Make a Wish (and other organizations) ~ Wish Trippers UNITE! Volume FOUR!

[xanphylus]

Hey guys, I don't wanna hack the thread, but I know a lot of people on this thread pray and I have a friend with a DD who is almost 2 and needs some quick prayers. She is being rushed to Vanderbilt hospital in TN due to pressure on her brain. She has hydrocephalus and was scheduled for a shunt this coming week, but she started screaming with massive headaches and vomiting this morning and they haven't been able to stop it. Hopefully they will do her surgery early- this will be her 2 or 3 surgery already. She has craniosystosis (spelling may be wrong...). Please, anyone who can- pray for this little angel- her name is Lillianna. She is sooo sweet and just needs some extra help today. Thanks all! Hope everyone's wish grantings and trips are going good. Haven't posted in a bit!

 

[Synovial]

Preston has been taking physical therapy since March and his leg has been getting stronger each time he goes and his range of motion has been increasing too. For the last month his range of motion has not increased any, but has been staying the same. He could ride his bicycle before the surgery in January, but now he can't bend his leg back far enough to reach the pedals. After talking with his surgeon, the physical therapist ordered a dynasplint for his leg to help increase the range of motion. It's spring loaded and puts a constant pull on his leg to help it to bend more. He has to wear it while he sleeps. I hope it will work so that he can get back to some sort of normality. If he's not able to bend his leg more it may be a problem with some of the rides at disney, getting on and off and sitting on them. We have to go back in 2 weeks to see the dynasplint lady to check on progress. Synovial

 

[wbh1964]

hey guys-
I have been mia for a few weeks as I have had to sale my business. My dd health is not up to me continuing with my retail store. It has been a VERY emotional week and we are waiting to hear back from her wish granters. They told us it would take a couple of weeks. I called the wish granter at the 3 week point and she said there were lots of kids waiting on approval right now and it was just taking longer. It has now been almost 5 weeks and still no word. Would you call her back? I don't want to seem like a pest...we could just REALLY use some good news right now. We are planning the trip as if it is already approved as we are at the 6 month point and I am afraid if I don't make dining reserv we might not get them. Anyone else's approval take that long? Thanks!

 

[princessmamaof5]

heres a quick question is the character meals if you are doing them prepaid or is that money in your expense check also is the rental car prepaid or is that also in the expense check. Does each person going get one carryon and one checked bag or is it smarter to try and carry all on? I am just barely recovering from almost getting foreclosed on and am in a bankruptcy so i was just wondering how much i needed to try and budget. ofcourse i dont let our kids have any idea its tight but i guess thats what parents are supposed to do right?

 

[Mom2mitokids]

Hey guys, I don't wanna hack the thread, but I know a lot of people on this thread pray and I have a friend with a DD who is almost 2 and needs some quick prayers. She is being rushed to Vanderbilt hospital in TN due to pressure on her brain. She has hydrocephalus and was scheduled for a shunt this coming week, but she started screaming with massive headaches and vomiting this morning and they haven't been able to stop it. Hopefully they will do her surgery early- this will be her 2 or 3 surgery already. She has craniosystosis (spelling may be wrong...). Please, anyone who can- pray for this little angel- her name is Lillianna. She is sooo sweet and just needs some extra help today. Thanks all! Hope everyone's wish grantings and trips are going good. Haven't posted in a bit!

Keeping Lillianna in my thoughts and prayers. Please keep us updated.

 

[Owensheart]

hey guys-
I have been mia for a few weeks as I have had to sale my business. My dd health is not up to me continuing with my retail store. It has been a VERY emotional week and we are waiting to hear back from her wish granters. They told us it would take a couple of weeks. I called the wish granter at the 3 week point and she said there were lots of kids waiting on approval right now and it was just taking longer. It has now been almost 5 weeks and still no word. Would you call her back? I don't want to seem like a pest...we could just REALLY use some good news right now. We are planning the trip as if it is already approved as we are at the 6 month point and I am afraid if I don't make dining reserv we might not get them. Anyone else's approval take that long? Thanks!

