Clint's Wish To See Shamu (and Mickey)

[mindymouse1]

Here is our cast::

Mindy-- (ME) Mom of two and 33 yrs old. Lover of Disney since childhood. Cannot wait for this trip!! I have been desperately trying to start this trip report for days and having technical difficulties. I believe I am a very patient person (except after the tenth .... MMMMMMMOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM !!!!!). I tend to get very excited about Disney!! I like to act silly and goof off. Sometimes (alot of the time) I can be "embarassing" to my 12 yr old.

Megan-- DD 12 (yesterday was her birthday) The sweetest child in the world. She is very laid back and goes with the flow most of the time. My friends all tell me she is perfect --till they see her messy room. But honestly if thats all I have to worry about then I am fine with it. Loves all things horses and Eeyore.

Clint-- DS 5 (birthday during our wish trip) Great kid also. Likes to do all things boyish. LOVES reptiles and has two snakes. He is also our wish child. He was diagnosed with leukemia at age three and a half. He has been undergoing treatments for 2 1/2 yrs and only has one yr left. If you were to meet Clint on the street right now you would not know he was ill unless I told you. He looks great and is doing fantastic right now.

Robin-- (My mother/ kids Mammy) She has really helped us all out with Clint and accomodating her work schedule to stay with him while I finished school. She is excited about the trip and loves Disney although she doesn't get silly and goofy like me about it. She is more of a reserved kind of happy. She is the best mother a girl could have!! And a wonderful grandmother to my kids.

Tricia-- (Cousin) 20 Tricia has been one of Clint's best friends his whole life and especially since he got sick. She has spent ALOT of time with him and refers to him as her "best friend". We will be paying for her portion of the trip because I could only bring one technically with MAW. She is not a crazed Disney freak like me either but is very very excited.

Our trip will begin on February 9th 2009. I hav been meaning to start a countdown calendar for the kids (mostly me). We have been waiting a long long time for this trip. I wanted to wait and go when he was older so he would be more likely to remember it. I also did not want to go at the beginning when the treatments were most intense. Now he feels great most of the time and should be able to enjoy it more than he would have then.

I am going to attempt to insert pictures now. Stay tuned for more....

 

[dmbfan]

Very exciting...I will be following Clint's story, your wish trip is right around the corner....

 

[mindymouse1]

Just got pics added but beware that is one of the best pics ever of me!!! Don't expect the rest to look like that!!!

 

[maroo]

yeah!!! I found it!!

I am subbing!

can't wait to hear about your plans and trip!!!

 

[mom2lilnick]

Awesome! I have a 12 year old too! Mine will turn 13 two days before the wish trip and she is perfect too in everyway (altho her room is clean, lol) our issue is that she is so perfect that the rare times she is told no, you would think that we just pulled the carpet out from under her (she gets a little nasty and whiney)

Sounds like you have a great cast going with you on your trip! I can't wait to hear more. Clint is ADORABLE!!

 

[HeatherSue]

Yay!! I found your PTR!! What a great start! k

Your kids are absolutely adorable! So are you! I really like the tilt of your chin (it's an inside joke).

I love that Tricia is so close to Clint. That is so cool! I'm glad she gets to come along on the trip, too.

BTW, here's the link to your PTR, if you want to add it to your siggy to make it easier to find:

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2035322

 

[tinytreasures]

Nice to meet you
we are coming along for the ride

 

[oklamomof4boys]

Great start! I love the pictures and can't wait to hear more about your plans.

Carol

 

[mindymouse1]

Thanks everyone!! I think they are kinda cute too!!!!

 

[jessica52877]

Just want to come along for the ride! Sounds like a super fun trip!

 

[MinnieVanMom]

Your pictures are so lovely and you are so young to have so much on your plate! I can't wait to hear more. Keep posting please.

 

[mindymouse1]

So here it is about 38 ish days away and I haven't prepared anything. I did start the kids last night on Disney movies in preparation. We began last night with Aladdin. (Also secretly because we got the new game --- Disney Think Fast for the WII and I was horrified that they didn't know some of those answers). I really was. I clobbered them but then let them come close the next game. What kind of mom would I be if I did clobbered them every time?? Anyway it is probably the only game I can beat them at.

We did recieve a WONDERFUL package from Kristi and Allie and the Big Give team . It was three pairs of Million Dreams Mickey Ears for the kids and I. They were so excited . I will have to add in the pics when I get home. Clint wore his all night. I really think it may be my first pair of Mickey ears and they are definately the first ones the kids have ever had!!! Thank you so much . It was great. We made all the cousins and everyone gather around to watch us open the box. My sister took the pics and the one of me in it was AWFUL!!! I used some very un-Disney like terms when I saw it and then realized it was my fault for letting someone who had had way too much wine take our pic. But I did get some good ones of the kids.

The kids had a great Christmas. But now that is over and we can concentrate on DISNEY!!! I also was offered my first job as an RN and am taking it. I will be working on the oncology floor. It seems to be my destiny. When I was in school I took a job as a tech on the oncology floor although I didn't really want it. I ended up liking it. The nurse manager asked me how I thought I would feel working with cancer patients and my naive reply was "as long as it's not kids"...... fast forward two months and Clint was diagnosed with Leukemia. So now I have applied for other positions and the same nurse manager sees my name and calls me and asks me if I want to interview for a job there. I told her it is my fate to work there since I had always wanted ER and here she was calling me when I really really needed a job. I will start in two weeks.

I think my next post will have to tell the story of Clint's diagnosis. Now with the holidays behind us and my internet problems solved this thing will be moving right along.

