The cha cha trip or Could there be LESS magic, the trip is not ruined yet...!

[SunnieRN]

I hope you feel better soon!!

 

[michellem1118]

Take care of yourself and get well soon! We'll all be here when you're feeling better (well, unless we're away on our own Disney trips , but then we'll be back soon...).

 

[Grandma Bonnie]

Here's some pixie dust to help you get stronger.ixiedust:

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

Just found your trip report. I hope you are feeling better soon!

Can't wait to read more!

 

[mom3sonstt]

I hope you are feeling better and have just been too busy to get back to your trip report. Just know that we all are sending you well wishes, and are still interested in hearing your Disney adventures when you feel up to sharing them.

 

[lonegungal17]

*Taps foot* AnnieDan_Artlover you need to update your trip report. We're waiting. *taps foot some more*

Mel

 

[swwake]

Annie-Dannielle, it's been about 3 weeks. I hope you are doing ok and feel better soon.

 

[swwake]

Just checking in on you. We miss you. I hope you're feeling ok. Please check in if/when you can.

 

[michellem1118]

Annie-Danielle, I hope everything is OK and that you're feeling better. We miss you.

 

[AnnieDan_Artlover]

Hi all!

First, I just can't believe how you stick with me, and that you kept checking on me even until recently, instead of just forgetting...
To me it's crazy, because you did more than what people do in "real" life! So I know I've said it before, but I'll say it again : it really touches me.

So yes, I'm alive.
I'm feeling better now, altough not as well as I was around the time before WDW and right when I got back. But better than when I went completely AWOL. I simply couldn't spent more than 15-20 min. at a time in front of a computer, and especially not concentrating on writing something coherent, trying to remember things and fumbling around in my notes...
I think it had been awhile since I'd watched so much TV (yuk).

I guess the good thing is, to get really OT , for once I really didn't feel good right in time for my annual with my GP... (Mama had to half-carry me inside the office!), so I finally got to see a specialist for my blood pressure drops (an internist), and he's sending me to yet another specialist, a cardiologist.
I had to buy an at-home blood pressure thingy so I can take my BP myself regularly, including when I'm really not feeling good... hoping it'll reveal something (or if it doesn't, hoing that the test the cardiologist will do will!). I'm trying not to get my hopes too much, but the internist wrote to my GP that it's possible the cardiologist will give me medication... I mean, if only! Even if it's clear it won't cure me in any way, just getting better by 30% would mean the world...

I'm also waiting to see a genetician, but that's a long story...and it could take up to 2 years... so I'll tell you about that when we come to it. And I'm waiting to see a surgeon, to talk about fusing my right wrist bones (the one with 3 torned ligaments)... I can't wait!

So, yeah, I'm better, but I have to say, I don't think I'll be able to get on with the TR just yet.
Seriously, I'll be honest : the olympics are starting Friday, and I'm a junkie, fanatic, olympicoholic, call it what you like... Me and Mama have been waiting for this for more than a year (I've had the countdown on my computer desktop since it was at around 645 days I think!), I've went to HD TV just for that... it maybe even worst than figure skating! (for example, we seriously considered moving our joint hairdresser appointment, because it fell during the olympics! But we thought... we can record 4 things at the same time in HD, plus we're supposed to be able to see whole competitions "on demand"... so we should be OK). I know, I know... it's in China, we should ban the Games and not watch it. ...we just can't.
We try not buying "made in China" stuff instead.

What I mean is, unless there are periods in the next 15 days with nothing that interest me (like an afternoon with only Lacrosse and Kayak...), AND I've not just spend too many hours awake trying to watch something live, AND I'm in good shape... I shouldn't be able to add to my TR until early September.

Why early September? Because in either 3 or 4 weeks (depending on the weather), we have a family thing here for a whole weekend... like a BBQ, but in a typical Québec way (except usually it doesn't las the whole weekend, that's not typical AT ALL). The family comes here for what you call a "corn on the cob", uh, cookout. But we have a twist. Since we live on a huge land (well, not huge, but bigger than usual around here... used to be a farm), and those families all live in the city or near the city and all like to camp... they spend one or 2 nights here in their tents.
Which mean we feel like a camping ground and a bed and breakfast at the same time, for a whole weekend.
Which means we need to clean the house and prepare the whole event for 2 weeks in advance.

