Come to the Dark Side...4 Weekends of Fun with the Force(Updated 11/12)

[lovethattink]

We have never eaten at Sunshine seasons but my try it for our upcoming trip.

We love Journey into Imagination and Gabriel always spends a ton of time playing everything when we exit the ride.

We plan to do Wilderness Explores on our upcoming trip so I am glad JJ enjoyed it. Your description sounds like it is right up Gabriel's alley.

I hate that JJ was not able to stay longer. I know I have trouble on really humid days so can not image how much of a struggle it is for him.

Poor JJ and the tics. I hope the changes you have implemented have the desired effect long term. It is misreable to feel like you have no control over your own body!

I'm not much of a fan of Sunshine Seasons, but I do like the Mongolian Beef. Years ago before the refurbishment we ate there all the time. Loved their baked potatoes with toppings or the chicken parmesan.

Journey Into Imagination is keeping Figment, yay!!

I'm sure Gabriel will like the Wilderness Explorers.

So far we are seeing some improvements.

 

[jane2073]

Still praying for JJ!
How goes the search for a calcium supplement? We are trying one with Em. I found it at Publix. It is a sour fruity gummy. And it has Mickey and Minnie on the bottle!

http://www.iherb.com/Disney-Calcium-Gummies-Plus-Vitamin-D3-60-Gummies/40978

 

[lovethattink]

Yesterday afternoon, JJ was doing better. He kept begging to go to the Disney. He wanted to go to the MK. We felt Epcot would be easier and we arrived there after 7. It was strange to go through the parking gates with no attendants present.

Our first stop was Space Ship Earth. JJ just loves this attraction and the "car" game afterwards. All the "car" games were being played. We stood behind a boy that was playing and he only had a minute of play left. His game was over, he looked at us...and he started all over again. GR. So we stood behind the one behind him. This time a teen. The game was over and the teen started pushing buttons again too. UGH! But this teen's mom said it was time to go. Thanks mom!

JJ started playing. The people were waiting behind us. The boy playing behind us did the exact same thing to them. But this time he looked right at them smiled and smited them. Where were the parents? As Stephanie Tanner would say on Full House, "How rude!"

JJ's time was up and we ushered him away from the game. He too wanted to play again, but people were waiting.

We stopped at Electric Umbrella for milk for JJ. It looked dark in there and we thought it might be closed, but it was opened.

Leaving the Electric Umbrella we discovered this new popcorn stand. There was always snacks here, but it was never a permanent type structure.



The popcorn smelled so good. We were going to stop by the cart to see what is in the butter, but as we got there a whole bunch of people got to the line before us. So we headed to Sunshine Seasons for a snack. The menu at Electric Umbrella didn't have anything that JJ would eat. What he could eat, he wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole.

It was starting to get dark. We found a snack. Sat at a table to eat it. Time was ticking and we wanted to see the fireworks.

Started heading towards World Showcase when JJ said he didn't think he could stay any longer. A ride and a snack was all he could handle. So we started walking out of the park.

For the first time ever, we saw lights on through this window. It was kind of neat to get a glance inside.



It was hot and just from that little bit of time outside we were all sweating. We stopped off at the art store. They had some great new giclees. I collect carousel horses and there was a picture of a carousel with Mickey, Goofy and I don't remember who all else riding. It was great! Didn't buy it. But it had my name written all over it!

Found this poster of the picture. Much more in my price range! http://www.disneystore.com/posters-...-art-print-by-maggie-parr/mp/1332907/1011901/

We had a nice time. The tics were minimal. The fireworks began as we pulled out of the parking lot.

 

[ladylyons]

Glad you were at least able to get out and go. Glad that the tics were minimal. Hope they continue that way.

 

[WDWRids]

Yay for the outing to Epcot! Good to hear the tics are less and hoping the change in meds will continue to do the trick. The poster looks amazing.......the art shop at DTD always gets me. Amazing work that is hard to pass up. What is the building with the lights on? Looks like the area for the private parties?

Grandad is back in the hospital. Appears the problem was bad uti that caused him to pass out on us. They went ahead and did the super pubic cath procedure so we can reduce infection rate and establish the permanent cath. Bless his heart he has had a rough last three months.

Hoping you have a great day!

 

[lovethattink]

Yesterday his tics were more of what I have seen with friends who have Tourette's. He had one where he snorted like a pig 3 times then out of his mouth came choo, choo, choo. It only went on for about 30 seconds, but I guess things have been so tense that it was kind of a tension breaker and it made us silly. He didn't have any choking ones yesterday, thank goodness, but had several of those leg ones. Noises would pop out of him from time to time. I think the calcium and magnesium and diet are working because they sure didn't last as long, and weren't as intense. Also stopping his OCD med seems to have helped too. He was having terribly nasty tics about an hour after taking the medicine. Tics are listed as an adverse drug reaction, but it's very rare.

