Aidan's wish trip to Tink's home 3/1-3/7

[Thumper321]

Woohoo..I hope the first set of dates work out for you! We're going the 2-8 of March, and another family is going the 3-9! Maroo is also going to be at WDW in that window.

Oh, wow! Wouldn't that be great?!?! Are you staying at Give Kids the World? I'm pretty sure that we will be. It would be neat to actually 'know' some of our 'neighbors'.

 

[pipersmom]

We are staying at GKTW We've already made plans to meet up with momtowishkid (Jennifer) and her family the night of the Christmas party..would be awesome if we could meet up with you guys as well!!

 

[Thumper321]

This is the picture from 01/05 when we had our wish meeting. Our volunteer just sent it to me. Aidan is holding his wish drawing. It's a pink castle and the lines coming out the top are fireworks. We're going to Disney! Can you tell I'm excited, too?

 

[Thumper321]

We are staying at GKTW We've already made plans to meet up with momtowishkid (Jennifer) and her family the night of the Christmas party..would be awesome if we could meet up with you guys as well!!

Absolutely! Oh, I hope we get our first week now! When are they going to let me know? How long did it take everybody else between getting all their paperwork turned in and getting dates?

 

[pipersmom]

I think it can range anywhere from 1-3 weeks. I would give it a week and a half or so, then you can always email them The waiting is the hardest!! I hope you guys have a wonderful day, we're off to the Dr..boooo! Awesome pic of the boys and I love Aidan's drawing!!

 

[yinyanggirls]

Congrats on getting the trip approved! My dd's wish was approved for 2 months before she was able to make her wish and then about 2 more months before we had official dates. Our chapter seems to be very busy though, for some reason. So I totally feel for you on the suspense of the wait! In the meantime, you found a great place to start planning!

 

[Momofwishkid]

Woohoo..I hope the first set of dates work out for you! We're going the 2-8 of March, and another family is going the 3-9! Maroo is also going to be at WDW in that window. It would be very cool to have another family going in that window! Piper also has heat problems, so for us it was March or wait until October!! Keeping my fingers crossed the dates come through for you!

I second the Whoo Hoo!! I am the family going on the week of the 3-9th. We would love to meet your family. Like Amanda ssid if your going to the Christmas party it would be a perfect time for us all to meet.

 

[Thumper321]

I second the Whoo Hoo!! I am the family going on the week of the 3-9th. We would love to meet your family. Like Amanda ssid if your going to the Christmas party it would be a perfect time for us all to meet.

We will definitely be at the Christmas party no matter which week we go -- I just hope it's the first week now! <------- Insert non-existent 'fingers crossed' smilie here.

 

[Thumper321]

MAW let us know that if Aidan wants a meet and greet with Tinkerbell, it will cut 3 days off of his trip. Since he wished to go to Tinkerbell's home, they are giving us the choice -- meet Tinkerbell (if they can get it arranged) and have a 3-night / 4-day trip or don't meet Tink and have a 6-night / 7-day trip. I think we're going to go with the 7 day trip. I'm hoping that we might at least be able to get an autograph in one of the parks. If not, I hope that the rest of the trip will negate the fact that he doesn't get to meet her. I hope this isn't because he wished for Tinkerbell and not Spiderman or something. Ah, well, it'll still be a great time! Just wanted to vent for a second.

 

[pipersmom]

Miranda I would definitely go with the 7 day trip. I have yet to see a TR where the family did not meet Tink and most of the other fairies as well. They also seem to be very good with the wish kids & fams ie, letting them spend a good chunk of time with the characters at the meets. Also, you may be able to get something arranged without MAW's help as far as getting him a longer meet & greet! Don't let it get you down!!! I'm sure Aidan (and the rest of the fam) will have a wonderful time. I can't imagine trying to cram everything into 4 days though..esp with 2 days as travel days!!

 

[Momofwishkid]

Miranda, I am so surprised at this. I would definetley go for the 7 days. Like Amanda said it's very likely Aidan will still meet Tinkerbell! Were they offering you Disneyland vs Disneyworld? I know the Disneyland trips are always 3 nights 4 days. Either way it is going to be wonderful and please feel free to vent anytime.

