A Halloween Adventure in Autism (11/12) New Thread Begun on TR Board!

[KathyRN137]

Okay...Tricia just found out that she can feed and pet dolphins at Sea World, so now We are so going to Sea World, Mom!

Thank goodness!

I really have no desire to walk around TL in a bathing suit all day!


Kathy

 

[mom2mek]

Okay...Tricia just found out that she can feed and pet dolphins at Sea World, so now We are so going to Sea World, Mom!

Thank goodness!

I really have no desire to walk around TL in a bathing suit all day!


Kathy

I hear ya!

Sara

 

[mrsksomeday]

I can't wait to read about your adventures at Sea World. We always talk about going there but haven't done it...yet .

 

[MRYPPNS]

Well if you get BLT without the extra day then you can do Typhoon Lagoon. Win-win there too. And if you end up with the extra day at OKW you can do Sea World. You can let the DVC Ressie gods decide your fate!

Here's me in 2007 with one of my new friends

 

[KathyRN137]

I took Tricia shopping this weekend (with DSis and DNiece, Caity, who will be going with us in October.)

We went to a new premium outlet complex by them and..... they have a Crocs Outlet!!

I bought Billy his first pair of Crocs: Black Caymans!

Not much of a Disney Jibbitz selection, but I was able to get him Buzz Lightyear and Tigger as starters!!

He loves them!

Kathy

 

[DisMomAmy]

I took Tricia shopping this weekend (with DSis and DNiece, Caity, who will be going with us in October.)

We went to a new premium outlet complex by them and..... they have a Crocs Outlet!!

I bought Billy his first pair of Crocs: Black Caymans!

Not much of a Disney Jibbitz selection, but I was able to get him Buzz Lightyear and Tigger as starters!!

He loves them!

Kathy

Oooo... new crocs!

You didn't get Billy lime green?

I bought Alex a new pair recently - shoebuy sent me a $15 coupon!!! Just to convince me to "come back" - not that I had gone anywhere - I just hadn't purchased anything from their website recently. Luckily Zachary's crocs still fit him - we had to buy him a new pair late last summer because his old pair had broken. No lime green here either... red for Zach and blue for Alex!

 

[All7OfUs]

Hi Again! Ohh, I wish I could get on DIS more often, I'd so love to post on your report more often. I'm not sure I know anything about Sea World at all. It does sounds intriguing, though, after reading more about it.

I'd love for you to read through my TR. Yes, it's about a year old, and it was my first attempt so it's not as elaborate as my next one will be but I do hope that if you read it, that you will find something interesting

I'm going to start my PTR in a few months for my next year's trip. I'm not sure how early is too early to get it going, but I can hardly can contain myself.

 

[KathyRN137]

I'm going to start my PTR in a few months for my next year's trip. I'm not sure how early is too early to get it going, but I can hardly can contain myself.

Honey, its never to early to start dreaming!


Kathy

 

[nu2wdisneyw]

melk: You're #1 now! (Thanks for laughing/crying with me!)

IluvXU: Might just take you up on that, thanks!

CharlestonPrincess: You can't wait! How do you think I feel?!

DisneyFanShawn: Hey, you found me over here, too!

preschoolmom: ...still waiting to see your ticker....

Halloweenqueen & DisMomAmy & Mousescrapper: Don't you just feel like breaking out into a rousing chorus of We're All in This Together!! from HSM?

irishdancer: Hello! Good to see you again!

All7ofUs: I just noticed the TR link in your siggie. Hmmm.....

Nu2wdisneyw: Goodness! Do I qualify as an expert?!

aspen37: You must be talking to nu (above). Between the 2 of you, you better watch it... all the compliments will make my head swell!

starrzone: DVC is complicated, but it's great!

Hedy: BLT is #1, but I will be just as happy with VAKL! 2nd bath is

eyeheartgoofy: I would waitlist BLT, for sure, but I will be truly amazed if we score it this year....lots of demand for those villas!

mom2mek: Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion! ~ Steel Magnolias


Thanks, everybody!