Owen made his wish the first week of march and we haven't heard a thing! We did a photoshoot for our local MAW Chapter about a month ago and our wish manager was out of town. I got an email from her just this week and she said Owen is approved but she has to check availability. We are planning for the first week of December and she said not to worry about it. Our local chapter just granted 30 wishes in June alone, so they are crazy busy.

Maybe just send out another message to your wish granters for an update. I haven't heard from Owen's since march...crazy in my opinion. I know as a wish manager, I would at least contact the family and let them know things are in the works.

I hope you hear something soon!

 

[Owensheart]

heres a quick question is the character meals if you are doing them prepaid or is that money in your expense check also is the rental car prepaid or is that also in the expense check. Does each person going get one carryon and one checked bag or is it smarter to try and carry all on? I am just barely recovering from almost getting foreclosed on and am in a bankruptcy so i was just wondering how much i needed to try and budget. ofcourse i dont let our kids have any idea its tight but i guess thats what parents are supposed to do right?

As far as luggage goes..it depends on your airline. We fly southwest and all luggage is free.

All chapters are different. I am pretty sure the rental car is prepaid. Character meals and all meals not eaten at GKTW are part of the expense check and we are required to make our own reservations. All chapters do different amounts of expense checks. I found a form on our local make a wish website that is used for volunteer wish granters to calculate expense checks for families so I have an idea of the amount. They may be able to give you an estimate when you hear from them with dates. It certainly helps with the budgeting and planning of the trip.

 

[Mom2mitokids]

heres a quick question is the character meals if you are doing them prepaid or is that money in your expense check also is the rental car prepaid or is that also in the expense check. Does each person going get one carryon and one checked bag or is it smarter to try and carry all on? I am just barely recovering from almost getting foreclosed on and am in a bankruptcy so i was just wondering how much i needed to try and budget. ofcourse i dont let our kids have any idea its tight but i guess thats what parents are supposed to do right?

The meals comes out of your expense check. The only meals that are free is at GKTW. The rental car is paid for. You just sign the contract and leave. You don't even have to fill up the gas when you return the car. Depending which airline you get.. We had Delta and everyone was allowed 1 carryon and 1 personnal item like purse, backpack, diaperbag.. Ect. Any check in we had to pay OOP. We did check in 1 bag which had our bathroom stuff. All airlines let you carry on medical supplies, but that luggage has to have just medical supplies and nothing else.

 

[princessmamaof5]

The meals comes out of your expense check. The only meals that are free is at GKTW. The rental car is paid for. You just sign the contract and leave. You don't even have to fill up the gas when you return the car. Depending which airline you get.. We had Delta and everyone was allowed 1 carryon and 1 personnal item like purse, backpack, diaperbag.. Ect. Any check in we had to pay OOP. We did check in 1 bag which had our bathroom stuff. All airlines let you carry on medical supplies, but that luggage has to have just medical supplies and nothing else.

Thanks that is very helpful

 

[katieb4]

We each get one 50lb checked bag, and a carry on.....we are flying Sun Country.

It is hard to know how to budget....for sure. I think many are on tight budgets with medical expenses and the like. I am planning for one big reservation type meal at each park each day, and assuming the expense check will cover it. Also, figuring what I would normally spend on meals and such if we were home, we should be ok. Breakfast for sure at GKTW and get back before the pizza place closes...we should be fine!

I think there is so much that is covered, I'm going to try hard not to worry about what mightnot be, and really try hard not to think about bills and the like the whole time we are there!

