My Make-A-Wish Trip!

[thatkid]

Hi!
I'm Alyssa. I'm 18 years old & i'm going on my Make-A-Wish trip to DisneyWorld from December 2nd-9th.
Joining me will be my Mom , Dad , Brothers Sean (14) and Derek (14)
I'm super excited! The main focus of my wish is Animal Kingdom & SeaWorld, because i love animals!
I have been sick since I was 14 years old. I have a rare blood/liver disease called porphyria (HCP). I have to be completely covered when i'm around the sun & flourescent lights (all UV rays.) I have peripheral neuropathy & gastroparesis, a completely paralyzed digestive system, and have to be fed through a tube. (GJ tube)
I have spent more than 150 days in-patient in the hospital over the past 3 years, with more in the future.
I'm in charge of planning my trip, so i'll need some help!
Any tips on travelling with a feeding tube would be excellent! I'm hooked up to the pump (its a portable one, in a small backpack) for 19 hours/day.
thanks for reading!

 

[Matt1026]

You are at the perfect place to get help in your planning. Everyone here is such a huge help in planning. I learned alot from everyone on how to best plan for our trip. You will have a blast.

 

[yinyanggirls]

Hi!
I'm Alyssa. I'm 18 years old & i'm going on my Make-A-Wish trip to DisneyWorld from December 2nd-9th.

The main focus of my wish is Animal Kingdom & SeaWorld, because i love animals!

thanks for reading!

Hi Alyssa! It sounds like you definitely need this trip. I think special things like Make-a-Wish help me to be okay with the little things in life that my daughter has to miss. I look forward to reading about your plans over the next couple months!

 

[pipersmom]

Hi Alyssa So cool that you're going to be there to see all the holiday decorations and stuff!! I'm sure everyone will be more than willing to help however we can ...

 

[MickeyisBeast]

Hi Alyssa! Sounds like you deserve this trip! That's awesome you get to see Disney all Christmas-afied!

 

[Sandy321]

Princess Alyssa!



Do be sure to tell us if we overwhelm you!! I know I can be a little over the top in planning! You are going at a wonderful time of year! Make sure you plan to go to Hollywood Studios in the evening to see the Osborne Lights - they are beautiful - dont forget you can youtube the attractions, and lights, and parades, and WISHES too - that way you can get a feel for what is there!!

How is your stamina? Will you need an ECV to help you get around the parks?

Are you going to stay at Give Kids the World?

Do you need to make Dining Reservations?

Do you need maps? My favorite poster is Robo and he has uploaded some easy maps to a website called Stitch Kingdom - he tells by color lines how to get to Toy Story Mania, or how to get to Boardwalk or Beach Club from Epcot...http://www.stitchkingdom.com/maps/ use the drop down menu to pick a park and a map!

Am I asking too many questions??

 

[kdzbear]

Alyssa,

I am glad you started a new pre-trip report and that you have actual dates now! You will get to see all of the Christmas decorations which will be so exciting. I can't wait to hear your plans as they come along! Welcome back!

 

[thatkid]

Princess Alyssa!



Do be sure to tell us if we overwhelm you!! I know I can be a little over the top in planning! You are going at a wonderful time of year! Make sure you plan to go to Hollywood Studios in the evening to see the Osborne Lights - they are beautiful - dont forget you can youtube the attractions, and lights, and parades, and WISHES too - that way you can get a feel for what is there!!

How is your stamina? Will you need an ECV to help you get around the parks?

Are you going to stay at Give Kids the World?

Do you need to make Dining Reservations?

Do you need maps? My favorite poster is Robo and he has uploaded some easy maps to a website called Stitch Kingdom - he tells by color lines how to get to Toy Story Mania, or how to get to Boardwalk or Beach Club from Epcot...http://www.stitchkingdom.com/maps/ use the drop down menu to pick a park and a map!

Am I asking too many questions??

I am able to walk on my own, but with lots of rests haha.
We are staying at GKTW! and we're making a ressie for crystal palace, i'm fed through a tube but want my picture with pooh and tigger
I actually printed maps off the disney site, with little markers of the places i need to see haha.

 

[Uuaww]

Enjoy your trip! DW is an awesome place.

 

[2specialkids]

Welcome Alyssa! You're going at a wonderful time! I would love to be there during the Christmas holiday season...it's beautiful and there is so much to see. This is the perfect place to get all the ideas you could ever want or need to make this the perfect trip and you sound like you deserve this trip very much. Take care of yourself and stay well and plan all the wonderful things you want to see and do...we're all here to help so just give us a shout when you want some input.

 

[yinyanggirls]

I'm impressed with your plans! Can't wait to hear how the trip goes!

 

[2specialkids]

I am able to walk on my own, but with lots of rests haha.
We are staying at GKTW! and we're making a ressie for crystal palace, i'm fed through a tube but want my picture with pooh and tigger
I actually printed maps off the disney site, with little markers of the places i need to see haha.

You're gonna LOVE, LOVE, LOVE GKTW!! Plan a few evenings there too. They have a party every night. My kids are younger & loved Christmas and Pirates & Princesses. We weren't there for Candy Land since we had to fly out before it started. I hear it's really neat. Be sure to look at the guide they give you when you arrive-it will help you plan when you really want to be at GKTW and if there are parties you feel like you can miss for late nights at the parks.
We did ressies for DS at Play-N-Dine at Hollywood & Vine since he's in love with JoJo & Goliath. He's tube fed also so we just made sure they knew he wouldn't be eating so we didn't get charged for him. They were fine with it.
We had a good idea of what we "had" to do since I've been there many times and took the kids about 4 years ago for their first visit. We still ended up going over the maps after we got there the night night before each park to finalize what "had to be done" and what we really wanted to do but wouldn't be broken hearted if we missed.

