Is it too early for an April 2014 PTR? Starting one anyway. FINAL 4/28 & TR Link!

[deedee2177]

Introduction: Below

Offsite Condo Update 9/3/13: http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=49464497&postcount=10

Additional Park Time and Food Update: 10/1/13: http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=49713382&postcount=14

The day my world changed!: 10/8/13 http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=49775018&postcount=18

Let the Planning continue! 10/24 update http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=49914618&postcount=24

First Full Day!! HELLO MAGIC KINGDOM!! 10/29 update http://www.www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=49954009&postcount=25

2nd Full Day!! Hello Hollywood!! 11/1 update http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=49976782&postcount=26

Resort Change (Shocker)! 11/12 update http://www.www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=50055828&postcount=31

Struck out with Villa 11/15 (quick) update http://www.www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=50081053&postcount=33

Hotel Update and 4/24 plans! 12/3 update http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=50199420&postcount=36

I warned you!! 4/25 plans! 12/9 update http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=50233432&postcount=37

DS Update! 12/9 update #2 http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=50234453&postcount=38

Quick Update...Disney Date Night with DH! 12/12 update http://www.www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=50252072&postcount=43

An extra full day at the Parks!!! 12/20 update http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=50299268&postcount=44

Park Changes!! 1/2 update http://www.www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=50377048&postcount=45

DOUBLE DIGIT DANCE!! along with a little FP+ anxiety! 1/11 Update http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=50450334&postcount=53

Life Update! 1/14 Update http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=50476335&postcount=59

Some much appreciated Pixie Dust!!! 1/19 Update http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=50512484&postcount=60

Secured Final ADR!!! 1/21 Update http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=50532877&postcount=63

I know I'm a Disney Geek, but I'm among good company! 1/28 Update http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=50587455&postcount=64

Just wanted to say HELLO! 2/21 Update http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=50772363&postcount=65

48 Days!! 3/4 Update http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=50862074&postcount=69

23 Days!! The suspense is giving me gray hairs!!!! 3/27 Update http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=51056235&postcount=73

15 Days!! I can't handle it!! 4/4 Update http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=51119162&postcount=76

2 Days!! Is that even possible????? 4/17 Update x2 http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=51219781&postcount=77

Epic Fail on Final Day Updates! 4/28 Update http://disboards.com/showpost.php?p=51302329&postcount=79

Trip Report Link! http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=51302928&postcount=80

So, Im going to attempt another PTR. Where to begin? How about a little back story. My most recent trip was November 2012, we went the week after Thanksgiving. It was me, my DH and Step-daughter (DSD) and my son. My step-daughter was 6 at the time and my son was 10 months old. It was my first trip as a Mommy and it was a great trip. We were able to go during FD and were able to stay in the LM Rooms at AoA (thanks to that wonderful pin number we got in the mail).

This trip we decided to take our Moms along with us (DMIL and DM). We had initially thought about going over MLK weekend in January, but that meant my DSD would have to miss a couple of days of school. So, we decided to push the trip back to April and go over her Spring Break. Her Spring Break coincides with Easter so she has that week off of school. Im keeping my fingers crossed that since Easter is so late this year (4/20) we wont have as big as crowds as there has been in the past. However, due to my wonderful DIS friends and recommendations I think we will be fine either way because I will have a Touring Plan in place J

So, lets get started with the introductions:

Me&Im Sandra and Im 36 years old. I grew up in South Florida and grew up going to WDW with my family and on school trips. WDW is my happy place. I have a pretty stressful job and Im a mom to two great kids (more on them later), so when I enter into WDW&.I breathe in the magic air and let the pixie dust fly! J Im the planner of the group and will be making all the arrangements for everyone. So, this PR will help me as well to keep things in line (I hope).



DH&.Keith 41 (almost 42)
I made my DH&.I mean I suggested to my DH we go to WDW on our Honeymoon when we got married in February 2010, I could tell he was not completely on board but he went along anyway (good hubby). He ended up catching the Disney Bug and we couldnt wait to go back with his daughter (our son wasnt in the picture yet).