We started school back up. (I'm so glad we started back in July). I have it all divided up so that he will finish in 10 months. Yesterday, he was very nervous about starting back up. He had tics before we started each subject. He did great with review, but when learning something new he ticked quite a bit.

Some of his old OCD habits seem to be coming back. But that's to be expected since his medicine was stopped.

Still praying for JJ!
How goes the search for a calcium supplement? We are trying one with Em. I found it at Publix. It is a sour fruity gummy. And it has Mickey and Minnie on the bottle!

http://www.iherb.com/Disney-Calcium-Gummies-Plus-Vitamin-D3-60-Gummies/40978

I'm so sorry your post didn't show up on my phone or laptop until this morning or I would have responded sooner.

Appreciate the prayers!

We went to GNC and found a 600 mg with Vit D3 chewable in cherry. Thanks for the heads up on the one at Publix. Maybe once this bottle is gone we'll try that. Does it have red dye in it?

Glad you were at least able to get out and go. Glad that the tics were minimal. Hope they continue that way.

I hope so too! Thanks. It was nice to get out.

Yay for the outing to Epcot! Good to hear the tics are less and hoping the change in meds will continue to do the trick. The poster looks amazing.......the art shop at DTD always gets me. Amazing work that is hard to pass up. What is the building with the lights on? Looks like the area for the private parties?

Grandad is back in the hospital. Appears the problem was bad uti that caused him to pass out on us. They went ahead and did the super pubic cath procedure so we can reduce infection rate and establish the permanent cath. Bless his heart he has had a rough last three months.

Hoping you have a great day!

The building with the lights on is part of Spaceship Earth. It's the area facing the fountain. I was thinking maybe it's the lounge blessedmom4 posted about going to at Epcot on their wish trip?? Or maybe the sponsor of the attraction's lounge?

Poor guy, he's been though so much lately. I hope that does the trick. Continued prayers for him.

 

[lovethattink]

Another Celebrity M&G and More Pixie Dust​

Saturday morning, in the wee hours of the morning, dh headed to stand in line for either Warwick Davis or Ray Park. Ray’s line was already huge. Warwick’s line was already formed, but much shorter. So he got in that line. He brought a chair and a blanket; because the morning before, he found the ground too hard for all those hours and the air, cold.

Around 6am, there was a bit of a stir. Ray Park and his family arrived at the park. He stopped by his line and greeted the people in it. What a guy! He was making his rounds until security came and stopped him. Then they were ushered into the park.

Dh got the FP for Warwick for 10:20 to 10:35. He doesn’t really remember, but he thinks he got in line around 4am.
Now that he had the FP we could make plans for the day. We knew that we wanted to watch the 501st in the parade since Ash was marching. We promised to take pictures. We were going to do that down near Star Tours. We had an ADR for 11:40 at Sci-Fi. So we figured that should all work like clock work! There was no reason to wake up JJ early, so we let him sleep until he was ready to wake up.

We arrived at DHS just in time to watch the Stormtroopers on the platforms leave.

​

That was kind of cool to watch once. We had time to spare before the M&G so we just wandered around the park. I think we went into Tatooine Traders. I know we sat on a bench for a bit and watched an energetic squirrel.

From our bench we saw Warwick Davis heading to his M&G at Echo Lake.

​

I should have kept a journal, but I didn’t so now I’m relying on pictures. I’m not sure what we did in the meantime. But a few minutes before the M&G time we headed over there. There was a very long stand by line. In between people, I noticed that Warwick was signing picture after picture with his autograph (on the black and white photo that Disney provides).

It was JJ’s turn and he was thrilled to meet Warwick Davis! The two of them talked and talked. He asked JJ if he rode Star Tours, ToT, or Rock n Roller. JJ explained to him that he can’t ride those. But he use to love Star Tours. They talked about Celebration. He asked JJ if he saw his show. JJ told him how awesome it was and that he liked that better than the one at Celebration. He told him how he didn’t know that was him in the clever disguise. They talked about the show for a long time and the clever disguise. You’ll see them both touching their faces as they discuss that disguise.

​

It was a great M&G. JJ was all set straight about the disguise. They had great interaction.

Dh was wanted to go to the information center by Sounds Dangerous to ask a question. On our way there, a cm named Troy stopped us. He didn’t get to stop by the desk to ask his question. Instead, they were sent somewhere else for more pixie dust!!

