Leaving for MAW trip tomorrow

[skoopman]

We are leaving in the morning for DD's MAW trip Thank you everyone for your info on Wish trips and WDW in general. I have no doubt we are going to have a wonderful, magical time. DD can't wait to go down the waterslide at the Poly, meet Sleeping Beauty, go on the rides... We are looking forward to spending some relaxing quality time together as a family!

Suzanne

 

[4fosterkids]

Have a wonderful trip! I hope it is magical for you all.
Give us a report when you get back!!

 

[MarieS]

Have a magical trip! We will want to hear all about it when you get back!

Marie

 

[4fosterkids]

wondering how your trip was. I'd love to hear any details about it!

 

[SueOKW]

Yes, details please!

 

[SueM in MN]

Ohhhhh!
I didn't see your post that you were leaving because we were at WDW at the same time you were.
Hope you had a great time.

 

[skoopman]

I'm so sorry for leaving everyone hanging. Our trip was absolutely amazing. Better than amazing! All four of us (myself, dh, DD6, DS4) had a great time. Michelle wore a MAW button and a GKTW button and that help identify her for both castmembers and other guests. We had a woman ask us if we wanted to ride at the front of the monorail (I had asked but they got their first) because she had seen Michelle's MAW button. Very sweet. We had some amazing castmembers at MGM make the trip very memorable. Any shows that had guest participation (Captain Jack, she was an honorary captain, Storytime with Belle, she was Chip, etc) she was usually in and her brother was frequently chosen as well.

She got a lot of attention from the characters, to the point that if they were running away going on break, they would stop and come over to see her. Peter Pan and Wendy were running by when we were waiting for the Captain Jack show and they stopped, came up to her and talked to her for a good 5 minutes or so. Other kids came up and they kept saying "we will be over there in 15 minutes." Same thing happened with Alice and the Mad Hatter. We were on the way to Storytime with Belle and they ran by and stopped. They went into the same building Belle was in and told Belle Michelle was in the audience. The helper made a point to come over and talk to her and afterwards asked us to stay back because Belle wanted to meet her. Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip were behind the castle and said if we waited they would sign an autograph for Michelle when the line was gone. They snuck off to a doorway and spent some more time with her. All very special.

You can read more of a journal on our trip and see a bunch of pictures on our website at www.carepages.com You have to register which is free and her page name is Michelle5

Let me know if you have any questions. I would be happy to answer them,
Suzanne

FYI, we did 4 days at Disney, one day at Sea World, one day at Island of Adventure (Univeral), one day was a pirate cruise for DS and tea with Sleeping Beauty for DD. We stayed at the Poly.

 

[Tomskatt]

I am so excited for you. It sounds awesome. We are heading down in 3 days (but who's counting?!)
I am just curious, was there any special attention paid to you all at the other attractions outside of Disney?I was wondering how other parks treated the MAW kids....

 

[skoopman]

Universal paid a lot of attention to her (us) as well. We got a free 5X7 with Spiderman. I have heard from others you get a free 5X7 with any character but he was the only one the kids wanted. We got sent to the front of the line at almost all the rides. DH had one incident at a ride where the person working the ride didn't believe we really were from MAW and scrutenized his pass. He was really disgusted with her, not so much her checking, but her attitude and the way she did it was uncalled for. Other than that, everyone was great. Oh, and you got to go to the front of the lines with characters as well. Last, she got her face painted for free.

At Sea World nothing special was done as far as the shows go. I was hoping she would get picked for a show or something, but no such luck. I do have to say that with your GKTW button you get a free tray of fish for the sea lions, another for the stingrays and another for the dolphins. At the dolphin feeding they took us into a corded off area so Michelle wasn't trying to get room at the edge of the tank. The woman helping us even had the dolphin roll up onto the ledge so the kids could touch it (DD6 could barely touch, DS4 was too short, even with holding him up). DD gave the dolphin all her fish and then DS decided he wanted to feed one so the woman gave him an extra fish, very sweet.

I hope that answered your questions. Let me know if you have any more.
Suzanne

 

[Tomskatt]

Thank you. We aren't staying at GKTW, but our friends are. We are going 1/2 way as MAW. We are staying at our timeshare - DVC- and hitting the parks. Julia will have a MAW pin and Jack will have the full GKTW raegalia (whatever that is). We just couldn't see paying for our DVC and then not using it and "using" a spot another child could use at GKTW, does that make sense? It just feels like the right thing to do. But the bst part is that friends of ours from NY were planning their trip foro the same time as us and we didn't even realize it til a week ago! How exciting! The kids were diagnosed a week apart and did the first year of chemo together before we moved to NC last year. They are going to have a ball!

 

[SueOKW]

oh YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so glad it was nice...

 

[skoopman]

I could always be wrong, but I am guessing that Julia will also have a GKTW button. As I understand it, all WDW trips are run through them. They are the ones that get the park tickets, etc. You will have to go to a long orientation and you are welcome to use any and all of the amenities at GKTW resort. Have a wonderful, marvelous time!
Suzanne

 

[PixiePoppins]

Thanks for the great details, Suzanne! It sounds like you had a truly magical time!

Does GKTW have orientation at set times each day? Just wondering how it would fit in with our arrival time (mid-morning).

 

[skoopman]

They have orientation twice a day, 9:00 AM and 7:15 PM.

Have fun,
Suzanne