A Real Princess Goes to the Magic Kingdom!

[Who'syourMickey]

Wow, Bill, great start to your TR. I was about to burst into uncontrollable sobs when I found out your little princess is your wife and your only child together, and am SO relieved that she's been cancer free for three years. What a big job taking care of a little girl missing really important glands/organs, and keeping her well.

Our dd wants to visit Cinderella at her Castle (which can be done at CRT in the lobby), sleep in a princess bed (we are going to get a hanging princess canopy to put over her bed at GKTW), dress like a princess (grandma's making princess dresses), ride in Cinderellas carriage and I think we have everything she asked for scheduled but that. I imagine with insurance for the parks riding in Cinderellas carriage with Cinderella would be impossible. She just watched a show today and saw the suite in cinderella's castle, and said "Mom, I just saw a show and did you know there is a Cinderella suite INSIDE the castle?" and I told her "Yes, I knew and there was one winner a day for it." One things for sure, our dd's have a passion for Cinderella in common.

It is possible for your dd to maybe win the night in the castle? Don't they just pick people at random as they enter the gates? I'm crossing my fingers for your dd to still win it.

I think I need to ask everyone their top things they would like to see also. We're looking forward to meeting your family since we will be at GKTW the same week. It will be a princess party for sure.

 

[wendygrace]

oh yay! What is it with our little girls and Cinderella? Too cute! I'm so glad you started this and thank you for the touch of magic. I am so excited for you. I just went over the pics from our trip with some friends and I was tearing up again. I can't wait to go back someday!

By the way, I did the checklist as well. A good book for this is something called "Birnbaum's Walt Disney World for Kids by Kids!". I highly recommend it! My kids loved flipping through it and I "read" it to them (told them about the rides) every night for a few weeks and then we asked each kid which were their top three. We made sure to hit those top three for both our kids.

Great start to your report. I am so glad we have so many of these going. It will really help others in the future, I think!

 

[Bill_Lin]

Okay.... I have not been able to figure out how to insert pictures. Is there a site that is a tutorial for this with topics such as resizing, activating html, etc.?

Thanks to all who can answer this.

Bill

 

[LeeLee2U]

Oh Bill, what a great start!!!! I' so glad you decided to do this.

I still am really hoping for your DD to get that night in the castle. I told my boys about her wish and they both said they were going to pray for it to happen!! Braeton said if he won it he would give it to her!!

We'll be in MK for part of wed and we'll be in AK Thurs. also. This is so exciting!!!

 

[wendygrace]

Bill, I'm not very good at that stuff either but found photobucket easy. I download my pictures to it, then I click a button to resize, copy the url for forums and paste it onto here. Its easy!

 

[Bill_Lin]

Thanks to all for the Photobucket advice. I had not thought of that even though we use it to communicate with my oldest son who is in combat in Baghdad. Our pictures help to remind him of home and what he is fighting for. His pictures help us feel closer to him while he is there. He is a Sergeant in the 3rd Infantry Division. Right after he graduated from college, 9-11 happened. He came and told me that he was joining the army as an enlisted man because he did not want his little sister Lysi to be in a building somewhere when someone flew a plane into it. He is very brave and an amazingly good man. Please keep Christopher in your prayers. This is his second combat tour in Baghdad.

 

[Bill_Lin]

We have "practiced" theme parking, by visiting our "local" theme park, Silverwood Theme Park. It is 2 hours away in Athol, Idaho. Seriously, I am not making up the name of the town. It is pronounced Ath-ole.

Silverwood opens the park the evening of their first day each year (if you knew what northern Idaho weather is like in winter you would not wonder why they aren't open year-round) to people with life-threatening illnesses or developmental disabilities. We try to go each year, and went last May.

Silverwood has two BIG rollercoasters, one corkscrew coaster, a log flume, a river raft type ride, a large water slide park and lots of small rides as well as a genuine steam train. http://www.silverwoodthemepark.com/

 

[LeeLee2U]

Your son is AWESOME! As all our soldiers are!! My nephew who is like a brother to me is also over in Iraq. He's an Army Paratrooper. He's in the 82nd Airborne. We pray for all our soldiers every night and will add Christophers name to our list and your family also.
Love the pics! And how neat to that Silverwood does that each year!!! We used to have Astroworld not quite 2 hours away but that's gone now. And my boys never got to go.
Keep it coming!!!

 

[Bill_Lin]

It can actually snow here in September when we will be in Florida, but that is rare. It usually waits until October for the first snow.

 

[Who'syourMickey]

Love the pics Bill!

I've been thinking about what you said about the beach because we are thinking about a day at the beach if budget allows, which it probably doesnt, but this would have been my plan for the ultimate beach day.

On our do over trip seven years ago we went to Anna Maria Island, it is around Sarasota, which is two to two and a half hours from Orlando. White sand beaches and crystal clear blue water and dolphins in the water! Paradise. This would be the direction I would drive to see a beach that is worthy to be called a beach, whose waves are gentle enough for children to play in and enjoy because it is on the gulf side and not the ocean side (less current, waves that won't knock a small child over). I would start early, 6 am, grab coffee or donuts, wish child asleep on their special GKTW pillow during the drive, drive to the beach Sarasota, longboat key, bradenton beach, or anna maria island area, spend 1/2 a day at the beach then on the way home see busch gardens tampa (I think Busch Gardens has free GKTW tickets), then come home to GKTW in the eve by 9:30 or so and do the pizza dinner. It's a long day but mostly driving and seeing gardens so not exausting like a theme park (I think busch gardens is a garden but it has some rides). There is a cool walking trail through woods that opens up right on the beach at Anna Maria, that was a highlight too. After two or three hours on the beach you would want a break in air conditioning. That would be a great time to get fast food and get on the road to Tampa.