So, now he understands the magic I tried to explain to him, and he is now on board to make Disney and annual/bi-annual trip. He turns into a big kid (well, a bigger kid than he already is) when we are there, so I feel like Im trying to control 3 kids instead of two, but I love to see him having such a good time in a place that I have loved my entire life.

Keith is a stay at home dad (he works part time on the weekends), but we are blessed that he can stay home and take care of the kids.



The Munchkins&.Emma and Joey

So, here is the reason I breathe every day&my kids. Emma is my step-daughter and is 7 years old. I came into her life when she had just turned 3 and we have been close ever since. She calls me Girlfriend because I used to be Daddys girlfriend&.and it has just stuck. I told her Im fine with it as long as her brother doesnt start calling me Girlfriend. I love my relationship with Emma, and I consider her my daughter. Her Mommy and I get along very well, and we have a mutual respect for each other. She encourages Emma to have a good relationship with me and lets her know its ok to love both of us.

Emma is your typical 7 year old going on 16. She loves to dance and is in dance class 3 times a week. She is creative and you can give this child some crayons and a piece of paper and she is perfectly happy. She is definitely starting to inch her way into the tween area&LOL.

This will be Emmas 3rd trip to WDW&she went with her Mommy and Nanna when she was 4 and went we us in November 2012.



Now onto my son&Joey. He will be 2 years old at the time of our trip (yay&still dont have to buy a ticket for me..yet). Joey is your typical boy&full of energy and loves to play with his cars, and we cant forget Mickey Mouse Clubhouse&.turn that on in our house and you can forget about getting his attention. He made his entrance into the world 5 weeks early, and hasnt stopped yet. This will be Joeys 2nd trip to WDW&went in November 2012.



Next is my Mom&Barbara

Where do I start about my Mom&she is absolutely amazing!!! She is my best friend and was born to be a mom. Everyone who meets her loves her. She is a 5 foot tall British Woman and you just want to wrap her up and take her home with you. She loves her grandkids and loves be Nanny to them. She is the one who introduced me to WDW. Her last visit was in February 2007 when she went with me, my sister and a friend of mine. So, its about time she heads back. She is looking forward to seeing her grandkids experience Disney and its magic.



Next is my DMIL&.Helen

Helen is my Mother-in-Law. She is probably one of the sweetest women I have ever met. She enjoys spending time with all her grandkids, and taking care of everyone. She is always trying to make sure everyone has everything they need and is a true caregiver. Its my goal this trip to make sure she is taken care of and not have to worry about a thing&let me handle it all. She has been to WDW once and that was about 30 years ago. She is from the school once you have done it, you dont need to do it again. I dont think she grasps that there are now 4 different parks and 2 water parks and its not just the Magic Kingdom anymore. I know she will not be able to absorb it all until she is actually there.



Possible attendee of this trip, my sister&.Ashley.

Ashley is my little sister (Im 14 years older than she is). She is a firecracker, witty, funny and as sarcastic as they come. We have a very special relationship because of the age difference. Im very maternal toward her and sometimes she gets upset about that, but she has grown used to it and now has come to appreciate it (or accept it&either way). Ashley can make me laugh like no one else&.she makes me laugh until it hurts. My kids love her and call her Tia (well Emma does, Joey hasnt grasped that yet). As long as she can work it out with her job, she will be joining us as well for the trip. Fingers crossed that will happen.




Here are the details (so far):

Trip Dates : 4/21/14 (day after Easter) 4/26/14

Transportation: Renting a Mini-van

We will driving from North Carolina, its about a 10 hour drive but with kids it will probably take a bit longer. We usually divide the drive up in two days, but I decided that since we had the Grandmas there to help entertain the kids we could knock it out in one day.

Accommodations: Off-site

We will be staying off-site this go around. I would love to stay on-site but Im finding it difficult to find a place that would comfortably fit all of us. Also, we are on a budget so that is what influenced us to go with the off-site option. I was able to find a 3 bedroom condo that is about 4 miles away WDW that will fit us all perfectly. I like the space it provides for all of us&.we will each have our own space.

