KathyRN Family's Trip Report: Adventures in Autism: WDW... A FEW PICS, FINALLY! pg 13

[Linnie The Pooh]

Oh, and I do NOT blame Billy for not liking the birds! I don't care much for them myself!

 

[Halloweenqueen]

That was my favorite entry yet!

It made me call Disney Dining and book an ADR for 50s Prime!

 

[KathyRN137]

Question: Do they have boothes at the 50's PTC?

Buzz:

Answer: Yes!

We usually like booths, too, but with Aunt Rae we were five people and the booth would be a tight fit for one side of the booth.

At PTC you always ask for a server who likes to "play"; that way you get someone fun. Some servers are more fun than others and the experience can be a real dud if you get an "aunt" or "uncle" who isn't into it.

From what I've read about you and your family, I think you would have a blast!


Lin: After reading your report, I totally understand your bird "issues" !!

BTW, I have teared-up many, many times at WDW. We get to experience these little, unexpected magic moments all the time. Usually they are 100% due to some incredibly wonderful CMs. I have never met one CM who was unkind or insensitive to our family's special needs. It more than makes up for the little aggravations that we parents inevitably experience while vacationing with our kids, especially if they have challenges like ASD.

We may take a well-deserved vacation from our jobs, our housework, our volunteer commitments; whatever. But we can never be completely on vacation because we are still attending to our most important work...parenting!! I love that I can take our kids to WDW and show them a place where compassion and caring are the norm.

That really is a Dream Come True!

Kathy

 

[csuzannet]

Day Six, Saturday Evening, 11/11/06 : Magic Kingdom


I glanced over toward the Liberty Tree Tavern and wondered, briefly, if Goofy would still be interested in running away together.

Deciding that this was improbable, I joined the others as they trotted off after Ed, who was power walking toward FantasyLand. Oh, well. .

Ha!! I refer to stressful family times as "FUN with Family." (That kind of fun deserves extra emphasis.)

But as an infamous DIS trip reporter once claimed (eeks! Was it Mell Happyhaunt?) . . . family . . . can't live with them, can't love without them.

 

[KathyRN137]

Halloweenqueen: You will love it! See above post....

csuzannet: Well, Life's little ups and downs don't stop just because you're at WDW! Fortunately, the ups greatly outweigh the downs!

Kathy

 

[Linnie The Pooh]

We may take a well-deserved vacation from our jobs, our housework, our volunteer commitments; whatever. But we can never be completely on vacation because we are still attending to our most important work...parenting!! I love that I can take our kids to WDW and show them a place where compassion and caring are the norm.

That really is a Dream Come True!

I couldn't agree with you more. I feel so fortunate we are able to do WDW vacations every year.

Your dinner at the 50's diner sounded AWESOME! I would love that! It sounds like a really neat place. We'll have to try it next time!

 

[KathyRN137]

**You get two installments today because I'm giving up the DisBoards tomorrow for Good Friday!!


Our Last Day: Tuesday, 11/14/06 Boma and the Animal Kingdom


This morning was a blur of activity. Not only did we need to get ourselves up early, and get showered and dressed as usual; we had the added (and as you know) very unpleasant chore of clearing out our rooms and packing up to go home.

Before we knew it, the bellman arrived to pick up the bags! Aaggh! We all ran around like chickens making doubly sure that we had not forgotten anything in the drawers, showers, closets, clothes dryer or DVD player! Then our luggage was gathered up on a cart and taken to Bell services to be checked. We were free to go directly to breakfast! We said goodbye to our beautiful villa and went down to the bus stop. We couldn’t have had a nicer stay!

I kept reminding myself that we still had half a day at WDW and that we could squeeze a lot of fun into the time we had left! We were off to see the Animal Kingdom Lodge for the first time, and to have breakfast at Boma-Flavors of Africa.

We had been planning to take the bus to the AK and then the AK bus over to AKL, but we were running late, so we took the internal bus to the Hospitality House and engaged one of the many taxi vans that were lined up just waiting for fares. It was fast. It was cheap. And, most importantly, it got us to our ADR on time!

