Make-A-Wish and "M to the I, I, C to the K E Y, M O U S E" for Hannah!

[LVMom23]

Time to get to work... DISNEY work that is!

I have so many questions in my head regarding planning this trip, and now with just 3-1/2 weeks out, it is time for me to start getting answers! I posted some of them in the MAW thread over here.

Another thing I want to do is to make a list of Hannah-doable rides. I know she isn't going to be going on many rides anyways, but if we do come across a ride that everyone wants to go on, I want to make sure that it is safe for her.

• No water rides or splashing because of the trach
• We must be able to sit her on our lap or closely next to us to secure her
• Can't go around and around or be too fast because of her neuromuscular eye issues

So far, I have gotten It's A Small World, Jungle Cruise, and possibly Pooh. But I hope to get a couple of rides in each of the four Disney Parks (as well as Universal!). Open to suggestions!

I know she is going to really love the shows that are brightly colored and musical (like Beauty and the Beast and Lion King), so we just have to make sure we have good seating where she can see.

I have to share this picture with you all. This was April of 2009 at Disneyland (we are from Southern California so we did Disneyland almost every other year, and this was our last trip!). This was taken during Its a Small World, and Hannah was just in AWE with everything around her. She was wide-eyed during the entire ride and held on to Daddy in that position almost the whole way! She was just 9 months old here (she had very few symptoms at this point).

 

[billwendy]

Hmmmm,,,,

Pooh ride, Haunted Mansion, Tiki Room, Buzz Lightyear (its called spin, but it really doesnt spin, it kind of turns), Peter Pan, Snow White

Great Movie ride? Muppetvision? Stunt show? Indyanna Jones show, Toy Story Mania

Safari? good shows at AK

Figment Ride, living with the land ride, Epcot Ball? Mexico Ride, ellen's energy ride?

Sorry, I really dont know much bout universal......

 

[blessedmom4]

Wendy has some AWESOME suggestions on the rides!

I LOVED seeing all of the Big Gives...How wonderful for the family!!!! I am excited for you!

 

[cogero]

you should be able to go on everything without a height restriction.

We started taking my son at 8 months old so this is old hat to me. Now we actually go on less with him because of his sensory issues. So since we love to people watch J and I do that or go find characters for pictures.

His favorite ride is actually Its a Small World he love the colors. the only thing he does not like is waiting to get off the boat.

 

[VBAndrea]

In addition to Wendy's suggestion the Nemo ride at Epcot is great, but it is dark. There's the train at MK and AK and my ds loves the monorail (but trains are his life).

I recommend searching for rides on YouTube and you can get an idea of what they are like.

 

[tinytreasures]

The Its a small world picture is the best ever
Sorry no help with rides

 

[LVMom23]

These suggestions definitely give me something to work with.

And THANK YOU for the suggestion of looking on youtube. I found some videos that were incredibly helpful (and fun to watch too)!
http://www.youtube.com/user/holyRONANempire
and
http://www.youtube.com/user/Spokesmayne

This one cracks me up -- he obviously loves his Disney (or is trying to be a "Viral sensation"). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpuBjKRaXsc

 

[blessedmom4]

Thinking of you.

 

[angeque143]

These suggestions definitely give me something to work with.

And THANK YOU for the suggestion of looking on youtube. I found some videos that were incredibly helpful (and fun to watch too)!
http://www.youtube.com/user/holyRONANempire
and
http://www.youtube.com/user/Spokesmayne

This one cracks me up -- he obviously loves his Disney (or is trying to be a "Viral sensation"). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpuBjKRaXsc

What an awesome find Thanks for sharing!!!

 

[jimmysmom74]

Beautiful pictures!! They all look ready to meet the Mouse. Keep the photos coming, I love to see Hannah's awesome smiles.

 

[LVMom23]

I got a few more trip planning items started today...

• Requested the letter from Hannah's pediatrician for the TSA to transport her 8 liquid meds and formula on the flight without a problem
• Requested a letter from Hannah's pediatrician "giving permission" for us to discontinue nursing service for the week we are gone (otherwise we lose our nursing certification and have to start the whole process over to be re-certified)
• Talked to Apria about shipping some of Hannah's med supplies directly to GKTW
• Attempting to get Hannah's infusions scheduled so that she doesn't go 3-1/2 weeks in between treatments (she can go no more than 2 weeks and 3 days in between treatments). NOT fun.

Yeah, not much of the fun stuff. But it definitely has to get done!

 

[tinytreasures]

Sounds like you have great start. Having medical kids and going on a trip is a LOT of work for us moms

 

[LVMom23]

Sounds like you have great start. Having medical kids and going on a trip is a LOT of work for us moms

Yeah, I will definitely say it makes things more complicated! Doable, but definitely more complicated

 

[LVMom23]

When Daddy and Hannah got home from her bi-weekly infusion, they found TWO packages sitting near our front door! It was so dang hard for me to wait until Ethan and Abby got home!

Hannah couldn't wait either...this first one was from Ellenbenny

Fortunately she just had to wait a few minutes until Abby and Ethan came down!

It was this absolutely adorable Nemo dress!! It looks like it was hand made! These pictures don't do it justice by any means, but it really was amazing! Hannah couldn't stop staring at the print (you can see the little smile behind her paci)

We wanted to try it on her, but she just had a breathing treatment so we didn't want to get it messy.

Ellen, thank you, thank you, thank you!! It is absolutely fantastic!!!!

 

[LVMom23]

This next surprise was from Crissy (Crissyjb). We let Ethan open this one because Abby and Hannah opened the previous one.

What really surprises me about all of this is that Ethan really gets into reading the cards that go along with the gifts. This one was no exception! I think he is finally at the age where he realizes that there is true sentiment that goes along with a card (instead of the regular "here ya go" with a character on it).

It was a scrapbook! Let me rephrase that -- it was a COMPLETE scrapbook, just add pictures! Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow! As a fellow scrapper (who hasn't done it in almost 6 years), I was so excited for this! Scrapping adventures makes the trip so much more memorable!

Now I don't know if this was planned, but the kids two favorite pages were right next to each other!

Such a special, special gift. I made a deal with the kids that THEY will get to add the pictures to this scrapbook, and I will help with the journaling. They are so very excited to do this, and I think it will be great for them because they will get to relive all the memories all over again for many weekends to come!

Thank you Crissy! This is awesome!!!!

 

[livndisney]

Hmmmm,,,,

Pooh ride, Haunted Mansion, Tiki Room, Buzz Lightyear (its called spin, but it really doesnt spin, it kind of turns), Peter Pan, Snow White

Great Movie ride? Muppetvision? Stunt show? Indyanna Jones show, Toy Story Mania

Safari? good shows at AK

Figment Ride, living with the land ride, Epcot Ball? Mexico Ride, ellen's energy ride?

Sorry, I really dont know much bout universal......

I would urge caution with Toy Story Mania and the Safari. TSM has some very forceful spin type turns (Universal has the same thing with the Cat and the Hat ride). Safari can be a very bumpy rough ride.

 

[angeque143]

Awesome BIG GIVES!!! The dress is adorable and the scrapbook is going to make such a lovely home for all the fantastic memories that you are going to create!!

 

[ellenbenny]

I am so glad that you like the Nemo dress!!

 

[mom2pixies]

Ooooh---love the Nemo dress! Hannah will look adorable in it! And, love the scrapbook. The kids will have a blast putting that together with Mom!

 

[tinytreasures]

Love both of the Big Gives. Your Hannah looks so much like my Avy at that age. She held her Paci the same way.