New here - So many questions - Wish Trip

[FaithsWish]

First off - Hello! This is my first post, but I have been lurking for a few days. My name is Allison, my husband is James and we have 4 kids. The oldest three have left home and are all in college. James was a Navy submariner for 20 years and he retired two years ago. Adjusting to civilian life has been a challenge, but it has been nice be done with all the moves and to finally have a place to call home.

We found out a couple weeks ago that my 11 year old daughter will be granted a wish through Make a Wish.

Faith is quite a little trooper. She survived a right hemisphere stroke, she has 18p- syndrome, FMF syndrome, autism, and in the past few months she has also added autoimmune pancreatic failure, gastroparesis, and declining kidney function. She functions on about a 4-5 year old level. She is in a wheelchair part time.

Faith is an amazing kid. She loves superheroes. Captain America, Iron Man, Spiderman! She also loves Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Scooby Doo and Choo Choo Soul. She believes in dressing "fancy" every day! She loves to wear ties, necklaces, bracelets, sunglasses and baseball hats. Which leads to her other love....

Baseball! She absolutely loves watching baseball. More specifically our local minor league team. We go to all the games we can and she really enjoys talking to the players after the game and asking for their signatures. Her fascination with baseball led us to become a host family for young players. It has been a fantastic experience for all of us.

Faith's Wish Granters came over on Sunday. Faith told them her wish....to go to Australia. I think it is because her favorite Scooby Doo movie is set in Australia. So I had to be a meanyhead mom and veto that wish. She simply doesn't have the stamina for that long of a trip! So she thought for a while and came up with another true wish....she wants to go to Florida and get the Superhero's autographs!!

We have not heard back from MAW as to any details, but I'm thinking it will include GKTW. We have asked for early spring to go.

There is so much to try and plan for and so much I hope we are able to do! I know I am going to have lots of questions! I just wanted to take a moment to say hello and introduce myself before I start bombarding y'all with questions. :

I will post pictures of Faith and our family as soon as I can. It says I need 10 posts first.

Update: I hit 10 posts!

[/url]Screen Shot 2014-09-24 at 9.52.19 AM by Allyson244, on Flickr[/IMG]

[/url]Screen Shot 2014-09-24 at 9.49.37 AM by Allyson244, on Flickr[/IMG]

[/url]Screen Shot 2014-09-24 at 9.42.38 AM by Allyson244, on Flickr[/IMG]

[/url]Screen Shot 2014-09-24 at 9.32.50 AM by Allyson244, on Flickr[/IMG]

 

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . We have not heard back from MAW as to any details, but I'm thinking it will include GKTW. We have asked for early spring to go . . . I know I am going to have lots of questions! I just wanted to take a moment to say hello and introduce myself before I start bombarding y'all with questions . . .

1) When you get closer, ASK AWAY !!!
2) Lots of us have answers.
3) As a quickie for GKTW
. . . once on-site, with exception to some souvenirs, EVERYTHING is free
. . . repeat, FREE !
. . . even ice cream for breakfast
. . . we will make your week SPECIAL, SPECIAL, SPECIAL
. . . it might even be more of a vacation for the parents than the kids
. . . parents are so involved in yeare-aroun care, they don't get a break
. . . here, THEY DO !
4) Check out the videos at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuQO-NAvwSc&list=PL2FDC7605C027B6E7&feature=plpp_play_all

5) Sample GKTW Schedule:
Sunday
• Ashley’s Art Corner from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Castle of Miracles
• The World’s Largest CANDY LAND Game from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Matthew’s Boundless Playground*

Monday
• Disney Character photos at Julie’s Safari Theatre and Castle of Miracles from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
• Discovery Cove Animal Encounter from 6:45 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on the Avenue of Angels
• Mayor Clayton’s Hare-Raising Halloween from 7 p.m to 8:30 p.m. on the Avenue of Angels
• Family Dive-In Movie at sundown at the Park of Dreams Ship Stage*

Tuesday
• Nickelodeon Character photos in the Castle of Miracles from 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.
• Mayor Clayton’s Birthday Party from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on the Avenue of Angels*
• Fishing at the Happy Harbor Gazebo from 6:45 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.*

Wednesday
• Horseback Riding from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Keaton’s Korral*
• Village Idol on the Avenue of Angels followed by Julie’s Safari Theatre from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Thursday
• Disney Character photos at Julie’s Safari Theatre and Castle of Miracles from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
• Winter Wonderland from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. along the Avenue of Angels*
• Winter Wonderland Parade at 8 p.m. on the Avenue of Angels*
• Santa Claus in Julie’s Safari Theatre from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Don’t forget to pick out your Christmas surprise!

