Let the fun begin MAW/GKTW PTR Chase June 23-29-2010

[cantwaittoseemickey]

Boy oh boy did this weekend go by fast! It's another lovely day here! I took the girls to breakfast (Chase had school) and we did a quick bit of grocery shopping.

I called the doctor's office regarding the travel form and they said they got it but it's not filled out. Chase's Dr. is on vacation until tomorrow so I will talk to the dr. then.

Hoping to here about a date sometime this week YAY! Then the fun really begins. The planning and the deciding what to pack and all that good stuff. I've got somethings I need to buy too. Not going to go overboard because I'd rather buy a ton of Disney wear once we get there

Still praying for excellent weather!!

I hope your dr gets your form in soon! I agree the weekend did fly by!

 

[wish_upon_a_star35]

Well I spoke to one of the wish granters last night. It looks as if I will be able to take another adult. Last year when Selah got her wish my mother came with us. I didn't really think to ask them if she would be able to come this time for several reasons. I know her schedule is busy this time of the year and she wasn't as much help as I needed her to be last time. But I think that her coming along will be a good idea. The Wish Team actually recommended it. So I guess what I've been reading about every chapter being different is so true. So I called my mother last night and talked it over with her. She is going to come.

The only thing is I did give them some dates that we would be available for in June. My mother can't go in June. May is best for her. So I'm going to try and push for anytime in May. If it has to be June then it looks like we may have to go in October or possibly in November around Chase's birhthday and pray really hard that the kids do NOT get sick!

She also said that they are trying to put together a few surprises for Chase's wish How exciting is that! So I will call the wish granter back and tell her that my mom is a GO. They are able to use all of the same info from last year so it looks like we don't have to submit any extra paperwork.

Since the pediatrician was off yesterday I'm calling back this afternoon to get them to fax that travel form!

I am ready to get a DATE!!!

 

[wish_upon_a_star35]

You guys are just going to have to bear with me, lol. Sooo I just found out that the Harry Potter stuff doesn't open until June 18th?? Well we are HUGE HARRY POTTER FANATICS!!! May might be out, lol!!! Let me go back and check to make sure!!!

 

[maroo]

You guys are just going to have to bear with me, lol. Sooo I just found out that the Harry Potter stuff doesn't open until June 18th?? Well we are HUGE HARRY POTTER FANATICS!!! May might be out, lol!!! Let me go back and check to make sure!!!

YES!

Actually...though...

Some people booked Harry Potter packages starting in late May - May 28th...and Universal has SAID that they WILL allow those select few people in the HP attraction.

BUT...I am POSITIVE...that if they had a wish child on a wish trip that wanted to see it - and it was safe and open to some of the public - that they WOULD let them at least go see it.

Having said that...this summer is going to be CRAZY busy at Universal because of the opening of HP. Even I - who have NEVER been to Universal - am planning a trip to go there.

I think I would highly recommend the fall...but did you say that your kids are more likely to get sick in the fall?? If so...then I don't know what I think. But in the fall you are able to attend a Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party and it is awesome! In November it is the Christmas party!

Anyway...that is my 10 cents.

I am glad your Mom is going. Hopefully she has a better idea of what it entails now and maybe will be a bit more helpful?

 

[wish_upon_a_star35]

Oh man so you have to actually Book the HP package? hmmm...Well I put in a call to one of the wish granters. I'm going to run it by her and let them take it from there, lol.

I was thiking....if we don't get to see HP because we end up going in May....Maybe, just maybe I could save for a trip either this November and go specifically for that. I bet airfare for the four of us, a hotel for the weekend and tickets to Universal for two days would be a little pricey but still doable. If not for this November then definitely by Valentines day or early spring!!! I'll wait to find out when we are going. But I have to say...the Harry Potter deal changes a lot. I thought it was already open, lol.

 

[wish_upon_a_star35]

When I was looking around the website it talked about the attraction and it sounds absolutely awesome!! They've made a replica of Hogsmeade!!! The Three Broomsticks!! How cool would it be to take pictures of Chase drinking some ButterBeer and eating one of those Chocolate frogs!! He would be in HP Heaven!!!!!

 

[kellyw8863]

I hope that you can figure things out and get your dates soon. I was surprised at how stressful it all was while waiting for all the plans to be firmed up. Or maybe that was just due to the fact that I don't do well with waiting. It would awesome if you could go see HP!