As the taxi pulled up to the AKL, I craned my neck to get my first look at the thatch-roofed resort. I just love touring different WDW resorts! We try to visit at least one new one on each trip! I’ve read so many great things about the AKL, and I was so excited to finally see it in person, especially since rumours had been swirling about the possibility of a DVC addition to the Lodge. Yay! (Remember, this was mid-November!)

We entered the huge, high-ceilinged lobby and I was hit with the same “Wow Factor” that I had experienced the first time we visited the Wilderness Lodge. It was just as awesome as I had expected! My eyes were immediately drawn to the four-story wall of glass at the far end that led to the savanna beyond! No time to gape, however, we had to hurry over to Boma! We’d come back after breakfast to explore a bit.

We checked in, received the good old pager, and then sat down to wait. Oh! The aroma of that delicious food cooking suddenly made us realize how hungry we were! Billy was really antsy, so Ed took both kids outside to look at the Uzima Pool while AR and I waited with a host of other guests. I was encouraged by the large number of guests that were leaving the restaurant, most likely anxious to get out to one of the parks.

I felt a quick pang of envy; it was Tuesday and they all most likely were just beginning their vacation, unlike me, who would be leaving today and back in my own bed that night! Whaaah! Okay, I’m just not going to think about that now!

Ed came back with the kids. Presumably looking at all that water gave them the urge to go, b/c Ed needed to take Billy to the men’s room and Tricia asked me to go with her to the ladies’. The door was marked not only in English, but also in Swahili, and the inside was as colorful and as exotic as the lobby. This is one of the reasons I love WDW resorts. They take the time and effort to meticulously extend the theme into all areas, even the restrooms!

“Mom, that pool is awesome! We’ve got to stay here next year!” Tricia said excitedly.

“I thought you wanted to stay at the Beach Club Villas because of their ‘awesome’ pool!” I teased. “Make up your mind!”

“Didn’t you say the vacation club was going to come here, too?” she countered.

“Perhaps. It’s only a rumour, but perhaps there will be villas here eventually”

“Okay, here’s what we’ll do…” (I smiled.) “Next year, we’ll stay at the BCV and then the year after that, we’ll stay here!” she said triumphantly. (I smiled even wider.)

Now I’ve got her thinking like a true DISer!

We joined the others and after a few moments our pager lit up. The “village marketplace” was bustling, even at this late breakfast hour. A smiling CM dressed in tribal costume led us to our table. I was hoping to be shown to a table by the window, but there was no such luck. At least we were seated at the far end of the room and not smack in the middle of the noisy crowd.

“This is great, we’re close to the food!" Ed remarked, hungrily.

The food, we soon learned, was offered from eight different stations that were spread out around a wood-burning grill. Our server, similarly attired in colorful garb, brought a pitcher of Frunch to the table and gave us a brief orientation to the layout as she poured. Soon after, a friendly chef, wearing a very tall white hat, came to the table to assist AR with her food choices. Upon learning that she would like toast with her eggs, he promised to return with some rice-flour bread and was off to the kitchen to arrange it.

Ed wasted no time. He made a beeline for the omelette station while I stayed with Billy and set him up with his Cheerios. AR and Tricia went off in search of their food and as soon as Ed returned with his plate overflowing, I joined them.

What a selection of food! The savory aroma of exotic cooking hung heavy in the air; it smelled spicy, sweet, and smoky all at the same time. There was the usual assortment of pastries and fruits, but with unexpected additions such as mango and papaya and dried coconut! One chef was preparing pancakes and waffles, while another was whipping up eggs and omelettes to order. Bacon, sausage, and ham were offered, as well as more unusual choices such as cured pork loin and bobotie, “a West African dish of corned beef, eggs, and potatoes mixed with cream and onions.” Familiar cold cereals and granola took their place alongside oatmeal, quinoa porridge and pap, made from white corn meal.

It took forever, but I finally made my selections and returned to the table. It looked as though Ed had tried a bit of everything to go with his omelette, and he was working his way through each food one at a time. All was to his liking, except the bobotie, which he expected to taste like corned beef hash, but was much spicier.

The chef returned with profound apologies to AR; it seemed that they were out of the rice bread for her toast. No matter, she was content with her bacon, eggs and potatoes, which were seasoned with red and green peppers.