Kathy

Anyone that has planned a trip with as much detail as you and many of our fellow DISers, are experts in my book!!! Your trippies are SOOO much fun to read. They are VERY entertaining!!!

 

[nu2wdisneyw]

While planning our trip I was trying to decide if we wanted to add Sea World in the mix. I think that we are deciding against it, just because this will be our FIRST Disney experience and we don't want to take too much time away from it. I can't wait to hear (read) how your experience with Seaworld goes!!

PTR #6: Sea World GAC Update!


Well, after reading your responses regarding Sea World (thanks!), I am really starting to lean further and further toward making it a part of our trip!

I figured that I might as well just hear it from the horse's mouth, so to speak, so I called Sea World Guest Services and spoke to a very nice woman who answered my questions. Turns out it was a perfect match....I'm a Sea World Newbie and this was her first day on the job!!

The answer to my burning question is, YES! Sea World does have accommodations for those with special needs (autism) that is similar to the Disney GAC. Just need to stop at Guest Services first, just like we do at WDW.

Now I am really going to do some Sea World park research in earnest!

But......

(You see this coming, right?)

To make the one-day park admission more of a value, I may want to take advantage of their "second day for free" offer. Not such a bad idea, actually. From the looks of the on-line map, Sea World is pretty big. I wouldn't want to be temted to rush around trying to do everything in one day.

But....

(Here it comes.....)

I don't want to take away time from my precious WDW!!

I wonder if we should try for the lower-point accommodations at OKW so that we could get an extra night???

Hmmmmmmm.........

Perhaps this would be a good "consolation prize" if we are unable to get ressies at either BLT or VAKL.....

Kathy

 

[PrincessCaitlin]

I'm in

I am currently trying to catch up with your 07 report

I really enjoy the way you type


I have always wanted to go to Halloween at Disney (we just did Christmas at Disney) so I know how magical a time you and your family will have.

When Disney does a holiday it's "GO BIG OR GO HOME!"

Can't wait to read more

 

[KathyRN137]

PTR #7 Still Debating Sea World....Okay, Debate Over.


Tricia is very excited about feeding dolphins, but I'm still not so sure that I want to spend $260 plus an extra $20-40 for fish in order to do it! (There is an additional fee if you want to feed dolphins or sea lions, etc.)
Seems a little steep to me.


And then, there is the additional cost for transportation. We normally do not rent a car while on Disney property. One of the things Ed enjoys the most about being on-site is not having the hassle of driving to and from the parks all week.


So, once we add in the cost of a cab, it really makes the Sea World excursion quite an additional expense. Realistically speaking, that cost would double if we took the free second day option on the one-day ticket, so it really wouldn't be entirely "free!" And, I have a feeling that we will probably wind up not wanting to leave Disney for more than one day, anyhow.


I may have posted in my other report that we opted to pay more $$ for park hopper tickets. And, of course, we will be paying around $225 for 5 MNSSHP tickets for us and for DNiece. (I already told DSis I wanted to give her the party as a Bday present.) The extras are starting to rack up.


If it sounds like I'm trying to justify my decision by citing fiscal responsibility, well, its because I am! As much as it pains me, I think we had better skip SeaWorld again. Sigh. Just a another sign of the times.

On a happier note, I now have only 33 more days until I can call for our DVC reservation! I can't wait to find out what we're going to get!

Kathy

 

[DisMomAmy]

Tough decision... but there's so much to do at Disney - you can't go wrong by staying onsite all week. And you want to make sure you have plenty of down time scheduled too.

We went to Sea World in 2002 and enjoyed it - but I'm not dying to go back. It was right across the street from our resort in 2007 and we didn't go then either. We're not much of a show family so it would have been hard for the boys - they just can't sit still very long. Maybe when they are older - I'm sure Alex would love the roller coasters there.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for BLT!! (Are those the right initials?? Just typing it made me hungry for a sandwich.)

 

[3princesses+aprince]

joining in our your pre trip report!!! Your kids are adorable.
I think the decision to skip seaworld was a good one considering you will not have a rental car, and who REALLY wants to leave Disney World.
It's neat that your neice is coming along, i'm sure the girls will have so much fun together.

