rethinking our trip

[allicat]

Let me start by saying that my thoughts are with our military and my WDW trip seems really trivial in comparison.
However, I was excited as can be for our upcoming trip. Im now nervous instead.
Apparently,according to the news, we will most likely be at war by next week and the "terror cells" are in place in the US. Once we bomb over there, terrorist acts will begin here.
I should have never turned the tv on.
We are flying to WDW- obviously, lots of people there.
My Mom has already said we should rethink the whole trip.
However, just wondering if anyone else has a trip in the near future and if war is declared next week, what your thoughts are about going?

 

[Miss Jasmine]

I'm still going no matter what. I can't let FEAR rule my life. When it's my time, it's my time no matter where I am or what I am doing. Life is so uncertain even with or without the potential of terrorism.

Go on vacation and enjoy yourself.

 

[crazyme5kids]

My husband has to leave Sun. for Mexico. He will be working at a stadium down there with a Major League Baseball exhibition game. Some players are very nervous about going out of the country. They have put extra security in place, so I'll just keep my fingers crossed all goes well. If he wasn't going there, he'd be commuting into NYC.
I guess you have to do what is most comfortable for you. I am sure all places that expect large crowds will be adding more security measures. Your mom sounds like mine LOL!

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

I understand your feelings as we had a WDW trip planned for 2 weeks after 9/11. We ended up postponing for a month. I regret doing that, but at the time I was in a panic. I live in the Washington, D.C. suburbs and realize now that I'm no safer here than I am anywhere else and that there's no reason to alter my life.

Go on your trip and have a good time.

 

[caitycaity]

i haven't herad that we will be at war by next week.

 

[mom2boys]

I would still go. But I have always lived in the shadow of some type of "target". I grew up just outside DC - practically next door to Andrews Air Force base. In high school, several freinds' military fathers were called away without explaination in the night during the Iranian Embassy hostage situation. After college I lived in Crystal City VA with a view of the Pentagon & the Washington monument from my building. Now I live in the MD suburbs & regularly drive past Ft. Detrick (fromer bioweapons research site & currently at the center of the anthrax investigation). I can tell you when Bush is at Camp David by the jets flying over my house at regular intervals. We have even watched the fighter jets chase "unauthorized" planes out of the no fly zone. (Usually just some wayward pilot without adequate info since the no fly zone radius changes depending on activity at the protected site & the threat level.) I do not hide inside my house. I still send my kids to school everyday. I worry daily about whether they will write down their homework assignments. I rarely wonder if they will make it home safely. I feel that I have to live my life.

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

D.C. people...did you all notice more jets than usual flying over in the middle of the night last night? I woke up at about 3:00 AM and I heard several flying over together. It was bizarre. I turned on CNN just to make sure nothing was going on.

 

[caitycaity]

yeah, although we get helicopters and jets regularly at night, i did notice more noise last night. it woke me up.

 

[Lynn CC]

We haven't gone since 911, which is really sad because we go every year. DH and DS do not want to fly and just being away from home right now scares a lot of people.

I know a lot of people are really brave and go about their business, but you can't deny you are safer at home right now.
We will be driving the next time we go to WDW.....after things settle down a lot.
It's a scary time right now, one we never thought we were going to have to worry about in our Baby Boomer Age. How quickly things change.
{HUGS}

 

[caitycaity]

I know a lot of people are really brave and go about their business, but you can't deny you are safer at home right now.

actually, i think i can deny that pretty easily, along with the many people that live in this area.

 

[Tea Please]

I think it is a very personal decision. If you are not up to the trip than by all means postpone it. Do not do something you are not comfortable with. I live in a community that lost many lives on 9/11 and the terror was especially close. However, we made a decision in October 01, to continue to live our lives as we have been. My 1st flight post 9/11 was filled with lots of fear and trepidation but I did it and felt better for it. Whatever you decide I wish you well.

 

[Lynn CC]

That is true caitycaity........ I hope I wasn't insensitive!
I meant people are scared to go in public places and only feel safe within their homes....ie malls, WDW or touring the attractions of Washington DC.
My DS's school was supposed to be going to Italy next month for 10 days to perform in the Band...but that was cancelled, then they decided they would go to Wash. DC and now that is cancelled. When I went in school (years ago) we didn't even think of terrorist attacks.
I'm sure many people are going to go about their business, I wish we could, but we just can't right now.

 

[allicat]

Waving to you Tea Please from Ocean County!
Tea Please,I think because we had so much loss on 9/11 so close to home, it is never far from my mind. And scary to think about, I live not so far from a power plant- another worry, so am I really any safer at home? I just dont know.
According to DH, we are going to have a wonderful time, end of story!

