We had a rough year so we are going to Disney**PTR***

[Auntyaya]

Hi Everyone, I wasn't sure I was going to post much on here or do a pre-trip report but I have decided to so I can hopefully get everything in order without my 8 yr old finding out.

Who is going: Me - Loretta, Mom 41
DH - Scott, Dad 47
Mamaw - Connie, My mom 59
DD - Morgan 14
DS - Wyatt 8

When - May 17-22, 2011

We are staying at POR, flying down and using ME to get to the resort.

****Added plans for the park in post 6


We have all been to Disney except DS. We were blessed with a Make a Wish trip back in 2001 for DD. She has a brain tumor and we decided to take her wish trip for her 5th birthday. She had just finished a year of chemo at the time. We have been wanting to go back to Disney but it just hasn't been an option. This year my mom and I just decided to plan it kind of spur of the moment. We started talking about it in early Feb and it was booked by mid Feb.

This trip will be on a tight budget and I am sure we will be a bit cramped at POR but we really really needed something to look forward to this year.

My DD had her 4th brain surgery last year on 4/12/10, my mom lives in Florida but came up here and stayed with us for about a month to help take care of my son during the surgery and recovery. The original plan was DD would have surgery on 3/9/10 but after a delay, an allergic reaction and another delay she finally had surgery on the 12th. She then had 6 weeks of radiation from July to August.

In the mean time my mom went back home to Florida in May & found a lump and was diagnosed with breast cancer. So Mamaw then started chemotherapy treatments, and is currently finishing up her radiation.

We decided to tell DD we were going but we all want to keep it a surprise for DS. DD is having so much fun planning stuff, researching things to do, and planning DS's trip bag! When we have a bad day we just talk about the trip (or txt if DS is in the room!) and it always cheers us up.

Well there are the basic's I will be back later to update with the plans so far to get some input on those.

 

[MARsMama]

So sorry to hear of all that you've been through with your DD and now your Mom You really have had a tough go of it
It's great that you're able to plan a trip to WDW and that the planning is helping you and your DD out when having stressful days.
Your DS will be so excited! Are you going to tell him at all before hand, or just wait until the day you leave?
Looking forward to hearing all about your trip plans

 

[Corrine 1973]

You have had a bad (make that horrible year), so I so glad you are all going to WDW. How fun to have your DD help surprise your DS. I can't wait to read more about your trip.

This will also be our first trip since our Wish trip. We went back in september of 2009. It is very diffrent doing this all on my own instead of having a Wish cordinator do most of the arrangements for us.

 

[Auntyaya]

So sorry to hear of all that you've been through with your DD and now your Mom You really have had a tough go of it
It's great that you're able to plan a trip to WDW and that the planning is helping you and your DD out when having stressful days.
Your DS will be so excited! Are you going to tell him at all before hand, or just wait until the day you leave?
Looking forward to hearing all about your trip plans

Thanks! It has been a tough year but it could be worse! We are thankful we all made it through and thankful Mom and Morgan are on the road to recover. We are really thankful we are able to get to Disney even if it will be a short trip on a tight budget!

 

[Auntyaya]

You have had a bad (make that horrible year), so I so glad you are all going to WDW. How fun to have your DD help surprise your DS. I can't wait to read more about your trip.

This will also be our first trip since our Wish trip. We went back in september of 2009. It is very diffrent doing this all on my own instead of having a Wish cordinator do most of the arrangements for us.

Thank you! We tried to get back for several years after Morgan's Wish trip and things kept coming up. She has needed surgery or some other treatment about every 2 years since her Wish trip. Hard to believe it was 10 yrs ago! We are just so very thankful we still have her! It is different doing it on your own & I have to remind myself that this trip will be different but this will be DS's first trip so it will be very special.

 

[Auntyaya]

Ok, Our plans so far are

Our flight leaves at 2:50 on May 17th & lands at 5:10. The kids will be going to school in the morning. We will pick DD up at her school & then pick up DS about 11:30. We keep going back and forth on how we are going to surprise him. DH seems to think DS will not think twice about us picking him up (with grandma in the van too) and saying we are taking him to lunch. I don't think we will be able to hide the luggage and I think DS is way more observant than DH does so I am pretty sure DS will know something is up. DD & I will have a bag packed for DS with activities for the plane and a Disney t-shirt so we may just give him the bag and see how long it takes for him to figure it out. We are taking ME so I am hoping to be at POR by 6:30-7:00. We will then probably get something to eat and either take a quick swim or go eat at Downtown Disney and shop a bit.

Wed, May 18 - MK - I hope to do rope drop, then hit the bigger rides if I can get DS to agree to them. My and DD's must do's at MK are HM, SM, BTMRR, POTC, Buzz Lightyear, Mickey's Philharmagic & Monsters Inc Laugh Floor. I hope this is not too ambitious. I am not sure how much character meeting my DS will want to do either so we will have a loose plan on what to do and go with the flow according to my mom's energy level and what DS wants.

Thurs, May 19 - HS - here we will either have an early lunch or a late lunch at 50's Prime Time Cafe. My Mom will be able to help with the planning a bit more in about 3 weeks. I also hope to do rope drop here & then either DH or I will do the race to TSMM. Star Wars Weekends start the day after this and there is no Fantasmic so I am hoping it is not too busy. I am also hoping that they may have Star Tours up for a test run. We may also try to sign DS up for Jedi training. DS is either totally outgoing & not shy or very shy and easily embarrassed it depends on his mood so we will have to wait and see on that. DD's & my must do's here are TSMM, TT, RNRC, the backlot tour, I would also like to see the Indiana Jones show & the Lights Motors Action show. I really think DS would love these. I am not sure he would love the TT or RNRC so DD & I may ride while mamaw & Wyatt are at a show. (DH sometimes has motion sickness so he will have to decide what he is doing by how he is feeling.) We may come back to this park either Friday evening or Sat evening also just to see the Star Wars stuff. I know DS would enjoy that but I would like to ride what I can before the weekend.

Friday, May 20 - AK - We have and ADR for Donald's Breakfast at 8:05. Now depending on if DS is wanting to meet characters or not AK may be a short day. DS has a lot of energy (which is probably typical for an 8 yr old) so we will probably only see one show here, either FOTLK or Nemo. We would like to ride Kilimanjaro Safaris, EE, Dinosaur, and see ITTBAB.

Sat, May 21 - EP - Ok I love EPCOT, I would love to have more than one day for it. We do have park hoppers so we may hop over here for lunch sometime or come over in the evening we will just have to see. Of course I would love to be here for RD but we will have to see how everyone is doing from the first 3 days! So of course first on our list to do will be either ride Soarin or get FP's (this ride was not here the last time we were her 10 yrs ago!) and we also need to do TT. DD really wants to do Mission Space so at least one of us will have to do that with her. We also need to have mammaw, & DH try the Beverly at the Cool Club! The kids & I tried this last year when we went to see my niece graduate in South Carolina. We took a day trip to Atlanta to The World of Coke & the Aquarium. DD has plans on how to get Mam & Daddy to try the Beverly! I am also looking forward to touring the World Showcase & snacking around the world.

We leave Sunday evening so we will probably hang at the pool or Downtown Disney till or ME bus leaves to take us back to the airport.

Ok that's what I have so far, let me know what you think! We have not been to Disney since 2001 and that was with a 5 yr old so obviously we have different wants and needs than we did then. Also as I said we will go with the flow depending on my mom's energy level and my DS's wants. I am planning on not being able to see everything & do everything we want to do. I am also planning on this trip maybe igniting the Disney fever in DH again and him being more careful with his spending so we can go again in the near future!