Seth's Make-A-Wish trip May 19-25 2010

[NVDadof3]

Hello to everyone. I have waited to start this until now because we were not sure when or if this trip was going to happen. The last few days things have really started to come together though, so I think it's safe to start now.

My name is Gary, my wife is Jessica. We are both 32 years old. We have 3 children. Seth (wish kid) is 8 years old, Alexis will be 7 years old on Monday, and our youngest Claire will turn 3 years old on May 19th, which is the date we are scheduled to leave to Disney. None of us have ever been to DisneyWorld so we are all very excited about this trip, and looking forward to it.

http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l477/nyyankees222006/SethLexiClaire-1.jpg

Seth was an extremely healthy 7 year old kid. He hardly ever got sick in even the smallest way. His sisters would get nasty colds and it would pass right by him. This was until Late May 2009. Seth starting having migraine headaches and started feeling sick to his stomach. It was not a constant thing, as the symptoms would come and go. Some days he would go to school and be ok, other days he would wake up and feel too sick. He would lay in the dark in his room because it helped his headaches. My wife and I had no idea what could be bothering him. We thought of tons of possibilities including something bothering him at school causing him stress. After about a week of this we took him to the ER. The Doctor there told us that Seth looked fine and that the nausea and headaches should pass in a few days. He told us to bring Seth back after two weeks if they did not go away. After 3 more days of this, we took him back. June 5th, 2009. I'm sure everyone who has a sick child has a moment they can point to when they knew their life would never be the same. That evening in the ER, the doctor took Seth for a CT Scan. The doctor walked by our room and told me and my wife he needed to speak with us outside. That was our moment. We had no idea what it was at this point, but we knew it was something very bad.

Seth had a mass of liquid show up on his CT scan and subsequent MRI. That night they flew him from Reno to Childrens Hospital Oakland. The following day we spoke with the Neurosurgeon who told us that Seth had a tumor and an accompying mass of liquid the size of an egg. They did surgery the following monday to remove it. The surgery was a fabulous success, and Seth recovered and was back home in Reno a week later. It was about two weeks later that we got the next call that changed everything. The tests came back that the tumor was malignant and they expect it to grow back. They wanted to get him back to Oakland and insert a broviac and start him on chemo. His was taking chemo from July through January when he had a stem cell transplant. My wife and I lived in Oakland from January until March while my daughters stayed with my mother. It was very difficult on all of us, and our 3 year old Claire has still not forgiven us for leaving her for 2 months.

Since March, Seth has been back home and doing his radiation treatment. His final radiation was yesterday, and we also got confirmation yesterday from MAW that we will be going. She gave us tentative dates of May 19-25th. She said she will be booking the flights in the next couple of days and will let us know as soon as she does. We will be staying at Give Kids The World. We have no idea what we will be doing and the ideas and stories I have read on here have been of great help. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences, and I will post more in the next day or two once my wife and I have a chance to sit down and think about it.

Couple of questions if someone doesn't mind helping.

1. We are worried about expense money. We know that MAW will give us money for expenses but we don't know how much and were hoping someone could give us some insight as to whether we will need to have money of our own or whether what they give you is enough.

2. We are wondering about the tickets. We have heard that you get 3 days worth of tickets to DW, 2 days worth to Universal and 1 day to Sea World. Is this true. If so, are the Disney tickets park hoppers or is it one park per ticket? Any help would be appreciated.

3. Should we start planning things like dining in advance, or would it be better to just find what we want to eat while we are there? I know GKTW provides meals free of charge, but we won't be eating there every meal.

I'm sure I have a thousand more questions, but that's all that comes to mind right now. Thanks for any help and advice.

Gary

[casper_jj11]

Have you checked out the Wish forum under the DisAbilities section? We're planning our trip now and everyone there has been a wonderful help. We're going with a different organization and we're staying onsite at Disney so my information may be different but I'll try to help.

As for expenses, I think it really depends on the group sending you. It seems that each MAW organization provides a different amount of expenses.

For tickets, I've heard the same as you. I believe the tix provided for Disney are complementary tickets for wish children. They cover 3 days entry and they are park hoppers.

As for reservations, if you plan to eat in Disney restaurants, definitely book asap. If its part of the wish, the organization may try and book something but otherwise, I don't think so (although some people have said their group booked one meal as a surprise). ADRs fill early so if you really want something, plan where you'll be each day (trying to avoid the parks on the busiest days, not so much for lines but just overall crowds) and then book the restaurants you'd like to eat in. This late in the planning, many of the popular ones will be booked but keep trying because people cancel all the time.

We've been several times with the kids so any questions, I'd be happy to try and help.

[NVDadof3]

Thanks for the help. I have been to the Wish board and the advice is extremely helpful. The information about the tickets helps a lot in the planning.

Thanks

[pacrosby]

Hi Gary and Welcome...

Make sure you introduce yourself on the Wish Trippers' Unite thread so that folks can come and follow your PTR. That's sort of the 'meeting place' if you will :)

We've already been on our Wish trip but I still hang around to help when I can while I (continue to) work on our Trip Report and plan for an upcoming trip (which is actually NEXT WEEK :eek:)

Look forward to getting to know you and your family:)

[jessica52877]

What lovely kids! Wish I was reading your pre-trip report for a different reason other than a wish trip. Hope Seth is doing well now!

[NVDadof3]

Seth is doing great. If not for his scar and his hair loss, you would not know anything was ever wrong with him. During his chemo treatment, there were some rough times, but since his stem cell transplant in January he has recovered remarkably well. He may get his broviac out before we go and he almost certainly will be able to go back to school in August when the new year starts. After being out for his entire 2nd grade year, he is looking forward to returning. We can't wait for him to feel like a normal little boy again. DisneyWorld is going to cap off a horrible year for him as well as his sisters. We are all so excited to go on this trip. My wife and I are going crazy just looking at all the different possibilities. No matter how uncertain the future may be, we know that at least for a week, we don't have to think about any of that.

[NVDadof3]

We have made an early plan based on the dates we have been given. I'd really like to get this stuff finalized since it is coming up pretty soon. It's also pretty hard to plan anything in depth until we know for sure. We've thrown around a couple of ideas, but as of now this is what we are looking at.

