I'd love to know if you can buy them... or if Ben has any memorabilia from the actual ride.

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Tears. Thanks for sharing this story!