The first year, they all got here Saturday around 2pm and left on Sunday around 11am (less than 24hrs).
The next year, one family arrived late on Friday evening, the rest like the previous year, and they all left a little later on Sunday... after having lunch with the leftovers... (about 40hrs)
The year after that, 2 families arrived after dinner the Friday, the rest arrived for lunch on the Saturday, and they all left just before dinner on Sunday... And we had to plan a lunch for that Sunday, just in case (in fact, we simply planned more for the Saturday dinner so we'd have enough "leftovers" for Sunday's lunch!) (almost 48hrs).
We're now scared they'll all arrive for dinner on Friday and won't leave until after dinner on Sunday!!!

We're sooo tired when they leave! And if my parents are tired after this, I'm literally having trouble walking and am crashing for about 2 weeks, sometimes up to a month. In fact, we're already tired when they get here! It's installing the tables and benches, the huge pot to boil the corn (over the fire pit), it's ordering everything, it's buying all the stuff (it costs us a bunch each year!), it's planning everything, it's preparing some of the food (not a lot, thankfully, we order most of it), it's cleaning... and while they're here, it's entertaining them (just talking tires me, and when there is light and noise around me, it gets worst!), looking after their children (they don't seem to think about it themselves...) anf it doesn't stop! The night goes late around the fire and starts early with the kids around the kitchen table (inside! that's why I call it both campground and bed & breakfast).

Luckily, they seem to have finally got that they made us a big job, as last year, one family organized one lunch, and they got together to organize both breakfasts. It does help for both the costs and the work (but Mama still needs to do almost everything and after doing so much work before they get here, spends the weekend running around... As usual, my dad does next to nothing , and I can't do much, which bugs me big time ).

It has become a tradition (it's been at least 8 years...).
I used to love it... but then, I used to be able to help and enjoy it. Now it's almost a burden and it puts me in bed for such a long time afterwards.
On top of it, what makes me enjoy it less it seeing the kids run around and play and not understanding why I can't join, asking the same questions each year. And seeing the adults playing too (a voleyball court is installed, softball and bat, golf balls and clubs and a game of botché brought each year, etc. and except the one game of botché per year, which wears me out... I never can play. They always make tournaments of everything and I can never participate but even the adults forget about my illness and insist I play).

If you're interested, the real word for this event is : épluchette de blé d'inde. The translation is corn-husking party. It is true that before we can boil the corn, a couple of the women and some kids get together near a trashcan (usually) and husk (I'd say peel, but I guess husk is a better word) the corns before putting them in the huge pot my dad and cousin had gotten to a boil over the fire pit.
The best corn ever, bought buy the pouch to the local farmer and it's the peak of the season. Sadly, I can't eat as much as I used to, no more appetite.
(we thank ADG for this bit of Québec culture fact). Hahaha

So there you have it... I hope I was able to relieve your worries : aka I'm alive and... almost well, and make you understand... Altough you showed me you lot were the most understanding there could be, so I'm not worried about that too much!
I know you've all been waiting for my TR and sticking with me... But I just can't skip those Games... I've been waiting for those even longer than you've been waiting for my TR! ...and I know I probably won't be in good shape right after either. I'm really sorry to keep you waiting, and not to have been on your own PTRs and TRs!!!
I'll be back, I promise. I'm truly and honestly not forgetting about any of you.

 

[swwake]

So glad to hear from you and that you're ok now and improving.

We can wait for the TR, but can you tell us if, in general, it was a great time and what you expected?

 

[AnnieDan_Artlover]

What? And ruin the suspense?

 

[swwake]

I know, but we all want to know if you enjoyed your first trip to Disneyworld that almost never was.

