Having 2nd thoughts about going to Disney - should I cancel?

[staceywj]

I booked Easter Week for DH, my DD (whom will be 18 months) and myself to go to Disney and stay at POFQ. My DH had shoulder surgery in February and he is recovering. But, I did not realize that his surgery was so extensive and he will not be fully recovered by April. He is fine about going but concerned that he cannot help me carry DD. I have taken on all the responsibilites of taking care of DD and somehow now I have my own little problem. I have a tear in my knee and something wrong with my pattela. (I am going to have surgery over summer.) I am OK with walking at my own pace and pushing the stroller but not standing. If I have to stand in line and hold DD since she does not like to stop while she is in her stroller or when I have to "park" the stroller, it would difficult for me since DH is really not able to hold her.

Although, I did purchase the trip insurance, I really would be so disappointed to cancel our first family trip to Disney. But, on the otherhand, I do not want to go if I feel that I could not see any of the attractions. Do you think Disney could accomidate my situation and if so, please let me know how. Also, if anyone else has a similiar experience and went to Disney I would be very appreciative if you could share it with me. (I also took advantage of the Magical Express, so we do not have to worry about our luggage from the airport to the hotel.)

Lastly, if this was your situation, would you still go? I know that this is a very minor situation compared to other people and apologize for posting since we are only temporarily disabled but I do not know what to do.
Thanks for any comments,
Stacey

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

Honestly, I'd probably postpone the trip. Yes, you could do it but if you have the option of moving to the fall or next spring you could do the same trip much more easily.

There's a lot of standing at WDW, in lines, in the "preshow" sections of shows, on the sidewalk while waiting for a parade. You could get around it by using a wheelchair or an ECV, but that makes pushing/holding your daughter difficult. Unless you get a "stroller as wheelchair" sticker for your daughter you're going to have to hold her in the lines -- an 18 month old is not ready for standing quietly in line. If you do get the sticker she's still going to be wiggly and want to get out.

If your choices were to go now or never (or if these were permanent conditions) I'd say go -- and figure out a way around the problems. But given that they're temporary I'd say wait and go next year or in the fall.

 

[Karalynn]

I agree with the pp. I would postpone if possible. I KNOW its going to be dissapointing but there really is alot of walking, standing, waiting, chasing and carrying your 18 month old!! If you are both having physical challenges right now, its just not worth the set back to your health. Or worse, permanent damage you could incur! Disney will be there. Like the pp said, if it is only a temporary thing, then why not wait? You will all have a better time if you are feeling good. My other thought is that its an expensive vaca, you deserve to get all that you can out of it. I don't want to be negative, If you are up for it, go for it!! But if you are finding it hard taking care of your dd at home with out the extra help from your dh, multiply that several times at how you will feel at Disney! I speak from experience!!

What ever you decide will be the right decision, you will just have to weigh the pros and cons with dh and find peace with what ever senario you go with. Good luck, and here's to fast recoveries!!!

 

[spiceycat]

Easter week is so darn busy - I think you would end up hating it.

reschedule for Sept - then you aren't cancelling just rescheduling.....

 

[Selket]

I agree with others - I think going during such busy time will be difficult for park touring. Are you limited by school schedules? Rescheduling for later in the year as suggested might be better - after both of you have healed from surgeries and it could be during a less busy time of year. Even with the "stroller as wheelchair" you would still be stopping the stroller a lot and she would have long periods of sitting there.

The only things I could think of to make the trip easier for you now would be to bring an active family member along to take care of your daughter in the parks (do stroller pushing, lifting, etc.) as it sounds like you might need a wheelchair or ECV yourself. You could hire a babysitter down there to go with you to the parks but that would be a rather expensive option assuming you could find one. You'd have to pay their park admission and an hourly fee.

Another idea is to go but just enjoy the hotel and pool (perhaps upgrade to a deluxe like AKL?) and avoid the parks completely. Your daughter is too young to know what she is missing. You could always schedule character meals at places like Chef Mickey to meet the characters.

Good luck deciding what to do! I had to postpone a trip a couple of years ago when my mother-in-law had surgery and got very ill afterwards - it was a bummer! (fortunately my MIL got better though!).

 

[AJKMOM]

Easter week is a mad house for healthy people. If you only have a baby, I think you should reschedule for a less busy time. You will be standing in many lines at Easter. We went close to Christmas, and, for example, the wait for the new ride "Soarin" was over 3 hours.

 

[minkydog]

I have to agree with the previous posters--it is hard enough to do WDW with a baby when you're both 100% ,but when dad is sidelined with his shoulder injury and now you have a knee injury I think you're just setting yourself up for misery. Unless you have extremely flexible ideas about what a great time at WDW entails Why not shelve the trip until fall when you can both be well enough to help each other?

 

[Kirlinale]

[I am OK with walking at my own pace and pushing the stroller but not standing. If I have to stand in line and hold DD since she does not like to stop while she is in her stroller or when I have to "park" the stroller, it would difficult for me since DH is really not able to hold her.

Lastly, if this was your situation, would you still go? I know that this is a very minor situation compared to other people and apologize for posting since we are only temporarily disabled but I do not know what to do.
Thanks for any comments,
Stacey[/QUOTE]



Well, I would'nt go either.. I would wait. Easter is CRAZY and based on your issues I am not sure WHAT would be best for you. If your child won't stay in a stroller if it is not moving, you can't hold a child or stand in line, your DH can't carry her .. well the only option that I would do is wait until you are 'healthier' since your condition is not a permanent one and go when you are best able to handle the demands of a hot , crowded park and a busy toddler (BTDT) . I am not sure what Disney could do for you as this is my first time going with a child (aged 4) with a permanent disabilities (Brain Tumor, Epilepsy, Dev. Delayed Globally, Truncal Hyptonia and other braint tumor quirks) .