 

[maroo]

Hey guys, I don't wanna hack the thread, but I know a lot of people on this thread pray and I have a friend with a DD who is almost 2 and needs some quick prayers. She is being rushed to Vanderbilt hospital in TN due to pressure on her brain. She has hydrocephalus and was scheduled for a shunt this coming week, but she started screaming with massive headaches and vomiting this morning and they haven't been able to stop it. Hopefully they will do her surgery early- this will be her 2 or 3 surgery already. She has craniosystosis (spelling may be wrong...). Please, anyone who can- pray for this little angel- her name is Lillianna. She is sooo sweet and just needs some extra help today. Thanks all! Hope everyone's wish grantings and trips are going good. Haven't posted in a bit!

praying!!! Please keep us updated.

hey guys-
I have been mia for a few weeks as I have had to sale my business. My dd health is not up to me continuing with my retail store. It has been a VERY emotional week and we are waiting to hear back from her wish granters. They told us it would take a couple of weeks. I called the wish granter at the 3 week point and she said there were lots of kids waiting on approval right now and it was just taking longer. It has now been almost 5 weeks and still no word. Would you call her back? I don't want to seem like a pest...we could just REALLY use some good news right now. We are planning the trip as if it is already approved as we are at the 6 month point and I am afraid if I don't make dining reserv we might not get them. Anyone else's approval take that long? Thanks!

I am so sorry that you had to sell your business! I have a few good friends that have been in retail and it sure seems like a lot of time and effort - lots of work!

I hope you get good news very soon!

Normally I would not recommend that a family start making reservations if they are going on a typical trip...but this trip is not typical! So...I say....if you sorta know your dates... go ahead and make some reservations. Most of them don't cost anything and you can always cancel them. You can make them online really easily and cancel them really easily, too. Just make sure you do cancel them if you end up not using them so that another family can have the opportunity later.

For wish families - I would say go ahead and make the "big" ones...of course, eating in the castle would be something you have to pay for in advance, I think?? And some others are like that too...so you may want to wait on those.

Hang in there!!!

heres a quick question is the character meals if you are doing them prepaid or is that money in your expense check also is the rental car prepaid or is that also in the expense check. Does each person going get one carryon and one checked bag or is it smarter to try and carry all on? I am just barely recovering from almost getting foreclosed on and am in a bankruptcy so i was just wondering how much i needed to try and budget. ofcourse i dont let our kids have any idea its tight but i guess thats what parents are supposed to do right?

I think these all got answered...??

As far as budget...each chapter is really different on how much you get and how it is divided out...so be careful when you read on here (especially in trip reports...because each chapter is different on what they cover) - although I think the advice you have been given is good!

I definitely would try to save what I can before the trip...you can always use it when you get back on a little something special (which would be a good idea...because the trip is a major "high" and it is nice to be able to look forward to something fun when you get home, too)...and if you use the money on the trip, then you will be very glad you have it!

In almost all cases, the rental car is covered by GKTW - so that should be pretty standard. And the more meals you eat at GKTW the better it will be for your expense check - you can use some "meal money" to do other fun things or combine meal money to do one more expensive special meal, if you want.

Most families go to Walmart right by GKTW and buy snacks and such for the parks - because that adds up really fast.

Don't forget you can get free ice water in the parks, too...keep hydrated!

I usually pack peanuts and candy corn in my bag (won't melt, it is sweet and salty and a great snack!) and then get ice water at the counter service places and that saves a load of dough! ETA - you gotta take the peanuts out of the glass can they come in...they don't let you bring glass to the parks...I put my peanuts in a little zip lock mixed with the candy corn and it is a good, easy to carry snack...

You may find that your expense check more than covers everything in your wildest dreams but you may also find that it barely covers what you need...this has varied greatly on these trips for a few years now.

 

[xanphylus]

Update on Lillianna! She had her emergency shunt surgery this morning and is doing much better!!!!! She is already drinking water and juice and having applesauce to eat, so way to go Lillianna! She is scheduled for release in the am! Her mommy is sooo excited- and cuddling her lots tonight I am sure- thanks for all the prayers!!!

 

[SueM in MN]

Update on Lillianna! She had her emergency shunt surgery this morning and is doing much better!!!!! She is already drinking water and juice and having applesauce to eat, so way to go Lillianna! She is scheduled for release in the am! Her mommy is sooo excited- and cuddling her lots tonight I am sure- thanks for all the prayers!!!

Wow! That is a very good recovery.
Hope she continues to recover so well.