 

[mom3sonstt]

Glad to hear you are doing well. Enjoy your Games and cornhusking party - the party sounds like fun.....not much of an Olympics fan here, but I hope you are able to see the events you want

 

[michellem1118]

I'm glad to hear that you're feeling a bit better, and I understand about the Olympics. I'm much the same way, and might not start my honeymoon TR until after, plus I go back to work next week as well following summer vacation, so my time will be limited. I'll still be here when you get around to updating us.

 

[AnnieDan_Artlover]

*I know, it's time!... for real, I hope... Aren't you excited?! I know I am... especially since it means I'm not feeling too bad! Let's get on with the show!
_____________________________________________________________

I left it where we were about to enter the MAGIC KINGDOM for the first time. Well, what? After all these years of hoping, praying, imagining, etc. it was in big, bold, glittering letters in my mind! hihi.

But first was the dilemma... where do you put that famous GAC? Will you need to show it often? Are you supposed to keep it nice and clean, is it bad to fold it? Luckily, I had learned about that dilemma here on the DIS, so I knew the best was to keep it close, but it wasn't something to worry about either. Still, it's not very practical... a little bigger than a credit card or photopass, too big for most pockets... I had to fold it and each time I'd need it, would search my pockets in a hurry (you always want to please, never want to make anybody wait, would you?). Anyways.

We then finally got to the gates... Where Mama panicked (or almost), again. Well it was sooo stressful for her to feel that she had to rush and get the tickets out in time and not slow anyone down, while pushing my wheelchair... Problem is, she always feels rushed, but is rarely well organized, and as I said (and feel I'll repeat) she really doesn't work good under pressure... even if the "pressure" is not something any other would call pressure and is pretty much all in her head...
Yup, the sight of the gates were not a sign that the magic was finally there for her... it was "Oh gosh, I put back the tickets in my bag, how stupid of me, now I have my hands full with the wheelchair and there's a slight incline here so I can't let go of the chair, and there are people around so we can't stop, we'll be annoying people, but I need to get to the gate and get the tickets out, but how will I do that without stopping, and I have to have them ready before I get to the CMs at the gate, OMG!"; imagine those thoughts repeated at a fast rate... Of course she doesn't tell me any of this, she just start to panic slightly, and slows down, because her anxiety freezes her ability to think and react, and when I realize we're not going where we're supposed to, or if I ask why we're stopping halfway, it gets bad, because she's frustrated at herself and interprets each question or bewildered look as an attack, as irritation against her, etc. and thus either barks an answer or blurts out that, well, she's doing so and so because she's just stupid and can't do such and such.
It didn't start our MK visit very good and brought down the magic level a notch or two...
I mean, we were there, finally, at the place we both had wanted to be for so long, and instead of walking, carefree and happy, she was totally stressing out about the most minuscule thing. First it was the bag search and then getting the tickets out for the gates. Each new thing, each uncertainty brought a level of stress so high I couldn't believe it. Any other person would've simply went through those things without even thinking about it!!!

We finally went through the gates, without any problem, it goes without saying.
The way the CM worked is, Mama pushed me through one of the larger gates, gave both our AP cards (what I called tickets earlier) to the CM, which passed them through the machine herself, and gave the APs back to Mama, and we were through. I was secretly happy not to have my fingerprints in the system!

And then there we were

...And nothing happened.
I thought I'd feel either immensely happy, kinda nostalgic, teary-eyed or burst into tears... Something. Especially since each time I would try to imagine myself there, a huge ball of emotions would churn inside me and I'd had to think of something else or I'd explode... But nothing happened, I didn't even had a small itsy bisty tear.
I felt happy, I mean I wasn't sad or an ice block. But it wasn't a deep feeling, I'm as happy when I go to the movies or to see a show, KWIM?
I found it beautiful, but I didn't feel anything very special.
Guess it was too late. I had wanted this for so long, the time had passed.

I don't think it's because I had imagined too much, because I hadn't imagined. I think it was exactly not to be disappointed. I didn't have mental images. I only had thought of feelings, maybe. A special atmosphere, you know?
I didn't get any of that.
People talk of a certain smell... didn't notice anything (I didn't search for anything either, though). Maybe I'll smell it if I go back.
I guess I was hoping for a big emotion, a big revelation when setting foot in MK, in Disney as a whole, and in each park, but it didn't happen for Disney as a whole, and didn't happen in MK either.