Tickets:

4 Day Park Hoppers

Daily Schedule:

4/21/14 Leave for Disney!!!!!! We will be picking up the mini-van on 4/19 which gives us plenty of time to get Joeys car seat placed in the mini-van (we like to take her car seat to the local Fire Department to have put into the car). It also gives us plenty of time get the car packed up.
Im hoping to get on the road by 7am. My Mom and sister will spend the night before with us and we will pick up my DMIL the morning we leave. My plan is to just grab the kids in their PJs and put them in the car.
We will stop for breakfast and lunch on the road. We will also be making some stops as necessary to let Joey run around&.Emma is a great traveler she will just roll with everything and will just be anxious to get there.
Im hoping to arrive at the condo around 6pm EST. We will let the kids swim to get some of the ya-yas out after being in the car so long. We will probably either make dinner (we have a full kitchen), or order something.

4/22/14 FIRST DAY AT THE PARKS!!!!

We are planning on going to MK first. Im keeping my fingers crossed I will get an ADR at Crystal Palace at one of the first seatings. I have never had the experience of being in the Park before opening. I have seen some of my DIS friends share this experience and Im dying to do it! So, 10/24/13 is the big day that I can attempt to make the ADR! Fingers crossed!!! My sons room is decorated in Pooh so I definitely want to experience this breakfast. On our last trip he met Pooh and loved him&see picture below.



We are planning on staying at MK for the entire day (no hopping on this day). I know we will be moving at a slower pace because of the size of the group we will have.

4/23/14 Disney Hollywood Studios

So, Day 2 will involve a visit to Disney Hollywood Studios. My goal for this trip is to ride Toy Story Midway Mania&I know I will probably lose my DIS card for what Im about to admit but we are all friends (right?). I have NEVER been on TSMM, we usually arrive too late in the morning to get a FP. So, its my (and DHs) goal to be ride this at least once. Ive already told DH he is to run to TSMM and grab FPs as soon as we get there!!!

My DH only made one request&.to eat at Sci-Fi again. So, I will be trying to get a lunch ADR for this day as well. I know the Grandmas will also get a kick out of this restaurant as well.

We may hop to another park after lunch or go back to the condo to rest, and then head back to another park&havent ironed out all the details yet.

4/24/14 EPCOT

Day 3 will be spent at EPCOT. We didnt get to spend as much time at EPCOT as I would have liked last time. So, I want to make up for that. I just know I will be skipping Missions Space&just getting too old for that. I also know my DH will be skipping Soarin&.he basically had a panic attack on it&he is not a flyer. I really think my DMIL is going to enjoy the World Showcase.
I would like to have a meal at Rose and Crown in honor of my British Mum who will be with us. J However, we will see&might have to stick to QS (again on a tighter budget this trip).

We will most likely hop back to the MK for the evening (will have to wait to see hours though)

4/25/14 Animal Kingdom

Day 4, we will head to Animal Kingdom. My DMIL, DM and Sister have never been to the Animal Kingdom before. I know my DM will love it&she works at an Animal Hospital and is a huge animal lover. My sister will love EE, and Im sure she will take a few rides on that.

My DSD wants to eat at the Rainforest Café again, so looks like I will be attempting to get an ADR for lunch on this day. My DS loved it so much the last time, this happened&..



We will definitely head back to the MK for the afternoon/evening to end our trip with Wishes!!! L

4/26/14 Head home L

So, that is my trip in a nutshell&this will change time and time again. Hope you enjoy following along with this adventure.​

 

[momjeeps]

Sounds like lots of fun! It's never too early to start a PTR I'm curious where you plan to stay offsite? We went in Nov 2012 too. Arrived the day before Thanksgiving. I bet our trips overlapped! We don't have serious plans to head back to WDW yet. But have plans for DLR next summer. I've subbed, can't wait to see how your trip plans evolve.

 

[deedee2177]

Sounds like lots of fun! It's never too early to start a PTR I'm curious where you plan to stay offsite? We went in Nov 2012 too. Arrived the day before Thanksgiving. I bet our trips overlapped! We don't have serious plans to head back to WDW yet. But have plans for DLR next summer. I've subbed, can't wait to see how your trip plans evolve.