For wish families - I would say go ahead and make the "big" ones...of course, eating in the castle would be something you have to pay for in advance, I think?? And some others are like that too...so you may want to wait on those. [/b]

Someone on the Restaurant Board might know, but my understanding is that they were taking a credit card number for the castle and some others at the time the ADR (reservation) was made.
But, you don’t get charged until the day of the meal and won’t get charged if you cancel before the date of the meal.
If the guest shows up for the ADR, all is well and you pay for your meal either using that credit card or another way.

If the guest doesn’t show up for the meal, then the credit card is charged anyway.

The reason for that was people were making multiple ADRs and not canceling. THere were also a couple of ‘services’ that were calling and getting ADRs at the castle with no intention of using them. They were reselling the reservations to other guests who had not been able to snag an ADR.

 

[danut]

I am not sure how this works, but do I update on my son here or on my pre-trip page? I posted a small update on Brendan's pretrip page, so do I post the post in both places or link somehow? Or is my pretrip page for one thing and this one for another? Thanks so much for helping a newbie out!

 

[danut]

Update on Lillianna! She had her emergency shunt surgery this morning and is doing much better!!!!! She is already drinking water and juice and having applesauce to eat, so way to go Lillianna! She is scheduled for release in the am! Her mommy is sooo excited- and cuddling her lots tonight I am sure- thanks for all the prayers!!!

So happy to hear that Lillianna is doing better!

 

[danut]

Back with another question....I may be getting ahead of myself, but I have seen all kinds of pictures of the villas at GKTW, but most were for smaller families. It seems they have a kids bedroom with two beds and an adult bedroom? What do they do for larger families? We have 2 adults and 4 children? Thanks!

 

[xanphylus]

New update on Lillianna- mom is very scared. Via mom "Plz be praying. Lillianna has started vomiting and lethargic. Neuro resident on the way. I'm so scared."

She needs all the happy pixie dust/prayers/good thoughts we can throw her way guys. She was doing great last night, and now this. Mom is panicking and unsure.

 

[crashbb]

Wow! That is a very good recovery.
Hope she continues to recover so well.

Someone on the Restaurant Board might know, but my understanding is that they were taking a credit card number for the castle and some others at the time the ADR (reservation) was made.
But, you don’t get charged until the day of the meal and won’t get charged if you cancel before the date of the meal.
If the guest shows up for the ADR, all is well and you pay for your meal either using that credit card or another way.

If the guest doesn’t show up for the meal, then the credit card is charged anyway.

The reason for that was people were making multiple ADRs and not canceling. THere were also a couple of ‘services’ that were calling and getting ADRs at the castle with no intention of using them. They were reselling the reservations to other guests who had not been able to snag an ADR.

Actually, for CRT you are charged when making the reservation (as opposed to say, a Fantasmic! package where they just take the credit card information).

However, you can get a full refund if you cancel before the reservation time (I believe that it is two days before, but it may be one).

 

[livndisney]

I usually pack peanuts and candy corn in my bag (won't melt, it is sweet and salty and a great snack!) and then get ice water at the counter service places and that saves a load of dough! ETA - you gotta take the peanuts out of the glass can they come in...they don't let you bring glass to the parks...I put my peanuts in a little zip lock mixed with the candy corn and it is a good, easy to carry snack...

You walk around with candy corn and never told my DD? You will soooooo be her best friend when she finds out..............

 

[SueM in MN]

Actually, for CRT you are charged when making the reservation (as opposed to say, a Fantasmic! package where they just take the credit card information).

However, you can get a full refund if you cancel before the reservation time (I believe that it is two days before, but it may be one).

Thanks for the clarification.
I knew you would not get charged if the cancellation was in time, but didn't know exactly how it works.
Given that there is lots of demand and the place is small, it makes sense to charge anyway if not cancelled a few days out.
It's possible they tried the scenario I wrote, but people were not canceling until the day of - that would mean little to no time for arranging for anyone else.


So sorry to hear about Lillianna. Hope it's just a minor malfunction to the shunt tubing that can be sorted out quickly.