Friday
• Universal Orlando Character photos from 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. in the Castle of Miracles
• Pirates and Princesses Party with Shamu and friends from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Park of Dreams Ship Stage*
• Ms. Merry’s Tea Party from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Castle of Miracles

Saturday
• Horseback Riding from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Keaton’s Korral*
• Poolside cookout at the Park of Dreams from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.*
• Big Splash Bash in the Park of Dreams from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.*
• Family Dive-In Movie at sundown at the Park of Dreams Ship Stage*


PS - I am a volunteer coordinator for GKTW and a MAW Board Member.

 

[FaithsWish]

Thank you so much for the details of the days at GKTW! That helps with a start to planning our days. Faith has ridden a horse once and loved it, so I'm sure that will be a must do!

 

[lanejudy]

If you haven't already found it, there is a sticky thread near the top of this forum dedicated to WISH trips. The people there have a lot of information and can share experiences. Ask any questions you have.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[DisneyFan13US]

OP, I hope you nothing but the best, most magical, trip possible. Welcome to the boards and please feel free to ask away. Also, please keep us posted on how things are developing.

 

[FaithsWish]

If you haven't already found it, there is a sticky thread near the top of this forum dedicated to WISH trips. The people there have a lot of information and can share experiences. Ask any questions you have.

Enjoy your vacation!

Thank you! I posted a quick hello over there.

 

[FaithsWish]

OP, I hope you nothing but the best, most magical, trip possible. Welcome to the boards and please feel free to ask away. Also, please keep us posted on how things are developing.

Thank you! This board has the most information I have found! I think I will be here updating and asking questions frequently!

 

[FaithsWish]

Updated with pictures! Yay! I hit 10 posts!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I like your dog!

 

[mickmomolly]

Make sure to let us know how it turns out! I'm sure faith will have a wonderful time, no matter what it turns out to be!!

 

[FaithsWish]

I like your dog!

That is Daisy Mae. We rescued her a little more than three years ago. She is Faith's best friend!

[/url]Daisy and Faith by Allyson244, on Flickr[/IMG]

 

[WheeledTraveler]

I don't know if this would be possible since her wish specified Superman's autograph, but it might be worth seeing if your trip can be in March during baseball spring training. The Atlanta Braves do their spring training *in* WDW at Wide World of Sports. There are also MLB teams that do spring training in Kissimmee (same city as GKTW) and Lakeland (about 40 min from WDW, but GKTW is closer to Lakeland than WDW). I just saw in your trip report that her MLB team is the Nationals; their spring training complex is a little over an hour away. If you're there during regular baseball season, most spring training facilities are also used by a minor league team. You'd probably have to pay out of pocket since it wasn't part of her wish, but since you specified baseball as something she loves, I wanted to bring it up. I call baseball my lifeline since it's gotten me through hospitalizations and so much other medical crap. I can very much relate to your daughter.

 

[FaithsWish]

I just saw in your trip report that her MLB team is the Nationals; their spring training complex is a little over an hour away. If you're there during regular baseball season, most spring training facilities are also used by a minor league team. You'd probably have to pay out of pocket since it wasn't part of her wish, but since you specified baseball as something she loves, I wanted to bring it up. I call baseball my lifeline since it's gotten me through hospitalizations and so much other medical crap. I can very much relate to your daughter.

WheeledTraveler - I like the way you think! We were thinking along the exact same track. We are hoping to extend our trip (at our own expense of course) and spend a little time at Space Coast Stadium!

Baseball means so much to her and the off season is very hard for her. She doesn't fully understand why "her guys" are gone.

I'm not sure if I have shared these links before or not, but here is a little newspaper article about how much baseball means to her:

http://www.pennlive.com/senators/index.ssf/2014/06/impacts_beyond_the_diamond_sea.html#incart_river_default

And a blog post I wrote about how the off season affects her. http://www.mommyrambles.com/2013/09/23/5-stages-faith-style/

Who is your team WheeledTraveler?

 

[bookgirl]

If you go in spring Wide World of Sports should have some baseball spring training going on. I don't know if MAW can get you tickets but it might be worth checking into.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

as part of our day at Islands of Adventure on grandson's wish trip superheros had us wait until end of set and had a special meet just off stage with most of them there for group pics probably about 15 minutes just our group.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

as part of our day at Islands of Adventure on grandson's wish trip superheros had us wait until end of set and had a special meet just off stage with most of them there for group pics probably about 15 minutes just our group.

Many people simply do not realize how employees at "The Parks" love to help Wish Families. Glad you had such a great adventure.

 

[gap2368]

this thread is almost 4 years old Just an FYI

 

[lanejudy]

I'm going to close this since the Wish Trip in question was taken several years ago.