 

[wish_upon_a_star35]

Kelly, I am actually going crazy thinking about it!!! All the back and forth is killing me, lol! It's exciting but I get so nervous because so many things are up in the air!

Like right now May is the best time for my mother to go. But Harry Potter is in June so she might not be able to go. That would mean me having to possibly take my cousin. Our MAW office said that they would entertain another adult besides my mother if she couldn't come. The problem with my cousin is that she is soooo slow. She has adult ADD very bad!! She's constantly late but she loves my kids and is a great help! So on one hand you have my mother who is exactly like me. She is a planner and is always ready to go. She loves to drive and get things done. We had a great time exploring all of the sites. She was willing to go to any of the parks. But she just didn't help out with the kids like I felt she could have. She wasn't really open to diaper changes at all. And last year Chase was in diapers and I made Selah wear a pull up while we were at the parks. She didn't want to share a room with any of the kids which was fine...after we figured things out. She wouldn't even take them to go potty Rides were really difficult. She would ride the big rides with Courtney. But she didn't do to well waiting with the littl ones while I rode the big rides with Courtney.

If she is the one to go this year we are definitely going to have "The Talk" This is Chase's wish and Disney is a BIG thing. I know the kids are young but I want them to have a fantastic time. And if they do have any memories of these trips when they are older...I want them to have the best and fondest memories. Childhood goes by so fast. And I want my children to have the best childhood that I can give them.

So anyway..now that I've gone off on a tangent, lol. I really hope to wrap all of this up before the end of the week...I hope it can happen.

I did speak to the wish granter again a little while ago! (She has been extremely awesome) and I told her about possibly going during the HP opening. I do have a few concerns about the crowds and things like that. So she said that she would contact the head wish team lady and find out everything she could. She said that she thought it would be AWESOME to go during that time. And anything that they could do to make that time special for Chase, they would definitnely do.

By the way...this is getting so hard to keep from Courtney, lol I am trying so hard. But we are sooo close and talk about a lot of things. She's my go to girl. And it's hard not being able to get excited with her and share all of this!!!!

Thanks for letting me ramble! I think it's time for more pictures in this PTR!!! I think I will have time to post some this evening or tomorrow morning. I need to upload more to photobucket!

 

[wishin' on a star]

I just wanted to say hello! You have a beautiful family!! I'm sure you can't wait to get your dates finalized and get some plans made!!! We are going May 17th to GKTW. We got our dates in early March, and it felt pretty close to make all of our dinner plans and such, but it worked. It's going to be such a magical trip!

 

[wish_upon_a_star35]

Thank you so much! I am so ready to start making some good plans! I want to do a character meal that my son will absolutely LOVE!!! And see what else I can plan!

I'm just ready to get it started! Plus I feel like I'm going to burst soon! All this secrecy is driving me batty. But I am determined to keep it that way.

 

[wish_upon_a_star35]

Such a busy day today! Courtney, my oldest daughter has an audition in a little while for a performing arts charter school. She's been practicing like crazy and today is the big day. If she doesn't get in this year, she can audition again next year.

I'd actually her audition next year and get in! She's only going to grade 8 next year so she still technically has one year to go at the school she is already in. And I LOVE her school! But she wanted to try out so I figured the best thing to do is to back her up and stand behind her 100%.

I have the worse headache today though but I'm still going to get everything together.

I've been reading a LOT of PTR's and TR's and I love it!!! Soo much info on these boards it's crazy!!! Hope you all are having a wonderful day! The weather is awesome again so I am trying to soak up as much of it as I can!

 

[yinyanggirls]

That's great that they are letting you bring another adult. Tough decision on which one.

 

[cantwaittoseemickey]

The HP thing threw me off too lol. My dd is a huge HP fan. We were originally supposed to go in Feb but due to an unforseen emergency we had to reschedule. It worked out for us since now we can go to the HP part. We are going in July. It will be very hot

I can understand the hard decision on who to bring. You should really bring the person that will help you the most and be open to what Chase wants to do. Not an easy decision for sure

 

[wish_upon_a_star35]

Okay so I'm really trying to figure out if we should once during HP is open. The week of June 20th is open and possibly the week of the 27th? I'll have to double check though because the wish granter wasn't sure with that being the week of the 4th of July. But maybe I could just say anytime at the end of June?

