2011 Beach & Yacht Club FAQ

[DeeCeeSW]

I got my pathology report on Tuesday...lets just say this is the first time I've been on the computer since
I have been diagnosed with breast cancer and have had 2 days to process it...OK still in shock I am only 33 years old.
I am getting genetic testing done to see if I have the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene...if so I will need bilateral mastectomy (They are suggesting that anyways since I am only 33.) I will also need my ovaries removed.
I could get a lumpectomy as long as the MRI doesn't find anything more. I have that scheduled for Monday.
I am trying to stay postive and plan our vacation but too much info lately and decisions to make My husband is having a rough time. We are planning to tell our 7 & 5 year old DD's(5yr old is already suspicious) once we have the MRI results and surgery details and what I plan to do.

Sorry to hear this. Just thought I would let you know that there is a wonderful thread on the DIS Community Board where women like us can talk about our diagnosis and get support and info. from other women (and men) who are affected by BC. The thread is called "DIS Breast Cancer Survivors-GAGWTA!" Just do a search. The women who post there helped keep me sane during one of the most difficult times in my life.

If you ever need someone to vent to or have questions about treatments and/or procedures, I am here for you if you need me. Please feel free to PM me. I was diagnosed with BC at 40 and also had a bilateral and chemo. I'm three years free in April. My BRCA tests were negative. Survival rates are high thanks to technology and drugs; I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

There are 3 club level waterview rooms that do not have a full balcony.

So basically that means the other remaining Lagoon View - Club Level rooms have a full balcony? If so I would take a room without a full one over any room that doesn't have one.

 

[TeenaS]

From my stays at the Boardwalk I know excatly where the elevators are for the Inn side and Villas side, so can anyone please tell me the location of the elevators for the Beach Club rooms? We don't want to go on the elevators for the elevators that you to the elevators for the Beach Club Villas rooms.

The Villas are a different building. We are color coded. The blue building is the BC, the green building is the Villas and the gray building is the YC. The elevators in the BC are right off the lobby. If you come in the front door, you would go to the center of the lobby and make a left and the elevators are behind the steps. There is one other set of elevators in the BC (blue building) but they do not go to the fifth floor which is where the club level regular rooms are and the lounge. We have club level deluxe rooms and suites on the first through four floors also -- all in the blue building.

 

[TeenaS]

So basically that means the other remaining Lagoon View - Club Level rooms have a full balcony? If so I would take a room without a full one over any room that doesn't have one.

They all have balconies but three of the water/lagoon view rooms only have standing balconies (you step out on them and you can barely turn around ... just as it says ... you can stand on them only). Just have "full balcony requested" added to your reservation and you'll have a good chance of getting one of the rooms (since there are only 3 that don't have the full balcony in the water/lagoon view rooms).

 

[pixarmom]

I could use a few prayers for my mother. She saw a cardiologist today who specializes in irregular heart rhythms. She's going to undergo a cardiac catheterization next Friday where they challenge her heart with electricity to try to cause some of the abnormal beats to happen. One of 3 things will happen: 1) Everything will be normal and she'll go home. 2) They'll find an abnormality and perform an ablation. (They "burn" the place where the abnormal electrical activity is coming from.) 3) They'll find an abnormality and implant a defibrillator. Messing around with electricity in the heart makes me nervous, especially since my mother is almost 73 and an ex-smoker with significant emphysema. And she had rheumatic fever which causes heart damage. Thanks!

Amanda

Amanda,

So sorry to hear about this - your mom is in our thoughts and prayers.

 

[pixarmom]

I'll get there on Tuesday (8/23) and we'll have the rest of the week and weekend to get the classroom ready and then I'll be off work Sunday and Monday (August 28 and 29) and school starts August 28th so I will be there that whole first week and come home Saturday, September 3rd.

Of course, first priority is that the baby is safe and arrives when he/she is ready! And I know how much you enjoy that busy time with Jeanne. But if you do go on 8/23, we'll miss you! Our post-cruise BC stay is August 28 and 29 and I was thinking we'd have lots of time to visit with you if you were working those day! I know you'll keep us posted!

 

[pixarmom]

Dee!

