Jumping, Dancing & Jamming Our Way Through Walt Disney World! I'm With the Band Now!

[PhoenixStrength]

Haven't heard from you in a few days, hope everything is going well with you and your family.

 

[mickeystoontown]

Haven't heard from you in a few days, hope everything is going well with you and your family.

How nice of you to check in on us. We are doing fine....just busy busy busy. It's billing time at the office which always keeps me busy. My boss has court this afternoon so I hope to get caught up on replies and post an installment.

 

[Caretames1]

I'll most likely never do star wars, motion sickness, but looks very cool.

I loved John's letter, so true. Keep raising the price and you shut a lot of people outta the parks. We are deal people, so no deal no or very little Disney

 

[natebenma]

Woah! Was way behind but I'm all caught up now (for the moment...)

I'm sorry to hear about Mama's health issues. At least you are all making sure she has lots of tests and checkups to keep on top of it!

Great letter from John! It is obvious that it was well thought-out and heartfelt and certainly deserved a more helpful response than what you got!

Loved your Hollywood Studios updates. I can totally see you up there entertaining your family, the band and the crowd!!! I have never seen MST, but I LOVE 80's music so I just checked out info on the band at this website below to check out their set list and more:

http://www.onlywdworld.com/2009/11/mulch-sweat-n-shears-is-disneys.html

Here is the info on the music they play:

Mulch, Sweat, n' Shears specializes in classic rock, playing such great cover tunes as: "Start Me Up", "Life In The Fastline", "Walk This Way", & "Honky Tonk Woman". The band lists these true classic rock icons as their influences: Led Zeppelin, Queen, Rolling Stones, Beatles, Jet, Aerosmith, Steppenwolf, Jimmy Eat World, Jimi Hendrix, KISS, & Van Halen.

This blog also mentioned that the when the band performs offsite, their name is LosLawnBoys

I am so excited to check out the new Star Tours. I keep forgetting that I am going in June with my son- since it is not a whole family trip, we don't talk about it much and it keeps falling off my radar! Can you believe that?

 

[mickeystoontown]

Hang in there ya'll! Billing transcription is done and we've done all but one deadline that's due today. John went to the doctor yesterday and I have an update on what's going on with him. I've got an update on the pin code Mama received....or should I say a non-update. (You'll see what I mean when I get around to posting.) I also hope to get a Disney installment written up this afternoon. Please stick with me.....I'm coming back....I pinkie promise.

 

[mickeystoontown]

Let’s get this “real” life update posted before I move on to a Disney trip installment. As I said in the previous post, John went to the doctor again yesterday. The doctor asked how he was doing, any dizziness, stumbling, etc. We told him that there was some morning nausea every once in a while, very few facial twitches, the dizziness is slowly subsiding and there are no longer any major stumbling except for when he’s really tired. And, thanks to the good Lord above, there have been no seizures during any of the transition periods.

We have slowly weaned him off one drug entirely and have dropped the dosage on another. The doctor did add (a while back) another seizure medication and he is still on that. At this time, John is taking three seizure medications, a dose of stomach meds (to combat the problems associated with semi to large doses of seizure meds) and his “magic medicine” a/k/a Ativan which is used only in the case of facial twitching.

After thinking about it a minute and flipping through the chart, the doctor said that he didn’t want to make any changes right this minute. Yes, the main seizure medication that he has been on for over 15 years will more than likely result in osteoporosis but, right now, the bone density test shows none. It is possible that it could show up later but that is something we can keep a check on much like we do the liver tests.

The weaning/transition process is extremely hard on a person and there is a very real possibility of seizures during that time. The doctor isn’t sure that this is a risk worth taking at the moment. He is going to do a little more research on an alternate medication as we are 99.9% sure that John can not stay seizure free on just the two other meds should he take away the osteoporosis causing med. He’s never been able to take just one medication and not have seizures. His body absorbs and breaks down medication fast as lightning and his levels have always had to be higher than the average person.

We go back to the doctor after the holidays and then he’ll make recommendations on what to do or not to do. We are just happy that the process so far has gone relatively smoothly even though there are a few side effects that have to be dealt with on a daily basis. So, it looks like we are in a holding pattern but that holding pattern is a good place to be....a seizure free place!

