Make A Wish Sends Lauren to Disney World! * IT IS FINISHED...* *Updated 1/28/09*

[Yzma and Kronk]

Oh Maroo....I'm so sorry you had such a bad night after such a great evening at MNSSHP!

You handled things so well. I'm not sure I'd be able to pull myself together to go anywhere after a night like that!!

I'm so glad you were so determined to have Lauren feed the dolphins!!

I can't wait to hear all about it.

 

[eyor44]

I guess I should write in to Disney and tell them that she said that. And that all of their efforts are not going unnoticed. Do you have any idea who I would write?

On the WDW website there is a "contact us" address. Use this one. I did and it went to the executive office. At least that is what they said when they called to thank me for writing.

 

[heaven2dc]

How great is that!! Lauren gets to feed the dolphins Plus William had front row seating to a killer whale (where else but Sea World would that sound like it's a good thing )

I love cliffhangers but don't keep us hanging for too long please!!!

 

[zeppy68]

maroo is sea world just as good as disney to allow front of the line priveleges?

 

[hotmamac]

Mary ~
I ADORE this trip report!!! You are so funny! I love that you have such a great sense of humor despite all the drama.
Can't wait to hear more!!!
Misty

 

[maroo]

First of all...thank you all, even you lurkers out there , for reading and sticking with us!

Ugh... I knew it was coming, but still... reading it just makes me sooo sad. I hate there was so much illness on Lauren's Magical Trip! Awesome view at the Believe Backstage thingy. We've never been to Sea World, I think my kiddos would LOVE it! Can't wait to see pics of Lauren feeding the Dolphins. Oh and BTW TY for the TY card... I enjoyed making the shirts for Richard and Lisa... I hope they fit okay, can't wait to see pics of everone wearing their BG things.

Gosh, I know...even writing about it makes me sad...and a little irritable...it is like I am living the trip all over again...I need to get back to something HAPPY!

Thank you for the thank you for the thank you card. You guys crack me up!

We enjoyed the Big Give so much! I think Lisa stole Ricks shirt...permanently...I guess he will get to wear it...but only if she is not! They fit great! I do think we have pics of them in some of the Big Give stuff coming up.

Another CLIFFHANGER! I just cannot handle this! I know how hard it is to get all the pictures uploaded for a TR though so I can't complain too much!

This was a BAD time for a cliffhanger though! I am glad that I *THINK* Lauren gets to feed the dolphins!

BTW, Jill and I had a discussion about the thank you notes and how sweet they were and could we thank you for a thank you note! And guess we can since she did, so THANK YOU too!

Jill is my real life best friend, but now a days she has become my phone best friend kind of as she lives 4 LONG hours away!

You guys are funny! Thank you, also, for the thank you for the thank you card!

She DOES get to feed the dolphins...really...and it is done...I just need to post it...but first I want to answer all of you guys...so it is coming...I promise!

ARGHHHHH MORE PLEASE!! I love your TR!!! Please please more!!

It is coming...You are so sweet. Thank u so much for posting!

You cant leave it like that!!!!!

Poor Lisa and Lauren, it must have been hell for you too!

You CANT leave it like that!! Talk about cliffhangers

It was definitely not a good night for any of us. Sorry to leave you...and I didn't even intend to leave you this long today, but I have been with Lauren and we have been BUSY! High School is crazy!

As soon as I saw the "Update" line come up in my email I said loudly YES!!! I have to say I'm happy dh is not around, he'd have thought I'd gone !! Loved the update! I just feel so bad that you guys had to get sick on your trip... I hope you were able to enjoy most of it anyways.

You are so funny...I hope your husband is not around tonight when I post the next update, either... lol...

We were not happy to be sick either...but even with the illness stuff...it was the favorite vacation ever. We definitely made the most of it. Even the sick times...just chilling in the room and watching TV (when she was up to even that!)...

More is coming...soon...

 

[maroo]

Jessica, that is so funny, I was wondering if I should thank her for a thank you note too!