My suggestion is A: use the trip insurance and not go. B: Go , and try to use FP as much as possible so you limit your standing, take advantage of the extra hours and do more 'sight seeing' than attraction riding. C: Go, spend a lot of time using the hotel pools and seeing shows and character meals drive to the beach..maybe even Sea World . D: Bring someone with you to help.

I can't see chasing/entertaining a toddler with the situation you are in being a pleasurable one for any of you. The last time I went my Disabled child was only 4 months old and in a Baby Carrier and slept most of the time while I wore her. I had my other children aged 5 and 4 with me and it was hard enough with 4 adults and three kids . From what I understand , during Easter, Even if Disney could make some kind of arrangements (Stoller allowed in line is the only one I know of) you still are looking at Crowd Levels of 10' with 90 minute or more waits possible and there will also be a significant amout of significantly disabled persons also needing assistance , and , if your child will not sit in a non moving stroller or is unable to stand for that long (even healthy adults will have a hard time holding a toddler for 90 minutes) then I truly think you should postpone until you can find a quieter time to go so you can really appreciate the experience.

Nicole

 

[lizziepooh]

Sorry this has happened to you. I would reschedule for all the reasons that have been mentioned above. With huge Easter crowds, long lines and chasing an 18 month old, I think you would all be miserable. Wait til you are all healthy again, and you'll enjoy it much more.

 

[Hannathy]

I would postpone. We have gone at Easter and have had a good trip but to have a good trip it entails long hours, being there early, being able to take advantage of unexpected changes in wait times ie hearing Splash has little waits and high tailing it over from tomorrowland. quick changes are hard with an 18 mos old. The other thing is there are wall to wall people, all the time, everywhere. This actually got to me a few times, this would be hard with baby.
My husband has a bad knee- waiting for it to get "bad enough" for surgery and he said with the crowds it is tough on his knee because of the quick stops or sudden changes of directions with so many people. Even with fast pass rides weren't walk ons there was always some waiting due to crowd size.
I'm not following the urgency to go if you have trip insurance isn't this an example of why you would buy it?

 

[staceywj]

Thank you for all your kind words and advice. We do have a lot of concerns and much to think over. Even though DH and I probably know what our final decision will be we decided to think about it and decide officially April 1st.
I greatly appreciated all the posts.
Stacey

 

[minnie61650]

.....I am OK with walking at my own pace and pushing the stroller but not standing. If I have to stand in line and hold DD since she does not like to stop while she is in her stroller or when I have to "park" the stroller, it would difficult for me since DH is really not able to hold her.

...... Do you think Disney could accomidate my situation and if so, please let me know how. .....
Lastly, if this was your situation, would you still go? I know that this is a very minor situation compared to other people and apologize for posting since we are only temporarily disabled but I do not know what to do.
Thanks for any comments,
Stacey

Sorry Disney cannot accommodate your situation.
The only front of the line passes are for the Make A wish Children who go on the Make A. Wish sponsored trips.
My first suggestion would have been to see if you could get a pass to allow you to use the stroller as a "wheelchair" but since dd needs to be held if the stroller stops then that will not help you.

Even when you use fast passes where they are available there will be some waiting and standing.
If it were me I would postpone the trip. I want you and your family to have lots of fun on your first family trip to Disney.

 

[mickeyfan2]

I would postpone the trip until after your recover from your surgery. October would be a nice time to go.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

I'll be a bit stronger than everyone else. DO NOT GO OVER A SCHOOL VACATION UNLESS YOU HAVE NO OTHER OPTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our first trip was when DS was 20 months over 4th of July. It was horrible, yes, a complete disaster. We came home with 1/2 of our passes unused because it was not worth it to go into the park. I said never again! Fast forward 3 years and my Mom and Sister convince me to try again but this time the week after Thanksgiving ( Arriving the Sunday after). It was NOT the same place at all. This trip is MAGICAL!!! We have now gone every year but ONLY in the off season. ( I'm a teacher and I have kids in school but I will do a week without pay to go in the off season) Please don't make the same mistake I did with my first trip. Go in the off season and everything else will fall into place.

And you get longer to plan and dream of the wonderful trip you'll have too!

 

[staceywj]

I am also a teacher and it is hard for DH to get off when I am off since he is very low on the totem pole. But, we are now thinking about Feb 2007 over President's Day weekend. It might be worth using 2 PB days. I will have a lot of time to plan over the summer while I recover from knee surgery and have something to look forward to...
Thanks again,
Stacey

 

[lovethattink]

I'd go. I've taken the kids by myself to WDW. I took them after I had surgery and wasn't allowed to lift more than 10 pounds. I was able to go to guest services. They gave me a card to use the stoller as a wheelchair. Meaning that I could push the stroller anywhere a wheelchair could go. It was a real blessing at the Land and other attractions where you are required to park the stroller outside. DS was 13 months that trip. I brought extra tip money and used the valet services for luggage. I'd suggest packing half of what you think you need, you can always wash if you have to. Pack light so you don't have so much to carry. Possibly a playtes hip hammock (or something similar) would help reduce the stress of carrying dd when you have to.