On to the Disney pin code update....or lack thereof. As I said a while back, Mama received a flyer from Disney around Halloween and it contained a pin code. It had certain booking dates but then said “call for additional dates” and I did. When I gave them the pin code, they said that they had no clue why Mama got the flyer because the pin code was under someone else’s name and another address. The castmember looked at their system using Mama’s name, address and phone number. There was nothing and they had no explanation other than it was sent to the wrong person. I told them thanks for checking and hung up. This conversation was 24 minutes long.

Several days later, I called again thinking that I’d get another castmember who would check for me again. They did and told me the same thing that the first castmember told me....wrong name, wrong address, not Mama’s pin. This castmember did, however, tell me that there was a pin associated with Mama’s name but they couldn’t see what it was because it wasn’t active yet. They told me to call back the following week to see if they could give me more information. I thanked them again and hung up. This conversation was 15 minutes long.

Do ya’ll remember the letter that John wrote to Disney about the ever rising cost of a Disney vacation and how he felt that Disney needed to recognize those that had been loyal to the Disney name and brand for over a decade? Remember that I received a phone call from a castmember who had received the email and the response we received was a bit off-putting to say the least? John’s email was virtually “blown off”, in my opinion, but the castmember was ever so glad to change the subject when I asked her if she would check on Mama’s pin. She did find the real pin associated with Mama’s name and gave me quotes which did not make sense at all when I put a calculator to them after the conversation. (My return call to the castmember was 2 minutes and the call I received from her the next day was 29 minutes.)

That same evening, I talked to Mama and she was super excited as the quote that the castmember had given me was almost $1,000.00 cheaper than rack rate. Our package discount, however, was just not even close to that. That did not seem right since the % off was supposed to be on the room only. We have the same room...so why the price difference? I called Disney Travel thinking that anyone could pull up the pin and give me an explanation. Wrong! They couldn’t find the pin even after trying name, address and telephone number. I told them the castmember’s name that I had spoken to and they said they would have her call me the next day. That phone call was 20 minutes.

The next day, I received a return call from Disney. When she tried to find the pin code, she could not. She remembered our conversation and remembered giving me the quotes but couldn’t find anything in the system. She said she would check on it and call me back. That phone call was 5 minutes.

I called again on November 11th and left a lengthy voice mail. I received a return call on November 13th and was told that they still couldn’t find the pin but she would check with a supervisor and return the call with quotes. I left my email address with the castmember and told her that I would be out running errands and back at work on Monday and to please, please email me and let me know what was going on. November 15th rolls around and I haven’t gotten a call so I leave another voice mail. Today rolls around and I haven’t gotten a call so I leave yet another voice mail. These telephone calls totaled 10 minutes.

Needless to say, I am pissed off to no end. The original flyer that Mama received said that it had a “book by” date of November 27th. The “higher up” castmember who found the pin code said it had to be booked by December 31st. I think they are just biding their time waiting for the pin code to expire. If that’s not it, then I don’t know what they are doing and apparently they don’t know their butt from a hole in the ground.

Let me tell ya’ll this.....I ain’t letting them get away with it. I am about to write a letter to somebody at Disney and am going to give them a piece of my mind. Ya’ll know I ain’t got a lot of mind to begin with and to give part of it to Disney is going to leave me with a disability but I’m doing it anyway! This is absolutely ridiculous on Disney’s part. First, they virtually ignore John’s email and now are hem-hawing around on giving Mama’s pin to her. This whole thing is burning a whole in my gut and I’m about to give them a little taste of my Southern redneckness. Heck, I’ve killed them with kindness and that got me nowhere. Why not show my behind a little? What harm could it do me? I won’t get a pin? I won’t get to take advantage of non-existent discounts? Ooooh, I’m scared! NOT!

I think I’m going to throw in the little tidbits that I am a very active member of one of the largest Disney discussion boards on the internet, that some of my last trip reports had over 250,000 hits, that I blog, that I am a member of Facebook, etc. and that I am voicing my opinion of Disney very publicly at this moment. How do you like me now DISNEY?

