Can someone please explain the photopass to me and what is the cost. Is it worth it. I want as many memories captured as possible of Abby's wish trip
.
Also, we will arrive on a Thursday morning and I am thinking of just hanging out at GKTW for the day, with a trip to Walmart, but since it is Christmas on that day, we figured we would just kind of hang out there, especially since we have to be at the airport at 5am and our limo will be picking us up around 4:15-4:30am
On our last day we do not have to be at the airport until around 6pm or so, our flight doesn't leave until 9pm. What are your suggestions we do on the last day. I was thinking downtown disney, but not sure if we should include a park too, if so which one?
The day after arriving we have reservations @ Chef Mickey's at 8:30 am. Well, Steve and the 2 older kids are at 8:30, mine and Abby's is at 8:50. MAW will only pay for the mine and Abby's, not Steve and the kids. Should we just explain the situation to them when we get there and see if we could all be seated together? How early should we leave GKTW to get to Chef Mickey's?
Abby is so excited to see Chip & Dale, Star Wars and Eyore
, these are her favorites. Kaila is just waiting for Tinkerbell
her favorite and Tilear is just excited for everything. I am just thrilled to see Mickey and Minnie, my 2 favorites for forever. Where are the best places to make sure everyone sees their special characters?
Sorry so long, but I am finally figuring out questions and trying to actually plan. If I get some sort of game plan then once the holidays are over, I can put it all together with some sort of clue.
I saw that these got answered...
You do get a free photopass when you do the GKTW orientation. I can't take all the credit for that one, though. I was just asking for a discount (during a short time when Disney was ONLY offering discounts to people staying on property and asking wish families to pay full price ($150!!)) and Disney came back with one big discount - FREE!! Even the shipping is free.
Can anyone confirm that parking if free at the parks if you show your make a wish button? Our chapter is saying that there shouldn't be a parking fee.
Thank you!! 4 days and counting!!
Bearshouse
Yes! You can get a stroller free, too.
I am really posting this way too early, but I am just way too excited to not do it!!
I’m new to this area, but not to the site. Last Easter my husband and I took our 3 kids to Florida to visit family. While we were there we had a GAD visit to Magic Kingdom and a day at Sea World. I spent a lot of time on the boards trying to squeeze the most fun into the one day. Sadly, it was Spring Break and Easter so it was a little too packed to be much fun. I just submitted a “Make A Wish” request for my youngest so hopefully we can try Disney again and enjoy it much more the next time. His oncologists office said that he would definitely qualify, but I can’t wait to officially hear that from MAW.
A little about me and my family… My name is Christy (32) and my husband is Craig (33). We’ve been together 11 years, married for 6. My oldest son is Trevor (14). He is a brilliant student, in all advanced freshman classes. He is a comedian and is always good for a laugh. My middle child and only girl is Addison (5). She is very outgoing and often makes sure she is the center of attention. My youngest, Elliot, will be 3 in March and is my Wish Kid. He is a sweet, happy, good natured kid who just wants to make everyone smile. I sat down to write out Elliot’s story and it became a book, I guess I could post that in my pre-trip post. The short version…. In July 2009 at 16 months old, Elliot was diagnosed with a football sized Wilms Tumor on his right kidney. In August he had the tumor and kidney removed. He went through radiation and chemo like a trooper and has been done with it all since January of this year. He is cancer free, but continues to get an ultrasound and x-rays or an MRI and CT Scans every 3 months. I just submitted the HIPAA forms to MAW and am now waiting on a response. When asked, he says he wants to see Mickey and Pluto and Buzz and Woody, so I am pretty sure he will request Disney. I am going to go read some more of your trip reports while I anxiously wait
I know it’s a long process, but I won’t stop thinking about it anytime soon! Ideally, I’d love for his trip to happen around his birthday in March but that’s probably too soon. Our Spring Break is April 4-8, maybe that is more realistic? I have no idea how long this takes!
Should I go ahead and start a pre-trip post or wait until I have the approval? I figure I should hold off on posting pictures and all that until I can do it there?
Thanks! I can’t wait to jump in!
Feel free to go ahead and start a pre-trip report...or you can wait until closer to the date. Totally up to you!
Some people start and post things that are going on with their family, etc and Disney planning...and some just post a pre-trip report when they get a little closer. Personally...the more the better!
