"It all started with a whopping price error ” 10/24 The Perfect Storm of Opportunity

[A&Bmama]

I am so sorry to hear about your loss. I have lost my father in the past couple of years, and know that nothing can be said to bring him back.

It is nice and comforting to know that you have friends on the Dis board that will and can sympathize with you, and feel the pain that you have.

May he look down on you and be proud of who you are and what you have become. Keep the loving memories close, and cherish the special times you had.

We are all thinking of you and your family.

Thanks for reading and offering your kind support. I've finding it really therapeutic to write this. The outpouring of support I have been receiving is wonderful.

 

[miprender]

A&B Mama, so sorry for your loss. I had a feeling that it was not going to be good for the next installment.

But I can't wait to read more... I love happy endings!

 

[A&Bmama]

A&B Mama, so sorry for your loss. I had a feeling that it was not going to be good for the next installment.

But I can't wait to read more... I love happy endings!

Thanks.

It is going to take a few installments before we get to a "better" place. Although, I do feel like it is important to fully explain what we were thinking and feeling while the bad stuff was going on I am looking forward to writing about happier times again.

I promise I'll deliver on the happy ending.

 

[Snappy in OK]

I had a bad feeling when I read about the message light on the phone. I am so sorry to hear about your loss. It is never easy losing a loved one, but I think being away from home makes it harder.

DH & I were on our honeymoon when his grandma was taken to the hospital. (She was 96, and we had been told for 9 months that she would not live to be at our wedding.) DH's parents had told us that she was in the hospital, but told us to enjoy our honeymoon - Grandma would not want us to head home early. She passed away the following night, and made everyone promise not to tell us until we got home a few days later.

I hope you were able to make it home easily & be with your family!!

 

[floydfamily4]

I am so sorry for your loss. My prayers are with you and your family as you begin to heal. I have enjoyed your report and getting to know you and your family and cannot imagine your pain. Hang in there.

 

[tinytreasures]

I am so sorry

 

[Ferry Joy]

I too wish to add my condolences. I was crying when I read your trip report (and I certainly didn't think that would happen - strong stoic type). Life happens where ever we are whenever, even at the happiest place on earth.
Please keep writing when you can. You are brave.

 

[NikkiMouse]

I just found your trip report and caught up over the weekend. I was so sorry to read about your Dad, I can't imagine how awful you must have felt.

I think it is good therapy to write it all down and let those emotions loose. It shows you are healing. It just takes a bit of time.

Waiting in anticipation for your next update

Sending disney luv n hugs to you and your family

 

[mom2shayleeandlogan]

I am so sorry for your loss.

 

[A&Bmama]

I had a bad feeling when I read about the message light on the phone. I am so sorry to hear about your loss. It is never easy losing a loved one, but I think being away from home makes it harder.

DH & I were on our honeymoon when his grandma was taken to the hospital. (She was 96, and we had been told for 9 months that she would not live to be at our wedding.) DH's parents had told us that she was in the hospital, but told us to enjoy our honeymoon - Grandma would not want us to head home early. She passed away the following night, and made everyone promise not to tell us until we got home a few days later.

I hope you were able to make it home easily & be with your family!!

Thanks for the condolences. Being away from home does make it harder.

I am sure your DH's parents were right. I am sure his Grandmother would want the two of you to have a lovely honeymoon.

I am so sorry for your loss. My prayers are with you and your family as you begin to heal. I have enjoyed your report and getting to know you and your family and cannot imagine your pain. Hang in there.

I'm so glad to hear you're enjoying the report. I promise it does get better.

Thanks so much for the suport and understanding.

I am so sorry

Thanks for reading and posting. I am overwhelmed by everyones kindness.

I too wish to add my condolences. I was crying when I read your trip report (and I certainly didn't think that would happen - strong stoic type). Life happens where ever we are whenever, even at the happiest place on earth.
Please keep writing when you can. You are brave.

Thanks so much for your kind words. Sorry to make you cry.

You are right, you can't escape life no matter where you go. Unfortunately Disney is no exception.

I just found your trip report and caught up over the weekend. I was so sorry to read about your Dad, I can't imagine how awful you must have felt.

I think it is good therapy to write it all down and let those emotions loose. It shows you are healing. It just takes a bit of time.

Waiting in anticipation for your next update

Sending disney luv n hugs to you and your family

Thanks for reading. I am glad I decided to do the trip report afterall. Although it does make me recall the bad times it also made me sit down and recall all of the good times we had too.

Thanks for the support.

I am so sorry for your loss.

Thanks for the kind words. Everyone here on the DIS has been incredibly kind and supportive. Thanks for reading.

 

[A&Bmama]

If Tomorrow Never Comes:

I make my best attempt at helping DH pack our things even though my body feels like it is made of lead. Simple decisions like what shoes should I leave out for DD to put on tomorrow boggle my mind. The packing gets done, mostly by DH.

I can’t stop thinking how quickly life can change. One minute your enjoying Disney magic, the next minutes someone you love is gone. No chance to say goodbye. No chance to tell them you love them.