May 19th-Arrival at GKTW

May 20th-Magic Kingdom-This is the most important part of the trip for the kids and a lot of the attractions they want to see are here. We may come back for half a day later in the week if we don't get to see everything we want.

May 21st-Universal/IOA-From what I've read on here and heard we can hopefully get both these parks in on one day. The kids are not as interested in Universal as they are Disney.

May 22nd-Take a day off from the parks-We may drive over to the ocean or find some things to do in Orlando. We are thinking of having dinner at Medieval Times on this night as this is something Seth really wants to do.

May 23rd-Disney Hollywood Studios-This is another park that the kids are really interested in.

May 24th-Animal Kingdom/Magic Kingdom-We will go to the Animal Kingdom this day as Seth wants to see the Tree Of Life and explore the Jungle Trails. The afternoon/evening we will probably end our time at MK.

May 25th-Depending on flight times, we will spend this day at GKTW enjoying our time.

I will update this as we look more and make more specific decisions. Hopefully we can get solid confirmation of the dates on monday.

[squee!! disney!!]

sounds like it will be a wonderful trip and a great memory. My cousin had cancer awhile ago and it has come back again. They decided to take a trip for their spring break just to get away from the doctor's visits and bills and just enjoy their time together and they said it was just wonderful to go to gulf shores and spend all the time together on the beach.

can't wait to hear more about your trip!

[NVDadof3]

None of us have ever been to Florida, so we are thinking one day to explore a new place might be fun. It will also give us a break mid week and hopefully give our legs a rest. This weekend is killing us waiting to hear back about our dates. MAW is also planning a party for Seth before we go, but we don't have a lot of time to think about that either. I hope everything comes together. The kids at this point are more excited about GKTW then the theme parks. Seth is praying that we go during one of the Star Wars weekends. Lexi is dying to meet Tinkerbell and all of the other fairies and princesses, and Claire just wants to see Mickey Mouse.

24 more days (hopefully)

[NVDadof3]

We should find out for sure tomorrow if we are going on those dates. I don't see any reason why we shouldn't but it will be nice to find out for sure.

[maroo]

Hello! I just found your pre-trip report! :)

Would you like me to list it with the other Wish Trip Pre-Trip Reports and Trip Reports?

The link to that thread is in blue on my signature. :)

We have made an early plan based on the dates we have been given. I'd really like to get this stuff finalized since it is coming up pretty soon. It's also pretty hard to plan anything in depth until we know for sure. We've thrown around a couple of ideas, but as of now this is what we are looking at.

May 19th-Arrival at GKTW

I love that this is your main plan for the day! GKTW is a wonderful place and you guys will have a blast there! :)

May 20th-Magic Kingdom-This is the most important part of the trip for the kids and a lot of the attractions they want to see are here. We may come back for half a day later in the week if we don't get to see everything we want.

This is a Thursday and Thursday nights are usually Christmas at GKTW - This is one of the favorite parties at GKTW for some of the families that have gone in the past. I know MK is a big park - but wanted you to be aware of the GKTW Christmas Party. :)

May 21st-Universal/IOA-From what I've read on here and heard we can hopefully get both these parks in on one day. The kids are not as interested in Universal as they are Disney.

I definitely think you can knock these out in a day! :) You may want to consider swapping the first two days?? That way you could knock out Universal and catch the Christmas party. Universal may be more exciting for you guys if you don't have Disney to compare it to?? Just an idea. I have never even been to Universal - but going from the recent TR's from wish trippers, this may be something you guys would want to consider. Regardless...you will have a GREAT time!!

May 22nd-Take a day off from the parks-We may drive over to the ocean or find some things to do in Orlando. We are thinking of having dinner at Medieval Times on this night as this is something Seth really wants to do.

This sounds wonderful! :cloud9: Great for a break from the parks!

May 23rd-Disney Hollywood Studios-This is another park that the kids are really interested in.

We had a blast at this park on Lauren's wish trip!

May 24th-Animal Kingdom/Magic Kingdom-We will go to the Animal Kingdom this day as Seth wants to see the Tree Of Life and explore the Jungle Trails. The afternoon/evening we will probably end our time at MK.

May 25th-Depending on flight times, we will spend this day at GKTW enjoying our time.

I will update this as we look more and make more specific decisions. Hopefully we can get solid confirmation of the dates on monday.

I hope you get solid confirmation on dates! :) I hope you don't mind my suggestions above. :)

[jessica52877]

I hope you find out for sure soon. I can't imagine leaving so quickly but not really knowing yet.

Make sure you have some rest time built in to your trip! We love to just rest and explore little things on our trip, the hotel usually, so GKTW will be more then perfect! It really make the trip alot more relaxing!

[NVDadof3]

Hello! I just found your pre-trip report! :)

Would you like me to list it with the other Wish Trip Pre-Trip Reports and Trip Reports?

The link to that thread is in blue on my signature. :)



I hope you get solid confirmation on dates! :) I hope you don't mind my suggestions above. :)


Yes, it would be great if you linked it to the others. As far as your suggestions, most of them we have already considered. After writing that general outline up we learned about the Thursday night Christmas party. I also looked at park hours, so we may change a couple of dates based on that.

I spoke to the MAW coordinator today and she said she is waiting for final budget confirmation and once she gets that she will call us and book flights. She said she expects it today or tomorrow. She also told us about the party they are planning on having for Seth. They are looking into having a party at his school, which would be great. He hasn't had much interaction with his friends since this started so I can't think of anything better.

[NVDadof3]

I hope you find out for sure soon. I can't imagine leaving so quickly but not really knowing yet.

Make sure you have some rest time built in to your trip! We love to just rest and explore little things on our trip, the hotel usually, so GKTW will be more then perfect! It really make the trip alot more relaxing!

Yeah, it's difficult having so little time but exciting as well. After the last few days I can't imagine having to find out and then wait months before you go. The rest day is mom and dad's idea, and we haven't ran the idea across to the kids yet. That may be a tough sell.

[Savannah's Mami]

Hi Gary,
I am so excited for your family!! This trip is truly magical and it is so exciting to be planning for it. I completely forgot why I did not do the trip report on our trip this December on this board..but I do have it on my daughter's site if you want to visit it...it was beyond magical.

http://cotaforsavannaha.com/node/842 Here is the link to the actual "Wish" but this was only one of many highlights...enjoy every minute of it!!!