The condo we found is at Legacy Dunes Resort. They have different sizes available all for reasonable prices for the week.

I think our trips did overlap...in fact I think we both might be members of the same FB November 2012 group...I recognize your name

 

[momjeeps]

I'll have to check into that as another offsite option. We really enjoyed the offsite portion of our trip. We had so much space and the in room washer and dryer, not to mention a huge jetted tub. I'm pretty sure our next trip will be all offsite unless FD is an option again. With our big family FD does make a difference.

Nice to see a fellow Nov 2012 buddy again. That was a fun group.

 

[deedee2177]

I'll have to check into that as another offsite option. We really enjoyed the offsite portion of our trip. We had so much space and the in room washer and dryer, not to mention a huge jetted tub. I'm pretty sure our next trip will be all offsite unless FD is an option again. With our big family FD does make a difference.

Nice to see a fellow Nov 2012 buddy again. That was a fun group.

If you don't mind me asking...where did you stay off-site? We have not put down a deposit yet so I'm still open to looking at other options. The plan is to put down a deposit next month on our final choice.

If anyone else has any suggestions for an off-site condo/house...I would love to get some suggestions. We will have 5 adults and 2 kids, so we would need at least a 3 bedroom. My DH and I in one bed (duh), my Mom and sister can share a room (will need separate beds) and my DMIL and DSD can share a room/bed. My son will probably sleep in the room with me and my DH either on a blow up mattress or in a Pack-n-Play (if he still fits)

 

[momjeeps]

I love to gush about our offsite location.

There are some pics on this blog post.

http://blog.vonavie.com/2012/11/arrival-and-lake-buena-vista-resort.html?m=1

We had a 2BD/2BA but they also have a 3BD available. We would probably get that next time so we didn't have to have the couch made into a bed.

I had gotten it for a super great rate through Travelocity Secret Deals, but that was by chance. I had no idea where I wanted I stay had several that looked good to me. But I decided to do the secret deal thing, this place had 4 stars from reviews and I figured the savings were worth the chance. We ended up with this place and loved it. Now we will have to pay a more regular price next time because we want to know we will be there.

It was a super easy drive to the parks. There was a Walmart just up the road. Pirate pool with poolside bar.

I you poke around on the blog you can find pics of the pool area too.

Feel free to ask any questions.

 

[wiigirl]

Following along!

 

[deedee2177]

I love to gush about our offsite location.

There are some pics on this blog post.

http://blog.vonavie.com/2012/11/arrival-and-lake-buena-vista-resort.html?m=1

We had a 2BD/2BA but they also have a 3BD available. We would probably get that next time so we didn't have to have the couch made into a bed.

I had gotten it for a super great rate through Travelocity Secret Deals, but that was by chance. I had no idea where I wanted I stay had several that looked good to me. But I decided to do the secret deal thing, this place had 4 stars from reviews and I figured the savings were worth the chance. We ended up with this place and loved it. Now we will have to pay a more regular price next time because we want to know we will be there.

It was a super easy drive to the parks. There was a Walmart just up the road. Pirate pool with poolside bar.

I you poke around on the blog you can find pics of the pool area too.

Feel free to ask any questions.

Thanks so much for this information....I will definitely take a look at it.

 

[deedee2177]

Following along!

Welcome...thanks for following along!

 

[deedee2177]

Well, like I mentioned in my 1st post there would probably be a lot of changes that happen between now and the time of the trip.

So, the first major change is our accommodations. We have decided to stay at a townhouse in Regal Palms. It’s a 4 bedroom townhouse which gives us a bit more room. I really think that will be appreciated after long days in the parks….we can all just divide up and head to our own spaces.

I would love to hear from anyone that has stayed at Regal Palms before…please feel free to share!






I’m also considering using one of the Baby Equipment Rental places, so we can rent an actual crib and not use a Pack-n-Play. I have a feeling DS will be a bit too big to sleep comfortably in a PNP. So again, if anyone has any recommendations on companies to use…feel free to share.