Tricia had scrambled eggs, a huge bowl of watermelon chunks, and some cheese Danish. She took a sip of the juice and made a face. “What’s that?” she sputtered. “It’s Frunch” I replied. “It’s disgusting!” she said, wiping her tongue off on the cloth napkin for dramatic emphasis.

The menu said it was made up of lemonade, orange juice, pineapple juice, guava juice, and papaya juice. Not what I would call disgusting, but perhaps too heavy and sweet for my taste. We both opted for glass of good old Florida O.J.!

Having eaten our fill and after picking up as many Cheerios as we could off the floor, we wandered back out to the immense lobby to take a closer look.

We had just spent the past week at OKW, where a mix of pastel colors and bright, sunny spaces gave the entire resort an open, airy feel. By contrast, the Lodge’s dark earth tones, dramatic architecture, and colorful African artwork and fabrics worked together to create an atmosphere that was both warm and exotic at the same time. We walked around and examined the tribal shields, sculptures, and carved furnishings, marveling at the stunning beauty of it all.

Like its cousin, the Wilderness Lodge, the AKL boasted a small spring that began inside the lobby and cheerfully bubbled its way to an outdoor stream. The tremendous expanse of vine-covered glass that separated us from the outside world beckoned. We decided that as much as we had wanted to admire the interior of the Lodge, we now wanted to see the main attraction: the animals that inhabited the surrounding savanna.

We made our way out to the rocky Kopje Overlook and eagerly shielded our eyes from the sun, searching for wildlife. We searched and searched and…nothing! Not a single mammal or bird to be found! Puzzled, we asked the CM dressed in safari gear about the empty savanna. Seems that we had just finished our breakfast, but the animals were back at their little houses having theirs! Oh well, not much sense sticking around if there were no animals. Timing is everything, and our timing stunk!


Other than our breakfast at Boma, I had left the rest of the day open. We were leaving OKW for MCO at 4:00, and would need to be back there by 3:30. That meant that, not counting travel time, we had at least four hours to play with. We had narrowed it down to either Downtown Disney or AK. Since we were so close to the park and had pretty much spent all our money anyway, we decided upon another visit to Animal Kingdom!

We made our way back through the dark, majestic lobby and out the front entrance. I was surprised that we had about a 15-min wait for the AK bus; we must have just missed it. Nevertheless, it was a quick ride to the AK, and we soon making our way past the rocky waterfall toward the front gate. There, we greeted by an unexpected surprise! Some children were gathered around a small potted palm tree that was magically talking and moving on its own. It was Wes Palm!!

Billy joined the group of children, fascinated by the animated tree.
“Hello, little boy in the yellow shirt! What’s your name?” The tree asked as Billy hovered nearby.
“Its Billy!” he replied, jumping up and down excitedly.
“How are you today, Billy?”
“I’m fine!” He reached out to pat the tree.
“Can I have a hug?” Wes asked.
Several of the kids, including Billy, hugged the little tree before it wheeled off.

If only the remote control operator knew how much that little conversation between an autistic boy and a little palm tree really meant! A reciprocal conversation with Billy is a very rare thing; a completely different language skill than a simple statement such as “I want Hall of Presidents.” It was more Disney magic!

We entered the gate and started on a path through the lush vegetation of The Oasis, keeping our eyes peeled for any movement in the trees that might signify the presence of wildlife. We spotted a few of the more colorful birds in the branches above and were careful not to walk directly under them (!) as we passed through this aptly named tropical garden.

We emerged from the Oasis and the towering Tree of Life slowly came into view. Every time you get that first glimpse of this amazing creation it is breathtaking! I crossed by fingers as we stopped by the tip board, hoping that there would be a preview of the new Finding Nemo stage show. There was nothing listed on the board, but a CM was standing in the little booth behind it talking on the phone. I waited and when she was finished, I asked her about the show. Yes! A preview was tentatively scheduled for 2pm! I thanked her and we stood in front of the Island Mercantile and plotted our strategy.