 

[mickeystoontown]

It sounds like it was good for ya'll to make that trip over to Epcot even if you didn't get to spend a lot of time there. Sometimes, we just need to get out of the house.

The meet and greet with Warwick looks to have been a great one. Lots of interaction between the two.

 

[WDWRids]

The photos M&G with Warwick Davis are amazing. It's truly heart warming how Warwick is so engrossed with what JJ is telling him. He seems to be intently listening to JJ. What a great interaction!!! Glad JJ was able to get the full detail on the disguises. He is learning so much of the behind the scenes work and the secrets like he learned last year at Celebrations (I believe that is where it was). Can't wait to hear what the pixie dust was.....

 

[lovethattink]

It sounds like it was good for ya'll to make that trip over to Epcot even if you didn't get to spend a lot of time there. Sometimes, we just need to get out of the house.

The meet and greet with Warwick looks to have been a great one. Lots of interaction between the two.

Yes, it was great to get out. The time we were there was very nice.

The M&G was fantastic.

The photos M&G with Warwick Davis are amazing. It's truly heart warming how Warwick is so engrossed with what JJ is telling him. He seems to be intently listening to JJ. What a great interaction!!! Glad JJ was able to get the full detail on the disguises. He is learning so much of the behind the scenes work and the secrets like he learned last year at Celebrations (I believe that is where it was). Can't wait to hear what the pixie dust was.....

Their interaction was great. Warwick was so good communicating with him.

Update soon to come.

 

[jane2073]

Red dye is not listed!

Warwick Davis was pretty great! One of the days we were standing by the rope next to all of the cars that were lined up while the celebrities were on stage after the parade. After the program was over him came down and shook hands with all of us standing by the rope before getting into his car. It was pretty thrilling!

 

[lovethattink]

Red dye is not listed!

Warwick Davis was pretty great! One of the days we were standing by the rope next to all of the cars that were lined up while the celebrities were on stage after the parade. After the program was over him came down and shook hands with all of us standing by the rope before getting into his car. It was pretty thrilling!

Oh wow, that's pretty cool.

 

[ladylyons]

What a fun M&G. So happy JJ had such a great interaction with Warwick Davis and got to learn more behind the scenes stuff.

More Pixie Dust!! I can't wait to hear what it is!!

 

[kaoden39]

What a great meet and greet. You can tell JJ really was enjoying himself.

 

[momabaarjo]

JJ is such a natural with everyone he meets...I sure wish I was more like him. What a great interaction...

 

[lovethattink]

What a fun M&G. So happy JJ had such a great interaction with Warwick Davis and got to learn more behind the scenes stuff.

More Pixie Dust!! I can't wait to hear what it is!!

The M&G was great. JJ had so much fun.

Hoping to get around to an update soon.

What a great meet and greet. You can tell JJ really was enjoying himself.

Yes, he was having the time of his life.

JJ is such a natural with everyone he meets...I sure wish I was more like him. What a great interaction...

Especially if it's Star Wars talk, lol. It was a great interaction. And you are very friendly and easy to converse with.

 

[lovethattink]

The pixie dust…​

Troy asked JJ if he’d like to be in the parade. Of course he said, “yes”. Troy said they were already getting their instructions that dh and JJ would have to hurry over to Sounds Dangerous. There was no time for a potty break. I’m so glad we made that pit stop before seeing Warwick Davis. They hurried up to catch up to the other Jedi. I walked over to the parent area and claimed a spot behind a stroller.

I texted Ash that my pictures probably wouldn’t be the best as there were people surrounding me. I gave him the heads up that JJ and dh were heading backstage. The 501st was standing across from the kids. He texted that he can’t go over there, but he waved.

Dh noticed that Ray Park’s kids were some of the jedi. Their mom (dh assumed it was their mom) and dh were the only parents with the kids. The rest of the parents were in their own area near the kids. JJ being the chatter box he is welcomed Ray Park’s kids. Told them how fun the parade was. Dh said the kids were quiet. They probably couldn’t get a word in edge wise. JJ tends to monologue. Jim Cumming’s daughter was in the parade too.

None of the parents sat on the ground for this parade. They were all standing. There were mostly parents and that one stroller in the front. I’m so glad I claimed my spot behind the stroller. The little girl in the stroller was a sweetie too. So I had about 1 foot of vision straight ahead for the parade. To my right I saw bodies to my left the same. Just before the parade began, a tall man joined the parents. Rather than going to the back he excused himself to the front. Some of the parents weren’t too happy with him. I figured that I had photopass and assumed that the photographers would capture as much as they did last time of the kids. But I did ask the mom of the little girl in front of me if I could squeeze in when the 501st came to take a couple pictures of someone I knew. She was fine with that.