 

[Disney Ella]

We're flying to WDW on Saturday. Bad things could just as easily happen near home as in Florida (especially since we are between Philadelphia and NYC). Yes, we'll be thinking about it, but we're not going to let it stop us.

 

[apagano]

Pardon me for being morbid about this, but the only people who get to choose when and how they die are people who kill themselves. How would you feel if you postponed all your travel only to die from falling down the stairs in your house? Or accidentally slicing your wrist while peeling a potato? More people died from household accidents than from terrorism in 2001, and that includes the 3,000 who died at the WTC. It saddens me that so many kids are being deprived of once in a lifetime opportunities because of fear. It was only 40 years ago when it looked certain that our society would be wiped out in a nuclear war. We're still here. I am not going to sit home in fear while brave soldiers risk their lives chasing down scum like the Ron Jeremy look-alike they just bagged. The least I can do is excercise the freedoms our soldiers are fighting for.

 

[DMickey28]

we are flying to ft. lauderdale on march 21 for a seven day cruise... I am a little nervous but I don't let it bother me...

It's not worth it. I have to go one living.....

 

[ljsmom]

Thank you for posting this. I plan to go in May, and also have many of the same fears. I have been twice since 9/11 (once 10/01 & once 7/02) and was very nervous the first time and a bit nervous the second. I'm glad I decided to go both times. We had a great time BUT with the very likely possibility of war I'm very nervous again. I agree with those of you who said you don't get to pick when your time is up. When it's time, it's time. That is what I kept in my mind during my trip in October '01. I live very close to NYC, so it is possible I am in more danger here. As it stands now, I am keeping my plans as they stand. Good luck with your decision and God Bless.

 

[helenabear]

Well considering that I just booked a room for a trip later this year, I can't say I am afraid at all to go. I looked for air, but I will have to wait and see if I can find a better price I do not fear going places or doing things where I could be killed or harmed... if my time is up, it doesn't matter where or what I can be doing so why hold back? That is the truth on how I feel... and I hope I remain feeling that way for the rest of my life.

 

[WillyJ]

Allicat,

I don't blame for being nervous, but I'd like to ask you and everyone else to just think about how many posts you have seen like this on the DIS in the past year+ ?

How many times have we heard; "Time is running out" "Saddam's last chance" "The war will start any minute now". . . I've heard the "we're going to war next week" by so-called "experts" on TV now every week for the past 6 months. .

How many times now has govenment officials come in front of the public since 9/11 and scared the heck out of everybody by using rhetoric making it sound like they had specific information of impending terrorist attacks only to find out later that it was based on nothing specific at all?


Have you heard anyone in the government stand up and say; "If we don't invade Iraq then all the terrorists from all these different countries with all these different agendas will be so grateful we don't have to worry about an attack anymore. . " ?And have they been saying we don't have to worry about an attack until the war in Iraq starts?

But more importantly; does anyone think that if say in the next 6 months or so we do go into Iraq and take Saddam out and we do find and capture Bin Laden, that the govenment is going to stand up and say; "Okay. . . we took care of threat. . . put away the duct tape and plastic, get out from under the desks, take your vacations now. . no need to worry about it anymore. . " ?

I suppose anything's possible, but I feel pretty confident in saying we're going to be hearing these same kind of alarmist rhetoric and alerts and warnings for years to come. .

I don't blame you or anyone for being stressed and a little scared, but if we are going to put off going on vacations and going about our lives until we get an "all clear" from the government, we're going to be in for a long wait. . .

You gotta do what you think is best for you and your family Allicat; and I sure wouldn't say you're doing the wrong thing if you decide to cancel. . . but honestly, I don't see why going now would be any more or less risky then going a month from now; 6 months from now; or 2 years from now. . .

My advice is to go on your trip and enjoy yourself. . if there's one place a person can escape from the stress of all this it'd be on Main St. . .

 

[dixiegirl]

For me personally, war or no war, I would be going and will be going in Oct.

I think that prior to 9/11, the majority of Americans lived in this sort of euphoric air and just didn't consider the idea that terrorists could possibly be in the country. They are and have been for many years now. The threat has ALWAYS been here - and it always will be.

I choose to live my life day to day and enjoy every moment that I am blessed to be given. I will not allow these freaks to take away the freedom that so many of our ancestors fought to preserve.

But everyone has to make their own decision and has to be able to live with that decision. My hope is that you go and enjoy yourself.