I have to admit I am a little nervous about a rumor I heard about the FP system being completely eliminated, and only FP+ will be in effect for Resort Guests. I just hope this is one of those nasty rumors that is not true. With two kids and two Grandmas in tow on this trip we are definitely planning on utilizing the FP system. If it was just me and my DH, I wouldn’t worry about it too much, but waiting in long lines with the kiddos and Grandmas might make my nerves explode.

I have also officially added my Countdown to Disney Vacation App onto my phone. So, my DSD has started checking it every morning to watch the countdown….only 229 days to go (UGH!!)

Thanks for following along, please don't feel like you have to lurk...please feel free to add comments, share ideas or ask questions​

 

[lvcourtneyy]

I'm following along! Your kids are adorable!

Off-site definitely sounds like a much more affordable option when you go with a larger group. The pictures you posted of the Regal Palms look amazing!

Can't wait to hear more about your planning!

 

[deedee2177]

I'm following along! Your kids are adorable!

Off-site definitely sounds like a much more affordable option when you go with a larger group. The pictures you posted of the Regal Palms look amazing!

Can't wait to hear more about your planning!

Thanks for following along! I just subbed to your Halloween PTR...I know you are getting so excited...4 days to go!! I hope you and your DBF have a great time...can't wait to read about all the fun. Safe travels and loads of pixie dust.

 

[lvcourtneyy]

Thanks for following along! I just subbed to your Halloween PTR...I know you are getting so excited...4 days to go!! I hope you and your DBF have a great time...can't wait to read about all the fun. Safe travels and loads of pixie dust.

Aw thank you so much! I still can't believe it's SO close now!

 

[deedee2177]

"Only” 201 days to go until our trip!! That means only 21 days until I can start making some ADR’s. We are not making as many this trip like we did the last one, one main reason being we will not be on the DDP. However, my DH has requested a couple places, so I will try to make that happen for him.

So, the other day my DH casually mentioned he felt we should leave a day earlier for our trip. After I picked myself up off the ground I said, “Please tell me more!” As I have mentioned previously we were planning on leaving the day after Easter, but DH would actually like to leave the afternoon of Easter to get a few hours of travel under our belt since we are driving. Of course we would need to clear this with his ex-wife because that would mean her having to give up a few hours of Easter with Emma. I really honestly can’t see her saying no because she knows how excited Emma is about this trip.

My mind starting whirling and I did a quick check-off list:

1. We will already have the rental car because we are picking that up the day before Easter – CHECK

2. We can easily turn our 4 day Park Hopper into a 5 Day Park Hopper without breaking the bank – CHECK

3. We can find a reasonable hotel on the way down to stay at for the night – CHECK

4. I can call the Property Manager at the condo and confirm an early check in for Monday – CHECK

5. If we make it past Savannah, GA that first night we would be half way to Disney when we started out the next day – CHECK

6. We could hit MK that afternoon – TRIPLE CHECK!!!

All of this went through my head in about .02 seconds…”Sure, Honey, that sounds like a great idea!!”

I have been reviewing some Crowd Calendars and it looks like the Tuesday and Wednesday we will be there will be “8’s” and the Thursday and Friday will be “7’s”. I haven’t been to WDW with crowd levels this high in awhile, but I’m not too worried about it. We will hit the parks early, take a break around lunch and come back to finish out the evening.

Also, based on these Crowd Calendars some of the daily plans of changed. This is the tentative plan for right now:

4/20 – NEW Leaving Day!!!
4/21 – Check into condo then head to MK for the afternoon/Evening
4/22 – MK all day (with a resort break)
4/23 – Epcot (with a resort break), we can hop somewhere else for the afternoon if we want
4/24 – Hollywood Studios (with a resort break), we can hop somewhere else for the afternoon if we want
4/25 – Animal Kingdom (with a resort break), hop back to MK to finish the trip off with parade and Wishes!!!
4/26 – Head home

Like I said previously my DH doesn’t want too many ADR’s this trip…he says he doesn’t like being tied down to a time like that. However, I just can’t help myself so I’ve been running some ideas through this crazy head of mine. I have it narrowed down to the following:

4/21 – Dinner ADR MK:

BOG (however my DH is very picky eater and he is definitely a meat and potatoes type of guy);

Tony’s Town Square Restaurant (if planned right, we might be able to catch the parade from the porch area);

The Plaza Restaurant (again if planned right we could grab a good spot for parade after dinner).