[wishin' on a star]

Hi Gary...
I'm glad to hear that Seth is doing okay now. :goodvibes

We will be at GKTW for our daughter's MAW trip May 17-23rd, so perhaps we'll get to meet!

Others have given you advice and information I thought of as I was reading your plan, so I won't reiterate any of that. Star Wars Weekend is Friday 5/21-5/23 at Disney's Hollywood Studios. You might want to incorporate this into your plans if Seth is a SW nut! Also , if he's into pirates at all, the Pirate's League at MK might be a hit. My son John will do this while my daughters get made over at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.

I think the expense check can vary from chapter to chapter. We have no idea how much money we will get either, so it's been kind of a guessing game when we are making other reservations, etc., whether or not it's really in the budget!

Anyway, I hope you get some confirmation on your dates soon so you can make the rest of your plans!

I'm looking forward to following along on your PTR!

[cantwaittoseemickey]

Hello Gary,

Welcome to the boards. It is nice to hear that Seth is doing ok. I am sorry your daughter has had a rough time with your abcense. I hope Seths Wish trip is a wonderful family experience. It sounds like you have a great plan.

[noahsketomom]

Hi Gary!

Welcome! Your plans sound AWESOME -- although I do agree with Maroo that you might want to swap those 2 days -- Christmas at GKTW is a must do, in my very humble opinion!!! ;) It was definitely one of our faves!

I think that taking a day off from parks is a great idea! I wish we had done that, but alas, we did not. Looking back, I'm not sure which one I would've skipped, but I think it's just a great idea!! My kids enjoyed GKTW as much as the parks and I'm not making this up!

Looking forward to hearing your planning!! You are going to have such an amazing time -- especially after the year you have had!

Blessings,
Beth

[TTomlinson]

Just wanted to chime in and say welcome! We will be there the same week as you (sounds like we have several Dis families there that week) but we get in a few days earlier. Hopefully we will all get a chance to meet up sometime like at the Christmas party! We are also taking a day for the beach as my kids have never seen the ocean and I don't want them to miss that opportunity. Glad you found us here and like I said hopefully we will actually get to meet in person in a few weeks!

Hugs!

[NVDadof3]

Great News Today!

Today was Lexi's 7th birthday. She wanted a Tinkerbell party. Jessica made her a great cake and she got a ton of painting/art supplies. She loves drawing and has a wild imagination. She also got a Nintendo DS and a few games. Should be great for the plane ride.princess:

http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l477/nyyankees222006/002.jpg

And that's Seth, trying to hide behind the Pepsi bottle.

But, that isn't even the best news of the day.

Although we still didn't hear from MAW about our dates, Seth had his weekly clinic appointment for labs. Since he started his chemo in July, Seth has been on supplements for Potassium and Phosphate. With his blood test results today, his Potassium and Phosphate levels are high enough that he gets to stop taking those 2 meds. That gets him down to only 3 daily pills from a high of 15 daily pills back in January.

And, that still isn't the best news of the day.

Because his Potassium and Phosphate levels are steady, Seth gets to move to once a month clinic visits and blood draws. This means that his broviac is no longer needed and he will have it out before we come to Florida.:woohoo:

This was great news for us. Nothing else, including getting our dates, is more important to the trip then this. With his broviac out it opens up many more possibilities for him while in Florida. It also means no flushing or dressing change supplies need to be brought. Now, if MAW can just give us a call tomorrow and confirm our dates then I would be quite content. (At least for a couple of hours)

[maroo]

What a beautiful cake! And how funny he is hiding!


And the other news!!!!! WOO HOO!! :woohoo: :dance3: :cheer2: :cool1: :woohoo:

[cantwaittoseemickey]

What a pretty cake! Too funny. Peek a boo Seth :rotfl2:

What a great day for you all. Im so happy to hear Seth gets to drop two meds. Yay on the good labs and less clinic appointments.

The broviac going out the door befor the trip:cool1::banana::banana:Calls for my favorite dudes the happy dancers!

[NVDadof3]

we got dates!!!!!:cool1:

MAW called today and booked our flights. We will be arriving in Orlando on the 19th and returning home on the 25th. Now we can really start looking into things we want to do and when.

I will try and post an updated itinerary tonight.

Does anyone know what times the orientations are at GKTW? Would like to make it to the evening one on the 19th.

[maroo]

we got dates!!!!!:cool1:

MAW called today and booked our flights. We will be arriving in Orlando on the 19th and returning home on the 25th. Now we can really start looking into things we want to do and when.

I will try and post an updated itinerary tonight.

Does anyone know what times the orientations are at GKTW? Would like to make it to the evening one on the 19th.

They can vary (isn't that ALWAYS the answer...sorry about that!)...

But usually they are around 7:00 or 7:30 at night. They also have one at 3:00 (or 3:30) in the afternoon - sometimes. If you miss those they have one at 9:00 AM and you can catch that the next morning.

You can also ask for a private orientation if none of those will really work - we have had a couple of families find that works for them. :)

[NVDadof3]

Thanks for the help. We really want to get an early start the next morning, so we were hoping to get it done the night before. Our flight doesnt land until 7:25PM so I guess I'll just have to call them and see.

Thanks Maroo.

[jessica52877]

Check your PM's (private messages)! Top right of the disboard screen!

[NVDadof3]

Woo-Hoo...just got a great PM. They have asked our kids to be part of the Big Give!!!! This is great. I really hadn't expected it because of the time being so soon, but it is truly wonderful. Kids are excited about being measured although they don't know why. What another great day this is turning out to be. Hopefully these type of days continue. Thanks so much to the Disboutiquers!!!!!

[maroo]

Thanks for the help. We really want to get an early start the next morning, so we were hoping to get it done the night before. Our flight doesnt land until 7:25PM so I guess I'll just have to call them and see.

Thanks Maroo.

Aw man! That really is a late landing. :( I hate that. My guess is that you may have an issue getting them to do one before the following morning?

But...I know the DIS says a LOT about getting to the parks early...it really is not as big of a deal when you have the magic button. You will be able to jump in the fast pass line of all the rides and should be carried to the front of most character lines - so you will be able to get a lot done in a short amount of time - as opposed to being a typical family in the parks. So...hopefully that will help you guys some. I don't think we ever made it to the parks before 11 and we had a blast.