It was already 11:30 and we were unaccustomed to arriving at a park this late. I was certainly not accustomed, as you know, to touring a park without a pre-set operational plan! We wanted to see the Nemo show and Flights of Wonder, which would be starting in about 15 min. If we timed it right, we could see both shows and perhaps another attraction in between. Although the temptation was there to try to squeeze in as much as possible, we wanted to be able to enjoy our last day at WDW by just enjoying the atmosphere of the park and not running around like crazy.

We walked over the red brick footbridge to Asia, pausing to look to the right at the picture-perfect view of the snow capped “mountain” of Everest. “Snow Monster! Snow Monster!” Billy shouted as he remembered the wild train rides he took earlier in the week. “I want a Snow Monster, pleeeese!” Tricia soon joined in, begging for another ride on EE. I fell back on the old reliable “We’ll see” in order to placate them for the time being. Right now, I wanted the family to stay together.

Aunt Rae, I had noticed, was moving quite a bit slower today. If I was feeling a bit tired after a week of park touring, our 75 yr-old aunt must have been getting positively weary. “You okay, Aunt Rae?” I asked, scanning her face for signs of fatigue. “I’m fine, just fine” she insisted. “I just need to sit a bit, my ankles are acting up.”

I quickly looked down at her feet. Hmm. No swelling, but her arthritis was probably bothering her. She must have read my mind. “Really, Kathy, I’m fine. I took some Advil this morning, I’m fine!” She quickened her gait sharply in order to convince me.

“Knock it off, Aunt Rae”, Ed scolded lovingly. “You’re going to fall and break a hip, and then we’ll miss our flight!”
“You be quiet, or you won’t be my favorite nephew anymore!”
“Slow down or I’ll give you ticket!” he growled.
“Better listen to him, Aunt Rae”, Tricia advised, “He’s a cop!”
“Bad Boys! Bad Boys!” chirped Billy.

Tricia laughed and they both began to dance around her singing to the melody of the COPS theme song:

"Bad aunt, bad aunt, whatchagonna do?
Whatchagonna do when Daddy comes for you!"

By now we had arrived at Flights of Wonder and we easily found good seats in the large shaded, open-air theater. We enjoyed watching the owls, hawks and other more exotic birds demonstrate their talents while we learned our lesson in animal conservation along with “Guano” Joe.

We left the show thinking that we could visit the tigers next door in the MJT before heading over to the Theater in the Wild. Then the kids started clamoring again to be taken on EE. After a bit of hesitation, the adults gave in and we split up. “For the last time!” I insisted. Ed and AR went off down the path for MJT and I hurried the kids along to EE.

Once again, the GAC saved us and a 45 min wait was cut down to fifteen. When we boarded the old tea train, we found ourselves seated in the very last two rows! This made the already- thrilling ride even wilder, especially the backwards part!

We decided to take a look at our ride photo and this time, we just had to get it! Tricia was feigning a look of absolute terror and Billy was clutching my arm and laughing while I held onto the safety bar for dear life! The photo was embellished with huge Yeti claws reaching out as if to grab us! Yep, that’s a keeper!

We exited the gift shop and sat ourselves down on a large “rock”. I called Ed to let them know that we were done and were heading over to Nemo. They had been taking it nice and slow through the Jungle Trek and were almost finished, so the kids and I crossed over the new bridge from Asia into DinoLand, USA, and proceded to wait for them in front of the Theater in the Wild.

A placard set up in front of the theater entrance announced the upcoming show. Many guests traveling on the path toward Asia stopped and were surprised at the “unadvertised” nature of the performance. The queue swelled with people and spilled out into the path. I held onto the kids, nervously tapping my foot and hoping the others would get here soon. Eventually, I broke down and called again.

They were not far away, but were “caught in traffic” around EE. “Get a move on!” I implored, not wanting to be shut out of our only chance to see the new show until next year. Ed insisted they were moving as fast as they could, considering the congested pathway and AR’s ankles.

Deep breath in, exhale! Deep breath in, exhale! I tried to relax as the theater doors opened and I watched the crowd pushed forward. Then I spotted them, slowly wending their way toward us. Tricia and I waved our arms wildly until they caught sight of us, then I motioned that we were going inside to get seats.