Ha! Well, I think I thanked you already...but thanks again for the thank you for the thank you note! (Did you get that everyone?! )

I love this TR. I want to know how Lauren is. Did she get to feed the dolphins? These cliff hangers make me crazy!! LOL

I can't wait to read more!

Amy

You are so sweet! She did get to feed the dolphins! And I am about to post the pics!!

Oh Maroo....I'm so sorry you had such a bad night after such a great evening at MNSSHP!

You handled things so well. I'm not sure I'd be able to pull myself together to go anywhere after a night like that!!

I'm so glad you were so determined to have Lauren feed the dolphins!!

I can't wait to hear all about it.

I was very determined about the dolphins...that was one of the top must do's of the whole trip! Another wish trip TR had mentioned this and I had it all planned out! Til she got sick...but the show must go on, right!

On the WDW website there is a "contact us" address. Use this one. I did and it went to the executive office. At least that is what they said when they called to thank me for writing.

Thank you so much for the info! I plan to contact them tomorrow when I get to work (at lunch, of course!)...

How great is that!! Lauren gets to feed the dolphins Plus William had front row seating to a killer whale (where else but Sea World would that sound like it's a good thing )

I love cliffhangers but don't keep us hanging for too long please!!!

Yeah...I would not want to be very close to the killer whale...or at least any closer!! It was cool, though!

Mary ~
I ADORE this trip report!!! You are so funny! I love that you have such a great sense of humor despite all the drama.
Can't wait to hear more!!!
Misty

Thank you for saying that!! We did have a wonderful time! Even in the drama, we had to laugh...then cry...but eventually laugh again!

 

[maroo]

Ok...where were we? Oh yeah...I was RUNNING! I've got the keys...they have the button...

The plan was for me to run and get Lauren and Lisa so that they can come back here by 3:00 sharp to feed the dolphins. The deal was, if they could get there by 3:00, then Lauren could be in the first group and the dolphins usually respond better to that first group...because, well, they are hungry and we are feeding them fish!

See...aren't they CUTE!! So, I ran to the entrance of Sea World. But...to my dismay...I kept getting lost. There are no good signs at Sea World that really told me where I was going. And the map was really no good. It probably did not help that I was in a hurry...

But, I finally got to the van. I drove the speed limit the whole way to the Contemporary ...yeah...just like I drove to Orlando in post #1... Nope...I sped.

And got Lauren and Lisa...and loaded Lauren in the van...and drove back...well, sped back...to Sea World (they can't give me a ticket now!). We unloaded...it is like almost 3:00...well, it may be a few min after 3:00...but it doesn't really matter. Because it took us like 20 minutes to get through the gate to give them our tickets.


But, we had an even bigger problem. You see, you need the magic button to feed the dolphins for free. And the magic button sort of gives you that magic treatment that they do for Wish families. But, Rick calls...and asks me where I put the button... Like, are you serious? William has it on his lanyard...around his neck. You guys used it to ride stuff while I was gone...right? Help?

Nope...we have no idea where the button is.

Ok...I admit it...I was so mad. The emotions of the last 12 hours...they caught up...all at once. We lost the MAGIC BUTTON!?!!??!?! What? The KEY to the whole trip? We lost it??!?!? But I pinned it...right on his lanyard...and I told him...to be careful.......

I was not nice to Rick on the phone. And Lauren and Lisa were standing right there and knew something was wrong. And I told them...and they were also mad. Lauren was really mad. And she still didn't feel so great...now that she was up and about...which did not help matters.

But...we all took a collective deep breath. Rick was looking for the button. But we knew he would never find it. It probably fell off on a ride...who knows. We never did find that thing. And honestly, it could have been totally my fault…I could have messed up attaching it to his lanyard...? But, never fear...it was replaced...so, Wish families, if you lose it (I would not recommend it...stressful situation) you can get another one.


Bottom line...Lauren, Lisa and I headed to the dolphin feeding and Rick and William were not there for the beginning because they were looking for the button. And they got to touch some stingrays that William thought were totally cool, too! So it was all good.

