My son and I both have ADHD. We visited Disney World, and a little preparation helped make it a memorable experience.

• My 9-year-old son and I have been diagnosed with ADHD. 
• In January, we visited Magic Kingdom, Epcot Center, and Hollywood Studios in Florida. 
• I wish we had used the Disability Access Service pass, but overall our experience was great. 

It's called the "Most Magical Place on Earth" for a reason — Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, is an adventure on steroids. Whether you're into roller coasters, interactive stunt shows, worldwide cuisine, Mickey Mouse or Star Wars, Disney has something for everyone.

Last January, I visited three of Disney's main parks — Magic Kingdom, Epcot Center, and Hollywood Studios — with my 9-year-old son. We both have ADHD, and amusement parks can be a challenge because it's easy to become overstimulated and burnt out by lines, noise, and crowds. But with a little preparation, we had a fun and memorable experience. 

If you're planning to visit Disney with a family member who has ADHD, here are tips for a smooth experience.

Don't wing it

Magic Kingdom averages 57,000 visitors a day, so queues for rides and attractions get long fast. Before you go, look at the park's attractions with your child and decide which experiences you want to hit. Look over the park map ahead of time and come up with a plan for the day. If you can't find the location of an attraction, don't be afraid to ask a park employee — they were more than happy to help us out.

Remember to keep the focus on your child, said Steven Tobias, a family psychologist and the director of the Center for Child and Family Development in Morristown, New Jersey. If they need to stop for a break to rest or eat, that's OK. "Moderate your expectations. You don't have to do it all," he said.

Arriving as soon as the park opened made it easier to navigate. And as soon as my son was done, we headed home, even if we hadn't hit everything on our list. 

Take advantage of the Disney app

Kids with ADHD often have low frustration tolerance. That means standing in line can be stressful and tough to tolerate, which can lead to behavioral and emotional difficulties, said Tobias. That's why planning is essential.  

Before our trip, I installed "My Disney Experience App" on my iPhone. It allows you to select rides and attractions you're interested in with a free feature called Disney Genie — just link your park pass to the app to enable it. At 7 a.m. on the day of your visit, your selected experiences will populate in a tab called "My Day" with suggestions on when to visit your preferred attractions. Throughout the day, you can use it to view current wait times, make dining reservations, order food, and join restaurant wait lists.

I also purchased Disney Genie+ (starting at $25 a day) with Lightning Lane access — it allowed us to reserve specific times for popular rides and attractions in order to bypass long lines. But you're limited to one reservation at a time. That means you have to check in to the attraction before a making a new reservation. Though Lightning Lane isn't available for every attraction, individual Lightning Lane passes for some rides are available for an additional cost. 

Sign up for 'DAS pass'

One thing I didn't take advantage of — and wish I had — is the Disability Access Service (DAS) pass. Guests with any condition (including ADHD) that prevents them from waiting in extended lines can obtain one. While a DAS pass won't give you immediate access to a ride, you'll get a return time comparable to the ride's current wait time. For example, if it's 10 a.m. and a line is estimated to be 90 minutes, you'll be able to return at 11:30. You can register up to 60 days prior to your park visit via a live video visit or by visiting guest services on the day of your park visit.