We negotiated the heavy merge and became one with the stream of guests that poured inside. As my eyes became accustomed to the dark, I could see that the theater was quickly filling with the expectant crowd and I searched for the best viewing spot. We moved forward along the middle level and I could see that the seating had not changed much from the old Tarzan show, but the theater was completely enclosed. CMs directed guests to higher seats since the “orchestra” sections already appeared full.

We walked to the far end and slipped into the first row of the “mezzanine” section, right behind the runway where the rollerbladers used to dart around the theater in the previous show. (I don’t like to be too far from an exit, just in case Billy needs to leave before the show ends.)

There was a large group of costumed CMs, from all over the park apparently, seated to our immediate right, as well as a number of WDW “suits” who were preparing to preview the show as well. Ed and AR appeared and joined us on the bench seating. I breathed a sigh of relief and looked around while we waited for the performance to begin.

The audience was buzzing with anticipation. It was exciting to realize that most if not all of us were seeing the show for the first time! Just as in the Coral Reef restaurant, the theater and lighting were designed to simulate a shimmering blue undersea environment.

On either side of the curtained stage were huge plexiglass bubbles that allowed the audience a peek into the teeming waters off an Australian coral reef. From time to time, the image of the little clownfish was projected onto them to make it appear as though he was swimming from one bubble to the next. "Nemo!" “There he is!” the younger children in the audience called out and pointed excitedly each time the little fish appeared!

The lights dimmed and the curtain opened to a dazzlingly colorful set with an animated backdrop. We followed the story of Marlin and Nemo as performers held each character puppet over their shoulder and sang and spoke for them. After a while, you forgot the puppeteers and just got caught up in the story.

“Mr. Ray” was a huge, expansive puppet; so large that the performer rode a bicycle when he swam with his pupils! Bruce and the sharks were a riot! Translucent jellyfish puppets, colorful fish, and rays with their wings gently flapping “swam” among the amazed audience and put us right in the middle of the aquatic action. It’s definitely a must-see, just like FOTLK.

The show ended to thunderous applause and we slowly moved back outside into the bright sunlight. “That was incredible!” I said. “How did you like it, Aunt Rae?” Ed grinned and AR looked a bit sheepish. “I must have dozed off after the first few minutes!” she admitted. “I know. Your head was on my shoulder!” he laughed. “Well, tomorrow you can sleep as long as you want.”

Yes, soon it would be tomorrow and it would all be over. We found a bench under a shady tree and sat eating ice cream and watching all the people go by. Ed looked at his watch and then at me. We could put it off no longer. We retraced our steps back out through the Oasis, then through the turnstiles and over to the bus stop.

I wasn’t feeling quite as emotional as I had yesterday when we left the MK, but I still could not suppress a steady stream of heavy sighs as the bus brought us back to the Hospitality House at OKW. I checked in at bell services and asked them to retrieve our bags while the rest of the family walked around to the dockside Good’s Food to Go and used up the last of our CS credits on sandwiches to go.

I was at the front desk getting our box of sundries shipped home when, suddenly, Ed burst inside and shouted that the driver was waiting for us!

“But he’s almost a half hour early!” I pouted, not wanting to be cheated out of even two minutes at WDW! "Our flight doesn’t leave for almost three hours!"

But Ed was like a maniac, gathering up the bags, the food, the kids and AR, and hustling them over to where the van was parked!

Sigh.

I’ll just take a few more pictures of the resort before we leave…

“Kathy, let’s GO!! Ed snapped.

“Okay, okay, I’m coming.” I glared at the annoying early-bird driver as he smiled and held the door open for me. Hmmph!

The door slammed shut and we settled back for the ride. As we passed through the WDW Gate, Ed noticed my glum expression and laughed.

“Cheer up, honey, Christmas is coming!”

I sighed again and smiled at him wryly. Well, that was true.

Our wonderful vacation was over, but the holidays were coming and there was no time for moping. Next week would be Thanksgiving! I had so much to do! The house needed to be decorated; there was all the Christmas shopping to do; what was I going to bring to my mother’s for Thanksgiving? Where did I put those cards I bought last year?

I needed to make a plan….

Kathy


Next Chapter: Epilogue

 

[Montana Disney Fan]

MDF: Buzz, we should coordinate our families' 2008 trips

You are the second bravest woman I've ever met!

