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

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I wasn't going to do a TR either...and I gave away most of our surprises on my FB page - but I think I might have to do at least a mini one...we had way to many adventures not to!

The crowds were INSANE.

You better do a TR! :goodvibes I have to live vicariously through you guys and your TR's. All of our trips have been canceled in the last 2 years and I don't see one until at least April 2012 happening. So, come on! Write down the adventures!
 
Question about the Walmart by GKTW... I've read that they had Disney Souvenirs for sale there... does anyone know if they also have stuff from Sea World and Universal? I'd love to get Addie and Elliot Thing 1 and Thing 2 shirts to wear on our Universal day and was considering making some but if they have them there that would save some trouble. I'd like to get Trevor (and possibly the adults) a Sea World shirt in advance of our Sea World day too.
 
I have to run...and I am only caught up to page 100...you guys were BUSY while I was gone. ;)

But here are my last couple of responses to what I have read so far. :)

Does anyone have any experience with a wish trip and food allergies? My DS can not eat gluten and I've heard that GKTW will accommodate us but are there many options? He's been really picky about food since chemo. I want him to not spend the whole time sad about what he can't have and prepare to bring things if they don't have many alternatives. I know Disney is amazing about dealing with it but I wonder about Universal or Sea World? Thanks in advance for any info.

I think you will find that Disney is awesome with Food Allergy information. Don't be afraid to ask the chefs to even make something when you have a meal, too!

Sea World doesn't have many restaurants and I have no idea how good they are??

I have heard on a podcast that Universal is not as good with dealing with food allergies and special dining requests...but, I am not sure I would spend much time eating there anyway? Since you only have a day (probably - most families only schedule one day there??) - then maybe that can be a low key eating day and you can schedule all of your bigger meals at Disney?? :confused3

I just wanted to stop by and introduce myself. My name is Rachel..married to a wonderful man Tom and we have 3 girls. Taylor is 15 and is healthy, Olivia (our wish tripper) 8, and Sydney 7 (healthy). Olivia has been sick since birth with chronic GI issues which lead to multiple GI surgeries and then a G tube being placed. When she turned 2 we discovered an Immune Deficiency, then she started in with blood glucose issues (very highs and very lows) along with tiring quickly and muscle pains. Last year our wonderful Neuro (who we had met only once) put it all together and though she had Mito. We just got our diagnosis a few months ago...Mitochondrial Disease Complex V. Olivia was given a Make A Wish application 2 years ago (by a NP in Immunology) for her Immune Deficiency, but her Immunologist wouldn't sign the paper since she could not say what kind of Immune Deficiency she had (needless to say there were a few unhappy people). Her ped and I were talking and was decided we should try send in an application and here we are. We have our dates and we will be going April 27th - May 3rd.

I have been lurking for a few days just reading and I'm so overwhelmed in trying to plan this trip...given that we have so little time to plan. I hope to get some great info from this board. I'm still a little unsure how it all works, so it may take time to get it all figured out.

:welcome: to the wish trippers thread!!

Don't worry too much about figuring it all out - I knew very little when we went on our wish trip and the magic just tends to unfold, even if you don't plan much at all. The more you know the better...but don't stress if you don't know about all of this stuff...it takes a long time to learn it all - three years for me so far. :)

Thanks!! I'll check it out!! And I think I've figured out what a PTR is!!! :)

Bless your heart! I really gotta learn not to use so many acronyms on this thread...it can be confusing!

I had the same idea for our trip. However, I found that the slow paced morning with strawberry waffles at the Gingerbread House, characters that visit the village most mornings, and conserving our energy was a better choice. The crowds don't interfere much with wish families. It is also impossible to keep up a pace of long days throughout the trip. You will all become exhausted.

I try now to schedule a long day, short day, long day, short day, etc...and we did a "break" day this trip and that worked really well for us.

I have to admit, though - the crowds DID affect us - even though Lauren and Jessica qualified for GAC's that helped with the lines - we found that trying to get food, for example, was very hard with all the crowds and took a lot of time. I am sorta revising my crowd theory after last week. But...the parks were considered 9.8 (out of 10) on some of our days...so they were really crowded.
 
Question about the Walmart by GKTW... I've read that they had Disney Souvenirs for sale there... does anyone know if they also have stuff from Sea World and Universal? I'd love to get Addie and Elliot Thing 1 and Thing 2 shirts to wear on our Universal day and was considering making some but if they have them there that would save some trouble. I'd like to get Trevor (and possibly the adults) a Sea World shirt in advance of our Sea World day too.

I never went to the Walmart but I can tell you from our 2 days at universal that they sold Thing 1 and Thing 2 shirts everywhere...Even well before you entered the park so you could buy them near the parking and then have an adult run their other shirts back to the car. Just as an FYI it was after looking carefully that I realized there were girl and boy shirts...just a bit different but they are both available. Our kids had fun wearing them and meeting Thing 2:). Sorry I can't be of more help about finding them earlier at Walmart. I am sure someone else will have that info!
 

Hi everyone!

One of my best friends is getting ready for her son's Wish Trip. I'm so excited for her because they totally deserve the break. She has limited internet access (on her phone only) and although I sent her the link to this thread, I don't think it's easy for her to read through it on her phone.

Anyhow, anyone have any Must-Know advice for her? She's traveling with 4 kids, one a diabetic, and then her Wish Tripper (my "boyfriend" :lovestruc ) who has mitochondrial disease, CP and a few other issues :(
 
Sorry, I don't have any answers yet, but I will in a couple of weeks! I do have another question. Could someone tell me a bit about the pools at GKTW? My wish child is tall, with a trach and feeding tube. He has no head control, or trunk control, but I would love to wheel him into the pool. How deep is it? Are the pool friendly wheelchairs all straight backed? Or are there any with reclining backrests? Are there pool toys available? Like noodles? What about lifeguards? Life jackets?