 

[Disneylvr]

Hi Kathy, we too have been debating a Sea World visit. Not for our trip next month but for a future trip. Madelyn loves aquariums! But for now we'll stick to the Disney parks.

Billy's (and your family's) journey through autism sounds so much like Madelyns. She too had speech and then lost it just before her 2nd birthday. Her diagnosis of autistic disorder came at age 3. She is now almost 6 years old and so far hasn't regained her speech but we are still working on that. She is in a special education classroom (with 30 minutes of general ed kindergarten inclusion per day) and receives ABA, PT, OT, MT and Speech. She also loves Disney World! She really doesn't have a favorite character but really enjoys all of the rides, the faster they go the better. The most magical thing about vacations in WDW is that we can be just like any other family there. They are so wonderful and understanding about our kids.

I just wanted you to know how much I enjoy your trip reports and pre trip reports! I cry and laugh right along with you.

 

[irish dancer]

Kathy you are not alone in your reasoning. We too think about adding Sea World or even Kennedy Space Center but then when we start adding everything up we just can't pull the trigger. When you've already spent big $$ for WDW passes, to add on a few hundred more is just too much.

I also agree with you on US and IOA, absolutely no desire to go there.....


We are however going to do Typhoon Lagoon during our June trip, we have pluses left from old tix though so no extra $$.

 

[elphie101]

ooooo, 33 days! I personally am hoping for BLT for you cause hellllloooooooo, Contemporary!

(Look at me plotting to be a DVC member when it's at least 10 years away....... )

 

[KathyRN137]

elphie101: Yes, Ed would be on He loves that monorail!

irish dancer: TL is closing for refurb 11/09-3/10....Oh, Darn!

wigdoutdismom: Wow, your first of three WDW trips is almost here! (J/K!) I am jealous!

Charleston Princess: Perhaps it is better to put off SW until they're older...looks likethose coasters are monsters!

preschoolmom: Okay. Made the decision. You can stop waiting now!

mrsksomeday: Someday, Tracy. Maybe we'll all do it together!

Princess Caitlin: Welcome! Take your time with that "07 report; I did!

nu2wdisneyw: Glad you like to read along...we made our 1st WDW trip in September....do you like HOT?!

mom2mek: Did you see I found out TL will be closed during our trip? Whew! No bathing suit pix for me!!

all7ofus: Next time, put your report on the TR board where we non-campers can find it! (I enjoyed reading it, BTW)

MRYPPNS: Your Dolphin pic was so cool! The skin looks so smooth and shiny, you just want to touch it! But looking at it makes me realize that Billy might be of the teeth and would not want to even go near it.

3princes+aprince: Welcome!

DisMomAmy: Yes, the acronym B-L-T is going to get a lot of sandwich jokes! But it's going to be seriously popular, so I don't know....

Disneylvr: Thanks, I know what you've been through. I can't even begin to describe how appreciative we are of Disney's treatment of special needs guests!


Thanks everybody!


Kathy

 

[MRYPPNS]

I can totally understand about not going to SeaWorld because of money. Disney has made it hard to leave property with Magical Express and how the park tickets are priced.

Just keep SeaWorld in mind for the future. I think it would make a wonderful mother/daughter day for the two of you.

 

[elphie101]

Ooo, I forgot, I can add actual insight!

I'd definitely say that Sea World is worth it, my family went when we visited San Diego a few years ago (and almost missed DL....but after my brothers and I being so horrified that we were on the other side of the country and NOT visiting the Happiest Place on Earth, my dad finally relented.....course now I don't remember anything except that we loved the Matterhorn )

Anyway, we had a blast at Sea World, especially the Shamu show - my brother and father were picked to be involved! My brother got to pet the dolphin (orca whales are dolphins, yes) and feed him and even signal him to do tricks, while my dad........got entirely soaked. Ponchos are potentially a must if you ever do this, we had to buy my dad an entirely new outfit at the park, shoes included!