I'll read & reply to your post after dinner.

 

[Montana Disney Fan]

I felt a quick pang of envy; it was Tuesday and they all most likely were just beginning their vacation, unlike me, who would be leaving today and back in my own bed that night!

Lin gets this way at the airport. When we arrive she's feeling all snooting since they all have to go home. When we get to the airport to go home, she's all sad because the new groups of people are showing up and we have to leave.

“Perhaps. It’s only a rumour, but perhaps there will be villas here eventually”

Not a rumor but true.

Next year, we’ll stay at the BCV and then the year after that, we’ll stay here

Not a big fan of the BCV. We like the proximity to our favorite park but the pool is always a madhouse and the place is just a little too "stuffy" for us.

Seems that we had just finished our breakfast, but the animals were back at their little houses having theirs! Oh well, not much sense sticking around if there were no animals. Timing is everything, and our timing stunk!

Darn! That's too bad.

If only the remote control operator knew how much that little conversation between an autistic boy and a little palm tree really meant!

That's soo cool! Trey and LA both like the talking trash can in MK's Tomorrowland. LA casually asked her mother "Mom, why is that trash can talking?"

By now we had arrived at Flights of Wonder and we easily found good seats in the large shaded, open-air theater. We enjoyed watching the owls, hawks and other more exotic birds demonstrate their talents while we learned our lesson in animal conservation along with “Guano” Joe.

The one and only time I took my family to this I thought it was a movie. When we walked in my wife looked at me with a piercing glaze and stated "I see no SCREEN". Oops

The show ended to thunderous applause and we slowly moved back outside into the bright sunlight. “That was incredible!” I said. “How did you like it, Aunt Rae?” Ed grinned and AR looked a bit sheepish. “I must have dozed off after the first few minutes!” she admitted. “I know. Your head was on my shoulder!” he laughed. “Well, tomorrow you can sleep as long as you want.”

LOL!!!

Our wonderful vacation was over, but the holidays were coming and there was no time for moping. Next week would be Thanksgiving! I had so much to do! The house needed to be decorated; there was all the Christmas shopping to do; what was I going to bring to my mother’s for Thanksgiving? Where did I put those cards I bought last year?

Bravo! Nice ending. I can never figure out how to end each trip report post. So what I do is basically just quit typing.

 

[KathyRN137]

Epilogue: Why We'll Be Back


Thanks so much for reading my first TR and for coming along on our latest WDW adventure; I had a lot of fun reminiscing about our trip and I really enjoyed sharing our experiences with you! Just a few more comments to round out the report and then I will bid you farewell…

We really had such a wonderful time last November! Even with all the notes I took, it was impossible to record each and every moment of wonder, each and every grin and giggle. It feels like each time our family goes to WDW the whole experience just gets better and better.

Human nature being what it is, my first impulse is to brag that it was all due to my extensive planning and preparation. I went back and read my earliest pre-trip entries from almost a year ago and had a good laugh at myself…such ridiculous obsession over each and every detail!

How many times did ADRs get made, cancelled, and done over? How many late nights did I spend pouring over our itineraries? How many versions of the Operational Plan got scrapped before I was finally satisfied??

And in the end, did we have perfection? Well, no, of course not! So many variables are beyond the control of even the most intrepid of planners.

There were a few glitches. I didn’t get the room location I wanted. Wishes was spoiled by bad weather. My son got stuck in a hamster tunnel and booted out of Turtle Talk. My husband got grouchy and my daughter didn’t get to make towel animals. Oh well! There goes my perfect “10”!!

We put so much time and effort into researching and planning the “perfect” vacation when, in reality, we all must face the fact that it is all an illusion…there is no such thing as a perfect vacation! Problem is, in our culture we tend to expect that everything in our lives will be perfect. If only we do A, B, and then C; we will have the desired outcome…

Eat these foods and you won’t get heart disease…
Use this face cream and you will look ten years younger…
Drive this car and you will always walk away from an accident…
Follow this tour plan and you will have a perfect day at WDW with no lines…

We are masters of our own destinies! We have the ability to control our lives! Through sheer force of will, planning, and preparation, we can make it happen!