Let me know if I leave out anything that is usually in a PTR since I am a newbie at this

 

[maroo]

Aw man!! Amazing that you will be working on the Oncology floor. What a wonderful gift to those families. To have a nurse that REALLY "gets" it!

I hope it all comes naturally for you! Sounds like that door has certainly remained open! Go for it!!!

I am getting excited for you guys and your trip! And glad your internet is now working!

 

[HeatherSue]

Let me know if I leave out anything that is usually in a PTR since I am a newbie at this

Pictures!! We need more pictures!!

Congrats on your new job! Congrats on having a game you can beat the kids at, too!

 

[oklamomof4boys]

Congrats on the job! You will have a unique perspective to things that I'm sure will come in handy.

I've never heard of the Disney Think Fast game for WII- I will have to look for it!

Is your trip to WDW? If so, are you staying at GKTW? Do you have any ADR's? Are you tired of me asking so many questions? If you have any questions for us, feel free to ask!

Carol

 

[mindymouse1]

I promise to add more pics tonight as long as the weather permits (satellite internet).

Disney's Think Fast for the Wii was a gift but I saw it at Wally World for about $50. Kind of steep but it is a cute game. Its like a game show with the Genie from Aladdin as the host. You can pick your character and settings. I was really expecting it to be harder for me but I think it's right on for kids. I don't know if I would spend that much on it though. But still it is cute.

No ADR's --- I wouldn't even know where to begin with that. I do know that I want to do "Dine with Shamu" for Clint. I will have to see if Meg has anything special she would like to do. I have only had counter service at Disney and never one of the nicer places. Never thought I could afford it.

Any suggestions for a good all around non-counter service meal for our trip??? Are there any that you DON"T have to have reservations for?? or that would still have any openings????

 

[oklamomof4boys]

I promise to add more pics tonight as long as the weather permits (satellite internet).

Disney's Think Fast for the Wii was a gift but I saw it at Wally World for about $50. Kind of steep but it is a cute game. Its like a game show with the Genie from Aladdin as the host. You can pick your character and settings. I was really expecting it to be harder for me but I think it's right on for kids. I don't know if I would spend that much on it though. But still it is cute.

No ADR's --- I wouldn't even know where to begin with that. I do know that I want to do "Dine with Shamu" for Clint. I will have to see if Meg has anything special she would like to do. I have only had counter service at Disney and never one of the nicer places. Never thought I could afford it.

Any suggestions for a good all around non-counter service meal for our trip??? Are there any that you DON"T have to have reservations for?? or that would still have any openings????

Man, I wish I had known about the Think Fast game before Christmas!

As far as counter service- our favorite place was Cosmic Rays at Tomorrowland. Very yummy burgers-plus they had a fixings bar that had sauteed mushrooms and onions- I could have made a meal out of those.

I know what you mean about never eating at the nicer places. We have been to DL many times and my kids are used to eating cheaper places and sharing meals. With the generous expense check from MAW we felt able to eat a little nicer.

If you want ADR's I would figure out what days you are going to which park and call dining reservations- tell them, " This is a MAW trip and we just got our dates recently. Do you have any ADRs for these dates?" When I added an ADR for Liberty Tree Tavern- at first they told me one wasn't available. I poliltely told her I didn't figure there would be- but it was a wish trip and I just got our dates so I thought I'd try. I told her thank you for looking and was about to hang up when she said, " Let me look again." She then said she thought she could work one in. I am not the type to demand things because it was a wish trip- but they truly want to make the trip magical. I know that others reported going up to the hostess with their wish child ( wearing their GKTW button) to ask if they had anything open, and they seemed to always be able to work them in.

That is what I did when I wasn't sure if Nathan's button got us front of the line meeting characters ( at the orientation they said it wouldn't but others reported it would). I went up to the CM who was with the Photopass person and asked how long the characters would be there. I had Nathan with me and the CM said, " Oh wait, you are with MAW- you don't have to wait. Just show any CM this ticket ( his "magic lanyard" he wore around his neck) and they will show you to the front."

 

[mindymouse1]

I could not hold them back !!!!!!

All of us with our supercool dream ears !!! Ignore my appearance.

Clint wore them all night long!! He loved them.

THANKS AGAIN KRISTI AND ALLIE !!!!!

 

[maroo]

Yeah!!! PICS!!!

On the ADR's...you will be surprised...you can probably get in some places...Maybe not dinner with Cinderella...but you can get into some cool places.

For the Sea World meal...I would recommend "Backstage at Believe"...it is actually lunch...but it is WONDERFUL! You get to go "backstage" to the training pools...you can see right in it! and they teach you all about the killer whales. They give you a VIP pass to use the rest of the day...you get good seats for the Believe show...it is a good deal. You get free drinks...even beer, if you want it? I am not a fan of beer...but it is included. And not terribly expensive (as you will want to save that money for other stuff!)...It is a pre-pay deal. You would just call Sea World and pay for it over the phone (and then pay yourself back after you get your MAW expense check).

What characters does your daughter like? Any in particular that would be at a character breakfast? Or would she rather eat somewhere really nice? You might can still get ressies at California Grill...VERY nice...and you can go back there to see the fireworks...one of the best views in all of Magic Kingdom.

Anyway...just my 10 cents!

But don't spend your money on a Fantasmic Dinner Package...you will get pretty good seats if you get there early enough and show them your button. And those seats are not fantastic. ?? But up to you!!

 

[llurgy]

Found your wish trip

You will have to do a link in your Signature so we can all get to this thread, it took me ages to find it

Satellite internet tell me about it!! 3 times more expensive than any other High speed internet and about 10 times worse.

Congrats on your new job!

Now tell us all about your Wish trip....GKTW??

Mandy