 

[kdzbear]

MAW let us know that if Aidan wants a meet and greet with Tinkerbell, it will cut 3 days off of his trip. Since he wished to go to Tinkerbell's home, they are giving us the choice -- meet Tinkerbell (if they can get it arranged) and have a 3-night / 4-day trip or don't meet Tink and have a 6-night / 7-day trip. I think we're going to go with the 7 day trip. I'm hoping that we might at least be able to get an autograph in one of the parks. If not, I hope that the rest of the trip will negate the fact that he doesn't get to meet her. I hope this isn't because he wished for Tinkerbell and not Spiderman or something. Ah, well, it'll still be a great time! Just wanted to vent for a second.

Do not worry. Tinkerbell is always in Pixie Hollow in Toon Town. He will be able to meet her. Your GAC and your Wish button will get you in a back way and you will not have to wait in the long line. Just tell the person that takes you back to meet her that meeting her is your son's Wish. They will let you spend plenty of time with her and you will not feel rushed! Go for the 7 day trip!

 

[Thumper321]

Were they offering you Disneyland vs Disneyworld? I know the Disneyland trips are always 3 nights 4 days. Either way it is going to be wonderful and please feel free to vent anytime.

Actually, I just got clarification. It all depends on how the wish is categorized. Supposedly, if they wish to meet a character, that is considered a "celebrity wish". Whereas, if they choose to go to a location, that is considered a "destination wish". Celebrity wishes are limited to 4 days, but destination wishes are allowed 7 days. I don't know if this is specific to our chapter or not.

Do not worry. Tinkerbell is always in Pixie Hollow in Toon Town. He will be able to meet her. Your GAC and your Wish button will get you in a back way and you will not have to wait in the long line. Just tell the person that takes you back to meet her that meeting her is your son's Wish. They will let you spend plenty of time with her and you will not feel rushed! Go for the 7 day trip!

Oh, I hope you are right! He loves Tinkerbell, and I don't want him to think his wish wasn't granted if he doesn't get to meet her. I hope I'm not making a bad call on this one! But 7 days will give him a chance to do so much more.

Miranda I would definitely go with the 7 day trip. I have yet to see a TR where the family did not meet Tink and most of the other fairies as well. They also seem to be very good with the wish kids & fams ie, letting them spend a good chunk of time with the characters at the meets. Also, you may be able to get something arranged without MAW's help as far as getting him a longer meet & greet! Don't let it get you down!!! I'm sure Aidan (and the rest of the fam) will have a wonderful time. I can't imagine trying to cram everything into 4 days though..esp with 2 days as travel days!!

Thanks, Amanda!

When they said 4 days, I was thinking "Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Epcot, Universal Studios, Seaworld, Gatorland. . . How the heck are we going to fit everything into 4 days?!?!" But we are going to go with the 7 day trip and try our darnedest (is that really a word?) to find a chance for him to spend a little time with Tink. If nothing else, I am hoping that he'll be able to see her in Wishes. How does 'Wishes' work? Is it during park hours or after? Will we be able to see it from inside MK or do we have to watch from outside the park? Do you have to have special tickets? Reservations? If somebody could fill me in, I would be eternally grateful!

We don't even have dates yet and I am already on the crazy train. Can you tell I'm usually the planner and really dislike not being in the loop?

 

[Thumper321]

I've been reading a lot about the Photo Pass, and I've got some questions for the pros. On the photo pass website, it doesn't list any prices until you've entered the ID from your card. I'm assuming that this is so you don't know prices beforehand, but I don't want to get all of our pictures on Photo Pass without knowing how much the CD and/or prints cost. Does anybody have any experience with Photo Pass and whether or not it is reasonable?

 

[pipersmom]

Okay, first of all..you WILL get a meet & greet with Tink at Pixie Hollow! No more worrying! Wishes is done near closing hours, it's basically just a fireworks show with music. You can see it from inside MK, if you want to see Tink just make sure you find a spot in front of the castle somewhere rather than from the side or behind it. (isn't it wonderful what you learn from the boards ) It doesn't require special tix or reservations or anything like that, they do it every night..the hours may vary a bit depending on what time the MK closes that night.

Get off the crazy train! You are not allowed to board the crazy train until approximately one week away from your trip..it's in the rules

 

[pipersmom]

I've been reading a lot about the Photo Pass, and I've got some questions for the pros. On the photo pass website, it doesn't list any prices until you've entered the ID from your card. I'm assuming that this is so you don't know prices beforehand, but I don't want to get all of our pictures on Photo Pass without knowing how much the CD and/or prints cost. Does anybody have any experience with Photo Pass and whether or not it is reasonable?