[NVDadof3]

I think we are taking your advice and doing the first day at Universal, so it really isn't the worst thing but the last thing you want on the first day is more waiting...lol.

We'll make do getting there a little late I'm sure.

[Momofwishkid]

:cool1: What a great day. Disney dates and the Big Give!! Congrats. Those women and a man or two are just so amazing and generous and so talented.

[cantwaittoseemickey]

Yayy a date:cool1: and the Big Give too:banana::banana: Did anyone in your house get any sleep last night:cloud9:? I can't imagine how excited you all are. Time is going to go by so fast with everything. I hear these Big Givers spread quite a lot of pixie dust;)

[wishin' on a star]

Hooray for dates, BIG GIVE, good lab results...getting the broviac out!! :cool1: You're family must be SO excited. I can say this, because our trip is coming up almost as fast as yours is...and the excitement in our house is unbelievable.

[NVDadof3]

I contacted Medieval Times earlier this week about going there for dinner. We knew it would be very expensive to go there, and didn't know if it was in the budget. A very nice woman from there emailed me this morning and let me know that during a wish trip, the wish child gets free admission and up to 4 family members get 50% off. This makes what would have been about a $250 meal into a much more reasonable $95. I hadn't seen anything on here about them before, so I don't know if this is something they tell you at GKTW or not. Seth seemed pretty interested in it, so I think we'll probably try and squeeze that in one night.

I also contacted GKTW about Claire's birthday being the 19th. I don't want her birthday being lost in the shuffle. They said they don't do cakes anymore but they would make sure to have her some balloons and let her pick a present from the birthday box. They also said the following morning at breakfast they would make her some special birthday pancakes. Sounds like something she would get a real kick out of.

Our planning is coming along a lot better now that we know our dates and flight times. We aren't making any ADR's at Disney because of the small amount of time. The kids don't really care about character meals or themed meals, they just want to eat and get going again, so this isn't really an issue. I'll have the revised itinerary posted tonight or tomorrow.

Quick question...I forgot to ask when I called earlier, but can someone tell me what time the Christmas party is thursday night?

Thanks,

[NVDadof3]

Hooray for dates, BIG GIVE, good lab results...getting the broviac out!! :cool1: You're family must be SO excited. I can say this, because our trip is coming up almost as fast as yours is...and the excitement in our house is unbelievable.

Yes!!! Not 3 minutes goes by without someone asking or talking about Disney. Everything seems to be coming together the last week and a half or so. It's almost overwhelming. We'll definitely have to meet while there. Our kids are all so close in age that I'm sure they'd get along fabulously.

[MCazer]

Gary, I am sending you a PM, please check it out and get back to me!

[pacrosby]

I contacted Medieval Times earlier this week about going there for dinner. We knew it would be very expensive to go there, and didn't know if it was in the budget. A very nice woman from there emailed me this morning and let me know that during a wish trip, the wish child gets free admission and up to 4 family members get 50% off. This makes what would have been about a $250 meal into a much more reasonable $95. I hadn't seen anything on here about them before, so I don't know if this is something they tell you at GKTW or not. Seth seemed pretty interested in it, so I think we'll probably try and squeeze that in one night.

I also contacted GKTW about Claire's birthday being the 19th. I don't want her birthday being lost in the shuffle. They said they don't do cakes anymore but they would make sure to have her some balloons and let her pick a present from the birthday box. They also said the following morning at breakfast they would make her some special birthday pancakes. Sounds like something she would get a real kick out of.

Our planning is coming along a lot better now that we know our dates and flight times. We aren't making any ADR's at Disney because of the small amount of time. The kids don't really care about character meals or themed meals, they just want to eat and get going again, so this isn't really an issue. I'll have the revised itinerary posted tonight or tomorrow.

Quick question...I forgot to ask when I called earlier, but can someone tell me what time the Christmas party is thursday night?

Thanks,


Don't know if you've gotten the answer to this yet but in case not...................the Christmas Party itself starts at about 6:30. Definately a do not miss (but of course I'm biased as my son was actually IN the Christmas parade :))

And just as an aside.................given your comment about the 'budget'..............you might keep in mind that MAW, generally speaking, provides an 'expense check' that allows for some serious splurging on extras. I actually called and asked them directly since I was trying to maximize my planning (while trying to minimize my budget :laughing:) and they readily offered up the info. Just something to keep in mind. Truthfully, if I hadn't been prepared with the amount beforehand we would've wasted it on frivolous things. Knowing how much we had to work with really allowed us to make the most of special extras that could never have been pulled together last minute.

Hope that helps:)

[pacrosby]

oh yeah...............and I got your pm. The info is waiting for you:)





.

[maroo]

I contacted Medieval Times earlier this week about going there for dinner. We knew it would be very expensive to go there, and didn't know if it was in the budget. A very nice woman from there emailed me this morning and let me know that during a wish trip, the wish child gets free admission and up to 4 family members get 50% off. This makes what would have been about a $250 meal into a much more reasonable $95. I hadn't seen anything on here about them before, so I don't know if this is something they tell you at GKTW or not. Seth seemed pretty interested in it, so I think we'll probably try and squeeze that in one night.

I also contacted GKTW about Claire's birthday being the 19th. I don't want her birthday being lost in the shuffle. They said they don't do cakes anymore but they would make sure to have her some balloons and let her pick a present from the birthday box. They also said the following morning at breakfast they would make her some special birthday pancakes. Sounds like something she would get a real kick out of.

Our planning is coming along a lot better now that we know our dates and flight times. We aren't making any ADR's at Disney because of the small amount of time. The kids don't really care about character meals or themed meals, they just want to eat and get going again, so this isn't really an issue. I'll have the revised itinerary posted tonight or tomorrow.

Quick question...I forgot to ask when I called earlier, but can someone tell me what time the Christmas party is thursday night?

Thanks,

Christmas starts around 6:30 - and the main hint there is to see Santa first, if you can. That line can get long because Santa spends a lot of time with each family. :love:

As far as the Medieval Times - they do provide all the information at GKTW. The main thing you already know...which is that the wish child gets in FREE and the rest of the party is 50% off!