I remember how just a few short hours ago we were on that boat in downtown Disney. I think of DH putting his arms around DD and me to keep us warm, how my childish disappointment over a silly dinner had made me want to tell him not to touch me.

What if had been one of us to die instead of my Father? What if the last moments we had together were marred by this petty squabble? If I were the one left behind it would haunt me. If he were left behind would he feel the same? Would he berate himself for not taking me to dinner? Would he know that this spat was just surface tension bubbling up? Would he know that my real feelings for him are much too deep for surface tension to touch? I can’t take the chance that he would and I can’t assume that there will be an opportunity to tell before we’re parted. I tell DH that there is something I want to say, that I need to talk…

We tell each other things, sweet things, sorrowful things, funny things, joyful things. It is very late when we are done. I tell DH that he should go to sleep. He is going long day tomorrow and I don’t know how much help I will be so he will need all the rest he can get.

I don’t know if I will be able to sleep tonight. I pour myself another margarita cooler, pop a couple of gravol and go to the balcony to think. I watch Eli sleeping for a long time. Finally the gravol kicks in so I go to bed and am able to sleep for a few hours.

The next morning is a bit of a blur. DH is the one who tells the kids that we are leaving this morning. DS is glum looking. Tomorrow is his 16th birthday. There will be no celebration at Disney World for him. No birthday fastpasses at Hollywood studios, so spending extra magic hours at Magic Kingdom, no cake from the Boardwalk Bakery. In fact, there won’t be a celebration at all tomorrow. I’ll be spending the day planning my Father’s funeral. DS doesn’t complain about any of this, God love him, he doesn’t say a word.

DD is crying quietly. I can tell she is trying not to but she can’t help it. She asks me if we will come back. I tell her we will bring them back to Disney but it will be very unlikely that we would stay at AKL again.

We get ready, pack the last minute things and then take our luggage to the car.

DH had stopped at the desk last night to tell them we would be checking out early and why. They told him to ask for the manger that was on in the morning and he might be able to do something about the nights we were losing. We stop at the desk and ask to see the manager. He is very nice to us but tells us that there is nothing they can do about the unused nights and the dining plan. He does however add the never expire option to our tickets so that we will still have the 4 days that are left at the parks. We ask if we can settle our room charges with the gift cards we have. He looks over our room charges which are only about $70.00 and tells us that he will write those off as well. (**see note at bottom)

We dropped by Sue and Bob’s room to drop off the drinks and snacks we had left over. BFF and friend hugged DD and told her how much they wanted her to stay. We talked for a few minutes and then told them we had to leave so that we could make sure we gave ourselves plenty of time to find our way to Tampa.

We stop in the gift shop to pick-up some candy and things to have on the plane. The Tilley style hat that we were going to buy for my father catches my eye. I look away quickly.

We stop at the Mara to pick-up something for DH and the kids to eat for breakfast on the way to the airport. I am not hungry; the thought of eating makes me queasy. Then we are walking out the door for the last time. I can’t believe the trip we have dreamed of and planned for so long is gone so quickly, so suddenly. I don’t look back.

We begin the long journey to the airport. The kids squabble over something in the back seat. My voice breaks as I tell them they have to behave well today because I don’t think I can handle it if they don’t. There is not another cross word out of them for the rest of they day. We find our way to the Tampa airport without too much trouble. DH is a saint, he guides all of us through check in and security he handles all of the details, passports, boarding passes etc. Once we are in the departure area he decides we should eat some lunch. We go to a chicken place, Popeye’s maybe? I don’t remember the name for sure, but it was a chain that we don’t have in Canada. I tell him I don’t think I can eat anything. He says he is ordering me a chicken sandwich anyway and wants me to try eating some of it. I manage to eat a few bites, maybe a ¼ of the sandwich. I remember that it was very hot and was delicious. I think how odd it is that I can think that it is delicious and making me queasy all at the same time.

Once we are done we go to the gate to wait for boarding. We are early because we wanted to leave lots of time in case we got lost on the way to the airport. I try not to cry in the airport. I don’t want to cry in public but I’m not going to have any privacy today. Most of the time I am able to keep my composure but sometimes a few tears slip out. I am comforted by the fact people crying in airports is not all that uncommon so I am not attracting as much attention as I might in another public place.

We arrive in Toronto, pick-up all of our bags, go through customs and do all of the necessary things. DH guides us all the way. Once we are in the departures area I find myself hungry. I buy a humongous hamburger and am surprised that I am able to eat every bite of it. Finally we are boarding the flight to Halifax. I am relieved that all we have to do now relax until we land, pick-up our bags and drive home.

We land a little late in Halifax and we are not in our home until after midnight. I am happy to be in my own home again. I take some gravol. I will need a good nights sleep, tomorrow will be a difficult day.




**Unfortunately, a couple of weeks after we arrived home AKL charged my Visa for the room charges. When I called to explain that I had been told that room charges had been written off and that I would have paid them with my gift cards rather by Visa all they offered to do was refund my visa and charge the gift card. I let them do this but of course I was dinged by visa about 7 bucks in foreign currency exchange charges.