So...PICTURES...I know...stop talking and show us pictures...I can hear you from here...

We get in the LAST group...this is what it looks like with all of the people there...

They give us each a few little paper things with some little fish on them. You are supposed to hold the fish close to the water with one hand and touch the dolphin with the other. It is sort of sneaky...actually.


Here is Lisa demonstrating the technique. And I just love the look on her face.

Lauren has gotten as close as she can to the dolphins and is watching us feed them.

(Note: Lauren is still sick in this picture. Has very little makeup on. And really doesn't want pictures at all of her on this day on the internet...well, that won't work...so we are just showing the far away shots and this one of her from the back...with her hair cut out of the picture. And you have to promise not to care one bit about her lack of makeup...or that her hair is just pulled back in a ponytail.
Ok?
Deal? .... Good! )

This is a great pic of Lisa and Lauren.

And Lauren is really enjoying just watching the dolphins. But...they are so smooth to touch. And Lauren just HAS to touch one...right?

So Lisa gets her out of her chair and tries to get her hand out there to touch it when it comes up...

The dolphin did come up really close...and from this angle, it looks like Lauren touched it...but she is like 2 inches away...

The dolphin trainer comes up though and sees our problem. They know we are a Wish family...probably because we had "Make a Wish" shirts on (and we had told them at the beginning). Most of the people are gone...we were the last group. And most of the dolphins are gone, too. They are full, remember...

But she works her magic and gets a dolphin...to come right up to us...and stay there...up on the ledge so Lauren can touch it...and she reaches all the way she can (with some help)...and finally touched it!

Now, this party was breaking up...but the dolphins were all around now...and most of the folks were leaving...and I started playing with the dolphins that were left out there.

Aren't they sweet??

Well, I hate to break it to you. The sweet dolphin...is not so sweet. It just wants some fish. And if you don't have any fish...and your hand is in the way...they will snap at you ...I am sure it is not intentional on their part. But I did make the small crowd that was still there GASP when a dolphin thought my hand was a fish. Seriously...I had teeth marks where his/her mouth scraped my hand! The trainer came up and said something about it being time for us to head to the exit...and I was like...”Yeah...we are DONE! This show is OVER!”



But not for you guys...because...we have the Pirate Dinner Adventure coming up for you!

Pirates Dinner Adventure!
.

 

[maroo]

maroo is sea world just as good as disney to allow front of the line priveleges?

I am so sorry...I skipped over your post earlier by accident!


I assume you mean the wish button...??? Is that what you mean?

Here is how they pretty much told us to do it...both here on the DISboards and other wish folks...

Basically, anyone in the family can use the "magic button" during your stay. So, if Lauren can't ride something, then William can use it to ride something and bypass the line. The whole idea is that the whole family is able to get as much done as possible in a short amount of time. (GKTW gave us 7 days worth of tickets to use in 5 days.)

So, all that to say, William actually used her button (or GAC, both work for this), to bypass the lines. He never had any trouble using it. Even at Sea World. He did not ride much at Sea World, though...Just Atlantis, I think? While we were driving to get Lauren to go to the dolphin thing.

I have read pretty much all of the Wish TR's that are on this board and most people say that they bypassed all lines with the button. Especially character lines. Just make sure the CM sees the button so that they can get you to the right place.

 

[FSUDisneyGirl]

this trip report is GREAT!!! thanks for everything! i'm so happy that you are writing it! lauren is beautiful, sounds like you all had a great time (minus the sickness!!!)

p.s. i can't believe the dolphin BIT you!!!

 

[Clare D]

Loving your TR and all of the pictures. I am so sorry that Lauren and Lisa got sick and then they had to feed the dolphins stinky fish too
Now I am not just saying this but Lauren looks very pretty even without all of the make up - you can remind her of that another time when she needs making up

 

[bex271]

thanks for the update i was wondering how we could get jonah to touch a dolphin. I guess we'll have to get a trainer to help us. Lauren looks beautiful even when she doesn't feel good.

becca

 

[Yzma and Kronk]

Maroo - great chapters!