But the other main thing is that you can't sign up for the tickets until you get to GKTW - and they need 2 days notice to be able to get the tickets...so you technically can't go until the 3rd night or later on your trip.

I went to see the Medieval Times show when I was a child and LOVED it! I hope you guys can go, especially since this is something he really wants to do! It is really a pretty good deal. :)

[NVDadof3]

I just want to take a moment and say that the kindness shown on this board toward my family has been nothing short of outstanding. You guys have shown me that there are still some decent and caring people out there. While I know this to be true, it helps to be reminded occasionally.

Maroo-that's good info about Medieval Times. We were probably gonna go on our last night so the timing works out.

pacrosby-As for the expense check, I asked MAW about it a couple weeks ago but the budget wasn't finalized yet. I'm sure I can call back again and find out but don't want to seem too pushy about it, although I'm sure they wouldn't care. We should know before we go, and since we aren't making any ADR's, we shouldn't have any money "spent" before we get there. Hopefully it works out.

Thanks to everybody for helping with questions that I had.

[The Lurker]

I went to Medieval several years ago with my adult children and adult cousins. We had a good time. The dinner was very good - -steak but not outstanding. The program has loads of horses and jousting is the main thing I remember. I think any child who likes knights in shining armour, horses and that stuff like that would have a great time. One thing I do remember, the directions that came with the ticket said that we should arrive something like an hour early - totally unnecessary. The tour groups arrive about 15 min early. The real reason for suggestion the earlier arrival is to give you lots of time to shop in their souvenir shop.

[NVDadof3]

Ok, now that we have solid dates and are armed with (hopefully) a little more information, we have come up with a new and improved plan.

May 19th-We fly out of Reno at 8:45 am. First time on a plane for me, Alexis and Claire. Seth has been on the medical flights, and Mom has flown when she was younger. This will by far be the longest flight for any of us though. With one stop in San Antonio and the 3 hour time change, we will land at 7:25 pm Florida time.

We hope to get to GKTW by about 9, but that will depend on the airport and how many times we lose the kids before we get out of there. This is too late for the evening orientation, so this will cause us a slight delay leaving the next morning. The kids probably won't be able to sleep since they will still be on Nevada time, but hopefully the flight wears them all down.

May 20th-We plan to get up and have breakfast in the morning and then go to the Orientation. Once we finish this we will make our way over to Universal. This will be our only trip to Universal while there. There may be a few attractions the kids enjoy, but for the most part we are going to zoom through Universal and IOA. The GKTW Christmas party is this evening so we will be back for dinner and the party. After the flight and getting up early, the kids should be ready for an early bedtime.

May 21st-STAR WARS!!!-We are hitting Hollywood Studios in hopes to see as much of the Star Wars weekend as possible. Alexis loves Star Wars and Seth has wanted to do the Jedi Training Academy since he first heard about it. We will stay in the park as long as the kids can make it, (which will probably be around 8 pm) and then we'll head back for some very important rest.

May 22nd-Finally, the most important single day of the trip. The Magic Kingdom. We will spend the entire day here and do everything we can. Seth wants to ride the roller coasters, Alexis wants to meet the princesses, and Claire just wants to see Mickey Mouse. I honestly think she believes we are going all the way there to meet Mickey and then come home.

May 23rd-This is our as of yet unplanned day. We have a lot of options. Hanging out around GKTW is one possibility. We could go back to Universal for a day, or check out Sea World. We have also looked at Busch Gardens in Tampa. Another option would be to spend the day going shopping at outlets and/or playing mini golf. Orlando seems to have a lot of stuff to do, so we'll play this one by ear.

May 24th-Our final day before returning home. We are going to start this day at Animal Kingdom. Seth has wanted to see the Tree of Life since he watched a DisneyWorld show on the Travel channel. We plan on hanging here until around lunchtime, then eating and heading over to the Magic Kingdom to finish the trip. The perfect ending would be to catch the Wishes Show to end the night.

May 25th-Sadly, all good things must end. We don't even get the day to hang out as our flight leaves at 12:45 pm. We will have to get up and have breakfast and then make our way to the airport. We arrive home in Reno with a lifetime full of memories.

That's it. If we do one thing on this list like we expect I'll be happy. As much as it's fun to plan and good to have some ideas, we are not going to take anything too seriously while we are gone. With Seth's condition and money being what it is, we may not have a chance to do anything like this for a long time. Our #1 goal is to have FUN!!!!

[Canyon girl]

When we went to WDW last year, we had problems with the time change and sleeping, too. Will your kids be in school the two days before you leave? If not, why not try to adjust the kids before you go? If they don't have school on that Monday and Tuesday, maybe you could start getting them up earlier and to bed earlier starting the Saturday before your trip?

[Magicbus]

Gary,
I'm one of the many, many GKTW volunteers. I mainly do airport greets.
You arrive fairly late in Orlando so you may or may not get a greeter. I'll ask to be your greeter if you haven't been assigned one yet.
After doing it for the past 10 years, I know that parents do like to be greeted by someone that can help them get on their way. It makes for a stress free beginning to your trip.
We meet the family very soon after you get of the plane. Take you to get your bags. Then we get you setup with a car, if you're getting one. Then usually we give you directions to GKTW but as you'd be my last greet, you could just follow me to GKTW.
Let me know if you have any questions or if I can be of help with anything else during your visit.

[NVDadof3]

MagicBus...that would be great...I'm not too concerned about finding my way to GKTW as I am finding my way through the airport. Seth has seen pictures of other people being greeted and thought it would be cool to have someone there with a sign for him. Hopefully we see you there.

CanyonGirl-I thought about doing that and I thought I must be crazy for thinking of something like that. Glad to know I wasn't the first. Unfortunately Alexis is in school for those two days, but we may still try to do something to help with this. Thanks for the tip.

[NVDadof3]

After watching a video about DisneyWorld Seth is wavering on Animal Kingdom or Epcot. Haven't even left and plans already starting to change. :rotfl: This will probably not be resolved until we are ready to go to one or the other.

[Canyon girl]

Some people split DHS/AK for one day, MK for one day, and EPCOT for one day. That way you would get all the parks in if that is what you want. From the sounds of it, you will definitely want to spend time at the GKTW. The most important part is to take time to "smell the roses." You can make the best plans in the world before you go, but they will change once you get there. The beauty of your trip is that you won't have to wait much for characters or rides, so the time to get things done will much shorter than for most people.