What a crock!!

Yes, it is important to have a plan in life, to think things through and prepare for the future. But, if you delude yourself (like I once did) into thinking that you have the power and control over everything in your life because of that, then you would be missing out on one of Life’s greatest lessons. Remember what was written on that tee shirt:

Life is all about how you handle Plan B.

The “B” side. The flip side of the hit single. You started out listening to the hit song, but then something happened. The record got flipped and now you can’t change it back.

When the role of parent to an autistic child is thrust upon you, it’s natural to ask, why? Why did our lives have to get flipped around like this? Why did this terrible thing have to happen to my child? To me? Why? Why did God allow this?

And, while we are at it, why are there so many terrible things in this world? Why is there war and injustice? Why do families suffer because of Autism and Cancer and AIDS and Alzheimer’s? Why can’t life just be filled with happiness, health, and peace on earth?

Why can’t life always be as beautiful and as wonderful and as magical as it seems to be at Walt Disney World? Well, perhaps I don’t have all the answers, but I think that I have at least learned to live with the questions.

And, forgive me, but perhaps because it is Good Friday, I am sitting here thinking about the suffering of our Lord and feeling a bit more introspective than usual.

Do you remember an old movie from the late 70’s called Oh God!, starring George Burns and John Denver? Or, maybe it was Oh God II, I’m not sure. Anyway, George Burns plays the role of God and he appears to John Denver’s character and calls upon him to “spread the Word”.

There is a wonderful little scene in that movie where John, overwhelmed with the task he has been given and discouraged that he is not succeeding, puts the question to God: Why did you create Evil as well as Good? So many terrible things in the world…why not just have created all good things? Why?

God takes a puff on his cigar, looks thoughtfully at John for a moment, then says something like this:

"Well, kid, I could never create anything that had a top that didn’t also have a bottom…a front without a back…an up without a down. It’s the same way with Good and Bad; you just can’t have one without the other…"

​

********************


I had already been a nurse for several years before Ed and I were married and both our kids were just a twinkle in his eye and a cherished wish in my heart. At the time, I had taken on extra work as a hospice nurse on the weekends, and was “on call” during the night.

Sometimes I had just a few calls; other times I was out all night visiting dying patients and their families at home. Usually, it was to help them manage the patient’s pain. Sometimes I would sit with them as they breathed their last, other times I was called after the fact to make a pronouncement of death. Occasionally, a family member wouldn’t need a home visit; they would just call late at night because they needed someone reassuring to talk to. And that was okay; that’s what I was there for.

Ed would sometimes be awakened by the phone and overhear me talking to a patient’s wife or husband, son or daughter--whoever it was. As I returned to bed, he would shake his head in disbelief. He couldn’t understand why I would choose to work with all those dying people and their families, when there was “no hope” for them. Wasn’t it all just too sad? Well, not really. It could certainly be stressful, but it was also a powerfully moving spiritual experience, one that has served me well.

I remember that there was this saying around hospice, something about “letting your loved one die at home was the ultimate gift that you could give him.” During my orientation, I even heard nurses tell this to distressed family members. I always kind of choked on the words and could never really bring myself to say them. To me, it didn’t seem that the family was giving the patient a gift. Rather, it was the other way around…

I personally feel that when people are sick or in need, they are the ones who ultimately have a gift to give. All parents, but especially the parents of special needs children receive this gift every day. Our children give it to us innocently and freely.

The gift is an opportunity to put aside our own needs and place another’s first. The gift is the chance to reach beyond our own little spheres of existence and touch the lives of others. The gift enables us to learn the powerful lesson of “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” We lay down our lives for another. The gift is God’s love, alive here on earth.

​

*******************


Whenever we read or talk about Walt Disney World, there are always one word that get used quite often… Magic! It’s that wonderful intangible element that makes life-long fans of so many. It draws us back time and time again.

Yes, the parks are beautifully designed and the entertainment is superb. But that’s not what truly enchants us. That wondrous feeling that brings us so much joy comes from Walt's gift. He started with a dream of a place where families could play together and have fun. He was already a successful filmmaker. He could have just built a private playground for his own children and left it at that. But no, he needed to share his dream with the world. He wanted a place where everyone could play, young and old alike.