Break a leg/egg tonight! Have fun!

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

The Villas are a different building. We are color coded. The blue building is the BC, the green building is the Villas and the gray building is the YC. The elevators in the BC are right off the lobby. If you come in the front door, you would go to the center of the lobby and make a left and the elevators are behind the steps. There is one other set of elevators in the BC (blue building) but they do not go to the fifth floor which is where the club level regular rooms are and the lounge. We have club level deluxe rooms and suites on the first through four floors also -- all in the blue building.

They all have balconies but three of the water/lagoon view rooms only have standing balconies (you step out on them and you can barely turn around ... just as it says ... you can stand on them only). Just have "full balcony requested" added to your reservation and you'll have a good chance of getting one of the rooms (since there are only 3 that don't have the full balcony in the water/lagoon view rooms).

Thank you so much for your information and where exactly do we find the elevators that go to the 5th floor, since that's where are room and lounge is.

 

[TeenaS]

Thank you so much for your information and where exactly do we find the elevators that go to the 5th floor, since that's where are room and lounge is.

It's the main elevators that are right by the lobby as I previously described. Your key will give you access to the fifth floor. If you just press the number 5 in the elevator, it will not light up. You have to put your key in the slot and then 5 lights up. Everybody pretty much uses these elevators ... but only CL guests can get to the fifth floor.

 

[natebenma]

Dee!

Break a leg/egg tonight! Have fun!

Thanks! We head to the theatre in an hour and a half for a 5 PM call.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

It's the main elevators that are right by the lobby as I previously described. Your key will give you access to the fifth floor. If you just press the number 5 in the elevator, it will not light up. You have to put your key in the slot and then 5 lights up. Everybody pretty much uses these elevators ... but only CL guests can get to the fifth floor.

Oh ok and I know how the process works, because when staying Club Level at the Contemporary it's the exact same thing for their elevators.

 

[austraveler]

They have french toast, pastries, breakfast sandwiches, cereals at the Marketplace.

Thanks so much for your response. Those items will do nicely. I have been following your journey on this thread and wish you all the best for the next steps.

 

[DawnMaree]

You New Yorkers have a stronger constitution than I do here in VA! Charleston, SC and East Fork of LI are my limits either way driving

Which is funny because the flights are more of a hassle than driving!

Yes, I am a woos.

Well, we are a family of 5, and my choice was either fly down and stay at POR or drive down and stay at the YC. No brainer for me!! But remember, I'm stopping twice on the way down, have dual DVD players in the van for the kids, stocking up on new DVDs, coming up with lots of activities to fight the boredom. This will be our first time driving down to FL. The furthest we have driven was Virginia Beach -- we're near Syracuse NY. It'll be an experience that I'm sure I will be sharing in a trip report.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Super stoked!! I traded my timeshare into DVC and got a 2 BR at BCV one week and a 2BR at OKW the 2nd week but......today my OKW week came available in BCV and I'm staying BOTH WEEKS at Beach Club!!!!!!!!!

I think MickeyT is the one that's keeping the September guest list up, so could you please change my dates to 9/3-17!!!! It'll be our first trip to WDW and its going to be fabulous!

 

[PittPantherfan]

I am an RN and I wholeheartedly encourage a second opinion at a facility that has breast specialists of all types such as oncological breast surgeons(surgeons that do nothing but surgery of the breast, not general surgeons that do breast surgeries one day a week) and radiologists that do nothing but breast diagnostics. These can usually be found at academic health centers, large cancer treatment centers like Mass. General, Mayo, Sloan-Kettering(NY,NY), MD Anderson (TX), Hopkins(MD). It is worth the travel and the research to find the best.
Well wishes to all those facing health challenges.

 

[creativeamanda]

Well, we are a family of 5, and my choice was either fly down and stay at POR or drive down and stay at the YC. No brainer for me!! But remember, I'm stopping twice on the way down, have dual DVD players in the van for the kids, stocking up on new DVDs, coming up with lots of activities to fight the boredom. This will be our first time driving down to FL. The furthest we have driven was Virginia Beach -- we're near Syracuse NY. It'll be an experience that I'm sure I will be sharing in a trip report.