[NVDadof3]

We got our first packages from BIG GIVE today!!! So much fun. It's like Christmas, even for mom and dad.

First, we got a card from Elizabeth in Texas.

http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l477/nyyankees222006/000_0002-1.jpg

Inside was a Cars Disney Gift Card for Seth. Thank you so much Elizabeth. Seth is already spending the money in his head.


Next up was a package from Ellen in NY, aka Ellenbenny.

http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l477/nyyankees222006/000_0003-1.jpg

Inside were some wonderful outfits for the kids.

http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l477/nyyankees222006/000_0004-1.jpg

http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l477/nyyankees222006/000_0003_00-1.jpg

The girls loved their skirts. Alexis asked if she could wear her outfit to school tomorrow. Claire cried when it was time to take it off. Alexis specifically said to tell Ellen that she loves hers so, so, so, so, so, so much. (I may have left a few so's out.)

Sorry there are not more pictures. We just got a new camera and haven't got a memory card for it yet so we could only take 2 pictures then download them and take 2 more. It was pretty slow going but provided for some extra fun.

Thank you Ellen and Elizabeth.

[jessica52877]

The kids look adorable! Okay, Seth looks handsome! He might not want to look adorable! I am glad they loved the outfits!

[llaxton]

Glad he liked it! There is more coming just waiting on a couple of thing for the girls!

[ellenbenny]

So glad they liked the clothes and that everything fit! Tell Alexis I am so, so, so happy for all of you and can't wait to read about your trip, which is coming up very soon. Your kids are cuties, hope you all have an amazing and magical trip.

[wishin' on a star]

Oh goodness, those outfits are just adorable!!! Great job, Ellen! And I'm sure Seth will have no trouble spending his money! The Big Give is just amazing...your kids are going to be watching for the mailman every day now! Something else to add to all the excitement!! :cool1:

[TTomlinson]

Looks like your plans are coming together :) We will be there at about the same time and I have a kid birthday on the 19th too! We get there on the 16th though. We are going to be at DHS on Friday for SWW too and my middle boys cannot wait so maybe we will see you there, or the Christmas party, or both!

One thing you should check out if you want to before you get there, is the Village guide. I found a link to it in one of the GKTW newsletters and there is a section that explains some of the other extra activities that they can help you get tickets to at a reduced rate. I'm trying to find the link but can't find my bookmark lol... I'll get back to you with it. There is a Pirate dinner show kind of like MT but with a pirate theme instead and a Cessna plane ride and a couple of other things.

Also, since you have a boy (I have all boys!) you might want to check out Ridemakerz... http://land.allears.net/blogs/jackspence/2010/03/ridemakerz_1.html I emailed them and explained our situation (our expense check is not that much) and that I had two boys with birthdays and they really wanted to do this but I wasn't sure we could afford it so could they give us a discount or something. They came back and offered to throw a private, complimentary bash for us before the store opens one morning. Unfortunately its the morning of the day you guys get there or I would just ask them if we could invite another wish family to join us :( Still though, it might be something Seth would love if he likes RC cars at all.

We decided to skip SW and spend a day at the beach and after talking to another wish family that has a son with the same disease as mine that went last year in May, I'm glad we are doing this. My boys have never seen the ocean before and I think we will love just building sand castles and letting them put thier feet in the ocean. There are several beaches within about 1-2 hours drive from Orlando from what I understand.

Looking forward to hearing more about your plans and hopefully meeting you guys!

[NVDadof3]

Thanks everyone. The kids are definitely excited and the magic in the mail is making it seem so real.

TTomlinson-We are not going to SW either. I don't know if we will go to the beach either. Seth is just getting his immune system back completely and I don't want to risk anything with him getting in the water. We have talked about our plans so many times that I don't think we will know what we are going to do until we are actually doing it.

[NVDadof3]

Well, we got tired of guessing about the expense check today so we called and asked. It should certainly be more then enough to do what we want/need to do. We are scheduled for dinner most nights at GKTW, but we will probably go out some of those nights. I feel pushy calling and asking about it but it has already made even small plans so much easier. For any wish families that are curious, just ask your wish coordinator. I'm sure if they know they won't have a problem telling you.

[MCazer]

Gary, sorry about the delay, but the autograph books are in the mail!

[NVDadof3]

We got another BIG GIVE today!!!

Thank you very much to Jennifer from Maryland (DIS name scouthawkk).

http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l477/nyyankees222006/100_0001.jpg

There was a big package waiting on the doorstep when we got home today.

http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l477/nyyankees222006/100_0002-1.jpg

Filled with all sorts of goodies for the kids.

http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l477/nyyankees222006/100_0003.jpg

Seth got stickers, Silly Putty, a dry erase board and a notebook.

http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l477/nyyankees222006/100_0004.jpg

Alexis got bubbles, notebook, stickers and a dry erase board.

http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l477/nyyankees222006/100_0005.jpg

Claire got a notebook and dry erase board also. Bubbles, stickers and so much more. The kids also got some great snack containers and lunch bags we can use on the trip.

Thanks so much Jennifer. Everything is wonderful.

[scouthawkk]

We got another BIG GIVE today!!!

Thank you very much to Jennifer from Maryland (DIS name scouthawkk).



You're very welcome. I'm glad it all made it to you. Enjoy the trip!

Edit to add: By the way, what was all the wrap on the outside of the box? It didn't leave DC like that:confused3 Can you tell what happened to it in Nevada?

[NVDadof3]

We got another BIG GIVE. This one actually came last night but I didn't have time to post it.

This one was from Naomi in AZ. (DIS name Canyon Girl.)

http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l477/nyyankees222006/006.jpg

Inside was a little something for everyone.

http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l477/nyyankees222006/007.jpg

The kids all got great activity books for use during the flight.

http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l477/nyyankees222006/009.jpg

http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l477/nyyankees222006/011.jpg

http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l477/nyyankees222006/012.jpg

And even some stuff for mom and dad. This package included sunscreen, moleskin, aleve, carmex, snacks, wipes and other amazing little things that we would probably have forgotten to bring, It also included a great insulated bag that we can use.

http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l477/nyyankees222006/013.jpg

Thanks so much Naomi. The time and thought put into everything is just amazing. You guys are making this all so easy for us, and we really do appreciate it.