 

[thatkid]

here's my list of must see's & do's for Disneyworld!
The reds are the things i really want to do, and the greens are the ones i'd like to do depending on time.
for those that have been there, do you think the reds are do-able, or is it too much? I was thinking of adding an extra color for things i really, really, really NEED to do, haha. should I? the only thing we're doing at GKTW (that we know of, so far) is the christmas party and disney character meets, and i have a princess lunch reservation on the 3rd at MK. And we're only doing a half-day at universal. (that we know of, i haven't looked at anything thats there yet)

Magic Kingdom
Jungle cruise
Monsters inc. laugh floor
Toontown hall of fame
Wishes

Epcot
Epcot character spot
Honey, I shrunk the audience
Soarin’
Pick a pearl
Test track
The seas with nemo and friends
Journey into narnia

Animal Kingdom
Tree of life
Kilimanjaro safaris
Camp Minnie mickey greeting trails
Discovery island trails

Hollywood studios
Muppet vision 3D
Sounds dangerous
Toy story mania


I'll be working on my universal list tomorrow. I can't believe there's less than 3weeks to go!

 

[yinyanggirls]

Pick a pearl...you put that under Epcot? Is that where you do that? I thought it was at Sea World. Or am I thinking of something entirely different?

 

[thatkid]

Its in the Japan pavilion at Epcot! You pick a clam?? shell and theres a pearl inside, and you can get it put in rings and stuff.
this is the thread i found out about it at: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1520941

whats the one at seaworld?

 

[pipersmom]

here's my list of must see's & do's for Disneyworld!
The reds are the things i really want to do, and the greens are the ones i'd like to do depending on time.
for those that have been there, do you think the reds are do-able, or is it too much? I was thinking of adding an extra color for things i really, really, really NEED to do, haha. should I? the only thing we're doing at GKTW (that we know of, so far) is the christmas party and disney character meets, and i have a princess lunch reservation on the 3rd at MK. And we're only doing a half-day at universal. (that we know of, i haven't looked at anything thats there yet)

Magic Kingdom
Jungle cruise
Monsters inc. laugh floor
Toontown hall of fame
Wishes

Epcot
Epcot character spot
Honey, I shrunk the audience
Soarin’
Pick a pearl
Test track
The seas with nemo and friends
Journey into narnia

Animal Kingdom
Tree of life
Kilimanjaro safaris
Camp Minnie mickey greeting trails
Discovery island trails

Hollywood studios
Muppet vision 3D
Sounds dangerous
Toy story mania


I'll be working on my universal list tomorrow. I can't believe there's less than 3weeks to go!

That doesn't look like too much at all, especially with your "magic" pass You'll prob be able to fit more in if you want to.

 

[thatkid]

awesome! We originally planned on going and just sight-seeing, but i've found so many things that i actually want to do.

These are my must do's & see's for universal & sea world, and the shops i want to go to in downtown disney. I actually found another pick a pearl place in DTD, that's supposed to have better things to put the pearl in. The one at sea world looks really cool too, it is the same thing as the other ones.
Reds are must do's, greens are do if we have time.

Sea World
Dolphin Cove
Dolphin Nursery
Wild Arctic
Believe Show

Shamu: Close up
Shark Encounter
Penguin Encounter
Turtle point

Universal Studios
Shrek 4D
Horror make-up show
Seuss Landing (this looks so cute, i just want to see it haha)


Downtown Disney
Image Capture
Pooh Corner
World of Disney

I started my sea world list, and listed everything haha. I had to pick my favorites, which was super hard, but i absolutely have to see as many dolphins as possible.

 

[pipersmom]

It sounds like you're going to have a great time. If you go to e-bay, they have a very cool carriage cage (search for carriage cage) for pearls for ultra cheap (under $10) and you prob have time to order & get it before you leave if you explain the situation. My understanding is that the settings at the actual pearl stands can be pretty pricey

 

[thatkid]

thanks for that info! i'll have to look into it, i hate spending money on jewelry hah.

I guess I should tell whoevers reading this a bit more about who's coming. My older brother can no longer come because life got in the way, but i'm sure we'll have a super time anyways I'm not posting pictures here, but there are some on my caringbridge site: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/alyssafitz

Besides me, there's my mom. She's a total disney lover, she loves all cartoons, actually- especially spongebob. Her favorite disney character is Goofy! My mom is totally laidback and awesome!

Then there's my dad. I asked him who his favorite character is, and he said shrek guess he doesn't know much about his cartoons haha. He's pretty much just along for the ride.

And I have 2 younger brothers, they're 14. (identical twins)
They are completely different! Sean, is pretty much just like my dad- doesn't care much for disney but is still incredibly excited to go!
and Derek loves everything. He's really easy-going like my mom and I, and we all love cartoons, disney, any thing child-like His favorite movie is the Lion King.

My favorite disney character is Baloo from the Jungle Book. I love the jungle book! My main goal is to give Baloo a hug I also love Tigger!

I think that's all!

 

[2specialkids]

It's too bad your brother can't come but you sound like you're going to have a BLAST! It's only 2 weeks away ...let the excitement build...it makes the trip even more fun.