Thanks to the wonderful Maroo, wish families get free photopass CDs..we should get codes at the village, if not, contact Maroo when you get back and she'll have a code for you!! This is a relatively new development and we were all beyond thrilled when she told us what she had worked out with Disney's help!

 

[maroo]

Oh man!

You are going to have a GREAT day today! Because both of your questions/worries are going to be answered in a great way!

First of all...it is true that families staying at GKTW are given a Free PhotoPass CD by Disney. So no worries there! Just make sure you get LOTS of pictures with characters on your PhotoPass card (you are given one when you get to the parks) AND copy the number down and keep it in a safe place just in case you lose that card for some reason. It is a long list of numbers and letters. I take a picture of the back of the card with my digital camera AND phone AND write down the number...and put those in different places...to make sure I have the PhotoPass card info.

You can also end up with more than one PhotoPass card when you get to the parks for whatever reason (if you leave one in the room or your party splits up)...so you can technically have as many PhotoPass cards as you want and you just enter them in when you get back.

Then Disney will send you a FREE PhotoPass CD when you return. Just PM me and I will send you a code.


As far as Tinkerbell...

You guys can TOTALLY meet Tink! You can meet her every single day you are at the Magic Kingdom, if you want!

Here are some thoughts on this:

1. You get front of the line access...the will take you through the exit so that you can meet her and the other faries that are there that day. You won't have to wait in line. And you can see her every single day you are there or more than once (but it may be different each time...)

2. TELL every CM you see in the line that THIS is your child's wish - to meet Tinkerbell! Hopefully they will catch on and make it extra special.

3. The fireworks show at the end of the day features Tinkerbell....she flies across the entire park. You can tell where she flies because her "guide" wire stretches from the top of the castle to the top of some building in Tomorrowland.

There are several GREAT places to see her fly...but you can sort of tell as you are walking around...where would be good. I like watching from Main Street near Casey's...but she is a bit far away. You can also look from the Tomorrowland bridge and get a different view.

You may want to be careful, though...because being TOO close could ruin the magic a bit...Tinkerbell can be a large pixie up close flying through the sky...and sometimes can have some masculine characteristics...just sayin. Tinkerbell that flies has to be very strong to fly all that way.

Here are some You Tube Videos of her flying...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wu1Iuky8CqE

It happens after the beginning of Wishes...not RIGHT at the beginning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mdrj_yqyPjI

 

[maroo]

Thanks to the wonderful Maroo, wish families get free photopass CDs..we should get codes at the village, if not, contact Maroo when you get back and she'll have a code for you!! This is a relatively new development and we were all beyond thrilled when she told us what she had worked out with Disney's help!

I really can't take all of the credit. I was hoping for a discount like they give the other families staying on site...I didn't even think to ask for a free one! But the rep at Disney said that she wanted to see if they could offer it for free and called me back a couple of weeks later and said that they CAN!

She has also appeared on a Disney Podcast and announced it...so it is official!

Now they are just waiting to implement it so all families will have access. Until then...if you are at GKTW and want a PhotoPass CD, let me know!

 

[Thumper321]

Get off the crazy train! You are not allowed to board the crazy train until approximately one week away from your trip..it's in the rules

I've never much cared for rules, but I guess I'll try.

Thanks to the wonderful Maroo, wish families get free photopass CDs..we should get codes at the village, if not, contact Maroo when you get back and she'll have a code for you!! This is a relatively new development and we were all beyond thrilled when she told us what she had worked out with Disney's help!

Okay, this is wonderful news! Beyond thrilled? For some reason, I can understand that!

Oh man!

You are going to have a GREAT day today! Because both of your questions/worries are going to be answered in a great way!

You guys just made my day sooooo much better! This is the kind of information and support that I am certain you couldn't find somewhere else. I am so happy to have found DISboards!

Thanks Maroo, and Amanda, and everyone else! I really feel a lot better.

 

[kdzbear]

I just wanted to add a little bit more about Pixie Hollow. If you ever read that no one can guarantee which fairies will be there that they are referring to Tinkerbelle's friends and not Tink. Tink is always there. Then sometimes she has two friends with her and sometimes just one. We went on two trips. One trip was in September and one was in November. We saw Irredessa, Terrance, Silver Mist and Fawn at different times in addition to Tink. We went several times to visit Tink as she is my youngest daughter's favorite character. The only fairy we did not see was Rosetta, but others have seen her. You will get quality time with Tink. If you need proof, just look at my November trip report. Tink and Terrance crawled on the floor to play with my one year old and made her day. They were having a race!