Our dd also would like to jetski. There is a jetski by the Cinderella castle rentable from the monorail to a disney resort like the GF or CR but it is swamp water and there could be diseases in it. If I had an extra $200 (2 hours of jetski rental), the beach, like holmes beach near anna maria island, would be the perfect place to rent a jetski at the beach area, take turns riding in it 3 at a time while the others played in view on the beach. You can jetski out where there are dolphins. jetski was part of our dd's dream too.

What do you experienced travelers think? Is the beach and Busch Gardens with a five hour drive too much? I know that my dd would sleep in the van so It would be important rest for her during the drive.

 

[tinkercat]

What a great start!

I am hoping and praying that somehow, some way, they'll be able to make Lysi's dream of sleeping in the castle come true. I couldn't help but smile when I read your big date, May 18th. You see, we were lucky enough to spend May 18th sleeping in the castle suite, so its a special date for me as well. I know your little princess would love staying there and I'm wishing along with her that it will happen.

I can't wait to read more!

 

[Bill_Lin]

About the Ocean. We are not too worried about big waves as we live on the west coast. Now we REALLY know how to have BIG waves out here. We were thinking of a quick drive over to Cape Canaveral just to dip out toes in the Atlantic and look for a few shells. My folks live on near the Straits of Juan de Fuca in Washington State which is a slightly sheltered spur off of the Pacific. We love to walk in the water and play on the beach. I will say that the north Pacific is a LOT cooler than the north Atlantic, but in shallow water it can be nice in the summer. As far as the Gulf of Mexico, I am a tad nervous about recent articles on flesh-eating bacteria in the Gulf. Also, it is in the opposite direction from the airport. These are fun choices to have to be made, compared to the choices we have had to make throughout Lysi's life.

It is so wonderful to have the support and ideas of everyone here. This is a wonderful community!

 

[Avivasmom]

Your daughter is just adorable....and we will keep your son in our thougths and prayers for his safety.

 

[Who'syourMickey]

Flesh eating bacteria!!!!! YUK!!!! We were making plans to go to St. Petes and have dd wear her professional quality scuba mask to protect her eyes from bacteria & such. Sigh. Google said that children with illnesses are more succeptable to bacteria. I know dd's docs don't want her getting any questionable water in her eyes. Well, my new TR plans I'm about to post have the beach included but now that puts a question mark on it.

 

[alizesmom]

Bill, Blessings and thanks to your son. Karen

 

[AAATGirl]

Hi im Who'syourMickey's dd AAAT Girl

see ya in 39 days

 

[the4princesses]

Hi I'm so happy for you and your DD, getting to go to WDW!! I
Have a son who just turned 5 on Aug 11th. Your DD is soooo cute!
My DH's name is Christopher also, I'm so thankful for your son,that he would defend us, the USA!! We will pray for Christopher.
I hope you all enjoy WDW!
When did your DD turn 5? .
Write back
Thank you,
Kathy

 

[5dwarves]

Bill & Lin,

You have gotten off to a great start. After chatting with you in my TR and on other TR's it is so nice to meet your family! I have had a brother in law come home from Iraq (USMC) and another who is still there with 4-5 months left of his 18+ month deployment. We greatly appreciate all the sacrifices our soldiers, sailors and marines make, and greatly appreciate their families for all their sacrifices as well.

Lysi is a doll! Have you considered BBB at DTD and coming soon to MK. They will do a princess hairstyle for $35 I believe, then $45 to include nails and then $175+ for the whole package (dress, tiara, scepter, etc.) The girls look like they walked out of a Disney movie. It is precious (photo pass people there too).

Make your wish for a night at Cinderella's castle known to your wish agency. They have contacts, I am sure, with Disney. You might want to call ahead to GKTW and tell them the same thing and ask them if they think something like that might be possible.

GKTW will give you tickets to Cape Canveral. They have a bus tour there.

I was hesitant about the ocean as well...my son is immunosupressed, and was not able to swim in a pool or ocean for 12 months post transplant. He can never swim in lakes or rivers because of the bacteria found there. I would think long and hard about it, and consult Lysi's doctors. There was a wish family at GKTW while we were there and they went to Cocoa Beach and said it was awful...they were very displeased.

I am hoping you won't have terrible crowds, in spite of the free dining plan. The GKTW button and GAC will help you through the lines tremendously.

Keep up the good pre TR!

Elisa

 

[5dwarves]

Bill:

You had said something about getting to GKTW at 5:00 or so. Dinner starts at 6:00 and Orientation is at 7:00. You will be moving at a pretty peppy pace once you get there.

When you get on property they will sit at one of the tables with you, gather the check in info and then someone will take you to your villa in a golf cart with the car following. That individual will show you around the villa (point out things like the thermostat and laundry area) and then there will be another orientation for parents where your ticket packages are passed out. When you check in you will be given your "Bunny Book". It has directions to all the parks, and general info. You won't have time to look over it completely, but you will want to flip through it briefly so that you can ask any questions at orientation. After having been on these boards, you will find that you are more well informed that anyone else there. Still though, I had a couple of questions pop up.

 

[KathyRN137]

I am completely entranced by your story and so very glad that your darling daughter's wish will be granted!!

Keeping your son and all our troops in my prayers....


Kathy