I'm so glad you made it to the Dolphins and Lauren got to touch them.

Wonderful pictures.

When my good friend Jamal gets here, she will say, "Disney/Seaworld is not a fashion show" so no makeup required. Tell Lauren she looked great! No worries

 

[jessica52877]

YIKES! about the dolphin! Lauren looks beautiful au natural!

 

[AshClan]

When my good friend Jamal gets here, she will say, "Disney/Seaworld is not a fashion show" so no makeup required. Tell Lauren she looked great! No worries

Well, technically, the oft-repeated line is "Disney is not a hair show". But it also applies to makeup and fashion. And to Seaworld

I love that picture of Lisa and Lauren. Had Lisa just dropped a fish? That's what it looks like....

Big time bummer on the sickness. I could FEEL your stress rushing back to get them, too. I would have been a mess. So glad that Lauren at least got to spend some time with the Dolphins. Sorry about your bite!!

 

[llurgy]

Well, I hate to break it to you. The sweet dolphin...is not so sweet. It just wants some fish. And if you don't have any fish...and your hand is in the way...they will snap at you ...I am sure it is not intentional on their part. But I did make the small crowd that was still there GASP when a dolphin thought my hand was a fish. Seriously...I had teeth marks where his/her mouth scraped my hand! The trainer came up and said something about it being time for us to head to the exit...and I was like...”Yeah...we are DONE! This show is OVER!”

Yay!! Lauren and all got to feed the Dolphins

Only you Mary could manage to get bitten by one of em
Whoops! Me laughing at Mary?? Nope not I ---->

So glad that the dolphin day kinda worked out for Lauren, it would have been so sad if she had not managed to get to even see the Sweet (sharp pointy-teeth) natured mammals.
The feeding of them is something that Becca REALLY wants to do too, she adores Dolphins.

Mandy

 

[Credit Man]

Wonderful report! Love all of the detail.

 

[maroo]

this trip report is GREAT!!! thanks for everything! i'm so happy that you are writing it! lauren is beautiful, sounds like you all had a great time (minus the sickness!!!)

p.s. i can't believe the dolphin BIT you!!!

Thank you for saying that!!!

Lauren IS beautiful and we did have a GREAT time...even WITH the sickness...

Loving your TR and all of the pictures. I am so sorry that Lauren and Lisa got sick and then they had to feed the dolphins stinky fish too
Now I am not just saying this but Lauren looks very pretty even without all of the make up - you can remind her of that another time when she needs making up

Thanks for reading the TR! I am having fun writing it!

I am sorry they got sick, too...but we did decide...since they got sick...that we HAVE to go back!! So maybe a blessing in disguise!

I try to tell Lauren she looks good without makeup all the time...but she won't believe me! Teenagers!

thanks for the update i was wondering how we could get jonah to touch a dolphin. I guess we'll have to get a trainer to help us. Lauren looks beautiful even when she doesn't feel good.

becca

Aw man...this was awesome!

There are a couple of ways...In one wish trip report I read, they took the wish child after the dolphin SHOW. In that case, they took 3 wish families and they were the only ones out there. Which is awesome!!

Otherwise, you can just go the dolphin feeding area and show them the magic button and they will set up a time for you to come...it will be during the regular time, but should be toward the beginning and they should still take you guys by yourself.

But, if you get in there with lots of poeple, just catch a CM's eye (one of the trainers) and they should help make sure that he gets to touch one. Are you able to pick him up easily? The wall is fairly high (you can probably tell on one of the pics of Lauren) and Lauren could not reach. But, she probably would have been able to if she could fully extend her hand...she can't really extend her hand straight out...

You should be able to get that experience without much trouble. If you have to, ask to speak to the lead CM in the area...it is possible you might get a new CM that is not aware of GKTW or the button...? But that is rare and never happened to us in any park.

Maroo - great chapters!

I'm so glad you made it to the Dolphins and Lauren got to touch them.

