The Force is Strong in This One: SWW and Celebration VI, Disney Done Differently

[lovethattink]

Friday was Grumpy's graduation from high school!! Our plan was to go to SWW Friday morning and leave after the parade. However we got a phone call from his administrator Thursday night. Time had slipped away from him and he forgot to tell us that practice for graduation was at 1pm on Friday. Then we'd be helping to set up tables for the reception. And had to be back at the church by 6pm for the graduation. SWW was now out of the picture for Friday.

Early Saturday morning, Anakin had some cluster seizures. The medicine made him tired and wanted to rest. No SWW Saturday either.

Would we get there Sunday or was this weekend a bust?

 

[mommy2mrb]

sorry Anakin is feeling yucky again....is his sinus' draining? that always makes my throat sore...hope he's better today!

 

[lovethattink]

sorry Anakin is feeling yucky again....is his sinus' draining? that always makes my throat sore...hope he's better today!

Thank you, yesterday was better, but he is still not himself. This is crazy that his throat has hurt for over 2 weeks. Thankfully there have been no seizures as a result of the infection. Called the doc on call on Friday night and she had him start another 10 day course of antibiotics. We go back Monday if he isn't better. Friday he just laid around and didn't play at all. He even cried because his throat hurt. He didn't want to drink or eat anything. He got half a Frosty down and that was it all day. Yesterday he was able to eat and drink, and he played with his Legos.

 

[lovethattink]

This is a copy and paste from my perpetual TR with pictures added.

Day 9​

An adventure. Lessons learned​

.

In order to get us to DHS sooner, I picked up DH at work. I've only driven there twice, and I missed my turn off. Ended up having to drive further before I could turn around and head back the other direction.

I assumed everything was in the car, but it wasn't. Missing was the medical stroller. We debated driving back home to get the stroller, but Anakin said he felt fine and would walk. We should have known better!!

It was 90-some degrees outside. On the plus side, they were parking people in the Stage parking area. On the downside, the parking spaces were way down. DH pulled into row 44 and dropped us off near the tram before driving all the way down.

When Anakin said he felt find and would walk, it was nice and air conditioned in the car. Once he got out in the heat, just walking that little bit to the tram was very taxing on him. He no sooner sat down on the tram when he began whining he wanted to go home, it was too hot.

I assured him we'd take it easy, walk slow, sit on benches, etc. The tram sat there a long time. Long enough for dh to park and join us on the tram.

Anakin had a very hard time getting off the tram. Especially making the last step to the ground. We both had to support him to get him off.

He stepped off the tram and into Schmolland. Explanation of schmolland. He barely made it to the security check. DH said we are just going to go back to the tram and back to the car. There were people behind us at the security table and Anakin just sits down. People can't get around him. He won't talk to us. I don't know how I did it, but somehow, I bent over and picked up all 88 pounds of him and carried him through security.

We held a quick family meeting off to the side and explained to him why he can't just sit down on a whim like he did. We said we had to make a decision right now to either change attitudes and go in the park or go back to the car. Reluctantly we all decided to give the park a try.

We made it as far as the curb near the restroom close to the entrance. He sat in the shade, but it was so stinking hot and humid that the shade didn't really cut it. So we walked into the stores and found a bench inside one of the stores. He rested for a bit and we walked inside any stores that connected all the way towards B&B. He did fine walking through the stores.

Once we got outside and started walking to the Darth Mall tent, that heat heat him hard. He made it to the Darth Mall, but it was a very labored process. The tent is air conditioned, and within a minute or so, he was perfectly fine again.

We ordered him a name tag from Endor. And he used his money to buy another light saber. Dh found 2 DK books about Star Wars and he bought them for Anakin, but I think it was more for himself! We decided to go see Luke Skywalker again inside the tent while dh paid for the purchases. Wouldn't you know it, the queue had just closed.

I didn't know how he would take the news after how he was behaving from the heat and the missing stroller. He was fine that the line was closed. He understood that the character lines close so that they can get ready for Hyperspace Hoopla.

We got back outside and within minutes we were back in Schmolland. All the available benches only had seating available in the sun, so we encouraged him to keep walking til we could find some shade to sit in. We cut through the smoking area and found a table with an umbrella providing plenty of shade.