Mickey Mouse



Minnie

​

This is the boy that we saw in the commercial on Disney XD. JJ had met him at some point during SWW.

Here is dh. Do you notice something different? Something is missing…



​

JJ isn’t in the medical stroller!! He was walking this one. He walked to proudly. He was definitely in 7th heaven and in his element. For some reason, this hit me particularly heavy and I got very emotional. I’m not typically one to cry. But this triggered a fountain. I was so happy for him. The other parents noticed my blubbering and the mom with the stroller asked if I was ok. I told her why I was blubbering. I can’t remember if she asked the man or if the man just offered, but he ushered me in front of him to take a picture. I sat on the ground and snapped away. I couldn’t see through the lens with all the tears, but I got a few good shots as photopass did too.

AJ one of the photopass photographers told us he was one of these guys.















​

I was totally clueless and taken back. Why were the celebs taking pictures of the kids? I had no clue at that time that their children were in the parade. That too was an interesting experience for JJ. See the cm in the red shirt with the long hair? She is another that JJ just loved. Her name is Dianne and she went above and beyond her job. She was so sweet. Whenever she walked by JJ, she asked him how he was doing.

​

JJ made it to see Ash march by. But after that, Dianne walked by again and asked if he was ok. This time he said no. He had to sit. So she took him over to dh and the w/c. He was able to stay the rest of the parade. But as soon as it was over and he was out of his robe, we headed straight to One Man’s Dream to claim our spot under that one strong air vent.

 

[mommy2mrb]

Hi Tink

finally made it over to get caught up! love all the great interactions JJ got at the M&G, you can tell he is in his element with the smiles on his face!

OMG on that sundae at 50's that thing is HUGE!

so wonderful JJ got to be in the parade, he looks so proud and happy marching along with the other kids!

hope you all are doing great! we are at 98 days until we leave for WDW, so excited to see you guys again!

 

[ladylyons]

OMG!! I got tears in my eyes seeing the empty wheelchair!! That's awesome that he felt food enough to walk the parade!! Fun that the celebrity's kids were in the parade with him!

 

[lovethattink]

This week is going to be a good one. Tomorrow Grumpy comes home from his vacation up north. He has to get books for school this week. Classes start next week. JJ has two appointments this week. One with the neurologist to get the results of the blood work. Another to get an OT evaluation. Then they'll be able to start helping him!

We started school work in July. Now he's getting into learning new things instead of review. This has produced some stress and he gets some really nasty tics during his lessons. Not because he can't do the work, but because he is worried it's going to be hard. They also seem to show up when he is completely relaxed. The medicine, diet, and supplements are definitely helping because they aren't lasting near as long. Just seconds compared to the minutes they were lasting. I still hate it that he gets the choking ones. He hates the one where he hyperventilates out of his nose. He's tried a couple times to stop it by holding his nose and opening his mouth, but then he couldn't breath at all once he let go of his nose. We've encouraged him to just go with the flow and not fight it. It seems to go much better when he stays relaxed.

Yesterday he was so excited to talk to his brother on the phone that he started ticking. His tongue kept flicking in and out of his mouth the whole conversation and a little afterwards.

He starts voice lessons back up in a couple weeks. This could prove interesting. I'm hoping that he won't tic for those 30 minutes. His special needs theater also starts back up the same week. The are doing a musical this time. But it hasn't been revealed to us what musical.

Hi Tink

finally made it over to get caught up! love all the great interactions JJ got at the M&G, you can tell he is in his element with the smiles on his face!

OMG on that sundae at 50's that thing is HUGE!

so wonderful JJ got to be in the parade, he looks so proud and happy marching along with the other kids!

hope you all are doing great! we are at 98 days until we leave for WDW, so excited to see you guys again!

Hey, stranger! Welcome back from Boston and all your summer activities. When does Megan start school? Glad you found some time to post. JJ has been back to school work since July.

Dh said the sundae was as good as it looks.

His head was certainly held high.

JJ's doing a little better. Grumpy comes home tomorrow from his month long vacation. We miss him and he says he is definitely ready to come home.

Wow, under 100!

OMG!! I got tears in my eyes seeing the empty wheelchair!! That's awesome that he felt food enough to walk the parade!! Fun that the celebrity's kids were in the parade with him!

This was a very good day for him. He felt great the entire day.