Whew...baby....I am red faced and my fingers are aching ‘cause I was pounding away on my keyboard while typing. I need to get a Coke...a real one and take a smoke break. What am I talking about? I don’t smoke. So, I guess I’ll get a real Coke and that cinnamon crumble cupcake I’ve been hiding in the back of my desk drawer. I’ll be back in a bit to post a Disney trip report installment. Breathe deeply Lisa, and remember those good times at Disney before you get riled up again.

 

[lledman]

Whew...baby....I am red faced and my fingers are aching ‘cause I was pounding away on my keyboard while typing. I need to get a Coke...a real one and take a smoke break. What am I talking about? I don’t smoke. So, I guess I’ll get a real Coke and that cinnamon crumble cupcake I’ve been hiding in the back of my desk drawer. I’ll be back in a bit to post a Disney trip report installment. Breathe deeply Lisa, and remember those good times at Disney before you get riled up again.

Sometimes I think they do things on purpose just to see how far their customers will go, I mean I know Disney has awesome service but sometimes I think they make a game out of it as well. Good luck

 

[mickeystoontown]

Sometimes I think they do things on purpose just to see how far their customers will go, I mean I know Disney has awesome service but sometimes I think they make a game out of it as well. Good luck

That's probably what they are doing...playing games but I don't wanna play any more. I just want somebody to give me real honest answers.

 

[KatMark]

I like the news of NO seizures, and it seems John is adjusting. Keep us posted on how that goes.

I'll be curious to see what type of answer you get when you write Disney. You know how much I love the CSR; but it looks as if in September we will be going back with DVC. It is almost $500 cheaper than booking the CSR, buying the tickets and our meals.

 

[Tinkermom76]

I'm joining in VERY late but I'm all caught up and can't wait to read more!!!

 

[mickeystoontown]

I like the news of NO seizures, and it seems John is adjusting. Keep us posted on how that goes.

I'll be curious to see what type of answer you get when you write Disney. You know how much I love the CSR; but it looks as if in September we will be going back with DVC. It is almost $500 cheaper than booking the CSR, buying the tickets and our meals.

We are pleased with the way John is responding to the changes in medications.

I am curious on what Disney will say as well. I don't blame you for looking into renting DVC points. I priced out renting at several resorts and the cost was almost the same at some and even cheaper at others.

I am not looking for a handout from Disney. All I really want is answers and a response.

 

[3LittlePirates]

Yeah for no seizures!!! Praying that Johns appointment after the Holidays is just as good!

I just got an email pin code today that you have to book by 12/31....so maybe Mamas has been released now and they can access it!

I know it is so frustrating when you get different answers from Disney! If they every give you a quote again...ask them to put the reservation on hold for you! Disney can put the reservation on hold for generally 7 days with no money down...if you decide you want it call back and pay the deposit if not just call back and cancel it!

Hope the Pin code shows up soon!!

 

[Caretames1]

Holy Moley! I'm sure glad I'm not on the recieving end of you right now!

I'd want to know what the heck was up too! This really isn't the way a Disney lover and repeat visitor should be treated.


I'm glad to hear John's meds are okay for now, and I hope he continues to do well!

 

[elder]

My husband received a pin code in his email...when I called about other dates, the code was not for him, but for a different name and address.. I had to fax a copy of the email along with a phone number to contact me.....It's been a week and I have heard nothing!!

 

[mickeystoontown]

As I have said before, I refuse to believe that my loss of memory as to what we did on our Hollywood Studios day has anything to do with my age. I choose to believe that I simply have too much on my mind to remember every little detail of what we did that day. And ya'll know that I am not old 'cause I can still boogy with the best of 'em as the earlier pictures can attest.

While the kids were eating their burgers and I ate the shrimp, John called and said he was leaving the resort but Mama had decided to wait a little while longer before meeting up with us. Once we were done with our food, we walked to the front of the park stopping in a few of the stores just to waste a little time. I did kill some time but I also found a really cute ring that I wanted. It was sterling silver and looked like a belt with the buckle being a Mickey head. It was so cute but the price tag was over $30 which is a bit much.