Walt’s legacy does indeed live on in the theme parks that bear his name. Everyone can come to WDW to play, even if they have physical or psychological challenges. It’s the most accommodating vacation place on earth. And that means so much to families that live with the day-to-day struggles of autism. The cast members really seem to care about you and your children. They just make you feel so welcomed, so accepted, and so valued. It does feel magical. It feels a lot like….love.

That’s why we love Walt Disney World and that is why we will go back again and again.

Wishing you all the best,
Kathy

 

[Mary Anne]

Bravo, bravo.... what a wonderful report. I enjoyed every minute of it. It was a long read starting months and months ago, but a wonderful one. I wish you and your family all the best.

 

[Linnie The Pooh]

Billy joined the group of children, fascinated by the animated tree.
“Hello, little boy in the yellow shirt! What’s your name?” The tree asked as Billy hovered nearby.
“Its Billy!” he replied, jumping up and down excitedly.
“How are you today, Billy?”
“I’m fine!” He reached out to pat the tree.
“Can I have a hug?” Wes asked.
Several of the kids, including Billy, hugged the little tree before it wheeled off.

If only the remote control operator knew how much that little conversation between an autistic boy and a little palm tree really meant! A reciprocal conversation with Billy is a very rare thing; a completely different language skill than a simple statement such as “I want Hall of Presidents.” It was more Disney magic!

Awesome, simply awesome!!! Yay for Billy!!

Lin gets this way at the airport. When we arrive she's feeling all snooting since they all have to go home. When we get to the airport to go home, she's all sad because the new groups of people are showing up and we have to leave.

Yep, he's right I do. When I read that in your TR, I was thinking I feel the same way-jealous when I see the people starting their vacation and mine is ending!

I wouldn't say I feel snooty when I get off the plane and see the people whose vacations are ending. I would say I feel very special-definitely feeling the Disney magic from the moment I get off the plane!!

 

[Linnie The Pooh]

And btw, I LOVED your TR! I can't wait to hear about your next trip!!

 

[Angelrose]

What a wonderful outlook you have on life and death. Thank you the beautiful epilog.

 

[jackdis]

I had tears in my eyes and major goosebumps after reading your epilogue. Thank you so much for sharing!!!
Until the next trip......

 

[jess98ac]

I enjoyed reading your TR so much. I love pictures, and many times end up skipping the ones that don't have any, and this has convinced me to start reading more. As I said in an earlier reply, I have no personal experience with Autism, but your TR helped me learn a lot. It will force me to take a step back and think before getting "angry" at someone in the parks who may not be behaving as well as other people. (that's not exactly what I'm trying to say, but I hope you get my meaning. I'm not the kind of person who would point it out or say something, but reading your TR may help me and others understand that just because you can't "see" someone's disability doesn't mean they don't have one)
I will be looking forward to next year's report!!

 

[KathyRN137]

Thank you all:

MaryAnne: It's true, you've been with me from the start....and I'm so glad!

LTP and Buzz: It's meant so much to me that you felt such a connection with my family. I feel the same way about yours.

Angelrose: You are very kind...thanks.

jackdis: That is so sweet of you to say that.

jess 98 ac: That's okay, Jess, I know exactly what you are trying to say! And it means the world to autistic families ...

With warmest regards...

Kathy

 

[Goofydiane]

Kathy -

What a wonderful family you have. I enjoyed reading about your adventures.

thanks for taking the time to create and post your trip report!

Diane

 

[wvdislover]

Kathy, loved the epilogue! Your TR was fantastic! I looked forward to reading it every day, and am disappointed it's now over. Can't wait for your next one. I guess I need to consider writing one about our trip this Sept. with our ADHD DD9, who is suddenly becoming more adventuresome ("Next time we go to Disney, I'm going to ride Rockin' Rollercoaster!"), and our DD5, who will be going with her best friend (SURPRISE!!!). Could be interesting!

 

[KathyRN137]

Goofydiane: You're very welcome!

wvdislover: Please do write a report; I would love to read it! Have a fantastic time!

Kathy