I did find it beautiful, loved the look, but didn't feel the magic.
I think a big part of it was Mama's anxiety and stress, and, most of all, my situation, being stuck in my wheelchair, without any independance and with butts in my eyesight.

The first thing we did, around 10am, was find the Main Street Bakery, which had made me drool for months now, for a late breakfast. It wasn't at all what I expected, but not in a bad way. Just different. I couldn't really tell what I was expecting... I guess I thought it was an exterior kiosk with chairs outside, something like that. I was so tired I couldn't eat a lot, but the food was good. I especially loved the fruit parfait. Mama fell in love with a turkey and brie sandwich because of the honey and oat bread... She raved about it for days!!!

After that, we started towards Fantasyland. And I realized that all this time I had heard about going left when entering MK at opening... it wouldn't have helped me at all, since I couldn't figure out what left it was? First left when you enter (which I later figured out was towards Adventureland) or second one (Liberty square) or simply enter Fantasyland by the left of the castle? See, MK is confusing!!! I had checked maps of MK, and I had one with me, but we had a lot of trouble figuring which way to go at first, especially which way to go to catch IASW.

I had decided we'd do IASW first, since I wanted to do it just as much, if not more, than other rides, and Mama had wanted to do it, but missed the chance when she had been there about 30years ago... because of my dad.
After a lot of walking (or rolling) and turning around in circles a little bit, we finally found it, and got right into it. MK was almost empty that day! And it wasn't because of the weather : it was a sunny, beautiful day, and not too hot at all! I guess wednesdays and/or April 30th are great days in MK!
There wasn't any wait, and we even got a whole boat all to ourselves, as did many other families (there was even a totally empty boat behind us!). That was the best, since we didn't have other people heads to hide our view, or other people singing...
Once again, I was a little disappointed... It was beautiful, I was in awe in front of some of the dolls and scenes... but I more or less hated the chaotic mix they made of the song (all the languages together instead of, oh I don't know, one after the other!) that prevents you from even hearing the melody!
I didn't take one single picture because I wanted to take it all in, and I still loved it, apart from the cacophony.
I just didn't feel anything special or magical. It's hard to explain... It was great, but it wasn't much more than a beautiful ride in an amusement park... a notch above most others, and special, because it wasn't the usual park ride : there were things to see instead of scary feelings, for example... but it wasn't the big thing I thought it would be.
Still, I wanted to do it again, before the end of our trip, and take pix that time. Not do it again right away, because we had so many things we wanted to do or see, we couldn't really afford to do anything repeatedly.

We then crossed over to Peter Pan's flight, where the overhead sign said the wait was 10min... but it was well overdue for an update, since there was no wait at all, once again!
That's where we learned that Mama really hates conveyer belts and doesn't have very good balance... It was kinda funny : I'd be in the w/c, get up, and would get in front of her, because she'd need more time to get in the vehicules! People must have thought that was weird... She'd look like the one needing the w/c!
Peter Pan's ride was too short, and you could really feel it was a "baby" ride... But we liked it a lot, especially the London at night part. Still, it's not one I'd be anxious to do again, simply because, for me, with all the trouble of getting in the building, out of the w/c and back in again, for so little ride time, is simply not worth it... I guess it wouldn't be that much trouble if it wasn't as much in Mama's mind. It did feel like it.

After PP we went next door to Mickey's PhilarMagic. What a mistake! Because it's the best 3D movie/ride in the whole 4 parks!!! I kinda heard about that, so I should've thought about it, but on that first day, pretty much all I knew went out the window, I was so tired and fluttered that it was finally our first Disney day that I couldn't think straight...
So in PhilarMagic we went. WOW. It was really awesome, and for the first time since I'd been in MK, I was really excited! Mama looked like a kid, and that made my day. For once, she let go. I clearly remember her holding out her hands to catch something that "came out" of the screen and jumping in surprise when water squirted, and such. I reacted less because I'm more used to 3D... but I was holding it in a little...
I think that one was one of Mama's favorites, it's one she's still talking about. She was amazed at the technology and the beauty, and we both liked the story, music and humor very much.

