Make a Wish (and other organizations!) - Wish Trippers...UNITE!! Volume 2!

[LindaBabe]

Ohana's has really good food, Stitch, Lilo, Pluto and Mickey. It's all "you can eat" table service.

Cape May is a breakfast buffet with Minnie, Goofy, Chip and Dale. Last time I went there, the food was good, but it's been a few years.

 

[Corrine 1973]

Just found out that my cousin is at Walt Disney World right now. I found this out when I logged on to facebook.

I probably should check facebook more often.

 

[StefaniLyn]

Just found out that my cousin is at Walt Disney World right now. I found this out when I logged on to facebook.

I probably should check facebook more often.

Our friend Kayla is in Disneyworld right now as well - we found that out via Facebook too, LOL! Gotta love the internet I'm so jealous!

 

[MomTo4+more]

All this info on character dinners is great! Does anyone know if one is better than another for a child with food allergies - peanut, egg, sesame, peas, and strawberries?

A non-Disney related fun note - Last year I took care of a beautiful newborn baby boy for three months while his mom got a strong start in her senior year. He is back with us for an extended weekend so mom could get a break. Mom and baby are doing great! It's been fun to see him now that he is crawling and starting to talk!

 

[thatkid]

Do the rides each cost money? or do the passes include the rides, too?

 

[SueM in MN]

Staging in the back bedroom. Has anyone taken a VEST machine? If so, did it count as part of your luggage or was it waved because it was a medical device. We are flying American.

Someone gave me a neat idea. If traveling with multiple booster seats, break them down and pack them together in a duffle bag or sea bag. Only counts as one piece this way and other things like pillows etc. be put in the bag too.

the VEST machine is medically necessary equipment and as such, would not be charged for. Pack it by itself because they can charge if you have anything other than medical supplies in the bag. Sadly, with the increase in airlines charging for bags, there have been people trying to avoid charges by putting one piece of medical equipment in a bag and then claiming they should not be charged because the bag contains medical equipment. That makes airline workers somewhat suspicious of baggage of anyone claiming medical equipment.

Do the rides each cost money? or do the passes include the rides, too?

Your ticket to the park includes admission and all the rides and attractions. The only extra charges are for your souveners, food and drink.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Are you going to be going on a Wish Trip? If not, you might want to ask theme park questions on the theme parks boards. You're more likely to get the responses you need there.

At Disney World (I'm assuming that is what you are asking about) the rides do not cost any money. Your tickets cover the cost. There may be tours or other things that cost, but most people never feel the need to do that.

 

[LindaBabe]

Do the rides each cost money? or do the passes include the rides, too?

Rides are included. You pay extra for food, drinks, and souvenirs.

 

[that's nice]

If anyone has any more questions about character meals ask away! We've been to most of them and have had some funny experiences too!!!!!!!

Our best character interaction was at 1900 Park Fair breakfast. Well... should I say our best character fight!

 

[tastycollector]

the VEST machine is medically necessary equipment and as such, would not be charged for. Pack it by itself because they can charge if you have anything other than medical supplies in the bag. Sadly, with the increase in airlines charging for bags, there have been people trying to avoid charges by putting one piece of medical equipment in a bag and then claiming they should not be charged because the bag contains medical equipment. That makes airline workers somewhat suspicious of baggage of anyone claiming medical equipment.

Thank's for the info. The VEST has it's own duffle bag that holds all the vest equipment and the breathing machine parts.

 

[SueM in MN]

Thank's for the info. The VEST has it's own duffle bag that holds all the vest equipment and the breathing machine parts.

the VEST equipment is a pretty collection of pieces. It really is a great invention and is very useful for people with lung problems.
If you need to do a treatment during your park time, you can bring the equipment with you and store it in First Aid. They also have private rooms there with a cot and a chair that you can use for treatments.

 

[wkualum]

What have some of you done for your send off parties? I'm not sure where to have Mikaela's because our apartment is so small.

So, just looking for ideas and examples of where some of you Wish Trip graduates had yours and what they were like. Small with just family? Or bigger with friends and such.

** small update on Mikaela's trip
I got an email saying Mikaela's trip was approved and the wish director is working with GKTW now for dates -- probably sometime in late September. (I just love that dancin' banana!)

 

[myasma]

Does anyone know how the front of the line thing works? How do you make a CM aware that you are a MAW family, do you just go to the front of the line? Also, if you are using child swap in addition to the GAC card, how does that work?

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

You will go to the greeter at the line and show them your GAC or button. They will direct you to the appropriate place. If the ride does not have a greeter, like Snow White, use the marked handicapped entrance. Your best bet is to get a Guidebook for Guests With Disablities that will tell you where all the alternate/wheelchair entrances are.

Technically, you cannot do child swap with Mya's GAC. The GAC is only to be used if the person it was issued for is riding. I have personally seen CMs deny families front of line because the wish child was not riding the ride. While I would not do it, it does happen. Your best bet is to talk to hte CMs and ask.

ETA: Your best bet for baby swap is to get a Fast Pass for those rides since you will not need them for rides that Mya will be on. Then after the one adult goes you will swap out and go through the fastpass/alternate entrance. (Let them know in advance you are baby swapping.) That will save you a lot of headaches.