Up Next: Promises, Promises

 

[MadiMouse]

I just want to add that you are a very strong individual to relive such a sad time in your life by writing a TR. My heart goes out to you and your family. I am anxious for the light at the end of the tunnel - something magical.

 

[ccgirl]

I just have to say what an amazing person you are. I am so sorry for your loss. To be able to write a trip report (and an awesome one at that) through all of this is simply amazing. I'm sure your father was thrilled you were able to take your children to Disney. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and feelings. I wish you and your family all of the best.

 

[It'sWDW4me]

I'm coming out of lurkdom to, first, say how horribly sorry I am for you and your family. My dearest grandmother passed while we (me, my son, my brother, and my cousin) were on our way home from a beach vacation. We were about 20 minutes from home and just pulling in to a gas station when my mom called my cell phone. The next time we saw Gram was at the viewing. So, in that vein, maybe it was a final kindness from your dad that you were spared the picture of him in his recliner.

Second, on a happier note, you did write that there was a nice, magical twist to come. I'm so very glad. And I'll be right here, reading on when you are able to post more.

 

[smithpack]

I am glad you are still writing! You are very good at having us in the moment. I have laughed, I have cried, I have stayed up late a couple of nights to read this. I am glad you made it home. I will be here till the end of this TR. I want to hear about the good news too.

 

[Becx N Gav]

My heart goes out to you and your family, your kids are amazing to be so well behaved and supporting you I'm glad your DH was able to take control, I can't imagine how hard it woud be to get to a strange airport, check-in, get through security and get on the right plane when your head is somewhere else I'm glad you made it home ok (well I'd rather this had not happened whilst you were on vacation.....)

Thanks for keeping this moving, you are doing a fab job (I can't say with the topic I am enjoying it, but it is a really great trip report) I do hope you get the chance for a do-over

 

[Becx N Gav]

And, for this person:

I recently posted a 1990 trip report (an unusual one), so feel free to check it out. Link is in my signiture, next the the 1990 dates. Enjoy!

Thank you very much for the link, I will definately check it out I wish I could have visited WDW as a child but we could never afford it, it'll be interesting to see what it was like back then

 

[hucifer]

You have me at the edge of my seat, hanging on every word. I feel like I was right in the moment with you.

I'm glad you decided to share this with us.

 

[A&Bmama]

I just want to add that you are a very strong individual to relive such a sad time in your life by writing a TR. My heart goes out to you and your family. I am anxious for the light at the end of the tunnel - something magical.

Next installment will still still be a little sad but after that it gets much better.

I just have to say what an amazing person you are. I am so sorry for your loss. To be able to write a trip report (and an awesome one at that) through all of this is simply amazing. I'm sure your father was thrilled you were able to take your children to Disney. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and feelings. I wish you and your family all of the best.

Thanks for the support and the wonderful compliment. I haven't written anything other than business correspondence since high school, so this is very different for me.

I'm coming out of lurkdom to, first, say how horribly sorry I am for you and your family. My dearest grandmother passed while we (me, my son, my brother, and my cousin) were on our way home from a beach vacation. We were about 20 minutes from home and just pulling in to a gas station when my mom called my cell phone. The next time we saw Gram was at the viewing. So, in that vein, maybe it was a final kindness from your dad that you were spared the picture of him in his recliner.

Second, on a happier note, you did write that there was a nice, magical twist to come. I'm so very glad. And I'll be right here, reading on when you are able to post more.

I think you a probably right. If I had been home I would have been there within a couple of minutes. At least I don't have those images in my mind.

Thanks for reading. Things will look up after the next installment.

I am glad you are still writing! You are very good at having us in the moment. I have laughed, I have cried, I have stayed up late a couple of nights to read this. I am glad you made it home. I will be here till the end of this TR. I want to hear about the good news too.

Thanks for the compliment, as I commented to ccgirl I haven't written anything but business correspondence since high school.

I was a little intimidated to try to write a TR. I knew that my TR would certainly not be the most informative or have the best pictures but it was quite a journey. I thought if I could write it in a way that takes the reader on the journey, has them the highs and the lows with me that it would be a worthwhile read.

psst, see my comments to Becx N Gav for a hint of what happens next.

My heart goes out to you and your family, your kids are amazing to be so well behaved and supporting you I'm glad your DH was able to take control, I can't imagine how hard it woud be to get to a strange airport, check-in, get through security and get on the right plane when your head is somewhere else I'm glad you made it home ok (well I'd rather this had not happened whilst you were on vacation.....)

Thanks for keeping this moving, you are doing a fab job (I can't say with the topic I am enjoying it, but it is a really great trip report) I do hope you get the chance for a do-over

My kids were amazing, they handled the disappointment so well. How can you not take them back?...

 

[A&Bmama]

You have me at the edge of my seat, hanging on every word. I feel like I was right in the moment with you.

I'm glad you decided to share this with us.

Thanks so much. I'm glad you keep reading.