My husband's uncle lives in the Buffalo area. He goes down to Florida and stays with us along the way so he has a break in the middle. You might want to think of staying overnight somewhere in North Carolina if you haven't thought of that already.

 

[creativeamanda]

I am an RN and I wholeheartedly encourage a second opinion at a facility that has breast specialists of all types such as oncological breast surgeons(surgeons that do nothing but surgery of the breast, not general surgeons that do breast surgeries one day a week) and radiologists that do nothing but breast diagnostics. These can usually be found at academic health centers, large cancer treatment centers like Mass. General, Mayo, Sloan-Kettering(NY,NY), MD Anderson (TX), Hopkins(MD). It is worth the travel and the research to find the best.
Well wishes to all those facing health challenges.

The assistant principal in my school is going tot he treatment center in Texas. They have been wonderful to him and all of us are thankful for the treatment he gets there.

You are so right, going to a center that specializes in cancers is the best course of action. The first time the ap was diagnosed, he went to the local medical center and went to Texas for a second opinion. They told him the same treatment as the local oncologist, but he says now he wishes he had gone ahead to Texas for the treatments the first time, that they may have caught this recurrance much, much sooner.

 

[PittPantherfan]

Well, we are a family of 5, and my choice was either fly down and stay at POR or drive down and stay at the YC. No brainer for me!! But remember, I'm stopping twice on the way down, have dual DVD players in the van for the kids, stocking up on new DVDs, coming up with lots of activities to fight the boredom. This will be our first time driving down to FL. The furthest we have driven was Virginia Beach -- we're near Syracuse NY. It'll be an experience that I'm sure I will be sharing in a trip report.

We are a family of 5 as well and we will be making our 5th drive to Orlando from Erie, PA- not as far as Syracuse,though! To me driving with 5 seems more palatable than flying with 5. Our kids do well - regular stops with outdoor activities, like soccer balls and jump ropes, burns the energy off. They look forward to certain landmarks like our stop-over night location, seeing the first palm tree, getting travel brochures at the rest stops and getting fresh OJ at the Florida welcome center. We have never had a DVD with us and I don't think we will take one this time either -usually just gameboys, books, coloring and homework. XM radio is a plus for the adults. Two trips I was pregnant so we had less kids but I was the one that had to stop all of the time! If you stop regularly, we don't seem to ever experience the need to find a bathroom in a hurry or to use the roadside weeds. We also always pack a picnic lunch for our first day as well as lots of snacks and beverages. When the kids were still in car seats, I liked having our vehicle with our car seats and all the other kid gear you carry around normally. We, of course, have times were the bliss is lost but overall it's a positive experience. Happy motoring!

 

[babyrich]

I am hoping to snag an 8:00am ish reservation at CP during our stay. Will there be a bus that leaves for MK early enough for us to get there on time.

We had a bad experience with the bus service at CBR last year, so I am checking with the BC experts. TIA

 

[TeenaS]

I am an RN and I wholeheartedly encourage a second opinion at a facility that has breast specialists of all types such as oncological breast surgeons(surgeons that do nothing but surgery of the breast, not general surgeons that do breast surgeries one day a week) and radiologists that do nothing but breast diagnostics. These can usually be found at academic health centers, large cancer treatment centers like Mass. General, Mayo, Sloan-Kettering(NY,NY), MD Anderson (TX), Hopkins(MD). It is worth the travel and the research to find the best.
Well wishes to all those facing health challenges.

Yep ... at the Mayo, all of them are breast doctors ... the oncologists, the surgeons, the radiologists and then they actually have a breast doctor you are assigned to that oversees all of them ... she's like the quarterback. I formed a real strong relationship with the breast surgeon at Mayo and get her opinion on everything. She disagreed with the Mayo radiation oncologist on a certain procedure and I went with what the surgeon said. My first experience at South Lake Hospital (a part of Orlando Health) was with a general surgeon and a regular radiologist and thank goodness we realized something was wrong (after the 6+ honor MRI biopsy) and thank goodness Bob said, we're going to the Mayo! Bob said it was either Mayo or Hopkins in Baltimore.