ETA2: It never huts to ask because this is one of the things that while against policy you will find some CMs (myself included) who will look the other way. However, our ability to be lenient directly corresponds to the size of the crowd. The less crowded it is, the more lenient I can be. When it's really crowded however, I have to really stick to the policy because the lines are so long. Unfortunately, at the time you will be going the crowds will be pretty sizable (plus it will be hot) so CMs are less likely to be lenient. Your best bet is to have your companion FastPass those adult rides and then do baby swap like normal. (Although again, it never hurts to ask.) The other thing to be aware of is that rides without height requirements do not have baby swap since anybody can ride. I have received this question before in Fantasyland, but we are not set up for that because there really is no need for it.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

What have some of you done for your send off parties? I'm not sure where to have Mikaela's because our apartment is so small.

So, just looking for ideas and examples of where some of you Wish Trip graduates had yours and what they were like. Small with just family? Or bigger with friends and such.

** small update on Mikaela's trip
I got an email saying Mikaela's trip was approved and the wish director is working with GKTW now for dates -- probably sometime in late September. (I just love that dancin' banana!)

You might want to ask your Wish Coordinators, as they will have experience in this, and I'm sure their chapter will have certain rules/regulations to follow. They most likely have a budget that they have to follow for these types of things, and that will affect how big you can make it/where you can have it.

Have they given you any parameters? I have heard of many being done in the home with just a small gathering of friends, or in the child's classroom if school is in session. Is you child in summer school or another activity where they might want to share it?

 

[merneric]

Does anyone know how the front of the line thing works? How do you make a CM aware that you are a MAW family, do you just go to the front of the line? Also, if you are using child swap in addition to the GAC card, how does that work?

Sam's trip was just 2 weeks ago...At Disney, you will always see a CM somewhere around the end of the line. Just go up to them and tell them you have a MAW child and they will tell you where to go. If there was a fastpass lane, we just went directly to that lane and they always let us right through. Also, the button/GAC works for characters, too. We always went right to the front of the line. Our family is very quiet and we don't like to bring attention to ourselves and even for us it was easy.
When we went to Universal, we had a harder time with character greets because I had a hard time finding another employee, but when I did, they always took us to the front. Getting to the front of rides there was easy.
Also, there were several of the bigger rides that Sam (wish kid) and I did not ride. We gave the GAC to my husband or my teenage daughter and NEVER had a problem. I don't ride the big rides, but if I did, I would have just done child swap like if we didn't have GAC. We would all go to the front and tell them we wanted to child swap. We didn't do that, but as easy as everything was, I am sure it would have worked.
This is just from our experience, I am sure Disney has their "rules" and you might run into something different, but for us it was super easy to use.
Have fun! I am ready to go back!
I wish I could go with you!!
Mary Anne

 

[myasma]

Sam's trip was just 2 weeks ago...At Disney, you will always see a CM somewhere around the end of the line. Just go up to them and tell them you have a MAW child and they will tell you where to go. If there was a fastpass lane, we just went directly to that lane and they always let us right through. Also, the button/GAC works for characters, too. We always went right to the front of the line. Our family is very quiet and we don't like to bring attention to ourselves and even for us it was easy.
When we went to Universal, we had a harder time with character greets because I had a hard time finding another employee, but when I did, they always took us to the front. Getting to the front of rides there was easy.
Also, there were several of the bigger rides that Sam (wish kid) and I did not ride. We gave the GAC to my husband or my teenage daughter and NEVER had a problem. I don't ride the big rides, but if I did, I would have just done child swap like if we didn't have GAC. We would all go to the front and tell them we wanted to child swap. We didn't do that, but as easy as everything was, I am sure it would have worked.
This is just from our experience, I am sure Disney has their "rules" and you might run into something different, but for us it was super easy to use.
Have fun! I am ready to go back!
I wish I could go with you!!
Mary Anne

Thanks for the advice. Like you, I am a quiet person and very shy, I dont want to draw too much attention but do not want to be stuck in long lines in the middle of July.

 

[WishMom09]

What have some of you done for your send off parties? I'm not sure where to have Mikaela's because our apartment is so small.

So, just looking for ideas and examples of where some of you Wish Trip graduates had yours and what they were like. Small with just family? Or bigger with friends and such.

** small update on Mikaela's trip
I got an email saying Mikaela's trip was approved and the wish director is working with GKTW now for dates -- probably sometime in late September. (I just love that dancin' banana!)

We had Caleb's send off party at our church gym....we played dodge ball (his request).
We were offered Chuckie Cheese as a party choice as well!
It can be as large or small as you choose!
We had about 50 people at Caleb's. We just had cake and punch and some finger foods people brought.

 

[merneric]

We had Caleb's send off party at our church gym....we played dodge ball (his request).
We were offered Chuckie Cheese as a party choice as well!
It can be as large or small as you choose!
We had about 50 people at Caleb's. We just had cake and punch and some finger foods people brought.

We weren't really given an option for a "party"--we didn't ask either (not really our thing) so I don't know if it would have even been possible. She said they usually bring over pizza or go out to a restaurant. We chose to go out and eat and they brought balloons and gifts for the kids. Just an FYI, again, it may depend on the chapter.
Mary Anne

 

[merneric]

Thanks for the advice. Like you, I am a quiet person and very shy, I dont want to draw too much attention but do not want to be stuck in long lines in the middle of July.

I was so worried about that for the trip, but I really don't think anyone ever noticed. Except maybe the character lines, the CM had to tell the next person in line that we were a "wish family". I usually just tried to avoid eye contact with the people in line in case there was a hateful person (although, I don't think there was). It would have ruined my day for someone to get upset about letting a wish child in front of them, so I avoided even looking at them. But for the rides, it was super easy, I am sure no one noticed. Just don't be afraid to use it, it will make your trip so much more special.
Mary Anne