I need to do more rsearch regarding this whole thing. She said that if we just go during that week that could be fine. She said that we have to be careful though because a wish specifically to go there to see the HP opening is a seperate wish. We don't just want to see the HP stuff though. We'd only spend one whole day there. My mom did say that she could go after the 17th of June. So I will call her back and let her know that anytime after the 17th of June is good. PLUS Courtney is finished with school on the 17th!

But what I'm not sure of is if the opening on June 18th is actually open to the whole public? or just a special event?

 

[wish_upon_a_star35]

Chase's doctor faxed the form back saying that it's okay for him to travel! Yay! So today I will call my wonderful wish granter Ericka and give her my dates. If we can go in June I am open to leaving anywhere after June 17th as long as we can return by the 27. If that is not available then anytime in May is good.

So, let's keep our fingers crossed! I'm really pushing it in June becasue of the weather. I bet it's probably very hot. But I will pray about it and make the little ones dr. appt's before we leave so that I can have a game plan. I'm also trying to see if I can get at least one of them a portable nebulizer. That wouuld be awesome. I think what may be on our side is that the weather will be warm here too so we won't be leaving a freezing cold place going to a blazing hot place? When we came back last year of course they both got sick!

Anyway, I hope everyone is doing well! I have NO plans at all for the weekend. This is going to be a weekend to slow down and relax. Lots of movie watching, games with the kids and cuddle time!

 

[yinyanggirls]

Sorry, I know nothing about HP. My girls are too young to know the HP stuff and it won't be open yet when we go next week. I'm sure the info is out there somewhere!

I hope you get the dates you ask for! I know that was such a stress for me, waiting to hear back about ours. It took a couple of tries before we found the right combo of availability and what would work for us.

 

[cantwaittoseemickey]

Chase's doctor faxed the form back saying that it's okay for him to travel! Yay! So today I will call my wonderful wish granter Ericka and give her my dates. If we can go in June I am open to leaving anywhere after June 17th as long as we can return by the 27. If that is not available then anytime in May is good.

So, let's keep our fingers crossed! I'm really pushing it in June becasue of the weather. I bet it's probably very hot. But I will pray about it and make the little ones dr. appt's before we leave so that I can have a game plan. I'm also trying to see if I can get at least one of them a portable nebulizer. That wouuld be awesome. I think what may be on our side is that the weather will be warm here too so we won't be leaving a freezing cold place going to a blazing hot place? When we came back last year of course they both got sick!

Anyway, I hope everyone is doing well! I have NO plans at all for the weekend. This is going to be a weekend to slow down and relax. Lots of movie watching, games with the kids and cuddle time!

You might want to call your wish granter or GKTW and ask if they can have a nebulizer there for you if you dont need it on your way to and from Orlando. It is very possible they could get one for you and you wouldnt need to bring it with you

 

[wish_upon_a_star35]

I spoke to my wish granter again today and gave her the dates! So now I'm just waiting to hear back to find out if we go in June or May. Either way I am psyched!!!!!

That is a GREAT idea about the nebulizer and I am definitely going to ask. I really want to "pack light" this time. We lugged so much crap it was ridiculous and then we came back with even more stuff!! This time I'm going to use my head.

yinyanggirls!! I am gettins soooo excited for you!!!! It's almost time to go. Just think this time next week you will be ready to have a fun filled and exciting week! I can't wait to hear all about your trip!!! It's going to be awesome I just know it!

I was looking through all of my Disney stuff from last year trying to decide how to plan our days. Uggh!!! I want to definitely do more than we did last year. We never made it to AK. I'm thinking we don't need to spend a whole day there. We may be able to do Sea World and AK all in one day. Universal is one day though. We REALLY loved that park. I hope we get to drive to the beach if not I guess Wet N wild will do...or I may spring for Blizzard Beach tickets.

 

[yinyanggirls]

I can't believe we leave in a week! June is just around the corner for you!

It is so hard to decide what to prioritize. There is just too little time for all the options!

 

[wish_upon_a_star35]

There is soo much to do in so little time. I really wish I could extend our trip even for a day or two. I wonder if that's even possible.

Well it's finally the weekend. Didn't get a chance to sleep in at all. But I don't mind. Looks like we're going to watch a movie and then see what the day brings!