TIA!:lovestruc
 
:thumbsup2
Sorry, I don't have any answers yet, but I will in a couple of weeks! I do have another question. Could someone tell me a bit about the pools at GKTW? My wish child is tall, with a trach and feeding tube. He has no head control, or trunk control, but I would love to wheel him into the pool. How deep is it? Are the pool friendly wheelchairs all straight backed? Or are there any with reclining backrests? Are there pool toys available? Like noodles? What about lifeguards? Life jackets?

TIA!:lovestruc

The new pool is a walk in zero entry pool, so you could definately wheel him in. I think the pool chairs were straight backed but am not positive. When we were there there were some beach balls and, I think you could get a life jacket. There was someone there at the pool house, but Im not sure they were a lifeguard.....anyone else know? There was also a one depth pool at the other end of the village. It had steps to get into and out of it.
 
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Sorry, I don't have any answers yet, but I will in a couple of weeks! I do have another question. Could someone tell me a bit about the pools at GKTW? My wish child is tall, with a trach and feeding tube. He has no head control, or trunk control, but I would love to wheel him into the pool. How deep is it? Are the pool friendly wheelchairs all straight backed? Or are there any with reclining backrests? Are there pool toys available? Like noodles? What about lifeguards? Life jackets?

TIA!:lovestruc

You can definitely wheel him into the pool. It is zero entry and there are waterproof chairs that you can use and they are straight backs. The pool I believe is 3.5 feet deep. Lately, there have been balls and a few noodles that have been in the water. They are also buckets and shovels in case the kids want to play in the sand that is around the pool. There are no lifeguards and I haven't seen any life jackets. Towels are provided at the pool and there are also lockers as well.
 
:thumbsup2

The new pool is a walk in zero entry pool, so you could definately wheel him in. I think the pool chairs were straight backed but am not positive. When we were there there were some beach balls and, I think you could get a life jacket. There was someone there at the pool house, but Im not sure they were a lifeguard.....anyone else know? There was also a one depth pool at the other end of the village. It had steps to get into and out of it.

You can definitely wheel him into the pool. It is zero entry and there are waterproof chairs that you can use and they are straight backs. The pool I believe is 3.5 feet deep. Lately, there have been balls and a few noodles that have been in the water. They are also buckets and shovels in case the kids want to play in the sand that is around the pool. There are no lifeguards and I haven't seen any life jackets. Towels are provided at the pool and there are also lockers as well.

Thanks for your quick responses! I am getting close now, and got the flu type A! Thought flu season was over down here in the south, and thought the flu shot helped:rolleyes1 Oh well, better this week than next!
 
Hey everyone!

Still waiting on dates here. Tentatively our MAW volunteer said they are trying for 4/23 to 4/29 with a second choice of 5/3 to 5/9. We know that the doctor approved Hannah's trip, so I'm not sure which part of the process we are now waiting on.

I've made my initial packing list, but I am holding off on getting anything ... even though we are just a month away!

Every day Ethan and Abby ask me if I have heard yet, and I hate saying 'no.' Even though I'm glad they realize it isn't a done deal yet, I wish I could totally get them more excited to go now.

I think if I don't hear by Thursday night, I may email our MAW volunteer for an update...or do you think that is being pushy?
 
Thanks for your quick responses! I am getting close now, and got the flu type A! Thought flu season was over down here in the south, and thought the flu shot helped:rolleyes1 Oh well, better this week than next!
Ugh that stinks! But you are right, get rid of that bug now -- feel better!
 
9 hours left until we take off!! We're leaving in 5 hours for the airport, and I still can't sleep! Well, actually it's more like DS refuses to sleep (of course), and I gave up trying. :surfweb: LOL. Anyway, we're SUPER excited! :cheer2::cheer2::cheer2:
 
9 hours left until we take off!! We're leaving in 5 hours for the airport, and I still can't sleep! Well, actually it's more like DS refuses to sleep (of course), and I gave up trying. :surfweb: LOL. Anyway, we're SUPER excited! :cheer2::cheer2::cheer2:

How exciting!!!!!! I hope you have a fantastic, fantastic time!
 
9 hours left until we take off!! We're leaving in 5 hours for the airport, and I still can't sleep! Well, actually it's more like DS refuses to sleep (of course), and I gave up trying. :surfweb: LOL. Anyway, we're SUPER excited! :cheer2::cheer2::cheer2:

YAY!!! HAPPY DANCE!!! :banana:

Hope to see you guys around we arrive tomorrow morning at 9:01am!! :)

Have fun!!!
 
I can not believe in about 24 hours we will be in flight to ORLANDO FLORIDA!!! So excited!!!​
:banana::banana:
1 more day!!
:banana::banana:
 
Hey everyone!

Still waiting on dates here. Tentatively our MAW volunteer said they are trying for 4/23 to 4/29 with a second choice of 5/3 to 5/9. We know that the doctor approved Hannah's trip, so I'm not sure which part of the process we are now waiting on.

I've made my initial packing list, but I am holding off on getting anything ... even though we are just a month away!

Every day Ethan and Abby ask me if I have heard yet, and I hate saying 'no.' Even though I'm glad they realize it isn't a done deal yet, I wish I could totally get them more excited to go now.

I think if I don't hear by Thursday night, I may email our MAW volunteer for an update...or do you think that is being pushy?

I would...does not give you a lot of time to get yourselves ready KWIM? I Hope you get the call soon!!!! :goodvibes

I am 6-9 weeks from the dates that I wanted and am so so anxious!! :woohoo:
 
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