He and Goofy sat down while I went and got us food. A kid's pizza for Anakin and a deli sub with a side ceasar salad for Goofy and I. While in line for food, the woman after me ordered an R2D2 souvenier bucket without food. She was rung up and paid. Holly, a cm getting the food together, notified the person ringing register that they can't just sell the bucket. (But all the other food places have been doing this, so I'm not sure if this was something new or just Holly's rule.) The cm at the register tried to explain to the lady that she can't get just the bucket, even though he had already rung her up without any problems. The lady didn't understand, so he told Holly that she should let this one go, and he will let future guests know they can't get just the bucket.

Holly got the bucket and before giving it to the lady, she reprimanded her in front of all of us in line. I have never seen a cm so nasty to a guest in all my Disney visits. I was shocked!!!

We all enjoyed our food, and while we sat there, the temperature dropped. Anakin's demeaner got much better and he left Schmolland and came back to us. We walked to the Hoopla with no further complaints or whining. He enjoyed the Hoopla.

Who doesn't enjoy a wookie in a wig?!

Saw his cm buddy Joel who has always made DHS more magical! Then we headed out of the park after stopping for some photopass pictures.

We got on the tram, we were the 3rd stop. He again had some difficulty getting off the tram, but no problems walking all the way down to the car. No doubt he and heat do not mix!

 

[kaoden39]

What a nasty, nasty cm. There is no excuse for that behavior. Its a good thing the bad cms out balance the bad ones.

 

[Corrine 1973]

So it has taken a couple of days, but I have finally found my way over here and caught up. Loving all the Star Wars stuff. I really can't wait until next year when SWW comes back.

 

[midwesternbelle]

I have always thought of visiting during star wars weekends... is it worth the crowds, or is it better to go end of january when the parks are dead?

 

[midwesternbelle]

ps: LOVING THE TR!

 

[englishrose47]

How rude of that CM !!!I work with many who have autism so I do understand ,1 I work with regularly is obsessed with the silky lining of coats , he takes anyones and just feels it which of course causes a huge uproar from the owner of the coat !! We have purchased him some material od the same nature that he picked out and are trying to see if this will help!!!

 

[Lidian]

So sorry that you started off with a rough day, but glad that the temp cooled down and everything worked out great! Very sorry that you had to witness a very un-Disney CM. I hope the CM was reported for such ill behaviour! Even if it wasn't customary to sell the buckets alone, the GUEST should NEVER be reprimanded for not knowing the rules. And if another CM needed to be reprimanded, it should always be done out of the guest's eyes/ears. I hope I don't encounter this CM ... I'm not sure I could hold my tongue.

 

[Moodyzblu]

I'm very shy and non-confrontational .. but I might have had a few (not so nice) words for that CM if I had her talk to ME that way. Having been in customer service for many years .. it drives me batty when someone in that position is rude to me.

I can't wait to see how Anakins carbon freeze turns out !!

Jayden doesn't tolerate the heat very well either.

 

[lovethattink]

What a nasty, nasty cm. There is no excuse for that behavior. Its a good thing the bad cms out balance the bad ones.

It's rare to see something like that. I think that's why incidents like that stick out more. Perhaps we come to expect the excellent customer to the point of taking it for granted? I make it a point not to take it for granted. We had excellent customer service today at the CP!!

So it has taken a couple of days, but I have finally found my way over here and caught up. Loving all the Star Wars stuff. I really can't wait until next year when SWW comes back.

Welcome!! So you have decided to do SWW even if Liam isn't with you? That's awesome. I hope your week coincide with SWW!!

I have always thought of visiting during star wars weekends... is it worth the crowds, or is it better to go end of january when the parks are dead?

Welcome!! SWW are awesome! The day we did the Carbon Freeze Me was a Thursday. The park was not crowded, it was perfect for attractions. SWW are definately crowded.

I love Disney in the winter!! January around New Year's Day week, will be crowded! Martin Luther King weekend will also be crowded since most schools have off. The other part of January are great! The parks close early, but the crowds are not there.

Packing is a whole different ball game in May vs January. In May you know it will be hot, so there is less to pack. In January, you never know if it will be cold or hot, so packing clothes to layer is key, which means more clothing in the suitcase. (Especially with the temp difference from day to night, a jacket or sweater is usually a must at night. Sometimes it's a winter coat needed at night.)

ps: LOVING THE TR!

Thank you!!

How rude of that CM !!!I work with many who have autism so I do understand ,1 I work with regularly is obsessed with the silky lining of coats , he takes anyones and just feels it which of course causes a huge uproar from the owner of the coat !! We have purchased him some material od the same nature that he picked out and are trying to see if this will help!!!