[NVDadof3]

Edit to add: By the way, what was all the wrap on the outside of the box? It didn't leave DC like that:confused3 Can you tell what happened to it in Nevada?


You know, it was just like extra strength USPS plastic wrap on the outside. It was an adventure opening it. The kids tried for like 10 minutes before they gave up. :rotfl2:

[jessica52877]

Fun, fun, fun! Look at all that stuff! It is just so wonderful to have such caring people here on the dis! Glad the kids enjoyed it all and love the little adult package too!

[rcq925]

I just found your PTR and you trip is almost here! You got some awesome presents from the Big Give! Those outfits are adorable! So glad everything is coming together so fast for you guys! I hope you all have a wonderful trip!!!

Seth is going to love Star Wars weekend at HS!

[Canyon girl]

Glad you got the books ok. Have a great trip!

[cantwaittoseemickey]

I love all of your Big Give goodies!! Those outfits are so cute! Yay for mom and dad's bag. That is a great idea!

[scouthawkk]

You know, it was just like extra strength USPS plastic wrap on the outside. It was an adventure opening it. The kids tried for like 10 minutes before they gave up. :rotfl2:

Too funny! Wonder why they did that. Very strange!

Love the activity books. It's always good to have stuff to do on the plane!

[NVDadof3]

Well, we went to the doctor today and Seth is scheduled for surgery to get his broviac removed next Thursday. Doctor said it only taks a couple days to heal so he will be fine for his trip. No flush or dressing change supplies on the trip. :cool1:

His Make-A-Wish party is Friday so I hope he feels ok for that. I'm sure he will.

[cantwaittoseemickey]

So glad to hear it is scheduled and not long to go. Can't wait to hear about Seths MAW party:banana:

[NVDadof3]

We got another BIG GIVE package yesterday. This one was from Margaret in New York. This one was wonderful autograph books and bags and pens, and each one had a Disney pin attached to it. We have pictures and I will post them later on today. I only have a few minutes.

Thanks so much Margaret. The kids love them.

[NVDadof3]

Okay, sorry for the delay. As I stated we got another BIG GIVE package on Saturday. This was one mom and dad knew were coming, but it was great to receive it nonetheless. This one came from Margaret in NY.

http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l477/nyyankees222006/100_0029.jpg

The kids each received wonderful personalized autograph books complete with a pen and a Disney pin for each of them.

http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l477/nyyankees222006/100_0032.jpg

http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l477/nyyankees222006/100_0033-1.jpg

http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l477/nyyankees222006/100_0030.jpg


And there were some great luggage tags for mom and dad to use.

http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l477/nyyankees222006/100_0036.jpg


Thank you so much Margaret. These are wonderful gifts. The kids were very excited.

In other news, we have less then 10 days to go. We got a call from our MAW coordinator today and the Reno Channel 2 News wants to interview Seth before his party on Friday. We asked Seth what he thought and he thinks being on television would be the coolest thing ever. So that adds one more thing to our busy schedule.

Here is our schedule that we know of.

Tomorrow we have a meeting with MAW to go over the final packet of information and the final details of the party. We also have an audiology appointment to get Seth fitted for a hearing aid.

Thursday Seth has surgery to get his broviac removed. Although they say it should be a short procedure, we still have to be there at 6 in the morning...ugh.

Friday morning Seth has his teacher in the morning, then his big interview with the News followed by his party.

Next week we hopefully go back to the audiologist to pick up his hearing aid Monday or Tuesday before we leave on Wednesday morning.

Lots of fun stuff. We'll post pictures of as much as we can.

Thanks everyone for all the great packages.

[NVDadof3]

One more thing. We got our Disney personalized maps in the mail today. These are very cool and come in a nice case with your name on them. I would recommend going to Disney's website and ordering these if you are going. They will make a great souvenir.

[wish_upon_a_star35]

Such a beautiful family!!! And YAY for the awesome Big Give gifts!!!

Thanks for the tip on the Disney Maps! I would have never thought to do that!

I know you guys will have a wonderful trip!

[TTomlinson]

Can't believe its so close! I ordered the maps and ours came last week I think and they are really nice! I was impressed. I'm taking them with us, but may print out some for actually using at the parks so we can keep these nice for saving.

Good luck getting everything done! Your to-do list sounds like mine lol I have tried to cram as much as possible into the week before and after our wish trip because we are moving back to Oklahoma the week after our trip but it makes things a lot more hectic here! I must be crazy...:scared:

[NVDadof3]

It's officially Wednesday so I can now say we have one week to go. :cool1:

Today we met with Make A Wish and got our packet, including the itinerary, budget, a guide to Disney World, which will be great for me on the plane, and all other info such as rental car and plane information. They really think of almost everything, and do a great job of dotting their i's and crossing their t's.

Seth also had his appointment to get fitted for hearing aids. This usually only takes about a week but he has to see one other doctor before he gets them so it will not be until after the trip. This may be a blessing in disguise since Seth does not usually enjoy noisy, crowded places. Maybe he will be able to block most of it out.

I'll keep you guys updated as things happen.

176 hours and 45 minutes until the plane takes off!!!

[MCazer]

Okay, sorry for the delay. As I stated we got another BIG GIVE package on Saturday. This was one mom and dad knew were coming, but it was great to receive it nonetheless. This one came from Margaret in NY.

http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l477/nyyankees222006/100_0029.jpg

The kids each received wonderful personalized autograph books complete with a pen and a Disney pin for each of them.

http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l477/nyyankees222006/100_0032.jpg

http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l477/nyyankees222006/100_0033-1.jpg

http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l477/nyyankees222006/100_0030.jpg


And there were some great luggage tags for mom and dad to use.

http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l477/nyyankees222006/100_0036.jpg


Thank you so much Margaret. These are wonderful gifts. The kids were very excited.

In other news, we have less then 10 days to go. We got a call from our MAW coordinator today and the Reno Channel 2 News wants to interview Seth before his party on Friday. We asked Seth what he thought and he thinks being on television would be the coolest thing ever. So that adds one more thing to our busy schedule.

Here is our schedule that we know of.