If my DH chose I think we would probably go with The Plaza Restaurant because of the food choices….they are more up his alley. I think my DD would choose Tony’s Town Square just because of the puppy prints at the restaurant. I’m pretty sure BOG will be out because there really isn’t anything on the dinner menu DH would go with, so I think that might have to be saved for a lunch for the girls and DH can take DS somewhere else. So, if I had to bet I think we will end up at Tony's!


4/22 – Lunch MK:

We will most likely do a QS for lunch. I’m thinking Columbia Harbour House because this was a huge hit on our last trip.

Pecos Bill’s is always a good choice as well. I think the decision will be based on what section of the park we are in when we start to get hungry.

4/22 – Dinner MK:

This is all going to be based on whether we are still in the park for dinner or not. I think at this point we might have some tired Grandmas and kiddos, so I’m kinda keeping my fingers crossed that DH and I can sneak away for a dinner somewhere and let the Grandmas and my sister take care of the kids. Maybe head over to DTD or even if I’m lucky Ohana and then watch the fireworks from the beach (an item on my bucket list)….I will definitely have to go ahead and try to get an ADR and then talk DH into it. Heck, if he doesn’t want to go maybe I will go with my Mom and Sister (hmm there is an idea).

4/23 – Lunch Epcot:

Oh the choices for lunch at Epcot are endless!! I’m finding it hard though to find a place that will make everyone happy. Not to mention QS is easier when you have little ones with you. So, I might have to wait to dive into some of these other places when my DH and I go back in October 2015 for a honeymoon re-do (not to mention keeping our fingers crossed for FD at that time...yes, I’m already planning another trip when this one is still over 6 months away).

So, most likely we will end up doing a QS for lunch. This will actually be ok with me because I love the Sunshine Seasons Food Court. I love the area and the different choices, and it’s a great place to people watch.

4/23 – Dinner:

This is completely up in the air because it all depends if we stay in Epcot or hop to another park.

4/24 – Lunch DHS:

Now one of the only requests my DH had was he wanted to eat at Sci-Fi again. So, that is the plan for lunch for this day. I think the Grandmas will get a kick out of this place, and my sister just goes with the flow. This was also one of my DD’s favorite places last time.

4/24 – Dinner:

Again this is going to be driven by where we end up. If we haven’t hopped anywhere, we might try Pizza Planet. I have done ABC the last couple times I have been to DHS so I would like to try something else, and pizza is something everyone likes (ok there I go again trying to make everyone happy).

4/25 – Lunch AK:

So, the other request the DH had was to eat at Rainforest Café again. So, that will be the lunch plans for this day. My MIL has not been to a restaurant like this so I know she will get a kick out of it.

4/25 – Dinner MK:

We will be hopping back to the MK for the evening to close out our trip. I wallets will probably demand we do a QS for this meal.  Luckily there is plenty to choose from at the MK.

As you may have noticed I did not list any breakfast plans. We will be taking care of breakfast at the condo each morning. We will have a full kitchen so at some point I will be running to the grocery store to pick up some breakfast stuff for everyone to enjoy during the week.

I know this update wasn’t a very exciting update, but I would love any feedback or recommendations. Please let me know that you are out there and I’m not just typing to an empty audience.​

 

[lvcourtneyy]

Ah an extra day of Disney is always amazing! I can see your DH's point about not wanting to have so many ADR. While it was nice to have a planned meal for a break every day, I did find us constantly having to plan what we were doing around them and having awkward periods of time before them, not knowing what to do.

 

[deedee2177]

Ah an extra day of Disney is always amazing! I can see your DH's point about not wanting to have so many ADR. While it was nice to have a planned meal for a break every day, I did find us constantly having to plan what we were doing around them and having awkward periods of time before them, not knowing what to do.