Today we saw Donald at the MK, Anakin was quick to tell us that Donald did not feel the same.

Sounds like interesting work! I hope the material will help!

So sorry that you started off with a rough day, but glad that the temp cooled down and everything worked out great! Very sorry that you had to witness a very un-Disney CM. I hope the CM was reported for such ill behaviour! Even if it wasn't customary to sell the buckets alone, the GUEST should NEVER be reprimanded for not knowing the rules. And if another CM needed to be reprimanded, it should always be done out of the guest's eyes/ears. I hope I don't encounter this CM ... I'm not sure I could hold my tongue.

What was interesting was while I was deciding what to order, the guy who rang us up told me the price of the R2D2 with the snack vs the price of just the snack. He also told me that you can buy the R2D2 alone. I ended up getting pizza instead of the snack pack and no R2D2.

I did say something to the guy who was on the cash register. I mentioned that he did tell us you could buy it all separate.

I'm not sure that the guest fully understood what was going on around her. She spoke with a thick accent and just smiled and nodded when they spoke to her.

I'm very shy and non-confrontational .. but I might have had a few (not so nice) words for that CM if I had her talk to ME that way. Having been in customer service for many years .. it drives me batty when someone in that position is rude to me.

I can't wait to see how Anakins carbon freeze turns out !!

Jayden doesn't tolerate the heat very well either.

I can't wait either! How did Jayden do when you all were here?

 

[WDWRids]

I have to say your little one is adorable! He obviously wins the hearts of all that is around him. I so wish my DH and I were the lady in line talking with him - he could have talked for hours and we would have given him all the attention in the world! So pleasing to see all the pixie dust that was spread his way during the trip. There are still alot of good people in the world. Can't wait to hear about the Fairy Godmother.......

 

[lovethattink]

I have to say your little one is adorable! He obviously wins the hearts of all that is around him. I so wish my DH and I were the lady in line talking with him - he could have talked for hours and we would have given him all the attention in the world! So pleasing to see all the pixie dust that was spread his way during the trip. There are still alot of good people in the world. Can't wait to hear about the Fairy Godmother.......

Thanks! He is very dramatic and expressive. That would have been nice of your and your dh! We met Katmark and her dh on one of their trips last year. He very much so entertained them, he ate his very first peanut butter and jelly sandwich at EoS with them.

Actually, after his FG cast the spell on him, that was the last we heard from her until a week or so ago. She intitiated the magic behind the scene which was perpetuated and surpassed beyond our wildest expectations for the very last week of SWW!!

 

[Moodyzblu]

I can't wait either! How did Jayden do when you all were here?

He did great as long as it didn't get much above 80. There were a few days we had to leave and hit the pool early. But that was ok ... He LOVES the pool.

 

[lovethattink]

He did great as long as it didn't get much above 80. There were a few days we had to leave and hit the pool early. But that was ok ... He LOVES the pool.

Can certainly understand that! Which is why we often base our choice of resort on the pool.

The temps have consistently been in the low 90's during the day here. If we are doing something outside we make sure it's morning or evening.

 

[WDWRids]

We will be there again the first week in March - since you are local, maybe we can connect one day. Would love to get the lowdown from Anakin on SWW. I am so having disney withdrawals right now and we were just there in Sept then in March. I could go ALL the time - such a happy relaxing place for me.

 

[petals]

I'm not really into the whole star wars thing but some of the characters look amazing the way they're done. Wouldn't really expect anything less in Disney though.

 

[lovethattink]

I am updating the perpetual TR and have added the Princess Merida M&G and a CP lunch. Also soon adding the Highland Games at Epcot, Agent P adventure, and lunch at the Coral Reef. I promise I will be back soon to finish! I still have pictures to upload from SWW!

We will be there again the first week in March - since you are local, maybe we can connect one day. Would love to get the lowdown from Anakin on SWW. I am so having disney withdrawals right now and we were just there in Sept then in March. I could go ALL the time - such a happy relaxing place for me.

March is a great time to visit! The temps are perfect then. Hope you are able to avoid all the Mardi Gras and Spring Break crowds.

I'm not really into the whole star wars thing but some of the characters look amazing the way they're done. Wouldn't really expect anything less in Disney though.

Yes, they look like they stepped right out of the movie!

 

[jenseib]

I hope you reported Holly!!!