Glad to have found this board. Trying to figure out this whole process. I had never given a thought to my daughter having a Wish granted, but a friend whose son has a similar diagnosis recently got back from his Wish, and his mom encouraged me to apply. I spoke with our Cardiologist at our last visit, and she stated she would be happy to "approve" my daughter Mikella. She stated she considers her to have "chronic, ongoing heart issues" and felt she qualified. At first we wondered if we should wait til Mikella is a little older (she's 4) but at the rate this is all moving, I figure she'll easily be 5 before we get anywhere! LOL. I requested the referral form off the website, and lo and behold one month later, they appeared in the mail. I mailed them back immeadiately, but by the time they get them back, get the papers to the doctor (does that take a month too?), get them back from her, etc., etc. it didn't appear to be speedy, but maybe the cold makes us slower up here in MN? Does anyone know, if your doctor approves you, are you pretty much guarenteed a wish? I noticed Complex Congenital Heart Defect is on their "automatically approved list".
Also, while we've given Mikella a lot of choices, and she seems set on DW for her wish, the concept of a wish seems to escape her. Her first "wish" was to go to the Mall
The MAW folks do a really good job of sort of sparking the imagination of the child so that they can sort of get in a mindset of dreaming for whatever they want.
Of course, over half of the eligible wish kids pick Disney! And with good reason!
Mary (maroo) does it, but I know she has been really busy. You can try to PM her and tell her you have dates. That's what I did.
Thank you for your help with this!
I am completely snowed at work. Crazy busy.
Thank you, I have PM'd her several times. I know that she is very busy, so hopefully soon she will move us.
I finally got on...
It has been a long week...any week coming back from a Holiday is rough at work, but my email got taken over on Thanksgiving weekend and it took 6 days to get it back...which put me behind on a bunch of work things. It also took my Facebook account, too...what a mess!
I have a new job at work - which is a good thing since I was worried they might lay off my old job - but it has left me no DISing time.
Then my inbox got full on here and I missed a lot of PM's. But I did get two from ya and I have updated her info!
I remember how excited I was to get Lauren's listed, so I know that feeling - so sorry it took me so long! That was one of the main reasons I took over this thread 2 years ago - because I wanted to make sure I could keep up with all of that stuff...so I am really sorry I dropped the ball!
Welcome to any new families that I have missed!
Hayley had strep throat and some type of virus, causing a fever all last week and missed 4 days of school last week!
I promise to get back to my TR this week.
I now know why families have
such a hard time getting the TR done when they get back! Regular life sets in. Before the trip, we were focused on everything MAW, GKTW and Disney and now it is all over
Photobucket is also SO SLOW that it makes it a pain to get the pictures in the TR. I also have over 1,000 pics, so hard to decided which to include.
Are there any other picture sharing sites, other than Photobucket, that are faster/friendlier to use for posting pics to the DIS?
I hope everyone here is doing well!
I TOTALLY feel you!!!!
It is so hard to explain what it is like to be back...and how hard it is to do a Trip Report. I really admire those families that make the time to write one because I can easily see how it would be hard to do...it takes a lot of time, organization and such and time seems to slow down before you leave when you are waiting, waiting, waiting...and you come back to the real world that is moving FAST!
I totally understand where you are coming from.
But a year from now...you will be SOOOOOOO glad that you did one for your family. You will be surprised how much you have forgotten...even the major things...you will one day forget...and you can read it and re-live it...which is priceless later.
And of course, we want one too.
First off, I want to thank you guys for coming up with this AWESOME board for people like us who have children with disABILITIES and are trying to plan something so special! I have 3 daughters, DD17 (wish child), DD8 and DD4. My DD17 (wish child) has Rett Syndrome and has been approved for a trip to Disney and her Rep has suggested us to go in January or February 2011. I am having a hard time deciding on when is a good week to go as far as crowd levels or what! So any advice is greatly appreciated!
I am bit nervous posting on here so bear with me please
Thank you in advance for any help!
Shelby
to the DIS!!! And to the Wish Trippers thread!
Make sure you check out the 2nd post on this thread...the one below all of the wish trip reports...
Crowds in Feb and Jan are great...just try to stay away from major holidays...like President's Day and I would stay away from the Princess Half Marathon weekend, too...it is the last weekend in Feb.
I think Jan is better overall. But no matter when you go, you will have a special button that will help you avoid the lines...so you will be good to go either way!