We then walked over to The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. I love my Pooh! A "baby" ride, very cute... meaning not very entertaining, but still fun to watch. We did enjoy the hopping hunnypots though! Another ride that was too short and without enough content to make us anxious to do it again. Not that we wouldn't WANT to do it again... it's just, we're not in a HURRY to, and it shouldn't be at the expense of other rides.

After the ride, we explored the Pooh shop, where I especially was looking for gifts for the oldest of my niece, S (I'll call them my nieces, but to make things clear, they are my cousin's daughters... there's no name for that family link!), who's a big Pooh fan.
I saw the cutest plush bag (to put your pajama in) : Pooh with a baby blue t-shirt and night cap... I liked it a lot, but would've loved a simple plush instead of a bag. I noted the idea in my notepad, with the shop I saw the item in and price. I did that all trip long, so I wouldn't find myself half trip with gifts or souvenirs bought and regrets when seeing better ideas ("that would've been much more fun!" or "She would've like that more!") and of course, writing it all in the notebook so I'd be able to find the things I saw when the time came to finally buy them!
I also saw Pooh lollipops : a huge one, and a handful of smaller ones. Noted. S is allergic to nuts, so I checked the lollipops, and they were OK.
Most importantly, I spotted a Thumper pajama, so cute! A turquoise boxer with a white cami. Once you get over the question : how come Thumper is in Pooh shop? You fall in love with the pajama. I wanted it! So it was noted.

In Tinkerbell Treasure, we also saw the cutest plush of Marie, I would've liked it for myself, but we immediatly thought of my grandma who loves cats and can't have one in her appartment, and really misses her old cat. Noted.

In the morning, we saw many characters out, but didn't stop for any. I wasn't in a hurry, and Mama really didn't feel like it : we'd just gotten there, she didn't want to get in line and wait for pictures and autographs!
But as we got out of shopping, we spotted Alice and the Mad Hatter! ...Just as turned to get in line, they closed the line...

We then decided to get lunch, even if we weren't really hungry : it was only 12h30pm, we had eaten "breakfast" about 2hrs earlier! Well I should say : I wasn't hungry, but Mama was! She's pretty much always hungry. But we wanted to eat then, since the plan was to split the day in 2 and take a break at the resort in the afternoon. So we opted for Pinocchio Village Haus. I wanted some Figaro fries! It seems they now removed the salad from it. It was fries with cheese and bacon. Still deliciously greesy, salty and rich! Mama liked it a lot. She also loved the home-made chips that came with her, once again, turkey sandwich (well, panini really). I only ate less than half the fries and a couple of chips.

We finished eating and left MK around 1pm. It's such a long walk in MK from the gates to the bus!!! And as to make matters worse, POFQ's bus is the furthest of all. On a good note, we saw a mama duck and her babies! So cute... It really tells you how animals are used to people there...
We waited for the bus for about 10 min. and I noted that the ride itself took 13min. so returning to the resort from MK takes about 25min.

Next time, Part 7 : the afternoon rest (are we able to rest after all?) and 1st day at MK, part deux.

 

[dreamer17555]

First off I am glad you are back! I am sorry it was a stressful morning and things didn't live up to the dream. I hope the rest of the trip is more magical.

-Becca-

 

[michellem1118]

Woo-hoo! An update! I'm glad the day seemed to get smoother as you went along, and I hope your mama was able to relax by the end of the trip. Can't wait for more.

I've started my honeymoon TR, too... I should add the link to my siggy... check it out if you have time.

 

[MRYPPNS]

I hope your Mom got more comfortable as the trip went on.
Looking forward to the next update.

 

[swwake]

Annie-Dan! I am so glad you're back. I'm glad we're moving along with the TR. I know it wasn't as exciting as you had hoped, but I hope it gets better. Still - you're at the Happiest Place on Earth!