Tomorrow we have a meeting with MAW to go over the final packet of information and the final details of the party. We also have an audiology appointment to get Seth fitted for a hearing aid.

Thursday Seth has surgery to get his broviac removed. Although they say it should be a short procedure, we still have to be there at 6 in the morning...ugh.

Friday morning Seth has his teacher in the morning, then his big interview with the News followed by his party.

Next week we hopefully go back to the audiologist to pick up his hearing aid Monday or Tuesday before we leave on Wednesday morning.

Lots of fun stuff. We'll post pictures of as much as we can.

Thanks everyone for all the great packages.

party:
Gary, So glad you got them in time!!!

Have a wonderful time. Oh, and better to not have the hearing aides because the fireworks, especially Illuminations is just SO LOUD.

I like your countdown in hours! That's great (well when it is close). When you have months to go, an hour countdown is depressing~ LOL

[NVDadof3]

6 days to go!!!

What a time the last week has been. Everything going by so fast. Seth has to be at the hospital in 5 hours for his surgery, so I don't have a lot of time.

We got 3 BIG GIVE packages today. Yes...THREE!! They all had wonderful goodies for the kids inside. I will post pictures tomorrow as well as an update on Seth and his broviac removal.


151 hours and 45 minutes until our plane takes off!!!

[wishin' on a star]

I can't wait to see the pictures of your Big Give packages!!! I won't even ask how thrilled the kids are with all of this! Isn't the Big Give just incredible?! :goodvibes

I hope all goes well today with the Broviac removal. I'll look forward to a post later from you.

[cajunfan]

I hope Seth is doing well after his surgery and is felling well for his party tonight!

Lynn

[NVDadof3]

I'm sorry I haven't updated in a couple of days. I promise I will post the pictures of the packages we got the other day as soon as possible.

It's been a busy couple of days here. Seth's surgery yesterday went great, and other then being a little sore he is glad to have his line out. They put his broviac i a little specimen cup for him to keep. He has asked about keeping it since they put it in.

Today will be his party. At 1PM the local News is coming over to ask him questions about his trip and other things. At 1:50, a limo will show up. Inside the limo will be two local radio celebrities that do Seth's favorite morning talk show. The limo will take him to his school where he will have his MAW party. We have heard that the mayor will be there and other prominent local people. This should be a very exciting day.

On top of all this, this morning we received FIVE MORE BIG GIVE packages!!!

We haven't opened them yet since Alexis is at school, but I promise I will get to it all before we leave. Thank you to everyone who has sent stuff. You guys have truly made this a wonderful, magical experience and we haven't even left yet.

Thanks so much,

[ellenbenny]

I'm sorry I haven't updated in a couple of days. I promise I will post the pictures of the packages we got the other day as soon as possible.

It's been a busy couple of days here. Seth's surgery yesterday went great, and other then being a little sore he is glad to have his line out. They put his broviac i a little specimen cup for him to keep. He has asked about keeping it since they put it in.

Today will be his party. At 1PM the local News is coming over to ask him questions about his trip and other things. At 1:50, a limo will show up. Inside the limo will be two local radio celebrities that do Seth's favorite morning talk show. The limo will take him to his school where he will have his MAW party. We have heard that the mayor will be there and other prominent local people. This should be a very exciting day.

On top of all this, this morning we received FIVE MORE BIG GIVE packages!!!

We haven't opened them yet since Alexis is at school, but I promise I will get to it all before we leave. Thank you to everyone who has sent stuff. You guys have truly made this a wonderful, magical experience and we haven't even left yet.

Thanks so much,

Everything sounds wonderful, can't wait to see pictures of it all!!

[LisaZoe]

I hope Seth is doing well. I bet you're all very busy getting ready for this trip.

[wishin' on a star]

You're getting closer! I hope we will meet at GKTW in a few days! We are on our way in the morning. I'd love to see pictures of all the Big Gives you've received...but I guess I may get to see some in person!:thumbsup2

Have a safe trip!:goodvibes

[NVDadof3]

We have pictures of all the wonderful BIG GIVE stuff we have received. Anything not posted on here yet will be posted as soon as I find the time. I promise. We also have details of Seth's party and meeting the folks from the radio station and news.

Among some of the things we got were a very cool Star Wars outfit for Seth. Two beautiful Minnie Mouse dresses for the girls. A perfect birthday dress for Claire, and several other goodies.

The folks who do the Big Give are truly remarkable people that know just what to do to make the kids happy. We will cherish all of this forever.

Thanks

[xanphylus]

I love all the Big Give presents so far and can't wait to see more!! :goodvibes I really love that Seth got to be on TV and go in a limo to his party- how cool is that?!?! I have never gone anywhere in a limo and I am 31! Much less, have I ever been on TV. That is very special! :cool1::cool1:
Hope your trip is a blast!

[jessica52877]

I am glad to hear that Seth's surgery went well! I bet he was pretty excited once that was done and over with! Hope you took lots of pictures of his party too! Almost time to take off!

[cantwaittoseemickey]

Glad to hear Seths surgery went well. Can't wait to see pictures of all the Big Give goodies. What a great surpise to have the radio station hosts in the limo. And the news too?? WOW! I can't wait to see pics of all the big smiles too!!

[cajunfan]

Can't wait to see pics of the Big Give things and the PARTY!

Lynn

[cajunfan]

I just realized that your trip is TOMORROW, so...

HAVE A MAGICAL TRIP!!!

Don't forget to come back and tell us all about it...and bring pictures to share!;)

Lynn

[cajunfan]

WELCOME BACK!!!

I can't wait to hear all about it and to see some pictures!

Lynn

[NVDadof3]

Just got back. Had a great time. Could have used less heat, but still fun. Will post all about it and some pictures as well...just need a day or two to rest.

[cantwaittoseemickey]

Welcome back! Can't wait to read all about your trip:cool1:

[rcq925]

Glad you had a great time and are home safe and sound! Can't wait to hear all about your trip and see all the pictures!!:cool1:

[yinyanggirls]

Welcome home! I just got all caught up on the PTR, so now I'm ready for the TR. :thumbsup2

[cajunfan]

I can't wait for you to start your trip report!:banana::rolleyes1:banana:

Lynn

[jessica52877]

Just checking in and wanting to make sure all is good! I know that the end of school, after vacation and summer all make for some busy weeks!