That is my DH's feeling to a "T"!! I think it's even harder when you have little ones because you never know what kind of mood they will be in when it comes time for your ADRs. So, I think I will save more of my ADR planning for when he and I do our honeymoon re-do in October 2015

PS: I'm following along on your trip report...enjoying every update

 

[lvcourtneyy]

That is my DH's feeling to a "T"!! I think it's even harder when you have little ones because you never know what kind of mood they will be in when it comes time for your ADRs. So, I think I will save more of my ADR planning for when he and I do our honeymoon re-do in October 2015

PS: I'm following along on your trip report...enjoying every update

A honeymoon re-do sounds fabulous!

Thanks so much for reading! Glad you're enjoying!

 

[deedee2177]

So, I’m going to share a bit of personal news in this update. Last Wednesday we took my 20 month old son in to have his speech evaluated because he is not speaking yet. We were expecting to get verification that yes he needed some speech therapy and we could get him on track. Though it was confirmed that this indeed was necessary, we were also told he was showing strong signs of Autism.


Picture by deedee2177

Needless to say my world was turned upside down. The key indicators that were discussed with us were the following:

1. His lack of verbal speech
2. Lack of non-verbal speech (pointing, hand gestures, etc)
3. Repeat type of play (lining blocks up, stacking puzzle pieces)
4. Difficulty in transitioning from one play activity to another to the point where he is visibly upset/frustrated

So, now my DH and I are in the process of lining up the necessary intervention therapies for him and getting him all the help he needs. Not to mention I’m trying to educate myself as much as possible on Autism. Thankfully a lot I have read has stated that the earlier this is caught the better, and strong results are being seen with early intervention.

As my DH and I digested this news one of our thoughts turned to our Disney Trip planned for April. There was discussion about cancelling it all together, but after further discussion we didn’t really feel that we should make that decision right now. Actually, we are leaning more to keeping it in the works. Luckily, Joey is not oversensitive to music, lights or sounds like some autistic children can be. Joey actually loves all these things, not to mention the boy LOVES being outside. So, we don’t feel this will be too much stimulation for him.

We also feel this will be a great chance to break away with the family and enjoy some magic, and make some great memories.

Joey is surrounded by wonderful family, and I know he will get the help he needs. He is an amazing little boy and he draws people’s attention to him wherever we go (in a good way). After his evaluation the other day all the ladies wanted to take him home…he had won them over just like he does with everyone else.

We may have to make some adjustments to our trip as we learn more about Joey’s needs, but I don’t think that will involve us cancelling the trip all together. I’m also very thankful my Mom, MIL and my sister will be on this trip to help out as well.

Thanks for following along with this PTR and feel free to come out of the Lurky Woods and say hello. Also, any feedback from parents with autistic kids and their experiences at Disney would be greatly appreciated!!​

 

[lvcourtneyy]

Wow that certainly was a bombshell dropped on you guys but I think you've had the perfect response. Although my sister isn't autistic, she is disabled and I think early intervention is definitely key. I know there are a bunch of programs out there now and finding the right one for you and your son is important. My sister was lucky enough to go through some fantastic school programs and the things they taught her early on definitely made the biggest difference.

Have you read FantasylandMom's TRs? Her daughter is on the spectrum and they have learned what things trigger her and they travel to WDW every year!

I wish you guys the best of luck in figuring things out and I think it's a good idea not to cancel the trip right away.

 

[emmysmommy]

Hi Sandra! I'm joining in... sorry, I didn't see this sooner! What a cutie Joey is!

I'm glad you didn't cancel your trip due to your son's diagnosis. It may be just the measure of magic that your family will enjoy! I know there is so much information out there since it is such a prevalent diagnosis but still it is your little one and you want to do everything you can to adjust and cope. I love your positive attitude.

As for your plans for April, I have to congratulate you for so much thought and effort already. I still haven't made all of my dining reservations for our December trip so I'm feeling waaaayyy behind.

I am joining in while you count down until April!