John called and he was in the park so we told him to meet us in the store. We walked around and looked a little more and he asked if I had seen anything I liked. The kids jumped in and said "yes a ring" and he promptly bought it for me. He's such a sweetie pie sometimes.

We set off to find something to do while waiting for Hunter's Star Wars star (I am still not remembering the guy's name.) Fastpass time to be up. We decided to go towards Muppetvision3d and see how long the line was. Fortunately, it wasn't long so we hoped right in.

It was getting a little close to the Fastpass time and we did not want to be late since they are extremely strict with those times. There was just a 15 minute window and if you missed it, tough! Since we only had two Fastpasses, Hunter and I were the only ones who could get in the holding pen to wait. Soon, it was time for Hunter to meet him (still can't remember the name)

Hunter was super excited to have met a true movie star and was smiling ear to ear.

What were we going to do next? Something that Hunter had vowed to do this year!

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

I hope you enjoyed your cupcake after all of that calling frustration! How annoying! Hopefully that gets resolved (in your favor, of course) soon!

Very cool that Hunter got to meet...(I'm not sure who that is either )...the Star Wars guy that he wanted to!

 

[deedeew80]

Hi Lisa! Good news about John!!! Hope everything all works out. I can't believe you are still getting the run around from Disney!! That is just flat out ridiculous!!! I hope you do give them a piece of your mind and get some answers!!! You deserve it!!!

 

[johnsonmatt3]

I vaguely remeber Hunter chickening out of ToT so I am assuming that is what he vowed to do. If not that than it would be RnR. Disney did something similar to that to me last year. I was going to buy over 100 dollars worth of Christmas presents on the disney store website. I put in the billing info and all and they said they needed a phone number for the company. Being a debit card from the bank, it didn't have a number. I told them that but they gave me no other options. Needless to say, I will not be buying anything from the online disney store for a while, if ever.

 

[PhoenixStrength]

Do you know/remember if that cut-out behind him is of the character he played?

 

[mickeystoontown]

I hope you enjoyed your cupcake after all of that calling frustration! How annoying! Hopefully that gets resolved (in your favor, of course) soon!

Very cool that Hunter got to meet...(I'm not sure who that is either )...the Star Wars guy that he wanted to!

I enjoyed it immensely especially since I've been trying to cut back on sweets and other junk food lately. I work in the legal field and know all about the ducking and darting back and forth that's part of the legal game. However, I am not going to let Disney keeping ducking and darting until they answer my darn questions!

I didn't know the Star Wars guy from the man in the moon but Hunter did so it was pretty cool.

Hi Lisa! Good news about John!!! Hope everything all works out. I can't believe you are still getting the run around from Disney!! That is just flat out ridiculous!!! I hope you do give them a piece of your mind and get some answers!!! You deserve it!!!

We are very pleased with the way John is progressing. It sounds like this doctor truly knows his stuff.

I think it's pretty ridiculous how Disney is avoiding me. How in the world does one get a pin that wasn't intended for them even though it is addressed to them at their address? Then, they give me a quote and then when I call back, the in disappears? I'm not buying it at all.

I vaguely remeber Hunter chickening out of ToT so I am assuming that is what he vowed to do. If not that than it would be RnR. Disney did something similar to that to me last year. I was going to buy over 100 dollars worth of Christmas presents on the disney store website. I put in the billing info and all and they said they needed a phone number for the company. Being a debit card from the bank, it didn't have a number. I told them that but they gave me no other options. Needless to say, I will not be buying anything from the online disney store for a while, if ever.

I hope I don't keep you guys in suspense too long. I'm hoping that work is pretty slow tomorrow so I can post an update.

I used to shout Disney's praises from the rooftops (well, from my front porch since I'm afraid of heights ) but right now, I'm just muttering things about them that I can't put on a family forum.

I don't understand why Disney wouldn't take your debit card after you explained the situation to them. I mean that's instant money in their pockets.

Do you know/remember if that cut-out behind him is of the character he played?

I do believe that's him. I just looked at the print Hunter bought and it looks like the guy's name was Bruce Spence and he played Tion something don. The little bio slip said that he was in every Star Wars movie and that he also acted in quite a few other movies including Mad Max.