Wonderful pictures.

When my good friend Jamal gets here, she will say, "Disney/Seaworld is not a fashion show" so no makeup required. Tell Lauren she looked great! No worries

Amen! (on the fashion show comment!)

Thanks for the comments! I was so thankful that Lauren was well enough to touch the dophins.

I will tell Lauren she looks awesome! I will let you know if she believed me!

YIKES! about the dolphin! Lauren looks beautiful au natural!

Yeah...YIKES is right!!! I think they really though my hand was a fish.

Lauren is a beautiful girl! I will pass that on to her, too!!!

Well, technically, the oft-repeated line is "Disney is not a hair show". But it also applies to makeup and fashion. And to Seaworld

I love that picture of Lisa and Lauren. Had Lisa just dropped a fish? That's what it looks like....

Big time bummer on the sickness. I could FEEL your stress rushing back to get them, too. I would have been a mess. So glad that Lauren at least got to spend some time with the Dolphins. Sorry about your bite!!

You know...you may be right (about the pic of Lisa and Lauren...it DOES look like Lisa dropped a fish.) I guess it is because that dolphin was so busy checking Lauren out that it forgot to get that fish!! Or maybe it is now shaking it's head since Lisa missed it's mouth!!

Yay!! Lauren and all got to feed the Dolphins

Only you Mary could manage to get bitten by one of em
Whoops! Me laughing at Mary?? Nope not I ---->

So glad that the dolphin day kinda worked out for Lauren, it would have been so sad if she had not managed to get to even see the Sweet (sharp pointy-teeth) natured mammals.
The feeding of them is something that Becca REALLY wants to do too, she adores Dolphins.

Mandy

I know it!

Mandy... you have NAILED me! How did you know? Just wait...there will be MORE opportunities to laugh at me later in this trip!! I should add that as a question...How many times can you guys LAUGH at Mary on this trip?!?!

There are a couple of ways to feed the dolphins...In one wish trip report I read, they took the wish child after the dolphin SHOW. In that case, they took 3 wish families and they were the only ones out there. Which is awesome!!

Otherwise, you can just go the dolphin feeding area and show them the magic button and they will set up a time for you to come...it will be during the regular time, but should be toward the beginning and they should still take you guys by yourself.

Becca should not have much trouble actually feeding and touching them, I don't think...I mean, she can stand and reach out to them, right?

I have no doubt that you guys should be able to do that! You might want to go early in the day to check the times, though.

I also recommend the "Backstage at Believe" lunch. It was not terribly expensive. I think it was close to $25 per person...but we had already budgeted $15 each for lunch anyway...so we figured the $10 extra would be for not having to wait for the show very long. And the backstage sort of experience. We actually got "VIP" passes and a souvenier, too.

Turns out the food was WONDERFUL...best meal I had all trip. And a LOT less expensive than some of the other meals!

Wonderful report! Love all of the detail.

Thanks, Credit Man. I am having fun writing it!!

 

[jamal]

Well, technically, the oft-repeated line is "Disney is not a hair show". But it also applies to makeup and fashion. And to Seaworld

I love that picture of Lisa and Lauren. Had Lisa just dropped a fish? That's what it looks like....

Big time bummer on the sickness. I could FEEL your stress rushing back to get them, too. I would have been a mess. So glad that Lauren at least got to spend some time with the Dolphins. Sorry about your bite!!

You friends are RIGHT, as evidenced by what you have seen of me there and the many pictures from TRs.

Lauren, however, is so SO lovely I truly would not have noticed. Sharing her vanity, though, I completely understand why she cared.

Her countenance is contagious. I feel peaceful and happy just looking at her. Now THAT's photogenic.

These are the best dolphin pictures I've ever seen. I love the one of all of you touching the dolphin.

Also thanks for the bite report. I'm sorry about that. I did take a good look at his (her?) teeth and now see what's hiding behind dolphins' smiles.

Wonderful, Maroo!

 

[Tiggerfaninaz]

Subscribing. Great report so far!